Choosing the Best Cruise for You

A lot of people love cruising, because almost everything is included and it's just easy. Everything you need is within walking distance of your room, but there are a lot of factors to consider when choosing a cruise to fit your travel style and budget. You also need to remember that you'll probably be getting off the ship to do things and spend money there and any alcohol and soda is usually an extra charge as well.

I showed you some important things to bring along with you on a cruise and next up I'll be giving you a packing tutorial to help you look great for everything happening on and off your ship.

Have you taken a cruise or are you looking forward to one?

Packing Your Travel Capsule Wardrobe

Last week, I showed you an easy mix-and-match capsule wardrobe for your summer trips. Today I want to show you mine in practice and how everything goes together when you're going on a short getaway. These are pieces I'm considering taking with me to Sacramento for 4 days, including one where I will be going to a family reunion and one where I'm going with our niece to a fairytale theme park.

I'm not taking too many pieces, because I won't be there that long, and also I think it's more convenient to mix and match some items instead of taking full outfits for each day. I'll be traveling with two pair of shoes, a pair of closed-toe ones and a pair of sandals. I'll also be wearing an outfit on the plane that can match with other pieces in my bag.

It's gonna be hot, so I'm bringing a mix of breathable pieces and athletic wear. I want to be comfortable and wear clothes that are roomy, but still look good. These olive joggers from Prana are some of my favorite pants for summer. They're great for sitting on the plane, running through the airport, and even for long road trips. 

Having a cute pair of sandals with you that match everything and can be worn for long walking days is pretty important to me. These ones from Dr. Scholls can also be worn with a more dressy outfit if I want, too. 

I love this tennis tank and I have it in two different colors. It has a built-in sports bra, so it's extra great for summer. It came from Lucy and I pretty much bought everything in my size when they were going out of business, and have been finding pieces here and there on Poshmark. When you find things that are functional and pretty, you stick with the brand as much as you can. REI carries 5 of Lucy's best-sellers, but I don't think they designate them as Lucy items, since they were absorbed by REI.

I got this adorable skirt from Pact after looking at it for months. It's stretchy, but can look dressy or casual, depending on what you pair with it.

If I want to go out to a more upscale restaurant, adding these Skechers Cleo ballet flats are a perfect way to make this comfy outfit an appropriate evening outfit.

I'm sure you've seen me wear this dress before. It's from Prana and they discontinued it in this form. It looks like two pieces, but it's all attached and it has the BEST pockets. I have it in black and I also have it in rust. 

The back is open, because the tank part splits up the back. It's not that noticeable, but it's also great when it's hot outside, because you don't get that gross sweaty back with your clothes sticking to you. If you want a little extra coverage, throwing a tee over any tank dress is always fun.

You know I always have a cardigan or wrap with me, but sometimes I bring an athletic jacket, because it makes more sense with what I'm taking. This is another piece I thrifted from Poshmark. It's really lightweight, but it can add a nice level of warmth if layered right, but it's also perfect for those early summer mornings where it's still a bit chilly or you go into the air conditioning. This was one of the outer pieces I took with me to Vegas and it kept me warm when it decided to be really windy and rainy on two days.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shereen Travels Cheap | Budget Travel Tips | Travel Writer (@shereentravels)

I'll have more videos and packing posts the closer I get to my trips this summer and I may be doing longer videos, if those are something people want to see. Of course, you can always see more things like this if you follow me on Instagram. Make sure to like/save/interact with my posts there if you enjoy certain content. 

Where will you be traveling soon that you still need help packing for?

Accessories to Pack for Cruising

So, you're going on a cruise? Congrats! I'll be posting more tips on what to bring along on your cruise and what to plan for, but for now, let's talk about the size of cruise cabins. Even the big ones aren't usually that big, so here are some ideas on how to get the most square footage from your cabin without tripping over all your stuff every time you're in there.

Here are some items that will keep your stuff off the floor, but still handy:

Magnetic hooks/clips

Cruise ships have metal walls, which means you can hang things up all over the place. You can get these heavy-duty hooks that come in a bunch of colors and can come apart to pack easier in your bag. These come in a pack of 20. If you'd rather go with clips (or want both), these colorful magnets can be used at home and on your cruise and they come in a 24-pack.

Over-door shoe organizer

Use it for shoes, but also for all those little things you bring back and usually just throw on a counter or table. Your space is as a premium here, so bring along a shoe organizer to stash all those things easy at-hand, but also not in the way. It comes in fun or classic colors and the slots are mesh, so you can see everything inside: great for snacks, souvenirs, sunscreen, sandals, charging cords, and whatever else you don't want to keep digging in a bag for. 

Travel power strip

Pack a small power strip, because like hotel rooms, staterooms are woefully lacking in outlets. I like this one from Belkin and have one in my travel bag at all times and two at home. I also like the Anker one above, because it has some mobility to it and you don't have to keep trying to plug things in behind something. It's also great if you have a lot of things that charge via a USB plug. 

Magnetic motion-sensor puck lights

Cruise cabins can be really dark and you may not always want to turn on a big light in the middle of the night to get to the bathroom or to get a drink. I usually bring a night light that plugs in and turns on when the lights go out that can just go in the bathroom, so you have that little light to guide you, but you can also get these magnetic puck lights and put them wherever you want in the room, since they will stick to the cabin walls. These are motion sensing, to only turn on when you walk in front of them.

Pop-up laundry basket

Keep your dirty clothes separate from your clean ones by bringing along a mesh, pop-up hamper. I bring a larger basket, but you may want a taller, skinnier hamper that fits in one of the cabinets. I tend to take mine down to the laundry to clean everything before I leave so I don’t go home, or to my next destination, with a bag full of dirty clothes. If you're doing laundry, make sure to bring quarters and laundry strips to make your life easier.

Collapsible Carry-on

You can put your bags in one of the closet cabinets, but you probably also want to hang stuff up and they aren't usually super spacious, so having a bag that you can make smaller to take up less space or slide under the bed is wonderful. This one from Travel Ready has great reviews, the Travigo has a lower profile and a hideaway handle, or the Rollink Vega is more heavy duty and is water-resistant and comes in a bunch of pretty colors. 

I hope this helps you make the most of your cruise ship cabin, so it's much more comfortable in there and doesn't feel smaller than it already is. What are some of your favorite items to take with you on a cruise?

Disclaimer: Support Shereen Travels Cheap by using the links in my posts to shop. I receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) so I can continue to create helpful free content. I earn from qualifying purchases made to the featured retailers. Thank you. I appreciate your support!