The 13 Must-Have Accessories For Your Cruise
You’ve booked your first cruise! Or maybe like me, you’re cruising again after a long break because of the Pandemic. Your flights are reserved, your cruise wardrobe is ready, and you’re counting down the days until you’re sipping a cocktail on the deck of a gorgeous ship. Is there anything left to pack? Absolutely! As a veteran cruiser and former cruise ship crew member, I’m going to tell you the 10 must-have cruise products that you shouldn’t leave home without. Better yet, you can easily find almost all of my cruise accessories for bargain prices on Amazon.
Related: How I Saved $1000 on My Cruise and Weight Maintenance on a Cruise: Tips When You’re Trying to Get in Shape
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The Discovery Princess ship
Music: Night in Venice, Musician: Kevin MacLeod https://filmmusic.io/song/5763-night-in-venice, License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
Watch my top cruise accessory recommendations on You-Tube
Cruise-approved power strip
![Cruise Ship Power Strip - No Surge Cube Outlet Multi Plug [3 Electrical Outlet + 3 USB Port] Cruise Approved Power Strip Charger in 2023, 2024 & 2025](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/412FAHTgVkL._SL500_.jpg)
Standard cruise staterooms have two to three electrical outlets total. Think about how many items you use that need to either be charged or plugged in to work: phones, tablets, laptops, hair dryers, hair-styling tools. Of course, the more people you’re sharing your stateroom with multiplies the number of devices and outlets needed. I remember cruising with my mom and sister for years before my sister and I had kids. You can imagine a small stateroom full of women trying to get ready for dinner every night: all vying for space in front of the mirror with multiple hair-styling tools. My point is you need to pack a power strip. However, it can’t be your typical surge protector or extension cord. If you bring either of these in your luggage, the cruise line will absolutely confiscate it in the terminal and keep it until you return after the cruise. Look for the keywords “non surge protector” power strip and “cruise-approved” like this compact power strip on Amazon.
Princess Cruises stateroom
2. White noise app or sleep headphones
If you have a cruise companion in your stateroom who snores or maybe you’re the snorer, do not set off on your cruise without downloading a white noise app on your phone! Cruise staterooms are small, and if someone is snoring in your room, there’s no quiet place to escape to sleep.Even if no one snores in your group, your rest can still be affected depending on the location of your stateroom. A room close to the elevator or under the gym or pools, for example, can produce extra noise. Lying awake and not getting enough sleep will truly affect your cruise experience negatively. For many vacations over the years, I brought a bulky battery-operated sound machine that took up ample space in my suitcase. I finally joined the 21st century and used a free 7-day trial of soothing soundscapes which worked amazingly. I love it so much that I subscribed, so I can use it on future vacations. If your cruise is 7 days or less, you can get by using the app’s free trial.
Alternatively, if you don’t mind wearing headphones to bed, this Bluetooth sleep headband is an Amazon best-seller.
The beds are very close in cruise staterooms!
3. Portable charger
Using your white noise app all night will definitely drain your phone’s battery by morning. That’s why my portable charger is my favorite accessory I bought when I restarted cruising after the Pandemic.
Even if you’re trying to unplug from social media and emails during your vacation, you can still expect to use your phone throughout the day for your cruise line’s app. Cruise lines are moving away from paper and relying on digital communication, so you will have to remain somewhat connected during your cruise. Of course, you will also want your phone ready to take amazing pictures and videos of your vacation. The portable charger makes it possible to throw your phone in your beach bag and charge it while you are at the buffet, at the pool, or out in port. Don’t make the mistake some of my family did recently when their phones ran out of battery in an unfamiliar port. They got lost, didn’t have a portable charger, and were trying to find their way back to the ship in the dark. They made it back to the ship just in time, but still a little too close for comfort. My portable charger is now at the top of my packing list!
Don’t get lost in port without a charged phone and portable charger!
4. Beach chair clips
Beach chair clips are such a fun cruise accessory, and they are so helpful! Days at sea on a ship are usually breezy if not really windy. The clips are essential to keep your towel on your seat: both to save your seat and to prevent your swimsuit cover-up, hat, etc. from coasting onto the floor, into the pool or worse, off the side of the ship!
Trust me when I say that the fight for the pool chairs is legitimate. There are a lot more cruise guests than there are pool loungers, and you don’t want to lose that awesome chair you snagged because your towel blew away, and someone else took over your spot. Even if you’re going on an Alaskan cruise where you don’t plan to sunbathe, I still recommend packing the towel clips. A lot of ships have covered pools or hot-tubs that are accessible even on cold-weather cruises. The beach chair clips I bought at Ross a decade ago have been on many cruises and still haven’t broken! I haven’t seen any at Ross in years, so Amazon to the rescue!
Indoor pool on the Quantum of the Seas Music: Last Summer by iksonmusic
5. Reusable water bottle
I don’t know why it’s taken me this long to start bringing a reusable water bottle on cruises. It is essential to stay hydrated on every cruise, especially when the weather is hot. The price for bottled water on the ship adds up quickly. Yes, cruise lines like Royal Caribbean have a beverage package for water bottles which is more cost-efficient than buying individual bottles, but it’s still an extra expense. I like that I can repeatedly fill up my reusable water bottle in the cruise buffet. My pick is a water bottle that is lightweight but large enough to mix up my Plexus probiotic powder (read about how Plexus changed my life here). As much as I love a Stanley tumbler, it’s extra weight when I already have a lot to carry.
The CamelBak Eddy works great onboard and to take ashore.
I also love the Takeya metal water bottle which is lightweight for my daughter.
If you are going ashore in Mexican ports, I strongly recommend taking your own water and avoiding drinking any local beverages. I cruised to Mexican ports for years, but never adapted to the water and consequently, became sick many times. As much as I enjoy an authentic margarita, I will forgo it to avoid the aftermath!
Save money on hydration—bring your own water bottle
6. Rain Poncho
![Makonus Kids Rain Jacket, [Pack of 2] EVA Kids Rain Poncho Reusable Raincoat for Children Boys and Girls, Blue & Pink](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41f8B6cS6wL._SL500_.jpg)
It’s always a good idea to have a rain poncho in your bag no matter what weather you’re expecting. When we flew into Long Beach for a California coastal cruise, it was pouring, and the baggage handling area was outside!
When you’re trying to drag your luggage, it’s hard to hold an umbrella to keep you dry. I really didn’t want to get onboard the first day of the cruise looking like a drowned rat! These ponchos with elastic hood and wrists kept us dry with our hairstyles intact.
7. Recognizable Luggage Tags
Someone started the trend of tying yarn around suitcases, and now, I see hundreds of identical black bags with yarn at baggage claim! I recommend buying big, bright luggage tags instead.
You will have to identify your luggage several times for a cruise—at the airport before and after the cruise and in the cruise terminal on debark day. Noticeable luggage tags make finding multiple suitcases a little smoother.
8. Cruise Luggage Tag Holders
Royal Caribbean luggage tags holder
Carnival luggage tags holder
Norwegian luggage tags holder
Princess luggage tags holder
Disney luggage tags holder
Holland America luggage tags holder
This is another must-have item I started using when I returned to cruising post-Pandemic. These are different from the luggage tags above. The cruise line generates personalized tags for each member of your group with the stateroom number. These are available to print from the cruise website.
The tags are placed on each piece of luggage to ensure that your bags arrive to the correct stateroom after you check in. For years, I wasted so much time the morning of departure—stapling and laminating all of my family’s cruise tags. These luggage tags are available in customized sizes depending on the cruise line, and they protect your paper luggage tag from getting destroyed when luggage gets thrown around.
9. Lanyard for Cruise Card
You will need a lanyard carry your room key around the ship, so it doesn’t accidentally get lost. Sailing with Princess Cruises is nice because each guest is given a lanyard with the Princess Medallion that serves as a room key and your onboard credit card.
If you are sailing with another cruise line, there’s plenty of different themes to choose from like this Harry Potter lanyard or Disney Princess lanyard
When you share a small cruise bathroom with one or more people, a hanging toiletry organizer saves space. There’s not much room on the counter to stack personal items, so I always bring my hanging bag which also folds up easily in my suitcase.
11. Apple AirTag
I think every parent loses their child at some point—it’s inevitable as soon as they realize they can run. I have recently discovered the benefit of my child wearing an Apple AirTag when we’re anticipating crowded situations.
I’ve confirmed this kids’ AirTag wristband is waterproof. I was still able to track her despite the AirTag being repeatedly submerged in the swimming pool. If you don’t have kids, an Airtag is helpful to track your luggage.
12. Sunscreen and Aloe
Pool Deck on the Discovery Princess
I know you wouldn’t forget sunscreen on a tropical cruise, but you may not think it’s necessary to take to Alaska or other cooler weather destinations. I definitely recommend bringing and wearing sunscreen, especially on your face. I didn’t pack either sunscreen or aloe on my California coastal cruise because the forecast predicted rain everyday. We ended up with a hint of sunshine each day and a completely clear and sunny final day. Not surprisingly, we got sunburnt.
Sunscreen and aloe gel are very expensive on the ship and in cruise ports, so save yourself the burden of a sunburn and bring both in your suitcase.
I like this Blue Lizard Sensitive Mineral stick for kids.
For myself, I bring iT CC cream with SPF 50 and wear it as my daily foundation. This CC cream is so lightweight but provides amazing coverage and protects from sunburn.
13. A clutch purse
During the day, I usually carry a beach tote around the ship. Don’t plan to carry a big purse around the ship like you do in everyday life! Once you get settled in your stateroom the first day, store your purse in your suitcase or closet and carry something much smaller. At night, when I’m dressed up a little more, I like a small clutch to carry my cruise card rather than wearing my lanyard. My clutch is also handy to carry my phone, lipstick, hand sanitizer, and my daughter usually stuffs some crayons in there too. There are so many options on Amazon to match your evening wear. You could get carried away buying several clutches for one cruise!
Now, YOU are prepared with 13 must-have travel accessories for cruising. Let me know what tops your list of cruise accessories! Happy Cruising!