Travel Tips for Making Small Cruise Cabins a Little Bigger

When it comes to cruise ship cabins, space is at a premium. Sure, you could book the owner’s suite and have a whopping 1,200 square feet to spread out, but for those of us living in reality, a standard stateroom is the cabin of choice. If you’re facing a week or more in a cabin less than 300 square feet, there are a few things you can do to make the best use of your space. Being organized and efficient is the best way to make a tiny cruise ship cabin feel a little bit larger! 

Here are Porthole Cruise Magazine’s tips for making small cruise ship cabins a little bigger!

Small cruise cabins have hidden space

How many of you have gotten to the last day of the cruise only to discover that hidden drawer under the bed or behind the mirror in the bathroom. It’s always good to spend some time when you first board the ship exploring your room and if you’re short on space, asking the cabin steward if there are any hidden places to store things. Sometimes even the smallest cubby or shelf can be a big help! 

Don’t bring the biggest suitcase you own

giant suitcases might be nice sometimes, but not so much on a cruise ship. You’re better off bringing two smaller ones, particularly if one of the two can fit inside the other. Nesting your bags after all your clothes have been put in drawers and the closet can help you save some space in a crowded stateroom. 

Hanging shelves are a lifesaver

Hanging travel shelves are one of the easiest ways to give yourself a little more space. The shelves are usually made from durable, yet lightweight mesh and wiring so they hang on the backside of doors and offer space for anything you need to store. It looks like something you might find in a dorm room and they fold up so they don’t take up much space in your luggage at all. 

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There’s always more hangers

The closet of your stateroom is equipped with a few clothes hangers and the best advice we can give is use them! If you need more, just ask your cabin steward and they should have extras handy for you and your guests. 

Expand your outlets

Older cruise ships, those built before the smartphone craze which began about 10 years ago, generally only have a few electrical outlets in the staterooms. Bringing your own outlet adapter, particularly one which has USB ports, is a great way to ensure everyone has enough juice to keep the selfies coming all day long. 

What are some of the things you do to give yourself a little more space in small cruise ship cabins? How do you make the room feel more like home? Let us know in the comments below!