Are you going on a cruise? One of the worst things that can happen during your vacation is losing your luggage. Your bags pass through many hands between the airport, the cruise terminal, the ship, and finally your stateroom.
While cruise lines do their best to handle luggage carefully, mistakes can still happen. The good news is that taking a few simple precautions can make a big difference. Below, I’m going to show you how to keep your luggage safe
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Make Sure You Give Your Luggage to a Porter
When you arrive at the cruise terminal, things can get pretty hectic. There are porters loading luggage, cars dropping off passengers, and lots of activity all around. Make sure you hand your bags directly to a proper cruise porter and not just any random person who offers to help.
Keep an eye on your luggage as they load it onto the cart to make sure it’s actually being taken to the ship and not left behind on the curb.
If you want extra peace of mind, most cruise terminals have a designated luggage drop-off area — you can go there and hand your bags in directly. This way, you know your luggage is in the right hands from the very start.
Print Luggage Tags at Home
One of the most important things you can do before your cruise is to print your luggage tags at home. These tags include critical information such as your ship name, deck, and stateroom number.
When your tags are printed clearly and attached properly, there’s a much lower chance of your luggage being delayed or lost.
If you have to fill out a luggage tag by hand at the cruise port, it’s very easy to make a mistake. Handwriting can be hard to read, or you might accidentally write the wrong stateroom number. Even a small error like that can lead to big delays in getting your luggage delivered.
Printing your luggage tags ahead of time and securing them before you leave home gives your bags the best chance of arriving at your stateroom without any issues.
It’s also a good idea to print extra luggage tags. Sometimes tags can get torn off during handling, and having a spare with you makes it easy to replace it right away and avoid any problems.
Lock Your Luggage
When you go on a cruise, you should always lock your luggage. There will be many situations where your suitcase is left unattended. On embarkation day, luggage is delivered to staterooms and often left sitting in the hallway for hours. Anyone walking by has access to it during that time.
Your luggage will also be left unattended on disembarkation day, when luggage is placed in the hallway the night before and in the cruise terminal for passengers to pick up. While theft is not common, accidents and mix-ups do happen. Locking your luggage is a simple way to protect your belongings.
Always use a TSA-approved lock. If they need to inspect your luggage, they can open the lock without damaging your suitcase. If you use a non-approved lock, they may break it.
That happened to one of my suitcases, and they not only broke the lock but also damaged the zipper so badly that I couldn’t put a lock on it again.
Close the Cabin Door Behind You
After you board the ship, you’ll probably want to drop off your carry-on luggage in your stateroom so you don’t have to carry it around while exploring the ship or getting lunch at the buffet. Sometimes, your cabin might not be fully ready yet, and you may find the door open because your stateroom is still being cleaned.
Even if you found your stateroom door open, make sure you close the door behind you when you leave. Your cabin steward has a key, so they can still access your cabin to finish cleaning. Keeping the door closed keeps your luggage secure and helps prevent anyone else from accidentally walking in.
Take a Picture of Your Luggage
Whenever I go on a cruise, one of the first things I do after packing my luggage is I take a picture of it. I make sure to capture the entire suitcase, any unique tags, ribbons, or stickers — basically anything that makes it stand out.
Even small details can help, like a patch, or a strap that’s attached. These little things can make it much easier for cruise staff to identify your luggage if it ever gets misplaced.
I also make a habit of taking another photo on the last day of the cruise before leaving my luggage in the hallway for pickup. Having a current photo gives you peace of mind that you know exactly what your bag looks like right before disembarkation.
If your luggage does get lost or delayed, you won’t have to rely on memory to describe it. You can simply show the cruise staff the photos, and they’ll know exactly what to look for. It also helps avoid confusion if there are similar-looking bags in the same area, which is really common on big ships with hundreds of passengers.
Track Your Luggage
One thing I started doing that gives me a lot of peace of mind is tracking my luggage. I place an Apple AirTag inside every suitcase before traveling. This allows me to see where my luggage is in real time using my phone.
Thankfully, I’ve never had to use it to locate lost luggage, but just knowing that I can track my luggage’s whereabouts makes me feel more relaxed.
Make Your Luggage Stand Out
One of the worst things you can do when going on a cruise is to bring plain black luggages. So many travelers use black suitcases, making it very easy for bags to get mixed up.
On disembarkation day, luggage is often left out for passengers to pick up on a self-serve basis. When there are rows of similar-looking bags, someone can easily grab the wrong one by mistake.
To avoid this, I always make my luggage stand out. I try to use luggages in bold or bright colors. If I’m traveling with an older black suitcase, I add ribbons, large colorful luggage tags, or bright luggage handle wraps. These small details make a big difference and make my luggage easy to recognize.
Don’t Pack Valuables in Your Luggage
One of the biggest mistakes you can make when cruising is packing valuables in your checked luggage. Once your bags are handed over to the porter, you won’t see them again until they arrive at your stateroom, and sometimes that can take hours.
Important items like passports, travel documents and IDs should always stay with you, either in your purse, backpack, or pocket.
Electronics should never be packed in checked luggage either. Phones, tablets, laptops, cameras, and chargers should always go in your carry-on so they stay with you at all times. These items are expensive and difficult to replace, especially once you’re already on the ship.
The same goes for jewelry and prescription medications. Medications are especially important, because if your luggage is delayed or misplaced, you don’t want to be stuck without your medicine.
Label Your Luggage
Besides the cruise luggage tags, it’s really important to add a permanent label to your suitcase. I always make sure my bags have a tag that clearly shows my full name, phone number, and email address. This makes it much easier for cruise staff to reach you if your luggage ever gets misplaced.
I like using a fine-tip permanent marker so the writing is easy to read, and won’t smudge or rub off while it’s being handled. Over time, I’ve realized that flimsy tags can fall off, so investing in a good, sturdy tag is worth it.
I personally use bright silicone tags — they’re durable and really easy to spot among all the other suitcases. Not only do they help you find your luggage faster, but they also reduce the chance of someone accidentally grabbing your bag.
Label Inside the Luggage
It’s just as important to label the inside of your luggage as it is the outside. Even well-secured tags can fall off during handling. To protect yourself, fill out another luggage tag with your contact information and place it inside one of the zipper compartments.
If the outside tag comes off, cruise staff can still identify the owner by checking inside the suitcase. I use simple, inexpensive luggage tags for this. I also use them for carry-on bags so everything I travel with is labeled.
Cruise Essentials to Buy Before Your Cruise
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Travel Must-Haves
Passport neck wallet – Keeps your passport and travel documents secure and accessible. It also has RFID protection.
Cruise lanyards – A super convenient way to keep your cruise card within easy reach. No more digging through your bag every time you need it! I recommend getting one lanyard per person in your group and choosing different colors so it’s easy to tell them apart.
Anti-theft crossbody bag with anti-pickpocket clip – Genius anti-theft clip and versatile enough for both port days and evenings in the dining room.
Anti-theft crossbody bag with RFID – Padded shoulder straps with RFID lining to safeguard against identity theft.
Insulated water bottles –I don’t like spending money on bottled water, and I always want fresh water in my cabin. I’ll fill my bottle at the buffet or ask my server at dinner, then bring it back so I have water at night. This is my go-to water bottle—I prefer ones without straws since they’re much easier to wash in the cabin sink.
Pashmina – This multi-purpose wrap always earns its spot in my luggage. Use it as an evening wrap, a lightweight plane blanket, or a cover-up when visiting places of worship that require modest dress. I never cruise without one—you’ll be surprised how often it comes in handy.
Cruise Planning Essentials
Day Passes to Resorts– Booking private beach resort access in advance guarantees a comfortable beach experience at the cruise port.
Travel Insurance with CFAR Coverage– CFAR travel insurance gives you flexibility to cancel your cruise for any reason and recover part of your costs if plans change.
Last Minute Cruise Deals– Search for last minute cruise deals.
Cabin Comfort & Organization
Non-surge Cruise power strip– Cabins never have enough outlets (check cruise line rules first).
Magnetic hooks – Super-strong magnetic hooks that attach easily to your cabin walls. They’re perfect for hanging hats, cruise lanyards, goggles, swimsuits, and towels. I personally use the 85+ lb hooks—they’re incredibly sturdy and can even hold backpacks!
Small portable fan – Improves airflow and keeps Inside Cabins from feeling stuffy.
Motion sensor night light – Perfect for Inside Cabins, for when you get up at night to use the bathroom. It also has a magnetic base, so you can easily attach it to your cabin walls.
Toiletries & Laundry
Hanging toiletry bag – Keeps your essentials neat and accessible.
Fabric freshener spray – Fights wrinkles and refreshes clothes between wears.
Travel-size detergent – Handy for washing swimsuits, underwear, and quick-dry clothing in the sink.
TSA-approved travel containers – Easy to pack your lotions, creams, and other liquids without worrying about TSA rules.
Health & Wellness
Anti-seasickness medicine – My go-to meds for anti-seasickness. I take one in the morning on sea days (bring chewables for kids).
Acupressure bands – A natural alternative for seasickness relief. I use this with the anti-seasickness meds.
Packing & Storage
Cruise travel planners– Check out my travel planners, they help you stay organized before and during your trip.
Packing cubes – I never travel without packing cubes! They make packing and unpacking so easy—you can simply slip the entire cube into the cabin closet or drawer. I like to assign a different color to each person so there’s no mix-up.
Foldable duffel bag – I always pack a foldable duffel bag in case I bring home too many souvenirs or do some extra shopping. It doubles as an extra carry-on and barely takes up any luggage space.
Foldable shopping bag – Perfect for shopping at cruise ports, these bags fold up small enough to keep in your purse. I always carry one with me—you never know when you’ll need it! Plus, many countries charge a fee for shopping bags, and I’d much rather use my own than pay extra.
Foldable backpack – Perfect for cruise port days when you need an extra bag. I love that these backpacks are lightweight and fold down small, so you can toss one in your luggage without taking up much space.
Travel luggage scale – I always keep one in my suitcase so I can weigh my bags before heading to the airport. It’s a simple way to avoid overweight baggage fees.
Apple AirTags – I pop one into each of my bags so I can track my luggage for peace of mind. They’re especially helpful if you have a short layover and worry about your suitcase getting left behind.
Beach Essentials
Towel Clips – A simple must-have for pool and beach days! They keep your towels from slipping off lounge chairs, and I never cruise without brining a few in my luggage.
Waterproof phone pouch – Protect your phone from water and sand while still being able to snap photos. I always bring one when cruising the Caribbean or Mediterranean—it’s a lifesaver for beach and pool days.
Striped beach bag with zipper – You’ll need a beach bag with zipper to keep your things secure. I like this one because it’s stylish, has a water bottle holder, keeps belongings secure and has a lot of pockets.
Kid-Friendly Cruise Essentials
Magnetic toys – Cabin walls are magnetic, making these toys perfect for fun, mess-free entertainment. They keep kids busy when you’re in the cabin, especially since cruise TV options for kids can be limited. It’s always best to bring your own toys.
Collapsible beach buckets and toys – You’ll definitely want to bring beach toys if you’re going on a Caribbean cruise! This collapsible set includes foldable buckets, shovels, and sandcastle molds, all packed neatly in one bag. They’re easy to fit in your suitcase without taking up much space.
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