Cruise packing list (2026): essentials and checklist
Pack the embarkation bag first, then use your cruise line's guide for the items security prohibits, the luggage allowance, the exact dinner schedule and what the cabin already supplies.
What to pack for a cruise
Embarkation day carry-on
- Passport and boarding documents
- Prescription medication
- Phone, charger and valuables
- Swimsuit and cover-up
- One dinner outfit
Clothes and shoes
- Daywear for the itinerary weather
- Dining clothes for the line dress code
- Walking shoes
- Sandals or pool shoes
- Light layer for air-conditioned rooms
Cabin and port essentials
- Sunscreen and sunglasses
- Reusable water bottle
- Small day bag
- Approved plug adapter when the ship needs one
- Weather layer for each port
Cruise line luggage and dress-code comparison
| Cruise line | Luggage policy | Dress code |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | Royal Caribbean publishes no strict cruise-luggage count or size box and permits a reasonable amount of luggage.Casual and smart-casual nights alternate with one to four suggested Dress Your Best nights, depending on sailing length. | Casual and smart-casual nights alternate with one to four suggested Dress Your Best nights, depending on sailing length. |
| Carnival Cruise Line | Carnival recommends one bag per person for 3-5 day cruises and no more than two bags per person for cruises of 6 days or longer.Most evenings are Cruise Casual; cruises of 5 days or fewer have one Cruise Elegant evening and cruises of 6 days or longer have two. | Most evenings are Cruise Casual; cruises of 5 days or fewer have one Cruise Elegant evening and cruises of 6 days or longer have two. |
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Each guest may check two pieces of luggage, with a maximum weight of 50 pounds per piece.Norwegian does not require a fleet-wide formal night and asks guests to dress for each dining setting. | Norwegian does not require a fleet-wide formal night and asks guests to dress for each dining setting. |
| Disney Cruise Line | Disney does not publish one fleet-wide luggage count or size maximum for the ship, but checked luggage may arrive several hours after departure.Main dining is cruise casual; adult-exclusive restaurants enforce polished dress, and sailings of 7 nights or longer include a formal themed night. | Main dining is cruise casual; adult-exclusive restaurants enforce polished dress, and sailings of 7 nights or longer include a formal themed night. |
| Princess Cruises | Princess permits a reasonable amount of personal luggage and publishes no ship-wide piece, dimension or weight maximum.Princess schedules 0 formal nights on 1-4 day cruises, 1 on 5-6 days, 2 on 7-13 days, 3 on 14-20 days, 4 on 21-28 days and at least 5 on longer sailings. | Princess schedules 0 formal nights on 1-4 day cruises, 1 on 5-6 days, 2 on 7-13 days, 3 on 14-20 days, 4 on 21-28 days and at least 5 on longer sailings. |
| Celebrity Cruises | Celebrity publishes no luggage count, size or weight restriction and recommends a reasonable amount of personal property.Cruises of 6 nights or fewer have one Evening Chic night, and cruises of 7 nights or longer have two. | Cruises of 6 nights or fewer have one Evening Chic night, and cruises of 7 nights or longer have two. |
| Holland America Line | Holland America publishes no fleet-wide cruise-luggage count or size box and asks guests to follow airline limits where relevant.Most evenings are Smart Casual. Sailings under 4 days have no Dressy Nights; 4-6 days have 1; 7-13 days have 2; 14-20 days have 3; 21-28 days have 4, with one more for each additional 10-day band through 88 days. | Most evenings are Smart Casual. Sailings under 4 days have no Dressy Nights; 4-6 days have 1; 7-13 days have 2; 14-20 days have 3; 21-28 days have 4, with one more for each additional 10-day band through 88 days. |
| Virgin Voyages | Virgin Voyages imposes no numerical bag count, dimension or weight maximum but asks guests to limit their bags.Virgin Voyages has no formal-night dress code and encourages personal style. | Virgin Voyages has no formal-night dress code and encourages personal style. |
| MSC Cruises | Each guest may check two cases up to 90 x 75 x 43 cm and carry two pieces up to 56 x 45 x 25 cm; every piece is limited to 23 kg.Daywear is casual, evenings request a polished look, and selected sailings schedule Gala Night and themed parties. | Daywear is casual, evenings request a polished look, and selected sailings schedule Gala Night and themed parties. |
| Viking Ocean Cruises | Viking's published Australia and New Zealand contract permits one cubic metre of baggage without an extra ship charge; other bookings may use different terms.Viking has no formal nights; evening dress is Elegant Casual in dining venues, performances and special events. | Viking has no formal nights; evening dress is Elegant Casual in dining venues, performances and special events. |
Cruise bags that keep embarkation essentials with you
These compact bags are sized for documents, medication, valuables, swimwear and a change of clothes while checked cases are on their way to the stateroom.
Your cruise kit, built for your ship and your sail dates
Which nights are formal, what the stateroom already supplies, what security takes off you at the pier, and the forecast for every port on your dates.
This unofficial guide summarizes published cruise line rules. Confirm the official sources before you travel. See our Terms of Service.