Jessica’s Must-Have Essentials for Every Cruise
From our first cruise in 2009 in a porthole cabin on the now decommissioned Carnival Holiday to the MSC Seashore Yacht Club I am about to embark on, I have learned a lot about how and what to pack to enjoy your cruise vacation and make the most of the cabin space.
Some of these items won’t be needed for a few cruise lines or experiences as not all cruise lines are the same
So, here is my list of the TOP 5 ESSENTIAL CRUISE ITEMS to make sure to include in your packing.
Towels Bands or Hooks - I personally like the bands over the hooks. Decks can get windy, so make sure your towels stay put. If you lose a towel, the cruise line will charge you and no one wants to pay more! And when you take your towels off the ship on an excursion, using a band to keep the towels wrapped will save space in your bag!
Magnetic Hooks - These are a lifesaver. Usually there is only one clothesline to dry clothes and it’s in the shower, so your bathing suit really won’t dry or you’ll need to use the shower and then they are in the way. Use the magnetic hooks on the wall outside the bathroom for wet swimming suits, hats, your lanyards, or anything else you want off the floor. This saves space on the counters and desks and keeps the room looking nice for your vacation.
Refillable Water Bottle - Cruise ships have some of the smallest cups for water, tea, and lemonade. Bring your own refillable bottle so you are not getting up off the deck every five minutes. You can also have bartenders pour drinks into them for you!
Lanyards - Get them and use them. This is how to keep your ship card always on your person without the fear of dropping out of your pocket. Disney and RC need the plastic pouch that comes with the lanyards, Carnival and MSC do not. Carnival and MSC pre-punch a hole for the lanyard hook to go through. Princess and Virgin Voyages do not need lanyards as they have wearable medallions for you.
Door Decorations - You don’t have to do this, but it’s very helpful in a sea of never ending stateroom doors that all look the same. All doors and walls are magnetic so bring some magnets and your decorations, and make that door yours! It’s really fun around holidays to walk around and see the crazy stuff people put on their doors. I just buy party supplies as decorations and the neodymium (strong magnets) to keep them up. Celebrating a birthday or anniversary, those are fun decorations as well! Just don’t use tape on the walls or that sticky putty stuff as they are very difficult to get off the doors. Magnets are clean and easy to pack.
