PACKING for your U.K. Cruise Holiday
U.K. Staycation cruises - what you really need with you…
AN EMBARKATION DAY BAG
When you’re setting off for a UK holiday by car you probably don’t think about needing hand-baggage but check in at a Cruise Terminal is very different to an airport. Your suitcases are normally taken from you before you enter the terminal - this is before you check in and go through security, so you need to keep all your cruise paperwork separate. Essential documents at the moment should include…
Tickets/ online check-in / confirmation documents
Insurance documents showing Covid covering cruise endorsement.
Passport - even though this is a UK only cruise you still need a passport!
Proof of vaccine - NHS card or NHS for you app
Copies of Covid test results if applicable.
Pens for filling out Health Questionnaires etc
Credit card to register for onboard account - although some lines do this in advance and some on board.
The other reason to have a bag with out is that it can sometimes take a while for your suitcases to reach you. If you think ahead and pack a few other bits you can be enjoying your cruise the minute you step onboard. Take anything you might want for the first afternoon - suncream, flip-flops, book, hat… if you pack your swimwear you can be one of the first in the pool! I usually choose a soft bag with shoulder straps for maximum adaptability.
2. MASKS
Don’t forget a mask for everyone in your embarkation bag. At the moment most cruise lines expect you to wear these whilst moving around indoors in public areas, in the theatre and on excursions.
On our first Post-Covid cruise I took a pack of sensible, medical style masks and was hit by mask envy before we had even checked in! Lots of people were wearing nautical themed or colour coordinated masks and by night we even saw sequinned and illuminated ones! Full face visors don’t seem to be acceptable and the mask needs to cover both your nose and mouth so some of the clear plastic types aren’t accepted. The ship will provide you with a mask if you forget them or if yours doesn’t fit the rules but as most types of cotton masks seem to be accepted it is a good way to show individuality while sticking to the rules!
3. SUN PROTECTION
I know… on a U.K. cruise we will be lucky if it doesn’t rain every day, but even a day that starts wet or cloudy can change and I promise you that the combination of a cooling sea breeze on a moving ship combined with UV reflected from the sea means that it is very easy to burn at sea! Don’t wait to see if you might need it, the reason that you should pack suncream is…
4. TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
You may see that there is a shopping area on your ships deck plan but these are mainly for luxury items or souvenirs. I’ve been on ships where you could buy Versace trainers and Cartier watches but not nail varnish remover!
As shore excursions are being tightly controlled at the moment there will be no opportunity to pop into a shop and pick up a packet of travel tissues or batteries if you need them. So take a moment to think things through, pack some essential items and medication and check that you’re not relying on anything thats about to run out!
5. TRAVEL ADAPTERS
Again - you’re on a UK cruise so its easy to feel that you haven’t left the country but these ships are international - obviously they can’t change the plugs just because its a UK itinerary! Most will have a mix of EU / American plug sockets with an occasional UK three pin socket as well.
Newer ships also have USB charging points - often cleverly hidden in the bedside light panel… but if you’ve got a lot of stuff that will need plugging in an adapter or two will make life easier ( and you almost certainly won’t be able to find one in the shop onboard!)
6. BOOKS and other stuff
I love a good book on holiday! I usually take two and then rely on the ships library or a book swop desk for more - but at the moment these will be closed. My husband absolutely loves his Kindle and always loads it up with books before we go away.
If you prefer to listen to books there are some excellent options on Audible through Amazon - you can find out about a free trail through this link…
And let’s be honest here… there is just a faint chance that you could spend some time confined to your cabin - one false positive COVID test and you might have to spend some time in isolation - just as you could at home!
So it’s sensible to go prepared for slightly more ‘down’ time than you might normally expect to have on a cruise. If you’re not a reader maybe download some films that you’ve been meaning to watch or take a pack of cards, even a backgammon set? As always, if you prepare for something it probably won’t happen, so plan for a quiet day in your cabin and you’ll be going home with loads of things you never even touched!
7. ALL SEASONS WEAR
My trusty windproof fleece from TOG 24
Cruise ships are kept at a very even temperature inside so packing evening wear is just a matter of deciding how dressy your ships dress code is likely to be! In general people dress quite casually during the day and the main advice I can give you is to think in layers as the weather can cycle through three or even four seasons in one day!
Yesterday we woke to a damp foggy morning as we headed into Portsmouth, then the wind came up as we got ready for our harbour cruise excursion so we took rain jackets, and woolly hats… half an hour later the weather cleared and we needed our sunglasses!
Even when its bright and sunny a moving ship creates its own breeze so can be a little chilly on deck - my most useful wardrobe item for a UK cruise is a zip-up , windproof fleece jacket. Lighter to wear than a thick jacket but warm enough on all but the chilliest days but not too hot to keep on the minute you step inside the ship. The ORCA team onboard our recent cruise were in shorts and t-shirts at lunchtime and wooly hats and gloves by 18.00!
8. BINOCULARS
Are always nice to have with you, but especially so on a U.K. coastal cruise. Binoculars are a great way to keep an eye on everything else thats going on around your ship. Some ships do provide a set in the cabin but if you take your own it means you won’t have to share!!
There is a good chance of spotting wildlife at sea - look out for dolphins, porpoise and even whales. You may have representatives from ORCA on board - if so they will be your go to experts on what is in the area - download the ORCA app or read our Blog to find out more about the organisation and how to become a volunteer onboard…
9. SHIP TRACKING APP
It is definitely worth downloading the free Boat Watch or Marine Traffic apps before you set off on a cruise. They shows you all the ships in your locality so that you can identify that blob on the horizon and appear to be a real ship expert! I think the upgrades are worth it too - a small charge lets you see lots more information including following the course of your ship. If you like to know where you are and what you’re seeing I highly recommend downloading one!
10. NON-DIGITAL CLOCK
The alarm on your phone is great on land but unless you are careful it can be a bit fraught with danger on a cruise! The reason is that ships time is not always the same as local time - this can lead to problems as you travel from country to country but at least you’re expecting it! On a UK only cruise you will get a shock when your phone puts itself onto French time just because you sailed past Le Havre in the middle of the night! So use an old-fashioned alarm clock or remember to block auto updates on your phone to be sure of waking up at the right time! This is especially important on the last night of your cruise when you need to be sure to be up and out of your cabin in time.
This is also when Item 1 in our list becomes a …
BONUS ITEM
Your Embarkation bag now becomes a DIS-embarkation bag! This allows you to pack and put out your suitcases before dinner on your last night. Meaning you can carry on partying without rusching back to the cabin to beat the 22.00 case collection deadline. Your disembarkation bag can hold the clothes you wore on your last evening, your valuables and breakables and any toiletries that you used overnight. Meet your suitcase shoreside in the luggage hall the next morning.
I hope you have found this thought provoking as you pack for your UK cruise and that it will be useful. Maybe pin this on Pinterest so that you can come back to it later?
I would love to know what you think so please take a moment to comment below! There are also some small affiliate links there which help towards the running of the website - if you click through and buy anything from them it gives us a few pence but doesn’t cost you any extra! It’s a great help and thanks to all those who do!
Happy portExploring!
Cathy
xx
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