PACKING TIPS

When you watched Gilligan's Island did you ever wonder why Mr and Mrs Howell had packed so many clothes for just a 3 hour tour? After your first cruise, you'll most likely ask the same question of yourself...

While there really is no restriction on how many suitcases you can bring aboard a cruise ship, the number and size is often dictated on how much you want to carry and pay for if you fly into the port. Typically airlines restrict luggage weight to 50 pounds per suitcase (and they will charge you mercilessly if they're overweight) and you may have to pay extra for carry-on baggage which may limit how much you can bring with you. With that being said, smart packing is critical.

Maximizing your luggage capacity is the top rule of packing for a cruise. Be ruthless when it comes to paring down your belongings to take only what's necessary. You may want to pick out everything you would like to bring... and then cut that amount in half. We have discovered that we come home with clothes we never wore the whole cruise. You don't have space for indulgences, especially if you want to do some shopping in port.

Now about that shopping…. Leave some extra space in your luggage, so you can pick up something new from one (or several) of your ports of call. Clothing is a great souvenir, and you can purchase some memorable pieces in port. Given the amount of luggage you're already hauling, you do not want to find yourself forced to buy an extra suitcase to cart your stuff home. (Although if you do, the suitcase itself can become a valued souvenir.) Another option is to pack a foldable tote or duffle bag to bring your finds home.

If you want to do some snorkeling that is not part of a snorkeling excursion in one or more ports you may have to bring your own snorkel equipment (at least a mask and snorkel, and fins if possible) as there may not be places to rent this equipment in the port. This snorkel gear can take up a lot of room in your suitcase so it may require you to consider packing another suitcase for such items. Since we love to snorkel the Caribbean waters this is what we are planning to do for this cruise as we like to use our own equipment while snorkeling

At home you may have a difficult time trying to figure out what to wear when you go out to dinner. Now imagine trying to pack clothes for your Caribbean cruise. While it seems like you would be just fine wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, there is a lot more to account for when deciding what to wear. On a cruise you won't have the luxury of your complete wardrobe and closet to pick from. Instead, you can only choose from what you have brought with you. And that may be just the start of the confusion when it comes to what to wear and bring with you on a cruise.

You must prepare for a lot of different activities. The big issue is that with cruising you can go through more wardrobe changes in a single day than you might see on an entire week during a "regular" vacation. Take a hypothetical day on a cruise and see how many different situations you may need to prepare for:

• Wake up, put on some shorts, shoes, and a shirt and head to breakfast.

• After breakfast you may decide to workout, so you change into gym shorts and a t-shirt.

• You decide to get a little sun at poolside, so you change into a swimsuit.

• An afternoon sprinkle appears, so you head inside where it is a bit chilly, so you put on some pants and a long sleeve shirt.

• It is formal night, so you get fancied up to go eat dinner.

• After dinner you want to enjoy a movie under the stars so you change into some more casual.

And this is just one day!

Princess Cruises may recommend daily dress codes -- casual, smart casual, or formal. Daytime is always casual. Normally, on a 7 to 10 day cruise, you can count on two formal nights and the rest of the evenings being "smart casual", that take effect in dining venues from 6 pm onward (buffet and deck areas excluded).

Formal: When formal nights are held, formal attire should be worn in the Main Dining Rooms or Specialty Restaurant venues. Formal attire for men is tuxedos, dinner jackets or suits, although we have seen many men in slacks and dress shirts, with or without a tie. For women, an evening gown, dress, or pantsuit for formal attire. Keep in mind, even on formal nights, when a casual mood calls, you have plenty of dining choices. Whether it be the World Fresh Marketplace Buffet, the Slice Pizzeria, Salty Dog Grill, or 24-hour room service, you’re able to choose how you dine. While you do not have to dress too formal, we do enjoy the experience of getting all dressed up in a suit and tie or nice dress to enjoy a nice evening dinner. (Disclaimer: I wear the suit and tie, my wife wears the dress) For more tips on what to wear during "Formal" nights click here.

We can expect 4 Formal Nights (typically held on Sea Days) on this cruise based upon the chart below:

Length of Cruise Number of Formal Nights

1-4 days 0

5-6 days 1

7-13 days 2

14-20 days 3

21-28 days 4

29+ days 5 minimum

Smart Casual: Guest attire should be similar to what would be worn to a nice restaurant at home, which includes pants and open-neck shirts for men and skirts, dresses, slacks, capris, and sweaters or tops for women.

Items such as shorts, pool wear, and baseball caps are not permitted in the Main Dining Rooms or Specialty Restaurants; shoes must be worn at all times. Jeans are permitted as long as they aren't fraying and don't have holes, although we typically did not see many people wearing jeans.

If you're eating breakfast or lunch in any of the Main Dining Rooms the dress code is normally more lax.

In the buffet areas pretty much anything goes, although cover ups are generally used for bathing suits and shoes or sandals are always required to walk into or through the buffet area.

Around the pool area, you will find most people in shorts and t-shirts or bathing suits during the day. If you feel self-conscious in a bathing suit, don't think that you will be the most out of shape person lounging around the pool decks. Most of the guests onboard are 50 to 70+ years old. Consider bringing more than one swimsuit if you plan to be in the water on consecutive days, as it will give one time to dry while you wear the other.

You should also consider packing clothes for excursion days; Comfortable walking shoes, a hat, a sweater or light jacket in case of less-than-perfect island or sea days. Going too casual (tank tops, scruffy jeans, any kind of athletic garb) is considered disrespectful in some ports of call. On active shore excursions or beach days, ultra-casual is just fine. One final tip on port excursions: Do not wear camouflage clothing, as in some Caribbean countries it is illegal to wear such clothing unless you are part of the military or police.

If you're a light packer and would want to reuse some of the clothing you have already worn there are laundry facilities on each deck for your use. Princess Cruises also offers laundry services if you want to let them do it for a fee. Click here for some tips on how to pack wrinkle free for a cruise.

There are also clothing shops onboard where you can purchase clothing, shoes (typically sandals and flip flops) or accessories you forgot to bring. Perhaps they have limited selection but their prices are very reasonable considering they have a trapped consumer.

We do suggest that you plan on packing one suitcase for each of you, which you will leave with the porters at the embarkation terminal. These suitcase must be properly tagged with the Princess luggage tags which directs the luggage handlers and your room steward to deliver them to your stateroom. (See the embarkation page for more details).

Here is an article which may help in deciding what to wear on your Caribbean cruise and watch the video below for more insights on what to wear or bring along on a cruise.

It is also wise to pack another small knapsack, or something you can lug around for a few hours with you during the embarkation day as a cruise carry-on. In this knapsack you will have your passport, original vaccine card (copies are NOT acceptable), money and credit cards (wallet), (any valuables you don't want lost or stolen, your cellphone (with a charger), and any expensive electronics. If you have prescriptions you need to take daily, do not let them out of your sight, pack them in your carry-on! This daypack can also be quite useful during the cruise for carrying cameras, books, sunscreen, water bottles and other items around the ship or in port. You may also want to pack an extra set of clothes or a swimsuit in case you want to lounge around the pool during these first few hours onboard. Toiletries, glasses, sunglasses and anything else you cannot do without for the cruise should be in this bag. This is in case your luggage somehow gets lost or misplaced during the mad shuffle of bringing everyone and everything on board in a few hours. Your suitcase may not be delivered to your stateroom until late afternoon so it is better to have what you absolutely need with you. This same small knapsack may also be useful on shore excursions.

You might be able to get into your stateroom soon after boarding the ship and be able to drop this cruise carry-on there. However in case your stateroom is not ready you may have to lug this luggage around for a few hours so make it a size you are comfortable with handing during this time.

Another thing to remember to bring is some cash, some of it in smaller bills, for tipping porters, tour guides, and your stateroom steward (usually at the end of the cruise). How much you tip depends upon their level of service and what you can afford or feel comfortable giving.

We pack a travel document holder that houses our passports, a print out of our travel insurance information (hopefully never needed), and other important documents and cash for embarkation. This holder, along with our wallets, are then placed in our stateroom digital vault until the end of the cruise. Your Ocean Medallion will be used for all onboard purchases so there is no need to carry cash or a credit card with you while onboard the ship.

One item to consider is a thumb drive that holds electronic copies of your passport, driver's license, airline e-tickets, cruise documents, hotel confirmations, travel insurance documentation, credit cards (front and back) and medical records. In the event of an emergency -- like a stolen passport or wallet, or an illness -- you'll be able to access important information easily. Just find a computer, and pop in the drive. I have taken photos of all of these items with my phone so I always have them with me. If you do this, just be sure your phone is login protected so only you can access this data in case your phone is lost or stolen.

Sure, we've all got our contact numbers stored in our cell phones these days, but what if someone else needs to make a call on your behalf and your phone requires a PIN or thumbprint? Or what if the phone is missing or the battery is dead? Having a hard copy of all your emergency contacts in your wallet or stored in your in-cabin safe could turn out to be a lifesaver.

Travelers and their gadgets seem to go hand in hand these days. You'll likely bring your smartphone, but you might also want to bring a tablet or your laptop, DSLR camera, GoPro, portable game player or book reader. Don't forget to check about international and onboard roaming charges before you turn your phone on mid-cruise otherwise you may discover a huge cellphone bill upon your return home; Since many cabins have limited electrical outlets, we have brought small power strips to give us more ability to charge all of our phones, etc. However, do NOT bring one that has surge protection on it. It might sound weird that they aren't allowed. Recent studies by the US Coast Guard show that they can mess with the ship's electrical system, increasing the potential for a fire. Instead bring an outlet tap with multiple plugs and no surge protection. You order one for $8 on Amazon.

The Sky Princess does have USB charging ports for you smartphone on the lamps on both sides of your queen bed!

If you bring a laptop or plan on accessing WiFi, consider pre-purchasing the Princess MedallionNet WiFi package before your cruise as it is typically 50% cheaper than waiting to do so until you're onboard. The MedallionNet internet claims to be the best WiFi at sea and we were very impressed with its speed and reliability on our last cruise. You can purchase internet access for one or up to four devices. One nice thing about the newer Royal Class ships, like the Sky Princess, is that they were designed and built for the MedallionNet system and did not need to be retrofitted like older ships. This has made for a better and more reliable WiFi system.

The Princess Wi-Fi package is currently included in the Princess Plus and Princess Premier promotion that was in effect when we booked our cruise.

On a lower tech side, you may want to bring along some books or magazines to read while you lounge around the pools on sea days. Princess Cruises used to have libraries onboard but they have now discontinued the practice because people didn't bring the books back! You may want to consider an e-book reader as a travel companion on this cruise as it will save you vital luggage space. Small games are also an option to consider.

An interior stateroom can be quite dark when you turn off the lights so we have either brought a small night-light with us or turned on the TV and set it to view the ship's forward looking bridgecam. At night it shows very little but it is like having a stateroom window as in the morning the sun greets you from your slumber.

You may also want to consider a small alarm clock so you don't miss an early port excursion. Especially with an interior room you may have no idea what time it is. And while your cell phone can also work as an alarm clock, even in airplane mode, but you might have to reset the clock manually to get on ship time. If you just want to sleep the morning away bring some ear plugs.

If you can fit them, a few cans (plastic bottles are not allowed) of soda can be brought onboard with you unless you have purchased a beverage package. The Princess Premium Beverage Package is currently free during the Princess Plus and Princess Premier promotions.

Princess Cruises will provide soap, bodywash, and shampoo, but if you're picky, pack your own. The same goes for hair dryers. Princess Cruises recently updated the hair dryers on the Sky Princess with an 1875 watt hair dryers so this is probably equal, or better, to what you may have at home.

Medications to consider bringing with you: Non-drowsy motion sickness tablets, aspirin, or other common medications you may need. A small first-aid kit stocked with items like Band-Aids, alcohol swabs, antibiotic ointment, cold pills, cough drops, painkillers, and medication for heartburn and upset stomachs doesn't take up much room and you may not always find these items onboard or in port.

Don't forget to bring disinfection wipes and anti-bacterial gel. Wipe everything down the first time you step into your stateroom to help sanitize it and wash your hands often throughout the cruise. Make this a habit.

Hopefully COVID will be on the down swing and we won't have to wear masks any more but you may want to consider bringing some along. On our last cruise masks were not required for quests but if you needed any, Princess would supply you with them as needed.

You should also bring along some coral reef safe sunscreen to avoid having to pay high prices for it while in port. Some Caribbean Islands have banned the use of any sunscreen that is not coral reef safe and you may be fined if you are found using a non coral reef safe sunscreen. This trend is starting to be seen throughout the Caribbean and Florida may also impose such a ban in the near future. SPF lip balm is critical. Aloe cream (for post-burn relief) should be packed or can be purchased onboard if needed.

After an excursion on a tropical island you'll likely come away with a sunburn, memories, and sand in your shoes. So how do you pack these dirty shoes back into your suitcase for the return trip home? Buy some cheap plastic shower caps and wrap them around the soles of your shoes to keep sand and dirt away from your clothing. Plastic bags work well too.

Your shoes are now happily wrapped up, but they're bulky and take up so much room in your suitcase. There's no way to reduce shoe bulk (unless you only pack flip-flops or ballet flats), but you can put them to use. Fill that footwear with all the little items that clutter up your suitcase -- chargers, small toiletries, even socks, underwear or ties. The bigger your feet, the more space you have to fit loose items.

Water shoes don't take up much room, are lightweight, and will protect your feet when walking along a beach which may have less than ideal sand or sharp rocks during a shore excursion.

Do you like to keep things organized? Consider bringing an over the door type shoe holder with pockets, hopefully you do not bring enough shoes to require one, but instead use it to store and organize things such as your personal toiletries, etc. so you can readily see and access them.

Clip or hook magnets are another idea to consider. Did you know that most stateroom walls are made from metal? You can use these clip or hook magnets to hang light items or papers, such as the "Princess Patter" a ship newspaper that is delivered to your stateroom every evening by your room steward and outlines the events and information about the upcoming cruise day. Hanging items on the wall can be a nice way to keep your desk uncluttered. If you're old school, you may want to pack a highlighter pen to mark the events you want to do the next day on the Princess Patter, however the MedallionNet App allows you to browse and bookmark these events.

To keep your towel attached to your deck lounge chair bring along some beach chair towel clips ! This helps avoid the wind from blowing your towel off of your chair and more easily identifies the chair as yours if you step away from it for a moment.

There is no need to bring your own beach towels as Princess Cruises will let you use as many as you want. Even if you're planning a beach day on a port excursion Princess will allow you to take their beach towels off of the ship (just remember to bring them back!). Some cruise lines have very strict limitations on how many beach towels you can use each day.

Pack a small waterproof bag or zip-lock bags to keep your phone or valuables in if you are enjoying a beach day in port. The bag can be buried in the sand under your towel or beach chair. The bags can also be used to bring food to feed the fish if you are out snorkeling. You may also want to consider a small cable lock to secure your backpack to your beach chair so it doesn't get easily taken.

Among the chaos that ensues when people pack for a cruise, it's easy to forget one of the most essential items for any traveler -- duct tape. In addition to repairing broken suitcases, mending torn hems and affixing cruise lines' print-at-home luggage labels, there are many other reasons you'll want a roll of this handy fix-all when you're on the go.

Need a bathrobe? Ask your room steward to provide you one to use during your cruise!

While we can suggest things you may want to consider to bring with you on this cruise, we also strongly suggest some things that you do NOT try to bring onboard, as they will be confiscated upon boarding. You are fully responsible for either storing these items ashore or disposing of them prior to embarkation. See the list under "prohibited items" at this link.

Here is another article listing some surprising things that are not allowed to be taken onboard the ship.

Your luggage will most likely be X-rayed and perhaps inspected before being put aboard the ship. Prohibited items will be removed. In addition, your carry-on bag, both during embarkation and every time you reboard the ship after a shore excursion, will be run through an X-ray machine and you will be required to pass through a metal detector to help assure that you are not try to smuggle any prohibited items onboard.

Click here for 10 signs you've done a terrible job packing for your cruise, plus 10 tips to help you avoid those mistakes in the future.

Click here for another article of useful things to consider packing for your cruise.

Ilana, from Life Well Cruised, shares a lot of packing ideas on her website

Packing List

Here is a link to a packing list you can print out for yourself.

Tips for Travellers host Gary Bembridge says 75% of cruise passengers say they pack wrong for a cruise. The video below explains the packing process he has developed to become more efficient at packing for a cruise. He also offers to share his packing list which you may find helpful.