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There are some obvious things that you have to take with you on a cruise holiday – clothes, shoes, passport etc. But there are some essential items that regular cruisers always pack, that you might not know about.

You may be an inexperienced cruise passenger, or perhaps you’ve just never stopped to think about how you could fix a common problem you encounter on your cruises.

But I have, which is why I’ve put together this handy list of 15 cruise must-haves that might not have occurred to you, yet could make sure your cruise runs a lot more smoothly.

And I’ve found them all on Amazon, so you can place yourself a bulk order and have everything delivered all in one go. (Hopefully!)

You aren’t allowed to use power strips on cruise ships because they can be a fire hazard. But if you’re travelling with family you’ll likely have a lot of devices to charge at once.

This is ideal – it works with any plug socket thanks to some handy toggles, and can charge 5 items at once – one plug, and 4 USB cables. That’s everyone’s phone, and the kids’ tablet too. Winner.

When you’re going to board your ship, your cruise line will provide luggage tags that help to make sure your suitcases are sent to your room.

But the problem is, they’re made out of paper, and sometimes (whisper it quietly), you might have a rainy embarkation day. Wet luggage tags can be destroyed – the ink can run and the soggy paper can easily get ripped off.

These luggage tag holders will ensure your tags are safe and your suitcase makes it to your room. And unlike most others – they’re universal so will fit any cruise line’s tags and last you forever.

Unless you’ve booked a suite, cruise ship cabins are hardly known for their excessive storage space. This handy solution can turn a door into a helpful organiser, giving you 24 pockets to fit all kinds of things, even your shoes for different nights.

There’s really no need for your stateroom to be covered in clutter. I just hang this on the back of the bathroom door and as we leave the cabin, everyone’s sunglasses, hats and all those other little bits and pieces are right there.

Life on a cruise ship can be windy, since you are sailing after all – that generally involves moving into an airstream. So I always like to keep my towel secure on my lounger with these handy clips, that are easily big enough to fit around any chair.

When everyone uses the exact same cruise ship towels, it can be hard to spot your lounger when you return from the pool. That’s why I have bright, colourful towel clips to make my place stand out.

No more towels blowing away, or even just slipping down when you lean forward for a drink. Just be careful not to give off the wrong vibes with the flamingo ones though!

You know what your cruise cabin’s walls are made out of? Metal. So if you want to add your own hooks to the wall for hanging up jackets, dresses, coats or anything else, these will do the trick.

Just stick them on the wall and presto – a handy hanging space with no cabin stewards annoyed at your drilling!

You know what your cruise cabin’s walls are made out of? Yes, you do.

And these strong magnetic clips are another great option for keeping clutter and items away from the desk space, especially if you’re organising plans for your day. Clip your daily planner to the wall and everyone can remember the itinerary.

You know that horrible moment when you’ve crept out of bed in the middle of the night like a ninja, in need of the toilet but desperate not to wake your partner, and then BOOM – you turn on the bathroom light and everyone is awake and angry?

These battery-powered candles are a much better alternative than scorching your retinas and being in the dog house the next day (or peeing in the dark), and they’re smaller than a nightlight too.

There are very few delicate ways to word this, but basically, your cruise cabin toilet is not situated too far from the rest of the room. And it doesn’t have a window. Smells will be smellable to everyone.

It’s worth packing spray this just to neutralise any odours so that your family aren’t upset with you just for doing something completely natural. 

A lot of cruise ships have a pressing service, but that’s time-consuming and it usually also has a cost involved. And your cabin doesn’t normally have space for an ironing board. This spray can help remove the wrinkles from your clothes, and keep you looking smart. A shame it doesn’t work on the face really.

If you’ve booked yourself an inside cabin, you aren’t going to know when the sun has risen. This can make waking up a little bit trickier, since your options are darkness or strong artificial light. 

This clever clock remedies that by gently illuminating the room in time with sunrise, so you can be gradually raised from your deep slumber. It’s such a relaxing way to wake up!

If you’re on a longer cruise, you’ll be travelling across different time zones. And to make things a little more confusing, your phone might grab a signal from a phone mast intermittently, or it might update online.

So you can never be quite sure what time it is. Even the cruise line’s app tells you the wrong time sometimes!

Grab a travel alarm clock and you’ll always know the right time, even in the dead of night when you’ve awoken excited for your itinerary the next day.

If you’re the kind of person who just dumps everything into a single suitcase and hopes for the best, let me introduce you to life-changing packing cubes.

No longer will you have to sift through your case to find a charger when you first arrive. With these, you’ll have place for everything, and everything in its place.

Cruises are perfect for snapping a ton of happy photo memories, especially on days in port. So if you have an old phone with a battery that can barely cope, or you just have a ton of apps draining it constantly, carry a portable charger with you so that you never miss a photo opportunity due to lack of charge.

Without this, I could never take 200 photos each day. Yeah, that’s not an exaggeration either I’m afraid!

A basic first aid kit is a really useful thing to have with you on a cruise. A 298-piece all-purpose first aid kit is even better.

This nifty kit has everything you could need for basic scrapes, grazes and other minor ailments, without needing to sacrifice half your drinks fund for a trip to the medical bay onboard.

Some cruise ships are absolutely packed with things to do each day, so you’ll get a daily planner summarising them all. Pack a highlighter pen with you and you can go through and highlight the ones you don’t want to miss, so you never forget that wine tasting hour or themed party.

Plus if your party is separated for different events, it’s easy for everyone to see where you’re going to be and when.

These 15 items can go a long way to making your cruise holiday just run that little bit more smoothly, and keep your entire travelling party happy.

None of them are expensive either, but you’ll be able to use them again and again on every cruise you take. So add them to your packing list – you won’t regret it.

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My name’s Jenni and I’ve worked in the cruise industry since 2015.

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