Revolutionize Your Packing

Packing for cruises is different than packing for a resort vacation. When you're on a cruise you can literally wear your bathing suit all day long and get dressed for dinner. There are cruise casual nights, semi-formal, formal and on Disney Cruise Line-Pirate Night. 


So how do you pack for a cruise vacation? Here are a few important things to remember:

• Whatever you bring you have to store
• Even though Disney Cruise Line's staterooms are 20% larger than any other ship in the industry they are not the size of a hotel room. Keep in mind that everything is made with space in mind and sized accordingly. You'll find the drawers are more narrow than a regular dresser, the bathrooms smaller, etc. You also have to find a place to stash your empty suitcase. While the new ships have raised the beds so your luggage can slide underneath the old ships don't have that luxury. Limit the number of suitcases you bring because they take up valuable space in your stateroom!
• Everything is shrunk to fit, so mind the size of what you're bringing! 
• Two words "Travel-size". Please, please, please do not bring your salon size shampoo with the pump. Quite honestly, you have no need for that much shampoo for a week and there's no where to put it. A razor blade won't even fit on the ledge in the bathroom so your gigantic shampoo certainly will not. Buy a pack of travel sized bottles or travel size brands of the products you use. 
• Bring only what you can't get on the ship. If you aren't picky about your products be advised that Disney Cruise Line provides H2O spa products. You'll receive shampoo and conditioner as well as bar soap (concierge level guests get sea salt body wash!) so there's no need to pack that unless you have a specific product you require. 
• Blowdryer: On the Wonder and Magic a blowdryer contraption is built into the wall. On the Dream and Fantasy a blowdryer is provided with a special plug that will operate at the desk/vanity area. You cannot plug a blowdryer into an outlet in the bathroom it will overload the circuit.
• Avoid clothing overkill
• You don't need 3 outfits a day. Most likely you'll need a bathing suit and cover up, and dinner clothes. You can pack some shorts and tank tops incase you get a rain day and are staying indoors on the ship. Other than that, get out and have some fun in the sun. 
• Pack wardrobe basics and accessorize! You don't need a little black dress for every night. Pick one comfortable black dress with 2 different pairs of shoes and some different jewelry or a cardigan to wear over. This will change the look of the dress and no one will know you're wearing the same one. 
• Pack functional wardrobe basics like a little black dress, a pair of dress pants, khakis, etc. Avoid items that don't mix and match well. You'll want versatility because this will lighten your load. 
• Mind the electronics
• Yes, we know you have 4 cameras, a cell phone, an i-pad, a nook, a laptop, etc. There is one place to plug things in inside your stateroom...on the Wonder and Magic it's the 2 electrical outlets at the desk/vanity area. On the Dream and Fantasy they are a bit more generous with the outlet situation but if you have a lot of things that need to charge simultaneously, bring a lightweight plug strip. 
• Unpack smartly
• When it comes to cruising, unpacking is just as important as packing; if not more. If you don't unpack properly you're going to have a big mess in your stateroom and are going to feel like your room is even smaller than it is. Think outside the box. There are a lot of little spaces and places and tiny drawers-use them! 
• Nightstand-I like to put my medications/pill holder in my nightstand drawer. I also put an envelope to keep track of my receipts, my phone and my nook in my nightstand drawer. 
• Drawers-there are tiny drawers within the desk/vanity area. The vanity is located by the sofa and upper berth (if applicable). So if you have little kids sleeping on that side of the room, put their stuff in those drawers. This avoids a traffic jam in the morning when everyone is trying to get dressed. Their clothes are also smaller and will fit better in those drawers. 
• Travel space bags are a lifesaver! They condense your clothing into waterproof bags that are perfect for items you may have to store in unusual places but still want to keep clean and to keep your outfits together. I use one for unmentionables and socks, one for day wear, and one for dinner wear. **If you purchase them from Bed Bath and Beyond look for a 20% off coupon!**
• Cabinet-there is a large cabinet overhead that usually has an extra pillow and blanket in it-remove those and put them on the bed and you have a big storage space to utilize. 
• Closet-there are hangers in the closet that come in handy for your formal wear. You can also put shoes in here if you don't want to stash them under the bed. 
• There are lifejackets in the closet that aren't supposed to be removed but you can probably re-arrange them into a more space saving way such as putting them on the top shelf where you can't reach or moving them to a part of the closet you don't have to access everyday.
• Bathroom-a hanging toiletry bag is perfect for the back of the bathroom door to keep all your essentials in. You can easily access them and put them back as necessary and this leaves your counters clear and is also nice for your stateroom attendant, who can now easily clean your bathroom. An over the door shoe organizer also works great and has additional pockets. 
• Desk-the most shallow desk drawer is perfect for chargers and electronic devices since that is where they plug in. You can keep them all wrapped up nice and tidy and the drawer is shallow so it's easy to find a charger-even in the dark.

Ta-Da! Now you know how to pack like a cruise expert. Be patient, practice makes perfect and the more you cruise the more efficiently you'll pack. You're on your way to being a practical planner!