Packing Tips for Cruise Lines Novices
July 19, 2005
So you're going on a cruise. Finally. After years of hearing your friends tell you how great the cruise lines have been to them:"Oh the service was excellent, and the ports of call were beautiful!" you had to see what the experience is all about. Meanwhile, your last vacation was spent in a place with a sign that read "_otel" and that had a "Continental Breakfast" consisting of half a loaf of bread, a toaster, warm orange juice, and a jar that read "tips please." Well, good for you! you're onto what is likely to be the first of many special cruises.
But before you get your first pair of socks out of the drawer (or search for the cleanest ones in your hamper) and start packing your clothes, there's a few things you need to make sure you do, one of which is completing all the necessary documentation that you'll need to get onboard. Without this information, the cruise lines won't let you go anywhere, clean socks or no socks. Basically, this information includes your birth certificate, driver's license, passport, or any other identifying documentation you might need. When you're sure it is completed, put it in your carry-on bag or some place where you can access it when the cruise lines need it. (For more info on specific documentation that you'll need, please visit the "Embarkation Forms" section on www.cruisenetwork.com. Also, read "A Question of Identity" in the April 2005 issue of Cruise News.)
Next, put a card with your name, address, and contact information on each of your suitcases. Many suitcases have clear plastic ID card holder thingies attached to the handle; if yours does not, go pick one up—the small amount of money you'd spend on one will well be worth it if it saves you from loosing your luggage at the airport. It will also give you the chance to find out what those thingies are really called.
Okay, now it's time for the fun stuff: packing your clothes. Men and women often go about this differently. Women can be meticulous when it comes to packing clothes, creating intricate orders of possible ensembles--Well if I wear this red blouse with these tan shorts than that means I have to wear these shoes, but if I wear the blue blouse and the black skirt then I'll obviously have to go with my sandals, until their packing lists look more like complex family tree than anything else. Men, on the other hand, are usually much more haphazard about packing clothes, which is why the "Hawaiian shirt and black socks" look is so popular on cruise ships.
No matter how you pack, just take into account that the destination or port of call you're going to may be a completely different climate than where you are coming from...or what you might expect. Obviously, if you're leaving from New York where it is 30 degrees and going to Mexico where it is 90, you'll probably want to bring along something a little lighter than the wool sweater your wearing. Also, be sure you really find out about the climates in which you'll be traveling. For instance, don't be fooled by thinking that every port of call is going to be warm everywhere; some of Hawaii's mountains are downright frosty and covered in snow. Also just because you're going to say...South America...doesn't mean you'll be in warm weather all the time. Sure Rio de Janeiro can get steamy, but the southern tip of Chile is...dare I say it?...No, I won't...very cold.
Also, make sure you have clothes suited to the activities you'll be doing. Generally, you'll need active, casual, and formal wear. If you plan on traipsing through a rainforest on one shore excursion and eating at a 3 star restaurant on another, you'll probably want a change of attire. Unless, that is, you don't mind flying along a zip line in your tuxedo. As long as you have an idea of the climate you'll be entering and what sort of activities you'll participate in, you should be ok. And be sure to remember the little things, like a toothbrush, sunglasses, shaving cream, deodorant, and the like. Of course, all those things can be purchased onboard, but it's much easier and less expensive if you bring your own. Some of the little things that can't be purchased, however, include your prescription medicine, your glasses, and your spouse. Forgetting any of them could be detrimental to your health.
