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Cruise holidays can vary anywhere from three days up to multiple weeks (and sometimes even months) at a time, so making sure you have your packing list correct is the key to ensuring the most comfortable holiday possible.
Experienced cruise guests often share their top recommended products in forums across the web – and there are two simple items which can protect your belongings against some of the weather conditions you may experience on your voyage.
Depending on where your cruise is heading, you may be bargaining for sunshine, but it’s worth remembering that a gentle sea breeze can always blow your way while sailing. So, if you are hoping to park up and enjoy the rays by the on-deck swimming pool, cruise guests recommend packing something to keep your towel firmly in place.
Towel clips and towel bands are both often brought onboard by cruise guests, to keep their towels attached to their sunbeds when they aren’t in use. The last thing you want is to take a dip in the pool, only to see your towel blow away.
One cruise guest posting to a Reddit forum under the username Mrsbeequinn said: “I enjoyed them. It just keeps them flat and covers your chair.”
As well as making sure your towel stays safe, some cruise guests also recommend them for helping to tuck away your personal possessions between the towel and sun lounger.
“I leave my stuff in a fanny pack that I clip around the lounger chair and then slide under my clipped-on towel,” explained shebringsdathings on Reddit.
@rvlivingandmore We also use the clips at the pools at RV parks♥️ #vacation #vacationtipsandtricks #vacationtips #saltlife #beachmusthaves #beachlover #cruiseship #beachtowelclips #cruisemusthaves #fyp ♬ original sound – veggibeats
But both towel clips and bands have some additional perks.
Reddit user Mrsbeequin added: “Plus, I could hang my stuff off the clips so they weren’t sitting on the floor which was covered in water half the time from the choppiness of the water we were sailing through.”
Another cruise guest commented: “I like to go to the deck above the pool and it’s often quite windy up there so the clips help.”
Though another guest pointed out they aren’t absolutely essential, they highlighted another key bonus of packing a pool clip or pool band. “Towel clips were super helpful but not absolutely necessary,” they wrote. “We had a balcony and I really liked to use them to clip out items up outside to dry. But [they were] also very useful on the stops we made.”
In a video made for TikTok, cruise enthusiasts @rvlivingandmore showed just how helpful pool clips are when the wind does pick up while at sea. “We always bring [them],” they said.
These handy items are a great addition to your suitcase if you are heading on a route where wind may be likely. And the great thing is, they don’t have to break the bank. There are cruise clips recommended by Amazon for as little as £3.48, meanwhile, cruise bands can be purchased for £6.99.
However, the cruisegoers do note that the clips should not be used to reserve your spot poolside. Thought this has historically been common practice, with many holidaymakers springing out of bed early in the morning to secure a prime position by the pool, many cruise lines are not clamping down on such practices. Instead, you should only clip your towel in place when you are genuinely using your sun lounger.
What is the difference between a pool clip and a pool band?
Pool clips and pool bands both serve the same purpose – to keep your towel firmly attached to your sun bed. These don’t just need to be used on cruises, but can also be used on the beach or around the pool in particularly breezy destinations.
However, the main difference is the way in which the two items work. As the name suggests, pool clips can be opened and closed to clamp your towel in place.
Many cruise guests recommend opting for fun cruise clips in bright colours or quirky styles, such as these unique flip-flip towel clips, so that they can also help you identify which sun bed is yours. This can be particularly helpful when travelling with cruise lines that dish out the same pool towels to every guest for sunbathing or swimming.
Pool clips can also double up as a handy way to clip your swimwear up on your balcony when drying, or around your cabin. Alternatively, if you’re looking for ways to hang belongings around your cabin, you might want to use magnetic storage hooks. Our expert travel team has rounded up some of the best magnetic storage hooks for cruises here.
Pool bands, on the other hand, are large elasticated bags which can be fixed around the sun lounger and towel to secure them together. Much like the clips, these can be bought in a range of colours or patterns to help you identify which sun lounger is yours.
Best pool clips and bands for cruises
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