Don’t leave home without… on your European cruise

When it comes to taking a European cruise there are certain things that you must bring, basically you can’t leave home without certain items. For the most part the things that you need to bring with you on the European cruise are going to be the same as what you need to bring with you on other cruises, but some things might vary depending on where it is in Europe that you are planning on going. While many of you might think that some of these items are obvious as to what you should bring please bear with us because there are people who tend to forget the little things and need the reminders.

Here are some things that you can not leave home without on a European cruise.

Item one:
Most cruises will have formal evenings at least once during the week, so you are going to want to pack some dressier clothes for these occasions. Men are expected to wear a dark suit or a tuxedo, but if the evening is a little less dressy than formal men can get buy with a suit and no tie. Women should wear an evening dress or a really dressy pantsuit for formal nights, but if the evening is a little less formal a woman can get by with a silk top and a nice pair of slacks. Don’t forget to pack a dressy jacket or a wrap, just in case the evenings are a bit chilly or the air conditioning is a little too much.

Item two:
Another thing that you need to make sure that you bring is your passports. The reason for this is obvious, you are leaving the country and you will need it to get into Europe, not to mention you will need it to get back home. But even though this is something that is rather obvious it is amazing how many people tend to think of their passports at the last minute, so if you don’t have one you want to make sure you get one well before you go on the cruise.

Item three:
You should also bring all of your medications that you are going to need to take while on the cruise. Keep in mind that you will be traveling to a foreign country and the pharmacies there are not what we are used to, not to mention the fact that your doctor won’t be there. And even though there is a doctor on board the ship they are limited to what they can do and what medications they have available to prescribe to you.

Item four:
If you are going to be going on a cruise that is going to be in warmer weather, which can depend on the area of Europe and the time of year you are traveling, you are going to want to make sure that you pack a few swimsuits, you can always rinse your swimsuit out in the evening if you want to only pack one. But since most dining rooms won’t let you eat in just a swimsuit you are going to want to pack some sundresses, sarongs, or bathing suit wraps for those lunch time meals.

Item five:
Most cruise ships require a “smart casual” wear for afternoon activities so you are going to want to pack some dress shorts, skirts or slacks along with a short sleeved shirt or polo shirt for these events. You will also want to pick a pair of flat shoes that will adhere to a slippery deck, but you will want something that looks good with your clothes not just boat shoes. If you are going to be doing outdoor activities or exercising on board the cruise ship you will also want to pack some comfortable outdoor clothes, as well as your exercising clothes.

Item six:
Your camera is another important thing that you need to make sure you don’t leave at home. Without your camera you are going to end up spending a fortune on buying one at the cruise line gift shop. If your camera requires film and/or batteries you are going to want to make sure that you bring plenty of those as well, they can get quite expensive in the gift shop or on shore. If you have a digital camera make sure that you have enough memory cards or memory on the one card for a lot of pictures or else bring your laptop with you to download the pictures.