What to Pack for Your First House Heads At Sea Cruise
The most common question from first-time cruisers is not about the ship, the food, or the ports. It is simpler than that: what do I pack? Here is the list we give our own family — built for a House Heads At Sea week, where the days are warm, the ports are calling, and the nights are for dancing.
Packing a suitcase with rolled clothes, a passport, a camera, and headphones.
Start with the documents, in your carry-on
A valid passport. Bring one for every House Heads At Sea sailing. Check its expiration date the day you book, not the week you sail, and confirm the exact document requirements for your sailing before you travel.
Your booking and travel documents. Keep printed copies and phone copies, in case service is thin at the port.
Payment card and some cash. Small bills are useful in port for taxis, tips, and local vendors.
Keep all of it in the bag that stays with you — never in checked luggage.
Pack a day-one carry-on
Checked bags can take a few hours to reach your cabin on sailing day, so your carry-on carries the first afternoon:
Medication, in its original containers
A swimsuit and a change of clothes
Sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat
Phone charger and a portable power bank
Anything you need for the first evening on board
Clothes: days, ports, and the dance floor
Daytime: light, breathable clothes, swimwear, a cover-up, and comfortable walking shoes or sandals for port days.
Evenings: cruise-casual outfits you can dance in. This is a house music cruise — the floor is the evening, so bring shoes that can keep up.
Theme nights and special gatherings: each sailing has its own, and the details come with your sailing's guest information. Leave room in the case — these are the photos you will keep.
One warm layer: ship interiors and evening decks run cool, even in the Caribbean.
Small things first-timers forget
A reusable water bottle for port days
A small day bag or crossbody for going ashore
Reef-safe sunscreen and after-sun care
A lanyard for your ship card
Earplugs, if you are a light sleeper — the music runs late, as it should
Room in the suitcase for what you bring home
Questions first-timers ask us
Do I need a passport? Bring a valid passport, and check its expiration date when you book. Requirements can differ by sailing and by citizenship, so confirm your sailing's document requirements when you book and again before you travel.
When should I arrive? The day before sailing, if you can. It protects you from travel delays and gives you the departure city — New Orleans, Barcelona, or San Juan — as part of the trip instead of a footnote to it.
What if I forget something? Ships and ports sell the basics, at ship and port prices. Pack the list above and you will not need them.
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