I can't say I love packing for a cruise, but I do find great joy in discovering something cool to bring with me.
Over the many years of cruising, I've seen other cruisers bring lots of things onboard the ship. Some stuck with me as really neat ideas that I never considered, and I adopted it into my cruise habit.
Other ideas I've recognized work for specific cruisers, but I think they add value to sharing them too.
Here's my list of cool things to bring on a cruise, plus a few to skip. There are affiliate links in this article to some of the products referenced. Affiliate links generate a small commission if you buy it, but it costs you nothing extra!
Pop-up laundry hamper
One of the best cabin hacks I ever tried was to bring a laundry hamper to keep the dirty laundry organized.
For so many years I just threw all my dirty laundry in a corner somewhere, but a hamper really helps keep it from sprawling all over.
While some cruisers say to just put dirty laundry in the empty suitcase, that's far more effort than I'm willing to commit to.
Plus, the hamper is cheap and can fold down so it can fit in that large mesh part of the inside of the suitcase no one ever uses.
Magnetic night light
When my kids were really young, we had to make using the bathroom as easy as possible, especially at night.
Having a nightlight is great for ensuring you know where to go in a very dark cabin, as well as keeping the boogeyman away.
My kids are older, but a good nightlight is still useful to save the structural integrity of my shins. It never ceases to amaze me how often I run into the coffee table in the stateroom.
Rather than a traditional plug-in light, I'd recommend getting a re-chargeable light that is magnetic so you can stick it anywhere in your room!
Giant pool hat
I started bringing a wide brimmed straw hat to keep me from getting sunburned and because it's kind of fun.
I never want to get sunburned, but remembering to re-apply sunscreen isn't as easy as it sounds. Wearing a hat with a very wide brim greatly reduces the chances I'll get burned on my head, neck, or shoulders.
They're a pain to pack, but when I wear it around the pool or beach, I'm always glad I brought it.
Leakproof bottle protector
One of my favorite money saving tips is to bring your own wine on a cruise, but spend a few bucks to make sure the wine doesn't spill.
You're allowed to bring one bottle of wine per adult in the stateroom on embarkation day (champagne too). Just be sure to pack it in your carry-on luggage and not the luggage you give to the porters.
Will that bottle of wine break in your bag? Probably not. But it's not a risk worth taking.
For a few bucks, you can buy a re-useable wine protector and ensure any leaks don't ruin your clothes.
Bag to bring to the pool or beach
Dear men reading this article: you cannot carry everything you need for the beach in your cargo short pockets.
Having a small, yet practical bag to carry the essentials while going ashore (or to the pool deck) is really useful.
I like this Adidas drawstring bag because it's useful for cruises and at home. I'm all for things I can use in my everyday life, plus a cruise vacation.
Inflatable seat
On a trip to St. John I saw someone with inflatable hammock chairs and thought it was genius.
If you're in the ocean and enjoying a picturesque place, I want to enjoy time in the water. But wading isn't fun.
These inflatable chairs can be used to sit, hang on, or drift. And since they're inflatable, they collapse easily too.
Sunrise alarm clock
Inside rooms are pitch black when you turn off all the lights, and it makes knowing if it's 3am or 3pm really difficult.
A sunrise alarm clock will slowly illuminate the cabin to match the outside daylight, so you have that sense if it's morning without fully opening your eyes and checking your phone.
I like this a lot because opening my eyes to check the time makes it more difficult to fall back asleep again.
The sunrise alarm clock has a gradual light, with two alarms and even has noise you can sleep to: birds, running water, white noise, and more.
Desktop thermometer
I recently saw in a Facebook group people that bring a digital thermometer and I couldn't understand why until they explained it.
Royal Caribbean's cabin thermostats, especially on old ships, have no indication what temperature you're setting it to. Nor do you know what the temperature is in your cabin.
Having a digital thermostat means you can better fine tune the room temperature to what you like having normally at home.
Lanyard
Cruise lanyards are a really smart way to keep your Seapass card handy.
There's a reason so many people that cruise a lot rely on lanyards: it's easier than digging in a pocket to find your Seapass card and less likely to accidently leave it behind.
They're re-usable and seem to last forever. Try a retractable, detachable lanyard to make it easy to use it in the casino or when ordering a drink.
Luggage tag holders
Probably the first thing I ever bought specifically for a cruise were luggage tag holders and they're still so good.
Royal Caribbean provides printable luggage tags, but they can so easily rip off.
A plastic holder ensures they don't go anywhere and reduces the risk of your luggage going lost because they aren't sure where it's supposed to go.
It's another cheap item to pick up and they last a few years before needing to be replaced.
Magnetic hooks
Can I really do a packing article without talking about how useful magnetic hooks are?
I know magnetic hooks are probably the most cliched packing tip, but truly they make a difference.
You want to get heavy duty magnetic hooks so you can stick them on any of your walls and keep all your junk off the couch, floor, and bed. Plus, it frees up space in drawers.
They're great for bathing suits, hats, jackets, and more
Hammock
I haven't actually done this one yet, but I had to include it in a list of cool things to bring because I've been jealous of everyone that has.
If you have a balcony cabin with the right set up, it's possible to have a hammock set up.
The hammock costs $20 and the person that did it says it took him just a couple minutes to set-up. Ideally, you'll be booked in a bigger balcony cabin and have access to beams where you can attach it.
It may not be possible on all balcony cabins, so this might be a hack to try after you go back on the same ship.
Fuzzy blanket
I asked my wife what's something she loves to bring on a cruise that isn't typical, and she said a fuzzy blanket.
Just like at home, having a comfortable blanket is great for lounging. You could use it on the bed, couch, or even on your balcony.
Or bring it off the ship if you're cruising in the winter and have an activity on the water.
I'd recommend getting a travel blanket so it's a bit more compact.
Your own pillow
No matter which ship or cabin category you pick, your own pillow is always going to be better than what's there.
I don't hate the pillows on a ship, but I rarely ever find one that I love as much as my own pillow.
Insulated water bottle
A trend in cruising today is more people bringing a water bottle with them and it makes sense now that I understand it better.
There are water stations around your ship that cost nothing to use.
Royal Caribbean provides plastic cups for water, but they're small and certainly not insulated. Bringing your own bottle means you can have much more water available without making return trips to the dispenser. Plus, it stays colder longer.
I'd recommend Stanley Cups, Yeti Cups, or Hydroflask.
I never pack a few things because they aren't necessary
New cruisers think they need to pack towels, specifically for shore excursions, but the truth is you don't need to bring any with you from home.
Royal Caribbean will let you take its towels off the ship for a shore excursion, and they're certainly good enough for a day at the beach.
You can get towels at the pool deck, although I almost always find them available to borrow at the gangway too.
I tried bringing an over the door organizer because it's a very popular travel hack, but the I've never found it nearly as helpful as people claim.
The issue for me is the shoe organizers don't have much capacity in each little holder. Plus, it tends to get caught in the bathroom door when I open and close it.
Some cruisers swear by these shoe organizers as a great cubby system, but I stopped bringing mine.
I firmly believe walkie talkies are not only unnecessary, they're also annoying to everyone else.
Royal Caribbean offers a free chat feature in its app to use, or you could just get a WiFi package for everyone and use an app or text feature.
I'll also never bring a drone with me on a cruise.
Royal Caribbean allows you to take a drone onboard, but you can't use it on its ships or private island. Theoretically you can fly them in one of the ports of call you visit, but digging up local regulations on where you can and cannot fly it is a bridge too far for me.
Not to mention the drone and all of the accessories take up too much room in my backpack. I'll just rely on others to fly them and admire their work.
