Oh, How I wish I would have read this post prior to traveling on a cruise this summer. It would have helped make my trip more successful and easier. Have you ever cruised with 3 kids by yourself? I think if you have you would appreciate my tips because they make life much easier and less expensive.

What to bring on a cruise

We went on a trip on the Carnival Paradise to The Cayman Island and Cozumel, Mexico. I took this adventure with my sister and her three kids, and I brought mine. I guess I am spoiled because I am used to my husband coming with us and I am used to him carrying everything. That wasn’t the case so it really was imperative to have brought these seven things on our trip.

What to Bring on a Cruise

1) Buy Towels that are light weight. We used the towels provided for us and they were bulky and very heavy. I know it is an investment to buy these lightweight towels, but you will use them for every trip you take from now on.

2) I also suggest buying these S’Well water bottles they will keep your water cold for 24 hours. I saved so much money not buying my children drinks when we went to the island and all around the ship. I just filled them up for free on the boat, and they carried them to every place they went.

3) I would bring these great packing cubes.  I was able to just whip them out and place them directly the drawers of the ship or on the shelf. It made unpacking so much easier, and I packed an extra one for dirty clothes. The rooms are so small that it is essential to pack things that help you stay organized.

4) Sticky notes if you are traveling with someone else. This is an easy way to leave them notes on their door. You do not have wifi usually in your room so you really can’t communicate with your party without waking them. This is the perfect option. A method for communicating may be the most overlooked item when consider what to bring on a cruise.

5) I also suggest buying each person on your cruise their own passport cover. This will help you when you are constantly handing them their passport back and forth. You have to do this so often that it becomes a chore to open them and look inside.

6) Lanyards. The ship cards each have a hole in them, so you can place a pin or a clip. I had to use a safety pin because I didn’t want to part with $10 a kid for a lanyard. You could also use a necklace if the link isn’t that wide.

7) I would not leave home without power boosters for your phone or devices. We had one outlet for four people and four tablets, a hair dryer, and a computer.

A cruise is one of the best vacations you can take. It is easy to control your costs if you follow these tips of how to save money on your next cruise. I hope this list of what to bring on a cruise will help save your sanity and make your trip one you will remember forever.