Cruise cabins require making careful use of every inch of space.
That's something the cruise lines seem to have improved with every new ship they create.
On a newer ship your cabin will have storage spaces in what used to be dead space. Maybe it's a hidden compartment over the bed, or shelves or hangers on what used to once empty walls.
Related: Carnival Cruise Line bans a popular passenger activity
Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, the cruise line's newest ship, has wall-mounted hanging nubs under the television. They're useful for hanging clothes or towels as you get ready for the day or evening. In addition, they can be used for hats and really anything else that needs to be off the floor.
That's a cruise line variant of a long-used passenger hack. Many people bring magnetic hangers because cruise-cabin walls are made of metal. The Royal Caribbean addition makes those unnecessary.
Many cruise passengers also swear by another cruise line hack that Carnival has sort of adopted on its newer ships.
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Carnival offers a new storage option
Many passengers are big fans of this hack, and one wrote to Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald about it.
"John me and my SIL are both platinum. We cruise together. I bought an inexpensive, clear-pocket shoe organizer. Only $10 from Sam's Club. Works pretty well. We use it for all our shoes on cruises and for shampoo and our makeup bits. Carnival should provide these in all the rooms. Basic luxuries should be included IMHO," they wrote.
Bringing a cheap shoe organizer has been a common trick for cruise passengers to get their shoes (and other items) off the floor or to secure them rather than placing them on a counter.
A new Carnival innovation that's on the cruise line's newest ships addressed the shoe part of that problem.
"Well as many of you may know the Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee cabins have a special place to put shoes in the closet," he explained.
The cruise line has not promoted the innovation, so most people who have not sailed on those ships likely did not know about it.
Heald also was curious about how many people actually pack a shoe organizer.
"However, this is a good idea and I wonder – do you bring a shoe organizer on your cruises? Please answer Yes or No and while you answer I am off to ask Sam if I can be in his club," he wrote.
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Carnival passengers have mixed opinions
While shoe organizers are not controversial or as divisive as, say, dress codes, more than 2,500 people commented on Heald's post.
"Yes, I’ll bring a shoe organizer and attach it to the wall with magnetic hooks. But I don’t fill it full of shoes," John Tunnell said.
Many posters seemed a little bit angry that people would expect the cruise line to provide a shoe organizer.
"I’d never use it and would want it gone. Basic luxuries are soap and shampoo. Good lord, where does it end?" wrote Becki Kent Woodhams.
Mike Haugen pointed out one really important reason Carnival should probably not offer shoe organizers.
"We bring one to put all of our smaller items from medicine to toiletries but not shoes. Carnival, do not even consider putting this as one of the standard issued items. I can’t imagine how housekeeping could even clean each individual pocket efficiently after each cruise. Bad idea to provide," he posted.
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That opinion was shared by other posters.
"Yes, I take a shoe organizer, but I don’t want to use one that has been used by others. Can you imagine how much time it would take for the cabin steward to clean them?" added Rheta Rose Russell.
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