How much luggage can I bring on a cruise? Can I bring shampoo? What about food? Will my bags be searched?

If you’re a first-time cruiser, you might have a number of questions about what you can — and can’t — pack for a cruise.

The good news? The rules surrounding cruise luggage are far simpler and more straightforward than what you’ll find on a flight.

In fact, you can think of the rules surrounding your luggage as more similar to traveling to a hotel versus traveling on a flight.

Still, if you’re taking a cruise, chances are you’re going to pack a little more than a toothbrush. So you no doubt have a few questions about luggage and baggage on the ship.

We’ve rounded up answers to some of the most common questions…

The best news about packing is that there is no (reasonable) limit on how much you can bring on a cruise. Most cruise lines “encourage” each passenger to limit luggage to two suitcases, each one less than 50 pounds. In addition, you can also bring carry-on luggage (more on that in a moment).

While there are no strict restrictions on your checked baggage, you should keep a few common sense items in mind.

First, keep in mind that you have to get all your luggage to and from the cruise ship. If you are flying, that may mean extra fees for extra bags. And even if you are driving to the cruise terminal, you still have to carry (or arrange for someone else to carry) all that luggage.

We encourage people to pack reasonably. There is no harm in wearing the same thing twice during a cruise — many others will be doing just that. As well, every ship has laundry service if you need it.

If you are taking more than one piece of luggage and one carry-on, then you are likely overpacking.

(Read: 12 Luggage Pieces Perfect For Your Next Cruise )

Unlike airlines, there are no baggage fees for the luggage you bring on a cruise. Bring what you want, as there is no extra charge.

That’s good news, but if you are flying to the port, remember that you could be charged by the airline for bags you bring on the plane. That’s another reason it’s smart to pack light if you can.

Of course. You can’t bring weapons such as guns or long knives on board. If it’s even questionable (such as pepper spray), it’s best to just leave it at home. Scissors are also restricted.

More importantly, except for lighters, you can’t bring anything dealing with fire. Fire is the biggest risk on board a ship. For that reason, irons are restricted, as are candles and incense. Flammable liquids are also prohibited. If you think it could start a fire, it’s best to leave it at home.

Cruise lines also have restrictions on alcohol that you can bring on board. Most will let you bring some sort of wine or champagne, but only in small quantities. Beer or hard liquor are almost never allowed. Click here to read more about bringing alcohol on a cruise .

Prohibited items on cruise ships:

Accidentally pack something that’s against the rules? Expect it to be removed from your bag when found — that includes alcohol, weapons, or other items.

Depending on the cruise line policy and what you item is, it may be held and returned to you at the end of the cruise or it may just be confiscated. For that reason, we suggest being very careful about what you pack to avoid running afoul of the luggage rules.

If it’s an illegal substance that’s found, you may be getting a visit from law enforcement.

While clothes irons aren’t allowed, you can bring things like a straightener, hair dryer or curling iron. You should definitely be careful, and not forget to unplug them when not in use (in fact, room stewards may do so if they see it left unattended when servicing your room).

As for hair dryers, you can bring one from home but cruise cabins have these built in, similar to a hotel. They are small, but can get the job done for a few days of vacation. There is no real reason to take up the luggage space, unless you just can’t live without your specific hair dryer.

If you have special dietary restrictions and want to bring special foods, then it’s best to contact the cruise line to get all the ins and outs of how to bring your food. One nice thing is that cruise lines can meet almost any dietary restriction you might have.

If you’re simply wanting to brings some snacks, then you are welcome to do so. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that a cruise will go to several different countries. That means customs officials worry about things like foreign pests and disease.

For that reason, any food you bring on board needs to be pre-processed, packaged, and unopened. You can’t bring homemade items. You also want to avoid fresh fruit and vegetables.

The “3-1-1” rule is ubiquitous in airports. It’s the rule that you can only bring liquids three ounces or less in a one quart plastic bag, with one bag per passenger. The rule is a thorn in the side of many travelers.

For everyone’s sanity, this rule does not apply to cruise ships. Bring shampoo from home or a bottle of hairspray or a full-sized tube of toothpaste. Just keep in mind that if you have to fly to the port, then you’ll still have to meet the guidelines on liquids for air travel.

If you want to bring beer or liquor, then the bad news is that these aren’t allowed to be brought on cruise ships. If they are found, they will be removed and discarded. (You can buy alcohol in ports of call and bring it home, but it’s held until the end of the cruise.)

The good news? Most cruise lines do allow you to bring a bottle or two of wine or champagne.

The amount varies among cruise lines, but it’s usually one bottle (750 mL) per adult in a cabin. When you bring this on, just keep it in your carry-on luggage. You don’t want to put it in checked luggage where it can possibly be broken.

Yes, but only on some cruise lines. Major lines Carnival and Royal Caribbean have more relaxed rules that allow you to bring small quantities (usually 12 or fewer) drinks on board with you. Norwegian does not allow you to bring aboard drinks.

So if you want to have a Coca-Cola or juice and don’t want to buy it on the ship, then you can bring it with you as you board.

Note that not every cruise line allows this, so you’ll want to see if the specific rules for your line. We have a list of cruise line policies around non-alcoholic drinks here .

When you arrive at the port, you will check your large luggage (unless you want to carry it on). This luggage will be carted off, X-rayed, put aboard the ship, and then delivered to your room later that day. But that entire process will take several hours.

For that reason, passengers are encouraged to bring some sort of carry-on that has anything you might need for the first few hours on the cruise ship — travel documents, passports, medications, allowed alcohol, toothbrush, your swimsuit, and maybe even a change of clothes for dinner.

No. There is no rule that you have to check luggage. However, keep in mind that you will have to lug your carry-on items around the ship until your room is ready. If you check in early, that could be a couple of hours. Even a small bag can be a nuisance after that long.

There are some “official” restrictions on carry-on sizes, but we’ve found them to be less strict than with an airline and rarely enforced. As long as you can safely and easily move your bag, it should be ok to board with.

(Read: 12 Luggage Pieces Perfect For Your Next Cruise )

All baggage brought on board the ship will be X-rayed. When you go through security you will set your bags on the x-ray machine like you’d find at an airport. Checked luggage is also X-rayed behind the scenes. Usually further inspection isn’t required unless the security staff finds something dangerous or prohibited.

When you check your bags at the cruise terminal, they are taken, x-rayed, and then loaded onto the ship.

From there, the cruise line staff delivers your luggage directly to your stateroom the evening of your first night. Usually this will take a few hours.

It’s important that you bring anything you might need for your first night in your carry-on, including what you plan to wear to dinner. While most people will have their bags within a few hours of boarding, it may be until later that you get yours.

CBD is now seemingly everywhere, and rules around marijuana have relaxed (including full legalization in a number of states).

That said, these items are not allowed on cruise ships. Cruise lines follow federal law instead of state laws. As well, the items are prohibited in a number of countries, so the cruise line restricts you from bringing CBD or marijuana to comply with rules in any port you might visit.

It’s not a good idea to try and sneak them on either as we’ve seen stories of local law enforcement in some countries detaining passengers for these items.

There’s no arguing that cruise cabins are small and you might be wondering where to put an empty suitcase so that you aren’t constantly tripping over it. Fortunately cruise cabins do a great job of maximizing space.

There are closets in every cabin that can hold a suitcase or two. You can also store them under the cabin bed so that you don’t have to worry about it taking up valuable space.

Now that you know about the luggage and baggage rules, see our list of 39 useful things to pack for your cruise .

Have a question about packing or luggage for a cruise that we didn’t answer here? Let us know in the comments below…

Is rubbing alcohol allowed on carnival cruise ship

We’d think that if it were sealed and unopened (and a small amount) it should be fine.

Am I allowed t take paracetamol caskets in my cases along with voltrrol and rubbing creams ,I have Rhumatoid Athritis and need extra over the counter meds to add to my prescription meds

Not sure what those are, but OTC medications are fine.

My husband and I both use CPAP machines. We will be driving to embarkation port, doing a cruisetour (land portion after ship) and then flying home. Can we bring the gallon of distilled water on with us? I would not need to take it back on the plane. Thanks!

Yes, that should be fine. Cruise lines make exceptions for the distilled water for this and for baby formula.

Thank you. I will be sure to take it along then.

I have a large framed shirt that someone is taking on a cruise ship toAuckland for me is this allowed ? Thanks Cushla

Should be fine. After all, cruise ships have art sales on the ship.

Can and much water can we bring on the cruise ship???

Depends on the cruise line. Carnival and Royal Caribbean allow 12 bottles. See more here: https://cruzely.com/bringing-water-or-soda-on-the-ship-carnival-royal-caribbean-princess-and-norwegian/

Can we bring pop on a cruise? Sone say yes some say no…. some say carry on some say luggage. We’re travelling on holland cruises

Holland America is a little confusing because we found nowhere that it says you can or can’t bring on soda. Anecdotes on the Internet make it sound like bringing a reasonable amount on board with you is ok.

When it’s time to leave the ship at the end of the cruise what do you do with your larger checked bags? Do you just carry them out with your other belongings?

If you want, you can place them outside the cabin the night before you ship gets home. The crew will take them and they will be brought to the terminal for you. Many people, however, choose to carry them off themselves because passengers carrying all their belongings (and not waiting on luggage) are allowed to debark first.

Hi, any idea if we would be allowed to bring a gallon of soymilk (for our dairy allergic kid to eat with cereal as the ones they stock on ships are always sweetened already) on the boat? Thanks!

Typically you aren’t allowed to bring items that large. However, since it’s for dietary needs, then they will likely say it’s fine. I would call the cruise line and explain the situation. They will point you in the right direction.

where can you place your wine bottles

We suggest bringing those in your carry-on to avoid any breaking and leaking.

I read that on Princess you are allowed 1 750ml bottle of wine per person. What about those small, single-serve 187ml bottles? 750ml is about the volume of a regular bottle. Is the limit for “number” of bottles or the “amount” per person? 750ml is about 4 of those small ones. So, can I bring 4 small ones per person?? Thank you.

That’s a good question. It’s not something we’ve tried before. It will likely depend on the security staff at that particular port. We’ve found many are fairly relaxed on rules; they just want to make sure you aren’t bringing anything dangerous.

This is an odd question, but being an introverted crafter I would like to bring supplies to help me decompress during down times. I was wondering if pliers are acceptable – I make chains similar to rosary chains (no cutting, just bending and twisting; no waste). Is there a length limitation or just not allowed.

Pliers are fine. In fact, knives up to 4 inches are allowed (but we’d suggest leaving those at home).

Pliers that were in his carryon bag were taken away from my husband when we boarded Norwegian Breakaway February 2020 in New Orleans.

Hello I was wondering if it would be acceptable to use a water bottle as a container? My hair conditioner comes in a very large jug so I was thinking about pouring it into a water bottle. But, it seems there could be a few misunderstandings in doing this. Would it be alright?

There’s no rule against the type of container, but as you mention, it would likely be questioned. What about travel bottles? Those that hold a few ounces are perfect for a cruise.

I was wondering if carry on luggage is checked? Like do they just put it through the x-ray machine or just be like “oh it’s carry on, you’re good to go.” Do they x-ray it just like they do with the other checked luggage?

Yes, everything is x-rayed just like at the airport.

Can you take CBS oil tablets on ship

We assume you mean CBD oil? We’d leave it at home. There are a quite a few complications about the legality and it’s not worth the risk.

This will be my first cruise, and I was wondering if you can check a duffle bag as luggage, or am I going to have to treat it as a carry on?

You’re going to have a blast. On a cruise, you don’t have to “check” any luggage. You can if you want so that you don’t have to carry it, but you can also just carry it on yourself. It’s not like a plane where there is only a certain amount of room.

Will items be pulled out of carry on such as vapes and e liquid?

Vaping and e-cigarettes are allowed on ships, but like regular smoking, it’s limited only to certain areas. So there’s no real reason for the security team to pull out the items. That said, they do have the right to inspect anything you’re bringing on the ship.

Where should I pack the water bottles I’m allowed to bring? They will be unopened and still sealed in their plastic. Also- should I put my cigarettes in my carry on or luggage? I am driving down so I won’t go through airport.

It’s usually best to carry these items on with you if you can. That way they don’t have the potential to bust and soak other people’s bags.

Is the carry-on allowed along with a purse? In other words, they don’t count a woman’s purse to be the carry on?

Carry-on is simply what you bring on with you. You can bring every bag with you if you want to carry it. There are no real limits like there are on airlines. For instance, we always “carry on” a full-size suitcase and backpack.

Can I have my splash, perfumes, lotion and accessories on my carry in bag??

Am I able to bring a hair dryer, straightener and curling iron

Yes, although hair dryers are already provided in cabins.

What if your luggage is over 50 pounds what will happen to it

On a cruise? Nothing. The baggage rules are pretty lax. However, keep in mind that you will still need to carry it around on your way to the ship, so the lighter, the better!

Are people allowed to bring their scale on a cruise?

Like a bathroom scale? Sure, but keep in mind it might make you sad. There will also likely be scales in the gym if you don’t want to bring one.

Hello, was wondering where the best place to store my vape pen when going through cruise security would be. Can I put it through my checked luggage? Travelling with older relative that would disapprove and would rather not have to pull out my vape pen in front of her when going through security. Can i leave it in my bag without taking it out? Flew with an epi-pen and had to take it out of my bag and put it on the tray seperatly. Will that occur? Side note- old enough to smoke, young enough to be publicly chastised by elder. Thank you for you’re help! -Grace

Yep, you can put it in your checked luggage. Smoking is allowed only on certain parts of the ship… but it is allowed. Surprised you had to take it out at all — even in a carry-on. Edit: I see you had to take it out when you flew. Cruise security is more accommodating. If you don’t want to risk it, however, just toss it in the checked baggage.

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