What to Pack for a Cruise — Complete Checklist
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The short answer
Cruise packing differs from other travel in three ways: there is a formal night dress code on most lines, cabins lack storage and outlets, and cruise lines confiscate a specific and non-obvious list of items at the terminal — including power strips with surge protection, irons and, on most lines, your own alcohol.
Key Travel Facts & Insights
- Surge-protected power strips are confiscated on every major line — bring a non-surge USB hub
- Most lines allow a limited quantity of wine at embarkation but no spirits
- Formal nights on most lines expect at least smart-casual; some enforce jacket-and-tie
- Pack a day bag for embarkation — checked luggage can take hours to arrive
Documents and money
- Passport, valid at least six months beyond the sailing date
- Visas for every country on the itinerary that requires one
- Printed booking confirmation and luggage tags attached before arrival
- Travel insurance policy number and 24-hour assistance phone number
- A credit card for the onboard account and a second as backup
- Small denomination cash for port tipping and local markets
Clothing and dress code
Most major cruise lines run at least one formal or "dress-up" evening on a week-long sailing. Standards have relaxed considerably — smart-casual is acceptable on Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian — but Cunard and some luxury and longer voyages still expect a jacket and tie or equivalent.
Main dining rooms generally enforce a no-swimwear, no-tank-top, no-flip-flops rule at dinner on every line, formal night or not. The buffet does not.
- Swimwear — two sets, since one is usually still wet
- A light jacket or wrap: ship air conditioning is aggressive and evenings on deck are windy
- Comfortable walking shoes for ports and non-slip shoes for wet deck areas
- One smart outfit per formal night
- A sun hat and reef-safe sunscreen, which is much cheaper bought ashore than onboard
What cruise lines confiscate
This list is worth reading before you pack, because these items are removed at the terminal security scan and either held until the end of the cruise or disposed of.
- Power strips and extension cords with surge protection — a genuine fire risk on a ship's electrical system, and confiscated by every major line
- Irons, steamers and travel kettles — universally prohibited
- Candles and incense
- Drones, on most lines
- Spirits and, on most lines, beer — wine is usually permitted in limited quantity at embarkation, often with a corkage fee
- Anything sharp beyond a standard razor
Cabin practicalities
Standard cabins are small and have remarkably few power outlets, often two for the whole room. A non-surge-protected USB charging hub solves this and is permitted; a surge-protected power strip is not.
Cabin walls are steel, so magnetic hooks are genuinely useful for hanging hats, lanyards and damp swimwear. An over-door shoe organiser is a widely used trick for bathroom storage, which is minimal.
- Magnetic hooks for steel cabin walls
- A non-surge USB charging hub or multi-port charger
- Over-the-door hanging organiser for toiletries
- Motion sickness remedies — take before you feel unwell, not after
- A refillable water bottle for ports
- Lanyard for the cabin key card, which you carry everywhere
Medication and health
Carry all prescription medication in the original labelled container, in your hand luggage, with enough for the sailing plus several extra days in case of an itinerary delay. Ships have a medical centre but it is expensive and stocks a limited formulary.
Onboard medical treatment is billed to your account at rates comparable to private care and is not covered by most domestic US health insurance at sea. This is one of the strongest arguments for a travel insurance policy with medical and evacuation cover on any cruise.
Common questions
Can I bring a power strip on a cruise?
Not a surge-protected one — every major cruise line confiscates these at terminal security because they present a genuine fire risk on a ship's electrical system. A non-surge USB charging hub or multi-port charger is permitted and solves the same problem, since cabins often have only two outlets.
Can I bring alcohol on a cruise?
Most major lines permit a limited quantity of wine or champagne brought aboard at embarkation, typically one or two bottles per cabin, sometimes with a corkage fee if consumed in a dining venue. Spirits are prohibited on essentially every line, and beer on most. Anything confiscated is generally returned at the end of the sailing.
What is the dress code on a cruise?
Most week-long sailings have at least one formal evening. Standards have relaxed — smart-casual is acceptable on Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Norwegian — but Cunard, luxury lines and longer voyages still expect a jacket and tie. Main dining rooms enforce no swimwear, tank tops or flip-flops at dinner on every line.
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