I've worked on cruise ships for years. Here are 6 things passengers should pack and 5 they shouldn't.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
woman in a sunbonnet relaxes on the top deck of a cruise ship during her vacation at sea
I (not pictured) have gotten very good at packing for cruises after working on many of them.

Jeff R Clow/Getty Images

I've been on over 25 cruises. There are 3 things I never bother packing.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
Author Jill Robbins smiling wiht family on cruise ship
After taking many cruises, I've streamlined my packing lists and strategies.

Jill Robbins

I went on my first cruise — here are 15 things that surprised me about this type of travel

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
The author on the largest cruise ship in the world
The reporter's first cruise was on board Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I've been on over 50 cruises. Here are 5 things I never buy on the ships.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
megan posing in front of a cruise ship at a port
I've been taking cruises for the last 15 years, and there are some things I still won't spend my money on.

Megan duBois

I booked the wrong room on my first cruise, and it was my biggest regret of the 7-day voyage

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
A composite image of the author standing on an outdoor cruise ship deck with plants and water slides in the background, and inside a cruise stateroom with a white bed in front of a rectangular window showing the front of the ship.
Business Insider's reporter regretted booking a room at the front of Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

My husband and I spent Thanksgiving on a cruise ship with friends for about $1,300 a person. We'd do it again for other holidays.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
carnival cruise ship lit up at night
We sailed on a Carnival Cruise over the Thanksgiving holiday.

Katrina Wilson

6 mistakes you should never make on a cruise ship, according to etiquette experts

Tech Insider : Travel, Business
Woman looking off across the water at a cruise ship, wearing a backpack and hat.
Etiquette experts advise against making a few common mistakes on cruises.

Zigres/Shutterstock

Photos show what it's like aboard the Disney Wish cruise ship, from adult-only escapes to fantastic food

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
The Disney Wish cruise ship docked in the Bahamas in 2022.
The Disney Wish cruise ship.

Amanda Krause/Business Insider

Some cruise passengers went on hunger strike after an engine failure ruined their plan to visit Antarctica

Tech Insider : Business
Swan Hellenic's SH Vega in the Lemaire Channel off Antarctica
Swan Hellenic canceled a leg to Antarctica after an engine issue.

Courtesy of Swan Hellenic

My kids finally convinced me to go on a cruise. The typical megaships aren't for me, but I found a way better alternative.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel
jamie's kids on an expedition cruise in iceland
My kids loved all the activities on our expedition cruise to Iceland.

Jamie Davis Smith

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