8 cruise hacks no cruise line bans

"Not banned" means we read each line's prohibited items list and conduct rules and didn't find the item. It doesn't mean a line has approved it, and security can still stop anything that looks unsafe. Lines change their rules, so check your line's page before you sail.

1. Magnetic hooks

Cabins don't have many hooks, and wet swimsuits, hats and beach bags pile up fast. If your cabin walls or door take magnets, a few strong magnetic hooks give you somewhere to hang them.

Not every surface is metal. On the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy, Concierge doors are wood, so magnets won't stick there. Disney also bans over-the-door hooks and organizers, which are a different thing. Carnival allows over-the-door organizers only if they hang inside the cabin and are made of fire-retardant material.

Skip stick-on hooks. Disney and Royal Caribbean both ban tape and adhesives on cabin doors, and Royal Caribbean names stick-on hooks. Carnival is the exception: it allows Command Strips for door decorations. More in our magnetic hooks guide and door decorations guide.

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2. A lanyard for your cruise card

Your cruise card goes everywhere with you, since you'll use it around the ship and when you come back aboard from port. A lanyard keeps it handy at the pool and in port, so it doesn't end up in a wet pocket or lost on a lounge chair.

Pick one with a clear, zippered or snap pocket so the card can't slide out.

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3. Towel clips

Pool decks get windy, especially once the ship is moving. Clips keep your towel on the lounge chair while you're in it, so it doesn't blow across the deck. A pair takes almost no space in your bag.

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4. Motion sickness wristbands

These pressure-point bands use no medicine, and some cruisers wear them on rough sea days. If you get seasick, talk to your doctor about what works for you, too.

Any motion sickness medicine you already use goes in your carry-on with the rest of your medicine.

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5. An electric toothbrush

No line we cover names toothbrushes, and a toothbrush has no heating element, which is what most electrical bans target.

One catch: MSC's FAQ says the only electrical appliances allowed in staterooms are shavers, hair dryers, battery chargers and computers. A toothbrush isn't on that list, so on MSC ask the line or bring a battery-powered one.

6. A pill organizer

A weekly pill box keeps your daily doses simple when every day blurs together. Keep the medicine itself in its original containers in your carry-on. MSC, for one, says medicine should go in your carry-on.

If you use needles or lancets, several lines will give you a sharps container. See our syringes page for each line.

7. Lotion sunscreen

Sunscreen lotion isn't on any banned list we read. Lotion is simpler than spray, because aerosol rules vary. Carnival, Princess, Holland America and Virgin Voyages allow personal care aerosols. Norwegian bans large aerosol cans without saying what counts as large. The other lines don't mention aerosols at all.

See aerosol cans for each line's exact rule.

8. Knitting needles

Knitting and crochet needles aren't on any of the lists we read, so a sea day with a project is fine.

Scissors are a different story. Carnival bans scissors, though large craft scissors may be OK with security's approval. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Disney, Princess, Holland America and Virgin set a 4-inch blade limit or similar. Check knives and scissors before you pack your craft kit.

Before you pack anything else

Look up any item in the checker, or see the things that are banned almost everywhere on what not to bring on a cruise.

Independent guide. Not affiliated with any cruise line. Rules change, so confirm with your cruise line before you sail. Security staff have the final say at the terminal.