7 day cruise packing list
Packing List: What to Pack for a 7-Day European Cruise | Princess CruisesWords & Images: David McClane Show
This post contains affiliate links. By clicking a link and making a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. What should I wear on a Cruise? This is the phrase that I found myself frantically googling when I found out that I would be taking a 7-day European cruise with Princess Cruises. You see, I never thought that I would be taking a cruise. Years of backpacking mean that Im used to packing light and I usually dont have to think about what I take with me; a few t-shirts, a couple of pairs of shorts, and enough underwear to last me until I find a laundrette and Ill be fine. However, Im not one to stick to my own personal comfort zone and jumped at the chance to spend a week in luxury aboard a cruise ship. The only problem was, What should I pack? Here was my issue; When packing for a cruise, youre essentially packing for 3 very different trips. Firstly, theres your onboard attire, next you have to think about what you need for your shore excursions and days in port, and lastly, you need formal wear for evenings on the ship. Thats right, cruises can get fairly fancy and you occasionally need to dress to impress, which and anyone that knows me can attest to this is something that I very rarely do. Theres nothing worse than arriving on a trip and realising that youve forgotten a certain item of clothing or a travel essential, but luckily Im here to help. Below, Ive put together my ultimate cruise packing list, but first, there are a few questions you need to ask: Is There a Dress Code Onboard Princess Cruises?There is a dress code onboard Princess Cruises ships, but luckily it isnt too stuffy or constraining. During the day, I found that you can wear whatever you would normally wear for hanging out in a standard resort hotel and that is fine. Im talking flip-flops, shorts (or swim shorts) and a t-shirt are all okay for wandering around on the deck or the ship. According to Princess Cruises website, they say that Casual sportswear, including shorts, lightweight pants and jogging suits, is the order of the day both at sea and ashore in hotter climates. Which fits well with my habit of dressing as casual as I can get away with in most situations. However, Princess Cruises do have formal nights on their ships. Its a fun chance to dress to the nines, enjoy a fancy meal and an evenings entertainment, all while feeling a little glam. Princess recommends that you wear evening gowns and cocktail dresses for ladies and tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits for men. While I saw a lot of men in full tuxedos complete with a bow-tie, I opted for a navy suit and smart shoes which were absolutely fine. Others wore just a smart shirt with dark trousers and they didnt seem out of place either. Its also worth noting that you are required to wear smart casual attire in the ships restaurants. This means no shorts, ripped jeans, sportswear, baseball caps, or swimwear. Anything that I would normally wear to eat out seemed absolutely fine and I did see a number of people eating at the restaurants in shorts and t-shirts without any issues. Is There a Luggage Allowance?Luckily, Princess has no limits on the number of bags that you can bring with you, they only ask that no single piece of luggage weighs more than 22kg. As someone that is used to the restrictive policies of budget airlines, this was a revelation. The fact that we were sailing from Southampton meant that I could back whatever I wanted without having to worry about trying to fit everything into a carry-on bag for a flight to a departure destination. How long Is your Cruise?Obviously, the duration of your cruise is going to affect how much luggage you take. For a 7-day cruise, I was able to get away with taking just a cabin-size case and packing enough so that I had a t-shirt for each day, a few pairs of shorts and jeans, shirts for the evenings and a suit for the formal nights. If youre the kind of person that likes to make multiple outfit changes in a day, obviously you will have to pack a little less light than I did. However, its worth noting that if you are cruising for longer than I did and still dont want to take too much luggage on board, Princess Cruises do offer wash and press services on board all ships (same-day service is available for a surcharge) as well as providing self-serve laundry options. Where is your Cruise Going?Its always recommended that you check the weather of the destinations that youll be heading to before you decide what to pack for your cruise. Will one of the stops be much hotter or colder than your port of departure? For my cruise, we stopped in A Coruña, Bilbao, Bordeaux, and Guernsey so the weather wasnt too different to what I would experience at home in the UK and I was able to get away with packing what I would normally wear. However, If youre cruise is stopping off somewhere a little chillier say, Scandinavia or Russia during the winter months you will have to consider what cold-weather gear you will need to pack. It is also worth considering what shore excursions you will be doing as they may require specific clothing. If youre doing something a little adventurous, you dont want to be caught short without things like hiking boots or sportswear. Now that youve asked the important questions, lets get down to the nitty-gritty and see whats on my ultimate cruise packing list. What to Pack: Cruise EssentialsPassport Cruise Tickets and Visas Luggage Tags Credit or Debit Card Travel Insurance Suncream Toiletries Re-usable Water Bottle What to Pack for a Cruise: Main LuggageLike I said before, departing from Southampton means that you dont have to limit your luggage to whatever restrictions airlines impose on you. I tried to pack at least one daytime outfit for each day of the cruise as well as an additional outfit for an evening. The best thing is that once you are on the ship, you can unpack (into the walk-in wardrobe area of your stateroom no less) and not worry about packing everything again until the end of your cruise. A bit of a luxury for someone like me that is so used to backpacking from city to city without ever really unpacking. Underwear T-Shirts Shorts Jeans Shirts Jumper or Hoody Jacket or Raincoat Swimwear Sportswear Flip flops Trainers or Comfortable Shoes A Small Bag or Backpack Formal WearIf youre heading out on a 7-day cruise, its likely that you will have 1 or 2 formal nights on board the ship. Princess Cruises usually have these on sea days. Remember that theres a dress code; for men, this is a tuxedo or dark suit with smart shoes, although a smart shirt and dark trousers will be fine, especially if paired with a tie. For women, this means cocktail dresses or ball gowns, although Im sure that any mid-length dress will fit the bill. On my trip, we had two formal nights so I packed just the one suit and tie, but two shirts to wear. Electronics and AccessoriesCamera Check outthis postto see what camera gear I travel with. Travel Adapters and charging cables Power Bank There you have it my ultimate cruise packing list! If theres anything Ive missed, or if you have any questions about packing for a cruise, let me know in the comments below. I was on board Sapphire Princess as part of a 7-day Princess Cruises Cruise to Spain, France and Guernsey.Staterooms start at £649.99. For more cruise dealsclick here. This post has been created as part of a sponsored collaboration with Princess Cruises, however, all views expressed are my own. share Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on pinterest Share on whatsapp Share on email Dave McClaneDave McClane is a photographer and travel writer from Leeds, UK. In 2014 he packed his bags and set off on the adventure of a lifetime around Latin America. Since then, he hasnt stopped wandering the planet, camera in hand, getting lost. PrevPreviousA Day in La Coruña, Northern Spain NextThe 8 Best Things to do in GuernseyNext Read More Your Questions Answered: Everything you Need to Know about Taking a Cruise for the First TimeCruising for the First Time: Exploring Spain, France and Guernsey with Princess Cruises |