1.
A six-pack of towel bands, because nothing is more relaxing than taking a dip in that pool…until you get out to relax and you have no idea where the heck your deck chair is. They will also keep your towel from flapping around (or even blowing away) on especially blustery days.
Promising review: “Another cruise/ beach necessity! Used on most recent cruise. There are so many towels and chairs. These straps helped me find my chair when I got out of the water and didn’t know where my stuff was! Elasticity is great. I had no problem fitting over the chairs. Plus you get six in nice bright visible colors. Would recommend!” —Cristina K.
Get it from Amazon for $11.99 (available in two color combinations)
2.
A crossbody sling bag perfect for shore excursions, dayhikes, tours, and just wandering around (the best part of going to a new city, imho).
Promising reviews: “I wanted a slim bag for travel as I would be walking a lot and this bag for the bill. I’m plus size and the strap is adjustable to fit my chest region perfectly and the bag looks stylish on. Cute bohemian strap and four outside zippered pockets, inside middle pocket has built in card holder w five slots, large zippered pocket has an open pocket inside appropriately sized for a large cell. And there’s a slot zippered on the back perfect for stashing receipts or cash. Love it!” —MLM
“It’s a great bag with sturdy construction. Well enough storage (helps me keep to essentials) and super great for walking around on tours. Used this on a recent international trip where I walked a ton and wanted something lightweight and safe for our passports. I adore it so much I haven’t stopped wearing it since the trip. :)” —ambern
Get it from Amazon for $12.99+ (available in 13 colors).
3.
A pair of cute and comfy Crocs sandals, because did you know that you’re actually likely to walk more each day on a cruise than you would at home? These are also waterproof, so you don’t have to worry about them getting hit with a stray splash of pool water.
Promising review: “These are my new favorite shoes! I bought them for my Mexico trip and needless to say I did miles and miles of walking in these and they are so comfortable and lightweight. I would say size up. These are great as they are adjustable,waterproof, and you you can style it with so many different outfits.” —Melissa
Get it from Amazon for $41.64+ (available in sizes 3–11 and 21 colors).
4.
A Disney Princess card lanyard great if you’re going on a Disney cruise, but works equally well if you’re just going on a regular cruise and just want to rep some Disney Love.
Promising reviews: “We took a Disney Cruise recently and since your room card key not only gets you into your room but also is how you buy anything on the ship, a lanyard is the way to go. The lanyards on this ship were too long and very expensive. I’m so glad we picked up some various Disney styles ahead of time on our cruise. We got lots of compliments and these were much steadier than the ones on the ship!” —Grey Gyrl
“Great quality and comfortable. Went perfectly with our Disney trip and I will be using this same one for many more trips to come.” —Marie
Get it from Amazon for $6.85.
5.
Or a two-pack of lanyards with retractable and detachable card holders, so you won’t have to twist, turn, and do squats just to get your card where it needs to go.
Promising review: “Perfect for your next cruise! These were high quality, attractive and a must have for your next cruise. I purchased the turtle design and received several compliments from other passengers. The detachable clip is a must have no matter what kind you end up purchasing because you can just unclip and give it to the bar tender rather than taking the whole thing off or fiddling around trying to take your card out of the card pocket. The pull strings were also convenient and give you the ability to reach far out, but they also made them too long for my young kids to wear. No problem though, you have the option of attaching to the o-ring or the pull string, so it worked great for everyone. The ziplock-like zipper for the card pouch never popped open, keeping the pouch water tight. I fit two cards and two folded dollar bills in it. It can’t fit anything else without the zip popping open.” —Kathy
Get it from Amazon for $10.97+ (available in 18 patterns sets).
6.
A USB-powered portable fan perfect for people who love to sleep with a fan on, people who want a little extra help cooling off while they’re relaxing on their deck chair, people who hate the feel of that industrial AC on their skin 24/7…basically, it’s just perfect.
Promising review: “I’ve bought a lot of travel fans before and they’re either too small with no air movements or too big to be practice. This is seriously perfect! It folds flat and is just slightly taller than a coffee cup (see picture). I’m someone who has to have a fan year round pointed at my face to sleep and the lowest setting is perfect. I used the second setting when our room was super stuffy and it cooled me down quick, the third setting is super strong and will be perfect for really hot days. I’m so happy with this little guy I’m considering replacing my current bedside fan with this when I get home!” —Hutchcraft
Get it from Amazon for $8.99+ (available in four colors).
7.
A tube of Body Glide anti-chafing balm, because between all the walking and the high temps, chafing on your thighs (and other places) is practically guaranteed…unless you have this little gem on hand.
Promising review: “Life changing. Reapplied about 3x/day while walking roughly 20,000 steps in shorts at Universal Studios with zero chafing. Compact and easy to reapply when hitting the bathroom. This product has opened up so many opportunities for me as I can now wear shorts/skirts every day in the summer. All I can say is thank you!” —KB
Get it from Target for $7.99+ (available in two sizes)
8.
A pair of linen palazzo pants that are on-trend enough to wear to dinner but are comfy enough to wear while you lie around the pool or to walk around in for a day of sightseeing. And, double-duty products save some suitcase space, and these are like… triple-duty. And yes, they have pockets!
Promising review: “I purchased these pants for a tropical vacation. I loved the fit so much I wore them almost everyday. I wore them as a swimsuit cover up and even for dinner out. I purchased the black, blue, white and green. The white are lined. And I purchased two pair for my 19 year old daughter. We are both 5’3” and around 160 pounds. We purchased the large.” —Frosty
Get them from Amazon for $35.99 (available in sizes S–XXL and 23 colors).
9.
A package of herbal seasickness patches for folks who love the ocean, but find that the ocean does not always love them back. Reviewers say they apply one behind the ear or on their abdomen, and can finally focus on the fun (instead of the waves).
Promising review: “Oh my good lord! I have always had such bad seasickness and my entire family including all my in-laws are big boat people so I’ve always just SUFFERED and vomited constantly so as to not miss out on family time. THESE ARE LIFE CHANGING. BUY THEM IMMEDIATELY. They work SO well and they stay on! We went on a snorkeling trip that we had to take a boat to and not only did they stay on for the snorkeling, they also stayed on for the extra swimming around time! I gave one to my dad and one to my mother in law as well to test out since they have very mild seasickness and they agreed that these patches are GLORIOUS. RUN don’t walk to these!!!!! I will be buying a million more!” —Isabella D.
“This product is the best thing since sliced bread. I used this on my cruise and it made it perfect. Prescription strength without needing the script. Love it!” —Jazzy4real
Get it from Amazon for $6.99+ (available in 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 count packages).
10.
A hanging toiletry bag because sometimes, those cruise bathrooms are teeny. A hanging bag with mesh pockets lets you see all your many serums, lotions, and liquid eyeliners without having them laid out all over your microscopic sink area.
Target
Promising review: “I bought this for a recent trip and so glad I did. I’ve used it several times already. I’m able to fit all my toiletries and make up in it. I love that it has a hook because it makes it easier to get ready in the morning by hanging it on a towel rack or hook in the bathroom.” —Jamie
Get it from Target for $12.99.
11.
A floppy straw hat to keep the sun off your gorgeous face. The sun where you’re traveling might be stronger than what you’re used to, so you’ll definitely want to stay on top of your sun protection game.
Target
Promising review: “I love this hat! The wider brim is perfect for shading my shoulders on a sunny day. I find I wear this not just at the beach but lounging in the backyard. It’s ideal for reading too as it perfectly shades what your looking at. Hats are usually too small for my head but this one comes in two sizes. The larger size is perfect. It’s great quality and looks great for the price. This will be my go to shade hat for years to come.” —Jess
Get it from Target for $25 (available in sizes S—XL and two colors)
12.
A set of magnetic hooks, so you’ll have plenty of room to hang your bag, hoodie or wet bathing suit inside the cabin.
Promising review: “We stuck these all over our cruise cabin and hung our clothes and towels up to dry. We also bought a clothesline, but this was way more effective. One of the best purchases we made for cruising.” —Erica H.
Get a 10-pack from Amazon for $5.94+ (available in five styles and eight colors).
