One of the easiest things to do when you're preparing for a cruise is convince yourself that you need to buy half of Amazon before you leave home.

You don't.

I've taken many cruises over the years, and I've learned that some travel products really can make a trip easier—but plenty of others are nice to have rather than necessary.

That's what this guide is about.

I'm not going to tell you that you absolutely need every item on this page. Instead, I'll explain why each item can be useful, what problem it solves, and when you may be perfectly fine without it.

Because the goal isn't to pack more.

It's to pack things you'll actually use.

Cruise Cabin Magnetic Hooks

I’ve taken many cruises over the years, but somehow magnetic hooks were never on my radar. I wish they had been. There were plenty of times I got aggravated with my husband for using all the hooks in our cabin. 😂

Then I discovered magnetic hooks.

Many cruise cabin walls contain metal, so strong magnetic hooks give you instant extra places to hang lanyards, hats, lightweight bags, robes, towels and other things that otherwise end up taking over the limited hooks and storage space in the cabin.

They're inexpensive, take up almost no room in your luggage, and they're one of those simple little things that can make a surprisingly big difference.

Do you need them? Technically, no. But after discovering how useful they are, I won't cruise without them again.

👉 View Cruise Cabin Magnetic Hooks on Amazon

Travel Medication Organizer

Why you might want one: Traveling with several medications can mean carrying multiple bottles and containers that take up valuable space in your luggage.

A compact medication organizer keeps your medications together in one convenient case. It can be used for prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamins and supplements, depending on your individual needs.

It's especially handy when you take several different pills and don't want a collection of bottles taking over your toiletry bag.

One important consideration: Before transferring prescription medications out of their original containers, check the requirements for the places you'll be visiting. Some medications and destinations may require original pharmacy-labeled packaging or other documentation.

Do you need one? If you only travel with one or two medications, probably not. But if you're bringing several different pills, an organizer can save space and make it much easier to keep everything together.

👉 View Travel Medication Organizers on Amazon

Small Travel First-Aid Kit

Why you might want one: Minor cuts, scrapes, blisters and other little mishaps can happen anywhere—and they’re especially annoying when you're away from home and don't have the basic supplies you normally reach for.

A small travel first-aid kit keeps essentials such as adhesive bandages, antiseptic wipes, gauze and other basic wound-care supplies together in one compact package. It can be useful onboard, during excursions, or simply while you're out exploring a port for the day.

You don't need a huge emergency kit. For cruising, I prefer the idea of something small and lightweight that covers the basics without taking up valuable suitcase space.

Do you need one? You could certainly put together your own with supplies you already have at home. But a compact preassembled kit is convenient, inexpensive, and easy to toss into your luggage and forget about until you need it.

👉 View Small Travel First-Aid Kits on Amazon

Cruise Luggage Tag Holders

Why you might want them: Cruise lines often provide luggage tags that passengers print at home and attach to their bags before arriving at the port.

Plastic cruise luggage-tag holders help protect those paper tags from rain, tearing and rough handling.

They can also be reused on future cruises if they're compatible with the cruise line you're sailing.

Do you need them? Not necessarily. You can attach your printed tags without them. I simply like the extra protection they provide.

👉 View Cruise Luggage Tag Holders on Amazon

Portable Power Bank

Why you might want it: Your phone does a lot of work when you travel.

You may be taking pictures, checking maps, accessing tickets and reservations, communicating with your travel companions, and using your cruise line's app.

A portable power bank gives you a way to recharge without hunting for an outlet—particularly useful during long days ashore.

Do you need it? If you're a heavy phone user or spend full days exploring ports, I think this is one of the more useful items on this page.

👉 View Portable Power Banks on Amazon

Foldable Travel Hangers

Why you might want them: There never seem to be quite enough hangers when you unpack two people's clothing into one cruise cabin closet.

Foldable hangers take up very little luggage space and provide extra places for clothing, swimsuits or items you want to air out.

Do you need them? If you're a light packer, probably not. They're much more useful on longer cruises or when two people have brought a lot of hanging clothes.

👉 View Foldable Travel Hangers on Amazon

Wrinkle-Release Spray

Why you might want it: Clothing doesn't always emerge from a suitcase looking the way it did when you packed it.

Cruise lines generally restrict passenger irons and other heating appliances because of fire risk, so wrinkle-release spray can be an easy way to freshen clothing and reduce suitcase wrinkles.

Do you need it? If wrinkles don't bother you, absolutely not. If they do, this is much easier than spending part of your vacation worrying about a wrinkled shirt.

👉 View Wrinkle-Release Spray on Amazon

Electronics & Cable Organizer

Why you might want it: Phones, charging cables, power banks, earbuds, watches and tablets can create an impressive little pile of electronic clutter.

A compact electronics organizer keeps the smaller pieces together so you aren't digging through your suitcase looking for the one charging cable you need.

It's also convenient for keeping everything together when you're moving between home, a hotel and the cruise ship.

Do you need it? The more electronics you travel with, the more useful it becomes. If you're bringing one phone and one charger, save your money.

👉 View Travel Electronics Organizers on Amazon

Travel Shoe Bags

Why you might want them: The bottoms of your shoes have been through airports, parking lots, sidewalks, cruise terminals and ports.

I'd rather not have them rubbing against clean clothes in my suitcase.

Simple shoe bags keep them separated and can also help keep pairs together.

Do you need them? No. A clean plastic or grocery bag can accomplish essentially the same thing for free.

👉 View Travel Shoe Bags on Amazon

Refillable Travel Bottles

Why you might want them: If you prefer your own shampoo, conditioner, lotion or other toiletries, refillable travel bottles let you bring smaller quantities rather than packing full-size containers.

They're particularly helpful when you're combining a cruise with air travel and need to consider airline liquid restrictions.

Do you need them? Not if you're happy using the toiletries provided aboard your ship or you're bringing products already packaged in convenient sizes.

👉 View Refillable Travel Bottles on Amazon

Travel Laundry Bag

Why you might want one: Dirty clothes pile up quickly on a cruise, and I don't particularly want them mixed back in with the clean clothes in my suitcase.

A lightweight travel laundry bag gives you one place to put worn clothing throughout the trip. When it's time to pack for home, you can put the whole bag into your suitcase and keep the dirty clothes separated from anything that's still clean.

Do you need one? No. A clean garbage bag works perfectly well and costs practically nothing. But a reusable travel laundry bag is sturdier, looks a little nicer sitting in the cabin, and can be used trip after trip.

👉 View Travel Laundry Bags on Amazon

Motion-Sensor Night Light

Why you might want one: Cruise cabins can get extremely dark at night, especially interior cabins. A small motion-sensor night light can give you just enough light to find your way to the bathroom without turning on the bright cabin lights and waking everyone up.

I usually just leave the bathroom light on and let a little light come through under the door, which works perfectly well for us. But if you prefer a darker cabin, are traveling with children, or simply want a little extra visibility at night, a rechargeable motion-sensor light can be very useful.

Do you need one? Not necessarily. Leaving the bathroom light on works for us and costs nothing. But for people who don't want a bathroom light burning all night, this is a convenient little cruise-cabin addition.

👉 View Motion-Sensor Travel Night Lights on Amazon

Stain-Remover Pen

Why you might want it: When you're traveling with a limited wardrobe, spilling something on the shirt you planned to wear again is particularly annoying.

A small stain-remover pen takes almost no room and may save an outfit until you can properly wash it.

Do you need it? No—but it's one of those tiny things that can be surprisingly useful when you do need it.

👉 View Travel Stain-Remover Pens on Amazon

Laundry Detergent Sheets

Why you might want them: On a longer cruise, washing a few items can help you pack less.

Laundry detergent sheets are compact and easy to pack compared with carrying liquid detergent. They're most useful on ships with self-service laundry facilities or when you're planning to hand-wash a few appropriate items.

Do you need them? For a typical seven-night cruise, probably not unless you already know you'll do laundry. For longer cruises, they become much more useful.

👉 View Laundry Detergent Sheets on Amazon

What About Packing Cubes?

Packing cubes are probably on virtually every cruise packing list you'll ever read.

Some travelers absolutely love them.

They can separate clothing categories, make unpacking easier and help keep a suitcase organized.

But that doesn't mean everyone needs them.

If you already have a packing system that works for you, there's no reason to buy packing cubes simply because somebody on the internet told you they're a cruise essential.

👉 View Packing Cubes on Amazon

And You Don't Need a Special Bag for Everything

Here's a perfect example.

Travel laundry bags are inexpensive, lightweight and convenient. If you like having one, there's nothing wrong with buying one.

But a clean garbage bag also works.

Throw one or two clean bags into your suitcase before you leave. They take virtually no room, keep dirty clothing separated from clean clothing and can serve as backups for shoes, damp items or unexpected messes.

Sometimes the best travel solution isn't another product.

Buy What Makes Your Trip Easier

What one cruiser considers indispensable may sit untouched in another person's suitcase for the entire vacation.

Think about how you travel.

If you're constantly running out of phone battery, bring a power bank.

If cabin clutter drives you crazy, magnetic hooks may be worth every penny.

If you don't swim, you probably don't need accessories designed for wet swimsuits.

And if the light underneath the bathroom door gives you enough illumination at night, you don't need to buy a night light just because it's on somebody's cruise packing list.

The best cruise essentials aren't the products everyone else tells you to buy.

They're the things that solve an actual problem for you.

Looking for Travel Safety Essentials?

Keeping your belongings secure ashore is a different subject, so I've created a separate collection of practical products for protecting phones, passports, money and other valuables while traveling.

👉 Cruise Port Safety: How to Protect Yourself and Your Belongings Ashore

You May Also Enjoy

🚢 Cruise Documents: Don't Let Paperwork Delay Your Vacation

🚢 First-Time Cruiser Tips: What I Wish I Knew Before My First Cruise

🚢 What Not to Bring on a Cruise: Common Items That May Be Confiscated

🚢 Free Printable Cruise Packing Checklist

🚢 Return to Home

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