Essential Travel Products

These products have Amazon links for your convenience to buy before you travel. Our focus is on items that we use and that are easy to get on short notice.

FYI, I am an Amazon Associate and I earn from your qualifying purchases. Thank you in advance for supporting our small business. As you review these products, please keep in mind that we only provide insight to options that are available to you. The choice of purchase is always yours.

Essentials

Cash and Credit Cards: It is great to have cash on hand for tips and other odds and ends. Sometimes in foreign countries you can get a better deal with cash.

Sharp objects and liquids: Ensure you do not bring any items that are prohibited from flying or cruising.

Phone, Cell Phone Charger and Camera

• Mini Portable Charger: This 2-Pack 5000mAh Power Bank Mini Portable Charger is compact and utilizes a USB C input and output. We love the fact that you do not have to have cords, it just plugs right into the bottom of your phone. It also has a digital display showing your remaining charge life.

Travel documents: Passport or Original stamped birth certificate: Make sure your passport is valid for at least six months after your travel ends. Married ladies, if traveling with a birth certificate you must bring an official marriage certificate showing proof of name change.

• Passport Holder Travel Pouch:  This water resistant RFID blocking pouch is great for carrying around and protecting your essentials. It will carry your passport, documents, phone, cash credit cards and more. You can wear it around your neck, crossbody, over the shoulder or even concealed under your garment. It also comes in multiply colors.

• Driver's license, Travel insurance, and Foreign currency.

• Cruise documents: Print your boarding documents in case you have poor Wi-Fi or phone service at the cruise terminal

• Visas: Research visa requirements for each country you'll visit, especially with ETIAS starting in Europe.

Prescription medications: Pack prescription medications, vitamins, or supplements in a day bag or carry-on. Research the requirements necessary for each country or cruise line you will be visiting. Not all prescriptions are allowed. Especially medical marijuana or any Schedule 1 drugs.

First-aid kit:  We want to give you a couple of options here as well. When it comes to health care, this is not an area where you want to buy the cheapest thing. The main difference is if you want a kit to cover lots of options or just the basics. I am also giving you a option for the essential triple antibiotic ointment that we all need to carry around.

• 299 Piece First Aid Only First Aid Kit: What we love about this is its flat size, quantity and quality. This kit is thin, but a little bigger, but still manageable for travel.

• 100 Piece water resistant First Aid Kit: What we love about this is its small hard shell travel case. It comes with the essentials needed for a quick fix.

• Triple antibiotic ointment: This ointment is great for cuts, scrapes and burns or even just dry skin. It comes as a pack of four 1 ounce tubes.

Sunscreen: We look at this 4 ways. The face, body, after and the OH-NO. Not that one is more important than the other, it is just that you might use different products for different needs.

• The first way is to protect your face. This Clear Face Sunscreen SPF 46 is oil free  with Zinc Oxide. My wife has used this product for years in daily life and travel and it is the #1 Dermatologist recommended sunscreen brand.

• The second way is to protect your body. This Body Sunscreen comes as a twin pack from a very reliable Neutrogena company. It is a SPF 45 fragrance free, dry to the touch, water resistant and non-greasy lotion, perfect for for cruising or beach days.

•  The third way is to protect body after a sun day. This After Sun Moisturizer is brought to you form Hawaiian Tropic. People come prepared with sunscreen but forget to take care of their body after a day in the sun. This product contains aloe, which is great for the body.

• The fourth way is to soothe a sunburn. This Seven Minerals Aloe Vera Gel is great. This is for the OH-NO day that you get a little too much sun. People use it for regular skin maintenance, burn relief and assistance in healing. Some people even say they use it for their hair.

Wall Magnet hooks: These are one of our favorite travel essentials. They can be used with hotel or cruise travel. Most people don't realize cruise ship walls are metal. These are great to hang your hat or lanyard on the metal hotel or cruise ship cabin walls. It is nice to have options, you can get them as different strength capabilities. Make sure you get them with the hook and not a hole design. You can even use them around the house at home.

• Light duty option: Wall Magnet

• Heavy duty option: Wall magnet

Travel Luggage: Having a good piece of luggage is essential. The last thing you want to happen is for your luggage to break down and you have to go out and buy a new piece when you aren't expecting it and not having many choices. We believe in your luggage having the following features; Lightweight, Expandable Storage, a HARDSHELL and SPINNER WHEELS, this makes life so much easier for you. We will look at it 3 ways: a good quality piece of luggage, a Backpack/Carry-On and the other maybe saving some money, but still quality pieces.

• Samsonite: Samsonite is a name that most people will recognize and trust. This is a Samsonite Freeform 21 inch Expandable Hardshell Carry-On with Spinner Wheels. It also comes in 24 inch and 28 inch options. Along with many color choices.

• Amazon Basics: This is a best seller. This is a Carry on 21 inch Expandable Hardshell Carry-On with Spinner Wheels. You can also order this as a 2 or 3 piece set and multiple color options.

• Matein Rolling Backpack:  17 inch or 18 inch water resistant Wheeled Backpack/Carry-On. What we like the access to tuck away the handle along with the straps, along with being able to be carried as a backpack or rolled as a Carry-on. We would recommend the 17 inch due to it being easier to count on be able to be placed in the carry-on check box.

Travel Luggage Tags: These are important to trace your bags in case they get lost. We are providing 3 options here.

• One as a Leather Luggage Tag: these are nice to have on your bag all the time, showing your home/personal info. Go with the traditional black or change it up with a color that will stand out and make it easier to find.

• The other is Plastic Luggage Tags/Lanyards: these tags are great for cruise travel.  You can place your personal cabin room info from the cruise line in the tag. This comes with 4 luggage tags and 2 card holding lanyards. I love the idea of combining this in 1 purchase. We would recommend getting 2 of the 4 packs, have some extras and plastic can crack.

• Don't forget your Neoprene Luggage Handle Wrap: these are great for identification and easy on the hands while gripping. They also come in multiply colors.

Travel Luggage Digital Scale: The Travel Inspira Luggage Scale comes with a capacity of 110 pounds with battery included. How many times have you wondered if your suitcase is over the weight limit placed by the airline. My daughter recently experienced this in her travels and wished she would have had a scale like this. It is crazy the fees the airlines charge for overweight luggage.

Travel Luggage Drink/Phone Holder: The Riemot Luggage Travel Cup Holder is a nice travel option. While some would say it is not essential, my wife really loves it and get comments on it all the time while we travel. It straps around the luggage handle by Velcro allowing it to be very versatile to different handles. It also has a back pocket perfect for your phone.

Portable Fan:

I love this Treva 10 inch Portable Desk Battery Fan for its compact size, USB charging port and battery backup. If you are like me, you have to have air circulation. Cruise ships do not have overhead fans. And nowadays some hotels do not either. It is also nice to have around the house in case the power goes out.

Universal Travel Adapter: You have to be careful with bringing additional outlets and travel adapters. The cruise lines will not approve all of them. NO power strips. Here are a couple to review.

• Universal Travel Adapter: International travel adapter with USB C, USB and AC. Compact and lightweight accepts plugs from more than 150 countries like USA, UK, EU.

• Cruise on Universal Travel Adapter: Universal travel adapter. 2 USB C, 2 USB and AC. World wide compatibility for over 200 countries.

Reusable water bottle:

• Owala FreeSip Water Bottle: If you don't already have one of these, this bottle is a nice choice. It is a multi-color option 24 oz stainless steel BPA-Free bottle with a straw with a FreeSip spout and push button lid to lock. The bottle comes in many colors.

Understand the upcoming weather for your trip and how many days you will be gone. Plan accordingly.

Clothing

• Undergarments, shirts, pants, shorts and socks

• Jacket or cardigan in case the weather gets cooler

• Lightweight clothing for warm weather

• Dinner, Walking and pool deck shoes

• Swimsuits and hats

• Sleepwear

Toiletries 

Travel Toiletry Bag: This Nishel Travel Toiletry Bag is portable in size, provides 4 separate compartments and comes in 2 sizes. My daughter used this on her recent honeymoon and loved it! Great organizer.

Hairdryer: the cruise line will provide this, but sometimes you want your own. The cruise lines recommend 1500 watts or less. We will give you a couple of options

• Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer: Compact 1000 watt 300 million Negative Ions High Speed Ultra lightweight, low noise for home and travel with case and curling nozzle.

• LKV Hair Dryer: 1500 watt 200 million Negative Ions High Speed, Low noise with nozzle for home and travel.

Face Wash: This La Roche-Posay Face comes highly recommended and is suitable for all types of skin, face and hands. It removes excess oils while maintaining your skin's pH levels.

• Shampoo, conditioner, body wash. The cruise line will provide these, but sometimes you want your own. Face wash is not provided, you will want to bring your own.

• Deodorant, Toothbrush and toothpaste

• Hairbrush or Comb

• Makeup and feminine products

• Razor and shaving cream

• Hand sanitizer and Lotion

Other Essentials 

• Travel Journal

• Sunglasses, Prescription eyeglasses or contacts

• Neck Pillow: The Napfun Travel Pillow is great for travel and comes with a case. Ideal for use on a airplane or long car trips. Having a neck pillow to support your head and chin during travel allows for less neck pain and therefore a more pleasant travel time period and the days after. It comes in many color options.

• Travel Blanket: The EverSnug Travel Blanket comes with a travel case that can act as a pillow. I also love that the case has a sleeve that you attach to your luggage handle. It measures 65 inches in length and 40 inches wide. It comes in many color options. I think buying 2 of these and having one as a pillow and the other as a blanket is a great idea. This will also allow you to share it with a friend or family member.

• Bluetooth Speaker: This JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth Speaker comes with a Protective Travel Case. The sound JBL can produce out of a relatively small speaker is awesome. It comes with 12 hours of playtime and is waterproof. Great for the day at the beach or just hanging out with friends. We have this speaker and love that is is loud enough, but not annoying to your neighbors.

• Headphones, Book or e-reader: Be careful with the speaker, some cruise lines and hotels have restrictions.

• Waterproof bags for sightseeing or beach day

Chair Towel clips/bands: We will look at these 3 different ways.

• Towel Bands: Towel Bands 6 pack. We like the idea of bands over clips. They secure around your chair making it very difficult for your towel to be blown off your chair. Some people might find it harder to use vs the clips. They also take up very little space in your luggage.

• Fun Towel Clips: This 8 pack of Beach Chair Towel Clips come as an assortment; 2 Pink Flamingo, 2 Fish, 2 Sandel and 2 Parrots. People love the fun aspect of having these clips. Kids will love them.

• Basic Towel Clips: This 8 pack  of Beach Towel Clips serves the same purpose as the Fun Towel Clips but save a little money. The 8 pack comes with 4 different colors, 2 each. What I do like about these is that there are no exposed coils.

We hope you come to find this information beneficial. We appreciate you as our client and wish you many HAPPY TRAVELS!

Download our Printable PDF Pre-Trip Prep Checklist