Ultimate Disney cruise packing list

Much of packing for a Disney cruise is like any other trip, but there are some specific things you might want to bring that you wouldn’t on most other vacations.

Worried about luggage space in your stateroom? While it’s true that staterooms are generally much smaller than an average hotel room, there is plenty of storage, including space under the bed for luggage.

Going on an Alaskan cruise? That requires different things than your typical Caribbean cruise. Check our our Alaskan cruise packing list for that.

In this article

Clothing Items

You’ll want to pack your normal clothes for the temps which will usually include things like shorts, shirts, capris, PJs, and swimsuits.

In addition to that, you might want to also include special clothing for themed nights (Pirate Night, semi-formal, formal) and dressy clothes if dining at 1 of the adult-exclusive restaurants.

CONSIDER PACKING:

Shirts
Shorts
Pants/capris/leggings
Suit/dressy clothes (only if you are planning to dress up for formal night or have a reservation at 1 of the adult-exclusive restaurants)
Underwear
Bras
Pajamas
Socks
Dress shoes (for formal night)
Flip-flops or sandals
Belts
Hairbands & accessories
Costumes
Hats/visors
Jewelry
Scarves
Watches
Sunglasses w/strap
Swimsuits
Swimsuit cover-ups

Toiletries

You probably have a set of typical toiletries that you bring on trips, so be sure to include those on a Disney cruise as well.

Disney Cruise Line does provide lotion, shower gel, shampoo, and conditioner so no need to pack those unless you have a specific brand you want to use.

For sunscreen, check to see if any of the places your cruise is going require reef-safe sunscreen to be used.

CONSIDER PACKING:

Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Floss
Shower gel (Disney Cruise Line provides full-sized bottles in the shower)
Shampoo (Disney Cruise Line provides full-sized bottles in the shower)
Hair conditioner (Disney Cruise Line provides full-sized bottles in the shower)
Deodorant
Contacts/glasses
Contact lens solution & case
Sunscreen (might need a reef-safe option in some ports)
Lip balm w/sunscreen
Face wash
Face lotion
Body lotion (Disney Cruise Line provides full-sized bottles in the bathroom)
Makeup
Make-up remover
Nail polish
Nail polish remover
Q-Tips
Tampons/pads
Foot spray
Foot powder
Razors
Shaving cream
Tweezers
Nail clippers
Nail file
Hair brush/comb
Hair gel/mousse
Hair spray
Blow-dryer (Disney Cruise Line provides full-sized hair dryers)
Travel hair diffuser (Some ships will have them, but others don’t)
Perfume
Hand sanitizer
Kids shampoo
Kids toothbrushes
Kids bath soap
Kids hairbrush/comb

Laundry Supplies

You might consider bringing some basic laundry supplies on the cruise, just in case you want to wash some things – laundry detergent, dryer sheets, etc.

You can use your Key to the World room key to pay for the machines.

In addition to that, we always bring a collapsible hamper for dirty clothes which helps keep everything tidy in the small stateroom space.

CONSIDER PACKING:

Laundry soap
Dryer sheets
Stain remover
Pop-up hamper
Wrinkle release spray

Documents and money

While we used to have to bring hard copies of a lot more documents than we do now, there are still a few things you’ll need to bring.

Those items include your passports (make sure you have at least 6 months until they expire!) and your Port Arrival Form (can also save it to your phone if you don’t want to print it).

For money, you’ll likely use room charges and credit cards for most things, but cash is needed for tipping anybody who handles your luggage and any tips you want to give your servers and stateroom attendant.

I almost always bring $200 in cash when cruising.

CONSIDER PACKING:

Passports/Drivers Licenses/Birth Certificates
Hotel confirmations
Rental car confirmation
Boarding passes
Cash/credit cards
Dollar bills for tips & tolls
Notepad/notebook
Insurance cards
Guidebooks
Membership cards (AAA, DVC)
Addresses for postcards
Pens
Stamps

Download the packing list (PDF, Google Doc)

Download the PDF packing list
Get the Google Sheet packing list (make a copy from the File menu)

Medicine

You’ll want to pack your prescription medicine, of course, but also consider packing more over-the-counter meds just in case. You can’t run to a pharmacy or have items delivered on a ship like you can on land, so it can be helpful to have some basics on hand just in case.

You might want to include sea sickness remedies as some cruises can be rocky.

CONSIDER PACKING:

Prescription medications
Moleskin (for blisters)
Band-Aids
Antibiotic ointment
Anti-itch gel/spray
Aloe vera
Antacids
Birth control (or other prophylactic)
Pain medicine (like Tylenol, Advil, etc.)
Kids pain medicine
Motion sickness remedies
Midol
Sinus/allergy medicine
Eyedrops
Vitamins
Cough drops

Baby and kid stuff

Be sure to bring all of your basics and in plenty of supply as they won’t be as easy or affordable on the ship.

For little ones, that might also include a stroller which is very common to see onboard as you can do a lot of walking.

Also make sure your packing for littles includes entertainment that doesn’t require streaming as that can be difficult to do on the ship, even with the highest level of WiFi.

CONSIDER PACKING:

Bottles
Baby food
Sippy cups
Bibs
Diapers
Swim diapers
Baby wipes
Diaper bag
Pacifiers
Stroller
Car seat
Baby monitor (Will be inspected and returned if approved)
Blanket/toy
Board games
Handheld games
Kids ID tags
Outlet covers

@wdwprepschool 16 things I pack for Disney cruises! 🚢 #disneycruiseline ♬ original sound – WDW Prep • Disney Tips

Electronics and gadgets

Throw your normal gadgets in your bags, but also consider a few things that are handy when cruising.

That can include:

A waterproof lanyard pouch for your phone – if you’ll be getting in the water with your phone
USB hub for your stateroom – you can’t bring power strips, but you can bring a USB hub to make it easier to plug in all of your devices
DisneyBand+/MagicBand+ – if you already own a MagicBand+, you can bring it on your cruise to use on board. Disney Cruise Line calls them DisneyBand+ but it’s the same as MagicBand+.

Ear buds/headphones – with several people in a small space, it can be helpful for everyone to have ear buds or headphones to listen to their own devices. We are big fans of Bluetooth headbands which are easy to wear while in bed.
Binoculars – if you want to be able to see things at a distance, bring some binoculars.

CONSIDER PACKING:

USB Hub
MagicBand+/DisneyBand+
Camera or smartphone
Portable charger and extra batteries
Travel adapters (if traveling from outside the United States)
Waterproof phone case or pouch
Earbuds/headphones
E-Readers
Handheld games
Charging cords for all devices
Battery powered nightlight
Binoculars

Miscellaneous Items

In addition to all of the items above, there are some random things that we would highly suggest bringing.

Here are some ideas:

Magnetic hooks – the doors are magnetic (on some ships, the walls are too) so having hooks to use makes it much easier to keep the cabin organized
Lanyards – if you’ve cruised with DCL before, you’ll be given a complimentary lanyard in your room. First time cruisers will need to bring their own. This is helpful for carrying your Key to the World card and credit card.
Alcohol – Disney Cruise Line allows each person to bring a 6-pack of beer or two 750 mL bottles of wine/champagne. It needs to be brought on board in a carryon bag, not a checked bag.

Big cups – DCL has self-serve beverage stations where you can get unlimited drinks, but they only give you small cups. It’s convenient to bring your own for bigger refills. I like to have 1 cup for soda and an insulated cup for water (fill it before bed and it’ll still be cold by morning).
Door decorations – a big part of Disney cruises is the door decor on each stateroom. You can use magnets to decorate, string lights, etc.