Do: Invest in a small blow-up pool
“One complaint that we hear a lot from those travelling with young kids,” says McDaniel, “is that many cruise cabin bathrooms don’t have bathtubs. A simple solution is to bring a small blow-up pool to place in the shower stall and use as a makeshift tub for the little ones.”
Do: Bring your own hot sauce
“Cruise lines do a lot of things right on ships, but for the most part, stocking condiments is not one of them,” says Sloan. (The exception is ketchup on kid-friendly ships, where it’s ubiquitous.) “You’ll find the occasional bottle of Tabasco on the buffet line of many ships, but little else with a punch.”
Do: Pack some spare change
Irons are a no-no at sea (too much of a fire hazard), but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck wearing just-pulled-out-of-a-suitcase clothing. Instead of showing up for dinner looking like an unmade bed, consider one of these tips. “Many cruise ships have self-service laundrettes that offer irons (and ironing boards) as well as pressing services (for a fee),” says McDaniel.