What are the 10 most requested items from cruise passengers once they get to their cabin?
We recently asked our followers on social media what they usually ask from their cabin steward.
There’s nothing like the excitement and nervous bustle of embarkation day. You’re checking out the ship, taking care of the e-muster drill, making a few dinner reservations, and finally your cabins are open.
Some cruisers like to drop off their carry-on luggage and leave, but sometimes you get to meet your cruise cabin steward right away.
Everyone has their own way of cruising. I don’t usually ask of anything much from my cabin steward, but many cruisers have very specific requests.
We received almost 700 comments on our question on our Facebook page.
The exact question was this: “When you first meet your cabin steward, what’s the first thing you ask for?”
After sorting through all of these insightful and interesting comments I organized the most common answers and listed them below.
Here are 10 things cruisers most often request from their cabin stewards. Starting with the most requested item…
1. Ice
This was by far the most requested item. With responses like “ice every day” or “ice in the bucket at night” regular cruisers made clear that keeping their beverages cold while enjoying some time on their balcony was a high priority. Almost 25% of all replies mentioned asking for ice from the cabin steward.
2. Extra Towels
Towels were the second most requested item. Whether it’s extra towels for use in the cabin bathroom or on the pool deck, passengers like to be prepared. Some liked to have double the towels and then have them washed after two days instead of every day.
3. Extra Pillows
Cruisers like to be comfy, and sometimes the included pillows in a cruise cabin just don’t cut it. Some cruise lines can offer different types of pillows as well if the pillows on your bed don’t fit your firmness preference. Most of the cruise travelers that made this request wanted at least two more pillows in the cabin.
Read more: 18 Cruise cabin wall magnet hacks you should know
4. Extra Hangers
Another “extra” on the list, a few more hangers were often requested, especially on longer cruises. One of the best parts of cruising is that you can unpack once and see several destinations on a vacation. But no one wants to run out of hangers while unpacking and putting clothes in the closet. Also, because cruise cabins don’t have ironing boards and irons, hanging up your clothing can help keep the wrinkles out.
5. Their Name
By far my favorite answer in the comments, asking a cabin steward for their name or how to pronounce their name is a great way to show them you care. In fact, the many replies that mentioned asking for their stewards name or introducing themselves showed me just how awesome our cruise community at Cruise Fever really is.
Related: Cruise cabin check: 11 things to do before you empty your suitcase
6. Bathrobes
Some of the more premium cruise lines will already have bathrobes in the cabin, but even mainstream lines will often offer additional bathrobes upon request. According to Carnival’s website, “bathrobes will be provided during turndown service on the first evening of the cruise, upon request through your Stateroom Attendant.” Dozens of cruisers in our comments mentioned asking for bathrobes, and it was the sixth most requested item.
7. Mattress Topper
Many first-time cruisers or newbies to this style of vacationing don’t even realize you can request a mattress topper from a cabin steward. But for those who need a little extra cushion on that cruise cabin bed, mattress toppers are available. There are only so many on each cruise though, so you should make this request as soon as you can if it’s really something you need to sleep soundly.
8. Fan
I recommend bringing your own portable travel fan if you need this to sleep or be comfortable in your cabin. But if you forget, some cruise lines have a few you can borrow for the cruise. It’s first come first serve and not every ship may have them, but it’s an item several of our followers requested on every cruise.
9. Blanket
An extra blanket is often requested on Alaska cruises for passengers with a balcony. But sometimes cruise travelers just want some extra comfort from home. This is often requested especially if one of the passengers in the cabin likes it on the cooler side and the other just wants to keep warm. Even on a Caribbean cruise it can still get chilly in March or October.
10. Specific Cleaning Times
Now that most cruise lines have limited the cleaning of staterooms to once per day, cabin stewards will usually ask passengers what time of day they would like their cabin serviced. Most veteran cruisers have a routine and know exactly when they will be out of their cabin for a while so they will let the steward know right away.
Other less frequent requests:
- Wine glasses, distilled water, coffee maker, early morning coffee, extension cord.
- Daily schedule/Fun Times delivered.
- Separate beds (if booked as a double).
- Light cleaning requests (like emptying the mini-fridge).
Read more: 19 things you should do on cruise embarkation day
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