What to pack for a cruise: A complete guide from a cruise expert

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Packing for different types of cruises

There are three main types of cruises: ocean, river and expedition.

Each one requires a slightly different packing list because the onboard and onshore activities available will be very different.

Ocean cruise

In addition to your regular luggage, I would recommend taking three things on your ocean cruise to make life easier.

Travel sickness tablets

Cruising on the open seas means waves and swells.

If you’re prone to motion sickness then packing travel sickness tablets like those from Kwells* or Stugeron* is essential.

Picking the right medication is crucial here because you may not be able to take certain travel sickness tablets if you’re also taking other medication.

Double check with a pharmacist if you’re not sure as taking the wrong one could lead to medical complications.

A smart outfit

The daytime dress code is always relaxed on ocean cruises. That means you’ll be perfectly fine wearing t-shirts and shorts.

However, most sailings have at least one formal night that you’ll need to dress up for. 

The formality of the dress code depends on the cruise line you’re travelling with (more below) but the minimum is a suit and tie for men and a cocktail or evening dress for women.

That said, even on formal nights there will always be a venue that you don’t need to dress up for – you may however be limited to the buffet.

Some companies, such as Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), are exclusively casual dress so it might be a better option if you don’t fancy dressing up at all.

An overnight bag

As part of the disembarkation process, you have to leave your main suitcase outside your cabin the night before so the crew can take it down to the dock for you.

You’ll still need all your overnight stuff, which is why it’s handy to have a separate bag for those.

Aside from my valuables (laptop, DSLR camera, wallet, passport etc), I usually have a change of clothes plus toiletries so I find I need something bigger than a backpack.

And because there can be a lot of walking from the ship to the dock, I find a small trolley bag* to be the most convenient option.

I have the Rhapsody wheeled cabin bag* from Briggs & Riley – it’s small enough to go under the seat in front of you on a plane and can be stacked on top of another suitcase – but to be honest it’s pretty expensive and any small trolley bag* will work.

You can also disembark with your main luggage instead of letting the crew take it for you, but you would need to be comfortable carrying it yourself and the gangway can sometimes be quite steep.

River cruise

If you know how to pack for a city break then you know how to pack for a river cruise.

They’re much more relaxed compared to ocean cruises as there are far fewer people on board and you don’t generally need to dress up. 

You also don’t need to worry about travel sickness.

The one thing people don’t realise or think about is that there’s a lot more downtime on a river cruise because there’s rarely any onboard entertainment.

Most river lines provide a small library or board games, but you may well want to bring your own entertainment to pass the time between ports. I usually use this downtime to catch up on work and I’ve seen other people do this too.

Expedition cruise 

Every expedition cruise is different so the cruise line will always provide you with a suggested packing list.

It’s really important to check what technical gear the cruise line will provide for you.

On expeditions to the polar regions for example, many cruise lines will have jackets you can borrow for excursions. Some cruise lines will however expect you to bring your own.

I find that regardless of whether I’m going luxury or budget, the chances of getting wet are pretty high.

I might be going out for excursions on zodiacs for example, or tramping in the pouring rain.

This is expedition cruising after all, so some adventure and element of “roughing it” is to be expected.

So as a minimum, I’d recommend a waterproof jacket, and waterproof or quick drying trousers if you want to be more prepared.

I’ve got a waterproof jacket from Columbia* that’s lightweight and breathable – it’s the Columbia Inner Limits III waterproof jacket* if you want to get my exact one.

For waterproof trousers, I just have a cheap pair from Peter Storm* because I don’t need it often.

When I’m in warmer climates, I take my zip off hiking trousers from Mountain Warehouse* instead because they’re quick drying and can be used for other activities (and they’re cheap).

I also take cosy outfits to lounge around in because after a wet and windy day onshore it’s definitely time for some creature comforts.

Your cruise destination

Your cruise destination will determine everything from the weather to the type of activities you can do, which in turn will affect what you should pack.

Hot weather or tropical destinations

Warm, sunny destinations like the Mediterranean mean light, summery outfits alongside sandals, sunglasses, sunscreen and hats.

If I’m visiting the Middle East or Africa, I’ll dress more conservatively as a matter of respect, especially if I’m visiting any religious sites.

I love loose fitting linens precisely for this; M&S* has a good affordable line that I’ve turned to a lot over the years.

For cruises to the tropics, I take insect repellent and a waterproof jacket for unexpected downpours as well.

I also take rehydration tablets from Phizz* to keep my water and energy levels up.

Even in warm weather I’d still pack warmer clothes to wear onboard as sometimes the air conditioning system can be turned right up.

Shoulder season or cool climates

For cruises during the spring or autumn shoulder season, or visiting cooler climate destinations such as those in Scandinavia, bringing a range of outfits is essential.

This is the time of year and the type of destination where temperatures might be searingly hot one day and drop several degrees the next.

A waterproof jacket is a good bet, as are lighter jeans, but you don’t need to think too hard if you bring a mix of warm and cool outfits.

Winter sailing or snow adventures

If I’m heading somewhere cold on a cruise, I always pack things that can easily be layered.

Temperatures onboard tend to be kept super toasty but you’ll feel the chill as soon as you step outside.

I get cold easily so I’ll always pack thermals to wear under my regular clothes when I’m on a cold weather trip.

I have some thermals from Decathlon* because they’re cheap and warm – which is exactly what I need – but I wouldn’t use them for anything too active as they’re not as breathable as they could be.

For the outer layers I would go with something with a tighter weave that offers some wind resistance but it depends on where I’m going and what I’m doing.

As for the outer jacket, it depends on how cold the destination is.

For a cruise to the Arctic Circle, I got a padded winter jacket from Helly Hansen* that’s both waterproof and windproof.

It’s far too warm to wear for winters in the UK or your average city break but it was perfect for Arctic winter conditions.

I also bought some Ohio snow boots from Mountain Warehouse* that a friend recommended.

These are waterproof and offer much better insulation than regular hiking boots. Again, I’d only wear them in seriously cold, snowy conditions.

How long you’re going for

The luggage allowance on a typical cruise is so generous that you can more or less think of it as unlimited.

There are caveats of course.

You need to be able to fit everything in your cabin, and these are generally much smaller than a regular hotel room.

And if you’re flying to meet the ship, you’ll also need to comply with the airline’s luggage restrictions.

So while you can be a bit more relaxed about what you pack, you should still be mindful.

I usually pack two outfits per day for cruises of up to seven days – one casual for daytime and one more formal for dinner.

This easily fits into my suitcase and I don’t need to think too hard about what to pack.

For cruises of up to two weeks, I’d still pack for a seven-day cruise since most items can be reworn.

However, I always pack extra underwear and socks so I don’t need to do the laundry in between.

I also pack extra daytime clothes for a longer cruise somewhere hot because it’s so easy to get sweaty, wet or dirty in a tropical environment.

For cruises longer than two weeks it’s time to take advantage of the ship’s laundry service.

Most ocean ships will have a launderette onboard for guests, which might be free or coin-operated.

Usually they’ll provide washing powder or similar but this isn’t guaranteed so you may want to bring your own.

River ships are much smaller so it’s rare to find a laundry room onboard. Fortunately most river cruises are pretty short, so you’re unlikely to need to do laundry.

If you do want to do some laundry on the go, try putting everything in a dry bag* to soak and then shake, or invest in one of Scrubba’s portable wash bags*, which gives you extra cleaning power with its in-built scrub pad.

Read this: How to pack your suitcase for any trip

My ultimate cruise packing list

The packing list below is designed for a week-long cruise.

Unlike my ultimate packing list, it doesn’t include things like shampoo and shower gel because these are provided onboard.

It does however take into consideration formal nights and other cruise-specific activities.

It’s a basic list so you’ll still need to adapt it to the type of cruise you’re on, where you’re going and for how long – and of course any optional extras you might want to travel with.

Optional things to bring

Most regular cruisers have items that they pack to make life onboard that little bit easier.

For me, two items are particularly useful.

One is a lanyard cardholder*. 

Your cabin card is used for everything from paying for drinks to getting on and off the ship so a lot of people get lanyard cardholders to keep their cabin card handy.

The other thing people pack is magnetic hooks*.

If there are a few of you in the cabin, you can quickly run out of storage space.

The walls in cabins are always metal so magnetic hooks make the perfect storage accessories.

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