There's nothing quite like lounging on your private balcony on a beautiful sea day or as your ship pulls into your next port of call.
Virgin Voyages enhanced the balcony experience by adding scarlet red hammocks to every verandah, whereas most cruise lines include only two standard chairs and a small table.
One savvy passenger decided to copy Virgin Voyages by bringing a $20 hammock on his Royal Caribbean cruise.
Robert Loeser shared photos from his cruise aboard Voyager of the Seas in a Facebook group. His stateroom, #7388, features a large aft-facing balcony. While standard balcony cabins on Voyager measure around 42 to 46 square feet, Loeser's is much larger, though the deck plan doesn't mention how big the balcony is.
The extra space makes the verandah more comfortable than traditional balconies; however, he decided to upgrade his cruise ship cabin experience further by bringing a hammock onboard
"We bought the hammock for $20 on Amazon. It took 2 minutes to install," he wrote on Facebook. Loeser easily attached the hammock to the ship's superstructure, transforming his cabin's balcony into a true oasis. Even without it, he could comfortably host a sunset get-together with other passengers!
The Gorilla Grip Durable Portable Camping Hammock is on sale on Amazon for $21.99 and can hold up to 400lbs. Note that we included an affiliate link. It costs you nothing extra to use the link; however, we make a small commission on all purchases!
There are plenty of cheap cruise cabin hacks, but this one might take the cake. Other hacks primarily focus on organization, such as bringing an over-the-door shoe organizer or magnetic hooks. While these hacks are still useful, they don't do much for guests who plan on spending a lot of time on their balconies.
Can you think of anything more relaxing than sipping a fresh cup of coffee while swaying in a hammock? It's close to perfection if you ask me!
Read more: 15 Things You Should Never Do in Your Cruise Ship Cabin
Should you bring a hammock on your cruise?
The answer depends on which cruise ship you're sailing on. For example, I sailed in a Junior Suite on Carnival Vista a few years ago. The balcony was spacious, but because of the verandah's design, there wouldn't be a suitable place to attach the hammock.
Voyager of the Seas is the original Voyager Class ship that debuted in 1999. Royal Caribbean changed the exterior design of Voyager Class ships with Navigator of the Seas. Instead of building balconies into the ship's superstructure, the balconies protruded from the side of the ship.
As such, newer Royal Caribbean ships may not have the appropriate place to hang a hammock on the balcony. The glass dividers might not be able to handle the weight of a hammock, either.
Moreover, Carnival Cruise Line's Brand Ambassador John Heald said that hanging hammocks on balconies isn't allowed for safety reasons. Still, other cruisers have reported getting away with it.
"I had hung it on the standard balcony on Mardi Gras...it's super fun and super easy to do. All you need is to have two permanent 'point[s]' where you tie the rope securely," shared rogd0262 on a Cruise Critic forum.
"It's not a [banned] item but it is supposed to be a fire hazard, the same as hanging clothes / towel. It's rarely enforced....as long as you put it away after it is used, there is no bother."
In short, if you want to bring a hammock, we recommend taking it down when not in use. But also come prepared that your specific cabin might not have a place to hang the hammock.
You don't want to bring your own magnets or other hardware to try and hang it. The last thing you want to happen is accidentally damaging the ship's exterior!
Bringing items onboard for cruise balconies isn't a new phenomenon
From blow-up mattresses and pools to inflatable rubber ducks, cruise passengers have gotten creative with their private balcony space.
Two cruisers were seen lounging on their balcony aboard Allure of the Seas on what appeared to be the cabin's mattress, sparking a debate over how to treat cruise line property.
"I don't want to sleep on a mattress that someone else placed on the balcony. But you don't care," said one Facebook user, "Grow up and learn that what you do impacts others. Is it OK for me to defecate in your nightstand because it's not as far away as the bathroom?"
On the flip side, others thought certain ideas were genius. "Life is short, enjoy it, moving a mattress on the balcony is a fun way to...feel free and have an experience you otherwise won't get a chance to experience," wrote another user.
Inflatable pools were also praised as smart ideas for younger cruisers who might need extra space for a playpen or who can't use the ship's pools if they aren't potty trained.
Read more: Weirdest things people have tried to smuggle on a cruise ship
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
