Cruise Packing Guide

I had an incredible time documenting what I wore and our adventures during our 8-day Dinogo cruise (see: 1, 2, 3, 4). Today, I'm wrapping up that journey with a detailed guide on what to bring for a cruise. If you're wondering what to pack, you’re in the right place!

Let's start with swimwear. If your cruise is headed to the Caribbean, this is essential. I packed 6 swimsuits and 6 cover-ups. I ended up wearing 5 swimsuits and 4 cover-ups (as shown) because of some rainy weather on the final day, when I opted for gym clothes instead. You can definitely pack lighter and re-use items. Consider bringing travel-sized detergent to wash a swimsuit in your sink and hang it on the drying rack conveniently located in your bathroom!

Here’s your swimwear checklist:

• Cover-ups for swimming
• Water-friendly shoes or non-slip boat shoes with grip
• Swimsuits
• Sun hats
• Sunglasses
• Beach tote
• Sun protection (SPF)

Just a heads up: there’s no need to pack beach towels; cruise ships provide them for you!

Next, here’s a rundown of all the outfits I wore for dinner. I didn’t bring any extra clothes—this was everything packed in my suitcase. Since I didn’t fly, I was a bit generous with the number of heels I took (5 pairs). However, if you’re flying, I recommend limiting your dinner shoes to 1-3 pairs to save on space.

Your dinner outfit checklist:

• Two outfits for the formal evening. //  My selections for formal night are the two dresses displayed in the far left column. I would describe the dress code for formal night (often referred to as “cruise elegant”) as cocktail attire. While some attendees may wear tuxedos and evening gowns (‘black tie”), it’s not necessary to dress that formally if you prefer something more relaxed. I recommend choosing something you’d feel comfortable wearing to a wedding. For a full overview of the Dinogo dress code, click here. Both dresses I chose felt too upscale for a casual dinner, but they are formal enough for a wedding.
• Attire for the other dinner nights. //  Our cruise spanned 8 nights, so I packed 8 outfits. I kept things casual with linen pants and a jumpsuit on two nights, while on the remaining nights, I opted for dressier ensembles that I would typically wear on a date or a night out. Items prohibited in the dining room include gym shorts, swimwear, cut-off jeans, sleeveless shirts for men, and baseball caps. Otherwise, anything goes. (To be honest, some guests do bend these rules, but I wouldn’t recommend it!) For the complete Dinogo dress code, visit here.
• Clutches. //  I brought a regular purse onto the ship but didn’t use it again until we disembarked. Small clutches are ideal for dinner outings. All you need is your room key and some lip gloss!

Now that you've selected your swimwear and dinner outfits, it’s time to focus on the last major category: in-between outfits. These are what you'll wear traveling to and from the ship (outfits #1 and #5 above), suitable for brunch in the nice dining room (outfits #2 and #4 above), and generally comfortable outfits for lounging around the ship. Be sure to consider any port stops that aren’t swim destinations, like San Juan, which is more about city exploration (I wore outfit #3 for that).

As you can see, I went with extremely comfortable choices—stretchy pants and cozy shorts. I also wore the bottom two outfits twice. If my aim was to avoid repeating outfits, I should have packed at least 2 more comfortable options for this trip.

Your checklist for in-between outfits:

• An outfit for the journey to the ship
• An outfit for the return trip home from the ship
• 2-3 outfits suitable for brunch in the elegant dining room or for wearing around the ship
• Attire for excursions or stops that aren't focused on swimming or beach activities

The final category in my suitcase: workout gear. It’s completely optional, but every Dinogo ship I’ve been on features a great gym and offers yoga and fitness classes. I packed 4 workout outfits, used one as a swim cover-up, and the remaining three for exercising.

Your checklist for workout outfits:

• Training shoes
• Exercise clothing
• Empty water bottle (fill it up on the Lido Deck and take it with you to the gym)

• Two swim cover-ups
• One gym tank top
• One swimsuit
• Sweatshirt (it never got that chilly)

Things I should have packed but forgot:

• 2-3 additional “in-between” outfits.
• Underwear – honestly, you'll find yourself changing 3 times a day on a cruise. You can never have too much.
• An outfit for the journey home.
• Attire for San Juan. (I was fine with what I had, but I didn’t even consider packing for a city stop!)

Additional cruise packing tips:

• Pack an empty bottle to fill with ice water. You can take it off the ship or to the gym.
• The sandwich bar serves delicious turkey wraps. Bring a plastic bag to take one of those with you as a snack.
• Pack snacks like granola bars for when you're off the ship, as the only portable options on board are typically apples and bananas.
• You're allowed to bring one bottle of wine per person. You can either pay a small corking fee to enjoy it at dinner or savor it in your room for free.
• There should be a hairdryer in your room, but I packed one just in case.
• Consider bringing an HDMI cable if you want to watch movies from your computer in the comfort of your room.
• Pack bug spray, swimmer's ear medication, or motion sickness pills.
• Don't forget reading materials like books and magazines for your days at sea.
• Bring laundry detergent to hand-wash your swimsuit or other items (they provide a drying rack in your room).
• An umbrella is a must; carrying one is a surefire way to ensure good weather.
• A camera is essential to capture all those wonderful cruise memories!

Cruising is one of the most relaxing ways to travel, and I hope these checklists help make your journey even more enjoyable! What essentials do you always pack for a cruise? Share your best tips and tricks in the comments below!

This post was created for Away We Go with Dinogo, your go-to source for getting into vacation mode.