Ferry Packing List: What to Take on a Ferry + Free Checklist Generator

If you’re getting ready for a ferry journey, packing can be slightly different from packing for a flight or an ordinary road trip. You might have an entire car full of luggage just a few metres away from you, but once the ferry has sailed, you may not be able to get back to it.

That makes the important question less about what to pack for your holiday and more about what you need to take with you onto the ferry.

I’ve put together this ferry packing list to help you work out exactly that. Better still, you can use my free ferry packing list generator below to create a checklist based on how you’re travelling, how long your crossing is and whether you’re travelling with children, pets or additional accessibility needs.

Create your personalised ferry packing list

Choose your journey details below and the generator will create your own checklist. You can tick things off as you pack, copy the list or print it to use later.

Of course, no packing list can cover every ferry route or every traveller. Ferry company policies and international travel requirements can change, so use this as your personal packing reminder and check the latest information from your ferry operator and official travel advice before you leave.

What should you take onto a ferry?

If you’re travelling with a car, the temptation is to think it doesn’t really matter where you pack things because everything is coming with you anyway.

Unfortunately, that’s not quite how it works.

On many ferries, the vehicle decks are closed to passengers once the ship is at sea. If your phone charger is in the glove box, your child’s tablet is buried underneath three suitcases or your medication is sitting innocently on the passenger seat, you might not be able to retrieve it until you arrive.

Before leaving your vehicle, think about what you could realistically need during the crossing.

Your phone, wallet, travel documents and any medication should definitely come with you. Depending on how long you’re travelling, you might also want a charger or power bank, drinks, snacks, a jumper and something to keep you entertained.

For a short ferry crossing, you probably won’t need much more than you would take out with you for a few hours.

An overnight ferry needs a little more planning.

What to pack for a short ferry crossing

If you’re travelling somewhere like France on one of the shorter Channel crossings, there’s no need to drag half of your luggage upstairs with you.

I’d keep it simple.

Take your passport and travel documents, phone, wallet, medication and anything valuable you don’t want to leave in the car. A phone charger or power bank is useful, as is a jumper or jacket because ferries aren’t always the temperature you expect them to be.

I’d also take a drink and perhaps some snacks, particularly if you’re travelling with children or don’t want to buy everything on board.

A book, headphones or something downloaded onto your phone can be handy too, although on a really short crossing you may find you’ve barely had time to wander around, have a coffee and look out over the deck before it’s time to head back to your car.

What should you pack for a long ferry journey?

Once you’re looking at a crossing lasting several hours, I’d treat your ferry bag more like hand luggage.

Alongside your essentials, think about what will make the journey comfortable.

You might want a travel pillow, extra snacks, toiletries, headphones and a tablet with some films or programmes downloaded before you leave home.

Downloading things beforehand is something I would definitely recommend rather than relying on having a brilliant internet connection throughout the journey.

I’d also take layers.

Even if you’re travelling in summer, standing outside on the deck with the wind blowing can feel considerably cooler than sitting in the sunshine at the ferry terminal.

What to pack for an overnight ferry

If you’re travelling overnight, the easiest option is to pack a separate small overnight bag before you leave home.

You really don’t want your toothbrush to be at the bottom of your main suitcase in the car when you’re standing in your cabin ready for bed!

Pack the sort of things you would take for a single night in a hotel: pyjamas, toothbrush and toothpaste, toiletries, underwear, clean clothes for the morning and any medication you need.

I’d add a charger, sleep mask and perhaps earplugs too.

Your main holiday luggage can then stay packed away in your vehicle while you only take one small bag onto the ship.

It also makes the following morning much easier because you don’t have to repack half of your holiday luggage before getting off the ferry.

What should stay in the car?

One of the advantages of taking your car on a ferry is that you don’t need to carry everything around with you.

Your suitcases, most of your clothes, road-trip supplies and anything you won’t need during the crossing can generally stay packed in the vehicle.

The trick is to separate holiday luggage from ferry luggage.

I think this is particularly useful for longer journeys. Have one small bag that contains everything you might need between driving onto the ferry and driving off again.

Then you don’t need to think about what’s buried in the boot.

Don’t forget where you’ve parked!

This might be my favourite ferry packing tip because it requires absolutely no packing whatsoever.

Take a photo of where you’ve parked.

Ferry vehicle decks can be huge and remarkably similar. Once you’ve walked through several doors and climbed a couple of flights of stairs, it’s surprisingly easy to forget whether you were on the blue deck, green deck, deck five or somewhere entirely different.

Photograph the nearest sign, deck number, row or stairwell before you leave your vehicle.

When everyone is heading back to their cars at the end of the crossing, you’ll be very pleased you did.

Ferry packing list when travelling with children

Children have a remarkable ability to need the one thing you left in the car.

For that reason, I’d be slightly more generous when packing your ferry bag if you’re travelling as a family.

Drinks, snacks and entertainment are the obvious ones, but I’d also include spare clothing, any medication they might need and a favourite comfort item for younger children.

If they’re old enough, let them choose something to do during the crossing. A tablet, colouring book, game or book can make waiting around considerably easier.

I’d still resist taking too much.

You don’t want to spend the entire crossing carrying four enormous bags around because everyone insisted they absolutely needed seventeen different things!

Ferry packing list with a baby or toddler

Travelling with a baby obviously means carrying a little more.

Alongside the things you’d normally take when leaving the house, make sure nappies, wipes, feeding supplies, baby food or snacks and spare clothing are with you rather than left in the vehicle.

A familiar blanket or comfort item can also be useful, particularly on a longer journey.

The easiest way to approach it is to imagine that once you’ve left your car, you won’t see it again until you reach your destination. Hopefully you won’t need everything you’ve packed, but at least you won’t be caught without something important.

What do you need when taking a dog on a ferry?

Travelling with a dog needs a little more planning because the rules vary between ferry operators, routes and destinations.

Depending on your sailing, pets might travel in the vehicle, a kennel, designated pet area or pet-friendly cabin.

Before you travel, check exactly what applies to your booking rather than assuming all ferries work in the same way.

You’ll probably want a lead and harness, water and a travel bowl, waste bags, food or treats, any medication and perhaps familiar bedding.

Most importantly, make sure you have all the pet travel documentation required for the countries you’re visiting.

Pet travel rules can change, so this is one area where I wouldn’t rely on a packing list you saved three years ago. Check the latest official requirements before every international journey.

What do you need when taking a car on a ferry?

Your ferry bag is only one part of your packing if you’re driving abroad.

You’ll also need to make sure you have the documents and equipment required for your vehicle and the countries you’re visiting.

Depending on where you’re travelling, this can include your driving licence, vehicle documentation, insurance details and destination-specific equipment.

I won’t give you a supposedly definitive list here because driving requirements can change and vary between countries. Check the latest official advice for every country you’ll drive through.

If you’re planning your first ferry journey with a car, you might also find my guide to [taking a ferry for the first time] useful because I’ve explained what happens from arriving at the port right through to driving off the ship at the other end.

What about travelling as a foot passenger?

Packing as a ferry foot passenger is quite different because you don’t have the luxury of leaving everything in your boot.

Check your ferry company’s baggage allowance before packing because the rules vary between operators and routes.

Also remember that whatever you take needs to be manageable.

It’s easy to look at a generous luggage allowance and think, excellent, I’ll take everything, before remembering you’re the one who has to move it!

Keep your passport, money, medication, phone and valuables somewhere easily accessible rather than buried at the bottom of your main luggage.

What should you wear on a ferry?

Comfortable clothes win for me.

Even on a relatively short crossing, you’ll probably spend some time sitting around, walking through the ship and perhaps going outside onto the deck.

Layers are particularly useful because temperatures can vary considerably between inside and outside.

I’d also wear sensible shoes. Ferry decks, stairs and ramps aren’t really the place where I’d choose to debut a beautiful but wildly impractical pair of shoes.

For an overnight journey, take something comfortable to sleep in rather than assuming you’ll be happy sleeping in whatever you wore all day.

Should you take food onto a ferry?

I usually think taking a few snacks is sensible even when you plan to buy food on board.

It gives you something to eat if you’re hungry while waiting to board and means you’re not completely dependent on what’s available on the ship.

This is especially useful if you have dietary requirements or you’re travelling with children who suddenly announce they’re starving approximately six minutes after you’ve passed the last convenient opportunity to buy anything.

Remember, though, that there is a difference between bringing something to eat during your journey and taking food into another country.

International rules can restrict certain food products, so check the current rules for your destination before taking food off the ferry with you.

What shouldn’t you pack for a ferry?

Ferry companies have rules concerning dangerous goods and restricted items, particularly things such as fuels, gas cylinders and other hazardous materials.

This can be particularly relevant if you’re travelling in a motorhome or campervan.

Rather than relying on a generic internet list, check your ferry operator’s current rules before travelling if you’re carrying anything you’re unsure about.

The same applies to unusually large items, roof boxes, trailers, bicycles and other equipment. Make sure everything has been included correctly on your booking.

A final check before leaving home

Before setting off, I like to do one last check of the things that would actually cause a problem if I’d forgotten them.

Have I got my passport? Do I have the booking details? Have I got my phone, wallet and medication? Have I checked the car documents and anything required for driving abroad?

Most other things can be bought or replaced.

Your favourite T-shirt being at home is annoying. Discovering your passport is sitting on the kitchen table when you’re approaching the ferry terminal is considerably less easy to fix!

I would also check the ferry operator’s website before leaving for any changes to your sailing and make sure you know when check-in closes.

Create your ferry packing list before you go

Taking a ferry doesn’t require an enormous amount of special packing, but thinking about where everything is packed makes the journey much easier.

Keep the things you’ll need during the crossing together in one small bag, leave your main holiday luggage in the car where possible and remember that you might not be able to return to your vehicle once the ferry has sailed.

If you’re not sure what you need, scroll back up and use my free ferry packing list generator. Tell it how you’re travelling and it’ll create a personalised checklist you can tick off, copy or print.

Then all you need to do is remember where you’ve parked the car!