When it comes to a cruise holiday, many of us get carried away and pack much than we would for any other type of holiday, especially if we are embarking at a port within driving distance.

Even if we fly to our embarkation port, we may pack more than a land base holiday and will even often pack an extra suitcase and we are sure that that is the case for many reading this top 10 list.

But despite being able to take so much onboard with us, there are some things that we simply couldn’t do without and that are always amongst the first items to go on our packing list.

For this list, we will take for granted that you know to pack shorts and t-shirts for warm weather cruises and jumpers and coats for cold weather cruises etc, with this list featuring things you may not think about.

Our Top 10 Things We Always Pack On A Cruise Holiday That You May Not

Travel Wallet
From store cards to multiple credit cards and from travel cards to national insurance cards- you can find it all in the majority of our bags and pockets.

When travelling, not only do you not need to take them all with you but it is simply not a good idea to do so from a security point of view.

We also take a travel wallet with us so that we can leave our main wallet in the room safe and then only take ashore what we need and don’t forget to get a wallet with RFID technology.

Medical Kit
Depending on where you go on holiday, it can get very expensive, very quickly to buy even the most basic medical supplies if you run into problems.

Although all ships have a medical centre, most things come at an inflated cost so we always pack a basic medical kit including pain relief tablets (paracetamol/ibuprofen), plasters, antiseptic wipes etc.

Travel Money Card
We now use debit/credit cards for everything and that is a habit so many of us cannot break even when on holiday but there are a few issues associated with using our cards when travelling.

If visiting a number of countries on a holiday, it can look suspicious to our banks and cards can get blocked and even if you let your bank know in advance, there are often huge charges involved in paying for items in different currencies.

Then of course there are the security issues in visiting places we don’t know well on holiday but all of those problems above can be solved by using a travel money card.

They work in the same way as a regular card but there are no conversion costs for different currencies and they don’t link to your bank account.

Travel Power Adaptors
Even if you are sailing from a port close to your home, the chance are that the power outlets onboard the ship will be different from your home in the UK.

Most ships will feature a mixture of outlets and even if you are lucky enough to sail on a ship with a British outlet, the majority will be US and European outlets meaning you will need an adapter to use things such as hair dryers and phone chargers.

Hand Sanitiser
The importance of cleaning your hands regularly has really been drummed home recently and on board a ship it continues to be of the upmost importance with so many people living alongside each other in close quarters.

Ships have plenty of places to wash your hands and lots of hand sanitiser stations but the same is often the case when you are on shore so make sure you pack a travel sized hand sanitiser of your own.

Walking Shoes/Boots
If you use a fitness tracker you will know just how much walking you can do on a shore day but for most cruisers, it can come as quite a shock.

That is why we always recommend a comfy pair of walking shoes for shore days as not only can you end walking miles and miles but it is often on uneven ground.

Binoculars
If you are sailing down fjords, through an archipelago or close to land, there is often lots to take in from the ship that is just out of eyesight and if you have forgotten your binoculars, that can be really frustrating.

Many people think that there is little to see on a day at sea but you will be surprised as to just how much there is out there.

From whales and dolphins to ships and oil rigs and from islands to airplanes- there is plenty to spot whilst at sea and the best way to see them is by using a good pair of binoculars.

Alarm Clock
For many people the thought of taking an alarm clock on holiday defeats the whole purpose of getting away from the stresses of everyday life but there are unfortunately still a number of times on holiday when you will need to be up early.

From early arrivals into port, to sail past a key landmarks and then there is the dreaded last day where you have to get up early to get off, an alarm clock is invaluable and often works so much better than the alarm on our phones that if you are like us, you will sleep through more often than not.

Motion Sickness Patches
The thought of taking a load of pills on holiday isn’t fun but if you struggle with motion sickness, it can be a must but there is in our opinion a better way and that is by using a motion sickness patch that you place behind your ear.

When placed, you can forget about it for a couple of days and even if you don’t usually suffer, they can be handy to pack in case of any bad weather.

Cash
So many of us don’t use cash any more and it is now something we forget about but a lot of the destinations we visit are not quite as cashless as we are.

That is often the case on shore excursions to more remote places where cash is still very much king.