You’ve probably walked down an endless hallway of cabins on a cruise ship only to find that every door looks exactly the same. While it can be difficult to remember your stateroom number (I’m one of those people who gets lost the first few days of a cruise), one way to remember which room is yours is to decorate your doors.
If you’ve ever been on a cruise on Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, or Carnival Cruise Line, you may have even come across some of the cruise ship door decorations like magnets, signs, and small banners and thought about doing the same on your next cruise. It’s a great idea because the decorations are an easy way to tell which room is yours, plus it adds a little pizzazz to the hallway atmosphere.
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If you’re inspired by your cruise ship neighbors and planning to decorate your next cruise, there are a few important things you should know before planning your hallway masterpiece. Read on to find out which cruise lines allow decorating, what types of decorating work best, and where to find the best cruise door decorating ideas.
What lines allow for yacht door decoration?
Not all cruise lines allow door decorations. For those that do, here are their basic decorating rules.
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line Door decorations are allowed as long as they are made of fire-resistant materials. Decorations may only be placed on the door of the cabin and not on adjacent hallway walls. Magnets or command strips are acceptable ways to hang decorations, but tape and glue are not. String lights are also not allowed.
I like to go with a themed door when I go on a Carnival cruise. I try to think about upcoming holidays close to my trip or where the cruise will be going. For example, if the cruise is headed to Mexico, I might try to find some taco and margarita magnets to hang on my doors to bring a little fun style to the hallway.
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean Guests are allowed to decorate their cabin doors, but you must ensure that all decorations stay on the door and are not moved to a nearby wall. Decorations must not damage the door in any way. If you want to decorate your door while on a Royal Caribbean cruise, simple magnets are best.
I try to find decorations that match the party vibe of Royal Caribbean. Magnetic party banners are always a hit. I also like to find tassel curtains and cut them to the size of my doors to add a little sparkle and shine to my cabin entrance.
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Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line Passengers are welcome to decorate their doors, but they are not allowed to use glue to attach decorations. Disney is also open to all types of door decorations. Decorative magnets or hanging signs with magnetic hooks are popular choices.
Unfortunately, Reception room The Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy rooms have wooden doors, so magnets won’t stick. If you book one of these rooms, you’ll be limited in how you can decorate.
Many of Disney Cruise Line’s decorations are inspired by Disney’s vast collection of characters and movies. In the past, I’ve seen everything from The Muppets and “Star Wars” characters to Mickey Mouse and Pixar door ornaments.
A particular Disney trend is to attach a magnetic pin board to your door. Other cruise ship passengers will pick up one of your pins and leave one of their own. I’ve gotten some really cool pins from international parks this way. On holiday cruises, generous travelers will even attach little gift bags to their doors and passersby can pick up a holiday gift for themselves.
Princess Cruise
Princess Cruise Door decorations are allowed, and doors are often decorated for celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations. Like all other lines, Princess Cruises prohibits decorations that could damage the doors, so using adhesives to attach decorations to the doors is not allowed here.
Princess is based on its connection to “The Love Boat,” so you might want to look to the 1970s sitcom for decorating inspiration. Print out images of the characters, the ship, and the logo, then laminate and attach magnets to each piece and you’re ready to set sail.
Netherlands America
Netherlands America also allows guests to decorate their doors but does not set any rules on size or placement of decorations. The brand asks that guests not display any inappropriate decorations.
The best Holland America cruise decorations are themed around the cruise lifestyle, with magnets representing your favorite cocktail, trivia champion trophy, or any important celebration you’ll have on board.
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises Door decorations are allowed as long as they are family friendly. If I have an upcoming cruise on MSC, I will look for some decorations that represent any celebrations like birthdays or anniversaries I may be celebrating or some cute cruise magnets or banners.
Celebrity Cruise
Cabin door trim is less common on Celebrity Cruise than its sister company, Royal Caribbean, but the cruise line still allows decorations. One thing to keep in mind if you’re decorating a cabin door on Celebrity is that you can’t damage the door in any way.
If you want to decorate with something that fits the theme of your Celebrity cruise, consider decorating with martini magnets, which match the brand’s iconic Martini Bar.
Which cruise lines do not allow door decorations?
Norwegian Cruise Line
Leave your yacht door decorations at home if you’re sailing. Norwegian Cruise Linefor banning door decorations on all ships. The line cites passenger and crew safety as many cruise ship door decorations can pose a fire hazard.
Virgin Voyages
According to Virgin Voyages Cabin FAQ, “We think our ships look amazing, and door trim would definitely result in cosmetic damage.” So no, you cannot use cruise door trim on any ship in the Virgin Voyages fleet.
What type of yacht door trim is best?
To ensure you comply with most cruise line door decoration policies, try to find decorations that are magnetic or can be hung with magnetic hooks. No decoration should leave residue on the door. The best decorations are easy to pack, lightweight, and do not get in the way of the steward when they enter your cabin.
What types of yacht door decorations should you keep at home?
Leave string lights, crepe paper, garlands, and bulky decorations at home. Cruise door decorations that may get in the way of your cabin steward or other guests should also be left behind. Don’t pack any decorations that are too large, extend beyond the door, or need to be attached to a hallway panel. Most cruise lines only allow decorations on your cabin door.
What should you keep in mind when packing decorations?
Think about space when choosing and packing your cruise ship door decorations. I like to bring magnets that lie flat in my suitcase but look great on my cabin door. If you are flying to a cruise ship port, you will need to think about size and weight. You don’t want heavy decorations that weigh down your bag. For example, large wooden signs or pin boards that can be held in place with magnets may look cute on your door, but they can also weigh down your suitcase.
If you want to decorate the cabin door as soon as you board the plane, you should pack the decorations in your carry-on bag.
Where can you find yacht door decorating ideas?
If you’re looking for decorating inspiration, Pinterest is a great place to start. You’ll find thousands of door decoration ideas on the site. You can refine your choices even further by typing the cruise line name into the search bar. For example, if you’re on a Carnival cruise, search for “cruise door decorations carnival cruise line” to get ideas specific to that particular ship.
I also like to find ideas on Etsy because I can see and buy decorations right away. There are hundreds of Etsy shops selling boat door decorations, but buy early so they arrive in time for your vacation. Also, read reviews before you order because some shops offer higher quality products than others.
You can also find acceptable door decorations at party stores, dollar stores, or Target Dollar Spots. If you are looking for decorations where you live, you can find great tropical-inspired boat decorations during the spring and summer months.
Do cruise lines sell decorations on board or online?
Some cruise lines sell door and cabin decorations online before the cruise starts and onboard once you’re on board. These include Disney Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean And Carnival Cruise Line. If you plan to buy decorations online or on the train, make sure you have enough room in your suitcase to bring them home. Decoration packages can include souvenir pillowcases, towels, and picture frames, as well as magnets that are easier to pack.
Do you have to decorate your doors when you go on a cruise?
No cruise line requires you to decorate your doors, but getting in on the decorating fun can enhance your overall cruise experience, especially on certain cruise lines. If you cruise with Disney Cruise Line or Carnival Cruise Line, you’ll find that many of your cabin hallway doors are decorated. Disney cruise door decorations can range from large Mickey and Minnie Mouse magnets to smaller decorations that reflect your family’s personality and interests, or even themed decorations to match a cruise anniversary, birthday, or celebration.
For Carnival door decorations, most of the options tend to lean toward the fun party atmosphere of Carnival ships. You’ll find many doors covered in cocktail magnets and cute signs that say holiday or vacation mode.
Start shopping for yacht door trim
If you’re still wondering where to start shopping for boat door trim, we’re sharing some of our favorite trim products on Amazon for you to shop.
The last line
Decorating your cruise ship cabin door can be a fun way to get into the cruise spirit while also serving as a useful tool for finding your cabin in a long hallway. Even if you don’t want to decorate your own door, take a few minutes on your cruise to wander around the cabin hallway and look at your fellow cruise ship passengers’ door decorations. Your fellow cruise ship passengers’ creative displays are sure to brighten your day.
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