This summer, many people are likely considering participating in cruise travel. According to industry statistics, the number of first-time cruise travelers this year has already broken previous records, and more and more young people are changing their views, no longer seeing cruise travel as exclusively for the elderly.
Fox Business reported that travel experts have analyzed that a week-long cruise trip this summer may be more cost-effective than staying in hotels. Moreover, for the same amount of money spent, cruises offer more value compared to hotel accommodations on land.
First-time cruise travelers will realize that the luggage required for cruise travel is different from that of a land vacation.
Most cruises stop at various ports, each with its own uniqueness in terms of culture, climate, and attractions. Additionally, cruise ships host a variety of activities ranging from social events like dances to adventurous activities like zip-lining, ice skating, and rock climbing.
Even experienced cruise passengers may forget to pack essential items needed during the journey. Properly packing for a cruise can save you time and money. While it’s possible to buy forgotten items on board, they may be more expensive than on land.
Travel experts have outlined 12 essential items to ensure your sea vacation goes smoothly.
Cruise cabins are relatively small, usually lacking sufficient drawers and closet space. Since cabin walls are magnetic, bringing magnetic hooks can be useful for hanging beach bags, wallets, hats, jackets, or robes, making your cabin look neat and organized.
If your carry-on luggage is too bulky to fit under the cabin bed, occupying precious closet space, consider using a collapsible suitcase like the Rollink Flex 360°, which can shrink to a thickness of just 2 inches when not in use, lightweight yet accommodating 85 liters of items. It features 360° dual spinner wheels, waterproof, and impact-resistant.
For those not adept at organizing things or planning to share a cabin, bringing a set of over-the-door shoe organizers is advisable. They are great for storing all items in one place, such as shoes, jewelry, toiletries, hair accessories, medications, and electronic wires, helping you maintain cabin cleanliness by keeping things in place.
Music is often played on cruise ships, and announcements about activities are common. Sometimes you might need to take a break from these sounds or relax listening to music or podcasts on deck. In such instances, a pair of headphones that cancel out cruise environment noise, like Movssou headphones, with various color options, or the Bose QuietComfort 45 with a thoughtful feature that allows switching to an awareness mode to hear surrounding sounds when concerned about missing important announcements onboard.
Cruise ship cabins can be very dark at night. Having a night light is essential for those who are not disturbed by soft lighting. Some night lights come with air fresheners, motion and light sensors – gradually brightening when someone gets up at night and automatically turning off when it’s bright inside during the day.
Different cruise companies may have power outlets in cabins different from what you use at home, possibly lacking USB ports. Therefore, a power adapter like the universal international power adapter (Saunorch power adapter) is a must-have item for your cruise essentials or a list of items not to forget for overseas travels, fitting outlets in Europe, the UK, the US, Australia, Italy, Asia, and more.
When moving around the cruise ship, wondering where to carry a water bottle or how to keep cabin keys, phone, cash, ID, and credit cards on you simultaneously can be challenging. For this, the WanderFull HydroBag can address these issues.
This waterproof bag for water bottles can store all essential items with leak-proof main compartments for a 32 oz water bottle or reusable coffee cup. It comes with an adjustable strap, transforming it into a crossbody bag.
Due to the reduction of single-use plastics by cruise companies, including water bottles, remember to bring a reusable water bottle, especially suitable for warm destinations, like the durable Nomader bottle that holds 22 ounces of liquid and can be rolled up for easy storage in a backpack or suitcase when not in use.
While some cruise companies provide toiletries, not all do, so be sure to bring your own to be safe. Experts recommend a nine-piece men’s grooming set with a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, and conditioner, as well as a leak-proof travel bottle set for toiletries, including spray bottles and squeezable silicone tubes, totaling 16 pieces suitable for hair care products, lotions, and body wash.
Nothing is more frustrating than getting luggage wet, so having several reusable plastic bags, whether zipper bags or grocery bags, can be handy to store dirty clothes, wet shoes, bottled drinks, or other potentially damp items, preventing other clothes in the suitcase from getting wet. Also, cruise ships inevitably involve a lot of contact with water, hence it’s essential to store valuables in dry or waterproof bags to prevent them from getting wet.
If you are prone to seasickness, apart from preparing motion sickness patches or pills, having some ginger candies as a remedy is advisable since ginger helps calm the stomach. Ginger candies can also be used as throat lozenges if your mouth feels dry on the pre-flight journey. Despite some people not enjoying the taste of ginger, ginger candies like GIN GINS chewable ginger candies can help prevent nausea and vomiting.
While cruise ships offer amazing amenities, they typically don’t provide hairdryers. The hairdryers offered by cruise companies are basic with a single function, requiring constant holding of the ‘start’ button while drying hair. At times, hairdryers may be fixed to a table, making them less convenient to use. Consider bringing your hairdryer like the lightweight T3 Afar travel hairdryer featuring a collapsible handle, dual voltage for international travel, and six combinations of heat and speed settings for powerful and quick hair drying.