Packing Techniques to Make Your Cabin Seem Bigger

A cruise is a fantastic vacation that is, in some ways, a study in contrasts. You head out to an expansive and wide-open experience, with the open sea around you and the whole wide world as your playground, while you get to learn new things from the places you visit that were once unknown to you. At the same time, you'll likely be living in perhaps the smallest space you've lived in at least since your school days. Making that small space work is part personality, part ingenuity - and almost all about the way you pack. Here are a few suggestions for your cruise packing that will make all the difference.

What to Bring

Pack hangers! The best kind are the slimline hangers that already take up less space. Lay them flat on the bottom of your luggage. Most cruise line closets provide just a few hangers - not nearly enough. And hanging your clothes gets them out of the precious draw space - or off the floor.

Use a single set of coordinated luggage, the kind where each bag fits into a larger bag. While you might be able to stash your luggage under the beds, you might not. Being able to store your bags inside the largest and then put that bag out of the way - some stick it in the shower stall - will save your sanity.

What Not to Bring

Take an editing eye to what you're bringing. You most likely don't need as many clothes as you think you do, and almost all cruise ships offer laundry services. If you bring just a few outfits and two pairs of shoes, you'll actually find the storage in your cabin adequate!

Call ahead and find out what toiletries will be provided. Unless you have specific needs, bringing your own toiletries just fills up bags and duplicates stuff in the tiny bathroom.

Ensure Your Luggage

That being said, naturally if something happens to your bags before they are delivered to your room, you'll have plenty of space - and nothing to wear. So be sure to know the tip policy of your ship before you get there. A porter will be assigned to collect your luggage for screening and later delivery - Find out if a tip is generally expected or if the cruise line forbids them, and ask what the typical tip is. Don't be stingy here - this is the most crucial moment of your trip, whether you realize it or not!

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