I do not in any way consider myself a light packer. I am one of those people who thinks of every possible scenario and tries to plan for it. A side effect of this is having the urge to pack items that have a 99.99% chance of never being used. I have, however, made progress over the years and gotten to the point where I don’t really bring extra stuff but I bring smart stuff. By smart stuff I mean things that don’t take up much space, that I could live without and still have a great cruise, but that many times make things easier and more convenient. After many Disney cruises I have figured out, through trial and error, a set of items that I now always bring with me on every cruise. Some are things that I had read about before my first cruise that I took and ended up finding them very useful. Others are things that I realized would be really handy to have after I was already on the cruise and made a mental note to bring next time. Here they are, in no particular order:
1. Air Freshener
Cruise staterooms are not large spaces, many don’t have access to fresh air, and they all have a bathroom attached. Enough said. I will never, ever go on a cruise without bringing along air freshener. There are all sorts of air fresheners that would be easy to travel with. This stuff works amazingly well for bathroom odors, and I think has become my favorite one to pack because it is so small.
2. Flashlight
This is a tip I read before my first cruise and it has come in really handy. I always throw a small travel flashlight into my suitcase. I use it at night when others are asleep, the room is dark and I need to rummage around for something in a drawer or suitcase. Also, if there was ever a power outage (which thankfully I have never heard of happening before, but remember – I’m always prepared!) it would be pretty handy to have. If you don’t have any small ones, click here to buy a pack of 4 small flashlights for a great price that would be perfect for a family.
3. My Own Cup or Water Bottle
I always bring my own Tervis Cup when I cruise. My current favorite is this DCL one that I bought on a cruise last year:
The DCL ones can only be purchased on the ships or Ebay, but there are lots of cute Disney Tervis cups on Amazon. Click here to see the current selection. The cups at the drink station are really small and the drink station is not always convenient unless you are already on the pool deck. This just makes it so much easier, and I also fill it up before leaving the ship on an excursion. I pack stuff inside of it in my suitcase so that it takes up less space. (Note: there are signs at the drink station instructing you to use a fresh glass for refills, so I suggest using a clean cup from the station to fill your own cup.) ETA: DCL has recently done away with plastic lids and straws on their ships. Paper straws are available, but not everyone is a fan of those. Click here to see my post about alternative products that you might want to consider bringing from home.
4. A Waterproof Watch
While on the ship, I use my phone to check the time. But, on water-based port adventures, I usually keep my phone tucked safely inside my bag. To make it easier to keep track of the time, I always bring a waterproof watch with me, which I either wear, or attach to a strap of my day bag. I have one almost exactly like this one.
5. Bubble Bum Booster Seats
Even though car/booster seats aren’t required in foreign countries, I am not comfortable letting my smaller kids ride in cars without them. Before our first cruise I bought these Bubble Bum booster seats and we took them on every cruise until our kids no longer needed them. They are lightweight, easy to pack, and easy to carry. Some people also swear by these Mifold Grab-and-Go Booster Seats.
6. Wipe Away Sting
If we will be in or near the ocean on our cruise, I always pack this amazing product. Ever since my daughter was badly stung by a jellyfish on a beach in Grand Cayman (excursion review here), I make sure I always have this with me. We never saw the jellyfish and no one around her was stung, but she was in serious PAIN and vinegar didn’t help, but this stuff did. Click here to buy a stash for yourself.
7. Ziploc Bags
I always stash several ziploc bags (both large & small) into the zipper pouch of my suitcase lid. They don’t take up any extra space and can be used for all sorts of things. I have used them for leftover snacks & fruit, broken jewelry, medicine, waterproof bag for cash, wet clothes, and so on. I replenish the supply before every vacation.
8. Trash Bags
Just like the ziploc bags, I put several large black trash bags in the zipper pouch of my suitcase lid. I use one for dirty clothes, kind of like a clothes hamper. At the end of every day I put all of my family’s dirty clothes in it, and then by the end of the trip it fills up an entire suitcase for the trip home. Also, I specifically pack 2 trash bags in the zipper pouch of each of our suitcases because of this:
This is what happens to your luggage, even if it is raining. If it is raining, your luggage will almost certainly get soaking wet as it comes on or off the ship. If there is even a chance of rain on either the first or last day of our cruise (but especially the first), then I take the 2 trash bags that I have in each suitcase and lay them on the bottom & top of all of the stuff & kind of tuck it down the sides. I essentially line each suitcase with plastic so that the contents stay dry. This is not as big of a deal on the trip home, but I really don’t want to arrive on the ship with 8 suitcases (yes, I know, but I have 3 daughters – they have lots of stuff!) of wet stuff. Of course this also does not apply if you have hard sided luggage.
9. Hanging Organizer
Over the door shoe holders/organizers are now prohibited by DCL, but there are other types of hanging organizers that can be hung on a shower curtain rod, closet rod, or wall hook. These make it easy to keep all sorts of things organized, from toiletries to room keys to snacks. Here you can shop for some that would work well:
Misslo Hanging Closet Dual-Sided Organizers
Hanging Toiletry Bag for Women
Maytex Mesh Bath Shower Organizer
10. Suction Cup Hooks
These are extremely useful in a cruise ship stateroom. I have a zilpoc bag full of these suction cup hooks that I bring on every cruise. The thing they are most useful for is hanging up wet bathing suits in the shower, especially if you have 4 females in your family like I do which means 8 wet pieces to hang up, not counting my husband’s trunks. I also stick some on the bathroom mirror to hang my necklaces on and usually hang my lanyard on one as well. It just makes things easier in a crowded space.
Going on a Disney Cruise soon? You may want to read my trip reports for more helpful information.
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You have some great items on this list that I’ll have to get! Instead of air freshner, we now travel with homemade Pooh spray which works 10x better. We received this as a Fish Extender gift – best gift ever! I’m platinum and enjoyed reading your blog after stumbling upon it.
Thanks Jennifer! So glad you’re enjoying the blog! Would you mind sharing the homemade Pooh spray recipe? That sounds awesome! I am envious of your platinum status – can’t wait until I get there!!!
I’ve found Hobby Lobby to be the best place to purchase the main resources:
2 oz clear pump bottles found in the art department ($1.99 for 2 pack)
Scented Essential Oil found in the soapmaking aisle ($6.99)
For every ounce of water, use about 30-35 drops of your choice of oil (lemongrass and peppermint are most pleasing to kids and work best).
Mix in a splash of rubbing alcohol then shake.
Add a fun “Pooh” label.
Four sprays of the mixture into the toilet before one goes (and no one will know) is usually sufficient to prevent the odor.
This usually runs $10 per bottle retail but you can usually get roughly six bottles with 1 3/4 oz of solution in a bottle. Ever since I was pregnant, I’ve been very sensitive to odors, and this works in the bathroom! LOL.
Thank you SO much!!! I can’t wait to make some. I have always ordered the expensive stuff. I may even have to do a blog post on this because I agree, it works better than air freshener.
You maybe able to forgo nasty stings by jellyfish and “sea lice” by using sea safe. We use it scuba diving. In case you want to look into it. It seems to work for us, and has excellent reviews online. Since you cannot see sea lice no way to know if they are there also always take swimsuits of before rinsing off fresh water can make it much worse very good Stanford study I think online I read a while ago. Hope helps
Thanks for the tip Jackie! I am going to look into it!
More on the sting wipe: Is it just 1 wipe for 1 use or are their more than 1 wipe in the package?
Hi Linda! They are not wipes, they are pouches of green goo that you rub all over the area that was stung, like a gel lotion. The link in the article is to a package of 2 pouches, or 2 applications.
Absolutely love your blog! We are leaving for our first cruise in a few weeks and my head is spinning. Thanks to your tips, I feel like I’m getting a handle on things. I’m curious what you need a lanyard for? Your room key? But do you need to access it that frequently? Also, do the kids need daypacks for the kids club to carry sunscreen, hats, etc.?
Hi Cindy! So glad you’re enjoying the blog! Many people use lanyards for easy access to their room card. You will need to access your card every time you open your stateroom door (you can leave it in the lanyard and just tap it to the sensor), anytime you charge something to your room, to pick up your kids from the youth spaces, and most of the time when a Shutters photographer takes your picture. Some people would rather put it in their pocket (if they have one), but a lot use a lanyard. Kids do not need bags for the kids club. I have never actually seen kids bring personal belongings into the club and I wonder if there might even be a rule about that. Probably the only time they would need a bag would be if you drop them off at Scuttle’s Cove on Castaway Cay, which is the secure youth space on the island. I hope this helps!
I love your site, really!! There is so much useful information that I have had questions about and now I have the answers and the inside scoop. One thing I was wondering about is the dress code for the dining room, my husband prefers wearing golf shorts and button up shirts and I thought I had heard that there was a pants only policy. Could you shed some light on this? I am not even sure my husband owns pants!!!!
Thanks for your help, can’t wait for our Caribbean cruise over New Years.
Thanks Heather! For the main dining rooms, the only rules for men are no swimwear and no tank tops. Golf shorts with a button up shirt will be just fine! They used to have a no shorts rule although I don’t know how well they enforced it. They changed it a few years ago to allow shorts. Here are more details, including the stricter dress code in Palo and Remy: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/faq/dining-food-beverages/dining-dress-codes/ Hope this helps! Enjoy your cruise!
First time cruiser here, and your post left me with so many questions!
1) are there dressers to unpack our clothes or just hangars?
2) is it worth it to bring our own snorkel gear?
3) does the ship have the wipe away sting stuff to purchase? I guess we will be off the ship if that happens and might want some handy right away…..
Hi Courtney! Some rooms have more drawers than others, but every room I’ve stayed in has at least one dresser, usually at the foot of the bed. As for snorkel gear, that is personal preference. Some people prefer to bring their own either because it fits better or because of the cost. I can’t remember the cost to rent it at Castaway Cay off the top of my head, but for our family of 5 it was over $100. If you’re going to rent it on multiple cruises, then it doesn’t take long for purchasing your own to become the cheaper option. I have never seen the wipe away sting on the ship. The lifeguards at Castaway Cay will have a vinegar solution, but when my daughter was stung, vinegar didn’t help her but the wipe away sting did. Since we now know that, I prefer the wipe away sting but some people may find the lifeguard’s solution to be adequate. I hope this helps!
I love your idea of taking suction cups hooks! We are also a family of 5, so there are always wet swimsuits in our shower. Thanks!
Hello – first time cruiser here, family of 4, (2 kids; 13 and 10)…..what would be a good estimate of how much cash/money we should bring for “extras” on the ship, merchandise, souvenirs on the islands, etc. (excursions and gratuities are not included in this number, they are paid for). I completely understand this is a subjective number, just looking for some input.
Hi Gina! I would guess that my family typically spends about $300-$500 onboard for souvenirs, specialty drinks, and adult dining.