It's important to prioritize rest between exploring new ports of call and enjoying the ship. However, cruise ship beds aren't always the most comfortable. I find most beds on the firm side, and getting a good night's rest can be tough if you're used to a softer mattress.
Recently, I tried one of the best cruise cabin hacks I've encountered in a while: asking for a mattress topper. I was skeptical at first because the thought of a mattress topper brought me back to my college days. However, by the end of my 7-night cruise on Wonder of the Seas, I realized just how much better I slept.
As a result, I woke up more refreshed each day, which was especially important on the world's third-largest cruise ship. Now, I won't hesitate to ask for a mattress topper on future cruises.
Asking for a mattress topper is easy
On embarkation day, I asked my cabin steward for a mattress topper. To my dismay, he said they weren't as available as before the pandemic. However, he assured me he'd make my bed more comfortable by layering an extra comforter underneath the sheets.
Because Wonder of the Seas has a passenger capacity of over 5,700 guests, I didn't expect my stateroom attendant to be so prompt with the comforter. He ensured our cabin was sleep-ready before dinner!
Because it wasn't an actual mattress topper, I worried there wouldn't be much difference. To my surprise, the extra comforter made a noticeable improvement. The added cushioning helped soften the firm mattress. I didn't realize how plush it was until I pulled each layer off!
As soon as I sat on the newly padded bed, I knew I'd sleep well on my weeklong Caribbean cruise. While it wasn’t exactly what I envisioned, it was much better than the regular mattress!
I woke up the second morning feeling more rested than in days. The added comforter allowed me to sleep more soundly and feel refreshed each day.
I sometimes wake up groggy when staying in interior cabins because of the pitch-black room. However, I slept so soundly that the lack of natural light didn't even phase me. Even my partner admitted she slept better with the extra comforter than compared to our Freedom of the Seas cruise where we didn't have any additional padding.
Some cruise ships do have traditional mattress toppers onboard. However, the quantity is limited. If you arrive on embarkation day and find the bed too hard for your liking, don't hesitate to ask your stateroom attendant for one.
They will happily set one up in your cabin if mattress toppers are available. In some cases, you may receive an egg crate topper, which is a foam topper with a distinctive egg crate pattern. Other times, you might be lucky enough to receive a plush memory foam topper.
Suites typically have softer mattresses, though you can still ask for an extra mattress topper if the bed isn't to your liking. For example, one of Carnival's suite perks is that the cabin has a pillow-top mattress.
If you have the space, nothing is stopping you from bringing your own mattress topper onboard your cruise ship.
"You can bring your own on! I recommend getting a space bag and a hand pump so you can make it really small to fit in your luggage. That's worked for me before with a twin-sized topper," wrote pundromeda on a r/royalcaribbean Reddit thread.
kjudimjr added, "We bring our own (2 twins). The room steward is happy to put it on the bed for us. At the end of the cruise, we just roll them up and put them in their own duffle bag. Ready for [the] next cruise."
What else can you ask your stateroom attendant for?
If your cabin falls short of your expectations, don't hesitate to ask your cabin steward for anything that might make your time onboard more comfortable.
Beyond mattress toppers, they can often provide extra pillows, towels, blankets, wine glasses, a corkscrew, fresh ice, and more. The key is to ask! They won't know what you're missing if you don't let them know.
While on our Wonder of the Seas cruise, my partner and I wanted to utilize our Crown & Anchor perks to the fullest and asked our stateroom attendant for robes. Once you accumulate 30 cruise points and become a Platinum cruiser, you can use complimentary robes on each Royal Caribbean cruise. However, you must ask for them, as they aren't automatically placed in your cabin.
One common request is to configure the bed differently. For example, if you arrive and find that your stateroom's beds are pushed together, you can ask to have them separated into two twin beds instead of one queen-sized bed.
Additionally, some cruise ships have balcony dividers that can be opened, so if you're cruising in two neighboring balcony staterooms, you can request for it to be opened and enjoy a larger shared balcony space with friends and family.
If you have a medical condition and require certain amenities like a portable hearing room kit, raised toilet seat, mini-fridge, sharps container, or shower stool, you'll want to fill out your cruise line's special needs form. For Royal Caribbean, guests may submit the form no later than 30 days prior to sailing.
Read more: Everything you need to know about cruise ship cabins
Other cruise cabin hacks to make your stateroom better
While cruise cabins pack a lot of essentials in a limited space, they might fall short of meeting your needs. To make the most of your stateroom, it pays to be creative and use cruise cabin hacks to improve your stateroom's functionality.
For example, I regretted not bringing magnetic hooks on my recent Wonder of the Seas cruise. The inside stateroom's walls were bare except for a small gallery art arrangement on the left side.
I would have loved to have used that space to hang my beach bag, lanyard, and other miscellaneous items rather than having them clutter the vanity area and crowd the tiny chair tucked in the corner.
Read more: 28 first-time cruise tips that really work
Another of my favorite hacks is to bring European travel adapters, especially if I'm sailing on an older ship. Oftentimes, older vessels will have limited American outlets, so by having European adapters on hand, I can take advantage of all available charging options.
Usually, I'll bring a longer charging cable and a portable charger, too. If the only available outlets are located near the vanity, it's nice to know I can charge my phone overnight on the nightstand.
Thankfully, that wasn't the case on Wonder, as both nightstands were outfitted with lamps that had built-in American and USB ports. Still, it is something to be aware of if sailing on a ship like Navigator of the Seas, which initially debuted in 2002!
Recently, I also brought my own hand soap for the first time! It's a small detail, but it made washing my hands in the cabin's bathroom more enjoyable. Royal Caribbean's cheap bar soap often dries my hands out, whereas our foaming Dial soap felt gentler on my skin.
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.
