As you near your departure for your cruise, you’ll need to pack for your trip. These are the suggested items to have in your carry-on luggage (NOT to pack into your checked luggage). I’ve included items for both arriving the same day you board as well as if you will be arriving a day early. You may not need all of these items, but this is a suggested list (and memory jogger).
Plan to wear a shirt with a pocket on your travel day – you can put your boarding pass and passport or ID in the pocket, which is VERY convenient as you make connections throughout the day (although in today’s world, many use the QR code on their phone.
PAPERWORK
Carry on your person:
• Personal identification (driver’s license/passport)
• Travel itinerary – your FULL itinerary (including flight numbers and times) from the time you leave your home to the time you walk in your door again (I have found this EXTREMELY helpful, especially if your travel plans change and you need to contact the hotel at your destination) all on one sheet (your travel agent should provide you with this)
• Travel documents such as:
• Tickets/Boarding passes
• Reservation and confirmation numbers for your air, car and lodging
• Travel vouchers or coupons, especially if they have been prepaid
• Relevant membership cards (hotel, air, rental, etc.)
• Money (cash and currency at your destination)
• Credit card(s) NOTE: If you are traveling with your spouse, both of you should have cards from different accounts, just in case something should happen and you are unable to use one card, you will still have another card for the rest of your trip.
• ATM cards (make sure you know your 4-digit PIN number)
• Valuable jewelry inside passport holder inside your clothing (NOTE: you really should try to avoid taking any real valuable jewelry when you travel, but if you do, this is for you)
• Luggage tags for the ship that you will put on your suitcase AFTER you’ve arrived at your embarkation city
CARRY ON
• Laptop/pad
• Camera (with accessories, extra batteries, memory cards, lenses, etc)
• Watch
• Travel entertainment (book, crossword puzzle book, handwork, etc.)
• Change of clothes (in case your luggage is lost or detained)
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Hand sanitizer
• Comb/brush
• Medications (including birth control)
• Deodorant
• Sleepwear (again in case your luggage is lost or detained)
• Make sure you have packed any sharp scissors, liquids over 3 ounces, knives or other item that might be confiscated at the airport in your checked luggage. NOTE: When you pack to return home, remember to REPACK these items into your luggage again for the return trip!!
• Small ziploc bag to put any liquids in to get through airport security
• Inflatable neck pillow, ear plugs and eye mask (If it’s an overnight flight)
FOR THE SHIP (for that down time before your luggage arrives):
• Sunscreen – even if you’re going to a cool place, the reflection off the water out on the ocean can still be brutal, so have it handy
• Swimsuit – if you plan to visit the pool
• Sun visor/hat (with chin strap) – Again, even if you are going on a winter trip, you may still want/need a visor to help with the glare from the reflection of the water – the strap is for the wind so it doesn’t get airborn!