What to Pack for a Cruise | Carnival Cruise Line (2023)

FAQs

How many outfits should I pack for a 7 day cruise? ›

Bottom Line: As a rough guide, for a 7-night cruise you will need to bring enough clothing for at least 4 formal or semi-formal nights, a couple of casual evenings, pool and loungewear, and practical clothing for excursions on dry land.

Women can wear casual dresses, skirts and blouses, nice slacks and tops; men wear polo or button-down shirts with slacks. Some cruise lines do allow jeans in the evening; pair them with cute tops and nice shoes. Elegant or formal nights bring out the cocktail dresses, suits, ties and jackets.

Women: One or two dressy outfits – dressy pants and blouse, cocktail dress. Some women still wear long formal dresses but not as often. Men: One sport coat or dark jacket, 2 ties, 1 or 2 collared shirts.

With few exceptions, you need to pack only 4-5 pairs of shoes for your cruise.

Most cruise lines “encourage” each passenger to limit luggage to two suitcases, each one less than 50 pounds. In addition, you can also bring carry-on luggage (more on that in a moment).

Yes, you can make calls, text, and even video chat from a cruise ship. In port, you can connect to local roaming networks. At sea, you can either make calls via a satellite connection or pay for the ship's Wi-Fi (also via satellite) and make Wi-Fi calls, text or video chat via the internet.

We recommend bringing at least two swimsuits on your cruise as. When picking your pieces, keep in mind the purpose for each one. You'll need a swimsuit for excursions like snorkeling or scuba diving and also swimsuits for lounging all day by the pool or beach and gazing out at the blue horizon. A one-piece does it all.

Absolutely not. Your cruise is your own. If you don't want to dress up for the evening, then you certainly don't have to do so. Many people choose to keep it casual.

Are jeans allowed on cruise ships? ›

In the dining rooms, items such as shorts, pool wear and baseball caps are not permitted; shoes must be worn at all times. Jeans are permitted as long as they aren't fraying and don't have holes.

What Is The Average Amount of Cash to Bring on a Cruise? On a cruise, most guests bring between $100-$120 in cash per day to be spent on transportation, tips, gifts, food, and shopping. In a survey of 850 cruisers, 71% stated that they took over $100 per person per day when cruising.

We highly recommend paying for anything OFF of the ship in cash. Ports in tourist areas are typically safe from violent crime, but petty crime like theft — or credit card fraud — can happen. So if you plan to pay for meals and entertainment with a card, there is always the risk of being overcharged, charged twice, etc.

If you're cruising in a cabin that has 3 plug sockets, 1 of which uses the plugs that you have and two that don't you might as well bring a couple of the other adapters. Travel adapters are one of the most important things that you'll bring on a cruise.

What do you wear on cruises during the day? During the day, you can wear casual attire such as t-shirts, tank tops, shorts, sundresses, and skirts. If you're spending the day at the pool, you can also have lunch or dine in casual pool clothes at the snack bar located next to the pool deck.

Smart casual: Jeans or slacks with a collared shirt and closed-toed shoes. Tank tops for men, flip flops, baseball caps, visors and jeans that are overly faded with holes or tears and worn below the hips are not permitted in main dining rooms or specialty restaurants.

And while you might be cruising the Caribbean or some other tropical locale, ship decks can get pretty cold at night when the sun goes down and the wind picks up, so it may be smart to bring a shawl or light jacket.

How much luggage can I bring? To help you plan, we suggest you limit your luggage to a maximum of one bag per person, if traveling on cruises of 3-5 days duration, and no more than two bags per person, for cruises of 6 days or longer.

You are certainly welcome to bring cash to enjoy your vacation experience. There are ATM services onboard and limited currency conversion services. There is a withdrawal fee to use the ATMs onboard.

How can I text for free on a cruise? ›

Can You Still Text for Free in the Cruise Line's App if you Bring Your own HotSpot? Yes, of course! As long as you have the app downloaded on your phone and you're on their free wifi, you can use the app to text on a cruise ship for free.

There are no size limits for liquid toiletries on cruise ships, but if you're flying to your embarkation port, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) only allows bottles of 3 ounces or less. They must all fit into one clear quart-sized zip-top bag per person if you're taking a carry-on.

Yes, robes and slippers will be provided in your stateroom. You might even find a toddler-sized robe hanging in your closet, too, for smaller cruisers! These are not yours to keep, but yours to enjoy during your voyage. The robes and slippers are made of cotton terry cloth and are so plush and comfy!

Give the luggage handler a $2- $5 tip per bag, depending upon size, weight and amount of luggage. What is this? If you're a solo traveler and only have one large bag to check, a $5 tip is appropriate. Consider the tip as baggage delivery insurance.

Apparently, there is a trend on cruise ships to put extra fat in the food which can have a laxative effect on a person. This is to make sure all of the ship's plumbing works properly and that there is little to no chance of the plumbing getting clogged or backed up.

From what I can gather, the average weight gain on a weeklong cruise ranges from 5-10 pounds. That's quite a bit depending on your size. 10 pounds on a 150-pound person is 6.7% of total body weight which can have a significant effect on blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood lipids.

Most cruise ships require all passengers to be on board no fewer than one to two hours before the scheduled departure time, which is almost always in the late afternoon or evening.

If you want to attend a “cruise elegant” evening, bring a fancier, more formal outfit. Men can wear suits or dress slacks with a sport coat and dress shirt. For women, cocktail dresses, pantsuits or elegant skirts and blouses are appropriate. Some guests like to go all out with a tuxedo or ball gown.

Should I bring my Social Security card on a cruise? ›

Social security card is NOT proof of citizenship. You must have either a birth certificate and a government issued photo ID or a passport.

Your cruise ship will provide basic toiletries for the shower, so there is no reason to waste precious luggage space on shampoo and conditioner. Check the bathroom before you leave to make sure you haven't left behind contact lenses, contact solution, glasses, medications, deodorant, mouthwash and hair gel.

All vaccinated guests must wear a wristband, but it does not necessarily mean you must wear it on your wrist. You can put it around your ankle, tie it to a lanyard, or even loop it on your belt.

Starting in late February 2022, Celebrity relaxed masking rules on its ships. If you are vaccinated, then you don't have to wear a mask. Unvaccinated passengers must mask at all times while indoors except when dining.

Crew No Long Required to Wear Masks

Crew members aboard ships within Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises are no longer required to wear masks, according to a statement the cruise lines released on October 3, 2022, to their team members.

For a general rule of thumb, bring one checked bag and one carry on per person for a 3-5 day cruise. For cruises 6 days or longer, guests can bring 2 checked bags and one carry on per person.

One of the best things about cruising is the food! And there will be many dining options available to suit most tastes and preferences. However you are free to bring non-perishable prepackaged food in limited quantities. While we have many drink offerings onboard, you are welcomed to bring select beverages onboard.

You can either link your card to a debit or credit account, or provide cash up front to fund your onboard spending. Be aware: If you link to a credit or debit account, the line might put a hold on your account until after you disembark the ship.

Does the cruise ship charge for bottled water? Bottled water is generally an extra-fee item on mainstream cruise lines. Upscale, luxury cruise lines and river cruise lines include bottled water in your stateroom, in eating facilities, at the gangway in port and often on excursions at no additional charge.

Do you pay for soda on a cruise? ›

Sodas are generally only included in the cruise fare on upper-end and luxury cruise lines. On most mainstream cruises, sodas are available for purchase (using your onboard account) in the ship's dining rooms and bars, and in stateroom mini-bars.

But, please be aware that cellular data used on the ship or in certain ports of call will result in charges from your cell phone provider. As you sail into international waters, these expenses can add up, so we recommend that guests turn off their cellular data and connect to the ship's Wi-Fi instead.

To use your cell phone on your cruise, you have two options — either connect to the ship's cellular service or connect to the ship's wi-fi. Both will cost you extra. For traditional cell service, today's modern cruise ships use providers such as “Cellular at Sea” or “Wireless Maritime Services”.

The following items cannot be put in cruise ship toilets: Wipes. Paper towels (kitchen towels for example), toilet paper is fine! Condoms (no idea why anybody would do this, but DON'T)

“As a general rule of thumb, if I'm going away for a seven-night beach holiday, I'd pack two to three pieces of swimwear (so that they have time to dry in between), a pair of shorts and a couple of skirts, four tops that match all my shorts and skirts, and a dress in case I go somewhere special,” Mak told AFAR in 2017.

To help you plan, on cruises of 3-5 days, please limit your luggage to a maximum of one bag, per person. On cruises of 6 days or longer, no more than two bags, per person.

Rolling your clothes in your suitcase will generally save space. This is because it squeezes air from between folds and means the most of available space is used. If done correctly, rolling can also ensure less wrinkles in your clothes.

Yes, packing cubes really do save space, they compress your clothes and more efficiently fit in a bucket style compartment of a suitcase or backpack. Packing cubes compress your clothes so they take up less space. This is true with any type of packing cubes, not just ones that are specifically called compression.

How many swimsuits should I bring on a cruise? ›

Swimwear: Bring at least 5 swimsuits and 4 swim cover-ups. Dinner Attire: Bring enough smart-casual looks for 10 dinners. For men, that means bringing at least 7 button-down shirts, while women should consider packing at least 7 fashion tops.

Acceptable attire includes sportswear, collared shirts, pants and jackets (if desired, but not required) for men and sportswear, casual dresses, or skirts and pants with blouses or knit tops for women. Regular, but not torn or distressed jeans, are fine.

There are no size limits for liquid toiletries on cruise ships, but if you're flying to your embarkation port, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) only allows bottles of 3 ounces or less. They must all fit into one clear quart-sized zip-top bag per person if you're taking a carry-on.

Carnival Cruise Lines Drink Policy

A small quantity is considered a maximum of 12 sealed, unopened cans/cartons of 12 ounces each or less, per person.” Given that most people sail with two people to a room, that means you can bring 24 bottles of anything you want. Just be sure that it is not in a bottle.

What Is The Average Amount of Cash to Bring on a Cruise? On a cruise, most guests bring between $100-$120 in cash per day to be spent on transportation, tips, gifts, food, and shopping. In a survey of 850 cruisers, 71% stated that they took over $100 per person per day when cruising.