There’s plenty to think about when packing for a cruise holiday, from formal nights to themed parties, and itineraries that can span beach destinations and city breaks all in the same sailing.
However, there’s one essential item that often gets overlooked, and according to one cruise insider, they’re a must-have no matter what ship or itinerary you’ve booked.
Scott Sanders, a cruise director at Marella Cruises, shared his top tips for passengers exclusively with the Express, revealing one item he always recommends.
“Don’t forget to pack the essentials,” he warned. “A lot of people forget to pack reusable water bottles, which come in very handy!”
While plenty of hotels will offer free bottles of water in rooms, first-time cruise passengers are often surprised that these aren’t included in their cabins. In fact, most cruise lines don’t offer free bottled water in most of the standard cabins, although you can often get these included in higher tiered rooms and suites.
Tap water is fully treated and safe to drink, but some passengers still prefer to opt for bottled water or water from the refills available around the ships and buffets, so a reusable bottle is an easy way to essentially have a supply of water in your room if you don’t want to drink from the tap.
They’re also incredibly useful if you’re heading off for a shore excursion, especially if you’re going to be on a coach for a few hours, or planning to be onshore to do some exploring around a local city or beach resort (not to mention it can save you some money if you’re then not having to buy bottles while out and about).
Packing a water bottle wasn’t the only tip that Scott shared. He previously revealed a common mistake that passengers often make on their first day. “Not asking questions when they’ve got questions!” he said. “Then asking those questions towards the end of the cruise, or getting frustrated when they go home that they didn’t know that information”. He urged passengers to ask plenty of questions on their first day, and to spend some time exploring the ship to get familiar with their surroundings. Oh, and of course don’t hesitate to ask crew members for any help too!
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This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
