23 Cruise Purchases First-Timers Make Before Checking the Math

23. Matching Luggage Sets Before Measuring the Cabin

A three-piece set may be tidy enough at home, but out at sea the largest case will refuse to go under the bed in the cabin and end up commandeering your floor space for the week.

Make sure the airline’s weight and size allowances are met, wheels and all. The bags should also be easy to manhandle through a terminal and fit in a taxi. Do a rehearsal: Put in what you plan to take and weigh the cases.

If the empty ones do not nest and each piece is without purpose, leave the set behind. A medium suitcase with a small carry-on will do the job. Should you want something for easy identification, a bright strap is better than an extra bag.

22. Branded Cruise Lanyards

There is no denying a room-key lanyard comes in handy when your clothes lack pockets and you would rather not be rooting around in a pool bag for a drink. But before you part with the cash, get to know the ship.

Some lines have you using an app or wearable device; others use key cards that are not meant to be clipped.

An inexpensive model with a detachable end is best if you are so inclined, allowing you to give the card to security or the bar without taking the strap off. Do not let a packing video convince you it is essential when a crossbody or card holder will do.

21. Industrial-Strength Magnetic Cabin Hooks

Magnetic hooks can justify their place in your luggage. The steel walls of a cabin are fine for stowing hats, a day bag or some excursion papers.

Do not be swayed by the heavy-duty rating on the listing. That figure is for ideal conditions; on a vertical surface the hook will slide with much less.

Give them a try on the side of the fridge, but lift the magnet off rather than drag it to avoid scratching the paint with any grit. Twenty bulky hooks are no match for six compact ones. Save the real weight like cameras, wet towels and backpacks for something more substantial.

20. Over-the-Door Organizers Before Seeing the Storage

Cruise videos have a way of making the door look like wasted room. In fact, most cabins come with ample closet and bedside storage for two who pack sensibly, as well as drawers and shelves. Take a look at a tour of your particular ship and cabin type.

See where the shoes and toiletries will go and ask yourself if there is really a problem to be solved. Some organizers will rub the paint or prevent the door from latching, and they may run afoul of ship rules.

A retailer may say it is cruise-friendly but your line might not agree. Zip pouches and a hanging toiletry bag are usually sufficient. For a family cabin, pad anything that touches the door and verify the regulations first.

19. Drink Packages Without Break-Even Math

Look at the numbers: the daily rate, service fee, length of the sailing and whether every adult in the room is required to have the package. If a seven-night option is $600 and you normally pay $14, for a drink, then you are breaking even at roughly 43 drinks, not counting what is already on the tab.

Be honest about port days and check for price caps or excluded brands. Have you double counted the gratuity? You might find a package worth a little extra for the sake of a predictable bill, but call it convenience rather than savings.

18. Specialty Dining Bundles Before Mapping the Week

Then there is the four-meal bundle. It is only a deal if you would have made those four reservations at full price. Otherwise you are simply juggling bookings around formal night and late returns from port for restaurants you were going to visit anyway.

Your fare is in competition with the food you are already entitled to. Put down the restaurants of interest along with their cover and the nights they are open. You will want to know about premium surcharges, any venues that are off limits, what the cancellation policy is, and if there are still good times to be had for a reservation.

Should only two places appeal to you, then purchase two meals. There is no discount to be found in being talked into a venue just to make use of a credit.

17. An Excursion in Every Port

There is a fine line between a vacation and a timetable of breakfast alarms, bus numbers and head counts when one does a tour in every port. Make a note of the port hours, whether it is a dock or tender situation, travel time, and sensible return for each stop.

Be sure to review the mobility requirements and terms of cancellation. You should compare what is actually included rather than be swayed by the name of the tour. The ship’s excursion is worth the extra cost if the destination is hard to get to, the schedule is tight, or you would prefer the line on hand in case of a delay.

In a port you can walk around, a vetted local option or going your own way in the morning affords more freedom. Do not put money down for every day, only for the ones that call for it.

16. Wi-Fi for Every Device

Having a laptop, tablet and two phones does not mean four of them need to be online at the same time. See if a plan for one device allows you to log out and move to another.

Find out which of the ship app’s functions do not require an internet fee. Then run the numbers: a $25 plan over seven days comes to $175 for the week.

That is a lot to pay for an email or an evening message. Better to have shows, podcasts and maps downloaded at home. Paying for idle connections is an easy mistake (see our first-time cruise giveaways).

15. Photo Packages Before Seeing the Photos

An embarkation photo has everyone looking sharp and in high spirits; it is the perfect moment to rationalise a full package. But do the math on the pictures you will want to keep. A $250 package works out to $12.50 apiece provided you want twenty of them.

If four is enough, look at the price for individual files. Find out if digital and full resolution downloads are part of the deal, as well as prints for the whole cabin.

And ask when the gallery shuts its doors, since photos have a way of vanishing after you leave the ship. Pose for fun and see how it turns out. Only prepay when the offer is clearly cheaper than the onboard rate and can be refunded.

14. Matching Cruise Shirts for One Embarkation Photo

Coordinating with matching shirts makes for an easy family picture. But for a large group they can set you back hundreds, be uncomfortable in the terminal heat and end up in the back of a drawer.

A common colour scheme will give you the same effect without putting everyone under one slogan. Steer clear of anything with full names or the sailing date on it; a breathable design that can be worn again is preferable to an elaborate joke.

If the shirts are part of the fun, so be it. Just do not let the rookie embarkation mistake of having a hot and weary bunch stand around while one person gets ready for a photo.

13. The Cheapest Waterproof Phone Pouch

A clear pouch is handy for sand, rain and splashing children, but that is no guarantee a cheap one will protect your phone in the water.

Put a dry tissue in it and let it sit in the sink longer than you think necessary. Flex the seal and check for any moisture. Try taking a picture through the wet plastic first.

And do not put all your valuables behind one seal; keep the room card and backup payment separate. Consider an untested pouch as little more than splash protection. For diving or snorkelling, leave the phone dry or get a housing with the right rating.

12. A Whole New Formal-Night Wardrobe

A first-timer might be put off to the shops for a wedding outfit come formal night. More often it is a matter of collared shirts, a jacket, some polished separates and perhaps a dress, with some guests opting for the casual venues.

Have a look at recent photos from the ship and the line’s present guidance. See what your venues require and how many nights of dressing up are on the calendar. It is better to build an outfit from what is in your wardrobe: dark trousers, a blouse or shirt and shoes you can do more with than something purchased for two hours’ wear.

The ad may suggest otherwise, but check what is really expected of you on this sailing (a point that holds for many cruise add-ons that look compulsory).

11. Motion-Sickness Gadgets Without a Plan

You will be sold wristbands, patches, glasses and all manner of electronic devices on the premise that any one of them is a cure for an unsettled stomach. It is a poor way to spend a day at sea to discover your purchase is of no use.

Then there are the variables: a rough passage, the forward cabin, a lack of sleep or alcohol, or simply an empty belly. All of these can alter your state. Do not put your whole plan in the hands of some gadget. Before you set out, have a word with a pharmacist or clinician about medication and when to take it, particularly if other health issues or drugs are involved.

Some options come with side effects or need to be started in advance. Make a point of testing what you can ahead of time and put it in your carry-on. You want something you know how to use and can get to before the symptoms do, and certainly before you have to dig through checked luggage.

10. Full-Size Toiletries for a One-Week Sailing

In the confines of a small shower, a full bottle of shampoo is a heavy, slippery thing that will leak or hog the only shelf. Put down an estimate for a week’s worth and decant into containers with proper labels.

For carry-on, mind the airline’s liquid rules and put the bottles in a washable pouch. See what the cabin has to offer but do not forget essentials for sensitive skin or particular hair types. And check if a hair dryer is on hand; there is no point packing an appliance the line might turn away.

Medication, a toothbrush, sunscreen and a spare outfit should be in your carry-on. It is a simple way to avoid the kind of boarding-day mistake that comes with delayed bags.

9. Elaborate Cabin Decorations

A door magnet or banner is one way to put some life in the cabin. But trouble is had with adhesives, string lights, anything flammable or a suitcase full of party paraphernalia.

Make sure you have read the line’s policy on decorations. They will tell you about doors, corridors, what is not allowed and the cleaning fees for any damage you cause. Do not put your name, age or dates on the door.

A bit of decor should not be telling strangers who is in the room or when it is likely to be unoccupied. A couple of flat magnets and a reusable banner inside will do the trick without the expense and hassle of an elaborate display.

8. A ‘Cruise Approved’ Power Strip

Do not be taken in by a marketplace listing that says “cruise approved”; that is marketing, not permission from the terminal. The likes of surge-protected strips and extension cords are often off limits. Look at the outlets in your cabin and figure out what needs to run overnight.

A single compact multi-port charger will see to your phone, watch and e-reader. Put your device up against the prohibited-items page for the line, paying attention to the rules on cords and surge protection.

Where the fine print is unclear, do not make assumptions. Pack your chargers where security can have a look and observe the other pre-cruise checks travelers forget. There is no convenience in having a gadget confiscated.

7. A Dozen Towel Clips

Towel clips are a solution for the wind on deck. Two or four of them will keep a towel from folding over your face or going down on a wet surface. There is little point in lugging around a giant pack of hard plastic to solve a problem you may not have and cluttering the pool bag.

Go for ones you can spot and open with ease. Bands are flatter in the pack, though clips are more robust. But a clip does not make the lounger yours.

No matter how well the towel is secured, saving chairs is an passenger habits that create work and frustration onboard.

6. A Full Snorkel Set for One Beach Stop

It is worth packing a mask of your own since the fit is what determines whether you are looking at fish or trying to clear water from your face. Fins are another matter. Find out if the excursion provides its own gear and how long the swim will be.

One brief stop at the beach hardly warrants carrying fins for the week. A good mask and snorkel are the sensible compromise. Give the seal and breathing a try in the pool and look after the lens, then rent the fins.

Those with mobility concerns or on medication should give these big-trip checks before active excursions some thought as well. The gear is only as good as the plan around it.

5. A Bulky Anti-Theft Backpack

Some anti-theft backpacks are equipped with locking pulls and hidden zippers, along with enough compartments to have you misplace your room card by lunchtime. Practicality is not a given, no matter the features. Put some weight in it with water, sunscreen, your phone, medication and a light layer.

Then put it on for thirty minutes and see if you can get to the pocket that matters without setting the bag down. Chances are a crossbody or compact daypack will prove more convenient. Put your payment cards in an inside pocket and carry only what is called for by the day; do not put your faith in some special fabric.

The ideal port bag is one you know well before you go, something comfortable in the heat and light even when it is full. A security bag that puts the brakes on every stop is hardly an improvement.

4. A Travel Steamer That May Never Reach the Cabin

There is a temptation to think a travel steamer is the fix for formal-night creases. But heating appliances are frequently off limits, meaning the steamer ends up as a purchase you have to surrender at security. Do not take a retailer’s word for it, look at the prohibited items on your line’s list.

The same goes for irons or anything meant to generate heat in the cabin. It is better to pack wrinkle-resistant attire, roll it and hang the important pieces once in the cabin. Let the bathroom steam do its work on minor things and leave the stubborn ones to the pressing service.

When you weigh the fee of one press against the cost of buying, packing and perhaps misplacing a steamer, the onboard option is the cheaper way to put an end to the problem.

3. Souvenir Packages Added During Checkout

Next to the cruise balance, a bottle, some flowers, a banner and a cake do not seem like much. Yet the welcome surprise can add up to an excursion’s worth of expense.

In the case of a birthday, the markup is warranted since timing is what you are buying. With regular souvenirs, impose a limit on both your luggage and your wallet.

Hold off so you can decide if the piece is worthy of room in the suitcase. Consider putting the money toward a shared experience or these free onboard activities passengers miss instead. A memory need not come wrapped in cellophane.

2. The First Travel Insurance Policy Offered

One should not forgo travel insurance simply because the box at checkout looks pricey, but then again, the wrong policy will leave you exposed to costly risk. Tally up the nonrefundable costs for the cruise, hotels, flights and tours.

You want to be comparing the fine print on cancellation, medical and evacuation limits, deductibles and what counts as evidence for a claim. Keep an eye on deadlines for any pre-existing condition or cancel-for-any-reason waivers.

And do not count on a credit card to cover all bases until you have read its requirements. Whether you opt for the cruise line’s own plan or the least expensive one, let your actual financial exposure be the deciding factor.

1. Every Item on a Viral Cruise Packing List

You will see viral lists that have you packing for Alaska and the Caribbean in the same trip, complete with baby supplies, work gear and a family medicine cabinet. No one needs to carry it all. Divide things into four columns: required, supplied or prohibited, personal comfort and what the itinerary demands.

Your documents are required; twelve hooks are not, despite what a video may have claimed. Cull the duplicates and make sure the bag is as small as can be. Weigh it and walk around with it for ten minutes.

If you cannot handle it through a terminal, the list has done its job poorly. When in doubt about an optional item, ask yourself where and when it will be of use. If you cannot put a day or port to it, it can stay home. A sound packing list leaves you with a lighter bag and less anxiety. Sometimes the best buy is the one you pass on.