How to utilize the space in your cabin

[lrs430]

We have an AOS cruise booked in March are staying in a Superior Balcony room on deck 9. I am starting to worry about the space inside the cabin in regards to unpacking our luggage. Two twenty four year olds are staying in this cabin with what I am sure will be too many clothes, shoes, make up, etc. Any advice in unpacking or space saving ideas? What do the closets look like? Bathrooms? Drawer space? Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated! Many Thanks!

[The Big Booper]

We have an AOS cruise booked in March are staying in a Superior Balcony room on deck 9. I am starting to worry about the space inside the cabin in regards to unpacking our luggage. Two twenty four year olds are staying in this cabin with what I am sure will be too many clothes, shoes, make up, etc. Any advice in unpacking or space saving ideas? What do the closets look like? Bathrooms? Drawer space? Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated! Many Thanks!

 

There is a lot more room to store stuff than you first think when you start to unpack luggage. Two girls here?

[bouhunter]

Closets, bath etc are all small. It is what it is, not much you can do but deal with it.

 

We've been taking 3 suitcases and three people each year in a balcony cabin (the last two years on Adventure:)) and have always been able to completely unpack and put the empty suitcases under the bed. The drawers, closet etc are usually pretty full but we're fully unpacked for the week.

 

You'll likely get the inevitable recommendation here for an "over the door shoe hanger" that some people are crazy for, but to us gadgets like that are a waste of space. I'd rather have that space going home for that good Caribbean Rum:D

[lrs430]

Yes- my family has book a cruise and my cousin and I are sharing a room. Hopefully we'll be able to cram all of our stuff in there. Here's hoping!

[The Big Booper]

From Adventures twin Explorer

 

From our D2

 

 

 

From a D1

 

 

From the newer Independence, closet and desk layout are similar.

 

[Sugar*Magnolia]

OP....Im smiling because I am a happy over-packer!

 

Dont fret it at all, there is plenty of room! Store your suitcases under the bed. You will find ample room when you unpack.

 

As for the over the door shoe bag- We use them and find them very helpful on longer cruises. They weigh almost nothing, take up no room and....they truly help organize and you're never left scrambling looking for something.

 

Enjoy your Cruise!

 

CruiseDivaNJ

[jackretired]

Ask your cabin attendant to remove some furniture. I have seen coffee tables removed then luggage used as the coffee table. I bring my wheel chair & have the desk chair removed.

[Shippy]

on the Oasis on these boards. There are only 2 shelves. I REALLY like the nightstand drawer for my ipod, change for room service tips, etc.

I bought 2 collapsible boxes & put them on the shelves. Worked great and took up no space in the luggage. I was able to put a lot in them.

 

Also, a hanging plastic shoe organizer. You know, they have 'pockets' to put shoes in.

We used them for misc. stuff. Get the kind with clear pockets so you can see inside.

Things like sunglasses, sun tan lotion, brushes, etc. fit great.

Try the 'dollar store' in your area.

We also bring a few magnets to leave messages with. The walls & doors are metal. If one person has to change plans, it is great to have a place to look for messages. We used to say the desk or table but that usually gets full of other stuff.

Don't forget a travel clock. I do not think any ships provide clocks. They have the time on the phone but that is hard to see.

A kitchen size garbage bag for each person to put their dirty clothes in.

A little bit of woolite in case you want to hand wash something out.

A toothbrush holder with suction cups. You can put it on the bathroom mirror.

I will keep thinking.......

[Big_G]

We have an AOS cruise booked in March are staying in a Superior Balcony room on deck 9. I am starting to worry about the space inside the cabin in regards to unpacking our luggage. Two twenty four year olds are staying in this cabin with what I am sure will be too many clothes, shoes, make up, etc. Any advice in unpacking or space saving ideas? What do the closets look like? Bathrooms? Drawer space? Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated! Many Thanks!

 

Pack light and bring money.:D

[reallyitsmema]

You will have plenty of space. We usually cruise with 3 in a cabin that size and have no issues with space. We don't waste our luggage space on over the door shoe hangers and pop up hampers or any of that stuff. If you don't have enough hangers, ask the steward for more. There are shelves in the closet for stuff that doesn't need to be hung. Put the suitcases under the bed or in the corner by the balcony door. Most will go under the bed though, sometimes you just have to pick up the bedframe to get them under though so keep that in mind.

 

As long as you each aren't bring 3 suitcases for a weeklong cruise, you will be just fine.:p

[Smurphy]

Definitely bring an over-the-shoe holder. As a previous poster said, it takes up very little space in your luggage and organizes all the small stuff so you can find it quickly and it keeps it off the tabletops! Sunblock, sunglasses, hair brushes, deoderant, small cameras, first aid supplies, lanyards, hairspray, hair gel, hair scrunchies, lotions, oh yea . . . shoes too! And the list goes on and on and on . . . . .

 

Enjoy your first cruise! You came to the right place for all your tips!

[cynt]

You will be amazed at the storage space in the cabin. The shelves in the closet are wonderful and I use these for shorts, tshirts, PJs, etc. Some cabins have shelves along the big mirror above the desk. Sometimes it's open and sometime its a door that your open. I hang my dinner clothes and like someone else mentioned if you need more hangers just ask your cabin steward. Great tip to lift the bed to put your luggage underneath. It took me a couple of cruises to figure that out.

 

I use to bring the over the door shoe organizer. As of late I don't bring it because I find that there's plenty of storage space.

 

And if all else fails because you each bring 3 or 4 suitcased each, unpack half your stuff and half way thru your trip unpack the other half.

[NorbertsNiece]

The cabin mirror sides are doors to hidden shelves.

[Sequim88]

We store suitcases under the bed with the lids open. Then pull them out like drawers. you can either leave them partially packed with less often used items (formal shoes) or use as dirty clothes bins (in plastic bag to keep suitcase clean). For us the clutter (space waste) comes from clothes changes and hanging things on sofa or chair or in piles on floor. The better organized we are for dealing with it the better things stay.

[Cruisin MarcnFran]

Definitely bring an over-the-shoe holder. As a previous poster said, it takes up very little space in your luggage and organizes all the small stuff so you can find it quickly and it keeps it off the tabletops! Sunblock, sunglasses, hair brushes, deoderant, small cameras, first aid supplies, lanyards, hairspray, hair gel, hair scrunchies, lotions, oh yea . . . shoes too! And the list goes on and on and on . . . . .

 

Enjoy your first cruise! You came to the right place for all your tips!

 

This, to me, is the key to an organized room. We have the clear so you can see all the crap that's stored. So worth the $10 at Target.

[kijjy]

We also bring a few magnets to leave messages with. The walls & doors are metal. If one person has to change plans, it is great to have a place to look for messages. ..

 

I bring a dry erase board and couple of dry erase pens and stick to the inside of the door with magnets. Can get them at walmart for like five bucks.

 

I also bring a different colored highlighter for every person in the room. Each person highlights the cruise compass (in their specified color) what activities they want to do. It also helps keep up with each other or know about what time they might be back to the room.

 

Also, you can pick up any phone on ship and call your stateroom and leave a message (or retreive messages) and then others can call to hear it and reply.

[cruiser-007]

Don't worry, you'll make what space you have work. The clear plastic shoe door hanger is a great idea, I'm still looking for my running shoes. I'm pretty sure I left them on she ship :eek:. Oh well, if anyone finds a black pair of Avia's in 8293 on the Explorer throw 'em out or donate them.:)

 

Happy cruising!

[windjamming]

Ask your cabin attendant to remove some furniture. I have seen coffee tables removed then luggage used as the coffee table. I bring my wheel chair & have the desk chair removed.

 

We stick the coffee table out on a covered part of the balcony. Sometimes the stateroom attendant takes it away, sometimes it's left there.

[Langley Cruisers]

Some people here have reported putting their dirty clothes into their suitcase which is stored under the bed. That way, you know at a glance which clothes are dirty and they are not taking up precious space in your cabin. We've never done this, but I wanted to mention it.

 

When you have a few moments, try and tidy the room. You'll feel better if your cabin is tidy, as "stuff" which accumulates on tables and in corners tends to depress me, IMO. I'd rather keep it fairly neat. I also don't want the room steward touching our things, so I put as much of it away, out of sight.

 

Personally, I think you'll be fine. We've sailed with a family of 4 in one cabin and survived nicely. :)

.

[Herrbeir]

I'm sure your father would suggest that you pack light. Perhaps everything for the week in a roll-a-board. That way you won't have any storage issues.

[pcur]

From what I can tell your biggest problem is clothes storage. Every since my first cruise I have used this technique for hanging clothes (because I've been taking too many for decades!).

 

First of all, everyone is assigned a part of the closet, and we carry that through to the rest of the cabin, too. I am left-handed, so when I cruise with my hubby or girlfriend, I always take the left side of everything: closet, drawers, shelves, etc. That way everyone knows at least which side of something to go to to find an item.

 

I have never used the over-the-door hanger thing; never needed it.

 

In the closet, I hang my clothes with all the dressy stuff at the very end of my space. Least worn, least accessed. Then, I layer color groups on individual hangers. For my husband, if the shirts have collars, then I reverse the direction for each garment. Really easily wrinkled clothes get their own hanger, but those are rare, as I take almost exclusively knits.

 

Casual tops are grouped separately from evening tops; dresses are also grouped on a single hanger.

 

Pants that can be folded and stored are on the closet shelves. Those that have to be hung up are also grouped on hangers as much as possible.

 

Shoes can also go up above the closet on the shelf, as well as on the floor. Life jackets go under the bed with the suitcases. I ditto them for dirty clothes storage.

[lrs430]

I'm sure your father would suggest that you pack light. Perhaps everything for the week in a roll-a-board. That way you won't have any storage issues.

 

Thanks, Dad... you're always so full of...wisdom? :)

 

(Just so you all know, this really is my dad- promise!!!)

[joand452]

First of all, everyone is assigned a part of the closet, and we carry that through to the rest of the cabin, too. I am left-handed, so when I cruise with my hubby or girlfriend, I always take the left side of everything: closet, drawers, shelves, etc. That way everyone knows at least which side of something to go to to find an item.

 

DH is left handed, so I tend to do the same thing -- he always gets the left side of closets, drawers, etc.! I try to hang as much as possible, since shelf space is at a premium. If there are no drawers (like on Allure), I keep my undies/socks, etc., in a packing cube and put it on a shelf.

 

There should be a shelf under the sink in the bathroom, too. Just put your make-up bags under there. There are shelves behind the doors on either side of the mirror in the cabin, not to mention space under or over the safe (if it's not in the closet; I can't remember).

 

We use a cloth laundry bag as our hamper, put in a corner of the closet. Stick a scented dryer sheet in there, too.

 

I like to keep the cabin neat and tidy, since we tend to be slobs at home. It's nice to let my inner neat freak come out once in a while!! Two of our adult daughters and their two sons live with us, so our house is always quite chaotic. But it's home!!

 

We've always had plenty of room to unpack (suitcases under the bed), even when we overpacked during our first couple of cruises.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!

[jackretired]

We pack clothes in storage bags that can have air removed from them by roll them or laying on them. Once empty, they become our dirty close bags. Once full, we push the air out.

[Langley Cruisers]

Thanks, Dad... you're always so full of...wisdom? :)

 

(Just so you all know, this really is my dad- promise!!!)

 

LOL! You guys will have such fun. :D