Favorite Travel Products for Family Cruises and Vacations
When people ask me what they should pack for their upcoming family cruise or vacation, I have a few travel favorites and tips I always suggest. But even if you aren't traveling now or in the immediate future, be in the know for new travel gadgets and products. Also, keep these in mind as gifts for your favorite passionate traveler, a graduate, family occasions, and more. Scroll down to find my best product picks for travel enthusiasts, including gifts and popular books to keep you focused until your next vacation.
I have to disclaim this page contains affiliate links from Amazon.com. This means that I receive a small credit of any items purchased from my recommendations below. What you won't find is a product below that I haven't purchased or don't fully believe in. You may even see photos or mentions of a few of these throughout my website since I use them myself. These are products that will make your travel easier, along with reviews and travel tips that might even inspire you to start planning your next vacation. Then, easily click on the pictures to purchase. They are all my favorites that I love and I virtually hope that you love them, too. Click on each photo below to take a closer look or purchase.
For The Room (Cruise and Hotel)
Cruise Cabin Night Light
How many times have you bumped into walls or furniture when walking through the cruise cabin in the middle of the night? I love this travel night light to help find your way. The magnetic base attaches to cruise cabin walls or easily sets on an end table in a hotel room. It's motion censored to softly light-up when it detects movement, plus it's compact and easily packable. This travel night light is battery operated (three AAA batteries not included.) I gave this to my parents as a gift. They travel often and bring this portable night light everywhere they go now.
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Mini Travel Outlet with USB Charger
This is a must when traveling, cruising or just leaving your house for an overnight. Bring a small travel charger to easily plug in to a single outlet and provide you with additional outlets to plug in your electrical cords (think hairdryer or curling iron). It's also handy for keeping your phone or portable devices charged up at the same time when at an airport (it's small enough to bring in your carry-on.) Check out my FAQ's for packing tips - this portable travel outlet is on the list for do not forget!
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Magnetic Hooks
Great for cruising! In my QuickTips section, I recommend bringing magnetic hooks to easily attach to the doors of your stateroom when cruising. These magnetic hooks are exactly the ones I use for travel...and even around the house. They are SUPER strong and will stay on your stateroom cabin door. Use to hang a wet umbrella to dry, or a damp swim suit and towel, or use to organize your belts, jewelry or pocketbooks. I love that they are smooth and won't ruin my clothes. I can't guarantee your kids will use the magnetic hooks on your cruise, but if so, they'll definitely help keep your stateroom organized.
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Inflatable Mattress
We use this inflatable mattress when traveling ALL the time (see here!) Often hotel rooms and suites have a queen size sleeper sofa but if you have teenagers, you know there's plenty of fighting if they have to sleep together. We used to pay the $20 to $35/nightly fee for a roll-away bed but now the investment in an air mattress for travel has paid for itself. This nifty air mattress comes in an indiscreet carrying case, has a built-in pump, and is super comfortable. Just ask the housekeeping staff for an extra set of queen sheets. Not to mention, we often find they will nicely make it up for us in the mornings - and sometimes even turn down at night. Now, that is service!
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Packing
There is a lot to remember when packing for a cruise. This includes clothing for day and evening wear, plus accessories for your excursions and hotel stays. I've created an excellent packing list that you can download and print off to make sure you don't forget a thing! Find My Virtual Vacations FREE Packing List here. To truly organize your suitcase, hotel room, or cruise stateroom, the products below are life savers.
Cruise Luggage Tags
If you cruise often, you'll know why these are so great. Many cruise lines are not mailing the strong, adhesive straps for your luggage prior to sailing, but instead provide luggage tags for you to print after you check-in on your home computer. This is a great time saving feature, although paper is not very durable in the harsh elements that your luggage could endure before being loaded on the ship. So these plastic holders are AMAZING to display your stateroom while being sturdy, water resistant and won't tear. They will definitely give you peace of mind to ensure your luggage will arrive to the correct stateroom. Each cruise line has different sized luggage tags, so I've provided you with an easy guide to make sure you get the right ones. Click photos to check them out!
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For Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruise Lines:
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For Princess, Carnival, Costa, Holland America, P&O, and Norwegian:
 
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Luggage Scale 
Ugh. Baggage fees! They can be an unexpected last minute expense when flying. Not only have we purchased the roomiest, most lightweight luggage we can find, but purchasing a hanging luggage scale has saved us TONS of money. Once packed, just weigh each piece of luggage to make sure it's under the airlines maximum weight (typically 50 pounds.) Weigh ahead of time so you can rearrange your luggage before you get to the airport, and then be confident before putting your bags on the dreaded scale. Don't forget to pack this super-light travel scale to quickly weigh your suitcases before returning home.
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Plastic Bags  Buy as many boxes as you like of these - you will use these Ziploc BIG Bags! I can't pack without them. I am obsessed with these Ziploc BIG Bags to pack my shoes, hair accessories (brushes and combs), separate clothes for a pre-cruise stay, and SO much more. Plus, Ziploc BIG Bags make your life so much easier when packing to return home. They provide a place to store sandy or wet swim suits and shoes, as well as a great way to separate clean clothes from the dirty. Not too big and not too small, the Ziploc BIG Bags 3-gallon size is perfect (and not easy to find!)
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Charger Travel Case  We are always carrying more and more electronic equipment. I know many people say that they like to "un-charge" on vacation. However, I like to charge up! Photography equipment needs to be charged, as well as phones, iPads, portable battery packs, etc. This durable charger travel case by Thule is the best way to organize. It has a spot for everything, from the smallest part to a hefty cord. I like that it easily fits in my tote or backpack that I carry-on when traveling. The Thule charger travel case has been amazing to always have my cords organized and easily accessible.
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Health & Beauty
Sun Protection  When I find a sunscreen that my kids willingly apply, I am sold. First of all, the Blue Lizard name is super cool! But it goes on very nicely and doesn't feel sticky or greasy. Blue Lizard sunscreen has "broad spectrum" that so many dermatologists are advising these days. My dermatologist was the one that suggested Blue Lizard sunscreen for beach or cruise vacations to me. We use it for the whole family. Keep in mind that sunscreen has active ingredients so it can expire. I usually purchase a fresh Blue Lizard sunscreen before every vacation.
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Below are my two favorite products that I never cruise without! You never know when you are going to hit rough seas so I always come prepared.
Sea Sickness Medication  I always bring Bonine and if I'm concerned about the seas, I take one hour before sail-away, I find it usually doesn't make me sleepy and works quickly. It's great to pop in your excursion tote or backpack when going on a fishing boat for the day. The last time we were fishing in the Caribbean, we took a Bonine for preventative seasickness and had a fantastic day. Many other guests weren't quite as lucky! This best remedy for seasickness is a great find at Amazon since it's a larger pack. It comes on sheets so you can easily divide them up to be prepared. Of course, please always check with your doctor first to make sure there are no interactions with your current medications or underlying conditions.
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Sea Sickness Natural  SeaBands work by applying consistent pressure on the inside of your wrist. They don't contain any kind of medicine so they won't interact with anything you may already be taking (or drinking!) Plus, they really work. Yes, I wear SeaBands. I wear them from the moment I get up to when I go to sleep. My family laughs at my SeaBand "jewelry" on Formal Night. But I don't get seasick, so I'm not changing a thing. They come in great colors and are one-size-fits-all. You can purchase them in adult or child sizes; however, we've most often used the adult for the whole family. Typically, very young children don't tend to have seasickness quite as much as adults.
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Travel Must-Haves and Accessories
Chair Clips  How cute are these towel chair clips? Adorable and functional. Whether you'll be on a windy cruise deck or staying at a beachfront hotel, you'll love these towel chair clips for holding your towel down while relaxing on your chair or lounger at the pool or the beach. They come in a pack of 2 and approximately 4" long each.
Whether I pull these out by the pool at a resort or on a cruise ship, I always make a new friend because people always want to check these towel chair clips out! |
Travel Tote  I love, love my TUMI Voyageur backpack! Not only can you take this to the beach or the top deck pool, but it's perfect for all kinds of luxury travel. TUMI makes a fantastic and durable travel backpack. Maybe you've seen me bring this along on my own travels in photos throughout the website. It will hold all of your electronics, snacks, a sweater and more on the airplane. Plus, as your carry-on, it fits perfectly under the seat in front of you. And it holds bottled water, sunscreen, a small towel and more when heading out for fun Caribbean excursions. It's also great to carry when first checking in to your hotel or cruise to hold a few personal items before you can get to your room. The fabric is water-resistant and the gold zipper is striking. Don't let the price detour you - I've had my TUMI travel backpack forever!
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Water Resistant Watch  This is my newest fun thing! How great is the color on the Baby-G water resistant watch? Make sure to get yourself a durable, accurate, and water resistant watch before taking a cruise or any vacation. Not only are they fashionable but definitely needed when taking excursions and have to hurry back to the ship. Or even if laying by the pool before needing to check on your family at a certain time. Casio makes a great products and VERY comfortable to wear. This Casio Baby G-Beach Traveler series is great for kids and women. It has great features such as 200m water resistant, alarm, backlighting and more. Need to get a gift for a traveler? This Casio Baby-G is perfect!
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Sunglasses  Best tip! Make sure everyone has a pair of sunglasses in their own carry-on bag. I especially love the chic styles from Maui Jim for the whole family. Maui Jim sunglasses are extremely durable plus they are known for their lens technology, perfect for tropical climates. I like this Maui Jim style for men or women (yes, I snag my husband's sometimes!) so they work in everyone's carry-on. I can't tell you how many times I've completely forgotten my sunglasses when traveling to a tropical destination in the middle of winter, or mistakenly packed them in my checked bag. The light is almost an unnatural intensity once the airplane climbs above the clouds and is in the path of the bright sun. Pop on your Maui Jim sunglasses and enjoy the view through darkened lenses, plus look glamorous at the same time.
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Underwater Camera  Spend all of that money, time and planning to take a luxury vacation with your family and not bring a camera? Of course not! As you can see by my website, we take our photography very seriously. We have a few different models of cameras from professional quality to small point-and-shoots. I love the Nikon CoolPix. It's a terrific value, takes beautiful pictures, and you can take it anywhere for water or adventure activities. These bundles are always the way to go. Once you start adding in all of the accessories yourself, it ends up costing a lot more than you realized. With vacationing always in mind, cameras always make great gift. I often will purchase a Nikon camera or the Casio Baby G-Beach Traveler watch (above) for a graduation gift.
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Snorkel and Mask Set  Our family loves easy snorkeling in beautiful clear, blue water. What we don't like is renting old, used equipment. It's easy enough to purchase a snorkel set for everyone. Just pack in your backpack or tote and head to the beach. When back in your stateroom or hotel room, rinse off the saltwater, hang up (magnetic hooks featured above work great!) and your snorkel set is ready to go for the next beach day. This is a great snorkel set since it's one-size-fits-all and comes in a variety of fun colors. We have 2 of sets in different colors to tell them apart. I prefer the equipment that have a wide view through the mask and a "dry" snorkel. A "dry" snorkel doesn't allow for water to get mistakenly sucked in, so it's perfect for little ones.
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Gift Giving for Travelers
Let's face it, traveling is a very personal thing. As innovative and useful travel products can be, often we prefer to browse and find our own. One of my favorite gift giving ideas is a gift card to let the recipient pick out their own gift. For this, Amazon is a huge hit in our family since they have everything for every occasion. Plus, I LOVE their gift card packaging when you want to hand someone the Amazon gift card. It turns an ordinary gift into something special. Click below and get yours now.
My Favorite Travel Reads!
It's here! Easy to read and take along is Cruising Interrupted ebook version by author Paul Thornton. "Cruising Interrupted will fascinate anyone who has ever cruised, aspires to take a cruise, or just loves travel." This says it all. PLUS, you'll find My Virtual Vacations featured and can read about how cruising started and continues for me.
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  The Joy of Cruising is by one of my favorite authors, Paul Thornton. This is a fascinating peek into the lives of travelers and their passion, experiences and more for cruise travel. Read this book now and then look out for the sequel More Joy, where he's also featuring me, as My Virtual Vacations!
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  Why is this in my favorite travel products section? The author, Cindy Bokma, has perfected delicious recipes for maintaining a special diet AND she does this while still enjoying cruising. You'll find how to live your healthiest life while at home and traveling in The Low-Oxalate Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook.
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  Getting to know the crew is one of the things I love about cruising. Although I am always curious how they are living their life below the main decks. This is the beginning book in the Cruise Confidential story and a great read!
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  A Trip to the Beach is one of my favorite beach reads is about beach time. If you are a Caribbean beach enthusiast (think dining on the sand in Anguilla) and a foodie, this true story by Melinda and Robert Blanchard is a must.
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My Favorite Foodie Finds Make Great Gifts!
  I love cooking (especially when I'm recreating food I've discovered when traveling). Quality culinary tools make cooking easy and a must-have in your kitchen. This knife is amazing and slices beautifully and paper thin.
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  How can you not have a cruise ship shaped cookie cutter in your baking collection? This is a must for me, especially when planning a cruise themed party. This cookie cutter makes a fun gift for your favorite cruiser.
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Go ahead...get this gift for yourself. I did! These protective wine bags are one of my favorite finds. A lovely souvenir from a trip is a bottle or two of local wine. These wine protections bags are PERFECT. They'll keep your bottle safe for the travel home until you are ready to enjoy.
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If you follow me on social media, you may have seen that every Tuesday I share a new travel tip. Sometimes I recommend a specific item when you travel. This section has some of my most popular items! If you want to see a new travel tip every Tuesday, follow My Virtual Vacations on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
