Taking a cruise holiday is often a once-in-a-lifetime event, especially if it is a long cruise with a lot of ports of call that you’ll be stopping at and/or laying over for a time. However, one thing many people struggle with is knowing what to pack. First, take the time to find out how much luggage you can take on-board the cruise ship (and the plane if you need to fly to the embarkation port), and then, once you are armed with this information, you can begin preparing to pack.
What to Pack in Your Carry-on Bag
Just as you would when travelling by any other means, it’s a good idea to pack your carry-on bag with one simple change of clothes in case they are needed at some point when your checked luggage is inaccessible. If you have a long delay between leaving your home and departing at the port, you may also want to pack something to keep you busy such as a crossword puzzle book, a small snack and perhaps a bottle of spring water. Also, any toiletries, cosmetics and medications should remain with you at all times.
Enquire about On-board Dress Codes
Many cruise holidays have a number of on-board activities that require a certain manner of dress. Some cruises offer tennis and shuffle board whilst others have on-board pools and even Tiki bars! Will there be a formal dinner and ball? If so, you will need to pack formal attire. No matter what type of event you need clothing for, you can easily order your outfits online from merchants such as Ax Paris that offer a wide variety of dresses from everyday casual to formal attire.
Layout Items for Your Checked Luggage
With your list of events at hand, your itinerary, it’s time to lay out everything you feel you might be required to wear at some point or other on your holiday cruise. Expert travel agents say that most people over pack so it is suggested that you leave behind 2/3 of all the clothes you’ve set on the bed and at least half the shoes you think you might wear.
Save Room for Souvenirs
One of the most exciting parts of a cruise holiday is laying over at all those exotic ports of call. This is where you will be bringing home little mementos of your trip and buying souvenirs for those who couldn’t come along. If you go too crazy making purchases you won’t have room to pack them so it is suggested that when you pack your checked luggage you leave room for those little items you will be collecting along the way. If there is absolutely no room, you have two options. First, you could carry an empty bag to put your little souvenirs in or you could ship them out via snail mail.
It’s important to begin planning how you will pack as early as possible. Make sure to read over these tips on how to pack for a cruise holiday and once you know how to go about packing, you can finally relax a bit.