More and more people are experiencing cruises for the first time. To put that into numbers, in 2024 alone, the cruise industry as a whole grew by 18.6% in revenue and by 12% in number of passengers (That means not only did 8.6 million people take a cruise in 2024, but they paid a whole lot more for one, too. 😉 )
Of course, each cruise line is different. Some specialize in certain themes, like Disney or Margaritaville. Others tend to cater to senior citizens or to families. Some are adult-only and don’t allow guests who are under age 18. Some cruises are mondo expensive, and some are priced for those who don’t want to break the bank.
There are some things that all cruise lines have in common. For example, having a cabin attendant (or even more than one) take care of your cabin and things you may need is pretty universal when it comes to cruise lines (unlike many hotels which have drastically cut down on housekeeping).
That being said, depending on the cruise line, you may be able to do something on one that you can’t do on another. Here are some things you can request of your cabin attendant regardless of what cruise line you’re on, as well as what you may not be able to ask for, “depending.”
What You Can Request on Any Cruise
These are things you can ask of your cabin attendant on just about any cruise line and they should be able to accommodate you.
Extra/different pillows
Your cabin is very similar to a hotel room – it’s just smaller and is on a floating vessel. So just like you can request more pillows, or harder or softer ones, or pillows made of “not this material, but that material,” you can request the same of your cabin attendants.
Extra/different blankets
Just like pillows, you can ask for extra blankets or a blanket made of a different material.
Extra towels
Cruise lines play the “hang your towels if you want to reuse them and save the environment/us some money by not washing them” game, just like hotels. But again, just like hotels, you can request extra towels if you want/need them.
Wine glasses/corkscrew
Most cruise lines allow guests to bring a bottle or two of wine. And some cruise lines automatically have wine glasses and/or a corkscrew already in the cabin, for you to use. But if they don’t (or if you need fresh glasses), you can always ask.
Extra hangers
Unless you go all out and get a suite, cruise cabins tend to be on the smaller side. With that, storage tends to be at a premium. You can always ask for more if you want to hang your clothes and don’t have enough clothes hangers.
Ask. They may say yes, they may say no.
These are the things some people ask for on their cruise that are a little out of the ordinary. Your cabin attendant may be able to help you, or perhaps it’s not something they readily provide.
Fan
Whether it’s for the breeze or the white noise, some people need a fan to be able to get to sleep and then sleep comfortably.
Some cruise lines have a supply of fans they can loan out, others do not. Those that do may only have a small amount. So if you’re one of those people that “needs” a fan, find out if you’re allowed to bring your own, and consider bringing your own small fan, if it’s allowed.
Bathrobes
Typically, it’s not a matter of a cruise line running out of bathrobes as much as they either supply them (or only supply them for guests who have a certain tier of cabin) or they don’t. If having a bathrobe is important to you, you may want to learn beforehand if your cruise line offers them to use during your cruise. If not, there’s always BYO.
Iron/steamer
Irons and steamers have heating elements – which can be a fire risk – which means some cruise lines won’t allow you to bring them onboard (if you bring one, it’ll be confiscated at embarkation and returned to you upon disembarkation). With that, some cruise lines have a “public use” iron/steamer in the “public use” laundry room (if they have such a thing. Virgin Voyages, for example, offers no self-laundry services. Or they may have a supply, so you can borrow a steamer for a short period of time and then give it back. Or your only option might be to pay them to iron/steam your clothes. Orrrrr you may need to wear things that don’t need to be ironed (polyester FTW!).
Coffee Maker/kettle
Again, coffee makers and portable electric kettles have heating elements and some cruise lines don’t allow you to bring them onboard, period. Others have the equipment in each cabin, but it’s been inspected by their electrical people and deemed safe. An there are some lines that do/have neither. If you need to have your coffee first thing in the morning, or you want to know you can always make a cuppa, learn which category your cruise ship is under, and plan accordingly.
Extension cord
Extension cords can be an issue because if they’re not made to certain standards, they can spark. Sparks can cause fires and, well, you get my point. So once again, some cruise lines let you bring extension cords, some make you have them be inspected by their electrical people, and some just don’t let you bring them (that said, USB extension cords seem to be OK).
If you just need an extension cord so you can keep your cell phone next to you, chances are the cruise line is going to say, “Too bad, so sad.” But if you need it for, say, your CPAP machine, or so you can charge your electric wheelchair, the cruise line might be more willing to work with you and either allow you to bring your own, or have one you can borrow.
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