12 Genius Cruise Ship Bathroom Hacks and Organization Tips

Sharing is caring!

Cruise Bathroom Organization Tips and Useful Accessories

If cruise cabins are small, then cruise ship bathrooms are even smaller! Unless you’re cruising in a suite, you’ll find that your cabin is smaller and “cozier” than a hotel room.

For this reason, you’ll want to keep your cruise cabin bathroom well organized. In this post, I’ll share some awesome cruise bathroom hacks and organization tips, as well as the best cruise travel accessories to bring on your cruise.

I’ll also include a cruise toiletry packing list at the bottom of this post.

Cruise Ship Bathrooms – What to Expect

Just like cruise cabins are different than hotel rooms, so are the bathrooms. If you have a standard inside, ocean view or balcony cabin, you’ll usually have a single sink, a few very small shelves, and a “cozy” sized shower. 

On most cruise ships, you’ll have to upgrade to a mini or junior suite to have a bathtub. If you do need a small bathtub for young children, I’ll share a useful tip later on.

These days, most newer cruise ships have bathroom showers with glass doors. However, ships built just a few years ago may have plastic shower curtains.

Cruise bathroom amenities

Bathroom amenities can vary from one cruise line to another, however you’ll usually have shower gel, a basic shampoo and sometimes you’ll be provided with conditioner. Personally, I bring my own favorite shampoo and conditioner, as well as other hair products. 

The bathroom tissue and toilet paper is just fine, albeit a little thin. Don’t bring your own, as you don’t want to clog and overflow to toilets.

You’ll be provided with fresh towels daily and as needed. Don’t be shy if you need more towels. Your cabin steward will be happy to oblige.

In your stateroom, you’ll find a hotel quality hairdryer. Personally, I bring my own hair tools unless I’ve researched and know the blow dryer is strong.

12 Cruise Bathroom Cabin Organization Hacks & Accessories

A few travel items and organization products can make your life much easier on a cruise. However, in this post I’ll be sharing more than products – and some tips you can use that don’t cost a thing. In many cases, you can even bring items from home.

Organizing Your Cruise Bathroom Shelves

Remember when I said cruise bathrooms are small? Well, that goes for the bathroom counter space too. So, a handy cruise bathroom hack is to use the small shelves to keep only the few items you use every day.

Your cruise bathroom will have small shelves, usually on the left and right of the mirror. Under the sink, you’ll often have a shelf, and sometimes a small closed cupboard space. 2 glasses are usually provided.

Items that aren’t used every day, are best stored off the counters and shelves, to avoid clutter.

Toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, floss and other items can go on one shelf. We usually use one of the glasses provided in the bathroom to hold our toothbrushes. You can still keep a cover on your toothbrushes to keep them clean, but this will keep things organized.

Other shelves can hold deodorant, face creams and other items that will be used at least once a day. They are pretty small shelves, so they won’t hold much.

12 Useful Cruise Ship Bathroom Accessories

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click and buy that I may make a commission, at no cost to you. Please see my disclosure policy for details.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Here are some practical cruise accessories to keep your bathroom organized on a cruise.

1. Over the door organizer

An over the door organizer is one of the most recommended items to keep organized on a cruise. My suggestion, if you use this, is to hang it on the outside of the washroom door, closet door or even on a cabin wall.

The nice thing about this new hanging organizer with different size pockets, is that you can keep so many things in it, yet everything has it’s own space.

Whether it’s sunscreen, hair brushes, ties and clips, disinfectant wipes, or laundry stain remover, it’s all there. You can keep a pouch for every everything!

Cruise Packing Tip – A friend of mine packs the organizer ahead of time and puts in her luggage. When it’s time to unpack, she simply hangs it up.

Recommended: Over the door organizer closet (new version with different size pockets on Amazon)

Tip – On Disney Cruises, you aren’t allowed to bring and hang over the door organizers, as they can damage the bathroom door. In this case, you can hang from the wall or ceiling with magnetic hooks, or inside a closet door.

Here are the magnetic hooks I mentioned, which are very handy for keep your whole cabin organized.

2. Magnetic hooks for cruise cabin walls

Something new cruisers may not be aware of is that cruise cabin walls are usually metal. When space is tight, strong magnet hooks are a lifesaver!

Recommended: Heavy duty magnet hooks (see 4.5* reviews on amazon here)

3. Hanging toiletry or make-up bag

To keep your bathroom organized on your cruise, one of the best things is a space-saving hanging toiletry bag. 

The roll-up toiletry bag has separate clear plastic pouches attach and detach with velcro. It can be used as a makeup bag, or any other toiletry items. It hangs on the inside of the cruise ship bathroom, where there are hooks on the door.

This is especially good for those packing light, as you can separate the plastic pouches in your luggage (a good packing tip).

Recommended: Toiletry Bag for women and men (check price and color options on Amazon)

4. Bathroom Spray

One of the most important cruise bathroom hacks is managing bathroom smells. Since cruise cabins are small, your bathroom is pretty close to where you’ll be sleeping or hanging out. Therefore, a bathroom spray is handy, for obvious reasons. 

Handy tip – Spraying Poupourri into the toilet “before you go” is best to really eliminate odors. It does more than mask odors, which is why the original Poupourri (amazon link) is most often recommended.

Recommended: Poopourri bathroom spray (minis for travel)

5. Shower Curtain Weights

If shower curtains drive you crazy (and your bathroom has one), consider packing shower curtain weights or using a pretty simple, but genius hack!

Pack lightweight binder clips and attach them to the bottom of the plastic shower curtain and that should do the trick!

Related: 27 Cruise Travel Hacks Using Ziplock Baggies

Managing Laundry on a Cruise

While not a specific cruise ship bathroom hack, managing cruise ship laundry definitely overlaps (and can lead to a messy and disorganized bathroom space).

Here are a few cruise laundry hacks that will be helpful, especially when traveling with children or for cruises longer than 5 days.

While some cruise ships have a self service laundrette, many cruise ships don’t. You can definitely send clothing to be washed and pressed on your cruise ship, but it isn’t cheap.

Using your cruise bathroom, you can manage pretty well, even during long cruises.

Here are a few tips and tricks for keep your outfits fresh, clean and wrinkle free during your cruise. 

Handwashing items in your bathroom sink

6. Travel size laundry detergent

If you plan on using this item, a laundrette, or hand washing items in your cruise bathroom sink, make sure to bring travel size laundry detergent as well.

Recommended: Travel size Sink packets (amazon)

7. Laundry bags

As you have laundry, throw them in your a laundry bag and put them away in your suitcase. This set of compression packing cubes comes with a handy laundry bag with a drawstring. I use it to compress and pack up my dirty laundry at the end of a cruise.

Recommended: Set of compression cubes (with laundry bag)

A handy tip to keep your cabin clutter free is to store your luggage under your bed.

8. Pop-up Hamper

This mesh pop up laundry hamper is good to keep near your bathroom or closet as laundry accumulates. It folds away quickly and doesn’t take up room in your luggage.

Recommended: Pop up laundry hamper (see over 15,000 Amazon reviews)

9. Stain remover stick 

I don’t go anywhere without a travel size tide-to-go instant stain remover stick (on a cruise, it’s even more important). For pen stains or coffee or anything else, it will save your cruise outfit!

Recommended: Tide to Go Stain remover sticks

Remove Cruise Outfit Wrinkles – Bathroom Shower Trick

Did you know that there aren’t any irons in cruise cabins? Since irons are a fire hazard, they are on a list of prohibited items on a cruise ship.

So, how do you get wrinkles out? Many people use the old hot shower trick. This is when you hand your outfit or clothing item in the bathroom during your hot shower. Hot water won’t be enough – you really need the steam from the shower.

10. Wrinkle release spray

Personally, I like to combine it with a little Wrinkle Release Spray for better results.

 

Recommended: Wrinkle release spray

Read more: How to Pack Wrinkle Free for a Cruise.

11. Clothes pegs for a bathroom clothesline

There’s often a retractable clothes line in the cabin shower area. If you have some clothes pins at home, you can pack these for your cruise.

Alternatively, you can pack a portable travel clothesline that already has pegs attached. Use magnet hooks to hang this on your cabin wall. This will help your items to dry faster than in the bathroom, where humidity can be an issue.

Recommended: Easy travel clothesline (read over 12000 Amazon reviews)

Cruising with Babies Bathtub Hack

11. Inflatable baby pool

One of the tips I’ve learned from other cruisers traveling with very young kids and babies is to bring a very small blow up pool, which can be placed in the shower base. You can create your own baby bath tub, and then store it away.

Cruise Bathroom Items and Toiletries Packing List

On most cruise ships, you’ll have soap and shower gel provided, as well as shampoo and sometimes conditioner. Certain cabin categories may have more amenities.

12. Leak-proof travel sized toiletry containers

It’s a good idea to pack smaller quantities of your favorite toiletries for travels. If you’re planning to cruise carry on only, or simple pack light for your cruise, these are perfect!

Remember to make sure that containers are leak-proof and TSA approved, so you can use them on travels for years to come.

Recommended: Leak proof travel bottles and container set

Cruise Toiletries Packing List

Here’s a toiletries packing list for your cruise. Please adapt this to your needs and preferences.

• Shampoo and conditioner (if needed)
• Hair products (gels, hairspray)
• Hair accessories (elastics & hair clips)
• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Mouthwash
• Deodorant
• Face wash
• Face creams
• Sunscreen
• After sun care (aloe vera)
• Make up remover
• Make up
• Over the counter medication (see first aid packing list here)
• Disinfectant wipes
• Stain remover sticks
• Wrinkle Spray
• Children’s items

More Cruise Packing Guides:

31 Cruise First Aid Kit Essentials You Need to Have

23 Essential Things to Pack in Your Cruise Carry-On Bag

20 Cruise Packing Tips all Cruisers Need

What to Pack in Your Cruise Shore Excursion Day Bag

The Pros and Cons of Packing Cubes for Cruise Vacations

How to Pack Light for a Cruise

Final thoughts: Awesome Cruise Ship Bathroom Hacks, Toiletries and Accessories

Keeping your cruise bathroom organized and having some much needed cruise accessories can make a big difference in how you enjoy the time spent in your stateroom. I’ve included a cruise toiletry packing list, to help you have everything you need for your next cruise vacation!

What tips and cruise travel hacks do you have, for keeping your cruise cabin bathroom organized, and making sure you have everything you need? Please let me know in the comments below.

Happy Cruising!

Ilana

P.S. If you found this helpful, please don’t keep it to yourself ;-). Please share on Facebook or PIN to your favorite Pinterest board (share buttons at the top). Thanks so much!

Let’s connect:

Follow me on Facebook at Life Well Cruised

Follow me on YouTube at Life Well Cruised

Follow me on Pinterest at Life Well Cruised

Follow me on Instagram at Life Well Cruised

Would you like to join my mailing list and keep in touch each week? Please leave your name and email in the sign up box below