Packing for a cruise can be surprisingly stressful.
Packing for a cruise is exciting, but it’s easy to overpack. Many first-time cruisers fill their suitcases with items they’ll never use or things the cruise ship already provides. Knowing what not to pack for a cruise can save space, reduce stress, and make your vacation more enjoyable.
When my wife and I first started cruising, my wife believed there was no such thing as packing too much. Every “just in case” item somehow found its way into a suitcase. By the time we pulled up to the cruise terminal, I was looking at a mountain of luggage, tipping the porter for bags we probably didn’t need, and wondering where we were going to put everything once we got onboard. And if you’re flying to your cruise, you also have to worry about airline baggage fees and weight restrictions. After a few cruises, we realized we were bringing far more than we ever used.
While most cruise packing guides, including my Cruise Packing List for Every Traveler, focus on what you should bring, I think it’s just as important to know what you can confidently leave at home. Every item you don’t pack is one less thing to haul around and find space for in your cabin. Pack smart enough, and self-disembarkation becomes a real option, letting you disembark on your schedule instead of waiting for your luggage tag color to be called. That’s exactly what this guide is here to help you do.
In a hurry? The most common things you don’t need to pack for a cruise include too many clothes, excessive shoes, full-size toiletries, beach towels, expensive jewelry, clothes irons, a small pharmacy, a ton of snacks, extra hangers, extra luggage, and “just in case” items. Packing lighter saves luggage space, keeps your cabin less cluttered, and makes embarkation and disembarkation much easier.
Here are 10 things you can leave at home on your next cruise—and why.
1. Clothes “Just in Case” (Including Too Many Shoes)
Overpacking clothes is probably most common mistake many cruisers make, and honestly, it’s something my wife and I were guilty of, too.
It’s easy to convince yourself you’ll need a different outfit for every dinner, every port, every evening show, and every “just in case” moment. The reality is you’ll probably end up wearing your favorite comfortable clothes much more often than you expect.
Don’t be afraid to re-wear clothes that aren’t dirty. If you wore a pair of jeans for a few hours one evening, there’s nothing wrong with wearing them again later in the cruise (don’t judge 😉). The same goes for shorts, lightweight pants, and casual shirts. Packing clothes that can be mixed and matched also gives you more outfit combinations without filling your suitcase.
Shoes are another area where it’s easy to overpack. Instead of bringing a different pair for every occasion, choose shoes that can do double duty. A comfortable pair of walking shoes can often work for both exploring ports and getting around the ship, while a nice pair of sandals can be worn by the pool during the day and to dinner in the evening.
If you’re taking a seven-day cruise or longer, you probably don’t need enough clothes to wear something different every single day. A small bottle of travel detergent can be a lifesaver if you need to wash a t-shirt, socks, or underwear in your cabin sink. A few cruise lines, including Disney and Princess, even have self-service laundromats on many of their ships, although it’s worth checking your ship before you sail. If self-service laundry isn’t available, most cruise lines also offer laundry service, although it isn’t cheap and usually takes a day or two. Swimsuits are even easier. I simply rinse mine off in the shower after wearing it, hang it up to dry, and it’s usually ready to wear again the next day.
Love of Cruising Tip
Lay everything out that you plan to pack, then challenge yourself to remove about a third of it. Chances are you won’t miss a single item once you’re onboard.
2. Full-Size Toiletries
Cruise cabin bathrooms aren’t exactly spacious. Counter space is limited, storage is limited, and those big bottles you use at home suddenly take up a lot more room than you expected.
Before your cruise, do a quick search to see what toiletries your cruise line provides. Most cruise lines supply shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower, although the quality and brands can vary quite a bit. If you’re staying in a mini-suite or another higher-category cabin, you may also receive premium toiletries that aren’t offered in standard cabins.
If you’re happy with what’s provided, that’s one less thing to pack. If not, bring your favorite shampoo, conditioner, or body wash in travel-size containers instead of packing the full-size bottles from home. You’ll save space in your luggage and keep your cabin bathroom from feeling cluttered.
Love of Cruising Tip
I always recommend packing a few resealable plastic bags for toiletries. Even a tightly closed bottle can leak during the drive to the port, and a zip-top bag is much easier than cleaning shampoo off the rest of your clothes.
3. Towels
This one surprises a lot of first-time cruisers.
There’s no reason to pack any towels for your cruise. Your cruise line already provides bath towels, pool towels, and towels to take ashore on beach days. Your cabin steward will replace your bath towels as needed, and pool towels are available on the pool deck. Just remember to bring them back onboard before you leave the port.
Not packing towels will save you a lot of suitcase space and weight. They’re one of the bulkiest items you can pack, and once they’re wet, they take forever to dry. I’d much rather let the cruise line handle the laundry and use that extra luggage space for something I’ll actually need.
4. Expensive Jewelry and Valuables
Let’s be honest, even in the most beautiful ports of call, it’s important to pay attention to your surroundings. While most are perfectly safe to explore, cruise passengers can be an easy target for pickpockets because we’re usually focused on sightseeing, taking pictures, or figuring out where we’re going instead of paying attention to who’s around us.
That’s one of the reasons my wife and I leave our valuables at home. I’d much rather enjoy the sights than spend the day keeping one eye on my valuables. In addition, most cruise evenings are fairly casual anyway, and even formal night doesn’t require your most expensive jewelry.
If you decide to buy jewelry during your cruise, I’d resist the temptation to wear it right away. Many ports have beautiful jewelry stores, but there’s no reason to advertise your new purchase while you’re still exploring the island. I also recommend ditching the designer shopping bag for something more generic. A Tiffany’s bag might as well be a flashing neon sign, while a Dollar Tree bag probably won’t get a second look. The less attention you draw to yourself, the more you can relax and enjoy your time ashore. Vacations are supposed to be fun, not spent worrying about your stuff.
Love of Cruising Tip
Keeping with the idea of not advertising valuables, I wear a neck pouch (or a money belt) under my shirt to carry things like my passport, backup credit card, and extra cash. My wife prefers a crossbody bag instead of a purse, and she also uses a phone case with a wrist strap so there’s less chance of dropping or losing it while we’re exploring a port. We may be a little more cautious than some people, but those small habits let us focus on enjoying the day instead of worrying about our valuables.
5. Your Entire Medicine Cabinet
There’s no need to pack every medication you own “just in case.” However, never leave home without any prescription medications you take regularly. Pack enough for your entire trip, plus a few extra days in case your travel plans are delayed. I also recommend keeping them in their original labeled containers and carrying them with you instead of packing them in checked luggage.
For everything else, I recommend packing a small travel-size first aid kit with the basics. But if you do need something else, you’re likely still covered. Cruise ships have medical centers, and onboard shops sell many common over-the-counter medications. It may not be the cheapest option, but it’s there if you need it. I’d rather spend a few extra dollars once in a while than carry around a full pharmacy every time I travel. Many ports also have pharmacies nearby, where you can often buy the same medications for much less than you’ll pay onboard.
Also, don’t forget motion sickness medication. Even if you don’t normally get motion sickness, rough seas, overnight sailing, or bad weather can affect anyone. Bonine and Dramamine are inexpensive, take up almost no space, and are worth having just in case. I always pack Bonine on every cruise. Thankfully, my wife and I have never needed it, but I’d rather have it and not need it than wish I had packed it.
6. Snacks… Lots of Snacks
I’m not saying don’t bring snacks. Just don’t pack them for the sake of packing them. Bring your favorite comfort foods that you know you won’t find onboard, or a few snacks for your travel days.
Cruises are a food paradise where no one goes hungry. There’s no need to pack enough snacks to feed a family for a week.
One of the best parts of cruising is the food. Between the buffet, main dining room, cafés, pizza counters, room service, and late-night options, you’re rarely more than a few minutes away from your next meal or snack. Better yet, you’ll probably discover foods you don’t normally eat at home.
There’s no need to overpack snacks when the cruise line is doing everything it can to make sure your caloric needs are more than met. 🙂
7. Hangers
I’ll be honest, I have no idea why this recommendation keeps showing up on cruise packing lists. But I’ve seen it more than once. Maybe there are some cruise lines that provide empty closets, but I haven’t sailed on one yet.
Every cruise I’ve been on has had plenty of hangers, and if you overpacked your clothes (🙂) and need more, your cabin steward is usually happy to bring them. It takes less time to ask than it does to pack a bunch of hangers you’ll probably never use.
Leave the hangers at home and use that space for something you’ll actually need.
8. Too Much Luggage
Looking back at our first cruise, I laugh at how much we packed.
The funny part is that all that extra luggage didn’t make our vacation any better. It just gave us more stuff to haul around, more bags to unpack, and more suitcases to squeeze into a cabin that wasn’t exactly spacious. We also ended up bringing plenty of clothes and other items that never got used. We even had too much luggage to self-disembark, so we had to put our bags out the night before and wait for our luggage tag color to be called the next morning.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that cruise cabins are designed with limited storage. Most suitcases will slide neatly under the bed, but the more luggage you bring, the harder it becomes to keep the cabin organized. Every extra bag you bring is one more thing you’ll be stepping around for the next week.
If you’re flying to your cruise, it only gets worse. Airline baggage fees, weight limits, and dragging multiple heavy suitcases through the airport are just more reasons to pack only what you know you’ll use.
If you’re not sure what to bring, check out my Cruise Packing List for Every Traveler. It covers the essentials so you can pack smarter without dragging around a bunch of extra luggage.
9. Legal at Home, Illegal at Your Port of Call
It’s easy to assume that if something is legal where you live, it’s fine to bring on a cruise. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
Cruise ships visit multiple countries, each with its own laws, and cruise lines often have policies that are even stricter than the laws of the places they visit. An item that’s perfectly legal at home could cause serious problems once you board the ship or arrive in another country. Marijuana products are probably the most common example, but they certainly aren’t the only one.
Remember, you’re not just packing for your home state. You’re packing for every country your cruise will visit.
When you’re traveling internationally, it’s your responsibility to know the laws of the countries you’ll be visiting and the policies of your cruise line. If you’re unsure whether something is allowed, check before you sail. And if you’re still in doubt, leave it at home. It’s simply not worth risking your vacation over.
10. Items Cruise Lines Usually Prohibit
Not everything belongs on a cruise ship. Every cruise line has its own list of prohibited items, and while the exact policies vary, many of the same things appear across the industry.
Remember, cruise lines are responsible for the safety of thousands of passengers and crew members. They’re especially strict about anything that could create a fire hazard or pose a safety risk. Because of that, some items you might never think twice about at home can become an issue on embarkation day.
Some of the most common prohibited items include:
- Power strips with surge protection
- Clothing steamers
- Candles and incense
- Coffee makers and hot plates
- Weapons / Self-Defense Items
- Drones (on many cruise lines)
- Perishable food
- Pool Inflatables
You might even be surprised by some of the less obvious items that can cause problems. For example, a novelty keychain shaped like a bullet could be mistaken for ammunition, and something as simple as an extension cord may be prohibited by your cruise line. When in doubt, leave it at home or check before you pack.
Love of Cruising Tip
Every cruise line has its own prohibited items list, and those lists can change over time. Don’t assume that what’s allowed on one cruise line is allowed on another, or that a list you checked months ago is still current. A few days before you sail, take a few minutes to review your cruise line’s latest prohibited items list. It’s one of the easiest ways to avoid surprises at the terminal.
Final Thoughts
Knowing what not to pack for a cruise is just as important as knowing what to bring. A lighter suitcase means less stress, less time digging through your luggage, and more time enjoying your vacation. Pack smart, bring what you’ll actually use, and you’ll be glad you left the rest at home.
Looking for a complete checklist? Be sure to check out our Cruise Packing List for Every Traveler to make sure you have everything you need before you set sail.
The first time my wife and I cruised, we packed like we were heading to a deserted island. We had enough clothes for every possible weather forecast, enough toiletries to open a small pharmacy, and enough “just in case” items to fill a another suitcase. Looking back, we probably used about half of what we brought.
With every cruise, we’ve packed a little lighter, a little smarter, and honestly, our vacations have been better because of it. Less luggage means less to drag through airports, less to unpack, and a lot more room to move around in a cruise cabin that somehow always seems smaller once the suitcases are open.
One of the biggest reasons we pack lighter now is because we prefer to carry our own luggage off the ship on disembarkation day. That means we don’t have to put our suitcases out in the hallway the night before. Instead, we get to enjoy our final evening without worrying about separating out clothes, toiletries, and pajamas for one last night.
On the last morning of the cruise, we usually wake up around 7:00, finish packing, and head to breakfast around 8:00. We take our time, enjoy one last meal onboard, then roll our luggage off the ship at our own pace. No hunting for luggage in the terminal, no waiting for our color or number to be called, and no wondering if our suitcase made it off the ship. The only catch is that your luggage has to be manageable enough for everyone in your group to handle themselves.
So when you’re packing for your next cruise, take one last look at everything before you zip up your suitcase. Ask yourself, “Will I really use this?” If the answer is “probably not,” leave it at home. Chances are you won’t miss it.
And if you do forget something? You’re probably not the first passenger to do it. Most ships have stores onboard, and almost every port has one too. You may spend a few extra dollars replacing something, but I’d still take that over hauling around a suitcase full of things I never use. Your back will thank you. Your cabin will thank you. Your luggage scale will thank you. And if you’re flying to the port, your airline might be the only one disappointed that it didn’t get to charge you for another checked bag.