When you arrive at the cruise port on embarkation day, you will be greeted by a porter who will assist you with your larger pieces of luggage.
It will be hours until you see your bags again, so you want to make sure that you have everything important packed with you in your cruise carry-on bag.
While some things make sense, like your passport and cell phone, there are others that might slip your mind.
Here are 25 items you should always pack in your carry-on bag!
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Travel documents
Before you are able to board the ship, you will have to complete the check-in process inside of the terminal. This means that your boarding documents will be reviewed by port agents.
You do not want to run into any issues because you accidentally packed your passport or birth certificate inside of your luggage that you left with the porters.
Read more: Where can you cruise without a passport?
Prescription and over-the-counter medication
Just like when you travel on an airplane, you will want to keep all of your medication in your carry-on bag. While it is unlikely that your bags will get lost, you do not want to be in a situation where you need your medication and are unable to access it.
When it comes to over-the-counter medications, the more you pack the better! Inventory onboard the ship will be limited, and you never know what ailment might take you down halfway through your sailing. What happens if you get an upset stomach, headache, common cold, or being to feel seasick?
While the ship's store will have some medications that you can purchase, you can expect to pay more than you would on land.
Read more: How to make your own DIY cruise first aid kit
Luggage tags
After you finish the online check-in part of the check-in process, you will be able to print luggage tags. These will be put on your bags to make sure that they are delivered to the right cabin.
If you have yet to secure them to your bags, you will want them to be easily accessible when you get to the terminal. You do not want to waste time rummaging for them in your larger pieces of luggage.
Cruise lanyard
After you get on the ship, you will not need to carry around your debit card or government-issued identification. Instead, you will be given a cruise card. This is how you will make purchases to your onboard account, whether it is an alcoholic drink or spa treatment.
To keep it safe, you'll want to have a lanyard. Not only are they more convenient than just throwing your card in your pocket or bottom of a bag, but lanyards help protect the card from getting lost or damaged.
Just remember that you will need to take your wallet off the ship with you, as your card will not work at venues on land.
Read more: Why a cruise lanyard is the best travel accessory
Ziploc bags
Ziploc bags are waterproof and will keep your important documents safe and organized. You can throw everyone's passports into a single bag, so you show up to the terminal extremely prepared!
Plus, they will keep everything dry throughout the cruise, so you don't have to worry about your cash getting a little wet if you go to the beach.
Wallet
Even though you won't need your wallet onboard, you will need cash to tip the porter after they help you with your bags. Plus, you don't want to send your cash, debit/credit cards, etc. off.
By keeping your wallet on you, you will have the peace of mind knowing that you can stash it in your stateroom's safe as soon as you are able to access you cabin.
Band-Aids
When I was boarding Symphony of the Seas once, we had someone in our travel party who accidentally hurt themselves while going through security. In that moment, it would have been great to have a Band-Aid on hand; however, none of us did. We had to wait until we were on the ship to go to Guest Services to ask for one.
Learn from my mistake-- you never know when you will need a Band-Aid! Even if you think you will be okay for an hour or so, it is better to be safe than sorry.
A change of clothing
Even if you have the cutest embarkation outfit planned, it never hurts to have a change of clothes packed in your carry-on. You might find yourself wanting to hit up the pool deck earlier than you thought, or, unfortunately, fall victim to a spill.
Whatever the reason, having a change of clothes is sure to give you some peace of mind while you are without your luggage for a little bit.
Towel clips
Towel clips should be a must-have on your packing list! They will help keep your towels secured on your pool chair during windy sea days.
Even though you will be docked for the majority of embarkation day, you never know if it will be windy or not. Like with the Band-Aids, it is better to come prepared.
They great thing with towel clips is that they can be reused on future vacations. Plus, they are pretty inexpensive.
Read more: 20 best things to bring on a cruise that cost less than $10
Bottle of wine (or pack of soda)
Before you board your ship, you should research your cruise line's alcohol policy. Some, like Royal Caribbean, allow you to bring one 750ml of wine or champagne onboard with you. If you are cruising with Disney, you can bring on up to six bottles of beer instead, if you prefer.
If you aren't a big alcohol drinker-- no worries! You can often bring on a 12-pack of soda. Again, you will need to check with your specific line, as policies vary.
Not all cruise lines are this generous, though. If you are sailing on MSC Cruises, you cannot have any alcohol on your person on embarkation day.
If you have a favorite drink or are trying to save some money, this is a great thing to know about!
Other motion sicknesses remedies
Are you someone who feels motion sick pretty easily? If so, you will want to think ahead before you arrive at the cruise port.
Bonine and Dramamine might not be effective for everyone. You can speak with a medical professional about getting a scopolamine patch prescribed to you. One patch lasts for up to three days and is placed behind your ear about eight hours before you need the medication to be in your system.
Unlike Bonine and Dramamine, it is more of a preventative measure.
You never know when the ship's movement might get to you. You may even just feel it swaying while docked. Don't pack these important medications in your luggage. If you start feeling ill before your bags are delivered, you'll have to go see Guest Services to see if they have anything on hand.
Read more: How to avoid cruise motion sickness
All of your electronic devices and their chargers
Sometimes, your phone's battery can die pretty fast, especially if you are using it to take pictures of the ship and sail away festivities! It would be a pretty big disappointment if your phone died in the middle of the action.
To prevent this from happening, pack all of your chargers in your carry-on bag. You may have to find an outlet in a public area if you cannot get into your room yet; however, a little bit of battery can go a long way!
Plus, it is safer to have them on your person in case there's a delay in getting your bags delivered. You would not want to go a whole night without being able to charge your devices.
Portable charger
Something else that you should pack in addition to standard chargers is a portable charger. This would enable you to stay in the middle of the action while your phone is charging, meaning that you won't have to miss anything fun!
They are great to have when you are in port, too. You don't have to worry about conserving your battery for certain parts of your day. You are free to take as many pictures as you want!
Items to keep your children busy
Parents know the importance of having entertainment and snack options for kids, especially when they are in a situation that involves a lot of waiting.
While you can rest assured knowing that there will be endless kid-friendly activities once you get onboard, be sure to pack some things in your carry-on bag to keep them happy and content while you deal with check-in logistics.
Think of things like portable video games, coloring books, etc.
You'll also want any childcare essentials, such as diapers, wipes, and sippy cups at your disposal.
Basic toiletries, like a toothbrush, deodorant, etc.
In a perfect world, a lot of what you pack in your carry-on is meant to only be used in an emergency. You shouldn't need your toothbrush or toothpaste because your luggage should be delivered in a timely manner.
Sometimes, though, things do not go as planned. You do not want to be without essential toiletries, even if just for one night.
Cruise line approved non-surge power strip and/or European power adapter
If you are cruising on a newer ship, you won't have to think too much about this, as they have plenty of charging options. I have been on a ship that even had a built-in wireless charger!
Older ships, though, lack outlets. Do you have more than two people in your stateroom? Are you someone who has a lot of devices that you need to charge daily? If you answered yes to either of those questions, you are probably in the market for a cruise line approved non-surge power strip or European power adapter.
These give you the ability to charger more devices at once, whether it is through a power strip with USB ports or by plugging in another charger to the European power adapter to take advantage of the extra outlet.
Jewelry and any other valuables
Similar to the reason you don't want to send your wallet with your larger pieces of luggage, you want to keep any other valuables on your person.
A good rule of thumb is to not travel with expensive jewelry, anyways. Keep the expensive stuff safe at home and bring out your best fashion pieces that you don't care too much about.
What a bummer it would be if you accidentally lost your favorite ring or necklace that holds sentimental value.
Card games
Card games are a popular way to pass the time while on cruise ships with friends and family. In case any sail away activities are rained out, it's good to have a back up plan. Sure, there will be plenty of stuff going on around the ship, but you might just want to camp out on your stateroom's balcony with your cabin mates.
Sunglasses
Planning on spending a lot of time outdoors? Make sure that you throw your sunglasses in your carry-on bag!
Even if you are cruising to Alaska where you assume the sun is not as harsh as the Caribbean, you want to protect your eyes from UV light.
Sunscreen
Even if you are not someone who burns easily like me, you want to protect your skin with sunscreen! If it is a sunny embarkation day, do not underestimate how quickly you might get some color in the Florida sun.
When I boarded a cruise in Genoa, Italy, I realized that I forgot to throw my sunscreen in my carry-on bag. I ended up getting pretty pink on embarkation day just from walking around outside and exploring the ship.
Camera
Embarkation day is full of great photo ops! Cruise ship photographers will be available, but these pictures are not the cheapest souvenir.
Don't miss out on any photo-worthy moments. You never know what you will capture, from people waving goodbye on jet skis as you sail away to cute family moments that you can treasure forever.
Hand sanitizer
There's no shame in wanting to stay healthy during your trip. In addition to washing your hands as much as possible, it does not hurt to keep hand sanitizer with you to use after touching high contact areas, like elevator buttons, handrails, and serving utensils at the buffet.
Reusable water bottle
Staying hydrated throughout your cruise is essential to making sure that you have the best trip possible. Dehydration is no joke, and if you start to feel seasick on top of that, you may find yourself bedridden for a day or two!
Start your trip off right by keeping a reusable water bottle with you. Rather than having to go to the buffet or other quick service dining venue, you can fill it up. Plus, this will keep you from running out of your cabin to quench a late night thirst.
Aloe vera
Let's say that you spent a little too much time in the sun on the first day. A nasty sunburn can ruin the rest of your trip pretty quickly, so it is best to have a remedy on hand.
Aloe vera should be as high of a priority as sunscreen! No matter how much I reapply, I always get a little pink. Having aloe vera has saved my cruise countless times, starting as early as embarkation day!
Wrinkle release spray
As mentioned earlier, you will want to bring an extra change of clothing with you onboard. If your luggage is delayed, you will be thankful you have another outfit to change into for dinner.
It may, however, get wrinkled hanging out in your carry-on all day. A small travel-sized bottle of wrinkle release spray will help refresh any piece of clothing, even if it the shirt you wore onboard!
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
