Everything You Need to Know to Pack for a Long Voyage, Including a World Cruise

Once a luxury indulgence for wealthy retirees, world cruises today are attracting everyday travelers who’ve fallen in love with vacationing at sea.  Younger travelers are joining in on the fun and special camaraderie of such voyages. Whether going the full length — commonly 90 to 130 or more days — or choosing segments — from, say, 21 days to 75 days — it’s a unique experience.

These voyages are announced two to three years ahead and, amazingly, often sell out quickly, sometimes within 24 hours on some ships. Some world cruisers go year after year, often returning to the same ship but with a different itinerary.

I fulfilled my dream last year. Instead of going the full 128 days as first planned, I scaled back to half the cruise, flying to meet the ship in Japan and sailing 72 days back to the U.S.

The preparation for a world cruise can be daunting. The thought of preparing for an epic voyage can keep you awake at night making lists, not the least of which is what and how much to pack.

Here is what I learned and applied to make sure my trip had no surprises. I also found excellent guidance through some chat rooms specifically for my world cruise. Here are some tips I learned, along with a few resources at the end.

Begin planning sooner rather than later

Book early. For an entire world cruise, this action usually nets valuable perks, varying with the type of cabin you choose. Benefits may include one or two bags shipped free to the home departure port (such as Fort Lauderdale, Fla., or Los Angeles), onboard spending credits, free transfers to the port and perhaps even free or discounted airfare.

Start a must-do list, especially for time-sensitive actions. Check, for instance, that your passport is valid for at least six months past the end date of the cruise; that’s required for visits to many countries. If your passport pages are nearly filled with visa stamps, you will need to get a new passport to accommodate them. You may request a larger “book” when you reapply. “Some countries require that your passport has two to four blank visa or stamp pages,” Travel.state.gov notes. “Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met.”

Check what visas you need in advance and any specific timetable for getting one. In some cases, you can fill out a form online and get an e-visa, but always be sure you are going to the country’s official visa website. Other times you must ship your passport to a foreign consulate for visa processing, which can take time.

Consider sending your passport to a company that can handle processing all your visas, even expediting the action. A quick turnaround may be important if you travel a lot and can’t do without your passport several weeks.

Check early for necessary or recommended immunizations for countries on itinerary.

Next up: packing

Keep the wardrobe simple: Experienced world cruisers advise packing for a three-week cruise, adding seasonal extras as needed. Think layering.

As for evenings, most world cruises have fewer formal nights than previously. Evenings often are “smart casual,” or a similar term. For nights designated “dressy” or “formal,” a man can get by with a dark suit, though some men prefer tuxes. For women, a pair of palazzo pants and long skirt with several tops/jackets to mix and match and perhaps a cocktail dress suffice.

Shoes can be a challenge, calling for more than usual to cover evening, touring, casual on ship days and pool wear. I found that for onboard and touring, a few comfortable pants and tops soon became my go-to, repeat choices.

Take a few cabin “enhancers.” Closets and drawers can be limited, so take a few closet organizers, which can pack flat in suitcases. Ask ahead about the size of closets, especially width and height. I took a skinny one hanging shoe organizer and a similar one but wide enough for T-shirts, sweaters and shorts. Some people take multipocket organizers to hang on the bathroom door. Also, many cabins have steel walls to which you can attach magnetic hooks to hold items such as jackets, totes and more. (A cruise line can advise if walls are steel. Cabins may have a few hooks rarely have enough.)

Minding money and medical matters

Plan wallet strategies. Take a minimum number of credit cards and verify expiration dates are valid past end of the cruise. If you plan to use a bank card at ATMs, take a backup card that can be used to get money in case your bank card is not compatible with the machine, becomes compromised or chewed up. ATMs in a foreign country provide local currency. Although you may prefer to put purchases and meals on a credit card, take some cash, good for tipping tour guides. 

Calculate ahead for prescriptions. Plan well in advance to ensure having enough of your medications. Getting more than a 90-day supply may require consulting with your doctors and pharmacists early about getting necessary extra refills. Your health insurance company likely will require filing a special request and may ask for trip documents to refill drugs early.

Pack all meds in a carry-on, and put a list of prescriptions in a separate bag. If you wear glasses, take a copy of your prescription, just in case

Check health precautions for your itinerary. Your cruise agent or cruise line may send information, but do your own research as well to double check. Of critical note: Will you need to take malaria pills, and what kind? Do you have proof of yellow fever vaccination? Depending on your itinerary, you may need yellow fever paperwork in some countries; a waiver can be done ahead by your doctor for medical contraindications and if you’re older than 60. It’s always wise to be sure your tetanus shot is up to date no matter where you are traveling.

Beware the fine print of insurance policies. Surprisingly, comparing options for a full-length cruise I found most major travel insurance policies did not cover a trip of 90 days or longer. Coverage was commonly for a trip of 30 or 45 days. You must look for a policy with long-term coverage. The policy offered by the cruise line you’re sailing usually covers the length of the trip.

Also take note: If you leave the ship for a few days to do an independent excursion, say to the Taj Mahal in India, the cruise line insurance you bought probably doesn’t cover you those days off ship, so you may need to get a policy for that period.

Helpful resources

*TheInsideCabin.com is packed with useful information about world cruises. Writer Pete Laszcz includes tips on budgeting and packing as well as blogs from numerous world cruises he and his wife, Judy, have taken.

*TripInsuranceStore.com specializes in helping travelers find what they need and works with many cruise passengers. 

*Travel.state.gov is the U.S. Department of State website, offering extensive information on its International Travel tab. Plug in the name of a country and find helpful guidance.

*CDC.gov/travel is the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website with information for travelers’ health. Use the search field under Destinations to see recommendations on vaccines and medicines.