Disney Cruise Packing Checklist and Printable

You’re getting ready for your Disney Cruise, but what should you pack? Packing for a Disney Cruise requires a little more planning, but it doesn’t have to be hard! In this post, we share what to pack for a Disney Cruise with our Disney Cruise packing list. See below for a free printable to help you pack for your Disney Cruise! From things to bring on a Disney Cruise  to Disney Cruise formal night attire, here are all the things to bring on your next trip with Disney Cruise Line. 

If you’re waiting to get onboard to buy some Disney Cruise clothes, so you can look the part, why not head to Polka Dot Pixie Shop ahead of time, and choose from a variety of ship specific shirts, and outfits. We love Disney Cruise merch, but it can get pretty pricey and sometimes there just isn’t a lot to choose from!

Just like any trip, you can plan to bring a Carry on bag for Embarkation Day ( before your room is ready, and you’re bumming around the ship), and also your Checked Luggage. Note that checked luggage gets delivered to your room, sometime before dinner, but may arrive later than you think. As such, plan to put Disney cruise essentials in your carry on bag. 

What to pack for a Disney Cruise will largely depend on where you are sailing. Most Disney Cruises sail to warm weather locations, so that’s mostly what we will focus on here. We have, however, sailed to Canada and New England , Northern Europe and Alaska before, so if you’re sailing in a cold climate, see this post for what to pack on a cold-weather cruise.  This Disney Cruise Packing list is mostly for the Caribbean. But you can adjust specifics depending on where you are sailing.

Carry On Items

Your Disney Cruise carry-on luggage should consist of only the things you need to carry on, or anything you’ll need before your stateroom is ready. Things like your passport, medications, and valuables should all go in your Disney Cruise carry-on. There are also things that you must carry on the ship, like water and alcohol as these things cannot be checked.

You may be wondering if bringing that sunscreen is really important. Surely, they have some onboard you can buy when you get there, right? Sure, Disney Cruise Line ships have shops. But first of all, they’re not open all the time. The shops on a Disney Cruise are only open at sea. Plus, the shops onboard can be quite expensive. Which is why we always recommend you pack your cruise lanyards, sunblock and all the essentials ahead of time! 

You just have to make sure that it fits through the scanner at security, which is just like the scanner you see at airport security. We actually have a whole post dedicated to this subject! Read all about what to pack in your Disney Cruise carryon here. 

Passport and Driver’s License

This will go in your cruise carry-on. If you remember nothing else for this trip, make sure you have this! For some destinations, a birth certificate is sufficient. But it’s important to know that if there is some sort of emergency and you have to fly back to the US from one of your ports of call, then you will need your passport. We always recommend bringing your passport in your carryon and having a copy of it in your checked luggage. 

You’ll also want to make sure you have your driver’s license on hand. Most of the time, all you need to reboard the boat at the ports is your driver’s license. Your passport can stay onboard in the room safe if you want. 

Disney Cruise Line Issued Luggage Tags

A few weeks before you set sail, Disney Cruise Line will send you luggage tags. These are much like the tags you put on your luggage at the airport and will tell the crew where your luggage should go. You’ll want to make sure they are attached to your luggage when you arrive at port. 

Cruise Documents

You must bring your cruise documents with you to board the ship. This currently includes your QR codes from both Disney Cruise Line and SafePassage. Both of these can be stored digitally, or you can print them out.  

Medications

Don’t forget your medications! Be sure to pack these in your carryon for easy access when needed and to keep them from getting lost.  It’s very rare that luggage does get lost, but it happens.  So we always recommend they stay with you. 

Disney Cruise Clothes

If you’re wondering what to pack for a Disney Cruise in terms of clothing, keep it simple! Try to choose clothing that you can mix and match to save space in your luggage. Shorts, tees or tank tops, dresses, swimwear, pajamas, and undergarments of course.  

Pack layers

Even if you’re sailing in the Caribbean during a warm time period, it can sometimes get quite chilly at sea. This is especially true when it gets windy during the evening hours.  A cardigan or light jacket is usually sufficient.  We also love these rain jackets, which are great for throwing over your outfit. The same goes for bottoms. You might want to bring one pair of light pants, like linen or beach pants just to be safe.  On past cruises, I’ve always seen people freezing at night because they didn’t bring a warmer layer. And if you’ve never sailed before, that wind can really make a difference!

Comfortable Shoes

You’ll probably want a couple of different pairs of shoes, especially if you plan to do excursions.  We recommend something comfortable and easy to access for on the ship, like slip-on sandals. This is super helpful for times when you just want to quickly head to the upper decks for a coffee or fountain drink.  And you’ll want another pair that coincides with whatever you plan to do for your excursions, whether that’s sandals to go with a dress for some shopping, or tennis shoes for nature excursions, or water shoes for beach excursions.  If you’re planning on dressing up for formal night or for dinner at Remy or Palo then you’ll want to make sure you have appropriate shoes for that as well. 

Generally, we plan to each bring three pairs of shoes. Flip flops or slip-on sandals, tennis shoes, and a pair of dressy sandals or shoes for formal night or fancier dinners.  

Swimwear

If you’re a pool or beach type of traveling party, then you’ll definitely want to bring swimwear! This includes a swimsuit and cover-up so you can lounge by the pool when not swimming.  Depending on how much you’ll be in the water and how long your cruise is, it’s usually wise to pack 2-3 swimsuits per person. That way they will have time to dry before you need them again. 

Sunglasses and Sunhat

It gets sunny on the top decks, so a sunhat and sunglasses are highly recommended. For little ones, we recommend grabbing an extra pair just in case they get lost or broken. And a sunhat will help keep you from getting a nasty sunburn. 

Race Gear if running the Castaway Cay 5K

If your cruise itinerary makes a stop at Castaway Cay, you can participate in the Castaway Cay 5K. And if you choose to do that, you’ll want some sort of clothing to run it in, including running shoes of course. 

Workout Gear if you plan to use the Gym

There is a gym onboard Disney Cruise ships and sometimes you might want to stick to your normal fitness routine.  If that’s the case, be sure to bring workout clothes and appropriate shoes. 

Disney Cruise Formal Night Attire

Disney Cruise Line offers a variety of Formal Nights on cruises with certain itineraries and lengths. Typically any cruise longer than 5 days has a formal night of some kind, and they are optional! You don’t technically need to bring special clothing for dinner. But on some longer cruises people definitely do! Formal Nights on a Disney Cruise consist of several different evenings. Semi-Formal Night is perfect for a cute sundress, or nice skirt, and men can wear polos or sport jackets.

On 7 night cruises there is usually an official “Formal Night,” again completely optional. But, we’ve seen people in bridesmaid type gowns, full ball gowns and more on a Disney Cruise. so it just depends on how princess-y you’re feeling, and how much room you have in your suitcase! 

And if you’re planning to dine at a Disney Cruise Signature Restaurant, like Remy, Palo, or Enchante, you’ll need to be aware of the dress code. 

Disney Cruise Pirate Night Attire 

Most Disney Cruise itineraries to the Caribbean include a pirate night, which is super fun! You definitely don’t have to participate, but most people do to some extent. You can keep it simple or go all out.  We’ve seen some people in full Pirate costumes, and others who just stick to the pirate bandana given out on the ship. Whether you go with a fun pirate night tshirt, or a full Pirate costume, it’s an event you’ll want to join in on the fun. It’s always more fun to participate in some way! Read more about Pirate Night on a Disney Cruise for all the fun. 

Magnetic Hooks

The walls in the staterooms of the Disney Dream and the Disney Fantasy are metal. Which means they are magnetic! Bring some magnetic hooks along to help keep things organized. These are perfect for things like hats, bags and your lanyards at night.

Reusable Water Bottle 

The water cups that are available at the beverage are quite small. We recommend bringing a water bottle to save yourself a few trips. 

Disney Cruise Lanyards

For first time cruisers, you’ll want a lanyard to hold your Key to the World Card. We love that these are retractable, and that you get a 2-pack of lanyards for a great price. Since you need these to hold your Your Key to the World Card, which is what is used for pretty much everything on a Disney Cruise Ship, it’s an absolute MUST HAVE! It’s what you use for purchases and it’s also your room key, so it’s important to have it on hand and easy to get to. Disney Cruise Line gives these out to Silver Castaway Club members and higher, but if you’re a first-time cruiser, you’ll have to bring your own. 

An old card

An odd item for sure, but an old card (like a gift card) will be super helpful if you are sailing on the Disney Dream or the Fantasy.  The lights are “powered” by a room key being inserted into a slot in the wall. I think it’s supposed to be magical, but it’s kind of not when you are fumbling around for your room key every time you enter the room and want to turn the light on. So bring an old card and just leave it in there. 

Something for motion sickness

Unless you are a very seasoned cruiser, I highly recommend preparing for motion sickness just in case.  We’ve been on cruises that have been smooth sailing and others that suddenly hit such choppy waters that dishes started falling off the tables.  And you don’t want to be sick on your vacation. So just be prepared! We are big fans of seabands, but motion sickness patches are also a great option. If you can handle Dramamine, they do sell that on the ship or you can bring your own. 

Multi-Port Charger

There are a limited number of outlets in the staterooms, so we recommend bringing a multi-port charger to keep it all organized and save outlet space. 

Disney Cruise Door Decorations

One of the most fun things on our Disney Cruise Packing List is Disney Cruise Door Decorations! Why? Well, because all of the stateroom doors look the same  As a result, finding your room can sometimes be tough! Bring some magnetic door decor to make your stateroom door stand out. Not only will it help you find your door amongst the never-ending hallway of doors, but it also just makes it a lot more fun!

We love using fun Disney Cruise door magnets on our cruise for a little extra magic. You can make your own using a Cricut and some printable magnetic sheets,  or you can buy some beforehand. Check out Disney Cruise Printable Door Decorations, Gift Tags for Fish Extender Gifts and more in our Disney Printables shop. 

A Book or Hobby Craft

There is nothing like sitting on Deck 4, watching the ocean as you snuggle in on a lounge for a some reading or knitting time. While this isn’t really essential, we highly recommend you add some vacation to your vacation and  bring some books or your kindle with some books downloaded ahead of time. A Disney Cruise is also a great place to give yourself some kitting and crafting time, so if you have room in your luggage, be sure to pack stuff.  While there are plenty of things to do onboard, between all the eating and trivia, give yourself a reason to relax, and pack a guilty pleasure for your free time. 

Snorkeling Equipment

If you’re headed to Castaway Cay or Lookout Cay, there are many excursions you can snag, including snorkeling. Typically part of a package that includes bike rental and innertubes, you can rent snorkeling equipment at Castaway Cay or you can bring your own! It’s completely optional, but it can save you quite a bit of money if you’re traveling with a larger party. 

Camera and Charger + extra memory cards

Disney Cruise vacations are truly magical! So you’ll want to be sure to capture those memories. I usually bring my DSLR and my GoPro. The GoPro is especially helpful if you plan to snorkel and want to get some underwater videos or photos. 

And don’t forget the extra memory cards! One mistake I made a lot when I first started traveling with my daughter was that I would never bring enough memory cards. Pack a couple of extras just in case. 

Portable Charging Bank

Not that you’d probably forget your cell phone, but be sure to bring along a portable charging bank. Although you likely won’t be spending most of your trip on your phone, Disney Cruise Line is not currently giving out paper Daily Navigators anymore and you have to access that info via your phone.  If you have an iPhone, you can also use iMessage onboard the ship to get in touch with your traveling party. Add in taking photos or videos and you’ll want to have a portable charger handy so you don’t have to keep running back and forth to your room for your phone. 

Headphones or Earbuds

While not specific to the Disney Cruise Packing List, since you’re probably traveling with them anyway, headphones are a must! Whether you’re headed to the gym in the mornings, or for a run around the ship, you ‘ll need headphones. This is also super helpful for times when you may be listening to music or an audiobook, or if you need some entertainment for your little ones during travel time. 

iPads/Tablets/ Laptops

If you’re bringing work along, or just want to make sure all your favorite episodes are downloaded on a device you won’t need wi-fi, for, bring your tech! We are as guilty as any of bringing our laptop on a cruise, trying to sneak work in when we can. But, if it’s a necessity for you, don’t forget it. Again, this is mostly just for convenience and entertainment. 

Toiletries

Disney Cruise Line supplies most of the toiletries that you’ll need for your trip, so we recommend leaving the basics like shampoo and conditioner at home unless you need something special. The H20 line onboard is pretty amazing so we generally just stick with that! You’ll obviously want to bring essentials like deodorant, chapstick, toothpaste, and whatever extra hair care, skincare and makeup products you need.  You can bring a curling iron onboard, but no need to pack a hair dryer as the staterooms all have one. 

Sunscreen

On days at sea, you’ll likely be spending a lot of your time on the upper deck, which can be quite sunny.  Which is amazing, but who wants to get a sunburn on vacation? So don’t forget your sunscreen, especially if you’re in the sun in those midday hours. We love this reef friendly sunscreen, but if you do get a burn, see below for our favorite after burn lotion.

Another Disney Cruise Packing List essential is after burn lotion, like Aloe. In the unfortunate event that you do get sunburned on your cruise, we love this after-sun care. A lot of times we like to use it even if we haven’t gotten burned just because it feels nice to give our skin a little extra love when we’ve been in the sun all day. It’s a great item to put on your Disney Cruise Packing list even if you’re not sure you’ll need it.

Packing Cubes

And essential for longer cruises, every Disney Cruise Packing List should include Packing cubes.  They will be your new best friend once you try them! They make packing for a Disney Cruise so much easier. Organize all of your items in packing cubes before you travel and then when you arrive, unpacking will be a breeze! 

Face Masks

Face Masks are optional on all Disney Cruise ships, but if you still want to wear your mask, you can! If you choose to wear a mask onboard, we find it’s easiest with a mask chain.  Taking your mask on and off as you go inside or outside is a lot less hassle with a mask chain, so if you plan to mask up, we highly recommend packing a chain to go with it. 

Disney Cruise What to Pack FAQ

Now that you have a handle on all the things you should pack for a Disney Cruise, you can grab the FREE Disney Cruise Packing List to check it off as you go. Here are some other things to consider when packing for a Disney Cruise. 

How Much Room is there for Clothes on a Disney Cruise?

Pack Light when Possible. When thinking about what to pack for a Disney Cruise, packing light is always a great idea. Staterooms are a decent size, and luggage can go under the bed once unpacked. But you may not want to be filling your room up with loads of things you don’t need. Plus getting to and from the port can be a challenge when packing more than you need.

How much luggage can I bring on a Disney Cruise?

Disney Cruise Line allows two checked bags per passenger, as well as a carry-on and personal item. Your personal item can be a purse, backpack or anything around that size. We love a small carryon that’s easy to carry around the ship while you wait for you room to be ready. Or just a backpack or tote that can carry everything you need for the next few hours. This is my favorite backpack for traveling. It just has so many pockets and can hold quite a lot! 

Should We Pack Anything Special for Disney Themed Cruises?

Not sure what to pack for themed cruises? Disney Cruise Line has several themed cruises that you’ll want to pack a few extra fun things for. We have a whole separate packing list for Halloween on the High Seas as you’ll want to bring some Halloween shirts, or costumes to add to the fun. And if you are sailing for Christmas, the Very Merrytime Cruises are an excellent place to don your ugly sweater! Of course there are also Marvel Cruises and Pixar Cruises too that give you plenty of options to wear clothes honoring your favorite heroes, villains and films.  You might also want to bring costumes for little ones if you’re traveling with kids. 

Can I do laundry on a Disney Cruise?

Yes! Laundry facilities are available on board all of the Disney Cruise ships. You can pack some detergent pods and laundry sheets, or purchase them there.  It does cost a small fee to use the machines, but it could also help you pack less, so that’s a win in our book. 

What Should I Not Bring on a Disney Cruise?

There are definitely some items that you cannot bring on a Disney Cruise. Most of it is common sense like no weapons or drugs. You can find the whole list of prohibited items here. 

Disney Cruise Packing List

Hopefully this post has helped you plan what to pack for a Disney Cruise.  We’ve put together a free printable to help you pack. Are we missing anything? Let us know so we can add it!

Planning your next Disney Cruise and interested in free travel planning services? Click here for a no obligation quote from an Authorized Disney Travel Planner who can help you with all the details of your next adventure. All bookings receive free onboard credit as well, so it’s a win-win! Bon Voyage and Happy Sailing!