How To Pack Four Your Cruise Vacation
Are you going on a cruise and need some help packing. Packing for a cruise is different from packing for a vacations and as such has its own rules and guidelines that you will need to know about.
You shouldn’t pack lightly and expect to be able to pick up anything else you will need on board. Whilst you will find some of the things you are looking for like toiletries and even some clothing, a lot of the merchandise will be overpriced and may not be exactly what you want.
You will need to find out if the cruise you have booked is formal, casual or both and then packing accordingly. It is also good to keep in mind that formal usually means “semi-formal” on cruise. This means that instead of dressing up to the nines in a tuxedo or ball gown, you can relax a little in a nice suit and cocktail dress. If you think of what you would wear to a church wedding and dress accordingly then you are set. If you have booked a formal cruise but don’t feel like dressing up there are some things you can do like ordering room service, eating at different times and asking about casual meals.
Packing clothes that are lightweight wrinkle resistant and you are comfortable wearing a couple of times during your cruise is a good idea. For instance a pair of dark jeans can be dressed both up and down, the same goes for a men’s blazer and a plain black shirt can be work wit different tops and jackets for different looks.
You should make plans to do the laundry at least once on your cruise as there will be self-service laundry facilities on board. These facilities mean that you won’t have to over-pack in order to have the necessary amount of clothes for longer cruises. A good way to reduce the amount of clothing you need to pack is to plan on wearing any souvenir clothing you buy whilst on your vacation this means that you reduce the amount of clothes you are bringing with you and it will remove the need to “make room” to bring your purchases home. A great tip that many vacationers have learned is to use smaller containers of shampoo and other toiletries to save space.
No matter what you pack it is important that it matches the season and the locale of your cruise. If you are headed on a tropical cruise then, no matter what time of year, it is always a good idea to pack light cotton clothes. If you are a little fuzzy on what to pack you can either find out what the weather is like at your destinations during that time of the year or you can ask your cruise agent for advice.
Worrying about your valuable items getting lost or stolen can put a downer on your vacation so leave many of your most valuable items at home. A great option is to leave them at home and pack cheaper versions of them to bring with you. Keeping your money, cell phones, medicine, camera, any important documents you need to bring as well as you identification in your carry-on is a good way to keep it safe.
You will need to consult your cruise agent about any restrictions there may be with regards to your packing, as many cruise lines will not allow you to bring alcohol on board.