Things every cruise ship should have – those little details that make all the difference!

Avid cruisers know what they love about their ships – welcoming bars, comfortable lounges, spacious atriums and refreshing pools. But what about those small details that make all the difference? Here, in no particular order, are a few things I think should be on every ship…

1. Fish on the carpet. If you ever get lost in an NCL ship corridor, just look down. The fish are swimming towards the front of the ship. It might save you quite a walk in the wrong direction. Other cruise lines please take note! (From Norwegian Bliss)

2. ‘Do not disturb’ lights that you can switch on from inside the room. No more paper signs getting stuck in the door or falling off. Also saves you coming out of the shower, panicking, and reaching round the door to try to hook the sign on before the room steward barges in. Simple but effective. (From Norwegian Bliss)

3. Soap and shampoo dispensers in the shower. Cuts down on wasted plastic, caps that won’t unscrew when wet, dropped soap and other disasters. (From Norwegian Bliss)

4. Hooks on the wall. So obvious, you would think every cabin would have them, but no. Great for hanging long dresses, a wet coat or even just a shirt while you’re getting ready. (From Norwegian Bliss)

5. Eye-level safe. Most cabins have safes now but they can be hidden in a low cupboard or high wardrobe. Make them all eye-level, please! (From Norwegian Bliss)

6. Bedside USB ports. Charge your phone overnight while still having it close to hand. (From Norwegian Bliss)

7. Plenty of different sockets! (From Celebrity Edge)

8. Hairdryer hooked under the desk. Often, hairdryers take up unnecessary space in drawers. This is a much better place to put them. (From Norwegian Bliss)

9. A fridge in the drawer. This feature on Viking ships is very useful!

10. Refillable bottles and lots of water stations (From Hurtigruten)

11. A holder near the door to keep your cruise cards – not the one to put the lights on but somewhere everyone in the cabin can leave their cards and know where they are! (From Celestyal Crystal)

12. Towel holders that actually hold towels – not useless hooks on the back of the bathroom door from where the towels always fall down! (From Celestyal Crystal)

13. A pocket-sized foldable map of the ship. Even in these days of apps, it’s still a useful guide to finding your way around. (From Saga)

14. An off-switch on the aircon to stop it blasting away (at whatever temperature)

15. The lifts (elevators) should have key features on different decks listed inside as well as outside, so that if you rush in as the doors are closing you can still be reminded of which floor you need to leave from. (From Princess Cruises).

Have I left anything out? Please leave a comment!