Do not Bring
What You Don’t Need to Pack
We’ve focused on what you need to pack for a cruise… but there are many things you don’t need to bring. They simply take up space and are already provided. Some of these things are already provided or just not allowed on the ship.
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Hair Dryer
No, you don’t need to pack a hair dryer for the cruise. All cabins come with one built in. It’s a small, hotel-style hair dryer, but it will get the job done. If you want, you can bring your own from home.
Soap and Shampoo
If you have soap or shampoo that you just have to have, then go ahead and bring in on the trip. That said, every cabin bathroom comes with a soap and shampoo dispenser in the shower. So, if you forget your soap, then you are covered. And if you don’t care about what type of product you use, then it’s something you don’t have to pack.
Towels
Just like a hotel, cruise ships provide you with towels in the cabin to use. That’s to be expected. But a nice perk is that ships also provide beach towels. These towels are often in your cabin when you arrive or you can grab them from the pool deck. You can take these beach towels down to the pool and even bring them with you as you get off the ship. Just be sure to bring them back because you are charged $25 per towel for missing towels at the end of the cruise.
Alcohol and Beer
Yes, cruise ships will let you bring on a bottle of champagne or wine with your carry-on. Things like liquor, beer, and other spirits are strictly against the rules. If caught trying to sneak these on through security, they will be removed and likely discarded.
Weapons that might harm other passengers:
Guns, pepper spray, tasers, and other things of this nature aren’t allowed for obvious reasons. Plus, you also don’t want to be caught with these in a foreign port. It pays to use common sense here; if you aren’t able to bring it onto a plane because it’s considered a weapon, then you shouldn’t try to bring it on a cruise ship.
Anything that can start a fire
Hair products like curlers, hair dryers, and straighteners are allowed. As well, cigarette lighters are ok to pack too. But things like candles, hot plates, electric blankets, heaters, and other items that heat up are prohibited.
Power strips with surge protectors
While you can bring on power strips (especially since the power outlets are limited) they may not have surge protectors built in. They will cease these in the terminal and you will not get them back.