By Breelyn Vanleeuwen, PA-C | Founder & CEO of Daily Shade
A mom of four’s cruise packing list of the things I was SO glad I brought.
We recently took our four kids on a Disney Cruise, including a dreamy beach day at Disney’s private island, and as a mom, I learned something very quickly: the obvious things are easy to remember.
Swimsuits? Check ✅
Sandals? Check ✅
Underwear? Hopefully check ✅
It’s the other things that can make your cruise so much easier. After traveling with four kids, spending days at the pool, getting on and off the ship, heading to the beach and trying to keep six humans organized in one cruise cabin, these are the things I was genuinely grateful I packed.
So instead of giving you another massive cruise packing checklist, here are my 10 things you may not think to pack for a cruise, but absolutely should.
1. TRUE Mineral Sunscreen
Okay, I may be slightly biased on this one, considering I founded a sunscreen company, but sunscreen should be one of the FIRST things that goes into your cruise bag.
And I don't just mean for your beach day. On a cruise, you're outside constantly. You're walking around the ship, sitting by the pool, eating outside, exploring ports and spending entire days at the beach. Sunscreen quickly becomes an everyday essential.
I brought Daily Shade Babe Shade SPF 30, our TRUE Mineral Sunscreen™ made with 100% non-nano zinc oxide and no UV chemical filters or UV chemical boosters. I of course packed the travel brush and bag so we could easily apply it (the brush is a game changer) and throw the whole thing in our pool bag easily.
I especially love traveling with a true mineral sunscreen because sunscreen regulations can vary depending on where you're traveling. Certain destinations have restricted specific sunscreen ingredients, so choosing a zinc-based mineral sunscreen can take some of the guesswork out of packing for tropical destinations.
Mom tip: Don't bury your sunscreen in your checked luggage. Put it in your embarkation-day bag so you have it as soon as you board. Our kids wanted to hit the pool almost immediately.
And bring more sunscreen than you think you'll need. Six people can go through sunscreen FAST. I have a blog article on how much sunscreen to pack HERE.
LINK: Shop Daily Shade TRUE Mineral Sunscreen™
2. A Portable Charger
I underestimated how much we would use our phones.
The cruise app, schedules, dinner information, taking approximately 4,000 pictures of my children, checking excursion details, communicating with each other...your phone becomes pretty important.
A good portable charger was one of those tiny things that saved us over and over again.
I especially recommend a small, cordless portable charger that plugs directly into your phone. No cords hanging out of your beach bag, and it's easy to bring on excursions.
LINK: My favorite portable charger
3. A Waterproof Phone Case
Speaking of phones, bring a waterproof phone pouch or case.
This is especially helpful for beach days, pools and water excursions. You can keep your phone, room key and ID together without worrying about them getting wet.
Bonus: you can actually take pictures in the water instead of standing on the beach yelling at everyone to come closer so you can get a photo.
LINK: Waterproof phone pouch I recommend
4. UPF Rash Guards + Packable UPF Hats
Sunscreen is only one part of sun protection.
For long beach and pool days, I loved having UPF rash guards for the kids and packable UPF hats for both the kids and adults.
The key word here is packable.
A giant structured sun hat looks adorable until you're trying to fit six people's belongings into cruise luggage. Find one that can fold or roll into your suitcase and pop back into shape when you arrive.
For kids, rash guards are also amazing because they reduce the amount of exposed skin you're trying to sunscreen and reapply all day.
LINK: Women's UPF rash guard (I have 5 colors of these to just throw over my suit when I need)
LINK: Kids' UPF rash guards
LINK: Kids' packable UPF hats
LINK: Women's packable UPF hat
LINK: Men's UPF rash guard
5. Motion-Sickness Supplies
Even if you don't think anyone in your family gets seasick, I would bring something just in case. You do not want to discover that your child, spouse or YOU gets motion sickness once you're already on the ship.
There are several options, including over-the-counter motion-sickness medications and acupressure wristbands.You can buy them on the ship but you'll pay way more.
For adults who know they struggle significantly with motion sickness, like my husband, you can also talk with your healthcare provider before your trip about whether a prescription scopolamine patch is appropriate for you. It requires a prescription and isn't right for everyone, but it's worth discussing before you leave rather than wishing you had once you're at sea. It has been another game changer for us. He will use these at amusement parks as well like Disneyland.
LINK: Motion-sickness bands
6. A Mini Sound Machine
If your kids sleep with a sound machine at home, BRING IT. Actually, even if they don't, I might bring one anyway. Mine were past that age but it helps so much with cabin doors slamming and kids running down the halls.
Cruise cabins are small. Kids are sleeping close together. People are walking through hallways. Someone is inevitably coming into the room later than someone else. A tiny travel sound machine takes up almost no room and helps drown out all those unfamiliar sounds. This was one of my favorite little packing wins.
LINK: Mini travel sound machine
7. Packing Cubes, One Color for Each Kid
Packing cubes are great.
Color-coded packing cubes for four kids are life-changing.
Each of my kids gets a color. Instead of digging through piles of clothes asking, "WHOSE SHIRT IS THIS?" you immediately know whose things belong where. You can also pull one child's cube out of the suitcase and put it directly into their cabin storage. For bigger families especially, this is one of my favorite travel organization hacks.
LINK: Color-coded packing cubes
8. A Wet/Dry Swim Bag + GIANT Beach Tote
Technically I'm sneaking two things into one here, but they belong together.
First: bring a wet/dry bag.
Someone will have a wet swimsuit when you need to go somewhere else. It's basically guaranteed. A wet bag lets you throw wet swimsuits inside without soaking everything else in your bag.
Second: bring a GIANT beach tote.
And when I say giant, I mean giant. With four kids, I needed one bag that could handle sunscreen, water bottles, hats, goggles, cover-ups, phones, snacks, wet bags and all the random things children hand you five minutes after swearing they would carry them themselves. Find one that's lightweight, easy to clean and preferably folds down for packing.
LINK: Wet/dry swimsuit bags
LINK: My favorite giant beach tote (if we're soldout of the extra large one which we frequently are because it's the BEST! but this one...)
Not as cute but functional: Mesh Extra Large Option
9. Reusable Water Bottles
Everyone gets a water bottle. Cruise days can be long, especially when you're outside in the heat or spending the day exploring a port. Having everyone's own reusable bottle makes staying hydrated much easier.
Again, color coding is your friend. Give each child their own color or label the bottles before you leave so you're not spending the entire vacation asking, "Whose water is this?" Look for bottles that are lightweight, leak-resistant and easy to throw into your giant beach tote. And personal preference but I hate toting around a heavy stainless steel water bottle. I don't need it to be cold that badly. I prefer a lightweight silicone one.
LINK: Favorite Kid travel water bottle
LINK: My favorite travel water bottle
10. The FUN Stuff You Don't Technically Need...But Should Bring Anyway
This is where I almost missed the assignment on our Disney Cruise.
People decorate their cruise cabin doors. Like...it's a THING. And the cool moms apparently know this before they get on the ship.
Depending on your cruise line's rules, you can bring removable cruise-door decorations, personalized magnets, character magnets or little decorations with your family's names.
The kids LOVE finding their decorated door every night, and honestly, it's just fun. Also, look up your cruise's theme nights before you pack.
Disney Cruise Line, for example, may have special themed evenings on select itineraries, such as Pirate or superhero night. Other cruises may have white parties, formal nights or other themed events.
You don't need elaborate costumes. A few easy accessories, matching shirts, bandanas, glow sticks or something fun for the kids can make the night feel special without taking over your suitcase.
LINK: Cruise door decorations
LINK: Easy pirate-night accessories
Always check your specific cruise line's current rules before bringing door decorations or other accessories.
One Last Cruise Packing Tip From a Mom of Four
The biggest thing I learned is that you don't necessarily need to pack more.
You need to pack smarter. The things I appreciated most weren't extra outfits or another pair of shoes. They were the little things that made six people's days easier: knowing whose clothes were whose, having somewhere to put wet swimsuits, keeping everyone hydrated, helping everyone sleep and making sure we were prepared for hours outside in the sun.
And, of course, sunscreen. As a Physician Associate, mom of four and founder of Daily Shade, sun protection is something I think about everywhere we go. A cruise is exactly the kind of vacation where sunscreen isn't just for your designated beach day. It's something you'll reach for every single day.
So my first packing rule?
Put the Daily Shade in the bag first.
Then you can worry about whether everyone remembered their underwear.
Save This Cruise Packing List
Before you zip up your suitcase, make sure you've packed:
☐ TRUE mineral sunscreen
☐ Portable charger
☐ Waterproof phone case
☐ UPF rash guards + packable UPF hats
☐ Motion-sickness medicine/bands
☐ Mini sound machine
☐ Color-coded packing cubes
☐ Wet/dry swim bag + giant beach tote
☐ Reusable water bottles
☐ Cruise-door decorations + theme-night gear
Happy cruising, and don't forget your shade. ☀️
Bree
Founder of Daily Shade + Mom of Four
