24 Everyday Items for Making Your Cruise Ship Cabin More Cozy
Updated: Dec 14, 2024
Packing for a cruise is always an exciting endeavor - the evening gowns, the perfect beach outfit, and the glitzy accessories that will tie everything together.
Beyond the outfits, then there are the details - what do you need to pack for port excursions? What do you need for the water day or jungle trek? There's honestly a lot of food for thought when it comes to packing for a cruise, and I find that it's these simple everyday items that are most needed (and most neglected) on your cruise packing list.
I often go on 7, 9 or 10+ day itineraries when I go cruising, so the longer the stay, the longer I desire a little bit of nesting in my cruise ship room. I'm a lady, what can I say?
And it's ok to nest - you will spend a lot of time in that room on sea days, evenings, etc. It's essentially your Travel Trailer or Camper for a week and it's close quarters with your loved ones.
All you need is a few small touches to keep things comfy and cozy!
Trust me, when it comes to your cruise ship cabin, no stateroom is as cozy as home - but you can sure make it more comfortable with these everyday items to pack. More than half of these items can be found at your local Dollar Store, Walmart, or Amazon, and don't forget - on a cruise you can bring virtually as much luggage as you want!
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Optimizing Space in a Cruise Ship Room
Coat Hangers
Here's my number one tip for you - bring some coat hangers from home. Especially children's sized ones. There are never enough coat hangers and the fighting begins on day one on who gets to hang their nice garments.
Bring 6-10 kids hangers and a handful of adult sized hangers. I typically bring the low quality hangers that come with an outfit from the store, or hangers that are too small (like a 9 month old hanger for a kid who is 3).
I toss all the hangers by leaving them behind when I disembark.
If you think I am insane, then consider perhaps these folding coat hangers made specifically with cruisers in mind - it's 10 pieces and they fold to nothing for your suitcase!
Hanging Cosmetic Bag
No one really thinks about this much, but when the ship gets rockin' and rollin' on the high seas, your cosmetics tend to shift around the bathroom, and often fall through the shelf bar.
Getting a hanging cosmetic bag like this one will allow you to pack what you need for the trip and keep it visible without having to unpack every item onto the shelves.
Other styles don't offer the ability for your bottles to stand up, which is why I prefer (and purchased) this one from Relavel for myself! Honestly, I'm kind of obsessed with it. It packs a ridiculous amount of stuff and takes up very little space.
Collapsible Containers
For the same reason as the cosmetic bag above, collapsible sided containers are great for corralling bathroom objects. These can often be found at the Dollar Store or online. Here's an example from Amazon.
Packing Cubes
Packing cubes also work as containers if you want to stay organized without completely unpacking. Unzip your cube and dive in!
Laundry Bag (or Pop Up Basket)
This is something I always bring from home - typically a large shopping bag to corral all the stinky socks and underwear throughout the trip.
You can also be a little more high-brow and buy a pop-up basket or hamper. I use this on my camper and it folds to the size of a small plate or frisbee for your suitcase.
Luggage That Stows Away
Think of duffel bags, collapsible suitcases, and other slim jim luggage. They all need to go under your bed once you've unpacked. Better if you have nesting suitcases too, because then you can maximize your under bed storage!
Samsonite is a great brand for suitcases and I love this Caribbean Blue set.
No Need to Sacrifice Comfort in Your Cabin
Box of Tissues
I mean, I know my blog is called "Always Pack Tissues", but this is a good one if you have a particular soft tissue brand that you like. Otherwise, you have to ask the cabin steward for a box as they are generally never provided for you.
Nightlight
Not just for kids - it can get downright dark in a stateroom, even if you have a window or balcony. Bring a motion sensor night light like this one so it doesn't keep everyone up all night.
Some styles even provide dimmers, chargers, or clocks built into the face.
Travel Alarm Clock
I'm not suggesting this for it's alarm clock feature, I'm suggesting this for all the folks out there who like to wake up, glance at the time, and go back to sleep. I typically like to have a clock in my room, and cruise ship cabins do not provide these.
Having this compact, foldable travel clock is great for keeping an eye on the time without the disturbing glare of your cell phone in the middle of the night.
Bar of Soap
Listen, creature comforts is what this article is all about. I hate using the dish soap dispensers on the shower wall. I'm not really a 'liquid soap' kind of gal. So, I bring my own bar of soap. Sue me!
2-in-1 Shampoo from Home
On that same line of thinking, they do offer shampoo but no conditioner, so I just bring my own 2-in-1. I always pack it into a small travel-sized bottle (more on TSA liquid rules here) and that tends to be more than enough for a family of 3 for a week or so.
Tide Sink Packets
Spill wine on your fancy dress? Got stinky underoos and not enough pairs to hold you over?
These one wash tide packets are great for washing on the go in your stateroom. Tide wipes are another option, or even Tide pens. For full hand wash jobs though, go for the sink packets.
Hang the wet stuff in the shower to dry.
Optional Stateroom Add-Ons Worth the Luggage Space
Throw Blanket
Grab one from home, or get one you don't mind leaving behind for $4 or $5 at IKEA or Walmart. Or, get one of these combo travel pillows that are also blankets for use on the airplane and the cruise.
You'll want this for chilly A/C nights, getting cozy on the couch, or for kid's impromptu stateroom forts.
Your Favorite Pillow
Since I live in Florida and don't have to travel far for a lot of my cruises, I sometimes bring my favorite pillow from home. Why not?
Travel Humidifier
This one may be a reach for some people, but others swear by it for a good night's sleep. I actually purchased a travel humidifier at CVS years back a lot like this one on Amazon, and we bring it camping on our camper a lot. Why not a cruise ship?
White Noise Machine
If you are thinking of the humidifier for the white noise, there are actually products out there much smaller than a humidifier that can help you, like this 2 inch round white noise machine. It's made for traveling, and sure helps in a dead quiet cruise ship room.
Travel Steamer
I'm talking to the Dad's out there - the ones that love a crisp line in a suit and an unwrinkled dress shirt. My husband always brings his steamer. The more the merrier, I say. Get yours online at Amazon.
Collapsible Wine Glasses
Ya'll must think I'm nuts by now, but I love having a bottle of smuggled on wine with family in my stateroom. (Check your cruise rules about bringing on alcohol).
I find that we end up drinking from water cups or hoarding glasses from the bar. If you bring your own little Dollar Store cups it is really nice for hosting in-room special occasion snack time.
We love hosting a good happy hour before dinner in the room, especially on fancy nights, so why not class it up? (As much as drinking from a plastic wine glass is classy). Bring cute little bar napkins for the theme too, if you like to get into it.
I do!
Decorative Items for Your Cruise Ship Room (Especially Great for Holidays)
A Dollar Store Christmas Tree (Or Other Holiday Themed Tree)
I have a tree at home for Christmas, Halloween and even Valentine's Day - all from the Dollar Tree. They fold up into the size of a small umbrella so there isn't much reason to leave it home. It adds so much character to a holiday cruise!
I often also use the fake trees to hold my costume jewelry as 'ornaments' for the cruise. I like having everything on display! (Put your valuables in a drawer or the safe).
A String of Lights
One small box of 25 string lights does wonders for charming up your space!
Window Clings
Kids love to decorate the moment you arrive on board. This is a no-brainer and you can get them at the Dollar Store.
Magnets for Your Door
If you tend to get lost - put something decorative and magnetic on your cabin door as an identifier!
Extra Considerations for the Kids
Kid-Friendly Bath Soap or Baby Shampoo
If your child prefers a tear-free kid's soap, bring it.
Stuffed Animals (1 or 2)
Because you can't leave Boo Boo or Kitty at home. Come on.
Activity Books
Have you seen my Kid's Travel Journals?
Low-Impact Toys (Toys Without a Lot of Pieces)
For entertainment while you are showering or unpacking, and need a break!
My aunt gave my daughter this Splat Planet Magic Pen shirt for our Christmas cruise last year, and she had so much fun coloring it. Then, it doubled as a nightgown so it's a super idea for cruising!
For more kids travel entertainment (mostly for toddler aged kids) check the link!
For more advice on cruising like a pro, check out my related article:
Have a great trip and remember, you can pack just about as much as you want on a cruise ship. Stick to the TSA rules if you are flying and consider luggage fees on airlines.
Finally, if you need some advice on cruise ports, I've got many of them detailed for you on the blog! Simply head up to the search bar at the top of your screen and type in your destination.
Happy cruising!
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