How to Pack for a Cruise

One of the most stressful aspects of traveling, especially if it s cruising, is the act of packing. "What should I pack?" This is, indeed, the most common question we ask ourselves before we pack our stuff inside the luggage. No wonder, packing is the most complicated part of cruising. Aside from the fact that it brings so much stress to us, just remember, don t pack at the last minute, as you ll probably forget something. Cruising is all about fun, right? You want to cruise to experience the paramount luxury of your life. Therefore, don t give yourself a hard time in packing your things before stepping on the cruise ship. If you are not sure what to bring, consider the climate you ll be traveling to. Will it be winter or summer clothes? You can also check the cruise line websites for suggestions based on the ports of call you are cruising to. Secret #1: Pack Early Before if you take off for a cruise, you need to plan the details you should be bringing with you five days worth of outfits for your cruise vacation. If you have a hard time thinking about it, write it all down. In packing, there are three things you just need to remember: clothes, valuable legal documents and medicines. When I say valuable legal documents, I m basically referring to relevant documents such as passports, birth certificates, visas and other relevant boarding requirements before getting on the boat. Start packing a few days before the cruise, not the night before. That way, you can still run out to the store and get something if you need it. Buying items on a cruise ship that you forgot can be costly, as they mark up items 40%! Secret #2: Pack for Comfort It s not necessary to bring your whole closet. It is unreasonable to bring all your expensive glamorous stuff when you re cruising. Believe me, you will just forget using it when you re already on-board. As I ve said earlier, cruising is all about fun. It is not about displaying your tangible gems. Just bring the most essential clothes when you re cruising. One formal suit and a couple of ties and that s it! If you are a female, bring a couple gowns and dresses and that s all you need. Bottom line is, packing is not the prime objective when you embark on a cruise. Do it with no extra loads. The smaller your luggage, the better. Almost anything you wear can be washed and laundered inside the cruise ship by your cabin steward. One last important thing is bring essentials and extra clothes in your carry on. It may take 3-7 hours to get your suitcases to your cabin, and if you want to swim or workout bring those clothes in your carry-on bags, or you ll wait until much later. Secret #3: Pack for Souvenirs People pack their bags to tight, they forget they might buy a nice jacket or souvenir picture or t-shirt to bring home with them after the cruise. Make sure you have ample space in your carry-on luggage for smaller items and large space for bigger items in your large luggage. Cruising is all about entertaining yourself so don t stress out too much about it. Call the cruise lines with any questions or read the forums to helpful tips about packing for your cruise. Jeff Mills is a former Youth Pastor of 9 years, who is now a full time internet information entrepreneur, book author, speaker, sales coach, and also an avid traveler. Jeff has passionately pursued seeking the best discount travel clubs and has discovered Coastal Vacations Travel Club to be the top of the heap, saving members up to 75% off their trips for life. Discover how you can travel and earn $1000 or more in commissions immediately at http://www.travelwithcoastalvacations.com for a fantastic work from home career or a great travel club bargain, and there is no selling! We close your sales. For free Multi-Media Videos on Coastal Vacations Club, and for a free $400 vacation voucher, visit Jeff s Coastal Vacation Club Blog - http://www.coastalvacationclubblog.com