6 ways to make your stateroom more spacious

If your cruise budget doesn’t permit you to have the fanciest suite afloat with enough space for a small orchestra, and you’ve gone for something a little more attuned to your budget, maximising what little space you have can be critical to prevent a week or more of stepping over or squeezing between suitcases and other belongings.

We have put our space saving hat on to find some of the easiest ways to ensure your Inside or Ocean View stateroom can feel like a spacious Grand Suite.

Read more: How to avoid single supplement on a cruise

1. Buy luggage that folds away

Some modern ships may not offer much space under the bed – or may have this space fully or mostly consumed by life jackets and the like. It’s critical to ensure your luggage is moved out of your way as quickly as possible. One way of doing this is with luggage that can fold away into itself or collapse to be wafer thin. Shops such as Kathmandu and The North Face can provide luggage that will fit into the tightest of spaces once they are unpacked.

2. Buy a foldable over the door shoe organiser

It might not be the first thing that comes to mind when packing for your cruise, but this little handy life hack can revolutionise all the little things that appear to take up space in your cabin. From bottles of lotion to seemingly endless cables and chargers, modern cruises have an abundance of things at hand that you need, but don’t necessarily want sliding around in rough weather or taking up your already limited desk space. The nifty trick which can be purchased in your favourite discount shop for a few bucks can be quickly and easily thrown over the wardrobe door to create a few extra shelves you can then take with you.

3. Ask for the beds to be split

Whilst dividing the large queen bed into two twin beds might not to be the most romantic suggestion, doing so can provide you with considerably more space to work with. Instead of having a tight passage on either side of the mattress, a much larger space between the two will open up between the two beds, giving you easier access in and out, while also giving you improved floor space for when the inevitable time comes to get the suitcases back out and start packing to go home.

4. Remove any unwanted furniture

If you have noticed there is something in your cabin such as a chair or cocktail table that just seems to be getting in the way, ask your steward if they can remove it from your room. While some smaller ships may struggle to find somewhere to put it, larger ships quite often have storerooms for this sole purpose so will be more than happy to take it off your hands.

5. Ask your stateroom steward about any hidden storage areas

More commonly found on newer ships such as Celebrity Solstice, you may find panels above the bed which open up to reveal huge storage areas. It’s easy to overlook these discreet hiding holes. Always check behind the mirror generally located near the front door. These are often camouflaging hidden cupboard space or storage space for luggage!

6. Look under the couch cushions

This is more common in mini suites and some full size suites but many ships have in cabin couches which can sometimes harbour a giant cavernous box that only reveals itself upon removing the couch cushions.

These boxes, initially intended to be used to store bedspreads and throw pillows, are often now empty thanks to cruise lines cutting back on excessive bed spreads and now relying on the crisp and modern white sheet look. It’s a particularly handy spot for winter jackets and the like when cruising in cold weather or for things like snorkels and flippers in the tropics.

What’s your favourite way to save space on a cruise? Do you have any secret hiding spaces?

This article originally appeared on CruiseAdvice.com.au and was republished with permission.