Are you getting ready for your next cruise? Need some ideas on what to pack besides the essentials? Here are some fun things to pack on your next cruise to make your vacation even better!
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Fun Things to Bring on a Cruise
Wine
One way to make your cruise more fun is to bring wine onboard the ship. Most cruise lines will allow each adult to bring 1 bottle of wine. So why not take advantage of this to save some money and make your cruise more fun?
For example, Carnival Cruise and Royal Caribbean will allow you to bring 1 bottle of wine or champagne per adult, while Disney Cruise will allow each adult to bring up to 2 bottles of wine or champagne or 6 packs of beer.
Meanwhile, MSC Cruise does not allow passengers to bring wine onboard the ship. It’s best to double-check with your cruise line for their wine policy since it can change at any time.
Rubber Ducks
If you haven’t joined the cruise duck hunt craze yet, you’re missing out! The latest cruise trends these days are all about the hidden rubber duck scavenger hunt. The idea is simple: passengers hide rubber ducks all over the ship for others to find. It’s like a feel-good scavenger hunt for everyone involved.
But here’s the best part – the ducks are not just regular ducks. Some passengers really get into the spirit and prepare their ducks in unique ways. They bedazzle them, 3D print them, and even add personalized labels. The preparation is part of the fun!
Finding these ducks is just as exciting. It’s like searching for hidden Mickeys at Disney but on a cruise ship! People love collecting these ducks as souvenirs of their cruise vacation.
Even some cruise staff are joining in on this trend and have become avid collectors themselves. It’s a fun and heartwarming activity that spreads joy to everyone involved. So, if you’re heading on a cruise soon, pack some rubber ducks and join in on the fun. I like these adorable nautical-themed rubber ducks with pre-printed labels.
Magnets
I never realized how fun magnets can be until recently. While on a cruise with my kids, we found a cabin with a magnetic whiteboard that had fun questions for people to answer. My kids had so much fun drawing on the magnetic board and answering the questions. They loved it so much that we went back several times—once to show my niece and nephew and a few times to see what other people had written on it.
Now, for our next cruise, my kids want to bring magnets and a magnetic board. They’re excited to use the magnets to decorate our cabin door and make it easy to identify our stateroom.
There are many themed magnets specifically for cruise cabin doors, such as birthday and anniversary designs. I love these fun cruise duck magnets. Here is a whiteboard that is specifically made for cruise cabin doors.
GoPro
I always make sure to bring my GoPro whenever I go on a cruise. It’s a great way to capture all the fun moments. What I really love about GoPros is that they have a stabilizer, so you won’t feel dizzy while watching the videos. The footage comes out really smooth. In fact, it’s become a habit of mine to wander around the ship with my GoPro or take it along when I’m out sightseeing. The footage always ends up being so much fun to watch.
Another great thing about GoPros is that they are compact and lightweight (it fits in the palm of my hand), so they don’t take up much space. I also love that they are waterproof, so I can easily capture underwater footage and even swim with it.
One thing I was concerned about when I first got my GoPro was running out of media storage space. Fortunately, GoPro makes it easy with its reasonably priced subscription, providing unlimited media storage so you never have to worry about running out of space. Uploading is also easy since it automatically uploads whenever you plug it in to charge.
My GoPro is an incredible little camera, and I wish I had gotten one sooner. If you are considering a GoPro, the only downside is that they don’t have zoom functionality. You will need to use your phone camera for zooming.
Binoculars
If you’ll be staying in a balcony cabin during your cruise, make sure to bring along binoculars. They will come in handy at the most unexpected moments. For example, we sailed past the Statue of Liberty, and it was amazing to see it with binoculars.
If you’re going on an Alaska cruise, don’t forget your binoculars. You’ll be so glad you brought them since it’s quite common to spot wildlife while sailing.
When you pass by glaciers, you’ll definitely want to take a closer look with your binoculars. I recommend bringing a light-weight binocular with a neck strap. It’s a good idea to pack binoculars for kids, too, so everyone can enjoy spotting wildlife without having to share.
Lounge Chair Clips
Whenever I go on a cruise, I always bring a set of lounge chair clips. One of my biggest pet peeves is when the towel slips down the pool lounge chair, so I always use the clips to hold the towel up.
I love these fun lounge chair clips. I personally have the flip-flop one, but they come in many designs. I also always pack towel bands because they don’t take up much space in my luggage.
Cruise Staff Thank You Notes
I consistently get exceptional service from the cruise staff, and I always make it a point to give them extra cash tips. I bring along nautical-themed thank you notes to put the cash tips in to show my appreciation to the cruise staff.
Gifts for the Cruise Staff
I always make sure to bring gifts for the hardworking cruise staff, who often don’t have time to shop due to their busy schedules. They truly appreciate these gifts because they don’t get a lot of free time. And if they do have some free time, many would rather just use it to rest and to catch up on sleep.
Chocolates are always popular. I like to give chocolate bars. I once had a cabin steward express gratitude for basic over-the-counter medications like cough and cold meds because they can be quite expensive for them to buy.
Cruise T-Shirts
One way to make your cruise vacation more fun is to wear cruise t-shirts. If you’re cruising as a big group, it’s fun to wear coordinated cruise t-shirts. You can get them custom printed, or you can order fun cruise t-shirts. I’m personally a big fan of this Vacation T-shirt because it’s designed by my 15 year old daughter!
Cruise Caps
You can make your cruise more fun by bringing cruise hats and cruise baseball caps. There are many funny ones that are cruise-themed. Or you can wear nautical cruise hats.
Walkie Talkie
One easy way to make your cruise more fun is to bring walkie-talkies. They’re popular with kids, especially if you’re cruising as a big group. It’s a great way to stay connected on board, especially when some cruise lines don’t offer free texting.
With a walkie-talkie, there’s no need to pay for an expensive internet WiFi plan just to keep in touch. Bringing a long range walkie talkie is a simple way to stay connected and can be a lot of fun for kids.
Check out these free cruise printables
12 Things to Bring from Home to Save Money on Your Cruise
11 Anti-Theft Cruise Tips that Every Cruiser Needs to Know
Cruise Passengers are Going Crazy Hunting for Rubber Ducks, Here’s Why