Planning a family cruise? Whether it’s your first time or you’re a seasoned sailor, having the right cruise essentials can make or break your trip, especially as a mom juggling all the moving pieces. From packing smart to avoiding last-minute stress, this cruise essentials checklist will help you feel confident and prepared before you even step on the ship.
Cruises are hands-down one of the most mom-friendly family vacations out there. No meal planning, no budgeting, no stressing over activities. Just make the reservation and show up. But a little intentional prep goes a long way in making it truly magical. In this post, I’m sharing a simple cruise essentials list with must-have items you should pack to enjoy a smooth, stress-free vacation.
This post contains affiliate links. This means I might earn a small commission when you purchase a product using these links. To read my full affiliate disclosure statement, you can click here: Affiliate Disclosure.
These cute cruise-themed lanyards from Amazon are one of my favorite little hacks for keeping everyone’s key cards easily accessible (and not lost on Day 1). I love that they come in fun nautical prints and are way cheaper than buying them once you’re on the ship.
Click here to grab these exact lanyards.
(You’ll pay $7.99 per lanyard on the ship)
Bonus tip: grab different colors or patterns for each family member—color-coding makes it super easy to tell whose is whose in a split second!
Most cruise lines—like Carnival—have you print your own luggage tags at home and attach them to your bags before boarding.
These clear, heavy-duty, waterproof luggage tag holders make that so much easier (and way more secure than folding and taping paper to your suitcase handle!). They’re reusable, durable, and perfect not just for cruises, but any kind of travel.
Just be sure to get the version made for your specific cruise line—there are different sizes for each!
Click here to add these luggage tag holders to your Amazon cart.
Let’s be honest—cruise ship cabins are tiny. You’re basically sharing a floating closet with your favorite people, so do everyone a favor and bring a little (or big) bottle of Poo~Pourri. A quick spray before you go keeps things fresh and roommate relationships intact (shoutout to my husband for inspiring this one).
It seriously works, y’all—and you’ll thank yourself later!
Between shore excursions, splash zones, and kids flying down waterslides, your phone is bound to get wet if you’re not careful.
A waterproof phone case lets you keep your phone with you at all times, without the stress of water damage. Whether you’re snapping pics in the pool or checking the daily schedule mid-splash, this little case is a total lifesaver. Bonus: most come with a lanyard, so you can wear it around your neck and be totally hands-free!
Here’s a little cruise hack most first-timers don’t know:
The walls and doors in your cabin are magnetic!
I always pack a handful of strong magnetic hooks to keep things off the floor and organized. They’re perfect for hanging things like:
It’s such a simple way to create extra “storage” in a small space and it seriously makes the room feel way less chaotic.
If you plan to spend any time on the pool deck (and you totally will!), towel bands are a must. They help keep your towels from blowing away on windy sea days and make it easy to save your spot when you head off for an ice cream cone or a quick dip.
Since everyone’s using the same cruise line towels, these bands make it easy to remember which chair was yours.
Pro tip: I used a Sharpie to write our last name on ours, just in case someone else had the same idea!
I hope this list of cruise essentials helps take the stress out of packing so you can focus on the fun part, like ice cream on deck and ocean views for days!
These are the items I personally swear by for our Carnival Cruise Line trips (which is the only one I have experience with). And while every cruise is a little different, these basics will set you up for smooth sailing. If you have any questions or need help preparing for your own cruise, feel free to reach out, I’m always happy to be your go-to cruise buddy!
This post contains affiliate links. This means I might earn a small commission when you purchase a product using these links. To read my full affiliate disclosure statement, you can click here: Affiliate Disclosure.
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