CLEANING & HYGIENE

This is the part of a provisioning list everyone forgets, and the one whose absence is noticed fastest: washing-up liquid, sponges, bin bags, toilet paper, kitchen roll, soap, shower gel, sunscreen, insect repellent.

Two boat-specific points. Favour products compatible with discharge at sea, and fast-dissolving toilet paper, essential if the boat has conventional marine heads. And think concentrated formats: they take three times less space for the same number of washing-ups.

Bin bags deserve a special mention: on a cruise, rubbish stays on board until the next equipped stopover. Order more than you think you need.