What sort of items should I bring on a cruise?
Alaska and postmuffin basically cover everything (especially with regards to batteries, etc – you’ll need a mortgage to pay their prices on board) but I can add a bit more. When you book your cruise, you will receive a package in the mail with a book usually. This has luggage tags, tour information, what to take on board, what to expect, what documents to bring, etc. Look in that book first and foremost, as it lists a lot of good things (suit/dress, shoes, etc.) However, remember that you will be going to a foreign destination. Prices, exchange rates, etc. will be different. The quality of products will differ. Things you take for granted at home may not be readily available. If you need prescriptions, get them topped up (or a second batch depending on the length of your cruise), contact lenses, medications, and the like. I personally recommend buying one or two underwater cameras if you plan to do snorkelling or scuba diving. They cost $25USD on board, and I think $15 at home.
Follow your particular cruise lines guidelines for clothing. But the items I have not seen mentioned are a power strip and an air fresherner you can plug in and extra hangers and your own bottled water and soda pop. The power strip because there is only 1 outlet in most staterooms. The air freshner because lets face it you are surrounded by 2000 other people and it jsut helped. Extra hangers because there were only about 10 hangers provided. You can bring your own drinks aboard and avoid paying the hugh markups on the ships. We have sailed both Carnival and Royal Caribbean and this list applies to both cruise lines.
Check your ship’s website to find a list of what you need to bring, but it’s like what you would pack for a beach vacation, but with a couple of nicer outfits thrown in for dinner. And I would bring a carry-on with a bathing suit, change of clothes and essentials in it. Sometimes it takes a while for them to get your suitcase to your cabin. I wrote an article on wehow about how to get ready for your first cruise… http://wehow.ehow.com/how_2021823_prepare-first-cruise.html. Bon voyage!
The other answer was rather vague (suitable clothes?) Casual clothes – shorts and tops or jeans for during the day, dressier at night. Women will want dressy pants, cocktail dress and possibly a formal for the Captain’s dinner. Men would want to have a jacket and tie and possibly a tux or dinner jacket for the formal evening. Some cruises don’t have the formal evening anymore, but some do. Usually the cruise brochure will give you some ideas. Don’t forget your swimsuit and a light jacket in case it gets cool in the evening. Deck shoes for walking the deck and sightseeing on land. Dress shoes to go with your good dinner clothes. Don’t forget your camera.
