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Full Port of San Diego Guide

What to Pack for Port of San Diego

The complete cruise packing checklist. Every essential item with explanations — so you don't forget anything for your cruise from Port of San Diego.

23 packing items · researched from public reviews and official sources

Packing for a cruise from Port of San Diego

Cruise terminals are not shops. Whatever you forget has to be bought before you reach the curb, so pack the checklist below and use these Port of San Diego notes to plan the last stop on the way in.

B Street Cruise Ship Terminal

Downtown San Diego is thinner on late-night errands than its skyline suggests. The nearest CVS is at 510 C Street, about a mile inland, and the earliest door downtown is the CVS at 645 Market Street, open from 6 a.m. For a real grocery run with a pharmacy and a beer aisle under one roof, Albertsons at 655 14th Street opens at 6 a.m. daily. There is no Target and no Walgreens inside the 92101 ZIP code, per each chain's own store locator read on 2026-08-17, so do not plan on either.

Port Pavilion, Broadway Pier

Everything within reach of B Street is within reach of here, two blocks closer to Seaport Village and no further from Little Italy. Seaport Village itself is about half a mile south along the water and opens at 10 a.m., which is late for a boarding-morning errand. For an actual pharmacy the nearest is the CVS at 510 C Street; for groceries, Albertsons at 655 14th Street opens at 6 a.m. There is no Target and no Walgreens in the 92101 ZIP code, per each chain's own store locator read on 2026-08-17.

Forgot something? Stops near Port of San Diego

Bottlecraft Little Italy — Craft beer bottle shop on India Street, the nearest sourced place to buy a bottle before boarding; opens at noon

2252 India St, San Diego, CA 92101

CVS Pharmacy — C Street — Downtown CVS four blocks up from Broadway, open 7am to 11pm and the latest closer of the three downtown stores

510 C Street, San Diego, CA 92101

CVS Pharmacy — Fifth Avenue — CVS north of Broadway on Fifth, 7am to 10pm on weekdays and from 8am on Sunday

1850 5th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101

CVS Pharmacy — Market Street — Opens at 6am every day, the earliest downtown door for seasickness tablets, sunscreen and a phone charger

645 Market St, San Diego, CA 92101

Parking and transport at Port of San DiegoSAN to Port of San DiegoAll Port of San Diego terminals

The complete cruise packing checklist

Packing for a specific itinerary or wondering what each cruise line actually lets you bring aboard? Read the full cruise packing guide, or jump to the Alaska and Caribbean lists.

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Carry-On Day Bag

Pack these in a bag you keep with you at boarding — your checked luggage won't arrive until 3-4pm

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Swimsuit and flip-flops — Head straight to the pool after boarding
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Phone charger and portable battery — You'll drain your battery exploring and taking photos on Day 1Amazon
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Medications — Both prescription and OTC — don't risk them being in delayed luggage
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Sunscreen (reef-safe) — The pool deck sun is intense — apply before you even get on the shipAmazon
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Government-issued photo ID — Required for boarding — keep it accessible, not buried in a suitcase
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Snacks and water bottles — Kids get hungry in the boarding line. Sealed snacks are allowed through security
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Change of clothes for each kid — Pool splashes, spilled drinks, cruise ship excitement — be ready

Cruise Essentials

Things that make the whole trip better

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Magnetic hooks (for cabin walls) — Cabin walls are metal — these give you hanging space for hats, lanyards, wet swimsuitsAmazon
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USB multi-port charger (no power strip) — Cabins have 1-2 outlets, but most cruise lines now ban power strips and surge protectors outright — a USB-only charger is not confiscated at security
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Packing cubes — Cabin drawers are small — cubes keep things organized in tight spacesAmazon
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Insulated tumbler — Fill it at the buffet drink station — stays cold by the pool all afternoonAmazon
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Lanyard for cruise card — Your cruise card is your room key, ID, and payment method — keep it around your neckAmazon
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Night light — Cabins are pitch black. A small night light prevents midnight stubbed toesAmazon
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Over-the-door pocket organizer — With three or more in one cabin there is no counter space — the pockets hold toiletries, chargers and sunscreen on the back of the bathroom door
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Pop-up laundry hamper — Folds flat in the suitcase and keeps a week of kids' dirty clothes separate from the clean ones in a cabin with nowhere else to put them

Easy to Forget

The things people buy overpriced at the port gift shop

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Motion sickness remedy — Even experienced cruisers can get queasy on rough sea daysAmazon
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Wrinkle release spray — Irons aren't allowed on cruise ships — this saves your formal night outfitAmazon
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Highlighter or pen — For marking up the daily activity schedule — old school but effective
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Small OTC medicine kit — Pain reliever, antacid, anti-diarrheal, cold and allergy tablets, bandages. The onboard shop stocks little of this and the medical center charges for a visit — the pharmacy at home is where it costs a few dollars
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Small battery clock — Many cabins no longer have a bedside clock, and an interior cabin at 3am is too dark to find a phone
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Waterproof phone pouch — Pool photos, water slides, port excursions — protect your phoneAmazon
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Small whiteboard for cabin door — Leave messages for teens: 'We're at the pool deck' — most cabins don't have cell serviceAmazon
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Children's medicines (their usual brand and flavor) — Ships rarely sell children's formulas at all, and a feverish kid at midnight is not the moment to discover that
See packing list in the full guide →

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