Must-Have Items For Your Next Cruise

Most travelers like to pack light and trust that whatever they have forgotten can easily be purchased along the way. But when you are headed out on a cruise, purchasing some of these must-have items could be a challenge or they could cost several times what they would cost if purchased before your trip. Make sure you have all of these little items tucked in your luggage to make your trip more pleasant and far less expensive.

There are not very many outlets in most cabins, so a few plug adaptors can be a lifesaver. It can also be nice to have an extension cord with a multi-plug adaptor as the outlets are not always in great locations. This can be helpful when plugging in a phone or tablet next to the bed or a chair. Also, pack a few small nightlights as your cabin will be very dark at night as will the bathroom. Two small nightlights can save your trip as they will help you to avoid a broken toe when navigating the tight quarters in the dark.

Not very many people think about packing a dry pouch that has a lanyard. Packing a pouch that is large enough for your phone, your keycard, and even a little cash is a good way to avoid carrying a purse or having something in your hands while navigating stairs and damp decks. And a refillable water bottle will also come in handy as you are exploring the ship and all the ports of call. Many ships have water stations where you can refill bottles but buying a plastic bottle of water is often very expensive. And for environmental reasons, many cruise ships are eliminating all single-use plastic items such as bottles of water.

While at sea, you will enjoy a fairly bug-free environment, but if you venture into any ports of call, you are likely to find the bugs are eager to greet you. Insect repellant will be offered on the ship and in some stores but the price is likely to be a great deal more than if you purchased it at home. In addition, you might not find the type or quality of repellant that you would normally select.

Packing a few extra items might seem inconvenient now, but you will be very glad to have them once your cruise is underway.