My Disney Cruise from earlier in the year was actually my first cruise ever! I’m fairly well-traveled, but I have always opted to get where I’m going by plane. That meant that when I stepped on the boat I had no idea what to expect. I asked around for suggestions on things to take and bought pretty much everything that was recommended. So what did I use and what could have stayed home?
Minnie Mouse Stainless Steel Tumbler
Disney Cruises have unlimited free soda, something that I discovered is rare on most other cruise lines. A friend recommended I take along a large tumbler so that my drinks would stay cooler longer and I could avoid running back to the fountains constantly. Zac sent me this awesome Minnie Mouse tumbler, and I kept it with me the entire time I was on board.
Packing Cubes
I have friends who swear by packing cubes, so they’ve been on my list even before I was planning this vacation. I ended up getting this set of packing cubes as a Christmas gift. What I loved about these cubes in particular were the two different colors. I spent the first half of my vacation visiting the parks, the second half on the cruise. I was able to pack my cruise items in one color, my park items in another. That made organization a snap. Plus, when I was on the boat all of the park items were already separated and I could stash them in my suitcase under the bed, only leaving out what I needed.
Minnie Mouse Lanyard
This Minnie Mouse lanyard was another Christmas gift. I absolutely loved it, but it wasn’t the most practical for use during the cruise. Your “Key To The World” card will need to be with you at all times, and it just didn’t easily come in and out of this lanyard. Disney Cruise Lines will provide you with a lanyard and sleeve that works a little better for this from your second cruise onward. If you’re going on your first Disney Cruise, you’ll want to bring a lanyard with you. Look for one that has a larger plastic pocket that can be easily opened and closed when you need to pull out your keycard.
Magnetic Hooks
Room on a cruise ship is at a premium, and anything you can do to save space is probably a worthwhile investment. The walls and ceiling of your room will be metal, meaning magnets can be very handy. These magnetic hooks are perfect for hanging up your bags, wet clothes, and more. One helpful hint: the magnets are at their strongest hanging from the ceiling, not the walls. I’m only 5’6″ and was easily able to hang things from hooks I placed on the ceiling.
Waterproof Phone Pouch
I didn’t spend a lot of time in the water on this particular vacation. If you’re more inclined to take a dip, these waterproof phone cases are a great idea. I imagine that if my cruise had been a bit longer these would have gotten a lot more use from me.
Towel Clips
As I already mentioned, I didn’t get in the water much during my cruise. Things onboard can get super windy, so I can certainly see the point of bringing towel clips. I didn’t get any use out of mine, however.
Motion Sickness Patches
I’ve already written a full post expressing my love for these motion sickness patches when I’m at a theme park. It turns out they’re pretty handy on a cruise ship as well. The first night of my cruise was stormy, and it was pretty crazy how much the boat rocked. I know these patches were a lifesaver that night!
Drawstring Backpack
I made my own drawstring backpacks for the cruise, and the ones I brought got a ton of use. They’re great for days in port or heading to the pool. The best thing about these backpacks is that they take basically no room in your luggage.
As you can see, most of the things I purchased were well-used during my vacation. On my next cruise I might skip the towel clips, but everything else will probably get thrown back in the suitcase.
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