When you are getting ready to go on your dream vacation, a cruise to a part of the world that has always intrigued you, you may be wondering what useful items you should pack to take along with you. You definitely don’t want to overpack and end up having to tote around a ton of luggage, but you also don’t want to pack too lightly and not have something that you will end up needing. While the cruise ship itself will supply you with a lot of what you need, expecting them to provide anything and everything for you is a mistake. That’s why this list of useful things to pack on your cruise can be an invaluable resource for you.

Pack A Carry-On for Convenience

When you board your ship, you will have your luggage brought aboard for you, then brought to your cabin. This takes a lot of the heavy lifting out of the equation for you, which is definitely a good thing. But, while carry on service is amazing, it’s not instantaneous. That means that anything in the luggage you have loaded won’t be easily accessible right away. That’s why bringing a carry-on bag with the essentials is a great idea. Make sure you pack any medications you need, a change of clothes, some swimwear, and anything else you think you might need right away.

A Portable Charger

Electronic devices have become an integral part of our lives, but if they aren’t charged then they are pretty much useless. One thing you definitely don’t want to forget to pack is portable charges for your smartphone, laptop, camera, tablet, and any other electronics you plan on using during your vacation.

Formal Attire

Now, you may be planning to go on a cruise to a tropical location, but that doesn’t mean that all you should pack are swimming trunks and sandals. Cruise ships offer many dining options, but one of the most memorable of them is definitely the formal dining restaurants that are on board. If you want to be able to enjoy the wonderful ambiance and amazing food, then you need to look the part. That means bringing along formal attire. If you’ve never been on a cruise, then you probably don’t know that many ships feature formal dining restaurants with incredible food, at a great value.

Your Passport

On a closed-loop cruise your cruise line will keep a digital copy of your passport handy, and that’s probably sufficient for any traveling you do onboard the ship. But you have to remember that you’ll be traveling to different countries on your trip, and anytime you are traveling to a foreign country you should have your passport with you. Even if the cruise line tells you that you won’t need it, it’s much better to have it on hand just in case.

Medications

If you take any prescription medications on a regular basis then you definitely want to pack these in your carry-on bag. Nothing ruins a great vacation more quickly than a health scare. In addition to prescriptions that you take, you should also bring along some basic over the counter medications. Aspirin or something similar for headaches and fever, and definitely motion sickness medication just in case you get a case of seasickness. While there is medical care available on your ship, you have to remember that you’ll end up paying quite a bit for it. So, rather than spending a lot of money when you have a minor problem like a headache, make sure that you come prepared.

Sunscreen and Aloe Vera

This applies to tropical cruises where people have been known to go a little overboard when sunbathing. It’s very easy to sit next to the pool on a cruise ship, have a few drinks, and then drift off to sleep. If this happens to you, you definitely want to be wearing sunscreen to help protect yourself from a nasty sunburn. If you do get burned, then having Aloe Vera cream handy can be very beneficial.