Packing for a cruise is a more intentional endeavor than packing for a weekend trip to New York City or Walt Disney World.
When traveling on a cruise, you must pack the essentials carefully, considering both the onboard activities and shore excursions in port.
That said, cruise cabins have limited storage. It's easier to pack more than you think you'll need, just to run out of space when settling into your stateroom.
One user asked what experienced travelers regretted packing for their cruise on Reddit. The post received over 200 comments, with many saying that they had second thoughts about how much clothing they brought.
Other answers ranged from common household items like steamers to lanyards and soda. Here's a round-up of the most regretted items packed for a cruise vacation.
Too many clothes
Many cruisers shared that they regretted bringing too many clothes. While planning vacation outfits is fun, trying to pack multiple outfits for each day can be stressful.
"I packed ~12 outfits and 4 swimsuits + coverups for a 7night/8day cruise and I could have packed less than half of that," wrote ResolutionStunning42.
Instead, they wished they had focused on bringing a few nicer outfits, a few comfortable outfits, swimsuits, and a single cover-up.
luckyvacaythrowaway added that they would not have brought clothes they felt insecure in at home, since they didn't end up wearing any of them.
If you bring too many clothes, your cabin can quickly become a cluttered nightmare, making it harder to find the shirt you really want to wear for White Night.
Shoes
On a similar note, a lot of travelers thought they had packed too many shoes. Not only do shoes take up a lot of valuable luggage space, but it's harder to organize them in the stateroom.
"[I] now try to only pack two pairs and I wear my bulkiest pair on the plane/ship (sneakers). I then pack a pair of flip flops or water shoes for the pool and spa areas," shared 317ant.
They also bring a pair of sandals that can be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion.
Uncomfortable shoes are also a no-go. Although you might be okay running back to the room mid-evening to change, your feet will thank you for bringing footwear that can handle long days ashore and evenings running from activity to activity.
Box of tissues
Cruise cabins are stocked with the basics, including hand soap and tissues. As such, one traveler regretted bringing their own box of tissues.
HawaiianShirtsOR wrote, "It just took up suitcase space unnecessarily. I have no idea why I thought there wouldn't be tissues in my cabin."
Typically, the tissues can be found tucked into one of the dressers or vanity drawers. You can also ask your cabin steward if you can't find them or need extras.
Body wash and shampoo
Cruise cabins are equipped with basic toiletries, including soap, shampoo, and body wash. On Royal Caribbean ships, standard staterooms have a shampoo-body wash hybrid.
As such, Intelligent_Ad_1385 argues that travelers do not have to pack body wash or shampoo.
Bringing your own bottles takes up luggage space and adds unnecessary weight, especially if you pack full-sized products.
That said, many cruisers disagree with them, saying that personal hygiene products are essential.
"I would recommend bringing shampoo and conditioner 100%, that soap is super harsh, it works [perfectly] on the body but it will strip all the moisture out of your hair," wrote iamadesert.
Moreover, Royal Caribbean cabins do not have any conditioner. If you forget, you'll have to visit the onboard shops and pay for an overpriced travel bottle.
Haircare products
On a similar note, one passenger shared that they regretted bringing their haircare products.
"My hair was never done. I did need my [leave-in] conditioner so I could get the brush through my hair, but a curling iron and other products were laughable to me! It's so windy and humid sometimes! I'll never bring them again," stated GoldengirlSkye.
This comes down to personal preference, though. Some cruisers enjoy styling their hair on vacation and couldn't imagine leaving home without important products or tools, especially those with textured hair.
Steamer
Cruise lines have a long list of prohibited items that guests are not permitted to bring aboard their ships. Many items are common sense, like firearms, explosives, and illegal drugs. Others, however, can be easily overlooked during the packing process.
Unfortunately, one cruiser learned the hard way that everyday household items can be flagged during the check-in process.
No-Tank-1826 said, "We packed a travel steamer and got a note in our checked luggage that it was confiscated, 🤪 and we could pick it up from security after the cruise."
Read more: 5 things you can't bring on a Royal Caribbean cruise in 2025
Wrinkle-release spray
Since steamers (and irons) aren't allowed on Royal Caribbean ships, many cruisers opt to bring wrinkle-release spray. As popular as it may be, maestra612 claimed that they ended up leaving it untouched in their cabin during their sailing.
If you don't want to worry about finding wrinkle-release spray before your cruise, I've found that hanging the wrinkled garment in question to hang in the bathroom while showering works pretty well.
The steam from the shower relaxes the fibers. Generally speaking, many wrinkles will smooth out by the time you're clean, but it isn't a fool-proof replacement for an iron or steamer.
Pop-up laundry hamper
Many cruise content creators recommend bringing a pop-up laundry hamper. However, several cruisers regret listening to that advice.
little_blu_eyez is one of them. In their eyes, the pop-up hamper took up too much floor space. Instead, they started using packing cubes.
"I fully unpack when I get onboard," they said, "As I wear clothes I pack them back into the cube."
By the last night, they're already halfway packed and can spend more time enjoying the ship, rather than scrambling to fold everything neatly back into their suitcase.
Alternatively, Due_Warthog725 suggests bringing a trash bag for dirty clothes.
Books
Many passengers love finding a comfortable lounge chair and diving into their newest book. Others, however, would rather spend their vacation taking advantage of the ship's amenities.
East_Celebration6706 commented that they took a book on their cruise, but they did not open it once — there were too many other activities on the ship!
On a similar note, if you are planning on bringing books on board, you may want to invest in a Kindle. Rather than bringing bulky hardcover or paperback books with you, you can download multiple titles onto a single, lightweight device.
Pro tip: download a variety of books before you board, especially if you aren't planning on purchasing Royal's Wi-Fi package.
"Make sure you download any books you think you might like to read before you go since I think it would be very hard to do on board," advised tylersmom1919.
Laptop
Vacation is a time to kick back and relax. However, if you bring a laptop with you, you may feel obligated to check in on how things are going at the office.
That's what happened to thinkdeep. Bringing a laptop meant that they weren't able to fully disconnect during their hard-earned vacation.
Magnetic hooks
There are tons of articles out there about how to maximize cabin storage (Royal Caribbean Blog is guilty of having a few). While we're big fans of magnetic hooks, they haven't been a home run for everyone.
According to zzrryll, they never needed the hooks that "people insist on shilling." To be fair, newer ships tend to have smarter storage options, from extra hooks to clever shelving.
As such, the takeaway from zrryll's comment is that before packing recommended storage accessories, research your cruise cabin. You may find that your specific stateroom has more than enough storage without needing to bring extra hooks.
Over-the-door shoe organizer
Like magnetic hooks, some travelers have found the over-the-door shoe organizer hack to be overrated.
"It all seems so excessive. Never once I have needed an over the door hanging organizer with 3 million pockets," said dawson33944, a Diamond cruiser within Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor Society.
IslandGyrl2 added, "The shoe organizer is a hint you've over-packed; it just brings your clutter out into the open, and it makes a clunk-clunk every time you open the door."
Read more: 30 cruise cabin hacks that cruisers love
Fan
Fans can be great accessories in the warm Caribbean or Mediterranean — nobody wants to overheat while trying to enjoy one of the ports of call. Sometimes, they can be useful in the staterooms, too.
However, MyRunningAcct did not find their cabin hot or stuffy. As such, they ended up not needing the portable fan that they had brought.
RochR0k agreed, adding that their stateroom was so cold they had to turn off the air conditioning.
Formal attire
It is no surprise that cruises are not as formal as they used to be. In fact, many modern-day cruisers elect not to participate in formal night. Some cruise lines, including Norwegian, have effectively gone away with traditional formal nights entirely.
SeaSpeakToMe wrote, "Our first cruise we brought [one] nicer outfit (not super formal) for formal night and learned it’s not our style. Now we hit up the buffet or some other included food on formal nights. I can see the appeal, it’s fun to dress up sometimes, but it’s not my vacation style."
Unless formal nights are a must for you, you may be happier packing casual dinner outfits and skipping the dining room altogether.
Telescope
If you are cruising to Alaska, binoculars are a must. You don't want to miss the dramatic landscapes or impromptu wildlife sightings. However, telescopes are generally considered overkill on a cruise.
"I wanted to take in the sights of the ports from the top deck and see things up close and personal. Results were....okay," shared tubbis9001.
It also didn't work well for stargazing. They could not keep the telescope stable enough to see the moon or stars while on the bow.
Case of water
Royal Caribbean's base fare includes select beverages, such as tap water, drip coffee, lemonade, hot chocolate, and juice. However, bottled water costs extra, along with soda, alcoholic drinks, specialty coffee, and more.
Many cruisers who decide to forego Royal's pricey drink package bring on limited quantities of non-alcoholic beverages, including one case of water or soda. While it can help save money, some cruisers think hauling on beverages isn't worth the effort.
"[The water we brought] didn't get drunk and I dont think that terrible in room fridge could even catch up over the whole 5 day cruise so they were still barely chilled," said icebox_Lew.
Another guest shared a story about having their carry-on soda bottles burst open in their bag:
"The soda we bought was in bottles and I thought that I had them well-packed to be safe. I was wrong. A couple clinked together and one broke. At least it was in our carry-on that contained mostly swimwear which was really easy to clean."
The moral of the story is that if you're going to bring drinks on your Royal Caribbean cruise, make sure that they are securely sealed and well-cushioned — the same goes for wine.
Lanyards
You're either Team Lanyard or Team Anti-Lanyard. Personally, I think lanyards make cruising easier. However, they aren't the most fashionable accessories, so I understand why some may prefer to find more creative ways to keep their cruise card safe.
One passenger said that they ditched their lanyard after it kept getting tangled. Instead, they preferred using a fanny pack.
TollerLuvLJP added, "I discovered I hate the feeling of having something hanging around my neck. My clothes all have pockets, or I bring a bag."
Not enough over-the-counter medications
Just like you can regret packing too many clothes or pairs of shoes, you can also regret not packing enough of something.
Being stuck in the middle of the ocean for days on end means you should come prepared with basic, over-the-counter medications.
Cruise ships have medical facilities onboard, but they lack a full-size pharmacy. Moreover, while the onboard shops have a limited supply of medication, they are more overpriced than at your local drugstore.
goinhungryyeah shared that they wish they had packed more random over-the-counter medication for stuff they never expected.
Start with pain relievers, cold & flu meds, antacids, cough drops, seasickness medication, Band-Aids, toothache gel, and eye drops. You may find that you want to add more to your list.
