Have you ever wondered what you are supposed to take for a Carnival cruise? If so, you are certainly not alone. Because so many people guess as to the items needed, the majority of people who take their first cruise pack far too much. The goal is to pack what you need, nothing more. That way, the process of getting on and off the ship can be enjoyed without worrying about lugging all the baggage around.
If you have never been on a Carnival cruise before, we wanted to take the opportunity to provide you with some tips on the types of things you should and should not pack. Experienced cruisers would tell you to pack light and pack smart. Although it usually takes three or four cruises to understand fully the types of items and attire needed, the information provided in the article will eliminate some of the guesswork.
Most importantly, be realistic about what you put in your suitcase. Consider the number of days the Carnival cruise will sail and then plan outfits while on the ship. Then, add in any onshore excursions, again being honest about items and attire required. For instance, if you plan to swim with the dolphins while at one port of call and then shop, you could simply wear shorts and a shirt off the ship with a swimsuit taken alone for the ride. After time with the dolphins, the swimming suit would go in a plastic zipper bag and the original outfit put on to shop and eat.
When talking about cruise wear, it is helpful to understand what that means. Unless you will be attending a nice show or doing some type of special adventure, bring shorts, casual skirts, tops, slacks, and swimsuits. Then for your evening meals in the ship’s dining room, you would want to take one nice outfit. Keep in mind that with smart packing, you could easily mix and max outfits so to everyone else at the table, it looks as if you are wearing something completely different each night.
The same would be true for shoes while on your Carnival cruise. Taking comfortable walking shoes is always mandatory, especially if you plan several excursions while at ports of call. Other than that, bring no more than two pair of dress shoes that could be mixed and matched with your nicer outfits for dinner, one pair of casual shoes that could be worn with everything else, and one pair of flip flops for the super casual days.
Even if you plan to take a Carnival cruise to a warm destination, it would be advisable to bring one light jacket or sweater along. Remember, once the smaller kids have gone to bed, you can always sneak up to the top deck at midnight to relax and stare up at the stars while listening to the water as it slaps the side of the ship. At a time like this, having a jacket or sweater would make you even more comfortable.
One important note is that due to fire hazards, Carnival Cruise Line does not allow irons on the ship. Therefore, when shopping and packing for the at sea adventure, bring clothes that could be folded and then hung up to unwrinkled. Anything with polyester typically does well. Of course, packing so you pack lighter items on the bottom of the suitcase, heavier items in the middle, and lighter items on top will help keep clothing from wrinkling too.
It would also be helpful to talk to the travel agent or representative from Carnival Cruise Line to find out the number of formal nights on the ship you would be sailing. All of the fleet has at least one formal night when all the passengers dress to the nine. Obviously, this would mean brining one long evening gown and nice suit. Of course, if the ship has more than one formal night you are not required to attend them all. Therefore, if you want to keep the packing light, you could simply choose one formal night to attend and plan other activities for the additional nights.