You may remember to bring the extra umbrella in case it rains while you are out sightseeing, but forget your rain boots. There is a whole host of situations that you can encounter during an extended stay on a cruise ship, so it is best to be prepared, but not pack so much that you feel overwhelmed by your luggage. Here are some key items that are very easily left out of a packing check list.
Did you remember extra batteries? Sure you have the camera, your travel alarm clock, your electric razor, and your portable compact disc player, but did you remember to bring extra batteries for all of those devices? Chances are that you did not. Make sure that you have plenty of batteries to support your electronics through the duration of your trip. You do not want to find that perfect shot only to find that the flash on your camera has died. If you are not sure that you have enough, pack more.
Did you bring enough medication for the whole trip? If you are on prescription medication, it can become such a second nature, that you take it for granted. Make sure you have an extra prescription packed in a separate bag in case your luggage gets lost. Also, make sure you pack a bottle before the day of your trip. You do not want to end up leaving your medicine on the bathroom sink and then be stuck on a deserted island with no pharmacy nearby and no way to get to the medication that you need.
Be sure to pack more than one bathing suit. You may want to alternate if you are going to be aboard the cruise for several days. Give one a day or two to dry while you wear another one. There is very little in this world worse than trying to get into a wet bathing suit. Also bring a couple of beach towels if you like larger ones. Much like hotels, cruise ship towels are bath sized towels, and if you want to lounge with them, you might want a larger towel on hand. Flip flops, sunglasses, and plenty of sunscreen are also essentials if you plan on spending a lot of time on deck.
Bring plenty of film and a notebook. While you want to enjoy your adventure, as opposed to spending all of your time documenting it, you want to be sure that you take plenty of pictures to show to your friends back home, and it might be fun to keep a personal record of all of the exciting things that you are doing, so that you have something to look back on and not just remember what you saw, but how you felt. That kind of record can be more valuable than any video or photo that you take.
Pete Marciulonis