Carry-On & Day Bag Checklist
What to keep with you on embarkation day and every day in port.
Get Free Cruise QuotesYour carry-on does two jobs. On embarkation day it holds everything you need for the hours before your checked luggage reaches your cabin — which on many ships is not until the evening. On port days it becomes your day bag. Pack it with both in mind: a bag that is comfortable to carry around a terminal for a couple of hours, and light enough to take on a walking tour or a tender boat.
Embarkation-Day Carry-On
- Passport or other travel documents, and your boarding pass
- Wallet, credit card and some cash
- All prescription medication, plus glasses or contact lenses
- Phone, charger and power bank
- Swimwear, sunscreen and sunglasses
- A change of clothes, in case your bag arrives late
- Clothes for the first evening’s dinner
- Valuables and jewelry (never in checked bags)
- Basic toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant
- A light layer for the air-conditioned terminal
Bottles of wine and other items have their own rules on each line; check before you pack them in either bag.
Port-Day Bag
- Cruise card and government-issued photo ID (you need both to get back aboard)
- A note of the all-aboard time and the ship’s port agent details from the daily program
- Credit card and some local currency or small U.S. bills
- Phone, fully charged, and a power bank
- Water bottle
- Sunscreen, hat and sunglasses
- Swimwear, towel (if the ship lends beach towels, bring it back) and water shoes for beach days
- Light rain jacket or umbrella
- Any medication you might need during the day
- Hand sanitizer and tissues
Pick the Right Bag
- A small backpack or cross-body bag with a zip works for most ports.
- A dry bag protects phones and cards on boat trips and beaches.
- Keep valuables to a minimum ashore; leave the rest in the cabin safe.
- Ship security scans bags when you return; anything bought ashore that is on the prohibited list may be held until the end of the cruise.
Planning a big day in port? Our network site Shore Activities has ideas for excursions worldwide.
Never in Checked Luggage
Checked bags are handled by porters, scanned and delivered to cabins over several hours. Keep these with you at all times on embarkation day:
- Passports, birth certificates and ID
- Medication and medical devices
- Cash, cards and jewelry
- Laptops, cameras and other electronics
- Power banks and spare lithium batteries (airlines also require these in carry-on)
- House and car keys
If You Are Flying to the Port
Your cruise carry-on has to pass airport screening first, so liquids, gels and aerosols in it must meet TSA carry-on rules. Pack full-size toiletries in your checked suitcase and keep only travel sizes in the carry-on. On the ship, you can refill from the bigger bottles.
Ready to Plan the Ports, Too?
Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise can match you with itineraries whose ports suit you — beaches, history or nature. Free quotes.
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