Stateroom attendants on a cruise ship are kept pretty busy. Besides tidying up your cabin and creating a few towel animals (depending on the cruise line), your steward can also help supply a few things that you might not even know about.
Most regular cruisers know they can request extra towels, robes, and pillows. Even pillows of varying firmness can be supplied. These are common requests.
But there are a few lesser-known things besides ice refills and extra hangers that can be brought right to your door.
Keep in mind that not every cruise line or cruise ship will have these items. Also, on all-inclusive cruise lines this list is much longer with what kinds of requests can be made.
1. A Small Fan
Most cruise lines will allow you to pack a small fan for a cruise, but if you forget or don’t feel like taking up extra space in your luggage, you can request one as well.
Not all cruise lines will offer these small fans and they are very limited in supply, so you should request one right away if you need some white noise or an extra breeze to cool you off.
Carnival’s Brand Ambassador John Heald mentioned some fans being available upon request on Carnival ships in a Facebook post last year.
Keep in mind that these fans are often pretty well-used and come in a variety of sizes and styles. Also know that you’re not allowed to hang these fans from the ceiling or sprinkler system. I know, I shouldn’t even have to say it.
2. Tea Kettles and Coffee Makers
You can’t bring one of these onto the ship, but some cruise lines will supply you with a tea kettle or coffee maker if you put in a request. This is great for those wanting to sip some tea or coffee in the morning without having to leave the stateroom.
These may not be like the tea kettles you have at home and have built-in safety features like auto-shutoff to avoid the potential for fire.
3. An Extension Cord
This is specifically for those with CPAP machines. Since extension cords are banned on some cruise lines, they will be supplied to those with CPAP requirements. Distilled water for the machines can also be requested but this often comes at a cost with mainstream cruise lines.
Some older cruise ships don’t have outlets near the bed, so these extension cords are almost necessary to use the machines at night.
4. Shower Seats
The shower space in some cruise ship cabins is fairly limited. But if you have the space and would like a shower seat some cruise lines will offer this as well. If your cabin has a tub, the shower chair should fit with no problems. There are also accessible cabins (ADA cabins) designed for those with handicaps that will offer more space in the cabin bathroom.
5. Mattress Topper
Cruise cabin beds can be a little too firm for some people. What some cruisers don’t know is that many cruise ships have extra mattress toppers to help add some plush softness to those cabin beds.
The cruise ships that offer this item don’t have them in abundant supply, so this is another one that you should request as soon as you get to your cabin. They can also help fill in that crack between the twin beds so you don’t wake up with a sore back.
6. Daily Cruise Planner
Printed cruise planners have gone the way of the dodo bird on many cruise lines. After all, you have the cruise line’s app to tell you what’s going on around the ship. But sometimes it’s nice to have the physical paper in your hands.
Even on cruise ships that no longer automatically provide paper cruise planners, they can be requested if you just ask your cabin steward for one.
7. Cribs
For families with small children, having to lug a Pack ‘n Play on the trip is no fun at all. Fortunately, many cruise lines will provide cribs for infants and toddlers upon request. In fact, most cruise lines will offer cribs, but they are only provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The type and brand of crib can vary, but they are generally portable cribs or Pack ‘n Plays.
Bottom Line
So, as you can see, items other than blankets, robes, hangers, and towels can be supplied by a stateroom attendant.
These items aren’t advertised. They are also limited in supply, so you should only request them if you actually need them.
Remember that there are many other things your cabin steward can do as well. If you would like the drinks in the mini-fridge taken out or switched for something else they can handle this for you. You can also request the furniture and layout of the room be modified if this is possible.
I was hesitant to even write this article. The crew work hard enough and I don’t want them to be overwhelmed with requests.
But I also think cruising is such an incredible vacation experience, and I want everyone who takes a cruise to have everything they need.
