Here are some of the must-haves in my ultimate packing list for a Disney Cruise Line adventure!

• It’s always a good idea to wear Disney themed apparel, and show your love of Disney!
• Packing for a cruise is different from packing for other trips for a few reasons. The first day of your cruise, you will be without your luggage for a few hours while a concierge takes your luggage and moves it to your room. So you will be left without it for your first few hours onboard as it makes its way to your room. Be sure to pack a backpack or small bag within anything you might need within those first few hours on board.
• Use packing cubes to keep all of your items compartmented for ease in finding what you need. Cubes keep your suitcase nice and neat. You can put all the bathing suits in one spot, socks in another, underwear in another, and so on. Packing them is simple. Cubes make packing and unpacking a whole lot easier.
• The items you will want to pack most of are cruise casual attire, teeshirts, shorts, swimsuits. One great item you may want to bring is a small retractable clotheline. Often you are at the pool and coming back with wet clothes. Having a line to hang wet suits is a great idea. Most people swing it along the bathroom or along the shower rod.
• If you are packing for another adult for a cruise as part of a surprise gift, make sure you pack all the necessities they will need too! From their personal hygiene items, like contacts and eye glasses, to their passport, IDs, shoes, clothes and everything else on our packing list.
• If your little one has a special Disney plush they’d like to bring along to keep them company or let them sleep, stick to one friend; keeping track of multiple stuffed animals could be tricky, plus there are so many shops on board to purchase new toys!
• Always cruise with a small first aid kit. Although there are medical areas on board it’s a good idea to have your own stash of band aids and simple first aid that might be needed in a quick fix. Bringing a first aid kit on the cruise as a precaution is always a good idea. Of course, these items can also be purchased on board in a pinch (although you will get that extra fee for the Disney brand).
• If at any point during your cruise you need to purchase an essential item, there are plenty of places onboard to buy pretty much anything on this list.
• If you plan to make some purchases while on the ship, it’s a good idea to leave a little room while packing, or to pack a foldable, expandable bag that you can take out and use to carry extra items home.