5 Bags I Bring on Every Cruise (Best Bags For Cruise & Travel)

Theres only one thing that has stayed the same on every cruise I’ve taken since 2017, and that is the brand of bags that I bring with me.

These make my life so much easier, stop me from losing things, and I think they look pretty cool. I never ever travel without these bags.

I bought my first in 2017, and now my mum has a bigger collection than me because I got her addicted too, oops. They make great gifts what can I say.

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#1 Isobel Cross Body Bag

Sometimes, when I’m on a cruise, I’ll go out in port and need to carry a few things but don’t want to bring a big bag. I really wish my clothes had pockets, but most don’t so this is a good solution!

I have the Isobel in the blue spots, yep that is my favourite colour.

It’s pretty much the perfect size for my phone, my keys, some money and an emergency chocolate chip cookie…

I have flown before with this bag as my only hand luggage, and I managed to fit a little change of clothes in here in case of emergencies!

I love the front pocket, too, because when I keep my passport here, I can check that it’s still there without always having to reopen the bag. When I travel through airports I do check my passport every 5 minutes!

They do have lots of other styles of cross body bags too and I’ve had most over the years!

The above photos were taken in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

#2 Folding Bag Expander-LITE

Usually what happens on a cruise on disembarkation day is that you’ll leave your suitcase outside your cabin door and you’ll next see it again in the terminal.

That means that you’ll need a disembarkation day bag and I usually use my folding expander bag.

4 Things You Should Always Do on Disembarkation Day

I love it because it folds up very small when not being used, even I can fold and unfold it and I really am not good at things like that and it goes over my suitcase handles.

This one was particularly useful when I took a cruise to Norway and it was slippy underfoot, I’m sure I would have dropped my bag if I was trying to carry it!

#3 Toiletry Bag

I am a massive fan of packing light when I cruise but there is one area where I will never ever pack light and that’s toiletries.

When I cruise I bring medicines for every single problem I’ve ever experienced, and more. It’s far better to be safe than sorry.

They do have little shops on cruise ships but they won’t be open all the time and are expensive. They have medical centres too, but they can get very, very expensive.

I prefer to have the medicines and toiletries that I know and trust so I always keep mine in my Mia Tui toiletry bag. This is what I use at home, too, it can be hung up, and it’s good to go.

Money-saving tip: If you have a shampoo/conditioner that you like, it’s much cheaper to buy generic little bottles to fill from your big bottles than to buy small bottles of your specific brand.

#4 Maya Backpack

I don’t think I’d ever really used a backpack before I got this one, but now I use it every single day.

It’s really strong, which is good when I fill it up with Pepsi or port snacks but it doesn’t feel heavy even when it’s full. It’s bright inside, so I don’t lose things and has a little zip pocket inside.

All the Mia Tui bags have lots of pockets and elastic for your keys; everything has its place for me, and that’s how I like it.

I have the bag in blue and my mum has a matching one in green.

#5 Packing Cubes

Are these technically bags? I’m not sure, they have a handle and I put things in them so I’m counting it!

I was sceptical before I used my first packing cubes, I packed very light and always wondered how it would help me to save space but I’m happy to say they really do.

Picture the scene, you need something like a charger out of your suitcase, you know its in there somewhere… Usually you’d have to dig through your clothes to find it but with packing cubes I can just take out the three bags and then my lose items are easy to get at.

I usually bring three packing cubes:

1 – Underwear and swimwear

2 – T-shirts and shorts/trousers

3 – Dresses

I have the navy blue spotty ones and my mum has the purple ones, do you see a theme?!

There are lots and lots of brands that sell packing cubes, a few years ago I tested them in lots of very extreme ways. Mia Tui’s came out on top.

Bonus Bag – Mini Jen Handbag

My first Mia Tui bag was a Mini Jen and I took this bag to work and the gym every day. It survived countless train trips and I finally upgraded my green one to the blue one in 2023.

This bag is so strong and fits so much, I love how it fits over the handle of my suitcase and I think they look faaaaaabulous.

I don’t bring this one with me on every cruise anymore just because I prefer my backpack but it’s perfect for an everyday bag.

All of these big bags come with a little bag in them and a see-through bag for your toiletries at the airport.

Are Mia Tui Bags Leather or Are They Vegan?

All Mia Tui bags are vegan. None of the bags sold by Mia Tui are made from animal leather. The material that the bags are made from is man-made but is designed to look like leather. The material is hard-wearing and durable but also soft.

The bags are made from Polyurethane which is less harmful to the environment than PVC so Polyurethane is used in the bags.

Mia Tui also have eco-friendly packaging.

Who Are Mia Tui?

Mia Tui are a company based in the UK and founded by a lovely lady called Charlotte.

Charlotte started Mia Tui in 2010 because she was getting frustrated with the current bags available to her. She describes herself as a busy mum always looking after her 2 children, shopping and travelling.

I found that all my bags were just empty sacks, you would have a phone holder and maybe a inside pocket, but that was about it, and all the interiors were black (who can find anything in a black hole!)

Charlotte (Mia Tui)

Now that I’ve been using Mia Tui bags for the last few years, I totally understand the problems mentioned above. Mia Tui bags are designed to solve these problems, and they do.

Tui means “Bags” in Vietnamese, and Mia in Italian means “My” so Mia Tui means “My Bags”.

Where Are The Mia Tui Bags Produced?

Mia Tui produce their bags in a factory in Vietnam. The founder of Mia Tui, Charlotte used to live in Vietnam and the Mia Tui team know each factory employee personally.

 “The factory is a clean and friendly working environment, all staff are paid overtime and have lunch provided each day.” Charlotte – Mia Tui Founder

The way that the brand Mia Tui cares about its employees is one of my favourite things about the company. I don’t feel as though I have to worry when I buy a Mia Tui bag because I know exactly where the bag is coming from and I know that Charlotte and the team keep standards high.

I hope this article was interesting! I’ve been a big fan of Mia Tui for a long time and am often asked about the bags, so now I can share this article, woohoo.

Before you go:

Wondering what to pack for your next cruise? Planning And Packing For Your Cruise – Things To Do In Advance!