When I went on my first river cruise I was a complete newbie. While I have done a lot of ocean cruising, I knew nothing about river cruising and searched to find the best packing lists so that I wouldn't forget anything. So if you are in this same position and are afraid of forgetting something- don't worry! This list below will help remind you of 5 things not to forget in your planning! 1. Local Currency One of the most important things that you can do to prepare and bring on your trip is some of the local currency where you will be going. You can do this ahead of time at your bank or at a local vendor which will result in less fees than if you use a money exchange booth in an airport. While some people would prefer to use their credit cards - which is great, you will still need to have money for tips or for small shops that don't take credit cards so make sure to prepare for this ahead of time. (Also if you are going on a river cruise around the holiday season and plan to visit the European markets, like in Colmar, you will need to have local currency for this!) Looking for a cute wallet to travel with to hold all of your different cards and some local currency? THIS ONE and I love because it contains a space for your passport also! When my wallet starts falling apart that is the one that I will be getting! 2. Passport Holder/Wallet You will need to have your passport with you and I would definitely recommend carrying it with you at all times while you are on excursions. I use my wallet which is an older Neiman Marcus Travel & Passport Wallet that is no longer available, but is very similar to THIS ONE and I love it! When my wallet starts falling apart that is the one that I will be getting! There are so many different adorable passport holders that are available today but a couple of my favorites that are cheaper are THIS ONE (which has more than 17,500 amazing reviews and comes in TONS of different colors!!) The best thing is that many of the colors are less than $10 and currently are on sale! 3. OTC Medications While it is true that you can purchase all different over the counter medication when you are off the ship- it can be more pricey and also be difficult to find depending on where you are traveling. Sometimes on river cruises there is not a doctor but there is a basic first aid kit available. You will want to think ahead and bring some of your own items. Prone to seasickness when you travel? Definitely check out my post 4 Ways to Prevent Motion Sickness when Traveling by clicking HERE! Even though river cruising is an excellent choice for those who are prone to seasickness, there were still some people who said the movement on our cruise was difficult to them. A lot of people use Dramamine (or the patch) for motion sickness on a cruise which is a wonderful option, but ginger can be a great natural resource to help with nausea. You can read more about ginger and its health benefits by clicking HERE. I have mentioned this in several posts but I swear by THIS ginger here. It is organic and for less than $11 you can save yourself a whole lot of sickness! 4. Comfortable Shoes/Sandals I shared this in my post, 13 Must Pack Items for Your Caribbean Cruise, but it is a definite thing to remember. Pack comfortable shoes and sandals!! You definitely want to look cute and have fun, but you don't want your cruise ruined by blisters either so take the time to pick out cute and comfy sandals. On a river cruise you do TONS of walking and you will want to make sure your shoes are comfortable! 5. A Watch I was surprised to hear this suggestion from those who had cruised a lot but honestly, have now seen the value in having a watch. One of the best parts of a cruise is having the chance to take a break from the "real world" and simply enjoy the moment. But if you are wanting to make sure that you are ready to meet for excursions, meal times, etc. and want to put away the phone, you will want to know the time. I LOVE my fitbit versa and totally recommend it! You can find it HERE! What about y'all? Any items that you wish that you had brought on your first European river cruise that you would recommend to a first-time cruiser? Check out more cruise tips by clicking on the links below: 10 Valentines Day Gift Ideas for the Cruise Lover 6 Tips for Planning the Perfect Cruise 3 Important Documents to Bring on Every Cruise Viking River Cruises: Answers to Your Most Frequently Asked Questions River Cruising vs. Ocean Cruising: 23 Key Differences to Know 5 Things People Forget to Bring on Their First European River Cruise 7 Things to Take With You While In Port 10 Things People Forget to Bring on Their First Cruise 10 Things to Do Before You Leave on Your Caribbean Cruise 5 Must Pack Items for Your Disney Cruise to the Bahamas 16 Unexpected Things to Bring on Every Cruise Top 13 Must Pack Items for a Caribbean Cruise 10 Must Pack Items for a New England & Canada Cruise Curious to find out more about our trip that we took with Viking Cruises? Click on the posts below: Viking River Cruise (2017-2018): // Viking River Cruises: Answers to Your Most FAQ's // // Viking Eir Ship Review // Viking Eir Stateroom 203 Review // Viking Eir Food and Dining Review // // Best Rhine River Books to Purchase for Your Trip from Travel To Culture to History // // The Cologne Cathedral (Exterior) // // A Walk Through Cologne Square // A Walk Through Historic Cologne // // Cruising the Middle Rhine (Part One) // Cruising the Middle Rhine River (Part Two) // // A Brief History of Old Town Colmar // Saint Martin's Collegiate Church (Place de la Cathedrale)// // 7 Things You Must See When You Visit Old Town Colmar in the Winter // // A Brief History of Beautiful Strasbourg // A Walk through Historic Strasbourg //Place Saint Thomas // // Strasbourg Cathedral (Cathedrale Notre Dame of Strasbourg) // Heidelberg Castle // // A Walk Through Old Town Heidelberg // Hofgut Sternen in the Black Forest // // A Walk through Historic Downtown Basel // Basel Cathedral (Basel Munster) //