How to Cozy Up A Cruise Cabin

Welcome to Plan a Vacation Week. Taking vacations is a form of self-care. Everything, from the planning process to meeting new people, trying new foods and seeing new places, is good for your brain health. A change of scenery can do wonders for your perspective and emotional wellbeing. And of course, vacations can be relaxing. They may also help you be more active in the beautiful outdoors.

And as vacations go, is there anything more indulgent than a sea cruise? Of course, cruise vacations are expensive and one way to save money is to pick the least expensive cabin, which is usually small. But that doesn’t follow that the cabin has to be uncomfortable or unappealing. In fact, your home away from home can be a restful retreat. Here are some ways to organize and cozy up a cruise cabin with lightweight items you can easily pack in your suitcase.

What to Pack for Your Stateroom/Cruise Cabin

First things first, get things clean! The attendants do a pretty good job, but they have cut back staff on cruise ships and the cabins we occupied all benefited (visibly) from a wipe down. Bring some disinfecting wipes and wipe down all the surfaces of the room, including the phone, remote control and drawer interiors, before you unpack. The cabin will be extra clean.

Splurge on the water beverage package. You’ll drink more and feel more hydrated and healthy if the water is in your room. You can drink the tap water, of course.

Cruises provide some toiletries, like hand soap and body wash. I like to upgrade to Bath and Body Works pump soap. On a cruise, you are washing your hands constantly. I have found that this soap does not dry out my hands. You can also bring mini bottles of Bath and Body bodywash, if you like that, or your favorite brand. I’d also recommend bringing your own shampoo, conditioner and lotion.

A mesh, pop-up laundry hamper stows dirty laundry inside of the closet. Trust me, it’s so much better than a laundry bag! Find one for $6.50 at Family Dollar. Another tip: pay for wash and fold services (about $30/bag) before you leave. It makes a big difference to go home with a suitcase full of clean clothes, instead of dirty ones.

A couple of attractive organizers help corral loose items, like toiletries in the bathroom and accessories, sunglasses and lanyards in the bedroom. Dollar Tree sells canvas mini-bins that are perfect for this. They unfold so you pack them flat in your suitcase. Put one in your closet, too.

Is your bed too firm? Ask your room steward for a padded mattress cover. In a pinch, you can layer a blanket on the mattress. Check under the beds for extra linens. You can also ask for more or cushier pillows and extra towels and hangers — typically provided at no extra charge.

Make a small cabin seem larger by having the bed divided into two twin beds. It really makes a big difference! You can ask your travel agent or the cruise line to do this in advance, but if you find the beds are together, the cabin steward will separate them for you.

The more items you stow away, the larger the room will appear. Store luggage under the bed or in the closet. Keep shoes in the closet. Some people hang items on hooks around the room, such as hats, coats and organizers. I think that makes the room look cluttered and chaotic. If you want a restful retreat, keeping a cabin looking neat and organized is a must and it only takes a few minutes. Anything you wear, put it in the closet. Never leave clothes or towels lying around on the bed or furniture. Just get in the habit of deciding where everything goes and putting them there and encourage your family to do the same. There’s plenty of storage space in cruise cabins, including desk space for documents. You don’t have to have everything out in plain view.

Bring a cruise-safe outlet device and use it to power a mini fan — it will really help circulate the air and keep the cabin comfortable, especially if you have a room without a balcony. I find it also helps me sleep!

The morning sun may sneak in when you don’t want it too. Do the cruise line a favor and don’t poke holes n the curtains with a safety pin. Bring binder clips or clothes pins to keep the drapes closed and have a more restful sleep.

You can’t bring wick candles on a cruise ship. But you can bring a battery powered candle, battery powered tea lights or battery powered string lights to add a soft and romantic ambiance to your stateroom.

Upholstered furniture (on chairs and sofas) in cruise cabins can look dingy and stained. Just looking at it can bring down the way you feel about the cabin. Plus…let’s face it…if it hasn’t been steam cleaned recently, it’s probably really dirty and it’s hard to relax on dirty furniture. Bring a spare sheet or 2 yards of a light fabric (sold at Wal-Mart in the sewing department) or even a colorful jersey sheet or throw blanket to drape over the sofa or chair in the room (look for images online to make sure the color and pattern matches the interior).

Speaking of blankets, a small throw blanket or two ($5 at Dollar Tree or Walmart) will warm up the bed when it’s cool at night and add some color to you room. We’ve used nautical designs and Christmas designs! They are also also nice to have on hand if you choose to watch an outdoor movie on the pool deck or want to look at the stars at night from your balcony.

Pack a small stuffed teddy or other stuffed animal to welcome you when you come into the cabin. Not a stuffed animal person? Bring a tiny faux plant or other small, homey touch.

Noise on a cruise ship can be an issue at night. Sometimes, ships just creak. If you’re in the rear of the ship, there will be some engine noise. So, we bring a small, battery-powered white noise machine (Homedics). The gentle hum keeps us asleep at night.

So, those are some of the items we bring along. What do you bring to cozy up your cruise cabin?