Disclaimer: This post is in collaboration with Carnival Cruise Line. However my opinion is as always, my own.
If you haven’t read last week’s post, 10 Things You Should Know Before Your First Cruise, you may not know about my partnership with Carnival Cruise Line for 3 posts. I’ll be going off on a voyage with them on their Baja Mexico Halloween Cruise this weekend and I’m beyond giddy! A cruise experience celebrating one of my favorite holidays? Yes, please! I’ll be on Instagram Stories posting a room tour, ship tour, food, events and more so make sure you’re following along by clicking here.
Proper Identification – Whenever I travel, I always have 2 forms of identification just in case and I highly recommend that for any trip. But especially for cruises, I think people tend to forget that you may be entering another country and need your passport. Last time on my cruise, I saw at least 2 people forgetting their passports – yikes, don’t be that person! Make sure you check your cruise ship destinations and details to see what types of identification you’ll need so you don’t miss out on any fun activities!
Charger –Don’t forget your charger for your phone, camera or laptop because unfortunately Amazon Prime doesn’t deliver out to sea. An all-in-one charger that I’m obsessed with right now is the Lynktec Reeljuice Charger because it comes with a retractable charging cable so you don’t have to worry about forgetting a cable – what a concept! If you want to check it out, use LIFEINWANDERLUST25 for a 25% off discount!* In the same realm, don’t forget to pack it up on your way out! As a former hotelier, I can’t tell you the amount of forgotten chargers we used to have at every hotel I ever worked at.
Dramamine or Bracelet –I dove deeper into this on my 10 Things You Should Know Before Your First Cruise post but if you’ve never cruised before or you think there’s even a slightest chance you may get sick, grab Dramamine or a motion sickness bracelet. They don’t cost much and you’ll thank yourself later when you find out you’re not feeling great at sea.
Appropriate Clothing – Another thing I discuss on my last post is bringing appropriate clothing. Make sure you review all the activities you’ll be doing. Are you participating in the formal night? Will you be swimming? Are you going to hit the gym? Are you going to eat so much you need a maxi dress or stretchy pants? In my particular case, I’ll need a costume since it’s a Halloween cruise!
Toiletries – The basic toiletries are obvious but one thing I want to emphasize is sunscreen! If you’re going to be laying out on the lido deck, swimming or just grabbing quick eats outdoors, slather some SPF on yourself. It’s hot out there and don’t forget, there are no trees or buildings blocking the rays!
Cash – While gratuities tend to be included in the price or fees, it’s always good to carry around cash for when you receive exceptional service from the staff. Especially on longer cruises, you learn the staff’s names and get to know them fairly well. If your drink is extra delicious or your room is always clean when you come back, show them you appreciate them with some extra cash.
Ear Plugs – This is a personal thing I experienced on my first cruise. Depending on where your room is, it can get noisy when you’re trying to fall asleep. The engine, people partying around you, the splashes of water, the horn, what have you. So when you’re exhausted and need some shut-eye, having ear plugs will help out a lot.
Lanyard –When you check in, they’ll give you a card that works for everything on board. It’s connected to your account and your credit card so that you don’t have to carry around your wallet everywhere. You can shop at the candy store, buy drinks at the bar, photos, souvenirs, etc. It’s nice and easy! What I do recommend bringing with you is a lanyard to clip the card on and hang around your neck. They do sell lanyards but if you’re like me, I happen to have several laying around the house from concerts and conferences so save a few dollars and bring your own!
Day Bag – I know I just said you can be hands-free on board but obviously when you’re going up to the lido deck for the pool or lay out, you’re going to have things to carry with you. I found that bringing a small day bag makes all the difference. It’s easy to bring your phone, water bottle, hat, sunscreen and whatever else without having to carry it in your arms or your suitcase.
Camera – Aside from identifications and your wallet, I think a camera is the next most important thing to bring! Yes, go ahead and disconnect from the world but capture the memories of cruising! There’s so much fun things going on on board and you’ll want to look back on it someday…and show it off on social media, am I right? I’ll be bringing my camera, my phone and my Instax!
Bonus: For things you can’t pack and bring on board, click here!
What do you think of these 10 items? Any frequent cruisers have additional things you would recommend? Let us know in the comments!
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* The Lynktec charger was sent to me. However, this inclusion is voluntary. I am genuinely obsessed with the charger!
