If you’ve ever stood in a never-ending hallway of cabin doors and asked yourself, “Wait, which cabin is ours again?”, you’re not alone.
Cruise corridors are all the same, and, especially if you have the unlimited drinks package, finding your cabin can be a challenge.
One solution may be to decorate your cabin door to make it recognizable. But that’s not the only reason; people love to decorate their doors also for fun!
During your trip, you can use your door to show off your personality, celebrate your milestones, or even create a conversation starter for fellow guests! Here’s how to do it.
Create a Personalized Sign
If you don’t mind letting people know you’re having loads of fun, you can put up a custom sign with your name on the cabin door.
Some people create their signs with destination-themed designs, making them stand out among other door decorations.
On the sign, you can add your family’s name, or if you’re travelling solo, you can write something like ‘Cruisin’ With Leo & Co.’
Depending on where you’re going, you can add some ship wheels, flamingos, or other ocean elements. It’ll be a showstopper!
Do Holiday-Themed Decor
If you’re cruising around Christmas, the Fourth of July, or any other holiday, you can use it to your advantage and create a holiday-themed design.
I’ve seen plenty of people hanging up spooky props and paper pumpkins around Halloween, and some people even hang candy pots so that passers-by can have their share.
For Christmas, you can do great work with some battery-powered string lights and mini wreaths.
Make It Destination-Themed
Headed to the Caribbean? Put up palm trees, seashells, and sunset illustrations.
If you’re going to a different destination, like Alaska, you can hang up faux snowflakes and little huskies.
It’d also be a nice idea to change the decorations to match the port you’re visiting. It’ll take some work, but it’s fun!
Remember that most cruises ban the use of adhesives for door decorations, so you can get some magnets to do the work.
Have a look at the 10 Items That Are Always Confiscated When Boarding Cruises.
Put Up a Magnet Dry-Erase Board
If you’re a fan of Friends, you probably remember the dry-erase board that hung on the door in Joey and Chandler’s apartment.
Each episode, the board featured some fun drawing or quote, and you can do the same.
All you have to do is get a magnet board, hang it on the door, and draw a fun sketch each day.
You can tweak the drawings to match the destination you’re visiting next, or you can run a countdown to disembarkation day.
You can also let other guests leave messages if you’d like to create a social hub at your door!
Create a Large-Scale Boarding Pass
If you want to document each destination you’re visiting, you can print an A3-sized boarding pass, stick it to your door using a magnet, and keep updating it with each port you land in.
You’ll add your name, cruise dates, and destinations. If you want to add a fun flair, you can also add fun fields, like ‘Seat: Wherever There’s Food.’
The best thing about this decoration idea is that you can take it home and keep it as a memory of your trip.
Put Up Hometown Decorations
Most people love spotting fellow cruisers from the same area. If your cruise allows it, use a state flag or a banner that says “Greetings from X!”
It’ll be a great conversation starter in the hallway, and it’ll help you find people from your state or hometown.
If you find a flag too basic to put up, you can instead put up the logo of your favorite sports team.
Just make sure the things are not among the New Things That Are Banned on Cruise Ships (2025).
Celebrate a Special Event
From personal experience, I already know that many cruise passengers will be on board to celebrate something big, whether it’s an anniversary, a birthday, or even a honeymoon.
It always brings a smile to my face to see a “Just Married” sign on a cabin door, and some people will even create a countdown to retirement right there on the door.
Doing so will make your celebration much bigger, and it’ll get you loads of compliments and congratulations from passersby!
Do’s and Don’ts of Cabin Door Decoration
Before I end this article, let me just specify that there are some essential things to keep in mind.
Remember that if you don’t follow the rules, you’d risk getting your decor removed by cruise staff.
First, only use magnets or removable adhesives. Most cabin doors are metal, so magnets are your safest option. Strong adhesives are banned on most cruises because they can damage the doors.
Second, try not to leave items hanging loose, such as streamers, because they may get in the way of cleaning carts and become a safety hazard.
Don’t block the cabin number or peephole while hanging up your decorations.
And lastly, before decorating the door, check the cruise line’s rules. For example, there are some symbols that are forbidden on some cruise lines like this one here and this one.
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