Honeymoon Packing List For a Resort or Cruise
Ocean View at the Iberostar resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico.
Some people pack for a trip by putting their favorite outfits in a suitcase. Others would rather start with a list. The best way to make your honeymoon packing list is by planning the trip first.
Then make a list of each activity, and choose an outfit for it. Include shoes, jewelry and accessories on your list, and you’ll be sure to have everything you need.
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Do You Need Formal Wear For Your Honeymoon?
Beach wear like shorts, rompers and dresses are perfect for most of your honeymoon. You’ll only need formal or semi formal wear for dinners or shows. Every resort and cruise ship will be a bit different, but in general, most resorts are a little more casual than a cruise ship.
At an all inclusive resort, you can go to the buffet dinners and shows in dressy casual clothes. Most women will wear nicer shorts, skirts, rompers or dresses. Men will usually wear nicer shorts, khakis or casual slacks plus polo shirts or button downs.
For an a la carte dinner at the resort, most guests dress in semi formal clothes. Women will usually wear nicer skirts and blouses or cocktail dresses. Men will usually wear nicer slacks, dress shoes and a button up shirt.
On cruise ships, guests usually wear dressy casual or semi formal outfits to dinners and shows. Most cruises will have one or two formal nights, or elegant nights. Women will dress up in cocktail dresses or evening gowns. Men usually wear suits or tuxedos for formal nights.
How Many Pairs of Shoes Should You Bring On Your Honeymoon?
Shoes take up a lot of space in a suitcase, so you should try to pack as few as possible. In general, you’ll need a pair of sandals or flip flops, for the beach. Plus a pair of dressy shoes for dinners and shows. If you’re planning excursions, like zip lining or dune buggy, you might be required to wear closed toe shoes. Make sure to bring a pair of running shoes, as well.
Ocean View at the Club Med resort in Cancun, Mexico.
Check Your Baggage Allowance
Check your plane tickets before you start packing. Most include a personal item, a carry on and a checked bag. If you bought a discount plane ticket, it might not include all three of these. Or if you booked a honeymoon package, it might include extra checked bags.
Look through the small print on your ticket to find out how much baggage you’re allowed to bring. Check the size and weight for each bag. Once you’ve figured out your baggage allowance, decide what you’ll put into each bag.
What Goes In Your Personal Item?
Your personal item is usually a purse or small backpack. Keep all your most important items inside. Put your tickets, credit cards and medication in your personal item.
Once you’re on the plane, it’ll fit into the space under the seat in front of you. It’s easy for you to access, so it’s the best place to put things you’ll need during the flights. You can put your tablet, earphones and snacks in your personal item.
What Goes In Your Carry On?
Your carry on is a small bag or suitcase that fits in the overhead compartment. This is the best place to pack items that you don’t need during the flight, but you will need as soon as you get to the resort.
Your room might not be ready when you arrive at the hotel or cruise ship. Especially if you book an early morning flight. If you pack your swimsuits and flip flops in your carry on, it’s easy to get changed and head to the beach or pool, while you wait. The desk clerk will hold your suitcases until the room is ready for you.
As well as the things you’ll need right away, it’s best to pack your essential items in your carry on. Most suitcases arrive at their destination just fine. And even if a checked bag goes missing, it’s usually put on the next flight. A courier will bring it to your resort within a day or two. But just in case there is a delay, it’s best to have a change of clothes, plus your makeup or other essentials in your carry on.
Royal Caribbean cruise ship parked in port at Nassau, Bahamas.
Packing Liquids and Gels
When you’re packing your carry on, make sure to follow the TSA rules for liquids and gels. All your items like shampoo, face cream and other liquids have to fit into a quart sized bag. Each item must be less than 3.4 ounces (100mL).
You can buy your essential items in travel sizes. Or you can buy some empty bottles, then fill them with your favorite products. If you’re a Sephora fan, you can start using all those points for some new mini sets.
Once you’ve chosen your essential liquids and gels, make sure they’ll fit into a quart sized bag. You can buy a clear toiletries bag or you can use a 7 x 7-7/16 inch Ziplock bag. Anything that doesn’t fit will have to go into your checked luggage.
What Goes In Your Checked Bag?
This is where you’ll pack all the rest of your items. All your clothes, shoes and full sized toiletries will go into your checked bag. You probably won’t open it again until you’re checked in, and in your hotel room or cruise ship cabin. Remember not to put anything you’ll need earlier, in the suitcase that you’ll be checking in.
The hardest part of packing your suitcase is staying under the weight limit. Paying for an overweight bag can be very expensive. Avoid a bad surprise at the airport by weighing your bag before you leave home.
You can buy a special scale for weighing a suitcase. Or you can do it the cheap way: step on your bathroom scale holding your suitcase. Put the suitcase down and step on the scale again. Subtract to find out how much your suitcase weighs.
If your suitcase is too heavy, check if your resort has laundry services. Most hotels will pick up your laundry, clean it and return it the next day. You can pack less clothes and send it to be cleaned halfway through your trip.
Packing Your Personal Item Checklist
Passport and ID
Credit card and debit card
Cash in local currency
One dollar bills to use for tips
Tickets for flights & activities
Travel insurance information
Vaccination cards and/or test results
Pen (to fill out customs forms)
Medications
Camera
Phone
Tablet
Earphones
Snacks
Sunglasses
Hand sanitizer
Packing Your Carry On Checklist
Change of clothes
Travel size toiletries
Basic makeup
Sunscreen
Swimsuit
Flip flops
Phone charger
Packing Your Suitcase Checklist
Clothing
5 shirts
3 pairs of short or skirts
2 dressy casual outfits
2 semi formal dresses
2 swimsuits
Cover up
Honeymoon lingerie
Exercise clothes
Bras and undies
Pajamas
Socks
Accessories:
Evening purse
Pashmina
Jewelry
Sunglasses
Dressy shoes
Running shoes
Sandals
Belts
Beach bag
Sun hat
Toiletries:
Body wash or soap
Shampoo and conditioner
Hair treatments and tools
Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss
Face wash
Face lotion
Sunscreen
After sun lotion
Deodorant
Lip balm
Makeup
Razor
Tweezers
Nail file
Tampons or pads
Headache tablets
Motion sickness tablets
Antacids
Bug spray
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Beach resorts and cruise ships are perfect for honeymoons.
