Guides
Cruise packing list (any line): what to bring and what the ship won’t let through
At a glance
- Biggest trap: clothes irons and steamers are banned on Royal Caribbean, and most lines treat them the same way (as of 2026-10-21; confirm on the line's official page or in your booking/the line's app before you sail).
- Second trap: power strips and extension cords. Royal Caribbean lists them as restricted, with USB chargers carrying a recognized certification as the exception.
- Drinks: rules differ a lot by line. Royal Caribbean allows one sealed 750 ml bottle of wine per guest on embarkation day; Norwegian allows wine and champagne only; Carnival says no hard liquor or beer.
- Passport book: the State Department advises carrying one even when your cruise does not require it, because you may need it to fly home in an emergency.
- Medicines: pack the whole trip plus extra for delays, in your carry-on.
- Dress: read your own line's evening plan. Princess, for example, suggests 2 formal evenings on a 7 to 13 day cruise.
- Embarkation day: your checked bags may not reach the cabin until late afternoon, so the carry-on must hold everything you need first.
Why packing for a ship is its own skill
A cruise is a hotel that moves, with a security check at the door. You carry less than on a long land trip because laundry is available and meals are included, yet you face a rulebook a hotel does not have. Security staff at the terminal can hold or confiscate items, and the rules are set line by line.
The good news is that the surprises are few and predictable. Almost every bad packing story comes from one of six items: an iron, a power strip, a bottle of liquor, a speaker, a candle or incense, or a forgotten document. If you clear those, you are already ahead of most first-time cruisers.
This lite guide gives you the shape of the answer, plus three things you can use today without buying anything. The full guide goes line by line, chapter by chapter, with the checklist, the itinerary matrix, and the points playbook for getting to the port cheaply.
Three free things
1. The six-item trap check. Before you zip the bag, search it for these: iron or steamer, power strip or extension cord, liquor or beer, Bluetooth speaker, candles or anything with a flame, and weapons-like items such as mace or large tools. If any is in the bag, read your line's prohibited items page. Royal Caribbean's page (verified 2026-10-21, https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/prohibited-items-onboard-policy) lists irons and steamers, pepper spray, and open-flame items as prohibited.
2. The carry-on rule of thumb. Pack your carry-on as if the suitcase will be missing until dinner. That means swimsuit, one change of clothes, medicines, chargers, passports and documents, any sealed wine you plan to bring where permitted, sunscreen, and a light layer. Checked bags typically arrive at the cabin in the afternoon.
3. The document trio. Passport book (not only a card), a printed copy of your booking and boarding documents, and a photo of your passport page stored somewhere other than the original. The State Department recommends carrying a passport book and keeping copies with a trusted person (verified 2026-10-21, https://travel.state.gov/en/international-travel/planning/safety-tips/cruise-ships.html).
The five questions that settle most packing arguments
Will it get hot? Anything with a heating element or a flame is the first suspect. Irons, steamers, candles and incense are the usual casualties, and Royal Caribbean names irons and steamers directly.
Does it plug into more than one thing? Strips, multi-plug outlets and extension cords are restricted on Royal Caribbean. A single wall charger with several USB ports is the clean answer and is treated as a normal charger when it carries a recognized certification.
Is it a drink? Then it depends on the line. The same bottle of wine can be welcome on one ship, charged corkage on another, and refused on a third. Look up the page for your line rather than relying on a friend's last cruise.
Is it a medicine? Then it belongs in your carry-on, in the original container, in quantity for the whole trip plus extra for delays, as the CDC advises.
Would losing it ruin day one? If yes, it travels with you. Checked bags usually reach the cabin in the afternoon, so day-one needs go in the carry-on.
How much to pack
For a week at sea, most people need less than they think: three or four day outfits, two evening outfits, two swimsuits, one layer for cold air conditioning, and shoes for walking, pool and dinner. Ships offer laundry on most lines, which is why outfit counts can stay low, though prices and self-service availability vary by line.
Who should read what
If you are sailing for the first time, start with the six-item trap check and the carry-on rule, and print the document trio. If you have cruised before but are switching lines, spend your time on the drink rules, because they differ most between lines. If you are travelling with children, a medical condition or a mobility aid, contact the line before you sail; several lines name a special needs or access desk for exactly this reason, and approvals are easier before embarkation day than at the terminal.
What the paid guide adds
The full guide covers twelve chapters: banned items by line, drinks, electronics and power, documents and customs, health and medicines, clothing and dress codes, cabin organizers, embarkation day, shore and family gear, a pack matrix for Caribbean, Alaska, Mediterranean and expedition trips, and flying to the port on points. It ends with a printable one-page checklist and official emergency contacts.
Each chapter includes a "what's not worth it" note so you do not buy gear you will not use, splurge-versus-save pairs, an insider's checklist, and a short points playbook.
A note on trust
Cruise rules change, and they change per line and sometimes per ship or sailing region. Everything in this guide is dated. Where we opened an official page, we say which and when. Where we did not, we label the point as typical and tell you which page to confirm on.
This is the free lite guide. The full day-by-day guide, with maps, photo stops, rain plans and the points playbook, is part of PerkJolt All-Access.