Packing for a World Cruise

Think of a world cruise as a string of 14-21 day cruises. One difference is that you will likely experience more changes in climate. World cruises all spend a lot of time in the tropics where it is hot and humid, but many will also spend some time in the Mediterranean or the North Pacific where it will be much cooler. Here is a list of the various categories you need to plan for:

Daily clothes for sea days

Daily clothes for warm weather ports

Daily clothes for cold weather ports

Daily clothes for dinner

Clothes for Gala nights

Pool Attire

Workout/Gym attire

Water shoes – if you plan are snorkeling or getting wet.  Some beaches are quite rocky

Snorkel Mask and Fins

Don’t forget about underwear, sleeping attire, and socks

Foul weather clothing, rain poncho.   The ship will always provide umbrellas for your use on rainy port days.

Hats

Sunglasses

Extra pair of prescription glasses & glasses repair kit

Shoe Laces

Theme night attire – World Cruises will have many theme nights and balls. About a month before the cruise, HAL will send you a booklet with the dates and themes for all the various special events. Now you will have time to shop accordingly. Most people did little more than wear green for St Patrick’s day, or red for Valentine’s day but there were probably 25 to 50 people who brought more elaborate costumes. For other themes, the ship would provide a hat or a mask or something to wear. The Black and Silver Ball and the All White theme had higher than normal participation. A list of the theme nights for the 2020 cruise can be found HERE.

Here are some points to ponder when thinking about your approach to clothing.

• Decide how often you want to do laundry or how many different outfits you would like. Some people are comfortable rotating thru 2 pairs of jeans while some women brought a different dress for almost every day of the cruise.

• I would start with your experience on a 14-day cruise and then adjust for different weather possibilities and your personal tolerance for repetition.

• If you are handy with spreadsheets, you can build one that has the itinerary for your cruise along with three columns, day, evening, and temperature. Using this spreadsheet, you can fill out the clothes you will wear for each day.

• Err of the side of taking less. There are plenty of opportunities to buy more clothes if you realize you need more.

Here is a suggestion from Judi:

Once I have a category of clothes gathered (eg Excursion day clothes) I take a picture and add these pictures to my packing list (which I take with me). Easy to see what I have and easy to pack for future trip

Here is the list from Jo “Writer on Deck” of what she is planning to pack:

Gala: 3 dressy pants or skirts, 2-4 tops; maybe a dress or two. Nicer sandals but still pretty flat.

Other Evenings: about 8 outfits, a combination of slacks, skirts, dresses and nicer tops. 2 sweaters or shawl for cool dining room.

Daytime: About a dozen tops (range of weather), 3-4 shorts, jeans, 3-4 cotton sundresses. sandals, closed-toe shoes for cool, wet days ashore

Outerwear: rain jacket, hoodie, windbreaker that packs small, warm hat and gloves Underwear, socks for about 6-8 days

2 Swimsuits, coverup, beach shoes, snorkel and mask (flippers optional)

You will need to have a 4-month supply of all your prescription medications. The term most insurance programs are familiar with is called “Vacation Override”. Start your conversation with your insurance company and your doctor to see if this is going to be easy or hard. This is something that you don’t want to put off to the last minute, but I haven’t heard of anyone not being able to reach an accommodation. If your medication requires special handling or involvement by the onboard medical team, get your travel agent and HAL involved sooner rather than later. We use Tricare Express Scripts and we were able to get everything we needed in advance. Be ready to spend some time on the phone and some people in the insurance companies may be new and not understand all the options. Start early and be politely persistent.

Some people have used a service called Good Rx

This service found better prices in some cases and allowed for more flexibility with prescription length and refills.

Here is a link to a Consumer Reports article that talks about this service along with some options to consider and some to avoid.   The article is 8 years old which I guess is a good sign since this company has been in business for a while.

Another service mentioned is WeRx  – Check em out!

Thanks to TR for the following tip:

We discovered that our insurance only allows one (1) vacation override per year. The error occurred when the 2019 GWV departed January 22 and the override took place just before departure. The 2020 GWV departed January 3rd and December request was deigned as twice in a year. We had to pay out of pocket prices ($$$).

Thanks to Jo “Writer on Deck” for the following tip:

A lot of people nowadays have meds that must be refrigerated. The stateroom “coolers” as they are properly called are not guaranteed to hold a proper temp, usually around 40 degrees F. But medical will store them for you. You can take them out of their boxes (keep one Rx label) and put them into ziplock bags, with your name and cabin number in Sharpie on the outside (and a second label inside). You just have to remember to stop by as you need them during the limited medical hours.

The ship has very limited amount of OTC medicine. Ships medical will have more, but it will be very expensive compared to what you can buy it for at your local drug store. Bring enough to deal with one typical cold or similar episode.

Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Tylenol, Aleve etc
Cough Drops
Cold Medications
BandAids – multiple sizes
Antiseptic Cream
Anti-diarrhea medicine
Anti-decongestant
Mosquito repellant
Suntan Lotion
Seasick Meds/wrist bands/patches etc

Thanks to “The Sailing Parrots” for the following tip:

As a sailor (we lived on our sailboat for 12 years), I highly recommend Motion Eaze, which is available on Amazon HERE. You simply place one or two drops behind each ear prevent sea sickness. Since the medication does not enter your bloodstream, you feel alert.

Lotions, creams, make-up, razors. toothpaste, sunscreen, mosquito repellent, shampoo, hair color. Keep track of what you use for 1 month while at home to gauge what you should bring on the cruise. If you aren’t picky about the brands, you will be able to buy more of all of these items during stops at your more modern ports.

Sharpies

Paper Clips
Post-it Notes
Pens/Pencils
Scissors
Clear Packing Tape
Cellophane Tape
Rubber Bands
Stapler and staples
Binders

If you find all those small lights annoying on various electronics and TVs bring some black electrical tape or masking tape and cover em up!

Zip Lock Bags of various sizes & Zip Ties

Battery Operated Clock – we use one with a suction cup to stick on the mirror.    It was more useful than we expected

Laundry supplies if you plan to do your own laundry – The Zuiderdam doesn’t have a self-service laundry, but bring whatever you may need to hand wash items in your sink.   

Business cards make it easy to share contact information

The front desk will usually give you a few sheets of paper and envelopes free of charge.

Thanks to Marty and Gail for the following tip:   

Bring an assortment of Birthday Cards, Anniversary Cards, Thank you cards etc.   There will be people you meet who will be celebrating special occasions and it’s very hard to find greeting cards while on the cruise.   Handwritten thank-you notes are always appreciated.

Thanks to Judi for these tips:

A small bottle of dish soap to wash water bottles
Paper Towels
Shout packets for stains (before sending to laundry)
Small sewing kit/ safety pins
A small self contained first aid kit to take on excursions

You certainly won’t go hungry on a cruise ship, but if you have to have a special treat e.g. Snickers Bars, a certain brand of peanut butter, gum, candy etc, then you should bring your supply from home. Certain items you can pick up at many ports – Snickers bars for example, but other items may be harder to find. Many ports prohibit taking food ashore. We always pack something like fig bars or equivalent which are in sealed wrappers that can come in handy during a long bus ride.   The ship used to provide popcorn during movies in the Amsterdam’s Wajang Theater,  but we expect that they will be showing afternoon movies in the World Stage on the 2023 World Cruise  – whether or not they continue to serve popcorn remains to be seen.

I brought a Rubbermaid tub, with a sealed lid, that I used to store some popcorn from the theater and keep it fairly fresh in our cabin.    On my most recent Zuiderdam cruise, popcorn was not available so I would buy a large bag in port.    So, if you want popcorn – be prepared to bring your own.

Cabins don’t have many electrical outlets. In addition to the single North American plug at the desk, there are two extra plugs at the desk that can be available to use with minimal effort.      Here is a multi plug outlet extender WITHOUT a SURGE PROTECTOR.   Here is one with the european plugs so you can use the other outlet.

Next to the standard 110-volt North American outlet on the desk, there is a 220V outlet made for European plugs. Most all electrical devices can use either 110 or 240-volt outlets. Bring an adapter for the European outlet and you can use it for many of your electrical devices. Be careful with anything that heats up – curling irons, hairdryers, etc. Some can handle dual voltage but many cannot. Those that can usually have a switch to select the correct voltage.

Next to each side of the bed, you’ll find USB charging outlets.  In Signature and Neptune suites on the Zuiderdam you will find 110 volt outlets as well.

If your room doesn’t have a refrigerator, if might still have an electrical outlet that you may be able to reach.    The TV;s used to sit on desks and in cabinets, but in most cases on mounted on the walls.   Look for plugs left behind where the TV’s used to be.

Bring enough chargers and cables to support keeping all your devices charged.   Here is a great option to reduce the number of adapters you will need – A 6 port USB charging station

Adapter plugs for any country where you will be traveling overland will come in handy

We used a portable power bank to help keep our iPhones and iPads charged while on a longer shore excursions. There are many products out there, but this is the one we used:  Anker PowerCore 20, 100mAH

If you have an APPLE WATCH – Don’t forget to bring your charging adapter.  I bought a second one and keep it with my cruising supplies.

AA/AAA Batteries –  Don’t forget any disc batteries you may need (CR 2032, CR2016 etc)  This are harder to get in smaller ports.

Batteries for your cameras along with any special chargers.

I am an Amazon Affiliate and the links on this page will take you to Amazon.  If you buy something using these links I get a small commission and your price is unchanged

If you enjoy certain games – bring them! Don’t forget your dominoes, Mah Jongg cards, Sudoku books, Crossword puzzles. Be sure to download any games for your iPhone before you leave.    Be sure to check for updates for all your games and apps on the night before the cruise leaves.   Getting updates using ship’s wifi is almost impossible.

If you like to knit or crochet, bring enough projects to keep you going for the 4 months.

Material for a possible boat building contest if that is something you may find interesting.   There is no guarantee that they will host one.    HERE are the rules for the boat building contest on a recent cruise.

The TVs will probably not have a usable HDMI or composite video input

If you are buying a new camera for the cruise, be sure to leave enough time to learn how to use it before you leave. Learn how to use the fill flash and how to take pictures under low lighting conditions and situations that are backlight. Bring an extra battery and memory card. If your battery goes bad, these can be hard to fine – bring a spare.

We used the following cameras on the cruise and were very happy with them.

Canon Powershot SX740 , Sony A6600 and the Sony RX100 V II

Spare SD Cards or whatever type cards you camera uses

Bring extra Thumb Drives – they are inexpensive and great for sharing photos with friends.   If you don’t’ have a laptop consider something like this:   SanDisk 64GB iXpand Flash Drive Go for Iphone/Ipad.    This will allow people with a laptop to put pictures on your iphone by using this device.   But – if everyone has Iphones, then using Airdrop is easier.  If you have an Iphone and don’t know how to set up Airdrop – Learn before you leave and practice a few times.

External Hard Drive to back up your photos – BACK THEM UP EVERY DAY!

If you have a nice pair of Binoculars – bring them.    All Suites are provided with binoculars

I am an Amazon Affiliate and the links on this page will take you to Amazon.  If you buy something using these links I get a small commison and your price is unchanged

Since I was blogging, I brought more computers and accessories than the average person. Here is what I will be using:

Dell XPS 15 9500 @ Ipad/IPhone

Epson Workforce WF-110 Wireless Printer— The printer is wireless and uses a rechargeable battery. We used it to print out photos to share with friends. Small and light.

Epson Perfection V39 photo scanner:   Very small and light scanner – doesn’t need to be plugged into an electrical outlet. Gets all its power from the computers USB Port

External Hard Drive to back up your photos 

I am an Amazon Affiliate and the links on this page will take you to Amazon.  If you buy something using these links I get a small commison and your price is unchanged. 

3M Command Strip wall hooks to provide for extra hanging hooks
Strong Magnets to hold paper on walls
Collapsible storage bins to use on the shelf under the sink –
In our cabin three 11” x 11” x 5 “fit perfectly

Over the door shoe rack.

 In drawer organizers

Hanging Shelves that you can hang from the ceiling – the ceilings on the Zuiderdam are steel and magnets work very well.   The walls are not magnetic except in a few areas (doors and door jams etc)

Extension Cords and multibox outlets are allowed as long as they don’t have a surge protector.    Here is a multi plug outlet extender WITHOUT a SURGE PROTECTOR.   Here is one with the european plugs so you can use the other outlet. 

“Electrical devices such as small fans, power strips, multi plug box outlets/adaptors, and extension cords without surge protectors are allowed onboard when used with proper caution.  However, if such devices are determined to pose a hazard they will be confiscated”

I am an Amazon Affiliate and the links on this page will take you to Amazon.  If you buy something using these links I get a small commison and your price is unchanged

For the latest list of prohibited items see the Know Before You Go Page on the Holland America Website HERE AND HERE

Look under BAGGAGE POLICY and PACKING ADVICE  & PROHIBITED ITEMS – Here is the list as of March 2021 – But check the HAL website for the most current information.   I will highlight a few things that may not be as obvious as most other things:

Knives with a blade over 6.35 cm (2 ½ inches), or ½ inch at widest point

Scissors with blades longer than 4 inches.

Medical Marijuana

Tools of trade/hobby including any type of hand or power tool. This includes hammers, drills, drill bits, crow bars, saws, power saws, chef/cooking knives/utensils, tools greater than 7 inches in length such as screwdrivers, wrenches and pliers (unless prior authorization is provided by Corporate Headquarters and strict controls are maintained on-board).

Coolers, only coolers approximately 12 x 12 x 12 inches in size (holds 6-12 cans of non-alcoholic beverages) are allowed.  (See website for some exceptions)

Drones

Revised Policy effective June 1st, 2021

 Guests are not allowed to bring alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages on board for consumption or any other use except as follows:

 Guests 21 years and older may bring Wine and Champagne onboard, however a corkage fee of USD $20.00 (which is subject to change without notice) will be applied to each bottle (max 750 ml in volume or less). Limitations apply. Wine brought in quantities deemed to be excessive by the vessel or security will be refused.

 For voyage that depart from and return to Australia and/or New Zealand, this policy applies to guests 18 years and older. For voyages which depart from and return to Europe, China, Hong Kong, Singapore or Taiwan, this policy applies to guests 18 years and older, and for voyages which depart from and return to Japan, this policy applies to guests 20 years and older.

 Items such as sodas, energy drinks or other non-alcoholic items are not allowed on board in any form. Plastic water bottles are not allowed. However, an allowance of six liters, twelve (12) cans or cartons (500 ml in volume or less) or six (6) cans or cartons (1 liter in volume or less) of water are allowed per stateroom.  Any amount in excess of this allowance will be not be allowed onboard. Water in plastic bottles will not be allowed onboard in any quantity, including in ports of call. Guests will be asked to discard open beverages in plastic containers prior to boarding.    

 All checked and carry-on luggage will be scanned and any prohibited items, including alcoholic/nonalcoholic beverages will be removed, confiscated, and discarded.  If Your luggage is locked, the lock may be removed by security or, alternatively, the luggage will be held by security until you can be present for an inspection and any items in question further identified and/or surrendered.  Holland America Line shall not be responsible for any loss, cost, disappointment or damage of any kind as a result of any luggage lock removal, alcoholic/nonalcoholic items, or other prohibited items removed and discarded in violation of the policy. You agree to surrender alcoholic beverages that are purchased duty free from the ship’s gift shop, or at ports of call, to Holland America Line, which will be delivered to your stateroom just prior to disembarking the voyage. Any wine or champagne supplied by the Holland America Line to you is not subject to a corkage fee.  Purified or distilled water in factory-sealed containers (including plastic containers) for use in conjunction with medical device(s) are allowed in checked luggage and must be packed with the device(s). Distilled/purified water in factory-sealed containers (including plastic containers) for the reconstitution of infant formula is allowed in checked luggage for staterooms with infant bookings. Limitations apply. Allowances are subject to change without notice and remain subject to situational assessments by both security and the vessel.

An 18% Service Charge is automatically applied to all Beverage Purchases, Bar Retail Items, Specialty Restaurant Cover Charges and all For Purchase A La Carte Menu Items. Local Sales Taxes Applied where required.

Check HERE for the latest

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