Whether it was something on your bucket list for years, or you decided to bring yourself on an authentic adventure, world cruising is an experience like no other, and so is preparing a packing list for 45 – 100 days around the world trip.
When deciding what to pack for a world cruise, several factors should be considered aside from which shoes to wear to the bar. Cruise ship dress codes, onboard events, excursions, port activities, and changing weather conditions across your different destinations are just a few of the subtleties to take note of.
To help you ensure nothing is missing and you are fully prepared for the experience ahead, our expert travel advisors have compiled a list of essential packing tips and tricks created to alleviate the pain of knowing how and what to take on your luggage for your world cruise.
Do your research
The time between booking your world cruise and embarking is essential to plan and make sure everything is perfectly set up. This means talking to your travel advisor and researching your full itinerary, along with any onboard activities and on-port excursions you will be taking part in.
Check (and recheck) weather conditions and cultural norms at every place you will be disembarking, as well as the activities you will be participating in on shore – they will be very useful in knowing what to pack for a world cruise. Long trousers and a windbreaker will prove useful throughout the year in Japan while visiting Holy Sites will surely require you to wear a particular outfit that is more covered.
Look into your cruise ship’s activities and amenities as well. How many formal nights aboard should you be prepared for? How about theme nights? While you may not be much of a sports person, a long sea day after a month onboard might put you in the mood for a fitness class, so it will be better to show up prepared for it.
Understanding your journey will be instrumental in making informed decisions about what to pack for your world cruise.
Choose the right luggage
It should come as no surprise that for a trip this long you must opt for high-quality suitcases or travel trunks offering ample space and being easy to transport. Consider lightweight and durable materials with strong wheels and handles.
An expert traveler tip would be to include a set of compression packing cubes, as they can not only help you keep everything inside your suitcase neatly organized but they can also help you save space.
What to pack for a world cruise
Now let’s get to the details you came looking for. Start organizing your essentials and packing your luggage a few weeks in advance (especially if you are an over-packer) as this will give you the time to rethink certain things and shop for those items you don’t already have.
As mentioned earlier, keep your itinerary at hand and do your homework regarding shore excursions, onboard activities, amenities, and weather conditions at each of your destinations. Knowing what to pack for a world cruise will depend on factors such as these, your cruise line’s dress codes, and the activities you wish to embark on both on board and off shore.
Daywear
When going around the world in 100 days or so, one must be well prepared for almost all weathers and occasions. By day, time will be spent in a combination of shore excursions, and sea days – meaning comfortable clothing to cover both cases should be at hand.
Most luxury cruising lines such as Regent Seven Seas or Silversea encourage resort-style clothing in the morning and afternoon. Choose to pack a variety of casual separates – lightweight scarfs, shorts, comfortable slacks, and skirts that can be paired with cotton tees, polo shirts, and tops, as well as lightweight shirts, so you can get more looks from fewer items of clothing.
Long sleeves and pants will be necessary not only for shore excursions at places where the weather requires a little more cover-up but also to visit sacred sites.
Make sure to bring a hat and sunglasses on board, as well as an easy-to-carry backpack or sack where you can fit everything you may need on your shore excursions.
Think of versatile clothing that can be adjusted to various situations. A pair of dark jeans can be dressed up with a smart dinner jacket, or dressed down with a light polo shirt, while the same will work with a flowy, neutrally palleted skirt.
Layered outfits are a must when packing for a world cruise, as thinner layers will be easier to take in or out as temperature changes on your various destinations.
For women, dresses can be a great styling choice, as they are easy to roll and compact inside your luggage to be dressed up and down. A flowing dress will look great in the ports of Tahiti, while the right accessories will make it perfect for dinner both on, and off board.
Pack no more than a couple of swimsuits and cover-ups for relaxing at the beach, and bring your own snorkel gear or reef shoes if you are a fan of those activities.
In colder places, layers such as sweaters, jackets, and a light, easy-to-pack, and fold raincoat will be essential.
Cotton and linens are great fabrics for keeping you cool in warmer weather, while wool scarfs and jumpers, or even puffer jackets depending on your destinations and their particular conditions will prove useful for lower temperatures.
Remember laundry services will surely be available on your world cruise voyage. Choose a few color palettes that make it easy to mix and match outfits. Neutral colors always go well on a luxury cruise, as variety is added with a few key, colorful accessories.
As you will be visiting plenty of destinations, chances to pick up clothes or accessories along the way will abound, so don’t forget to bring an extra bag, or leave some luggage space in hand for whichever souvenirs you pick up along the way.
Sturdy walking shoes will be essential. Bring more than one pair with you, as well as one or two pairs of sandals for tropical locales or particularly warm weather. Some shore activities may involve hiking, so if you are keen on booking any excursions involving this, make sure to bring the right clothing options.
Night-time outfits
Cruising makes your ship a destination of its own, and world cruises particularly are a special experience to step it up a notch.
Indeed, your world cruise comes with fine dining options and a few gala nights on board. After 6:00 pm you will see dress codes changing to either casual – think of pants, casual dresses or skirts worn with blouses for women, to open-neck shirts and slacks for men -, informal – dresses or pantsuits for ladies, smart pants and jackets for men – to formal, where an evening gown is required for women and tuxedos and dark suits for men.
A safe rule of thumb is: The longer the voyage, the more formal nights there will be. Be prepared for those by packing at least two or three gowns or tuxedos to be worn during such evenings, and no more than a couple pairs of shoes that can be well worn with your outfits.
Make sure to consult your agent regarding brand-specific theme nights in order to pack accordingly. Usually, the right pair of accessories will be enough to accommodate a classic black gown for a theme night.
Think of a feathered slide in your hair or a pocket square in an art deco print for a 1920s-themed night. However, if you wish to go all the way and seize the opportunity to be noticed, keep this in mind when figuring out what to pack for a world cruise, or trust on-board retailers to be on hand with themed products and accessories to complement your outfit.
For women, a black cocktail dress is essential, as it can be dressed up and down for a variety of occasions. Avoid overpacking by bringing a couple of these in different styles, and do not forget at least one ball gown for a special night.
During the rest of the evenings though, pantsuits, trousers, and skirts will be enough to dress up for a casual evening at the bar, while chiffon blouses are an easy-to-pack addition to make any outfit stand out.
For men, one tuxedo, and a couple of suits should be more than enough. Dress up a pair of trousers and a shirt with a black or navy dinner jacket for semi-formal evenings, and keep a lighter cotton or linen jacket for hot evenings.
Health and toiletries
Before going away, make sure you fill up all of your prescriptions and specific medications for the trip ahead.
While toiletries are usually provided by your cruise line and can also be found anywhere in the world, it wouldn’t hurt to bring extra supplies of your personal hygiene and beauty products that may not be available in foreign destinations – also, who wants to spend their time ashore searching for that particular toothpaste?
Other packing essentials
Well-chosen accessories will be a must to elevate any outfit. Bring along a selection of statement jewelry, scarves, ties, and belts.
Avid readers must not forget to bring their Kindle or tablet, a better alternative to filling up a suitcase with books. Remember to pack your camera, laptop, several high-storage memory cards, and an external hard drive to download all of the pictures you will be taking on your around-the-world adventure.
Include a waterproof bag with you when exploring ashore, even if it only fits essentials such as your camera and phone. Some of the destinations visited may welcome you with a rain shower, and you don’t want to be caught off guard.
Bring a reusable water bottle as a way to contribute to the environment and use less plastic, while ensuring you have water available whenever you need it.
Considering you will be occupying your stateroom for months, it can be nice to make it feel as comfortable as possible, so bring along a bedside clock, pictures of your loved ones, magnets to place them on the wall, a power strip to provide extra charging outlets (don’t forget power adapters!), a plastic clear organizer to hang in the bathroom for toiletries, and any other favorite treats from home.
Don’t forget a small sewing kit, a first aid kit for blisters, and a bar of professional super glue to fix any unexpected malfunctions in your wardrobe, as well as spare readers and prescription glasses, just in case. A small roll of bubble wrap from Target or Office Depot will also prove useful when packing valuable souvenirs.
Pack smart and efficiently
Pack strategically, using packing cubes or compression bags to maximize space and stay organized throughout your journey. Use lightweight travel hangers placed in dry-cleaning plastic bags to prevent wrinkles, especially for dressy attire.
As for the rest of the clothing items, roll them instead of folding them to minimize wrinkles, and place heavier items at the bottom of your suitcase to prevent crushing delicate clothing.
Conclusion
Knowing what to pack for a world cruise is not an easy task, but by taking all of these tips and tricks into account and leaning on the experience of your travel advisor and concierge teams, all should be neatly covered.
When visiting so many different countries, particular needs may arise so make sure to think ahead of time so you can be well prepared.
Use these tips as a base to create your personalized packing list and get ready to enjoy the experience of a lifetime as you sail around the globe – with the beauty and comfort of only having to unpack once.
Mavi Parra is a journalist, content creator, and traveler with over 10 years of experience in various communications fields. Specializing in digital media and advertising, her work focuses on the relationships between travel, culture, and destinations. Currently, she is Luxury Cruise Connection’s content writer, developing engaging content to educate and promote luxury cruise travel.
