11 Must-Know Tips From The Cruising Pros

Whether you’re embarking on your first cruise or your 50^th, everyone loves great travel tips and advice on how to navigate the unique experience of cruising. Veteran travelers have developed their personal lists of must-take items for life on board and enjoyment on shore. These little nuggets of information can help you get ready like a pro for an enjoyable cruise!

• Put envelope address labels to good use by applying them to laptop computers, tablets, cameras, phone cases, binoculars, even inside your luggage and on luggage tags. It improves your chances of having items returned when you forget them in the ship’s bar!

• Scan important documents, your passport, and the front/back of credit cards before you leave, and store them in a safe and accessible email file. This provides invaluable information should the originals disappear.

• Disinfectant wipes are perfect for airplane tray tables, leather seats, and in cabins to wipe down the remote control, door handles, etc.

• Pack all liquids in heavy plastic bags with good seals so that if they open under pressure or break, the liquid is contained. The plastic bags are great for storing dirty laundry, wet items, or packing dirty shoes for the trip home.

• Cruise cabins are short on power outlets, so if you’re bringing several rechargeable items, consider a double adapter, a tablet charger with three lines, or a small power strip.

• Leaving the bathroom light on helps find your way in the middle of the night, but it also jolts the brain awake. For a better nightlight, bring one or two small battery-operated tea lights and place them in the bathroom drinking glass to optimize reflection.

• Need a quick lint remover? Peel off your luggage tags and use the sticky portion.

• Veteran cruisers know to store luggage under the bed. If it doesn’t fit, try opening it up and laying it flat, which also creates a storage space for items not frequently used, dirty laundry, or souvenirs.

• When visiting countries where poverty is prevalent, consider taking clothing that you’re ready to donate. Toward the end of your cruise, give it away. This provides luggage space for souvenirs and also helps a needy family.

• Cabin door artwork has become very popular, especially for those who need help finding their cabin. It’s fun to decorate doors for special occasions and holidays so bring a few magnets (no tape, it damages the doors). Take it a step further by thanking your cabin steward with a homemade sign acknowledging his excellent service!

• Since personal irons are not permitted in your cruise ship cabin for safety reasons, bring along a wrinkle release spray, and also consider packing easily wrinkled items in plastic dry-cleaning bags and on hangers. This solves three problems: It keeps clothes wrinkle free, it provides additional hangers (cabins rarely have enough), and it makes re-packing easy by keeping everything on hangers!

In addition, here are some helpful video tips from us to you on how to get the best cruise deal!