I've been on 19 Disney Cruise Line sailings with my family of six, including a child with Down syndrome and another with food allergies, and I'll be honest with you: I still use a packing list every time.
Not because I'm disorganized. Because I have ADHD, and packing lists are how I make sure nothing important gets left behind. After years of refining what actually comes with us and cutting what doesn't, this list is the version I trust.
This isn't a "pack everything you might possibly want" list. It's carry-on-friendly, tested with littles and babies and a medically complex kid, and designed to keep you moving without overpacking.
Adults: Clothes and Shoes
We keep it simple. For a typical 7-night sailing, here's what we bring per adult:
- ✅ 5 sets of day clothes
- ✅ 2 pairs of pajamas
- ✅ 2 swimsuits (one dries while you wear the other)
- ✅ 2 sets of gym clothes (skip these if you don't go to the gym at home)
- ✅ Socks and underwear
- ✅ 1 dressy outfit for adult dining
For shoes, we bring three pairs: a waterproof sneaker for walking and port days, a sandal with a back strap (not flip flops, you'll be chasing kids), and something packable like Toms for evenings out. That's it.
Kids: Clothes and Shoes
Same general formula, with a couple of adjustments.
- ✅ 5 sets of day clothes
- ✅ 5 sets of pajamas (kids have accidents)
- ✅ 2 swimsuits
- ✅ Socks and underwear
- ✅ Tennis shoes and closed-toe water shoes
- ✅ 1 costume for Pirate Night or a themed dinner (if it matters to them, it's worth the space)
One tip for the pool: we put all our kids in the same color rash guard on a given day. Bright colors like yellow, orange, or red, so I can spot them instantly in a crowd or in the water. It sounds small. It's not.
Pool and Island Days
If you're heading to the Caribbean, Bahamas, or Mexico, this section matters. If you're sailing to Alaska or Europe, scale it down or skip it entirely.
- ✅ Sunscreen, spray plus a roller applicator for little faces
- ✅ Waterproof phone pouch
- ✅ Wet bags (bring 2 to 3 for a family)
- ✅ Collapsible mesh beach bag
- ✅ Goggles or snorkel masks, depending on the itinerary
- ✅ Rash guards for everyone
Skip the heavy tote bags. They're bulky and not worth the weight. A mesh bag that folds flat works better and shakes out when it gets sandy.
Shop everything we use for pool and island days →
First Aid
This is the section people underpack and then regret.
- ✅ Pain reliever (Advil and Tylenol)
- ✅ Allergy medication
- ✅ Nausea medication, just in case
- ✅ Aloe, if you're prone to burning
- ✅ Any prescriptions, in original labeled packaging
Keep prescriptions in your carry-on, not your checked bag. If you carry an EpiPen, inhaler, or any emergency medication, keep it with you at all times.
For families with specific medical needs, here's what we bring for our son: a pulse ox, a portable nebulizer (quiet and small enough to pack easily), eardrops for kids with ear tubes, and a safety bed. He's a runner, and the ship's elevators made that a real concern until we had the right setup.
Shop our first aid and medical travel picks →
Toiletries
We use hanging toiletry bags, one for the kids and one per adult.
Kids: Toothbrushes with covers, toothpaste, floss, hairbrush, detangler, hair ties, shampoo, conditioner, baby soap, small spray bottle
Adults: Toothbrush and toothpaste, floss, deodorant, face wash, razor, shaving cream if needed, lotion, hair product, feminine products (always, without exception), nail kit
A note on feminine products: bring them. Bring more than you think you need. I cannot stress this enough.
We also pack laundry sheets, a stain stick, and dish soap for spot-treating on the go. These have saved us more times than I can count.
Babies and Toddlers
If you're traveling with a baby or toddler, add these to your list.
- ✅ Sleep sacks and sound machine
- ✅ Pacifiers (pack extras, they disappear)
- ✅ Diaper cream
- ✅ Reusable and disposable swim diapers
- ✅ Daytime diapers: number of days times 6, plus a buffer
- ✅ Nighttime diapers: number of nights plus 1 or 2 extra
- ✅ Toddler utensils
- ✅ Baby wipes (always)
- ✅ One or two small toys or stuffies
- ✅ Pre-packaged snacks for airports and travel days
The snacks aren't for the ship. They're for the hours before you board, layovers, bus rides, or the moment a toddler decides they're starving in the middle of a terminal.
Shop our baby and toddler travel picks →
Tech and Charging
We keep all of this in one small zippered case.
- ✅ Charging block with USB and USB-C ports
- ✅ Cables for every device you're bringing
- ✅ MagicBand chargers
- ✅ Slim portable charger for your day bag
The Day Bag
This is what comes off the ship with us on port days.
- ✅ Passports and travel documents
- ✅ Cash for tips and small purchases
- ✅ Portable battery and charging cable
- ✅ Hand sanitizer
- ✅ Sunglasses (inexpensive ones, cruise ships and lost sunglasses go together)
- ✅ Reusable water bottle
- ✅ Rain jacket
- ✅ Headphones
- ✅ MagicBands
- ✅ Something to keep kids busy during downtime
Want the List on Your Phone?
The FamGo app has a checklist you can check off as you pack, reminders so nothing slips, and tools that cover the rest of your cruise planning. Free to download.