We just got back from a Disney Cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico. Instead of doing the quickest route to get to the cruise port (and maybe sanest), we tacked on a drive to each end of the cruise resulting in a 9 day trip. It was an amazing time but packing for it was a bit tricky! Spring Break in southern CA can be iffy- the weather in Catalina was supposed to be 50s and rainy so we had to be mindful of that when packing. Also, we were supposed to encounter snow on our drive down, so needed to be prepared with warm clothing. It was a wide range of items needed but we also got to experience a wide range of sceneries and activities so all in all, it was totally worth it! I did learn a few things, so wanted to share what I gleaned along the way.
Here’s my packing list for a 4 Day Disney Cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada + a 5 day road trip
Dresses I packed:
- Black Frank and Eileen Maxi Dress
- Emerson Fry maxi dress
- 2 sweatshirt dresses (similar here)
Tops I packed:
- Striped long sleeve tee (wore for pirate night)
- 4 short sleeve tee shirts (could have gotten by with 2)
- chambray blouse (didn’t end up needing)
- 3 Disney tee shirts (2 short sleeve, 1 long sleeve)
- 2 sweatshirts
- Striped button down (only wore once so could have gone without)
Bottoms I packed:
- Gray jeans
- Black travel pant
- Blue jeans
- Denim skirt
Swimwear I packed:
- 2 swimsuits (could have gotten by with 1)
- Button down linen tunic for coverup
Jackets I packed:
- Marmot rain jacket (didn’t end up needing!)
- Marmot packable insulated jacket (similar here) -I threw this on as we were leaving on our drive and I ended up being so glad I had it for the at sea day- it was chilly!
Shoes I packed:
- White sneakers
- Birkenstock sandals
- Silver flats
Accessories I packed:
- Small crossbody purse (similar)
- Tiny purse organizer that doubled as a crossbody for phone, room key and hand sanitizer while on ship or exploring hotels
- Belt
- Baseball hat
Toiletries
undergarments/sleepwear
Random Disney cruise things I packed:
- Waterbottle to refill (nice to have on the drive but also on cruise)
- Disney door magnets for our stateroom
- Ducks to hide
- Motion sickness products
Tips for packing for this cruise itinerary:
+ Pack a lightweight insulated jacket! The day at sea was very chilly and it was nice to have so we could still enjoy the decks.
+ Layer with a tee shirt and a sweatshirt so you can shed layers as needed.
+ Bring a lightweight, small crossbody for holding phone, hand sanitizer and room key (AKA key to the world) for easy ship exploration and getting on and off the ship easily (needs to be big enough to hold passport for Mexican port)
Tips for packing for an extended vacation:
+ Use packing cubes to keep things organized- best travel tip I can give! My favorites are from Natural Life and Cotopaxi.
+ Bring some sort of container for dirty clothes. Not only does it also help with organization like packing cubes, it makes the laundry process a breeze while unpacking. We like to use the Sea to Summit mesh bags, but there are some really cute ones from Natural Life – and Amazon has a ton to choose from as well!
And that’s all I’ve got for today! Stay tuned for some reviews coming up of this trip.