Cruise essentials and must-haves
The short answer
The cruise essentials first-timers wish they'd packed are small: a non-surge USB charging cube, magnetic hooks for the metal cabin walls, a lanyard for your room card, a power bank, a reusable water bottle, a zip day bag and a light jacket for the cold dining rooms.By Kathryn Lyn2 min readReviewed September 2026
Small things, big difference
0 of 12 packedWhy these, and not the gadgets on social media
Most viral 'cruise hacks' are about fitting more into a small cabin. The ones that genuinely help solve three problems: too few outlets, too little storage and too little light in an inside cabin. Everything above fixes one of those, costs little and packs flat.
Magnetic hooks and a USB cube. If you pack nothing else from this page, pack those.