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Cruise packing planner
Seven quick questions, one personalised checklist. Tick items off as you pack – your progress saves automatically in this browser.
Your personalised list
Your cruise packing list
This is a personalised pool of suggestions – you won’t need every item. Start with the essentials, then pick what suits you.
- Essential Check these first
- Recommended Sensible for most (unlabelled)
- Optional Extras, at the end of each section
How your answers change your list
Every list starts with the essentials most cruisers need – documents, clothing, toiletries, electronics and cabin items. Your answers then add, remove or adjust items:
| Your answer | What changes |
|---|---|
| Every list | Includes an embarkation day bag for the hours before your suitcase reaches the cabin, and a last night bag for when checked luggage is collected before disembarkation. |
| Destination (documents) | Adds itinerary-specific entry checks – for example Schengen passport rules and the EU Entry/Exit System for Europe, ESTA or visa checks where US ports are likely, and eTA or visa checks where Canada may be involved. |
| Destination | Norwegian Fjords and Alaska add waterproofs, warm layers and binoculars. The Mediterranean, Canaries and Caribbean add sun protection, lighter clothes and beach kit. |
| Month | Adjusts for season – for example, winter in the Mediterranean adds layers and a waterproof, and summer in the far north adds an eye mask for light nights. |
| Cruise length | Sets how many days of clothing to pack, and adds laundry and sea-day items for longer cruises. |
| Travel to the ship | Flying adds airline boarding documents, transit checks, and hand-luggage, battery and baggage-weight reminders. Sailing from a UK port adds port travel and cruise-line luggage allowance checks. |
| Formal nights | Adds formal outfits and accessories, a versatile option if you’re not sure, or smarter evening wear when there are no formal nights. |
| Travelling with children | Adds children’s documents and consent checks, day-one essentials in the embarkation bag (a change of clothes, swimwear, medicines, nappies or feeding kit if needed, a comfort item), and a children’s section covering the cabin, bedtime and port days. Suggestions suit most ages – nothing assumes a baby. |
| Activities | Beach days, hiking, gym, spa and photography each add the kit they need, such as water shoes, trail shoes or spare camera batteries. |
Embarkation day bag
Checked luggage may take several hours to reach your cabin after embarkation. Keep medication, travel documents, swimwear, sun cream and anything children may need immediately in a small carry-on bag.Timings vary by ship and sailing, so pack a small day bag and you can start enjoying the ship straight away instead of waiting for your suitcase.
- Passports, cruise boarding documents and insurance details
- All prescription medication, including anything you need during the day
- Wallet, phone, charging cable and a power bank if your line permits one
- Valuables and anything fragile
- Swimwear, sun cream and sunglasses – or a warm layer for sailaway in cooler places
- A lightweight change of clothes and basic toiletries
With children, add a change of clothes for each child, their swimwear and sun protection, any medicines they need during the day, nappies or feeding essentials if they use them, and a comfort item. Sources: Royal Caribbean, P&O Cruises and Princess Cruises.
Last night bag
Many cruise lines collect checked luggage from outside your cabin on the final evening. Keep out clothes and underwear for the next morning, basic toiletries, medication, travel documents, chargers, valuables and anything children need overnight. Procedures vary, so follow your own cruise line’s disembarkation instructions (for example, Royal Caribbean’s disembarking guidance).
Essential, recommended and optional
Your list is a personalised pool of suggestions – you won’t need every item. Within each section, essential items come first and are labelled.Recommended items follow unlabelled, and optional extras are grouped at the end. Use Show essentials only to review the must-haves first. Travel documents and medication reminders are never treated as optional.
Good to know
- Your data stays with you. Answers and ticks are stored in your browser’s local storage. Nothing is sent to us. Read our privacy policy.
- Rules vary by cruise line. The “things not to pack” section is a reminder, not a definitive list. Check your cruise line’s current prohibited-items policy. Our guide to what not to pack links to official examples.
- Not medical advice. The health section contains packing reminders only. Speak to your GP or pharmacist about medicines and travel health.
- We don’t determine visa requirements. The planner never asks for your nationality or passport details, so it gives reminders rather than rulings. Entry requirements depend on your passport and nationality, residence status, the ports you visit and any transit countries. Check GOV.UK foreign travel advice for every country on your itinerary.
Travel authorisations and border checks at a glance
These systems don’t apply to everyone. Whether you need one depends on your passport and nationality, residence status, the ports you visit and any countries you travel through. The table summarises official guidance, last checked on. Rules can change, so check the official source before you travel.
| System | What it is | Who it may apply to | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESTAUnited StatesIn operation | The Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is used by eligible Visa Waiver Program travellers visiting or transiting through the United States, including arrivals by cruise ship. | Travellers whose passport is eligible for the Visa Waiver Program. Others may need a US visa instead. Eligibility depends on nationality and personal circumstances. | US Customs and Border Protection – ESTA |
| eTACanadaIn operation | Canada’s electronic travel authorization (eTA) is for eligible visa-exempt travellers flying to, or transiting through, a Canadian airport. | Visa-exempt travellers arriving by air. According to Canada.ca, an eTA is not needed when arriving by land or sea, including by cruise ship – but some nationalities need a visitor visa however they arrive. | Canada.ca – check if you need a visa or eTA |
| UK ETAUnited KingdomIn operation | The UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is permission to travel for eligible visitors coming to the UK who do not need a visa. | Not needed by British or Irish citizens, or by people who already have permission to live, work or study in the UK. Other travellers returning to the UK at the end of a cruise should check GOV.UK. | GOV.UK – when you do not need an ETA |
| EESSchengen areaIn operation | The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) has been in operation since 12 October 2025. It records non-EU travellers’ entries and exits at Schengen borders, which can include taking fingerprints and a photo. There is no fee and nothing to apply for in advance. | Non-EU travellers on short stays, including British citizens using a UK passport. GOV.UK says cruises that start and finish outside the Schengen area (for example, at a UK port) are usually exempt for day visits, but checks may apply if you board or leave the ship in the Schengen area. | GOV.UK – EU Entry/Exit System |
| ETIASSchengen areaNot yet in operation | ETIAS, the planned European Travel Information and Authorisation System, is not currently in operation and is not accepting applications. GOV.UK says no action is required from travellers at this point. | When it launches, it is expected to apply to visa-exempt non-EU travellers, including British citizens. No confirmed start date has been published – check the official EU website before you travel, and ignore any site that asks you to apply now. | European Union – ETIAS |
Always check GOV.UK foreign travel advice for the entry requirements of every country on your itinerary, and your cruise line’s own boarding-document requirements.
Prefer a complete list?
Read the complete UK cruise packing list, or browse packing advice by destination.