Whether you’re going on your first cruise, or your fifth, there’s a good chance you’re far too excited - or possibly anxious - to pack perfectly. Cruises regularly depart from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, offering cruise lovers a huge variety of itineraries. Besides, a cruise ship is a somewhat unfamiliar space that may need some unique items, such as a laundry bag for example.
If you’re new to cruising, or just want a refresher of some of the unfamiliar items to pack on a cruise holiday, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll go over a few of the items you’ll need, from your everyday essentials to some rather forgotten items.
Let’s take a look at what to pack on a cruise holiday below, with some tips from the experts:
Laundry Essentials.
Laundry essentials are one area that CruiseAgency.com.au recommends as a way to save some money. As you’re on a cruise, the laundry situation is a little different to a hotel — the laundry will cost a lot more. Tack on the fact that if you don’t want to do laundry a lot, you’ll need a pack a tonne of clothes, pushing up baggage costs on airlines.
We’re here to help out with this. We suggest bringing along a stain remover, an anti-wrinkle spray of some sort, as well as an anti-odour spray. These will give you the chance to pull the wrinkles out of worn clothes, as well as prevent permanent stains.
Of course, a few items of clothing will need to be routinely washed, but thinking smart, staying fresh smelling and keeping wrinkles out of your clothes will be a godsend.
Water Bottles, BYO and Other Drinks.
On a few cruise lines, drinks can be incredibly expensive, so just pack your own! If you’re out and about before your cruise, or live by the departure port, buy a few alcoholic beverages, bring a few bottled waters and juices etc. You’ll have these delivered to your room, and you’ll undoubtedly save a tonne on drinks when you’re cruising the sea. P&O Australia allow passengers over the age of 18 to bring on one bottle of wine, which is a great way to save some money.
It’s also a good idea to bring reusable bottles that are easy to clean as you can use these for the drinks onboard, such as juices, water and more.
Sunblock, Hats, Long Sleeves and Sunnies.
As you’d expect, the sun is a significant factor on a cruise. You’ll be on the upper decks and possibly at a coastal location a lot, and without sunscreen and sun protection, you’re going to be severely burnt by the end of your trip.
We suggest taking more than enough sunblock with you as the options onboard can cost upwards of $15 and even $20 depending on the cruise. With these items in your luggage, you’ll be adequately protected from the sun on board and on land. Royal Caribbean do have many shops onboard where you can purchase these sort of items if you do forget to bring them from home, but of course, this will be a more expensive option.
Chargers, Cables, Phone Cases and Electronic Accessories.
There’s no place where your electronics will get more of a workout than on a cruise. The constant snapping of photos will have your device's batteries flat in no time, so be sure to have easy-to-carry chargers and cables on your person at all times.
It’s also a good idea to choose a smartphone battery case or a battery bank that can charge laptops, tablets and phones at once, keeping you from being stuck in your cabin or at a power outlet to charge.
This travel hack is especially important if you are travelling on a Carnvial Cruise Australia with young children. You will want to make sure that you have plenty of cables and chargers to keep their electronic devices charged and ready at all times.
You may also want to take some hard drive storage or a few USBs in case a phone is filled up with your photos and videos.
Forgotten Essentials.
To end our list, there’s always the forgotten items that too many passengers overlook or wish they’d thought about once they’ve boarded their cruise ship. While you are away, why not have your home professionally cleaned by cleaning services Werribee. If you’re someone who wears glasses, always remember a microfibre cleaning cloth and their case, for example.
A few items to stuff in your suitcase or backpack include:
- Band-aids
- Smartphone cases
- Wireless headphones and their chargers
- Toothpaste, floss and toothbrushes
- Lip balm, moisturiser and face wash
- Snacks and nibbles
- Pain killers
- Hats, jumpers and other clothing accessories.
With these items packed into your suitcase and out of the way, you’re far less likely to be stuck purchasing them onboard the cruise ship, or ultimately going without.
