What We Actually Pack for a Cruise With Kids
Cruises are supposed to be easy. Show up. Get on. Get the party started, right??
But once you’re actually on the ship, you realize pretty quickly that a few small things can make a big difference — especially with a couple of kids under 12.
After going on 5 cruises in 18 months, we’ve figured out what actually gets used and what just takes up space. This isn’t a giant packing list, though it does seem like a lot of things. It truly is all the things and stuff we bring every time because it makes the trip smoother and ultimately more enjoyable. We keep these packed away for each trip, ready to add to the bag and get on with the next sailing!
If You Only Bring 3 Things, Make It These
Magnetic hooks
Reusable Water Bottle
Motion Sickness Necessities
These three alone make the biggest difference once you’re on the ship.
🧲 Magnetic Hooks (Bring More Than You Think)
Cruise cabins are metal, which makes these ridiculously useful. Stick em anywhere you want, and hang things up out of the way.
We use them for:
Bags
Towels
Wet clothes
Hats
Anything that would otherwise pile up
Heavy-duty matters — weaker ones don’t hold much once you actually start using them. They’ll slide down the wall. Get the HD ones!
👉 https://amzn.to/4cA3SlJ
👉 https://amzn.to/4sD9GRe
🧺 Over-the-Door Organizer
Cabin space is tight.
This gives you a place for:
Sunscreen
Brushes
Kids’ stuff
Flip Flops
Sunglasses
All the small items that pile up fast
Without it, everything ends up on counters or the floor. This keeps it easy to find and out of the way!
👉 https://amzn.to/4cpWadK
👉 https://amzn.to/4cORWO7
💧 Waterproof Phone Pouch
This feels optional… until you’re near water basically anywhere you go on the ship. It might not be necessary 100% of the time, but you’ll use it daily with pools trips, or shore excursions to go explore!
We use it for:
Pool days
Beach stops
Excursions
You’ll use your phone more when you’re not worried about it getting soaked. We took one of these up parasailing in Costa Maya, hakuna matata!
🎟️ Cruise Lanyards (Key Card Holders)
Everyone gets a key card, and you use it constantly. Some people prefer the lanyards. We are mixed family. They are handy to have around your neck!
This helps with:
Not losing it
Easy access
Kids managing their own card (most important one for us!)
🧳 Cruise Luggage Tags (Don’t Skip These)
These go on any bag you hand off to the crew before boarding.
They’re what the port and ship staff use to get your luggage to your room once it’s ready — and without something like this, those paper tags can get torn, wet, or fall off.
We use these to:
Protect the printed cruise tags
Keep everything attached securely
Avoid any mix-ups or delays getting bags to the room
It’s a small thing, but it removes a potential headache right at the start of the trip.
🔋 Portable Charger
Between photos, videos, and kids borrowing devices, your battery goes faster than you expect.
We always bring one (at least). It just removes the problem completely. Charge whenever you need to!
💦 Water Bottles
You’ll refill these constantly. Water is free on board (and lemonade, iced tea, and some juices) but they only provide these little plastic cups. Having a larger, refillable water bottle to use and take with you saves a ton of hassle. And when you get off the ship for a port day, it’s easy to clip to a backpack, diaper bag, or beach bag to keep fresh water on you!
We always look for:
Spill-resistant for kids
Insulated for adults
👉Adult Size https://amzn.to/4cqfGa0
👉Kid Size https://amzn.to/4tsQjLS
🏖️ Mesh Beach Bag
This becomes your go-to bag. The mesh is a life saver after a beach day. Wet towels can go in, and all the sand will fall through the cracks!
We use it for:
Pool trips
Beach stops
Excursions
It drains sand and dries fast. Can’t get by without this one!
🤿 Snorkel Gear
If you’re planning to snorkel, having your own gear is just easier. We purchased these when we went to Hawaii a few years back and they’ve held up extremely well. From Bonaire to Roatan to St. Thomas. We bring them on every trip! And the greatest thing was when our then 2.5 year old daughter first put it on and looked under the water. Boy was she hooked!
We bring:
Adult set
Kids set
So we’re not relying on rentals and swapping who knows what with who knows who!
👉 Adults → https://amzn.to/4udlivN
👉 Kids → https://amzn.to/4mzzuwr
📷 Action Camera
If you’re already bringing snorkel gear, this is an easy add-on. This one is Dad’s toy. Capturing all the moments, above and below the surface.
We use it to grab:
Underwater clips
Quick footage from excursions
Nothing fancy — just fun to have.
👉 https://amzn.to/4vzsVOv
👉 https://amzn.to/4ciQOSY (if you GOTTA have the upgrade…)
📦 Packing Cubes
These help more than you’d expect. An organized suitcase is so much better to unpack (both on the ship, or back home after you’ve said fairwell!)
They keep:
Clothes organized
Bags manageable
Unpacking simple and quick.
🧺 Collapsible Laundry Hamper
Small thing, big HUGE difference. Keep the dirty clothes separated and easy for when laundry day comes!
Keeps:
Dirty clothes separate
Cabin from getting messy
💊 Motion Sickness Options (Just in Case)
Most cruises are smooth — but if they’re not, you’ll want something ready. We’ve been on big ships and smaller ships and you really can’t under estimate how angry the ocean might decide to feel from one trip to the next. This list below will give you the best arsenal in case you start to feel “one” with the waves.
We bring:
Patches
Ginger candies
Backup options
We don’t always use them, but when you need them, you need them.
👉 Patches → https://amzn.to/4toFJpy
👉 Ginger → https://amzn.to/482utGK
👉 Bonine → https://amzn.to/4mTneHn
👉 Dramamine → https://amzn.to/4cMrox0
What We Still Overpack (And Probably Always Will)
We say we’ve gotten better at packing… but we still end up bringing more than we need.
Every trip.
We still pack:
Extra outfits “just in case” (who said every night can’t be fancy night??)
More snacks than we’ll ever go through (we fill an entire drawer in our room with snacks for our girls!)
Backup options for things we already have covered (battery packs, sunglasses, hats on hats, shoes, etc)
And honestly — that’s fine.
The difference now is we’ve cut out the stuff that doesn’t help at all once we’re on the ship. Everything we bring at least has a purpose, or a backup plan!
Why This Works For Us
This isn’t about bringing more.
It’s about bringing the right things so:
The cabin stays organized
You’re not constantly digging for stuff
You’re not solving problems all day
Once that’s handled, the trip is just easier.
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