Anyone who has stood in a cruise ship bathroom knows the drill: it is tiny, there is almost nowhere to put anything, and after a hot shower the whole room turns into a sauna. Ilana, who runs the website lifewellcruise.com and the Life Well Cruised channel, says a handful of simple, clever hacks can make those cramped bathrooms work much better.
She calls cruise bathrooms small, short on counter space and not very well ventilated, which she says is different even from a hotel. Her tips are meant for first-time cruisers and seasoned ones alike, and several of them are brand new to her.
Find The Hidden Storage And Fix The Steam
Start by looking for hidden shelves and drawers. Ilana says some cabins have a drawer right under the sink, so a bathroom that seems at first glance to have no storage may have room for makeup, shaving items and toiletries. A hanging toiletry bag is another win, because it holds almost everything that does not need to sit on the shelf and makes unpacking much faster. If your bathroom has no hook, which has happened to her a couple of times, a magnetic hook works because cabin walls are usually metal. A magnetic toothbrush holder that sticks on the wall frees up even more counter space.
Her favorite new idea is to place a magnetic fan on the ceiling of the bathroom. She says she saw the tip recently and thinks it is so smart, because it helps reduce the steaminess you get in a cabin bathroom and helps with lingering smells too.
Bring Your Own Basics
Not every cruise line stocks a good hand soap, and Ilana says some give you a cheap bar of soap that many people dislike. A bottle of liquid soap from the dollar store solves it, and you can leave it behind afterward. The same goes for shampoo: some cabins only have a two-in-one shampoo and conditioner, and sometimes a three-in-one with body wash. She has used refillable pouches for the last couple of years, filling them at home with shampoo, conditioner and hair mask. The smaller sizes are perfect, she says, if you are packing carry-on only or sailing seven days or less.
She also suggests an optional wipe-down with disinfectant wipes when you first arrive. The cabin attendant has cleaned the bathroom, she says, but only has about 15 minutes in each cabin, and someone else was living there the week before. It is not foolproof, but it can make a difference.
Drying, Safety And Laundry Tricks
Almost every cabin shower has a retractable clothesline, Ilana says, so look for it. It is a handy place for swimsuits and hand-washed items, and a hanging clothespin rack over the line holds several pieces at once. Another option is to hang a closet hanger on a magnet hook out in the cabin, where clothes dry faster, especially near a balcony door. A cheap shower mat helps if you worry about slippery floors, and anyone with accessibility needs can request a shower stool from the cabin attendant, through the special needs form on most cruise line websites, or by calling the line. She says it usually works out, though she cannot promise it is guaranteed.
For late-night visits, she recommends a magnetic motion-sensor night light stuck to the ceiling outside the bathroom, since the bathroom floor is raised by about two inches and you do not want to trip. Cheap battery tea lights or leaving the light on with the door ajar also work.
For small laundry jobs, she brings a couple of Ziploc bags and a laundry sheet. Wash a few items in one bag, empty it, and refill with clean water to rinse, or use two bags, one soapy and one clean. She also packs Tide to Go or Shout wipes. On the way to a Mediterranean cruise she spilled coffee on a white dress in the car service and managed to clean it before boarding.
What Not To Flush, And What You Can Ask For
Ship toilets are especially sensitive. Ilana says never flush flushable wipes or anything else that does not belong, because you do not want a flood in your cabin or the hallway. Some cruisers keep scented dog waste bags from the dollar store for disposing of wipes, and others bring disposable grocery bags to line the bathroom wastebasket.
Irons and clothing steamers are not allowed on cruises because they are a fire hazard, which surprises many first-timers. Hair straighteners and curling irons are on the exceptions list. Ilana brings an inexpensive wrinkle releaser spray and hangs clothes in the bathroom while she showers to steam them, then gives them a little tug. For smells, she recommends Poo-Pourri, which she says stops odors right where they start.
She also shares a neat trick: the paper covers on the bathroom glasses can hold rings you take off at night so they do not fall out. And she says do not be shy about asking your cabin attendant for bathrobes, extra towels, or washcloths. If you hang a towel up, the attendant takes that as a sign you want to reuse it, so leave towels on the floor in a neat pile if you want fresh ones.
Families may want to ask about cabins with split bathrooms. Disney has them, with a shower and toilet in one room and a sink in another, and Ilana says a Holland America tour showed her family cabins that were similar. Finally, she sometimes turns the cabin desk into a vanity with a blow-dry brush, lighted mirror and silicone mat for hot tools, to get out of the bathroom while she gets ready.
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