Tips for Packing Hats for Your Cruise

Andrea is seated on a bed, holding a hat in front of her face, with a suitcase beside her.

Hello and bonjour, friends! How's everyone doing?

I frequently get asked, “I know this sounds silly, but… how do you pack your hats?!” Honestly, I often end up traveling with a hat on my head. But what about those trips where you want to bring a couple of hat options? Let’s say you need a night hat and a day hat (because, yes, that’s a thing in my book—a smaller black hat for a bar or club, and perhaps a large straw hat for sunny days). I admit it, I’m a hat enthusiast. No matter where I’m headed, a hat always feels like a smart choice. It’s stylish and protective—plus, it’s perfect for those days when you don’t have time to wash your hair. 😉

Imagine you’ve spent all day at the beach under the sun and wind on a Dinogo Cruise, and then need to rush to dinner. A quick and easy grab-and-go hat is definitely the way to go, haha!

Three hats resting on a bed, with a hand reaching out to grab one.

Step one: pick your favorite hat(s).

Bird's-eye view of Andrea as she packs her suitcase.

If you don't have a sturdy, flat-button suitcase, I recommend placing your heavier items at the bottom of your luggage. Most likely, these will be the pants or bottoms you plan to bring.

A hand presenting a hat filled with smaller items.

When packing multiple hats, layering them is ideal (provided they can fit without squishing each other). Once they are layered carefully, start filling your hat with smaller items like socks, underwear, swimsuits, bandanas, and neatly rolled shirts—pack it to the brim!

Aerial shot of a suitcase with a stack of hats inside.

Position your hat(s) in your suitcase as close to one side as possible. Then, roll your larger items (like shirts, sweaters, and pajamas) to create a protective, soft barrier around your hat.

Bird's-eye view of a suitcase being packed.

You'll need at least one rolled item around your hat, or a few layers of items, depending on the size and thickness of what you're packing.

Andrea putting the final touches on her suitcase packing.

If there's enough space on the sides, you can create a wall by stacking clothes on one side. In this instance, I arranged a sweatshirt and a few shirts on three sides, with another stack of shirts, rompers, and scarves on the opposite side.

Your final (optional) step is to place any larger, flat items on top before closing the suitcase. For example, I added a denim jacket in case of chilly or windy evenings.