16 Unexpected Items to Bring on Every Cruise

Hello friends! Thanks so much for stopping by and reading today!

Today I am so excited to share with y'all 16 unexpected but necessary things to bring on every cruise that you go on. While a lot of packing tips and lists can be found on the internet that include the usual items you would think to bring (clothes, camera, passport/documents/toiletries/etc) I wanted to share a few things that you might forget and are unexpected but are must pack items. So in no particular order let's get started:

(1) Over the Door Shoe Hanger

On my very first cruise I didn't bring one and rectified that immediately for all future cruises! These are a great way to have dozens of small size compartments for a variety of different things and will help add extra storage to the small staterooms. 

The one that I originally used on my cruises is no longer in stock so THIS ONE from Amazon has replaced it and it has worked perfectly for all different cruises (including a European River Cruise (but if you want a different option see below**) and stateroom sizes that I have traveled in! For less than $11 it is a steal! You can find it HERE!

** if you are going on cruise that has sliding doors only- THIS closet shoe hanger (less than $15!) is a perfect solution! You can find it HERE!**

(2) White Noise Machine/Small Fan

For years I have been sleeping with fans and have loved the "white noise" that they provide as I am a very light sleeper. Depending on your cruise ship and stateroom the walls on a can be exceptionally thin (even more than a hotel room) and a small fan can be very helpful, to block out the noise. There are several different options and depending on where we are traveling I have used each of them:

Looking for a noise machine that is small and incredible? Choose this one...
*THIS ONE is great for louder noises, less than 2 pounds and is incredibly small and won't take up mush room at all! It is the only thing that I travel with now! You can find it HERE!

Looking for a fan and not a noise machine that is smaller and fits in your carry on? Choose this one...
*THIS ONE is a great size that easily fits into even a small carry on suitcase! It is not as loud as the other option, but is also less than $30 You can find it HERE!

(3) Laundry Bags

Throw in a couple of small (or large) laundry bags to make it easy to put in your dirty clothes at the end of the day. When you get home everything is already in the bag and can easily be cleaned. Another idea is to take three different laundry bags- one for whites, one for dark colors, and one for clothes that need to be dry cleaned. That way when you arrives home all she has to do is drop things off at the dry cleaners and through loads of laundry in the wash!

I personally love THIS set of laundry bags from Amazon. For less than $9 you receive 5 different bags and can separate things in a variety of ways making laundry incredibly easy when you return home from your vacation.Find them HERE!

(4) Thermal Coffee Mug

For the coffee and tea lovers out there this can be a great tip for a couple of reasons. First, many times room service is not offered on disembarkation days when people are hoping for coffee most. Second, this is an easy way to fill your mug up with coffee and take it anywhere on the ship without spilling things, especially in stormy weather. This is an extra great idea right now as many cruise ships are requiring payment for room service starting in 2019! Save some extra money by getting a good walk in to get your coffee or tea and then have it with you as you enjoy the ship! 

I love THIS ONE by Yeti in the seafoom green color (but there are tons of other colors to choose from!). You can find it HERE.

(5) Extra Hangers

Depending on who you are traveling with you might want to bring extra hangers. Many cruise ships will provide more if you request them, but if you are going on a long cruise or like to hang everything instead of using the drawers you might want to consider this tip!

Looking for some hangers that won't take up too much room in your suitcase? Check THESE out here! They are less than $11 and give you 12 hangers! Click HERE!

(6)Power Strip

I shared this in my  "10 Must Pack Items for a New England and Canada Cruise", but this suggestion is universally helpful for anyone cruising. There are a TON of different options depending on the size that you want to carry with you (including cubes that can fit easily into a suitcase!). Check out lots of different options by clicking HERE!

(7) Ginger

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.

Also, if you are wanting to use dramamine- did you know that there is now a non-drowsy version made with ginger? You can find it HERE!

(8) A Picture of Your Luggage

I learned this tip from a couple that goes on a cruise almost every week. The wife shared how her luggage was "lost" one time and couldn't be found on the cruise that they were on. She was trying to describe her luggage to the cruise staff but all of the bags that they presented her with (about 20!) were not hers. Eventually (two days into the cruise) her suitcase was found in staff quarters. From that point on she always takes a picture of her luggage on her phone and said that she can now easily show someone her luggage without trying to spend hours of precious cruise time explaining it! 

(9) Blank Cards

Y'all know how much I love letter writing and sending thank you cards to people and I highly suggest throwing a few cards into your luggage to have handy on the cruise. There are so many people that you can meet on a cruise and become friends with and so many people to thank. A handwritten, old fashioned card can always make a beautiful and long lasting impression! I love how pretty THESE Rifle Paper Co cards are!

(10) Towel Clip

If you plan to spend some time outside laying out and enjoying the ocean breezes at the ships pool, you will want to bring clips to hold your towels down. As the wind blows you don't want to be chasing the towel all over the ship (*smiles*) so bring a fastener to help hold down the towel.

There are special clips for deck chairs that you can find in a variety of places but THESE from Amazon are amazing and are less than $8!! Click HERE!

(11) Your Favorite Snacks

Before we left on our last cruise, my best friend and I headed to one of my favorite stores and stocked up on some healthy (and gluten free for me) snacks to bring on board. While there is SO much food to be found on cruise ships, you might find this suggestion helpful, especially if you have food allergies like me and will want a snack (or are opting out of wanting to pay for new room service fees).

(12) Bungee Cords

Bungee Cords can be a wonderful resource to use in a variety of different ways. You can use the bungee cords to hold a balcony door open, secure your luggage, or even make a temporary clothes line! The options are endless but this will help you as you cruise! Again, there are a TON of different options that you can find in relation to bungee cords, but HERE are some great ideas!

(13) Duct Tape

I have heard from several seasoned cruisers that they live and swear by using duct tape on the cruise so throw it in your suitcase! I personally haven't used it ever, but some people love it!

(14) Ear Plugs/Eye Masks

I am a huge believer in eye masks, but recently I have been using ear plugs when I travel. Even if you don't completely block the noise from your cruise mates on the ship, it can help dim it and this can help you sleep better! I love THESE ear plugs and THIS eye mask!

(15) Deck of Cards (or Dutch Blitz!)

Sometimes, even on a cruise there are periods of waiting or "down time" and having a deck of cards for when you are traveling to the cruise, or hanging out in line waiting to embark on the ship or disembark at the end of the cruise can be a fun way to connect with others and pass the time. While a regular deck of cards is wonderful, consider throwing in a card game like "Dutch Blitz" which is fun and a little unique! (You can purchase Dutch Blitz cards on Amazon HERE!) 

(16) **Clothes Steamer**

This is a suggestion that I learned from a fellow cruise mate on my last cruise after I waited for hours for laundry services to come and pick up some clothing that I needed ironed. They kept saying that they would be there "in a minute" and low and behold, almost 2 hours later they still had not come. The simple and easy solution to this would have been a clothes steamer that would help take out the wrinkles (just like a regular iron, which a lot of cruise lines do not allow you to bring on board). I have found THIS ONE to be great and pretty inexpensive!

**please note that different cruise lines have different restrictions and I would suggest contacting your specific cruise line BEFORE your trip to confirm that you can bring this specific steamer on board.**

Looking for additional cruising tips? You can find more on my travel page (by clicking HERE!) or click on some of the links below! 

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 

6 Tips to Plan Your Perfect Cruise 

10 Things People Forget to Bring on Their First Cruise                                           

10 Things to Do Before You Leave on Your Caribbean Cruise 

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