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• Everything you would need, if you were staying at a resort hotel in the same geographic area of your cruise.
• Avoid over packing by reading the recommended dress section of the cruise literature that will be mailed to you after you book.
• Check to see if they have a theme night or talent show where you might need some special outfits.
• Even in the warm Caribbean, you might need a sweater on the decks at night. The air conditioning can also be icy.
• Pack some comfortable rubber soled shoes to get around on the decks.
• Bring a pocket calculator to help you figure your ports of call exchange rates.
• Bring a white T-shirt if you plan on going snorkeling or you may have a burned back when you are done.
• You might also pack some drinking straws to use while at port. This will help you to avoid touching your lips to a can’s top. The top might be covered with contaminants that will make you sick.

No, cruising isn’t just for the stuffed shirt crowd anymore. Casual attire is appropriate for almost all of your cruise.

Yes, cruises still have dinners where more formal clothes are appropriate. The last night of a cruise is usually a formal night, and a seven-day cruise will usually have two formal nights. These are the meals that used to require tuxedos or cocktail dresses. They are now optional but, if you have them dust them off and bring them along. Many Cruise Lines will rent tuxedos, so you can check into this option before you go. Fewer passengers are taking this option and a dark suit and dresses are perfectly appropriate and will probably be the most common passenger attire for the formal nights. On the other nights a sport coat and tie or pants suit are appropriate. Some Cruise Lines are recommending even more casual attire such as sport shirt and pants on all but the formal night. Read your cruise packet or check out the Line’s web page for your particular ship's recommendation.

• Items of value that should never go in your checked luggage such as cash, jewelry, medication, travel documents and a list of everything in your checked baggage.
• Since luggage is often not delivered to your cabin until after your first dinner, be prepared and pack a change of clothes.
• You might also consider one-day items, in other words all the items you would need to make it through a 24-hour day, just in case your luggage goes missing.
• Keep lots of crisp one-dollar bills wherever you keep your money. This will come in handy when dealing with all the skycaps and porters.

If you are still at the airport, notify the Airline immediately. Hopefully, you’ll have a list of everything in your checked baggage in your carry-on, so you can make them a copy for the claim. If the Cruise Line transferred your luggage and you never saw it at the airport, you’ll need to work with the Cruise Line first.