If you have never been on a cruise before, it’s easy to adopt the outdated fantasy of the poised couple lounging on the rocks of the Cote de Azure, with a sundress to match the sunset, complete with an oversized hat cocked ever so slightly into a perfect sky.
It was cruising after all that gave the world the much-celebrated acronym “POSH”, which stands for “port side out, starboard home”. POSH described decidedly aristocratic passengers sailing out of England usually to India, who could afford to change staterooms mid-cruise to enjoy the sunny side of the ship for the entire duration of their voyage. Nowadays, cruising is accessible to the masses, and the majority of modern passengers are more concerned with finding the right beach and souvenir than orchestrating a nautical wardrobe with temperate variables.
What do we pack?
I recently polled over twelve thousand cruise ship passengers on what the most important thing they brought on their cruise was, and surprisingly, most people responded that it was their swimsuit, sandals, or sunscreen that they found most useful on their vacation. Out of those twelve thousand, not one said that the most important thing was having enough clothes. Bringing exactly what you need and very little of what you don’t can make all the difference in your vacation.
The only problem with this discipline is that most of us pack much more than we need anyway. I like to think that there must be a gene, from our “hunter/gatherer” ancestry that drives us to pack for any possible circumstance that may arise. While it certainly pays to be prepared, one circumstance most people don’t anticipate while packing is that if you do pack too little, you can always buy what you need on your cruise. It’s much easier to arrive lightly so that you have plenty of room for all that you may not want to leave behind.
Space Saving Technique
One technique to generate more space in your luggage is to roll clothes instead of folding them. You can use your shoes as storage also; think about using every inch of empty space in your luggage. One design phenomenon that impresses me is the vacuum bag. You can effectively reduce the bulk of your clothing by about half when using these. Always be prepared for lost luggage by keeping all documents, medicine, valuables, and a change of clothes in your carry on. Be prepared to do laundry once or twice during your cruise as opposed to bringing clothes for every single day. All cruise ships sell laundry detergent and offer dry cleaning service. If you’re planning on collecting souvenir t-shirts, factor them into your wardrobe to save even more space.
Another way to save space is to bring only travel size toiletries; you can begin to think in terms of bringing only what you will use during the duration of your cruise. And NEVER save what’s left of your travel shampoo after the cruise. Most people don’t realize the tremendous shopping they will encounter, and only a handful of stores will ship internationally.
A Packing List Helps
Create a packing list and stick to it, you will thank yourself when the cruise is over and you don’t have to buy extra luggage for all that you bought and all that you didn’t use. For a Caribbean cruise, here’s a basic list you can use to provoke your own.
- Camera & extra memory card
- Battery charger for camera
- Mobile phone & charger
- Passport Travel documents and airline tickets (make several copies)
- Phone number of your airline and cruise line
- Emergency number for credit card if lost/stolen
- Picture ID such as driver’s license
- Glasses, contacts, contacts cleaner
- Exercise clothes (for those who will utilize the gym)
- Prescriptions and vitamin supplements
- Ear plugs
- Small umbrella (you can always leave it behind if you need the space)
- Empty folding tote bag
- Formal dress/suit Sandals/ flip flops
- Evening shoes
- Ladies evening bag
- Trouser socks/ pantyhose
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Swimming costumes
- Work out clothes & sports bra
- Shorts Slacks Sweatshirt
- Casual shirts (cotton is excellent for the tropics)
- Book to read during flights, or while at sea
- Pajamas/lingerie
- Comfortable clothes for the flight, I prefer cashmere
- Personal toiletries & cosmetics
- Germicidal/antibacterial hand cleaner
- Sunscreen (much more expensive onboard)
- Clothes for dancing in the disco or nightclub onboard
- Wrinkle remover spray for clothes after unpacking
- Etc…
What won’t you need
Next, consider all that you won’t need. This should shorten your first list. For example, most ships provide a hair dryer, wake up calls, plastic rain poncho’s, sewing kits, laundry soap, snorkel-gear rental, first aid kits, playing cards, and have plug ins for all voltages. Find out what theme nights your cruise has to prepare any special garb. Remember that ships also have gift shops where sundries can be purchased.
If you are traveling during a holiday, bring any decorations you may want to adorn your stateroom with. If you are cruising in the Caribbean and are susceptible to buying jewelry, don’t bring too much jewelry on your cruise. Seasoned professionals just bring a few key costume pieces for formal night and reserve the space for all the treasures they will undoubtedly buy during a Caribbean cruise.
What to buy on your cruise
If you are not sure what the best buys are on your itinerary, find out if your cruise ship offers shopping lectures. These are usually made by informative speakers who can advise you on what kind of shopping you can look forward to in your ports. This person can also help you locate pharmacies, shipping agencies, duty free boutiques, and just about anything else you may need ashore. While the vast majority of a ship’s crew rarely has the opportunity to scour the ports for the best shopping, these lecturers are primarily onboard for this purpose. You can think of them as your personal shoppers; just another person onboard waiting to make your vacation that much more convenient. After all, you are embarking on a voyage where the pressures of everyday life no longer apply to you.
Most importantly, keep in mind that even the most meticulous travelers cannot possibly prepare for every occasion that one may encounter on a cruise. It will help greatly to begin preparing for a cruise by considering the ports you are going to and what environmental attractions they offer. Have a vacation “mission statement” in mind, and pack for that. If it’s a complete escape you seek, you may find yourself leaving behind your cosmetics, high heels, and mobile phone. Any experienced cruiser will tell you, it isn’t having a different outfit every day of your itinerary but what treasures you bring home that make a vacation memorable.
By my dear friend Amelia Savage