You know, those elastic cords with the hooks on the end. Not only will they be useful in keeping your luggage closed, but can be used to hold doors open, or to secure your belongings to the ship in the case of rough seas. 

 

 

Duct tape has 1,000 uses, and you will find plenty of ways to use a roll of duct tape on your cruise. Use it to repair broken luggage and shoes, to fix torn hems or as a lint collector for your clothing. Duct tape can also be used with new shoes to prevent blisters, or with a piece of tissue or cotton wool as a makeshift band-aid. 

 

 

While first aid is always available on a cruise, it does pay to pack your own first aid kit. Pharmacies on board cruise ships can be expensive, and waiting for attention from the on-board first aid station can take time away from your cruise, so take a basic kit with you. Sunscreen, sunburn cream, seasickness medications, band-aids (or duct tape!) and other basic items in your luggage can save you money and time on your cruise. 

 

 

Even if your room looks clean, germs are still a possibility. Getting sick on your cruise is a sure-fire way to ruin your holiday. The first thing you should do before you unpack is inspect your room to ensure that it has been properly cleaned. If you are not satisfied, call for a cleaner to fix the problems that you have found. Even if your room looks spotless, you should still disinfect small and easy to overlook items such as phones, light switches, remote controls as well as door, drawer and cupboard handles. A bottle of hand sanitiser may also be something you wish to consider as you will be spending a lot of time in common areas of the cruise ship. 

 

 

You will have your own room on the cruise ship, but you will be living in close quarters with the other passengers. To ensure that you are getting all the beauty sleep you need, a pair of earplugs are a necessity to keep those noisy neighbours at bay.

 

 

A little known fact is that most cruise ships allow you to bring your own wine on board. Many have limits as to how much you can bring with you, so it is a good idea to check with the cruise line that you have booked with as to how much you can bring with you. Alcohol on board can be expensive, so the BYO option can save you a lot of money. A corkscrew is a good plan too – no waiting for someone to bring one up to your room!

 

 

There will be some hangers provided in your room, but generally there will never be enough for you to be able to put all your clothes away properly. If you pack your clothes in your suitcase while still on the hangers, you can unpack a lot faster too!

 

 

Ironing in a cramped space – and on your holiday – doesn’t sound appealing, does it? There are many different products available at supermarkets that will de-crease your clothing. It pays to try a few of these before you leave on different fabrics to make sure that you get a product that works for you. 

 

 

A simple over-the-door hanger can be a lifesaver for bathroom items. Store things like cosmetics, hair products, straighteners and dryers and more in an over-the-door hanger to maximise the space you have available in the bathroom . 

 

 

Phone and laptop chargers, hair dryers and straighteners, all these electrical items that we can no longer live without... Many cruise ships have limited power points in their rooms, so it is a wise idea to take along a power board to ensure that you have enough space to plug in all of your items.