When I first wrote this post I was currently preparing for my fourth carnival cruise. In the middle of packing, I realized that there few items on my packing list that I wished that I would have brought on my very first cruise. Here are five useful items to pack for a cruise.

1. Lightweight sweater: It can be cold in some areas of the ship during the evenings. I remember during my first cruise I wore a dress one evening to the comedy show and I was freezing. If you get cold easily I highly recommend bringing a sweater.
2. Power strip: One thing I noticed is that many of the rooms will only have one plug. If you have several people in a room, bringing a power strip is useful to plug in multiple devices. Just remember to get one without the surge protector.
3. Pop Up Laundry Bag/Hamper: Since all my previous cruises have been 7 days or less, I do not do laundry when I am on the ship. I like to have a laundry bag to keep dirty clothes in during the week.
4. Post-It Notes: If you have a two or more people staying in the same room and like to do different activities, it can be helpful to pack post-it notes. Use them to write notes for the people in your room or leave one on the mirror for your room steward.
5. Lanyard: Carnival gives everyone a sail and sign card that is also used as a key to your room. I like to bring a lanyard with me so it is easier to keep up with my card.

Here is a my current packing list that I am using for my cruise. Feel free to download and make changes if needed.