In my experience, going on a cruise is one of the most fun things a family can do. These large ships have everything anyone could possibly want – from elaborate children’s playgrounds to highly rated restaurants to have a dinner and enjoy superb food.

Still, the quality of your cruising experience depends on your preparations. When packing, you should not forget essentials or you might not have as much fun as you would’ve otherwise. Without further ado, let’s get started.

Essential cruise gear for a family

I’d say first thing you should pack is appropriate clothing. Depending on what type of cruise you will choose, you should pack casual or official clothes, or mix of both. Cruises will often have various dining options and events that require official clothes, or can be done in casual clothes. If you want to do these types of events, then pack official clothes. Children will be okay in their normal clothes. Just don’t forget to bring swimsuits for everyone, otherwise you will miss out on numerous swimming pools cruise ships usually have on board. That includes several pairs for you and your partner, as well as children. Finally, if you want to have a little fun while on a cruise, I highly recommend picking out cruise t-shirts for families. You can find some funny and original designs that will make you stand out and elevate your experience. After the cruise is over, you can keep it as memory, or wear it once again if you decide to go on a cruise another time.

Next, you need to organize logistics. Fortunately, cruises are both the transport and destination, so you don’t have to buy lots of bus and train tickets to go from one place to another. Still, your cruise might be stopping at various countries and cities. So you may need to bring passport with you. In some cases, you will have to get passports for your kids, because they might not have one. You may also need to get different currencies to spend at different cities around the world. If the cruise destination is to Europe, you can simply get euros (in most cases, although some countries do not use euros). You can do this by contacting your bank to request foreign currency. You can also get a card to pay in that currency, or simply pay with your USD card and hope that exchange fees aren’t too high. Obviously, you should bring credit cards with you.

Some items like packing cubes can make it easier to organize your bags, so you can unpack and find everything once you’re on the ship. You can also get apple airtags and keep track of its whereabouts. Its also a good idea to bring any essential medication. Chances are, cruise ships will have some meds on board. But if you have very specific condition, make sure to stock up on essentials before sailing out to sea. Same goes for any favorite self-care items, like shampoos and conditioners that work well with your hair.