Cruise packing list for families

The embarkation-day bag (the most important bag)

At the terminal, you'll usually hand your big suitcases to a porter. They're delivered to your cabin later, often not until late afternoon or evening. Everything you need between check-in and dinner has to be in the bag on your shoulder.

Pack in every family member's day bag, or one shared backpack:

• Travel documents in a document holder. Never in the suitcase you drop at the curb.
• Medication for the whole trip, not just today. If a suitcase is delayed or misrouted, you don't want the meds in it.
• Swimsuits, so you can hit the pool while you wait (and a cover-up).
• Sunscreen (3.4 oz or less if you're flying in with it in a carry-on).
• Phone chargers and a power bank.
• A change of clothes, in case dinner comes before the suitcases.
• Seasickness remedies if anyone is prone to it.
• For little ones: diapers, wipes, snacks, a bottle or sippy cup, and a change of clothes for at least the first afternoon and evening.
• Valuables and anything fragile, like glasses and cameras.

Documents: passport or birth certificate?

This is the question families get wrong most, so here's the general rule.

Closed-loop cruises start and end at the same US port and stay in the Western Hemisphere (for example, a round trip from Florida to the Bahamas). For these, US Customs and Border Protection says US citizens can re-enter with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID, and US-citizen children under 16 need only proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate.

But there are three big catches:

1. Your cruise line can be stricter. Some lines require an original or certified birth certificate and won't accept photocopies. Check your line's documentation page.
2. Ports can require more. The countries you visit set their own entry rules, and CBP itself notes you may still need a passport for them.
3. If you have to fly home from a port, because of a medical emergency or because you missed the ship, you'll generally need a passport to board a flight. That's why many families bring passports even when they're not strictly required.

Passport validity: some countries and some cruise lines want passports to stay valid for six months beyond your trip. US passports for children under 16 are only valid for five years, so they run out sooner than you think. Check travel.state.gov and your line's guidance.

Traveling with kids without both parents? Carry a notarized consent letter from the other parent, or custody documents. See our international travel checklist for what to include.

What cruise lines usually ban

Ships have strict rules on anything that could start a fire. Rules differ by cruise line, but Royal Caribbean's prohibited items policy is a good example of what's common:

• Clothing irons and garment steamers. To get creases out, hang clothes in the bathroom during a hot shower.
• Extension cords, power strips and multi-plug outlets. (Other lines also name surge protectors.)
• Device and USB chargers marked with a recognized US or European safety certification are allowed on Royal Caribbean.
• Baby monitors are on Royal Caribbean's banned electronics list. Baby bottle warmers and sanitizers need approval before you sail (email the line's special-needs team).

Other lines have similar lists, and they change. Check your cruise line's prohibited items page before you pack, and confiscated items may be held until the end of the cruise, or not returned at all.

Clothes: a 7-night outfit plan

Cabin storage is tight, and most families overpack for cruises. Plan by day:

• Day outfits: one per day per person, minus anything you'll re-wear. Shorts and bottoms can usually go two or three days.
• Formal or dress-up nights: check your itinerary. Many 7-night sailings have one or two. Pack one outfit per formal night and re-wear it with different accessories. Kids don't need much: a nice shirt or dress usually does it.
• Swimsuits: two per person, so one can dry.
• Shore-excursion clothes suited to each port, and comfortable walking shoes.
• Layers: dining rooms and theaters run cold, and decks get windy at night. On an Alaska cruise, add a warm layer, a waterproof shell, a hat and gloves for everyone.
• Kids under 5: add a spare outfit per day.
• Pajamas, underwear and socks for every night and day, unless you'll use the ship's laundry service.

Diapers and little ones at sea

Pack the full count. Ships are one of the few places where "just buy diapers there" doesn't work well. Onboard shops are small and can run out of sizes. Use our diaper guide for the math (about 6 a day for a 1-to-2-year-old, plus travel time, a delay day and a small spare).

Check the pool rules before you pack swim diapers. Many cruise lines don't allow children in diapers, including swim diapers, in the main pools. For example, Carnival's pool policy says children who aren't toilet trained, or who wear diapers or swim diapers, aren't allowed in any onboard water facilities. Royal Caribbean limits them to Baby Splash areas on certain ships. Swim diapers are still worth packing for beaches and port-day pools, where rules are different.

Also worth packing for babies and toddlers:

• A night light for a dark interior cabin.
• Outlet covers, a few.
• A portable sound machine to cover hallway noise.
• Familiar snacks for port days.
• A lightweight stroller that folds small. Cabins and tender boats don't have room for a big one.
• A baby carrier for tender boats, stairs and crowded ports.

Seasickness

Children between about 2 and 12 are the most likely to get motion sick. The CDC's motion sickness guidance recommends non-drug steps first: staying away from the spots with the most motion (like the bow), looking at the horizon, fresh air, and no reading or screens. Many cruisers also pick a cabin low and in the middle of the ship. Ask your pediatrician before giving any motion sickness medicine to a child, and pack whatever they recommend in the carry-on.

Age-by-age

Baby (under 12 months)

Check your cruise line's minimum sailing age before you book; lines set their own. Pack formula, bottles, a bottle brush and soap, a travel crib sheet if the line provides a crib (ask), the full diaper supply and sun protection. For babies under 6 months, the AAP recommends shade and covering clothes rather than sunscreen.

Toddler (1 to 3)

The pool rules above matter most here. Pack a few small toys, a tablet with shows, a stroller, the comfort item, and snacks you know they'll eat. Kids' clubs often have age minimums or extra fees for toddlers, so check.

Kid (4 to 8)

A lanyard for their key card (if they get one), a refillable water bottle, rash guards for long pool days and a small backpack for port days.

Tween (9 to 12)

Their own lanyard and key card, a watch so they meet you on time, and a plan for staying in touch. Phones on cellular at sea can get expensive, so check your plan or the ship's Wi-Fi and messaging options before they start texting.

Cabin space savers

• Magnetic hooks, 4 to 6 per cabin. Cabin walls are usually metal, so hooks add hanging space for hats, bags and lanyards.
• A lanyard per person for key cards.
• Wet bags or zip bags, about two per person, for damp swimsuits.
• Packing cubes, which double as drawers.
• An over-the-door shoe organizer for sunscreen, toiletries and small toys.
• A small, highlighter-bright luggage tag so you can spot your bags at disembarkation.

What parents forget

What parents forget: day-one meds. The suitcase arrives at 6 p.m. The medication was in the suitcase.

What parents forget: the pool rule for diapers. Many lines don't allow swim diapers in the main pools. Find out before you promise your toddler a waterslide.

What parents forget: the power strip ban. It feels harmless. It gets confiscated anyway.

What parents forget: the passport for "just in case". A birth certificate gets you back into the US on a closed-loop cruise. It won't get you onto a flight home from a foreign port.

Get this list built for your sailing

A dedicated cruise trip type in Packworthy is coming soon, including a separate embarkation-day bag. For now, the parts that matter most already work: every traveler gets their own age-based section inside one shared family trip, so the kids' supplies and the formal outfits each have an owner, and you can tag beach days and fancy dinners. Until the cruise features land, use the embarkation-bag and banned-items sections above as your own checklist.

FAQ

What should I pack in my embarkation day bag? Travel documents, everyone's medication, swimsuits, sunscreen, chargers and a change of clothes. For young kids, add diapers, wipes and snacks to last until your luggage arrives, which can be late afternoon or evening.

Do kids need a passport for a cruise? On a closed-loop cruise from a US port, US-citizen children under 16 can generally use a birth certificate, according to CBP. Cruise lines and ports can require more, and a passport is needed to fly home from a foreign port, so many families bring passports anyway.

What items are not allowed on a cruise ship? Most lines ban irons, steamers, extension cords, power strips and surge protectors, along with weapons and other hazards. Rules vary, so check your cruise line's prohibited items list.

Can I bring a power strip on a cruise? Usually not. Lines like Royal Caribbean ban power strips and multi-plug outlets but allow certified device and USB chargers. Check your line's policy.

Can babies in swim diapers use the pool on a cruise? Often not in the main pools. Carnival doesn't allow children in diapers or swim diapers in any onboard water facilities, and Royal Caribbean limits them to Baby Splash areas on certain ships. Check your line and ship.

How many outfits do I need for a 7-day cruise? About one day outfit per day minus re-wears, one per formal night, two swimsuits each, and a spare outfit per day for kids under 5.

Related guides

• How many diapers to pack for vacation
• Beach vacation packing list for families
• International travel checklist