5 Must-Have Gadgets To Make Your Cruise Better

Swimsuit? Check. Clothing? Check. You’ve packed your cruise essentials. And, if you’ve read “What to Pack for a Cruise,” you know to bring over the door organizers, extra power strips, and lanyards. But these must-have gadgets take travel technology up a notch, making your cruise even better!

Beach / Poolside Safe

Credit: Amazon

It’s happened to all of us. You’re lounging poolside or at the beach with the family, and before you know it everyone has disappeared. You’re longing to take a dip in the cool water. But what do you do with your valuables? The SAFEGO Portable Indoor/Outdoor Lock Box Safe With Key and Combination Access lets you lock valuable belongings inside. Simply secure the safe to your loungers or chaises and step away knowing your personal items are protected. You can also use the safe in your cabin, hotel room, at the gym, at home, and at the park since it is water, salt and sand resistant.

Waterproof Phone Case

Credit: Amazon

With so many water-centered activities, including shore excursions, it’s important to have a waterproof case for your phone. The last thing you want to worry about is dropping your phone in the water or getting it wet. The JOTO Universal Waterproof Pouch features a secure snap and lock case that keeps your phone safe under even the most extreme conditions.  The case is 100 feet IPX8 certified waterproof, snowproof, dirtproof and sandproof, so you can take your phone diving, snorkeling, kayaking, skiing, and so much more. Clear plastic lets you see your device and is also great for credit cards, ID cards, and passports.

Scrubba Portable Clothes Washing Bag

Credit: Amazon

If you don’t want to spend money on overpriced laundry services when traveling, the Scrubba Washing Bag is your new best friend. The “world’s smallest and lightest washing machine” features technology that washes your clothes in just three minutes. It’s a great alternative to overpacking and perfect for those unexpected spills on your favorite shirt. The small compact portable wash bag is easy to carry and doubles as a dry bag.

HAWATOUR Portable Travel Elastic Clothesline

Credit: Amazon

Let’s face it, there’s never enough room to hang bathing suits and wet clothes in your cabin. Bring along this portable clothesline for extra hanging space. Made of multi-strand elastic rubber, its durable, stretches up to 12 feet and has anti-slip hooks which attach anywhere.

SIMI’S WT-2 Bottle Wine Carrier Bag

Credit: Amazon

Most cruises allow you to bring your wine onboard. SIMI’S WT 2 Bottle Wine Carrier Bag stores bottle separately, which prevents them from shattering. The insulated bag not only keeps your wine cool, but also has a comfortable carrying strap and an outside pocket for storing corkscrews and other accessories. Instead of leaving your cabin with an overflowing glass of wine and making multiple trips back to pour more, carry your bottle with you. The bag works great as a wine check bag for the airport and folds up neatly to fit in your suitcase on the way home.

These five cool cruise gadgets make your cruise a breeze, your cabin more user-friendly and your belongings safe for added enjoyment on your vacation.

Holland America Launches Navigator App

Holland America is putting your cruise in the palm of your hand, literally. The company is taking the popular browser-based Navigator tool and turning it into a user-friendly, free app for mobile phones and tablets available for use on board ship. The app will let guests personalize their cruise, book experiences, and even chat with other guests while at sea or in port.

Download the Navigator app from the iTunes App or Google Play stores, and plan daily activities, explore and book shore excursions, view restaurant menus, make dining reservations, see spa treatments, check account statements and much more.

Gone are the days of carrying a bulky phone throughout the ship to talk to members of your party. With the app’s chat function, you can communicate with other guests while on board or at port.

Credit: Holland America Line

“The Navigator app makes it easy for our guests to personalize their cruise experience from anywhere on the ship — whether they want to make a reservation at a specialty restaurant, see what the evening entertainment is or create a daily schedule with reminder notifications,” said Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line’s president. “The most exciting function of Navigator is that it allows our guests to chat with each other for free, which makes it easy to stay connected and make plans with fellow travelers throughout the cruise.”

It’s easy to stay on task and organized with the app, even if you are on island time. Track reservations or excursions, even send reminders and alerts so you won’t miss a thing. Don’t worry if you forget to download the Navigator app before your cruise. Once on board, you can still download it free of charge without using internet minutes.

Stay tuned, in the coming months, Holland America Line will extend the app — currently only available to use during a guest’s cruise — to offer pre-voyage access. This way, guests can review available services and check out the interactive fleet map at any time before boarding the ship.

Princess Takes Medallion Class to a New Level

Princess Medallion Class Vacations recently unveiled its new launch dates for Royal, Crown and Sky Princess. Thanks to the cutting-edge technology of OceanMedallion, these voyages will be especially personalized and stress-free.

Credit: Princess Cruises

If you’re not familiar with the Medallion Class, let us introduce you. These vacations offer guests a variety of experiences designed to take cruising to the next level. With the proper documentation, expedited check-in begins at the terminal. Order beverages and have them delivered all from your smart phone. Download Ocean Compass and you can chat with friends and family on board, and even get directional information. And for the tech-savvy, Princess is expanding its Medallion Net across the fleet for fast and reliable internet.

Some other exciting experiences you will find on Princess MedallionClass include:

Keyless Stateroom Entry

Security validates each guest as the door automatically unlocks, even delivering personalized greetings including loyalty level recognition!

JourneyView™

Credit: Princess Cruises

This interactive timeline available on smart phones lets guests scroll through available onboard events because let’s face it, how often do we misplace the daily newsletters delivered to your rooms?

MedallionPay™

Medallion Pay lets crew members spend less time worrying about payment options and more time focusing on guests. It includes OceanCasino, where you can wager real money in games like slots, roulette, and keno all on your smart device from anywhere on board.

PlayOcean™

Credit: Princess Cruises

Taking fun to the extreme with interactive games and digital scavenger hunts, PlayOcean lets guests use their smart phones as game controls for interactive games on the Movies Under the Stars Screen.

OceanView™

If you’re looking to stream travel shows on your smart phone, OceanView™ is available at no extra cost and lets you stream more than 100 hours of shows including content with airs nationally on weekends on ABC and NBC.

This technology launches on Royal Princess April 13; Crown Princess, July 24; and will also be featured on Sky Princess when the newest ship in the Princess fleet departs the shipyard on October 12.

So get on board. We are sailing into a technology-driven age at sea.

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