I've seen plenty of cruise ship cabin hacks, but bringing your own hammock is one of the best yet.
Most cabins on cruise ships are smaller than a typical hotel room, but that's not as important given how much there is to see and do around the ship.
Nonetheless, making your cabin a little more comfortable is something most people strive to do.
One cruiser shared his idea for making the cabin better by bringing a hammock and using it on his balcony.
Robert Loeser posted photos from his recent cruise on Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas in a Facebook group of his cabin on deck 7.
He booked cabin 7388, which is a corner aft balcony at the very back of the ship.
This room not only features a large balcony, but his seemingly brilliant idea to bring a hammock with him to use it.
In his post he said, "we bought the hammock for $20 on Amazon. It took 2 minutes to install."
Sure enough, the hammock is listed on Amazon for $21.99 and has fast shipping (link contains an affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use but I make a small commission).
He was able to attach it easily to the beams because there are holes in each beam, which was the perfect size for clamping the hammock onto it.
His post generated a lot of intrigue, as many others loved the idea.
Jaclyn Frederick-Atkinson wrote, "I’ve always wondered if I could get away with bringing a hammock!"
"Now that's an amazing balcony," wrote Jamie Brady.
"Im now considering booking back of ship just for those balconies. I've seen so many now," posted Amy Stewart.
Could you hang a hammock on your cruise ship balcony?
Robert's balcony was massive, so there was plenty of space. But could this work on other balcony cabins?
There's no definitive answer for everyone, as the issue is if your balcony has a spot to tie off the hammock ends.
Other cruisers have reported being able to do so, but it really depends on the specific balcony.
The balcony divider structure usually has a place where you might be able to tie to, but it's another question if it's meant to have any meaningful weight attached to them.
By far it's easier if you book a cabin with a larger balcony space, such as the one Robert has.
You might also be wondering what Royal Caribbean's policy is on it, and I couldn't find a specific rule that allows or forbids a hammock.
Obviously you're not going to hide a hammock, so the ship's security must have seen it come through. Nonetheless, it's always up to the ship's security team to make spot decisions if there's a concern.
Other creative ideas cruisers have had for their balcony
Bringing a hammock is far from the first idea that to get more use out of their balcony.
We've seen some passengers drag their mattress out to the balcony to sleep outside, sparking a debate if it's a genius or bad idea.
One example was a couple on Allure of the Seas laying on a mattress while enjoying their balcony. Supposedly, the guests decided to move their cabin’s mattresses out to their balcony for some light reading.
Some people think it looks like a fun idea, but others question how dirty the balcony can be and how soiled the mattress can get from just the humidity in the air.
Other ways you can transform your cruise ship cabin
There are plenty of cruise cabin tips you can use, but here are three more that I think make your stateroom feel more like home.
Bring wall magnets
You can put magnets just about anywhere in your cabin, including the ceiling, and it's still one of the best tips I use all the time.
You want to buy the strong magnetic clips that have clips or hooks.
Magnets can help you on cruise ships in so many different ways by keeping belongings off the ground. Storage can be contentious at times, and magnets help keep hats, jackets, swimsuits and other items off the floor, couch, or free of other storage areas.
I like these heavy duty magnets as the ones to bring.
Bring pictures from home
I scoffed the first time I heard this tip, but the more I thought of it, the more I thought it's actually a good idea to bring photos from home to have around your cabin.
I wouldn't bother on a 3-night cruise, but for longer sailings, making your room feel like home is a nice touch.
A twist on this tip is hang photos on your cabin door as a way to decorate the door and get excited about your sailing.
Laundry hamper
I've been taking a laundry hamper with me on cruises and it helps keep the room tidier overall.
For years I just did the mountain of dirty laundry in a corner, but the hamper contains it and just feels nicer.
