So, I’m leaving for an 11-day cruise in Europe in about a month, and you might say I’m in full prep mode! There’s gonna be a lot of info on this trip forthcoming, but for now, I’m gonna share the top 5 travel accessories I bring with me on any cruise!

#1. Cruise Safe Power Strip: You can never, I repeat NEVER, have an adequate number of plugs in a cruise ship cabin. We have phones and headphones and kindles…oh my! They all require charging and it takes up some plug space. My sister and I always share a cabin and we never have enough. Until I started packing a power strip that is! These days we bring one that also has USB and USB-C cable ports because, we fancy. Honestly though, I would never cruise without one again. Just word to the wise, make sure you get a “cruise ship safe” power strip, otherwise you could get that shit confiscated. Don’t ask me how I know this, that is a story for another time.

This is the power strip I like the most: https://amzn.to/44kxdfH (#ad)

#2. Hooks: If you’ve been on a cruise before, you know the cabins are, shall we say, not large? As overpacking queens, this means my sister and I need to get creative to make sure we stay organized. Have we ever managed to actually remain organized? We sure haven’t. But we’re still trying and that’s what counts. One thing we have started to bring to aid in our organizational dreams are hooks. Big hooks, small hooks, clippy hooks, suction cup hooks, magnetic hooks, we love them all. You might not know this, but cruise cabin walls are metal, which means those bitches are magnetic! Also, the usefulness of a suction cup hook cannot be overstated (these things really transform a bathroom!). So, if you’re basic like us, and always have too much crap with you, do yourself a favor and get you some hooks!

My favorite metal, magnetic hooks: https://amzn.to/3ImGw7t Here are my favorite suction cup hooks: https://amzn.to/449zUCa (#ad)

#3. Collapsible Laundry Hamper: This might seem like a little extra, but joke’s on you because it’s awesome! We bring a hamper with us now on every long trip we take. It’s a great way to make sure you keep your dirty clothes separate from clean clothes, and keeps you WAY more organized. I can personally attest that it will inevitably prevent you from making, what we might call a fashion faux pas(?), on around day 8 of the cruise when everything is just shoved into the tiny shelves in the tiny closet and you can’t remember if this particular pair of underwear are dirty or clean! It also comes in super handy if you do any laundry on your trip. This cruise is 11 nights, so we will almost definitely do at least one load of laundry. The best thing about the collapsible hamper we bring? It takes up hardly any room in our suitcase and is super lightweight. Plus, it has handles! So, bring a collapsible laundry hamper with you on your next long trip, especially if it is a cruise. You won’t be mad about it.

My favorite collapsible laundry hamper: https://amzn.to/3I6tpav (#ad)

#4. Costco Card (or any card with a magnetic strip): So, cruise cabins require you to put your key card into a little slot to keep the lights on in your room. Do I need the lights on in my room when I’m not there? Definitely not and I always turn them off. However, when one is required to put their room key in a slot on the wall when you enter your room, as you might imagine, this has resulted in me leaving my room key behind on a number of occasions. It’s true, it really happens. This is especially problematic because on a cruise ship, your room key is also your sail card, which you need for EVERYTHING on a cruise ship. You want a drink? Get your sail card. You want to buy some useless souvenirs you don’t need? You guessed, get your sail card. You cannot leave your room without it, because you literally won’t be able to get back in. So, we’ve taken to bringing a card with us that we can just leave in the slot 100% of the time, whether we’re there or not. This ensures that we NEVER leave our room key behind! We used to use our Costco card for this purpose, but I’ve held onto an old cruise card from back in the day and now we just use that! Just bring it, you’re gonna be glad you did.

#5. Cruise Lanyard: What is a cruise lanyard you ask? Well friends, it’s similar to a badge holder, but obviously better because you use it on vacation. Ok, I get it, cruise lanyards seem silly. Back in my younger years I certainly thought so and felt like I was way too cool for a cruise lanyard. Spoiler alert, no one is too cool for a cruise lanyard. Let me tell you, a cruise lanyard is the height of convenience. It keeps your sail pass/room key around your neck. You don’t have to lug around a bunch of stuff on the ship (i.e. purse), just grab your cruise lanyard and hit the road! For my fellow ladies out there, you know most of our clothes have the most un-useful pockets, if they even have pockets at all. The cruise lanyard solves that problem. I’m serious, they’re the best. One time we forgot our lanyards and after just one day without one, we dropped like $20+/each buying one on the ship. So, just do it, I promise you’re not too cool.

These are by my favorite cruise lanyards (I enjoy some bling): https://amzn.to/4ltzpIC (#ad)

Honorable mention: A 10ft phone charging cord. I like to keep my phone by my bed when I sleep. Sometimes this means I need a longer cord so I can properly doomscroll before drifting off to a peaceful slumber. So, I bought myself a 10ft cord and always bring it with me on cruise ships!

So, whether you’re strutting down the pool deck or discovering exotic ports, these five travel accessories are your trusty sidekicks, ready to help you fight off the dreaded “cruise-blues.” So, pack your bag, summon your inner sea captain, and don’t forget these essentials. Bon voyage and happy sailing!

What are some of your favorite cruise must-haves? Comment below so people can add them to their own lists!