Prepare for your next voyage with our ultimate guide to cruise packing essentials for families—from kids’ must-haves to packing hacks
Planning a family reunion or vacation is always an adventure, and when your plans include a high-seas excursion, the packing process can feel like navigating uncharted waters. From juggling the needs of multiple age groups to ensuring every must-have item makes it aboard, having a guide to cruise packing essentials for families is a game-changer. This comprehensive checklist will help you streamline the chaos and ensure your family is ready for smooth sailing.
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Clothing Essentials
Packing clothes for any vacation is a given, but the variety of attire required sets it apart when it comes to cruise packing essentials for families. Cruises often call for a wide range of clothing, from poolside bathing suits to formal evening wear and everything in between.
Daytime outfits typically consist of light, casual pieces such as shorts and t-shirts perfect for a sunny day aboard a boat. However, if you plan a wintertime cruise traversing through colder climates, you will want to pack layers to bundle up. Whether you are planning a balmy or chilly trip, pack plenty of casual daytime outfits that you can mix and match.
If you are celebrating a special occasion or plan to dress up for dinner, don’t forget to include formal wear. A nice dress, a pair of heels, a suit jacket, and dress shoes will do nicely. While no ironing boards are provided in guest rooms, many cruise lines offer irons in their laundromats to eliminate wrinkles.
Without a doubt, swimsuits are key for families when packing for a cruise. Even wintertime cruises have indoor pools, and a summertime trip is incomplete without lounging poolside or diving into the deep end.
With every outfit type, there are shoes to match. Make sure your shoes go with every look you have planned. Flip flops for the pool, sneakers for the sports court, and heels or dress shoes for the evening.
The best practice for what to pack for a family cruise is to plan your outfits ahead of time and use pieces that can be mixed and matched for more outfits out of fewer clothes.
Toiletries and First Aid
When making your family cruise packing list, remember that most top cruise lines do not have size limitations on toiletry products. This means you can pack full-sized bottles of shampoo, conditioner and toothpaste, providing a sense of preparedness and convenience for the whole family.
While cruises have medical services with trained staff and plenty of first aid kits stashed around the ship, it’s always best to be prepared. A travel-sized first aid kit with all the basics is a must-have for cruises. And if you plan to take prescription medication aboard, keep it in its original bottle with the label.
Stay organized with a dedicated toiletries bag for the whole family. If you want to save on space in the room, get a hanging toiletries bag to keep everything together, organized, and hung up out of the way.
Remember while packing that sometimes the most obvious items are commonly overlooked. This includes toothpaste and toothbrushes, hairbrushes, deodorant, shampoo/conditioner, makeup, sunscreen, shaving tools, etc. Mentally, go through your regular routine of essential toiletries used and pack accordingly. And if you forget some of the basics, most cruise lines provide small containers of shower products. Other essentials can also be found for sale at onboard shops.
Kid-Specific Needs
When planning your cruise packing essentials for families, children—especially babies and toddlers—require extra care and preparation. Beyond the basics like diapers, bottles, bibs, and wipes, additional items ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for everyone.
The excitement of a cruise can sometimes feel overwhelming for little ones. To help them feel at ease, be sure to pack comfort items like their favorite toys, stuffed animals or blankets. Including a few familiar objects and engaging activities can keep kids entertained and provide parents peace of mind, even on long sea days.
While some cruises provide strollers and cribs for an additional fee, not all do and many encourage you to bring your own as they rent on a first-come, first-served basis and run out quickly. Some cruises offer baby supplies for sale on board, but it’s always best to have all essential supplies on hand in your baby or toddler bag.
If your family is planning an excursion, check ahead with your tour operator that it is all ages. Even if your cruise line is kid-friendly, not all excursions allow infants or small children.
Tech and Gadgets
Investing in a waterproof case is one of the biggest packing tips for cruises. Water hazards are abundant aboard a cruise ship between the ocean and pools. A waterproof case allows for ease of mind that your devices will stay dry and working for the whole trip.
Invest in a camera if you don’t already own one. Between special family moments and ever-changing scenic views, there are countless photo opportunities on a cruise. Capturing these memories will allow you to relive the joy and connection of your family vacation later for a sentimental connection.
Another must-have item for cruises is your device chargers. Many devices require a charging cord – phones, cameras, e-readers, smartwatches, etc. – so make sure you can charge them.
And with everything that must be plugged in at the end of the day, a multi-outlet adapter might be a good investment. Most rooms come equipped with only a few outlets, and space will run out fast.
Onboard Necessities
Don’t forget the necessary documents when going over what to pack for a family cruise. Even if your cruise only has ports in the United States, everyone will need a passport to board. Other required documentation includes boarding passes, health information, and visas for out-of-country travel. A good packing tip for cruises is to keep all your family’s documents together in a travel document holder for easy access.
Once you’re aboard, you will get your cruise card. Your cruise card is your key to the ship, serving as your onboard identification, allowing you access to your cabin, and some act as your convenient payment tool. Keep your cruise card in a lanyard for accessibility, no matter what you wear.
Although you won’t get away with bringing your favorite homecooked meal aboard, non-perishable prepackaged food and sealed drinks are welcome on most cruise lines. Familiar snack favorites are a cruise packing essential for families – especially for kids used to a specific afternoon snack.
Port Excursion Packing Tips
A day bag for port excursions is at the top of our packing tips for cruises list. When you are trying to get everyone together and off the boat for a day trip, it will be easier with everything you need in one grab-and-go bag. This is a cruise packing essential for families, from supplies for the little ones to a place for your electronics and wallet.
Of course, no cruise travel checklist is complete without sunscreen, but don’t forget to bring some on your excursions for reapplication. Even in colder climates or when there is cloud coverage, you should still regularly apply sunscreen to avoid sunburn.
Depending on where your excursion takes you, pack a change of clothing. If you are planning a beach trip, pack your bathing suit or wear layers if the weather is forecasted to change. Wear excursion-appropriate shoes suitable for walking around. You can pack your flip-flops or beach sandals in your bag, but you’ll want comfortable shoes for day-long explorations.
Cruise Packing Hacks
Unlike airplanes, cruises are generally more lenient regarding the amount of luggage you can bring abroad. Even though you can, you may opt for less because you must fit it all in the cabin.
Some great packing tips for cruises are to organize, roll, and nest. Organize your luggage with packing cubes so that everything has a space to fit neatly into your suitcase. Roll, don’t fold your clothes to fit more. Nest smaller items into nooks and crannies, such as rolled-up socks tucked into your shoes or swimsuits tucked into a hat.
If you are trying to save space in your suitcase or can’t cram even one more t-shirt into your bag, plan to utilize the onboard laundry services. Every cruise line is different; however, almost all provide self-serve or valet-style laundry services. Another popular option is handwashing small items in your cabin’s washroom. An excellent cruise hack is getting a portable washbag that is ideal for travel.
Traveling can be stressful, but being prepared with a plan ahead of time can help cut down that travel stress. By following this family cruise packing list, you can spend your next vacation making memories instead of worrying about what you forgot to pack.
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By Helene Martin, Contributing Writer
