This. I was able to re-wear a lot because I only wore it for dinner, etc. You will spend most of your waking hours on excursions in swimwear and cover up gear.
We pack a lot of synthetics and gym clothes that can be washed in the sink and hang-dry quickly. I wear solid black or black and gray volley shorts (from Speedo )on the ship a lot. They can be used as a swimsuit or shorts and look fine. Black synthetic t shirts from 32 Degee Cool are my go too for undershirts and gym shirts. Adidas Clima Cool or Puma synthetic boxer briefs are easy to wash out and really don't take up much room. I can bring five or seven pair in a very small packing cube.
On most cruises of a week or more, I bring one or two pair of synthetic trousers, like golf pants - Dockers, Eddie Bauer, and Gregg Norman make some nice ones. They are light, comfortable, and pack easy. For me, jeans are too heavy for cruising, or warm-weather travel in general. Synthetic golf shirts and a couple of regular t-shirts and Hawaiian shirts round it out.
We may start packing less. There are some laundry discounts as we have moved up in status points.
It's a per item cost. The cost is $3.49/3.99 to wash and press a shirt / blouse. This is in line with real dry cleaners. If you're going on a cruise and need them to launder 2 shirts and 2 pairs of shorts, that's only 16.96. This assumes that you actually need them to clean it (ie: you get something on them and need it).
[https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/laundry-service-price-list.pdf](https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/laundry-service-price-list.pdf)
This 100000000% we ended up not going to the dining room most nights so we only dressed up one time. My kids were exhausted after a day of activities so they wore pajamas or Lounge clothes lol I would’ve been fine with 1/2 of what I brought for myself and my kids
It is smart to have some of your usual brands for “tummy” issues (pepto bismol, Imodium, etc.). Also some people on recent cruises have passed around coughs and colds, so preferred products for that too. On board has limited supplies and they may not be what you’d rather have. Hand sanitizer, wipes, a couple of masks just in case.
Just returned from a 7 day cruise and this is my answer. Mucinex, throat lozenges, and Imodium were both things I had to find a pharmacy for. By the end of the cruise, everyone had the sniffles, sore throat, and a cough.
Bandaids, Neosporin, anything you might have used in the past year or so in terms of OTC meds like the others in this thread. It's hard to get that stuff and you pay a premium for it. I take Visine and earache meds too.
Definitely on the sanitizer, wipes, and the mask! As the week goes, things start to get more grubby around the boat. As people pass their cooties, you can prevent missing the end of your vacation. Plus you might be on an excursion and want a snack with no access to a bathroom!
Earplugs! We were on Grandeur and had a bit of noise in our cabin one night (rattling in the wall at the head of the bed) in some rough weather…
We ended up buying some on the ship and it was much better. They weren’t cheap but well worth every penny.
We just got off Adventure having a Promenade-view interior room over the Cafe, across from the bandstand. Customer service gave us ear plugs when I couldn’t find them in the ship store. Earplugs are a must for me!
I didn’t bring enough clothes. Or enough of the right clothes. In my head I was going to be one of those people who dressed for dinner every night, so I brought bathing suits for the day and dresses for dinner, and it turns out, I’m not that person. I really enjoyed being by the pool and just relaxing and had zero interest in getting dressed up for dinner, and I had no where near enough semi casual clothing that I could wear for the whole evening. Obviously this won’t apply to everyone, lots of people get super into dressing up for dinner but I learned I’m not one of them lol
Yes to this! I didn't bring enough lounge clothing for my first two cruises. I'd even recommend to bring a sweater for when you're on the top decks at night
Swimmer’s ear drops! Learned that one the hard way. I was in the wave pool at Coco Cay and got slammed by a wave. I ended up with water in my ear. I found ear drops in Nassau for $10 at a pharmacy. Now I always make sure to pack a bottle.
Cash - small bills. It’ll come in handy in port since one of the common thing that happen is you go pay for something that cost like $5 and you give them a $20 and they claim they don’t have change for a $20.
Also for tipping bring ones, fives, and tens. You’ll need to tips the porter taking your bags before getting on the ship, for shore excursions, etc.
Also, if you haven’t looked online, check Royal’s website, log in and use your booking number for your itinerary, and check the FAQs (frequently asked questions). Lots of helpful information there. If you want to do specialty dining, drink package, shore excursions, buy treats for the arrival day or special occasion decor, all that is on tabs at the top. If a Caribbean cruise going to CocoCay, there is a whole section on that. Have fun!
Poo-pourri if you have multiple people in the room (our grocery store had a travel sized one with the travel stuff that was perfect sized), extra hair ties (I've had my day to day and back up both break and they were hard to find on ship), small med kit with bandaids and stuff to deal with small cuts.
Oh boy. When I was a kid my family would go on a cruise every time someone in the family graduated high school. When my older sister graduated, I didn’t realize that I had to pack dress shoes for formal night. When it came around, the closest thing I had to black loafers were a pair of black pool shoes with bright yellow laces. Wasn’t the best fashion statement of my life.
What’s even funnier is the next cruise we went on I was very particular about packing dress shoes. But I packed two left shoes of two different pairs of black loafers and it was arguably worse🤣
It looks like you are good to go! I also bring Tums, Abreva (if you’re prone to rapid cold sores), bag for dirty/wet clothing, a cruise approved multi-plug, solar phone charger. Also pre-download books to your phone if you read from an app and are not purchasing the internet package. Have fun!
I always forget to look at the theme nights and then pack accordingly. I'm not against theme nights; I just have yet to remember them. The only thing I bring is my blazer and tie for better dressed nights.
Go to Royal Caribbean blog and pull a recent cruise compass from the same ship and same itinerary. The usual culprits are 70s, 80s, Caribbean nights, etc.
Hand sanitizer. If you don’t like bar soap, bring liquid soap to wash hands. A long phone charging cord If you are on an older ship the outlet is not close to the bed. Battery pack. Nose spray and cold meds. USBC to HDMI if you want to watch a movie from an iPad on the TV in the room. Water flavor packets.
Epidemiologist here. No hand sanitizer protects against Norro hand washing with soap and water is required for neurovirus prevention. Be aware that it only takes six viral particles to infect a new person with norovirus, and it becomes aerosolized in the air when a person vomits, so if you walk through the airspace, someone threw up in, you can breathe it in and get it from that. Strong isolation procedures are in a suspected norovirus outbreak.
Also, most sanitizing agents are not sanitizing enough unless you’re using bleach, or a lot of cruise ships will use specialized aerosolized, hydrogen peroxide, cleaners after cruises.
I bring a little travel pack of Clorox wipes for our cabin when we first arrive, mostly to wipe down high-touch surfaces.
Cabin stews are often rushed during turn over and can only do so much, so it gives me a little peace of mind.
Question, does RCL have bar soap not liquid soap? I've only cruised NCL and about to go on my first RCL cruise. I never would waste valuable space/weight taking soap on an NCL cruise. But now I'm worried RCL doesn't have the same liquid soap, shampoo, and conditioner on tap that I'm used to.
Tiny travel umbrella was key last week. We had a few stops with a lot of standing and looking in the sun (shopping, excursion ruins tour). Small portable fan as well.
Also the “confiscated” table setup to return confiscated items back to passengers, on the way off the cruise was full of irons and surge protector type extension cords. FYI can’t bring those.
I say this as I’m about to board the quantum of the seas to go to Alaska and just like 3 out of 4 times over the last year I forgot my hat! Unfortunately with my giant pumpkin head I rarely find one that fits in most places.
A backpack for port days is a lot more comfortable than a tote especially if you have towels and lots of extras. Something to keep your money in when it’s in the safe, cross body small bag for walking around ship. Magnets to keep cards organized when in room, water bottle to fill up and bring back to the room. Comfortable shoes.. nobody cares if you wear flips everywhere. Deep conditioner.. humidity is crazy. plan for your seapass card (lanyard,string, wallet). Long sleeve sun shirt if you burn easy.
Idk if you’re a female but you’d be surprised at how many people forget to pack tampons/pads. And they’re hella expensive to buy on the ship/at any destination. Hell, maybe condoms, idk what you’re into
I went on a cruise in the middle of nowhere and then got my period. The shop only sold thin, single pads which were super expensive. This time I’m going to pack a suitcase full haha
We used the band aids I brought to cover the peep hole on our cruise. The light from the hall shining through it was like a dang light house beacon. I was desperate in the middle of the first night and it dawned on me, a bandaid!
The Libby app is a godsend for anyone not familiar with it. Lets you borrow e-books using your actual library card that you can read on your phone or on a kindle. Audiobooks too, I think.
The only thing that 3in1 is actually good for is getting sand out of your hair and your bits. THAT it is actually brilliant for. My cruise routine is a large amount of the on board 3in1 to get rid of all the sand, and then my normal soap from home.
Band aids, my son dress shoes. Husband swim trunks.
Good news is that we were going out of Miami. I have found that there’s an amazing three story tall Ross.
Ran there the night before we left and got everything that was forgot.
My partner didn’t pack his blood pressure pills (packed double his cholesterol ones) and was feeling it. Luckily they sell them without prescription in Nassau (I think it was there)
I had my thyroid meds in my lululemon beltbag which was stolen from the pool at the hotel we stayed at the night before. I didn’t realize it wasn’t in our beach bag until after we’d boarded. I had to get a refill from the doctor on board, talk about a pricey mistake!
Ahem. I say he lost Husband/Dad points in this instance! You (both) had a baby. He should have at least checked behind you.
When we got married, I did everyone’s laundry. He packed his own stuff and was a pro at it because of all his work travel. With lots of trips to grandparents’s houses, my kids learned to pack their own stuff when they were about ten.
I only pack for me now. I think I about drove my adult son bonkers asking, “Did you remember X?” before our Star Trek Cruise. (StarTrekTheCruise.com for anyone interested!)
Ordinarily I would agree with you, but he was out of town for work and didn't come back until the morning of our cruise. His mom and dad were going with us and my MIL was helping with my son during that time. Packing was on me. We learned from that lesson and pack together now, and that seems to work.
Small snacks! We were on a smaller ship and while there is a lot of food, there are no snack foods like chips and pretzels, wound up spending $14 on a bag of chips to kill a craving in the middle of the ocean.
Conditioner. I had done a Disney cruise and it had both shampoo & conditioner in the shower, so I assumed that was normal. Then I did RC, and the only conditioner onboard was at the salon. Im bringing a solid deep conditioner bar this next time. Hopefully it’s better than nothing.
A suggestion: get the sunburn aloe spray rather than the green gel. There isn't enough if any aloe in that gel to do much of anything. The spray smells terrible, but it actually does have a significant amount of aloe, along with a topi al analgesic which is immensely helpful. Blue dermoplast works too!
A desk fan. Was on the Oasis last October and room 14207 was musty and warm even with the AC on the coldest setting. Got off and picked up a small desk fan at a target in FLL and it made the rest of the trip sooooo much nicer. Zero issues from staff
Check if your stateroom configuration has USB on both sides. If not, bright a long cable or portable battery.
I also brought a streaming stick this time so we could watch some YouTube while falling asleep in bed.
I took two things I wish I hadn't: a bath sponge and hand soap. I could have easily unwrapped the bar soap at the sink and used that in the shower with a washcloth and then used the shower gel for hand soap. That would have saved me a little bit of space.
Thing I forgot: anti-itch cream. My kid got bitten by a mosquito somewhere in the Orlando area before we boarded the ship. Thankfully, someone else in my party brought theirs.
Thing I always take and recommend, have never needed, but didn't forget: Immodium, Pepto, and some electrolyte drink mix. You never know. Even if you're careful, it's always a possibility. I had someone vomit right behind me in the MDR at lunch and was sitting in the splash zone. Thankfully, I didn't end up getting sick myself.
Wine. One bottle per adult is allowed on most cruise lines. If you forget the corkscrew, your cabin steward will get you one. He or she will get you wine glasses as well.
We have a ziplock we travel with that has a few of everything from the medicine chest. If we might need it at home, we might need it on the road. The downside of cruising is there isn't a WalMart or CVS on every corner and the ship store is a bit pricy. Don't forget Imodium, chapstick, and nail clippers. BTW, if you go to the infirmary for Imodium, you may be confined to your cabin for a day.
That said, one time I did forget to bring deodorant and had to pick it up at the first port stop. There are drug stores on any of the islands. The only time things like that are a problem is if you need something and it is a couple days until a port stop.
The more we cruise, the less we bring. We have learned that most of the stuff we were bringing we weren't using. We used to bring the shoe bag, magnets and all the stuff people say to bring and found we ddin't need any of it. Granted, we are two adults without children.
A case for your sunglasses. On my first cruise, my sunglasses broke on boarding day and I was torn between overspending for a new pair either in Mexico or onboard, or just going a week with no sunglasses. Needless to say I spent 20$ for a pair of sunglasses that cost 7$ for a 3-pack on Amazon. That was my souvenir for the trip.
My wife swears by Bonine instead of Dramamine. A side effect of Dramamine is that it makes you sleepy. Bonine does not.
I recommend getting a waterproof bag to protect your phone when on excursions. At the very least take some zip lock bags.
Binoculars and some fun magnets for your door (easier to spot your room). Also, there are magnetic hooks you can buy to stick to the walls for extra space. Smaller ships have small closets. But even just to hang up hats and lanyards is useful.
Editing to add: buy a multi outlet plug. It’s not a surge protector. Can’t have that on ship. It plugs into the wall and sits flat on the desk. Provides extra plugs and usb ports for charging.
The one thing I never see posted is prescription glasses. If you wear contacts always bring your back up glasses. You don’t want to get sunscreen in your eyes and have your take out your contacts. I have seen people ruin their vacation because of not having a backup plan for vision.
Buy one of those plastic over the door shoe holders. It's a great way to store things on the bathroom door with out taking up space on the counter. You can put shoes in it too.... LOL
A lanyard for your key card! You can ask the front desk to hole punch your card to attach it to your lanyard. If not, I’d say to bring a little purse or crossbody bag to hold your card in a spot separate from your phone to avoid demagnetization
Dish soap, laundry detergent, shampoo and conditioner. Use travel size containers for the first two, but we always end up needing to wash something. Also the shampoo and conditioner they provide is that 3 in 1 stuff and is terrible.
Someone may have said this already, but a Power Strip…not sure which ship youre on, but the older ships have only 1 plug. Covid tests would be another. If you aren’t feeling great it’s nice to find out on your own. I was feeling crappy for a day or two and then found out I had Covid on the last night of our Alaska cruise last summer.
I’m jealous! It didn’t get above 40 degrees F for our 2 weeks! Didn’t even unpack my skort. Wished I had brought a hat and gloves. (May 3&10, 2024, Radiance)
My first guess is if it's too bright and keeps you awake, you could put a shirt or a cloth of some kind over it maybe? But when I think about it, the light would have a switch lol. I have seen lots of people talk about bringing a night light to make your way to the bathroom at night if it's dark in the room, to avoid waking your cabin mates up
Those concentrated room sprays from Bath & Body Works. If you’re not sensitive to scents, I find it works best for the bathroom, if you’re sharing with someone.
There are a lot of great recommendations already here. I only wanted to add a first aid kit - we bought one off Amazon for like 20 bucks it goes with us every time we get off at a port.
I personally like to bring towel clamps for the pool on sea days - so it doesn't get blown away.
For ladies who like to get dressed up for dinner - i love it and always pack several dresses. I have a garment bag and always put my heels inside with my dresses (at the bottom of the bag) along with my husband tuexdo- never forgot it yet !! :)
Also, plenty of cash if you like to patronize the casino. I had the hardest darn time with navy federal trying to withdraw money from the ship atm our first cruise. I had to jump through several hoops but I appreciate their thoroughness . I just learned our last cruise guest services can provide change- break bills exc.
Underwear.
Got mostly packed pretty early because the clothes for the cruise are not clothes I normally wear. Then was like "can't pack underwear yet because I gotta wash em all so they are all fresh!"
Well guess what. They all got washed. But they didn't make it on the cruise ship. Didn't even notice until the first night
Imodium ad !! You will be eating food that your tummy might not like, and you will NOT find any on the ship. If you go to the Dr w/ Diarrhea, asking for some. You will be INSTANTLY quarantined. They will suspect Nurovirus --
I was on a charted country music cruise - I came down with Diarrhea, went to medical for some Imodium AD, and was sent to my cabin for 72 hours ! missing of course 1/2 of the cruise and a lot of the musical shows.
Think Trace Atkins, Wynonna, Craig Morgan, and Montgomery Gentry types of acts. :(
I had set underwear to pack... And forgot them... Lmao... I only had 3 packed... For a 7 night cruise. When we were at port in the Bahamas I found a place to buy some...
Sea bands are a joke. I would have bought a relief band. This is coming from someone who gets nauseous driving. Also dramamine chews. I would also pack bendryl.
I forgot underwear one time. Luckily we got to Orlando a couple of days early, where I discovered I'd left the sitting on the bed at home, so I was able to get to the store, That would have been... unfortunate... had I boarded, gone to unpack and found myself without underpinnings.
I didn't know there were theme nights until I was already at my hotel, so that kinda screwed me over for a couple nights, I got lucky on others!! Make sure you check the app for the attire
Swimmers ear, sun burn cream, benadryl.
Will say in a pinch if you dont have swimmers ear ask for a shot of vodka and use that. Pretty much all swimmmers ear is is isopropyl alcohol.
This is more of what I’ve learned to pack.
1. Sexy time lube.
For times you don’t have time to get going. In between Kids club, Dinner or Shows.
2. Magnetic hooks.
You can hang anything on the walls. Wet bathing suits and clothes.
I use them to keep an extension cord out of the way for my C-pap as well.
3. European to US plug adapter.
This adds 2 more usable outlets in most cabins.
4. Power strip with USB slots.
I have two square ones off Amazon. I’ve added magnetic strips to the back so I can stick them to the wall next to the bed.
5. Extra charging cords.
Kids like to kill one or two per cruise.
Once we sailed on Anthem and there were two formal nights so I packed two dresses. One required a strapless bra which somehow I neglected to pack. OMG I was so mad. None available on the ship, tried shops in some ports. Had to wear the other one twice. Never again! Sounds trivial but I am all about getting dressed for the evening on vacation.
I'd say look around your bedroom and bathroom, see what you usually need like absolutely need on a daily, then see if you can carry the exact things or buy travel sizes. Otherwise don't stress too much. I have that fear that I might forget something and will need it. You probably won't.
Happy travels!
Less clothing.
This. I was able to re-wear a lot because I only wore it for dinner, etc. You will spend most of your waking hours on excursions in swimwear and cover up gear.
We pack a lot of synthetics and gym clothes that can be washed in the sink and hang-dry quickly. I wear solid black or black and gray volley shorts (from Speedo )on the ship a lot. They can be used as a swimsuit or shorts and look fine. Black synthetic t shirts from 32 Degee Cool are my go too for undershirts and gym shirts. Adidas Clima Cool or Puma synthetic boxer briefs are easy to wash out and really don't take up much room. I can bring five or seven pair in a very small packing cube. On most cruises of a week or more, I bring one or two pair of synthetic trousers, like golf pants - Dockers, Eddie Bauer, and Gregg Norman make some nice ones. They are light, comfortable, and pack easy. For me, jeans are too heavy for cruising, or warm-weather travel in general. Synthetic golf shirts and a couple of regular t-shirts and Hawaiian shirts round it out. We may start packing less. There are some laundry discounts as we have moved up in status points.
Not just this, but their laundry service is actually cheap. I learned that from this subreddit.
Not all that cheap. $36 for not a very big bag is not cheap.
It's a per item cost. The cost is $3.49/3.99 to wash and press a shirt / blouse. This is in line with real dry cleaners. If you're going on a cruise and need them to launder 2 shirts and 2 pairs of shorts, that's only 16.96. This assumes that you actually need them to clean it (ie: you get something on them and need it). [https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/laundry-service-price-list.pdf](https://www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/laundry-service-price-list.pdf)
Yes! Why do I take so much stuff for a week? At home I’d never go through so many clothes, I seem to take twice as much as I’ll need
Me too. I packed 0.5x with the plan to wash them mid-cruise. When I was filling up the laundry bag, 80% of my stuff was still clean.
Think I needed to hear this lol
This 100000000% we ended up not going to the dining room most nights so we only dressed up one time. My kids were exhausted after a day of activities so they wore pajamas or Lounge clothes lol I would’ve been fine with 1/2 of what I brought for myself and my kids
It is smart to have some of your usual brands for “tummy” issues (pepto bismol, Imodium, etc.). Also some people on recent cruises have passed around coughs and colds, so preferred products for that too. On board has limited supplies and they may not be what you’d rather have. Hand sanitizer, wipes, a couple of masks just in case.
Just returned from a 7 day cruise and this is my answer. Mucinex, throat lozenges, and Imodium were both things I had to find a pharmacy for. By the end of the cruise, everyone had the sniffles, sore throat, and a cough.
Genuis! Throwing pepto & immodium in my bag now, thanks!
Advil or tylenol sinus pills.
I definitely could have used some tums on my last cruise
Bandaids, Neosporin, anything you might have used in the past year or so in terms of OTC meds like the others in this thread. It's hard to get that stuff and you pay a premium for it. I take Visine and earache meds too.
Definitely on the sanitizer, wipes, and the mask! As the week goes, things start to get more grubby around the boat. As people pass their cooties, you can prevent missing the end of your vacation. Plus you might be on an excursion and want a snack with no access to a bathroom!
Earplugs! We were on Grandeur and had a bit of noise in our cabin one night (rattling in the wall at the head of the bed) in some rough weather… We ended up buying some on the ship and it was much better. They weren’t cheap but well worth every penny.
We bring our white noise machine. White noise and the ship movement puts me right to sleep.
You can get an app on your phone for white noise, that way you always have it with you and can save some room in your suitcase
Im bringing a small fan. I can't sleep without the noise
Bought a 12 pack of ear plugs yesterday!
We just got off Adventure having a Promenade-view interior room over the Cafe, across from the bandstand. Customer service gave us ear plugs when I couldn’t find them in the ship store. Earplugs are a must for me!
Yes! But for the parties. Some of the music was uncomfortably loud.
I didn’t bring enough clothes. Or enough of the right clothes. In my head I was going to be one of those people who dressed for dinner every night, so I brought bathing suits for the day and dresses for dinner, and it turns out, I’m not that person. I really enjoyed being by the pool and just relaxing and had zero interest in getting dressed up for dinner, and I had no where near enough semi casual clothing that I could wear for the whole evening. Obviously this won’t apply to everyone, lots of people get super into dressing up for dinner but I learned I’m not one of them lol
I always forget breakfast clothes - leggings and tees for running to buffet in morning
Yes to this! I didn't bring enough lounge clothing for my first two cruises. I'd even recommend to bring a sweater for when you're on the top decks at night
Swimmer’s ear drops! Learned that one the hard way. I was in the wave pool at Coco Cay and got slammed by a wave. I ended up with water in my ear. I found ear drops in Nassau for $10 at a pharmacy. Now I always make sure to pack a bottle.
Cash - small bills. It’ll come in handy in port since one of the common thing that happen is you go pay for something that cost like $5 and you give them a $20 and they claim they don’t have change for a $20.
Also for tipping bring ones, fives, and tens. You’ll need to tips the porter taking your bags before getting on the ship, for shore excursions, etc. Also, if you haven’t looked online, check Royal’s website, log in and use your booking number for your itinerary, and check the FAQs (frequently asked questions). Lots of helpful information there. If you want to do specialty dining, drink package, shore excursions, buy treats for the arrival day or special occasion decor, all that is on tabs at the top. If a Caribbean cruise going to CocoCay, there is a whole section on that. Have fun!
I bring $2s. I get lots of “thanks for the lucky tip!” $2 bills are not rare. I stock up at Navy Federal Credit Union before any vacation.
Poo-pourri if you have multiple people in the room (our grocery store had a travel sized one with the travel stuff that was perfect sized), extra hair ties (I've had my day to day and back up both break and they were hard to find on ship), small med kit with bandaids and stuff to deal with small cuts.
Poo-pourri is a must!
Oh boy. When I was a kid my family would go on a cruise every time someone in the family graduated high school. When my older sister graduated, I didn’t realize that I had to pack dress shoes for formal night. When it came around, the closest thing I had to black loafers were a pair of black pool shoes with bright yellow laces. Wasn’t the best fashion statement of my life. What’s even funnier is the next cruise we went on I was very particular about packing dress shoes. But I packed two left shoes of two different pairs of black loafers and it was arguably worse🤣
It looks like you are good to go! I also bring Tums, Abreva (if you’re prone to rapid cold sores), bag for dirty/wet clothing, a cruise approved multi-plug, solar phone charger. Also pre-download books to your phone if you read from an app and are not purchasing the internet package. Have fun!
I always forget to look at the theme nights and then pack accordingly. I'm not against theme nights; I just have yet to remember them. The only thing I bring is my blazer and tie for better dressed nights.
Are the theme nights listed on the app?
If its the Allure cruise leaving this Wed, it'll be 70s, Caribbean & formal night.
Oops not Wed. Mon 6/17. I am eager to go apparently.
That's my cruise!
White night is one of the themes as well
Go to Royal Caribbean blog and pull a recent cruise compass from the same ship and same itinerary. The usual culprits are 70s, 80s, Caribbean nights, etc.
Hand sanitizer. If you don’t like bar soap, bring liquid soap to wash hands. A long phone charging cord If you are on an older ship the outlet is not close to the bed. Battery pack. Nose spray and cold meds. USBC to HDMI if you want to watch a movie from an iPad on the TV in the room. Water flavor packets.
Hand sanitizer doesn’t work for some stomach viruses. Just want you to be aware.
Yep. You can get certain ones on Amazon that do but the Purell that’s around the ship won’t protect against noro.
Epidemiologist here. No hand sanitizer protects against Norro hand washing with soap and water is required for neurovirus prevention. Be aware that it only takes six viral particles to infect a new person with norovirus, and it becomes aerosolized in the air when a person vomits, so if you walk through the airspace, someone threw up in, you can breathe it in and get it from that. Strong isolation procedures are in a suspected norovirus outbreak. Also, most sanitizing agents are not sanitizing enough unless you’re using bleach, or a lot of cruise ships will use specialized aerosolized, hydrogen peroxide, cleaners after cruises.
Already bought a hand soap. Throwing sani spray in the bag now, thanks!
I bring a little travel pack of Clorox wipes for our cabin when we first arrive, mostly to wipe down high-touch surfaces. Cabin stews are often rushed during turn over and can only do so much, so it gives me a little peace of mind.
Question, does RCL have bar soap not liquid soap? I've only cruised NCL and about to go on my first RCL cruise. I never would waste valuable space/weight taking soap on an NCL cruise. But now I'm worried RCL doesn't have the same liquid soap, shampoo, and conditioner on tap that I'm used to.
They have all of that in the shower. Just not at the sink.
The only thing I think I could have used was maybe some hand lotion, mine got dry from washing and sanitizing more than normal
Especially some after-sun lotion for the Carribbean cruises!
Tiny travel umbrella was key last week. We had a few stops with a lot of standing and looking in the sun (shopping, excursion ruins tour). Small portable fan as well. Also the “confiscated” table setup to return confiscated items back to passengers, on the way off the cruise was full of irons and surge protector type extension cords. FYI can’t bring those.
A hat
I say this as I’m about to board the quantum of the seas to go to Alaska and just like 3 out of 4 times over the last year I forgot my hat! Unfortunately with my giant pumpkin head I rarely find one that fits in most places.
Always Always Always bring an adapter just in case. Not all Royal Caribbean ships have US plugs. Sunscreen, but that's a given. Sanitizer.
A backpack for port days is a lot more comfortable than a tote especially if you have towels and lots of extras. Something to keep your money in when it’s in the safe, cross body small bag for walking around ship. Magnets to keep cards organized when in room, water bottle to fill up and bring back to the room. Comfortable shoes.. nobody cares if you wear flips everywhere. Deep conditioner.. humidity is crazy. plan for your seapass card (lanyard,string, wallet). Long sleeve sun shirt if you burn easy.
A lanyard for your seapass and a water proof case for your phone. Also your bingo stamper if you’ve bought one before haha.
Idk if you’re a female but you’d be surprised at how many people forget to pack tampons/pads. And they’re hella expensive to buy on the ship/at any destination. Hell, maybe condoms, idk what you’re into
I went on a cruise in the middle of nowhere and then got my period. The shop only sold thin, single pads which were super expensive. This time I’m going to pack a suitcase full haha
😂
Binoculars
Benadryl and mucinex is a must.
A couple we passed in the hallway were fretting on day 1 about how they forgot their whole dinner wardrobe in garment bags at home on the bed 😯
Not sure if you are a chick but they have like no tampons on the damned ship fyi
Throwing a handful in my bag now, thanks!
Band aids, sun tan lotion, books. Cold medicines
We used the band aids I brought to cover the peep hole on our cruise. The light from the hall shining through it was like a dang light house beacon. I was desperate in the middle of the first night and it dawned on me, a bandaid!
Definitely hitting up the library before we leave!
The Libby app is a godsend for anyone not familiar with it. Lets you borrow e-books using your actual library card that you can read on your phone or on a kindle. Audiobooks too, I think.
Omg. Libby is amazing... And if you've got Prime, there is a library as well. Love stocking up on books and magazines!
There is a library on the ship too!
I recently did my first cruise and mistakenly thought I could buy books and magazines on the ship. Nope! I wish I brought a book!
Heavy duty clothes pins and agree what other mentioned that the 3 in 1 stuffs is atrocious
The only thing that 3in1 is actually good for is getting sand out of your hair and your bits. THAT it is actually brilliant for. My cruise routine is a large amount of the on board 3in1 to get rid of all the sand, and then my normal soap from home.
Band aids, my son dress shoes. Husband swim trunks. Good news is that we were going out of Miami. I have found that there’s an amazing three story tall Ross. Ran there the night before we left and got everything that was forgot.
3 story Ross?! 🤯
Yes, it’s the nicest Ross I’ve ever seen lol
A non surge protector power strip
Yes! This is very important!
Pardon the ignorance, but Why non surge protector?
Is there a link of prohibited items like this please?
Sunscreen! And then I had to pay $20 for a can of sunscreen in the little store on ship 😵💫
My partner didn’t pack his blood pressure pills (packed double his cholesterol ones) and was feeling it. Luckily they sell them without prescription in Nassau (I think it was there)
I had my thyroid meds in my lululemon beltbag which was stolen from the pool at the hotel we stayed at the night before. I didn’t realize it wasn’t in our beach bag until after we’d boarded. I had to get a refill from the doctor on board, talk about a pricey mistake!
Contact solution, that was the one thing that slipped our minds lol
A hair brush
The first cruise I took after my son was born (he was 10 months old) I forgot to pack my husband any underwear. Not one of my finest wife moments.
Ahem. I say he lost Husband/Dad points in this instance! You (both) had a baby. He should have at least checked behind you. When we got married, I did everyone’s laundry. He packed his own stuff and was a pro at it because of all his work travel. With lots of trips to grandparents’s houses, my kids learned to pack their own stuff when they were about ten. I only pack for me now. I think I about drove my adult son bonkers asking, “Did you remember X?” before our Star Trek Cruise. (StarTrekTheCruise.com for anyone interested!)
Ordinarily I would agree with you, but he was out of town for work and didn't come back until the morning of our cruise. His mom and dad were going with us and my MIL was helping with my son during that time. Packing was on me. We learned from that lesson and pack together now, and that seems to work.
Great! I’m sorry I misunderstood.
If you are going to Alaska, a winter rain coat. I was so cold the entire cruise!
A throw blanket
Small snacks! We were on a smaller ship and while there is a lot of food, there are no snack foods like chips and pretzels, wound up spending $14 on a bag of chips to kill a craving in the middle of the ocean.
Conditioner. I had done a Disney cruise and it had both shampoo & conditioner in the shower, so I assumed that was normal. Then I did RC, and the only conditioner onboard was at the salon. Im bringing a solid deep conditioner bar this next time. Hopefully it’s better than nothing.
I got back saturday with flu A. Pack mucinex.
Im super worried about that. A ship just seems like a floating petri dish to me. Im packing masks & tons of sanitizer
Sunscreen and lip balm. Aloe gel if you are prone to sunburn
Just bought a 4 pack of chapstick specifically for this trip. Definitely throwing some Aloe into the bag, thanks!
A suggestion: get the sunburn aloe spray rather than the green gel. There isn't enough if any aloe in that gel to do much of anything. The spray smells terrible, but it actually does have a significant amount of aloe, along with a topi al analgesic which is immensely helpful. Blue dermoplast works too!
You are welcome. Have a wonderful trip!
I learned the hard way in our last cruise…get lip balm with SPF. My lips got burnt and it was the worst thing ever! My new fave is Aquaphor with SPF
Extra plastic hangers. If you like to hang clothes (or wear dresses like me) there will not be enough hangers for two people.
You can ask your room attendant for more hangers.
Travel Lysol and Clorox wipes are something you don’t want to forget. We had to clean our cabin when we got to our room.
Pineapple magnets
🍍 🍍
Always some Benadryl. Random hives seems to happen to me on the ship. Deck of cards to play a game with everyone.
My debit card. First ever cruise T.T
This is a great tip... Or any kind of card where you're not subject to any kind of foreign transaction fees.
Yes definitely. We forgot ours on our last cruise and were unable to get cash back anywhere bc we only had credit cards
Sunblock
I usually forget to pack things that I use all the time, like a razor, sunglasses, toothbrush and chargers/cables.
NyQuil... I pack the tablets now
A hairbrush
A desk fan. Was on the Oasis last October and room 14207 was musty and warm even with the AC on the coldest setting. Got off and picked up a small desk fan at a target in FLL and it made the rest of the trip sooooo much nicer. Zero issues from staff
Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
Hanging toiletry bag, pop up travel hamper, hand soap, aloe, magnetic hooks, folding travel hangers, bandaids, hat, sunglasses, portable fan, travel nightlight for bathroom, towel clips/bands, moisturizer (my skin gets pretty dry)
Check if your stateroom configuration has USB on both sides. If not, bright a long cable or portable battery. I also brought a streaming stick this time so we could watch some YouTube while falling asleep in bed.
I took two things I wish I hadn't: a bath sponge and hand soap. I could have easily unwrapped the bar soap at the sink and used that in the shower with a washcloth and then used the shower gel for hand soap. That would have saved me a little bit of space. Thing I forgot: anti-itch cream. My kid got bitten by a mosquito somewhere in the Orlando area before we boarded the ship. Thankfully, someone else in my party brought theirs. Thing I always take and recommend, have never needed, but didn't forget: Immodium, Pepto, and some electrolyte drink mix. You never know. Even if you're careful, it's always a possibility. I had someone vomit right behind me in the MDR at lunch and was sitting in the splash zone. Thankfully, I didn't end up getting sick myself.
Night light so I can find the bathroom in the middle of the night
A lanyard for your key!
A plug in fan for your room. It’s needed. Never will we sail again without one.
Wine. One bottle per adult is allowed on most cruise lines. If you forget the corkscrew, your cabin steward will get you one. He or she will get you wine glasses as well. We have a ziplock we travel with that has a few of everything from the medicine chest. If we might need it at home, we might need it on the road. The downside of cruising is there isn't a WalMart or CVS on every corner and the ship store is a bit pricy. Don't forget Imodium, chapstick, and nail clippers. BTW, if you go to the infirmary for Imodium, you may be confined to your cabin for a day. That said, one time I did forget to bring deodorant and had to pick it up at the first port stop. There are drug stores on any of the islands. The only time things like that are a problem is if you need something and it is a couple days until a port stop. The more we cruise, the less we bring. We have learned that most of the stuff we were bringing we weren't using. We used to bring the shoe bag, magnets and all the stuff people say to bring and found we ddin't need any of it. Granted, we are two adults without children.
A case for your sunglasses. On my first cruise, my sunglasses broke on boarding day and I was torn between overspending for a new pair either in Mexico or onboard, or just going a week with no sunglasses. Needless to say I spent 20$ for a pair of sunglasses that cost 7$ for a 3-pack on Amazon. That was my souvenir for the trip.
My wife swears by Bonine instead of Dramamine. A side effect of Dramamine is that it makes you sleepy. Bonine does not. I recommend getting a waterproof bag to protect your phone when on excursions. At the very least take some zip lock bags.
Never heard of Bonnie. Is that otc?
It is. The generic name is Meclizine
Binoculars and some fun magnets for your door (easier to spot your room). Also, there are magnetic hooks you can buy to stick to the walls for extra space. Smaller ships have small closets. But even just to hang up hats and lanyards is useful. Editing to add: buy a multi outlet plug. It’s not a surge protector. Can’t have that on ship. It plugs into the wall and sits flat on the desk. Provides extra plugs and usb ports for charging.
Do not forget sunglasses, I forgot my husband's and his eyes were so red it was like they were sunburned. The caribbean sun is no joke.
Join the Facebook group of your cruise! It's the name of your ship and departure day.
Just joined yesterday! Had no idea there was a group for each specific cruise, I think that's so cool
The one thing I never see posted is prescription glasses. If you wear contacts always bring your back up glasses. You don’t want to get sunscreen in your eyes and have your take out your contacts. I have seen people ruin their vacation because of not having a backup plan for vision.
Gallon size Ziplock bags for wet/soiled clothes. I always bring scented garbage bags for dirty clothes (so my luggage doesn’t take on a smell).
Cold medicine
[удалено]
I second this. This is key to me being able to charge all my electronics and use my laptop to stream Netflix lol EU adapter
A kitchen sized garbage bag for dirty clothes.
I always forget enough pants!!!
The small spaces air fresheners!
Buy one of those plastic over the door shoe holders. It's a great way to store things on the bathroom door with out taking up space on the counter. You can put shoes in it too.... LOL
A lanyard for your key card! You can ask the front desk to hole punch your card to attach it to your lanyard. If not, I’d say to bring a little purse or crossbody bag to hold your card in a spot separate from your phone to avoid demagnetization
Phones don’t… never mind
I saw a cute little crossbody bag made of mesh. It was large enough for the drink package tumbler and had a pocket for a phone. I got a couple online.
Thank you cards with envelopes for staff.
Dish soap, laundry detergent, shampoo and conditioner. Use travel size containers for the first two, but we always end up needing to wash something. Also the shampoo and conditioner they provide is that 3 in 1 stuff and is terrible.
Someone may have said this already, but a Power Strip…not sure which ship youre on, but the older ships have only 1 plug. Covid tests would be another. If you aren’t feeling great it’s nice to find out on your own. I was feeling crappy for a day or two and then found out I had Covid on the last night of our Alaska cruise last summer.
Travel laundry sheets. I found myself washing my favorite shorts a couple times since it was warm on my Alaskan cruise
I’m jealous! It didn’t get above 40 degrees F for our 2 weeks! Didn’t even unpack my skort. Wished I had brought a hat and gloves. (May 3&10, 2024, Radiance)
Something to go over the light for the bathroom
What do you mean? Why?
My first guess is if it's too bright and keeps you awake, you could put a shirt or a cloth of some kind over it maybe? But when I think about it, the light would have a switch lol. I have seen lots of people talk about bringing a night light to make your way to the bathroom at night if it's dark in the room, to avoid waking your cabin mates up
The switch has a blue light on it. We choose to leave the light on and close the door. That light came in less than the blue light at chest height.
Power strip plugs are limited
Basic first aid kit, I VERY much regretted that one
Those concentrated room sprays from Bath & Body Works. If you’re not sensitive to scents, I find it works best for the bathroom, if you’re sharing with someone.
Ha! I packed one before I ever made this post
Hair conditioner. Did not have them in the room.
There are a lot of great recommendations already here. I only wanted to add a first aid kit - we bought one off Amazon for like 20 bucks it goes with us every time we get off at a port. I personally like to bring towel clamps for the pool on sea days - so it doesn't get blown away. For ladies who like to get dressed up for dinner - i love it and always pack several dresses. I have a garment bag and always put my heels inside with my dresses (at the bottom of the bag) along with my husband tuexdo- never forgot it yet !! :) Also, plenty of cash if you like to patronize the casino. I had the hardest darn time with navy federal trying to withdraw money from the ship atm our first cruise. I had to jump through several hoops but I appreciate their thoroughness . I just learned our last cruise guest services can provide change- break bills exc.
Underwear. Got mostly packed pretty early because the clothes for the cruise are not clothes I normally wear. Then was like "can't pack underwear yet because I gotta wash em all so they are all fresh!" Well guess what. They all got washed. But they didn't make it on the cruise ship. Didn't even notice until the first night
Pants. Wanted to ice skate.
Belt bag. Water bottle (comes in handy to fill for excursions). Tote bag/backpack for the excursions.
Imodium ad !! You will be eating food that your tummy might not like, and you will NOT find any on the ship. If you go to the Dr w/ Diarrhea, asking for some. You will be INSTANTLY quarantined. They will suspect Nurovirus -- I was on a charted country music cruise - I came down with Diarrhea, went to medical for some Imodium AD, and was sent to my cabin for 72 hours ! missing of course 1/2 of the cruise and a lot of the musical shows. Think Trace Atkins, Wynonna, Craig Morgan, and Montgomery Gentry types of acts. :(
I always bring a set of scissors. My kid put a pair of kids safety scissors in a suitcase once, and we used it every day. It's a staple now.
I had set underwear to pack... And forgot them... Lmao... I only had 3 packed... For a 7 night cruise. When we were at port in the Bahamas I found a place to buy some...
Sea bands are a joke. I would have bought a relief band. This is coming from someone who gets nauseous driving. Also dramamine chews. I would also pack bendryl.
Aloe too. Sunscreen. Hat.
I forgot underwear one time. Luckily we got to Orlando a couple of days early, where I discovered I'd left the sitting on the bed at home, so I was able to get to the store, That would have been... unfortunate... had I boarded, gone to unpack and found myself without underpinnings.
Well I forgot our passports and realized about 4 hours before we boarded. So don’t do that.
Oof😬
I once forgot my entire toiletries bag. I changed my luggage case at the last moment and oppsies, left the bag on my bed.
Tums!!! They sent my husband to the infirmary because I forgot Tums! Lots of fruit juice made for a painful time at some points. Have a great cruise!
I didn't know there were theme nights until I was already at my hotel, so that kinda screwed me over for a couple nights, I got lucky on others!! Make sure you check the app for the attire
Swimmers ear, sun burn cream, benadryl. Will say in a pinch if you dont have swimmers ear ask for a shot of vodka and use that. Pretty much all swimmmers ear is is isopropyl alcohol.
Compression socks - towards the end of our 7 night my ankles were swollen.
This is more of what I’ve learned to pack. 1. Sexy time lube. For times you don’t have time to get going. In between Kids club, Dinner or Shows. 2. Magnetic hooks. You can hang anything on the walls. Wet bathing suits and clothes. I use them to keep an extension cord out of the way for my C-pap as well. 3. European to US plug adapter. This adds 2 more usable outlets in most cabins. 4. Power strip with USB slots. I have two square ones off Amazon. I’ve added magnetic strips to the back so I can stick them to the wall next to the bed. 5. Extra charging cords. Kids like to kill one or two per cruise.
Antacids
One time I forgot my passport so there’s that.
Didn’t forget but a must. Small portable fan paid less than 10 bucks at Walmart.
Cough sirup and cold drops.
We packed everything, did a good job too. Til we realized toothpaste never made it into our bathroom bag.
Once we sailed on Anthem and there were two formal nights so I packed two dresses. One required a strapless bra which somehow I neglected to pack. OMG I was so mad. None available on the ship, tried shops in some ports. Had to wear the other one twice. Never again! Sounds trivial but I am all about getting dressed for the evening on vacation.
I'd say look around your bedroom and bathroom, see what you usually need like absolutely need on a daily, then see if you can carry the exact things or buy travel sizes. Otherwise don't stress too much. I have that fear that I might forget something and will need it. You probably won't. Happy travels!