Five Essential Items to Bring on a Cruise

You win a contest for a free cruise. The catch is, you can only bring five things with you. Which five things would you choose? Here is my list of the five essential items I bring on a cruise.

Almost every cruising blog will include a packing list. Some focus on families with small children, others multi-generational, and some for the solo cruiser. But in this post, I wanted to list the things you absolutely can’t do without. I’ve gotten the list down to just five things. Albeit the last one is sort of a cheat. With these five things I can get onboard the ship and still have a way to get any of the other items I may need during my cruise. Without any one of these things, I may not be able to board or may not be able to stay on the cruise. So here is my ultimate minimalist packing list.

Passport

The first place to start is to be sure you have your passport. There are some cases where you can cruise without a passport but having one is the best option even if you may not technically need it. Included with your passport are any Visas or Travel Forms (such as ArriveCAN for Canada) that may be needed. Your cruise line or travel agent should be able to tell you what is required for your cruise. Another helpful resource is on the American Express Travel page. They have a link to Sherpa which can be helpful for finding travel requirements such as passenger locator forms required for the countries you will visit. Also be sure your passport expiration is at least six months longer than the time your travel concludes.

Vaccination Record Card

Photo from cdc.gov

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination may be required for some cruises or ports. You will need to show your original COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card. In some cases, you may not have a card but a QR code that provides a link to your vaccination record. Some cruise lines do offer exemptions so you will need to provide proof of that exemption in lieu of a vaccine card. Be sure you have the accepted vaccines for your cruise line along with any required booster shots.

Credit Card

Having a credit card to pay for any expected or unexpected expenses is critical. In most cases you will be required to have a credit card “on file” for your onboard expenses. By having a credit card, you can pay for things onboard or ashore that you may have forgotten or to use in an emergency. Even if you have an all-inclusive rate or you plan to pay with cash, it is important to have a credit card as a backup.

Medications

You should have all medications that you will need on your cruise and an additional one to two weeks in case you experience travel delays or just decide to stay another week. Ideally you should have an original copy of the prescription that clearly indicates the date and that it was written for you. Some medications, prescription and non-prescription, are illegal in other countries, so be aware of the local regulations. If you do not have to have your medicine with you at all times, it’s best to keep it in your stateroom.

Phone

Your phone is more than a calling device, it will contain all the information and access to services you will need for your cruise. You can keep information about your travel arrangements, access the app for your cruise line, and to keep in touch with people. Of course many choose to “go offline” during a cruise, an excellent idea, but you will still be happy you brought your phone with you to keep important information and to use in an emergency.

I said at the beginning that this last one is sort of a cheat because it’s really more than one thing. A cellphone is also your camera, communication device and information system. But by having one, you have access to all the information you need and can fix nearly any travel situation that may come up.

Summary

So, If I could only bring five things, these are the five I would bring. Of course, I’d also have the clothes I’m wearing too, so I’d only need to buy additional clothing. And I didn’t mention glasses/contacts, but I consider that to be like a prescription. Some may be able to get by with even less than this, but I think a significant part of the cruise would be impacted if you did. And some may say, they couldn’t cruise without some additional items. But in making a cruise packing list, I think it’s important to know what is essential and what you could do without if you had too.