What My Cruising Family Packs: Carry-On Edition
Greetings!
Today is a significant day in the countdown to our next cruise. As embarkation day approaches, we are turning our attention to packing, so I will share a bit of that in this post. Some may ask, “With all these hurricanes, are you still cruising this season?” Our quick answer: “By the grace of God, yes!” Anyway, that’s a discussion for another post.
We usually pack the following travel-size items in our carry-on luggage, which, for purposes of this post, includes handbags as well as actual carry-on suitcases.
1. A Few See-Through Bags/Pouches For Toiletries (the biggest pouch came with one of our suitcases)
2. Adult Bath Soap (although cruise ship staterooms are equipped with basic toiletries for guests to use, we like to bring our own because a number of us have sensitive skin, so we know what soaps our skin can tolerate. Hey, we’re the type or travelers who bring our own washcloths and towels on vacation)
3. My Face Wash
5. Facial Brush (with charger) and Brush Heads
11. Baby Wash (or Baby Cleansing Cloths)
12. Baby Lotion
13. Baby Oil
14. Baby Sunscreen
15. Adult Sunscreen
16. My Deodorant
18. Mouthwash (2 Bottles)
19. Shampoo
20. Conditioner
21. Lysol To Go
22. Sewing Kit
23. Shower Cap
24. Pepto Bismol
26. Thermometers
27. Vicks VapoRub
28. Vicks Baby Rub
29. Children’s Cold/Flu Medication
30. Children’s Tummy Ache Relief Medication
35. Children’s Fever Cooling Cloths
36. Disposable Gloves (at least 2 pairs)
37. Anti-Itch Cream (either in disposable packets or one tube)
38. Triple Antibiotic Ointment (either in disposable packets or one tube)
40. Gauze Sponges (various sizes)
41. Band-Aids (various shapes and sizes)
43. Laundry Detergent (sample or travel-size)
44. Mosquito and Insect Repellant
45. Pain Reliever (acetaminophen)
46. Muscle Ache Relief Patches
47. Swimwear, including cover-up
48. Baby Wipes
49. Disposable Diapers (including swim diapers)
50. Hair Clip(s)
51. Mirror
52. Tissues
53. Combs
54. Brushes
55. Disposable Razors
56. Cotton Swabs
57. Nail Clips
58. Hand-Sanitizing Liquid/Spray and Wipes
60. Pen
61. Pencils/Crayons
62. Coloring and Activity Books
63. Mobile Devices/Cellular Phones/Tablets
64. Headphones(at least 2 pairs)
65. Passport Case
66. Passports
67. Photocopies of Each Passport
68. Other Travel Documents (including, but not limited to, flight confirmation information, travel insurance documents)
Numbers 58 to 68 listed above are most likely to be in an easy-to-access handbag, while the other items may be packed in a carry-on suitcase and/or large carry-on bag.
A lot of the medical items listed in this post, including disposable gloves, band-aids, and much more came from our me4kidz Medibag Family First Aid Kit, which is a bit too bulky to travel with, so I take out what we want for the trip, and I pack them in our more convenient pouches/bags.
I tend to also pack additional toiletries like soap and lotion, and I keep them in the bag that we take with us into the ports of call. Additional toiletries have come in handy while away from the ship – like when we’re preparing to leave the beach and we want to wash off a bit more thoroughly after being in the ocean, or if we need to wash our hands while on an excursion.
Feeding-related items usually get packed right before we leave for the airport.
For information on a few items that we highly recommend when cruising with a family that includes little ones, please read My Cruising Family’s earlier blog post, Some Of My Cruising Family's Favorite Things.
I also like to pack an additional bag or two to carry around ports of call, and in case we need to take items out of overweight suitcases – although we don’t usually have overweight suitcases, but just in case – at the airport check-in counter, in which case that additional bag can hold a few extra pieces.
What's in your carry-on?
