Packing For Your First Cruise Contract

I'm a chronic over-packer, the kind of person who takes a full-sized suitcase for a weekend getaway and still manages to fill it so full it barely zips. Packing for my first six-week cruise rotation, then, was interesting, to say the least. After three years of trial and error, I finally got it down to something of a science. Below is my list of things you might be forgetting to pack, and some tips and tricks that helped me fit a lot in only a couple of bags.

But first, a few things to keep in mind. Although luggage guidelines vary by cruise line, a good rule of thumb is to follow the basic airline allowances: one large checked bag, one medium carry-on bag, and one small personal item. Especially in your first few years working onboard, you're pretty much guaranteed to have a roommate or two, and one of the quickest ways to sour that relationship is by having so much luggage that it spills over into their space. A basic crew room is a little smaller than a college dorm room; to maximize space, I recommend looking for luggage that is either collapsible or can nest within each other.

That being said, on to the list:

1. Reusable Water Bottle

I was about 10 minutes into my first rotation when I realized that 1. I was extremely thirsty and 2. I had no idea where to get water. Cups and bottled drinks were one of the many things I had taken for granted on shore, but they seemed nowhere to be seen on ships. When I finally summoned the courage to ask someone, she brought me a case of waters with the admonition that "technically, these are only for guests." On every rotation after that, a reusable water bottle was one of the first things I packed.

2. Shower Caddy

In a tight space, staying organized is a must. I recommend bringing a shower caddy to store your toiletries in, so you're able to easily bring everything you need to and from without having to make multiple trips or trying to find storage space in a small, shared bathroom. Many shower caddies are collapsible or made out of mesh, so it's easy to find one that won't take up much room in your suitcase.

3. Laundry Detergent Pods

To put it bluntly, some hotel managers made sure the crew detergent bottles were refilled; others didn't. Just in case, I recommend putting a handful of detergent pods in a sandwich bag and bringing them along. If you have a favorite brand or favorite scent, this can also be a great way to make boat life seem a little more homey.

4. Laundry Bag(s)

Again, it's all about maximizing space and minimizing extra work. I recommend getting at least one simple mesh laundry bag to store dirty clothes and easily transport them to and from the laundry room. One perk of my cruise line was that officers got free dry cleaning, so I also had a fabric bag that I used when I sent clothes to the cleaners, to better protect them from the elements. Even if you don't use a dry cleaner, it can be nice to have a designated "dirty" bag and "clean" bag.

5. Collapsible Makeup Bag

If you're like me and your makeup collection goes everywhere you do, this collapsible makeup bag can be a lifesaver. All you do is arrange your products on it however you like, pull the drawstring, and voila — instead of a bulky case, you have a bundle that can easily fit in any corner of your suitcase. Once you reach your destination and reopen the bag, the products will still be in the exact same position you placed them in before.

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Travel Tip:

Despite our best-laid plans, plane travel can be tough on makeup. If you have products that can easily spill, like foundation or shower gel, I recommend wrapping them in cling wrap — worst case scenario, it won't save your product, but it will save everything else in your suitcase from being coated in said product. I may or may not be speaking from experience.

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6. Magnets

Fun fact: Whether you're in a stateroom or a crew room, the walls in your cabin are magnetic. Take advantage of this for quick and easy personalization. With a few magnets, you can turn the space by your bed into a photo collage, hang up calendars and notes, or display a whiteboard. I've even seen people stick fabric to the wall with magnets to create a fun "wallpaper" that can still pass muster (AKA: room inspections) every time.

7. Blanket

My blanket served both a personal and a practical purpose. On my ships, the crew were given a sheet set and either a waffle blanket or a duvet; in the cooler months, having another blanket added an extra layer of warmth and comfort. Since it was one I'd had since high school, wrapping up in it also helped alleviate the occasional homesickness. Rolled up tightly, it was easy to tuck in the top or bottom of my suitcase.

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Travel Tip:

Always roll your clothes! Switching from folding to rolling easily freed up half of my suitcase and also kept my clothes from wrinkling.

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8. Snacks

Working on ships is different from working at home or at an office, in that you can't really raid the kitchen cabinets in between meals. Again, in my experience, some hotel managers stocked snacks in the crew mess; others didn't. Either way, it can be nice to have a snack stash of your own. My go-tos were meat sticks (for the protein), granola bars (for the fiber), mini rice cakes (for low calories), and chocolate bars (for my sweet tooth). The one thing they all had in common was that they came in small packages and didn't take up a lot of room in the suitcase.

9. Passport

It's likely one of the first things you pack if you're traveling internationally, but it can be an afterthought if, like us, you mostly cruise domestically. Still, the only certainty about working on ships is that nothing is ever certain, so I recommend always bringing your passport, just in case. At the very least, I recommend going ahead and applying, if you don't already have one. Even though we could be about 99.9% sure that we we'd be staying in the U.S. on our rotations, I knew a couple of people who got reassigned mid-rotation to ships that either docked in or had excursions to Canada. Luckily, they had their passports!

10. Something Indulgent

As much as I loved working on ships, there were definitely times when it left me feeling — well — not quite human. In case of days where everything seems to go wrong, try to pack something you can treat yourself with and use to reconnect with the "real world" once you're safely back in your cabin at the end of the day. Something small like a hair mask, a sudoku book, or even a specialty chocolate bar could easily fit in either a carry-on or checked bag.