What to Pack for Your Cruise Checklist

 

 

Let me keep it real with you—cruising is supposed to be relaxing, but packing as a queen? Not so much. Whether it’s your first cruise or your fifth, overpacking (or underpacking) can turn your ocean escape into a whole ordeal.

 

After my latest cruise, I realized how much I brought that I never touched (and some things I returned the minute I got home). Cruises have their own rhythm: chill mornings, dressy dinners, unpredictable weather, and lots of walking. 

The key? Pack with intention.

 

Don’t let TikTok, Pinterest, or cruise forums convince you to bring your entire wardrobe “just in case.” I’ve been there—this list is based on real experience, not theory.

 

What to Pack for Your Cruise

 

Below is my complete, no-fluff checklist to help you pack smart and stress-free.

Prefer a downloadable version to keep or print? Click here to download the PDF.

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Clothing

• ☐ 2–3 swimsuits + 1 to 2 cover-ups
• ☐ 2 dinner outfits (semi-formal or elegant depending on cruise)
• ☐ 3–4 daytime outfits (shorts, sundresses, jumpsuits)
• ☐ 1 pair of comfy walking shoes
• ☐ 1–2 pairs of sandals/slides
• ☐ Swim shoes
• ☐ 1 sweater or light jacket (ships can be chilly!)
• ☐ Undergarments + sleepwear
• ☐ Some type of sunhat
• ☐ Fanny pack
• ☐ Makeup mirror (came in handy with a group)

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Toiletries

• ☐ Cleaning supplies (the rooms are not top-tier clean)
• ☐ Travel-size hygiene kit (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, air freshener, etc.)
• ☐ Sunscreen (reef-safe preferred)
• ☐ Razor + small grooming items
• ☐ Feminine hygiene products (you never know)
• ☐ Lip balm + lotion (the salt air dries you out)
• ☐ Bathroom air freshener
• ☐ Your own blanket and pillowcase
• ☐ A portable straw
• ☐ Toilet seat covers
• ☐ N95 mask for crowded spaces
• ☐ Antibacterial paper soap
• ☐ Mini perfume bottles
• ☐ Laundry bags or paper bags
• ☐ Water bottle bag with phone pocket
• ☐ Immune support electrolyte + vitamin C packets
• ☐ Beach towel bands for beach chairs

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Cruise-Specific Must-Haves

• ☐ Passport or valid ID
• ☐ Cruise documents (boarding pass, luggage tags, etc.)
• ☐ Keychain for your boarding room key
• ☐ Refillable water bottle
• ☐ Magnetic hooks (the walls are metal!)
• ☐ Small fan or portable neck fan
• ☐ Dramamine or sea bands
• ☐ Power strip (non-surge protected — trust me)
• ☐ Waterproof phone pouch
• ☐ Mini medicine kit (ibuprofen, Pepto, allergy meds)
• ☐ 12-pack of drinks (we brought 3 cases but only needed 1)

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Things You Don’t Need

• ☐ Multiple pairs of heels (1 is enough if that)
• ☐ Hair tools galore (the humidity has other plans)
• ☐ Full-size toiletries
• ☐ That third beach hat you think you’ll wear (you won’t)

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Tips to Stay Sane

• ☐ Pack outfits that can mix and match
• ☐ Roll your clothes to save space
• ☐ Use packing cubes (especially for family trips)
• ☐ Leave room for souvenirs
• ☐ Download the cruise line’s app before you board

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Final Thoughts + What’s Next

Cruising is about ease, fun, and being present — not overthinking every outfit or item. Hopefully, this list saves you from the stress and helps you walk on that ship feeling prepared, cute, and covered. Shop my Amazon storefront for some of these essentials at AuthenticallyZ here

 

Coming soon: I’ll be dropping a video on exactly how I packed, what I regret bringing, and what I wish I had. Subscribe or follow along so you don’t miss it!

Until then,

 

Pack light, live fully, and don’t forget your sunhat. 😉

 

— Zak L. Grace | @AuthenticallyZ

 #AuthenticallyZ #CarnivalCruise #CarnivalGlory #CruiseChecklist #WhatToPack #SummerMommySeries #CruiseWithConfidence #SmartPacking #NoStressTravel

From Goddesses to Greeting Cards: The Hidden History of Mother’s Day

 

By Zak L. Grace | AuthenticallyZ

Let’s talk about Mother’s Day. On the surface, it feels like a sweet, harmless day to honor the women who raised us—but when you peel back the layers, there’s more to the story. This post isn’t to shame anyone or make you feel guilty. It’s to uncover the truth and give you the knowledge to decide for yourself what aligns with your spirit and what doesn’t.

Let’s Take It Back: The Ancient Roots of Mother’s Day

Before the Hallmark cards and Sunday brunches, cultures around the world were already honoring “motherhood”—but not in the way we think. These celebrations were deeply spiritual and tied to goddess worship, fertility rituals, and seasonal festivals.

2000 BCE – Sumer (Ancient Mesopotamia)

• Deity: Ninhursag (also called Ki or Ninmah) – the “Mother of All Living”
  
  

• Seen as the goddess who birthed humanity. Early texts like the Enki and Ninhursag myth place her as one of the most powerful deities in Sumerian creation stories.
  
  

• Reference: Sumerian Mythology by Samuel Noah Kramer
  
  

1500 BCE – Egypt

• Deity: Isis – revered as the mother of Horus, a symbol of divine motherhood and resurrection.
  
  

• Isis became one of the most worshipped figures throughout the Greco-Roman world.
  
  

1200 BCE – Canaanite Culture

• Deity: Asherah – often referred to as the “Queen of Heaven.”
  
  

• Yah repeatedly warned Israel about worshiping Asherah poles and groves.
  
  

• They provoked Him to anger with their high places, and moved Him to jealousy with their graven images.– Psalm 78:58

700 BCE – Greece

• Deity: Rhea, mother of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades
  
  

• Honored with spring festivals celebrating her as the “mother of the gods.”
  
  

200 BCE – Rome

• Deity: Cybele – also known as Magna Mater, “Great Mother.”
  
  

• Worship involved processions, music, wild dancing, and sometimes self-harm by priests to show devotion.
  
  

• Festival: Hilaria, celebrated around March 25 (spring equinox)
  
  

• Learn not the way of the heathen…– Jeremiah 10:2

Medieval Europe (1600s) – England

• Transitioned into “Mothering Sunday,” a day to return to your “mother church.” Later, it became a day to honor actual mothers.
  
  

Early 1900s – United States

• Anna Jarvis, whose mother was a peace activist, led the movement to make Mother’s Day a national holiday in 1914.
  
  

• Ironically, Jarvis later fought to stop it because of how commercialized it became.
  
  

So What’s the big deal? It’s not about mothers being honored—it’s about where the tradition came from and what spirit is behind it.

Yah (God) is clear that we are to be set apart.

• Take heed to yourself, that you be not snared by following them… and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.– Deuteronomy 12:30

• Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”– Exodus 20:3

• I am YHWH: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”– Isaiah 42:8

When we participate in rituals—even unknowingly—that were designed to honor other deities, we risk inviting in spiritual confusion. This doesn’t mean you can’t love your mom or be honored as one. But we need to ask:

• Where did this tradition come from?
  
  

• Who started it—and why?
  
  

• What spirit am I coming into agreement with when I participate?
  
  
  

Books You Can Study to Go Deeper

1. "The Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop – breaks down how many modern traditions are rooted in ancient paganism. This book here!!!!
   
   

2. "Pagan Christianity?" by Frank Viola & George Barna – challenges traditions that have crept into churches.
   
   

3. "Sumerian Mythology" by Samuel Noah Kramer – foundational study of the earliest goddess systems.
   
   

4. The Bible (KJV) – read with spiritual discernment and an open mind; it's all there if you look closely.
   
   
   

This isn’t about being “deep” for the sake of it—it’s about returning to the truth. If we say we serve Yah, we can’t keep mixing what’s holy with what’s common.

 

We can still love our mothers. We can still show honor and gratitude. But let’s do it every day, not just on a date stamped by man, rooted in goddess worship. Let’s create our own days to uplift one another, led by the Ruach (Holy Spirit) and not tradition.

• And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.– John 8:32

Come with me to New Orleans- Nola Vlog

Growing up in NOLA shaped me in ways I didn’t fully understand until I left. From the neighborhoods I ran through as a kid to the family traditions that still ground me, my journey has been one of growth, change, and realization. There’s a rhythm to life in New Orleans that never really leaves you. The warmth, the resilience, the way people show up for one another—it’s in my DNA. But it wasn’t always easy. I grew up watching strength in action. I witnessed how creativity and faith could stretch limited resources into something meaningful.

 

Of course, no trip to New Orleans is complete without diving into the food. Every bite carried a memory—of childhood, of laughter, of moments that mattered. From red beans to beignets, every meal felt like a small reunion with a part of myself I forgot I missed. But more than the food, it was the conversations shared over those plates that reminded me how deeply rooted I still am in family and culture.

 

One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that growth doesn’t have to look like major milestones all the time. Sometimes it’s just being present in a space that once overwhelmed you—and realizing you’re standing in it with more clarity, more confidence, more peace.

 

This trip back home helped me see that even though I’m not exactly where I want to be, I am so far from where I started. And that is worth celebrating. If you're in a season of growth—or even just trying to hold it together—take a moment to reflect on how far you’ve already come. You don’t need a big breakthrough to be proud of your progress.

 

Maybe your “walk down memory lane” looks different. Maybe it’s a conversation, a journal entry, or a quiet moment alone. Wherever you are, honor your journey.

Watch the Vlog below:

 

 

Then drop a comment in the YouTube video and let me know: What’s something in your life that reminds you how far you’ve come?