No matter how much research you do before your first cruise, there are certain things that you just won’t know until you sail.
Some passengers won’t know if seasickness will be a problem for them until they’re at sea, for example. However, if you’re prone to motion sickness, you can probably expect to experience it on a rocking cruise ship and can plan ahead with remedies and techniques to prevent it.
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Similarly, if you’re a light sleeper, you might worry that ship motion or noise on a cruise will impact your sleep quality. For some passengers, the rocking of the ship lulls them to a better night’s sleep, while others find themselves tossing and turning due to ship noise.
Although each passenger’s experience differs, some veteran cruisers have tried-and-true techniques for getting better sleep on a cruise ship. And luckily, they’re happy to share their secrets with first-time cruisers like one light sleeper who recently turned to the Royal Caribbean Reddit community for cruise ship sleep advice.
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Some passengers have discovered clever ways to minimize sleep disruptions on a cruise.
Image source: Royal Caribbean International
First-time cruiser shares sleep worry
“I am going on an Alaska cruise on deck 3 of Anthem of the Seas this summer and I am an extremely light sleeper. Any kind of stimuli will wake me up. I have been sleeping pretty good at home lately but if there is any noise or movement in the room I am screwed,” ibealittlebirdy explained.
“Will I have trouble sleeping on a cruise?” the new cruiser asked Royal Caribbean passengers.
A number of experienced cruisers reassured the first-timer, explaining that despite being light sleepers themselves, they’ve enjoyed some of their best sleep while cruising.
“Light sleeper here. Sleep the best on cruise ships. It’s like rocking you to sleep,” ketoer17 noted.
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Another passenger pointed out that exhaustion from all the cruise activities can also help make sleep easier.
“I’m a light sleeper and have always slept very well on cruises! I think the exhaustion from the excitement/adventures/sunshine really hits hard and it’s easy to knock out (for me at least),” freakynug explained. “I also found the beds to be really comfortable!”
For other passengers, noise can be an issue, but they’ve found clever ways to minimize it.
Royal Caribbean passengers offer tips for better cruise sleep
Many cruisers agree that there is one common cabin nuisance that must be silenced in order to achieve your best night’s sleep on a cruise — clothes hangers.
“Remove hangers from your closet, they rattle with movement,” Logical-Ease-3142 advised.
The same passenger also suggested removing items from the cabin mini bar that might move and generate noise.
“Remove drinks from your fridge, while not moving often, I had a cabin where the shelf rattled a bit.”
According to the knowledgeable cruiser, keeping doors inside the cabin fully closed can also help reduce noise.
“Make sure the bathroom shower door/curtain is completely closed. This can shift a bit and cause noise,” Logical-Ease-3142 continued. “If you have a cabin balcony, make sure the door is opened and then closed all the way. If left a little open, it will whistle a bit with the wind. Same with the chairs on the balcony, separate them from each other.”
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Other passengers also recommended ways to block and drown out disruptive noise, whether the noise comes from other passengers or the ship itself.
“Aside from all of the other suggestions here, what worked for me as a light sleeper is bringing sleep earplugs as well as a travel white noise machine. I bring those to hotels too,” lilephant wrote.
For those who are bothered by light, another passenger suggested a clever hack.
“My wife purchased a few blackout curtains for the door and window, and they make a big difference. Check that out,” renoscarab suggested. “You’d be surprised how much light comes in around the door. Attach with magnets.”
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