Cruise holidays are back, but amidst all of the excitement of seeing new places, exploring the ship and enjoying heaps of onboard entertainment, there can be one stress for passengers; what do you pack for a cruise?
New research from MSC Cruises has uncovered that 35% of Brits find packing stressful - in fact, one in ten say it's so worrisome they don't want to go on holiday.
Then of course with so much time spent at home in recent years, we're out of practice when it comes to holiday packing, with nearly a quarter of respondents admitting to forgetting how to pack pre-pandemic.
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Brits admitted to having packed some weird and wonderful items on their getaways including a wooden giraffe, gravy powder, fried onions, a telescope, bread maker - and one person even accidentally discovered their hamster was a stowaway!
Luckily one expert is on hand to help, whether it's your first holiday in a while, or your first cruise altogether, one expert is on hand to help.
Jeannine Williamson, The Pro-cruiser, has teamed up with MSC Cruises to share her top tips on what to pack for your next sailing...
Get organised
It’s very easy to over-pack and end up taking away far too much. Lay out all the clothes, shoes and accessories you plan to take before you go, rather than getting things straight out the wardrobe and putting them into a suitcase.
Try to stick to two or three main colour schemes. Put them together as ‘whole’ outfits - and take photos of them a reminder - so you can easily see which tops can be worn with different skirts and trousers and how outfits can be mixed and matched, and accessorised with scarves and jewellery, so they can be worn several times but still look like a different outfit.
Download books to a device
The busy daily programme of activities, shore excursions, entertainment and never-ending food and drink means there is hardly time to read a newspaper, let alone War and Peace! (Plus, you'll save some precious suitcase space).
Layers, layers, layers
Even in the height of summer, take clothes that can be layered over T-shirts and shirts, such as long-sleeved jumpers, cardigans, a jacket and lightweight raincoat. Shrugs or shawls are a great idea and the latter take up little room and are easy to roll up in your suitcase to plan for those cooler nights on deck. Hats and beanies are also a must whether you're on a summer cruise or a winter sailing.
Consider your destination
For Mediterranean cruises take loose-fitting clothing that will be comfortable in hot climates. Natural fabrics such as cotton or moisture-wicking tops are best. Don’t forget wide-brimmed sunhats, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellent.
Want to send postcards from your ports of call?
Take a sheet of peel-off address labels and before you go write the names and addresses of the people you’re going to send postcards to. This saves time writing them on the cards when you’re there - and you won't need to carry an address book around.
Line your suitcase with reusable plastic bags
If you have a fabric suitcase then line the bottom with reusable plastic bags and pop one or two on the top to cover your clothes when you have finished packing. This will keep your clothes dry if bags are left outside in the rain at the airport or before you board your ship. Once you’re aboard and unpacked they can double up as laundry bags for dirty clothes that you bring home and separate them from other items.
- It's not just the Pro-Cruiser who has useful advice - MSC Cruises has brought on a whole panel of experts with packing tips. You can find out more on msccruises.co.uk.
Have you got any good packing tips for fellow holidaymakers? Let us know in the comments below.
