Cruise Embarkation Day: Important Items to Carry On

Your bag is packed, tagged, and ready to hand off to the porter, right? Not so fast! You MUST-HAVE certain items to board the ship. You should also keep many recommended items with you in your carry-on or personal item bag. In this post, I’ll share my go-to cruise embarkation-day essentials so you can kick-start your vacation as soon as you board.

Related Post: Understanding Cruise Embarkation Day

So, what do I consider to be my sail-away day essentials? Here are my 10 things to carry on cruise embarkation day!

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First, the “Must Haves” for your Cruise Embarkation Day Bag

Personal Item Bag

A lightweight backpack, Tote, or personal item bag to carry your essentials and keep them secure.
I like a backpack so that my hands are free to handle paperwork, take pictures of a new, exciting ship…and of course, have a happy vacation drink! I still carry my large backpack (shown in the feature image) onboard, but after I unpack, I switch to this lightweight packable backpack for all of our port days.

Boarding Docs & Passport

You will need your passport in hand when you board the ship. Yes, you have likely already scanned it for pre-boarding check-in in the cruise line app, but you’ll need the physical passport to board the ship. Don’t send it with your checked luggage.
You may also want to bring receipts for anything that you have prepaid – internet, drink package, excursions, etc. I also take copies of our passports and carry them with us while on the islands, leaving our actual passports in the cabin safe. True, a photocopy isn’t a legal document, but it would make things a little easier in an emergency. You can also keep pictures of these items on your phone if you want to carry less paperwork.

Related Post: Documents You Need for Your Cruise

Medication/First-Aid Bag

ALWAYS keep your prescription or essential medication with you.    You may also want to bring pain relievers and seasickness prevention and treatment (just in case!). I also stash a few band-aids and antibacterial ointment in the medicine pouch.  I usually keep these items in my port-day bag.

More details on my medication bag are in my Pharmacy Pouch for Cruisers: Have What You Need!

Electronics/Valuables

It’s a good idea to pack your electronic items, such as a laptop, camera gear, etc., in your carry-on bag when you board the cruise ship.  If you are traveling with other valuables or irreplaceable items such as jewelry, keep them with you.  This isn’t about potential theft, although I suppose it could happen. This precaution is mostly so these items aren’t potentially damaged during handling.

Phone, Charger & Splash Proof Pouch–

Pro Tip: If you like to keep your phone charging bedside, consider one of these iwalk portable chargers.

As a cruise blogger and travel advisor, I carry a few electronics, a laptop, camera, selfie stick, etc., in my carry-on.  I recommend keeping any valuable items, or items you can’t replace, with you when you board.

Related: What’s in my tech bag?

Like many people, I use my phone to communicate with family and friends, take pictures, and post updates on my social media.

Next, the Nice (or Strategic) Items to Have When You Board

Swimwear/Cover-up

Typically, I want to explore the ship, but if you head straight to the pool, you will likely grab a great spot, since most people head for the food! Consider wearing your swimsuit under your embarkation-day outfit and packing a cover-up.

Lanyard

Are Lanyards outdated? They are still considered “must-haves for some, especially older cruisers. Consider carrying one in a clear pouch or a zipper pouch like these. I’ve started using a phone case with a card sleeve or a wallet area.

Sunscreen

Sunscreen is critical on a cruise.  Apply sunscreen before you arrive at the port, then toss it into your embarkation bag so you can reapply easily. (I pack Aloe Vera in my checked luggage; sunburns can be painful) My go-to brands are Sun Bum and Safe Sea I always have at least one of these in my cruise embarkation day bag. I’m a big proponent of reef-safe sunscreen to protect our ocean life, and it’s required in the Caribbean and Hawaii.

Sunglasses and/or Hat

I clip my favorite “Beach hair don’t care” trucker hat or my old Nike hat to the top of my backpack just in case I want it, and I ALWAYS wear my sunglasses.

Cabin Prep Kit

A small zipper bag filled with my stateroom cabin MUST-HAVES. Check out this article for how I prepare our stateroom cabin for a great week.

If you’ve enjoyed this list and found it helpful, why not print-it to have handy when you pack? You can download a free printable version by subscribing. – Cruise Embarkation Day Bag

Happy cruise planning!

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