Just finishing off packing preparations so I'm not rushing at the last minute. The carry-on is the thing I always sort first — because if your suitcase is late to your cabin, or worse, goes missing, that bag is everything.
Five days to go and I genuinely cannot wait. I am just finishing off packing preparations now so I am not rushing around at the last minute — that is the one thing I always try to avoid.
The carry-on bag is the thing I sort first, and I always make sure it has everything I need to get through a few days on and off the ship. Because here is the thing — your suitcase arriving late to your cabin is more common than people think. And occasionally luggage goes missing altogether. It does happen. So the carry-on is not just a bag for the journey, it is your backup plan.
Mine always has pool wear, evening wear, and nightwear. Enough to cover me for a couple of days without needing to dig into the main case. Chargers go in there too — phone, camera, anything I would be lost without. Main toiletries as well, the essentials at least.
The other thing I never put in my main suitcase is anything important. Check-in information, passport, boarding documents — all of that travels with me in the carry-on. If the suitcase disappears, I can still board the ship. That is the priority.
I also put together a cruise document pack before every trip. Everything in one place — booking confirmation, cabin details, excursion bookings, travel insurance, emergency contacts. It sounds like overkill but the one time you need it and do not have it, you will wish you had done it.
Five days. The bag is nearly done. Rotterdam, here we come.
Paul
29 April 2026 · 9:14 AM
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