If you’re like me, packing for a cruise can be stressful. This is especially true when I take a cruise abroad, as I am visiting destinations I am not always familiar with.
While cruising to the Caribbean typically means packing a variety of swimsuits and shorts, European cruises are a different ballgame. Although exciting, I struggle to pack only the essentials when I jet off to Europe for a cruise. Between the changing weather and diverse landscapes you can visit, knowing what to pack is challenging.
Not to mention, hauling unnecessary luggage on an international trip is cumbersome. Between the airport, train station, and cruise terminals, having less luggage is always better for convenience.
I just returned from a 7-night cruise visiting Norway to explore the beautiful fjords of Northern Europe. My husband and I also spent three nights before our cruise in London and one night in Liverpool before traveling home. The biggest struggle I had with packing was ensuring I was properly prepared for a wide range of weather.
From elegant night onboard Celebrity Apex to hiking up to a glacier, there were a few items I couldn’t have cruised without. Although I might have overpacked, these items were used daily during my vacation. Here are the most important items I packed for my cruise to Europe, and why you should consider packing them too.
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Black raincoat
One of the most crucial items I packed for this cruise was a long, black raincoat. I ended up wearing this coat every single day of our cruise! Whether meant to be a light jacket or simply keeping me dry from the rain, it was a staple for this trip.
Cruising around Northern Europe meant varying weather with temperatures dropping as low as 40 degrees in the morning. By the end of the day, temperatures could be as high as 75 degrees and sunny. Weather ranged from rainy to overcast and sunny during our cruise.
Although I had other coats packed, this was the most practical and comfortable one to wear. Moreover, the black color goes with everything I packed, so it was easy to layer with my outfits to accommodate the changing weather. This raincoat also had pockets and a hood, along with a cinched waistband that gave me some shape!
For instance, we booked an excursion to hike up to the Briksdal Glacier in Olden, Norway. Although the hike was stunning, the weather was not on our side that day. We ended up hiking in the rain for most of the walk with a cool drizzle. I was grateful to have a long coat that covered a good portion of my legs, so I didn’t get drenched in the cold rain!
If you’re cruising to Northern Europe this summer or fall, be sure to pack a versatile, waterproof jacket - preferably a long one!
Read more: I’ve mastered packing for a cruise with these must-have items - and they’re under $25
White walking shoes
The second most important item I packed for this cruise was a comfortable pair of white walking shoes. White sneakers are not only very trendy right now for all outfits, but having comfortable walking shoes for long days of exploring ports of call was a must.
For this cruise, I packed my pair of white Hoka Bondi 8 sneakers. These are my favorite white tennis shoes for not only travel but everyday wear. During our sailing, I walked upwards of seven miles each day, so having comfortable walking shoes was crucial.
You don’t want to wear shoes that will give you blisters or slow you down. I can guarantee that you will walk more in Europe during your cruise than you do at home!
I laced up these shoes every day of our cruise, even while hiking the glacier! I prefer white tennis shoes because they go with virtually every outfit, even dresses! The white color didn’t get as dirty as I anticipated, either.
These Hoka white sneakers are pricey at $189 on Amazon; however, these are the workout shoes that I will wear for the year. I find investing in higher quality running shoes is worthwhile, particularly for trips where I will be walking a lot.
Other options for white sneakers on Amazon include these very popular Dr. Scholl’s Time’s Up Sneakers, which have received rave reviews online for comfortable white sneakers to wear all around Europe.
Crossbody purse with a travel wallet
Along with my white shoes and black rain jacket, another essential item that I used daily was my crossbody purse. Personally, I find that crossbody purses are essential for any traveling in Europe.
Although I wasn’t particularly worried in Norway, I was cautious about my purse in London after a few warnings about pickpocketing. The style of purse keeps your belongings secure throughout the day while traveling and exploring. I could ensure my belongings were kept close to my body, and I didn’t worry about anyone snatching it from me.
I packed two different purses for this cruise, including this crossbody and a smaller black backpack-style purse. I preferred the crossbody purse because it was easy to wear each day. This crossbody was also more comfortable, as it wasn’t too heavy and I could fit everything needed for long days in port.
I purchased this black crossbody purse while I was in Germany earlier this year, so the exact purse isn’t available on Amazon. However, this type of belt bag is very similar and perfect for your European cruise.
In addition, I cruised with this travel-size wallet inside my crossbody. Instead of bringing my normal wallet, which is quite bulky and heavy, I opted to use this smaller travel wallet. This small pocket wallet was the perfect size to hold my ID, cruise card, and multiple credit cards. There is also a zipper for cash, although I didn’t travel with too much cash throughout this cruise.
Read more: Where to keep your cruise card, phone, and cash during a shore excursion?
Compression packing cubes
I became a big fan of packing cubes a few years ago, and it totally changed the way I pack for my cruises. I can fit more in my luggage and stay organized throughout my travels.
Compression packing cubes help make unpacking convenient, as I can take the cubes directly from my suitcase into the cruise cabin's shelves or drawers. These cubes have a second set of zippers that tightly pack your clothes in the cube, squishing out any air in your belongings.
Because we were cruising to Norway, I was worried about packing my bulky winter clothes - like hats, scarves, gloves, and coats - in my suitcase. These bulky items can take up so much space in your suitcase. I purchased a new set of compression packing cubes for this cruise, and I couldn’t have packed everything without them!
In particular, I was able to pack so much in my carry-on using these compression cubes. When I fly to Europe from North America, I like to pack back-up outfits in my carry-on, just in case my checked luggage does not arrive as planned. With the compression cubes, I squeezed in two jackets, three dresses, one pair of jeans, three tops, two pairs of leggings, and pajamas.
Once we boarded our cruise, unpacking my belongings was easy thanks to these packing cubes. I was able to place multiple packing cubes into the vanity drawers, helping us keep the small stateroom more organized.
Finally, the compression packing cubes saved me enough space to bring home souvenirs from our travels. As someone who loves to shop for local treasures while cruising, having this extra space is priceless!
Read more: 15 Packing Tips for First-Time Cruisers (2024)
Outlet extender
Most cruise ships lack enough outlets to properly charge all your devices; however, Celebrity Apex is one of the cruise line’s newest ships. As such, there were more outlets than most cruise ships have. Our vanity even had a charging station with multiple outlets and USB plugs.
My side of the bed had two USB ports and a North American outlet for plugging in devices. However, I still had more devices that needed to be charged. This is not uncommon for me, as I usually need more outlets to keep everything charged properly, including my phone, smartwatch, iPad, headphones, sound machine, portable charger, and camera.
My large camera battery charger also didn’t fit in the charging station on the vanity, so I had to charge it using this outlet by the bed. Luckily, my outlet extender had plenty of plugs for me to use. It ended up being one of my favorite cruising items for this trip.
In addition, I also traveled to the United Kingdom with this outlet converter to use before we boarded the cruise. This plug has three US outlets, along with three USB plugs as well. While I didn’t end up using this on the cruise itself, it was crucial to have the right converter for our independent exploration before boarding the ship in England.
Pricey, quality luggage
Until last year, I was a firm believer that cheap luggage was the way to go. After all, the baggage handlers and airlines would destroy my suitcase anyway! I would lug around cheap suitcases that were difficult to handle because I refused to buy an expensive suitcase.
My husband slowly convinced me to splurge on higher-quality luggage given how often I travel. He purchased the Bigger Away Carry-On for my birthday last year, and it’s completely changed my perspective on luggage!
Although a $300 suitcase is very expensive, I was blown away by how much easier it was to navigate the airports and cruise terminals. Eventually, I purchased two larger suitcases to match my set. The investment, which includes a lifetime warranty, has been totally worth it.
For this cruise, we flew to London from Florida and spent three nights in a hotel before taking the train to Southhampton. As you can imagine, we were traversing through many different terminals, airports, and train stations.
While you might not have as much traversing for Caribbean cruises, I find that I am lugging my suitcases around more in Europe. Having luggage that rolled easily made the high cost absolutely worthwhile. I could easily roll three suitcases at once through the train station without any physical struggle.
And when my suitcase sustained exterior damage on the flight home, Away replaced my luggage with a brand-new suitcase without question because of the warranty.
Apple AirTags
Another item that I wouldn’t have cruised to Europe without was an Apple AirTag. These small AirTags are tracking devices that I place in my suitcase to easily monitor their location while traveling. The AirTags are battery-operated and provide real-time tracking information, connected directly to your iPhone.
When cruising to Europe, I place an Apple AirTag in each checked bag to track my luggage. I’ve read horror stories of people who have lost their luggage while traveling to Europe. Airlines are not always reliable when it comes to locating lost luggage, either.
One of my worst fears when traveling is having to board a cruise internationally without checked luggage, as it would be difficult to reunite with your suitcase while cruising around different countries! With the AirTags, I can confidently track my suitcase’s location while in the hands of the airlines and cruise lines. Although I’ve never had a suitcase go missing (knock on wood), I always want to be prepared for the worst.
Read more: Cruise passenger lashes out on social media after her luggage was lost in the ocean
Portable Charger
I always pack a portable charger when I cruise, especially in Europe. With long days spent ashore and less time onboard, my phone battery drains quickly. Not to mention, I’ve found that my international phone plan seems to drain my battery even more. Between photos, navigation, researching places to visit, and FaceTiming my dogs back home, I am constantly using my phone while cruising.
For this cruise, my husband and I shared a portable charger as needed throughout the vacation. He actually used the charger every night to charge his phone, as his side of the bed did not have an outlet to use. We were able to keep our phones successfully powered throughout the day.
It’s important not to have a charger that’s too heavy or big while cruising. In this case, it can be difficult to actually travel with a portable charger that weighs down your purse or bag. As such, make sure your portable charger is appropriately sized to fit in your bag.
Read more: 26 Cruise Cabin Essentials You Need To Pack
Allie Hubers
Allie Hubers has been cruising since she was a tiny toddler. What started as a yearly vacation with family quickly turned into a passion for travel, cruising and adventure. Allie's been on over 45 cruises all over the world. She even studied abroad on Semester at Sea, sailing the world on a ship while taking courses for college and visiting 4 continents.
