Packing lists

Shannon O'Brien Travel Itineraries

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Baldwin beach, maui island, hawaii, united states of america, north america
Baldwin beach, maui island, hawaii, united states of america, north america

1 Week Cruise (Warm Weather Clothing) Packing List

Cruises are full of endless entertainment and activities to keep you busy. As such, they tend to require clothes for different occasions. Sometimes you’re heading to a gym class and need active wear, sometimes you feel like going to the pool or hot tub in your bathing suit.

One thing I underestimated about cruises, is that people actually dress up for them. Some don’t really, but they are in the minority of cruisers. Generally, you won’t find swimsuits, flip flops, shorts, baseball caps, tank tops and sandals in restaurants. Even the buffet restaurant. So save those for the beach or pool.

During the daytime, feel free to wear a polo, button down, or a flattering shirt or sundress with low heels, loafers, or tasteful sandals. And even on a warm weather cruise, sometimes it gets windy so a light sweater or jacket could make you feel more comfortable on those days.

In the specialty restaurants, the fancier eateries, you should dress up even more. It’s not uncommon to see men in button down shirts, slacks, and dress shoes. Women in evening cocktail dresses, or pants (not jeans) and a blouse are often seen enjoying the bars and lounges onboard.

It’s a good idea to dress up, not only so you don’t feel like the only one dressed down there, but because it’s fun to dress up every once in a while too. I found I enjoyed the feeling of looking my best each day.

Often there are encouraged manners of dress, from daytime “smart casual” to “evening chic” for fine dining. Take these as an opportunity to pull out that old cocktail dress from the back of the closet.

The following is a list of all the clothes you will want for every occasion. A lot of the clothing overlaps, so I didn’t list them more than once. For example, low heels could be worn during the daytime at the lounge or at a nice restaurant for dinner, so I listed it only once. Feel free to mix and match as you choose.

Women’s Clothing

gym clothes

pool/beach clothes

daytime clothes

port daytime

smart casual dinner/show

evening chic dinner/show

undergarments

Men’s Clothing

gym clothes

pool/beach clothes

daytime clothes

port daytime

smart casual dinner/show

evening chic dinner/show

undergarments

Vatnajokull, Iceland -10 MARCH, 2014: A man standing in Vatnajokull ice cave.
Vatnajokull, Iceland -10 MARCH, 2014: A man standing in Vatnajokull ice cave.

The Don’t Worry I Thought of Everything Packing List

The following packing list includes everything you could possibly need or want on a trip to just about anywhere. It’s customizable for the destination you’re heading to (just don’t include warm weather items if you’re going to a cold climate, etc.)

Probably the most important part of the list is the essential documentation you’ll need to make sure everything goes off without a hitch, including errors such as a hotel losing your confirmation information. Keeping your confirmation email with you is a good idea for those rare instances. Making a paper copy of your passport is a good idea to keep in case you lose it. That way, the authorities can locate a solution for you easier than if you didn’t have any information at all.

Documents/Essentials

This clothing list will get you through anything from a hiking day to a nice dinner at a fine dining restaurant.

Clothing

Toiletries make up a large portion of this packing list, but feel free to discard the things you won’t be needing, such as a hairdryer, which are often found in hotels already. And if you do decide to bring your own hair tools, be sure to remember a plug adapter for small appliances if you’re in a country that uses different outlets.

Toiletries

Electronics are nice to have on the plane, especially long plane trips that require you to be entertained while you wait to arrive at your destination.

Electronics

The following are not essential, but nice to have depending on where you’re going. The tote bag is good for picnic supplies and grocery shopping that requires a bit of a walk to get back to your lodging. A travel blanket is nice to have on a plane, as it can get a little chilly with the air conditioning on. The binoculars are for sightseeing wildlife in national parks. Remember not to fill your water bottle until after getting through security or you’ll have to dump out the water.

Optional

The following are nice to have after your arrival at the destination. You never know what emergency could come along, whether you scrape your toe on a rock or get stung by a bee. Both of these things have happened on my own personal travels. The picnic supplies are good to have if you get hungry on a day trip to a park, or for some snacking in your hotel room, which I always end up doing at midnight while adjusting to the time zone anyway.

To Buy After Arrival

If you don’t plan on getting hotel breakfast, or don’t feel like going out to eat at an odd hour when you’re adjusting to the time zone, here are some foods to keep handy that I almost always end up with. The lunches and snacks are also great for doing road tripping or when you’re in a remote location like a national park and you need some energy.

Food to Buy After Arrival

Breakfast

Lunch

Snacks

That’s it. That’s all you could ever possibly need on a trip. Feel free to customize the list to your personal preferences and travel needs.