Eves Top Tips to pack for your cruise

When you book your cruise holiday with me I will always give you a call before you go just to make sure you have gone through all your tickets and vouchers , your happy and all ready to cruise. I always ask the question ‘have you started to pack yet’ and nine times out of ten I am met by a groan of where to start.

It can be a mine field and sometimes the task of knowing what’s best to take and what to leave at home can leave heads spinning.

So with this in mind I have decided to give some handy tips and advice on what’s best to pack to get the most out of your cruise and make sure your prepared for every eventuality whilst on board.

1.Be Prepared …Just in case

If like me you sigh a gasp of relief when you see your suitcase come along on the carousel, spare a thought for those who have that awful experience of losing their case and not arriving at the airport. Its every girls worst nightmare so if you are doing a fly cruise and taking a large hand luggage on with you try to add in some essentials like underwear, Bikini,  a dress and casual outfit. This way if you do have to wait for your case to catch you up on the cruise you have a change of clothes in the mean time and can get straight on with enjoying your holiday by lounging around the pool until it arrives.

2. Do you know the dress codes…

Always make sure you pack appropriately and know what attire is expected depending on which cruise line you are sailing with. If you love to dress up and can’t wait for the formal nights , check to see how many will be on your cruise. Those long dresses and heels can take up valuable space so check the amount before you pack. The guys can even rent tuxs on certain ships so no need to take with them. Don’t over do it either as some lines are more resort casual now so if you wanted to go more summer floaty dresses rather then long evening gowns then just check what dress code your ship will have.

3.For those of you with long thick hair..

Don’t rely on the basic hairdryers on board in the cabins because trust me they can be a complete let down. They can be very weak and have caused unnecessary delays in getting ready on the evening when I have cruised – much to the annoyance of my other half. Blaming the hairdryer doesn’t go down well so if you can squeeze yours in it’s a definate bonus and will make you looking glam and gorgeous all in good time to make it for starters.

4.Room for nick nacks……

If your going on a cruise that takes in lots of beautiful city’s that you have never visited before you may want to bring a souvenir or two back from each one. Remember to leave some space for these and even consider folding up a rucksack or sports bag so you can fill this up for your return.

5. Dont forget the basics…

We’ve all got to our cabin and opened the case and realised we’ve left something at home…so annoying !!! Do a little checklist before you go and make sure you have remembered the simple things – your adapters , sunscreens , batteries , ear plugs , counter medicines eg paracetamol , plasters etc , sickness bands , razors . All these little things that are essentials but would cost you a fortune to buy on board.

6. Iron the creases out and save space…

My mom swears by this one but rather then folding your clothes when packing roll it all into a tight like sausage roll shape. It really does eliminate creases and allows a lot more space for to cram more outfits in . Irons in cabins are a big no no so you will thank me for this one as waiting around to use the irons in laundry rooms is very boring and a waste if your valuable time on your cruise.

7. Dont be left hanging around……

If your cruising and going for slightly longer then you typically find not enough hangers to accommodate all your outfits. You end up doubling or sometimes tripling up and this is annoying, if you have the space go and buy a pack of cheap plastic hangers and throw them in the bottom of the case before you start to pack. It will be a god send when you can hang up your favorite dresses in style in the wardrobe.

8. Dont let Sea sickness drag you down…..

If you can at all help it never go to see the doctor on board a cruise ship because it will cost you a small fortune. If you have never cruised before or going to cruise out of season times , where the waters maybe more choppier then i strongly recommend the sea sickness wrist bands and some ginger supplements. These are fantastic – i’m not sure if its all in the mind but i’ve whipped one of these bands on before when i cruised on the Balmoral in December a few years ago and it sorted me right out. At a few pounds from your local boots its a much cheaper option.

9. No necklace Tangles…….

It has taken me hours before to untangle my necklaces and it can drive you mad so a quick top tip is to thread them through a straw which keeps them perfectly neat and tangle free.

10.Get tumble fresh in your suitcase…

If like me you have just dragged your suitcase down from the loft or garage rafters it may not be smelling the freshest and who wants their holiday clothes to smell like an old mothball…not me !! If you have a few tumble dryer sheets spare leave a few of these in the bottom of the case and it will soon freshen it right up  leaving you smelling like a summer breeze …beautiful.

Hopefully these little top tips will help you out when you start packing for your next cruise holiday. If the packing starts stress free then you know the rest of the holiday will go like a dream…I PROMISE !!