6 Cruise Ship Travel Tips and Hacks From a Cruise Cynic

4. Unpack everything the moment you enter your stateroom.

Unlock your stateroom’s door, take in the view (if you’re not in an interior stateroom), and explore all of the amenities. After that, unpack.

Some experienced cruise travelers like to bring accessories like magnetic hooks or portable hampers to maximize storage space. But because I travel alone, I don’t bother bringing these extra add-ons. Instead, my tip is to always unpack as soon as possible.

Staterooms aren’t floating mansions with limitless storage. It’s easy to clutter a 200 to 300-square-foot stateroom especially if you’re traveling with other people. To prevent this, I prioritize unpacking and organizing the moment I enter my stateroom. This helps me keep track of all of my clothes without causing a mess during my days at sea.

This includes toiletries. Unpacking and organizing my multi-step skincare routine onto the bathroom shelves keeps the small space clutter-free. Luckily, the waves are never choppy enough to knock over my glass-bottled products.