Creating a packing list is a great way to stay organized, and it’s always important to know what you should NOT pack on a cruise.
Packing for a cruise can get a little confusing. There’s tons of information out there that can lead you to believe you need everything that will fit in your suitcase, but you really don’t. As cruise ships get more high-tech, forbidden item lists on cruise ships grow and change and stateroom designs get better and better, you’ll probably find you need less stuff to keep you comfy on the high seas. So, here’s our list of 6 things you can leave behind and should not pack on a cruise.
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#1- Leave your blow dryer at home (maybe).
Unless you have very long hair, or a particular affinity for your blow dryer, you’ll probably find the one in your cabin to be sufficient. Most cruise ships these days come with in-room dryers that will do the trick, even if they aren’t perfect.
Not sure where to find it? On most ships, it’s located in one of the vanity drawers. Rarely will you find it in the bathroom! Cruise ship cabins are funny that way. Again, I repeat – if a lower powered blow dryer, won’t work for you, skip this tip and pack your own!
#2- Beach towels.
All of the mass market cruise lines these days offer beach towels that you can use on the ship, and on shore days. Just be sure not to take them home with you at the end of the cruise or leave them behind on shore days, or you’ll be charged.
#3- Ditch the power strip.
This one may surprise you since we’ve mentioned packing it many times in the past. It’s a power strip. Many cruise lines are prohibiting the use of power strips these days, so ditch the strip and go with a usb charging hub instead, like this one.
Of course, if you need an extension cord for a C-pap machine or other necessity, give your cruise line a call to see what they recommend you pack, or what they can provide for you.
#4- Shoe hangers.
This is something we used to swear by, but we just don’t use them any more. Overdoor shoe hangers were trendy for a while in the cruise world, but now cruisers are reporting to us that sometimes the hangers don’t fit the doors.
Also, some cruise lines have policies against using them but they they sometimes put scratch marks on the door and/or door jam, so use your best judgment on this one.
#5- Do I need food?
This is a personal decision, I get it. Sure, grabbing some packaged snacks for the flight or drive to your cruise is a GREAT idea, but one of the best things about cruising is that you’ll have lots of food options on your cruise.
Don’t waste your suitcase space on too many snacks unless there’s something you can’t live without for the duration of your cruise. Some cruise lines and ports actually prohibit certain types of food, like fruits, vegetables and meat, so leave the food at home.
As I mentioned, we’re not suggesting you avoid snacks for your journey TO the cruise ship. In fact, we always pack nuts, jerky, and other protein packed snacks for our kid (and my hangry tendencies), because as we ALL know, airline food is SO pricey!
#6- Don’t Risk It!
The last thing we recommend you should leave at home is your valuables. High value items like jewelry and watches might just add stress to your relaxing cruise vacation. When it comes to things we we recommend others should not pack on a cruise, this is a big one! And our community agrees!
Some people like to pop these items in the safe when they aren’t using them, but aside from our wedding rings, we prefer to leave our valuables at home, especially when traveling to unfamiliar places. We have NEVER had an issue with theft on a ship, or in a port, but we simply don’t see a lot of value in hauling valuables while we travel.
Oh, ONE more item you should leave at home:
The great thing about our community is they let us know when we forget something! When we first published this article on Facebook, TONS of people spoke up and said “Leave your iron at home!”. Yep that’s right, even travel irons are not permitted on cruise ships, so getting your clothes into a wrinkle free state can be tricky. Irons are ONE more thing you should NOT pack on a cruise.
What should you do? If you’re on a cruise ship with self serve laundry (Carnival and Princess both have little launderettes), you can pop into the laundry room and iron your clothes. If you’re on a line without laundry rooms, you have a few options. You can pack a wrinkle releaser and hope for the best. Or, you can turn on the shower and steam your clothes (it’s a pain, but it works!), or you can pay to have the cruise line iron your clothes for you (we never do this!). One final option is to pack your wrinkle prone clothing flat in dry cleaning bags on top of your other luggage items. So, fit your packing cubes in your suitcase, then before you zip, lay your dresses/dress shirts etc on top of the other contents of the suitcase wrapped in plastic dry cleaning bags? Have questions about this? DM me over on Facebook or Instagram, and I’ll explain further!
So what SHOULD you pack?
We’ve covered some stuff you should not pack on a cruise, but we like to keep it positive here at CruiseTipsTV!
Here are a few ideas from our community to get you started. Not sure what you’ll need in your cruise carry on? This list will get you started! Looking to shop for a few necessities? Our store is packed with cruisey-goodness, and we update it often.
Thanks so much for reading along! We hope you’ve enjoyed this article and gained some tips on things you should not pack on a cruise. Please feel free to direct message us on Instagram or Facebook with your thoughts, and until next time, we’ll see you on the high seas!
Until next time, we’ll see you on the high seas!
This article contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See disclaimer for more information.
