After my recent seven-day Caribbean cruise, I found myself constantly thinking, “I wish I had brought…”  Now this is even worse because this is not my first cruise, but it was my first cruise in the summer on Norwegian.

While I had a fantastic time exploring the ports and enjoying shipboard amenities, there were numerous items that would have made my experience significantly more comfortable and enjoyable. Here are 29 things I desperately wish I had packed – learn from my oversights so your cruise is absolutely perfect.

Comfort and Convenience Items

1. Power Strip with USB Ports  This was a bonehead move, I always pack one, but just forgot it this time. Cruise cabins typically have limited outlets, and they’re often inconveniently located. A compact power strip would have solved my charging nightmares and prevented arguments with my cabin mate over outlet priority.

2. Magnetic Hooks Cabin walls are metal, making magnetic hooks incredibly useful for hanging wet swimsuits, towels, and accessories. Instead of hanging my towels or wet clothe I draped everything over chairs. Don’t assume there are hooks where you want them in your cabin!

3. Over-the-Door Shoe Organizer The clear pockets would have been perfect for storing toiletries, cables, and small items in our tiny cabin. Instead, everything lived in a messy pile on the bathroom counter. Someone text me to remind me before my next cruise.

4. Nightlight Navigating the cabin bathroom at night without waking my roommate proved challenging. A small battery-powered nightlight would have been a game-changer for those midnight trips. I have found that many cruise ships have one in the cabin, but this one didn’t and if I couldn’t find my phone, I was in trouble.

5. Laundry Bag Dirty clothes accumulated quickly, and having a designated laundry bag would have kept things organized. I ended up using a plastic shopping bag, which wasn’t ideal.

6. Wrinkle-Release Spray Clothes from my suitcase looked pretty bad. Rather than paying expensive ship laundry prices, wrinkle-release spray would have freshened up my outfits quickly. I just embraced the wrinkly look and saw quite a few other people doing it as well.

Beach and Pool Essentials

7. Waterproof Phone Case I missed countless photo opportunities because I was too nervous about water damage. A waterproof case would have allowed me to capture underwater shots and beach moments worry-free.

8. Beach Towel Clips Windy deck conditions made keeping towels in place impossible. Everyone has them, and  a ton are super cute ones like these below.

No products found.

9. Insulated Water Bottle Staying hydrated was expensive with bottled water purchases. I didn’t want to fly with a big water bottle, so I ended up buying a ridiculously expensive one on the ship.

10. Dry Bag Protecting electronics, documents, and dry clothes during water activities became a constant concern. A waterproof dry bag would have provided peace of mind.

11. Reef-Safe Sunscreen I learned too late that many destinations require reef-safe formulations. Bringing my own would have avoided last-minute shopping where prices were jacked up. I paid $25 for reef safe sunscreen by the beach

12. Aloe Vera Gel Despite my best efforts, I got sunburned on day two. Aloe gel would have provided soothing relief and helped my skin recover faster. They do sell it onboard, but once again I paid $14 for a $5 bottle of aloe vera gel.

13. Water shoes would have been awesome on some of the caribbean beaches. My feet got pretty scratch up on one beach.

Technology and Entertainment

14. Portable Charger Long excursion days drained my phone battery quickly. A portable charger would have kept me connected and allowed me to take more pictures. I need to remember one.

15. E-Reader Books are heavy and take up precious luggage space. An e-reader would have been perfect. I made do with my iPad, but it is much heavier than my kindle at home.

16. Headphones Cabin walls are thin, especially whe there are families on each side of you! Having noise-canceling headphones that you can sleep in, or watch a movie with are a big plus

Health and Wellness

17. Motion Sickness Patches Even though I don’t typically get seasick, rough seas on day three left me feeling queasy. Having patches as backup would have prevented a miserable afternoon.

18. Hand Sanitizer Cruise ships are notorious for spreading germs. Personal hand sanitizer gives you extra protection beyond the ship’s stations.

19. Basic First Aid Kit Minor cuts, blisters, and scrapes happened frequently during active excursions. Remember the water shoes I didn’t have!  A small first aid kit would have handled these issues faster and less painfully.

20. Probiotics Rich cruise food and different water sources affected my digestive system. I wished I had brought a pack of probiotics.

21. Electrolyte Packets Hot weather led to dehydration. Electrolyte packets were available on board, but it hurt me to pay for them.

Clothing and Accessories

22. Your fanciest dress Everyone gets dressed up on formal night, and my fanciest dress was definately not fancy. I thought Norwegian would be much more dressed down, but it wasn’t.

23. Extra Swimsuit  Wet swimsuits and humid conditions slowed down how quickly my suit dried. Packing more pairs would have prevented uncomfortable situations.

24. Comfortable Walking Shoes Port excursions involved more walking than anticipated. Proper walking shoes would have prevented sore feet and blisters that plagued me for days.

25. Dressier Sandals I wanted something nicer than my Birkenstocks to wear to dress up my un-fancy dress.

26. Light Sweater Air conditioning on ships runs aggressively cold. A light sweater would have kept me comfortable in dining rooms, theaters, and lounges.

27. Themed outfits/costumes – Many cruises have fun theme nights (white party, 80s night, etc.) There was a white party on my ship, and I didn’t check ahead.

Food and Beverages

28. Snacks Late-night hunger strikes were expensive to satisfy through room service. Having favorite snacks would have saved money and satisfied cravings.

29. Water Flavor Enhancers Drinking enough water became boring quickly. Flavor enhancers would have made hydration more enjoyable and encouraged better habits.

Lessons Learned for Future Cruises

These oversights taught me valuable lessons about cruise packing. Research your specific ship’s amenities and policies before departure. Some items like power strips and magnetic hooks are commonly forgotten but incredibly useful. Others, like reef-safe sunscreen, are destination-specific requirements worth knowing in advance.

Consider the unique environment of cruise travel – limited cabin space, metal walls, varying weather conditions, and the need for both casual and formal attire. Pack with versatility in mind, choosing items that serve multiple purposes.

Don’t underestimate the importance of comfort items that might seem unnecessary at home. The confined space, shared facilities, and constant activity make small conveniences incredibly valuable.

Most importantly, learn from my mistakes. While you can purchase many forgotten items onboard or in ports, prices are typically much higher than bringing your own. Plus, having the right gear from day one means you won’t miss out on experiences while shopping for necessities.

My cruise was still amazing despite these packing oversights, but having these 29 items would have made it significantly more comfortable and enjoyable. Use this list as a starting point for your own cruise packing checklist, and don’t make the same mistakes I did. Your future self will thank you when you’re fully prepared for the adventure ahead.

Last update on 2026-02-03 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API