disney cruise door decoration rules

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Decorating your stateroom door on a Disney Cruise

March 13, 2017 by Becky 10 Comments

Welcome to this month’s Blogorail Green Loop . Today we are sharing tips for your Disney Cruise.

If you’ve ever been on a Disney Cruise, you’ve probably walked around the ship and noticed all of the stateroom doors.  It’s become a bit of a tradition to decorate your door and it can be a lot of fun for the family!  I didn’t realize it was such a big thing my first cruise, and I was a little sad that I didn’t do anything with it.  Once we sail again someday I will definitely have a better plan!

Photo credits: Jennifer Kaufman (left), Leslie Neeland Harvey (right)

There are some guidelines from Disney Cruise Line about exactly what you can do with your door.  The two major ones are this: you can only use magnets on your door – no other sort of adhesives like tape, gel, etc.  The doors are magnetic so this is the easiest way to do it anyway!  The other thing is that you can’t use an over the door hanger of any kind.  This is so the doors don’t get scratched or damaged.

All of the doors on Disney cruise ships so far has been magnetic like this, and we are hoping that the Disney Wish is the same so fans can continue this fun tradition.

But there is a lot you can do with magnets!  Many people make their own customized magnets, but if you’re not as crafty the good news is that there’s plenty on Etsy too.  I’ve gone through and found just some of my favorites, and I’d like to share them with you!

General cruise magnets

You don’t have to go crazy, over the top with how you decorate your door.  Just one magnet, or a couple to represent your trip, is an easy and fun way to do it.  These are some that are more general and would be good for lots of people.  They are either specific to the cruise, the destination, or your family/group.

Movie marquee magnet – Grayson Tags and More

Pirate night magnet – Kim’s Creations

Basic Mickey head magnet – K-LEY Designs

Alaska/destination magnet  – Sugah n Spice

1st cruise magnet – Emory Lane Studios

Postcard style magnet – The Raspberry Souffle

Another way people really like to customize their doors is by putting all of the names of everyone in the family or stateroom.  That way everyone gets their own personal magnet.  They can be the same with different names or part of the same theme, or totally different according to each family member’s personality!  Here are some of my favorites.

Mouse ear names – Ten Favors and More

Cast member style nametags – Special Kreations

Mickey Princess heads – Pixie & Dust

Lightsabers – Alluna

Personalized names – Keller’s Kustom Kreations

Tsum tsums (Inside Out featured) – Kim’s Kreations

Other cool stuff

Even though you can really only use magnets to put stuff on your doors, there are other ways to incorporate some cool stuff to decorate!  These are some of the more unique items that I wouldn’t have thought of, but are more interactive or just super fun.

Disney Cruise to-do list – Peachy Graphics

Jedi Mickey body – Ashalina Ballerina

White board – Pixie Dusted Stitches

Cruise rules – Grayson Tags and More

Just married magnet – Disney Cruisin’

Disney banner – Joyful Floral Creation (not actually a magnet but uses suction cups!)

These are some small Disney magnets I’ve found.  They are great if you want to put up pieces of paper or other small decorations that don’t have magnets themselves.  It’s nice to have a few on hand so you can add whatever decorations you might desire!

Mickey head magnets – Lil Helping Hands

Clothespin magnets – Making Life Memorable

Pirate magnets – Pixie Dusted Stitches

Donut magnets – Emporium on Main

Winnie the Pooh magnets – Awesome Craft Supplies

Bottlecap style magnets – Shaebugs

Have you ever been on a Disney Cruise?  How would you like to decorate your door?

For more Disney Cruise Line tips, check out the other great posts from the Blogorail!

Here is the map of our Magical Blogorail Green | Tips for Your Disney Cruise Loop:

• 1st Stop – The Delightful Life | So… what’s NOT included on a Disney Cruise?
• 2nd Stop – What’s the Point? | Disney Cruising with Kids Under 3: Tips and Tricks
• 3rd Stop – Post 50 Rx | Top 5 Tips for Running the Castaway Cay 5K
• 4th Stop – Adventures in Familyhood | Everything You Need to Know About Fish Extenders
• 5th Stop – Disney in Your Day | Decorating Your Stateroom Door on a Disney Cruise

March 14, 2017 at 2:13 am

I’m a huge cruise fan, but I’ve never been on a Disney cruise! I think I missed the age growing up when I’d enjoy it, and though I still would now, my boyfriend is not necessarily a huge Disney fan (he loves Lion King, don’t mistake me- just not a fanatic), so I’m not sure he’s the target audience. Maybe I’ll find myself a best friend who loves Disney and we can have a girls’ trip at some point in our lives!

March 20, 2017 at 3:01 pm

A girls trip would be great too! Funny enough, my husband is also not a fanatic – he was kind of against doing a Disney cruise because they are more expensive than other cruise lines and he’s just not that into it. But after we did one he ended up totally hooked and wants to look at Disney cruise options first! He loved some of the things they offered that other ships didn’t have, especially their “Rainforest Room” in the spa area!

March 14, 2017 at 12:54 pm

I was truly so impressed at the amazing decorations on the door. I also selfishly loved them because they helped me find my stateroom each day! I think the name tag magnets are my favorite and will definitely get a set for us next trip.

March 20, 2017 at 3:02 pm

I agree, I love how unique everything is! There were some really creative decorations, I went around taking pictures of people’s doors just because I liked what they did!

March 14, 2017 at 4:08 pm

Having JUST spent almost 5 hours on our signs today, and wondering if I’ll get them done before we leave on Friday…. I wish I’d have seen this sooner and just gone to Etsy! 🙂 Great finds, thanks for sharing!

March 20, 2017 at 10:01 am

Haha, I felt the same way doing fish extenders on our last trip – I took so much time to make everything! I hope you’re having a great cruise!

March 19, 2017 at 5:00 am

Decorating your stateroom door is a lot of fun! It really gives you an opportunity to show your family’s personalities and it is also functional, as it makes it easy to find your room! A dry erase board is handy for leaving messages to each other if you should split up.

I agree, i think it’s a great idea! I can’t wait to do something with my door next time I cruise.

March 29, 2017 at 11:12 am

This is another “insider” aspect of Disney cruising! On our first cruise in 1998, this was not something that was widespread, but upon my return last September, I was in awe of some of the decorations. We were lucky; one of the “girls” in our group of 12 was crafty. She made magnets, flags and all sorts of fun things for our three cabins. (I know the items I had scoped out on Etsy were pricey, and would have added substantial cost to our adventure.) Stateroom decoration certainly adds more magic to any cruise, especially if you are sailing for a week or longer. Thanks so much for the leads!

April 7, 2017 at 5:28 pm

It’s really cool to see how it will grow! I think it’s awesome how many people make their own stuff too. I’ll probably make some but buy some because I don’t have a ton of time for crafting!

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Disney Cruise Decorations

Planning a magical Disney Cruise and want to make your stateroom door stand out, or celebrate a special occasion? You're in the right place!

Do people decorate on Disney cruises?

YES! Disney cruisers practically invented door decorations. Walking down the stateroom hallways you'll likely see more doors with decorations than without - and you don't want to miss out!

Disney guests love to decorate their doors for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, and to show off their favorite fandoms. Disney cruisers have also created other fun activities like Fish Extender exchanges and Pixie Dusting.

Cruise door magnets are the ideal option for Disney cruise decorations as they're effortlessly packable, and go up in seconds on metallic surfaces. NOTE: Concierge level rooms on the Disney Fantasy and the Disney Dream are wooden.

Why Decorate?

Find Your Room

Easily spot your room in endless cruise ship hallways - even while sporting that Pirate Night eye patch!

Celebrate Good Times

Anniversaries, Birthdays and so many other special occasions are better at sea. Decorate and celebrate!

For Keep's Sake!

Cruise door magnets make a fantastic souvenir of your seafaring adventures. Collect one for every cruise!

Where to find Disney Cruise decorations?

Stateroom Statements is thrilled to offer an extensive collection of original cruise magnets that will make your cruise cabin door pop and add an extra touch of personalization to your vacation. Our unique designs and high-quality products have become a hit with Disney Cruise Line passengers.

Whether you're a first-time cruiser or a seasoned pro, make sure to check out our collection of cruise door decorations to show off your personality and add some extra flair to your Disney cruise vacation.

What are the rules for Disney Cruise Decorations?

Disney Cruise Line Decoration Rules:

Leave no trace.

Disney requires that cruise door decorations must not leave any mark on stateroom doors or walls. Only use magnets (or command strips for non-metallic surfaces)

Disney is the family-friendly cruise line. Cruise door decorations must not include language or imagery that may be considered vulgar or offensive.

Safety First

For safety reasons, almost all cruise lines require door decorations to be made out of flame retardant materials. Stateroom Statements cruise door magnets use an approved vinyl material.

Cruise Decorations should only be on your door or inside your room. They should not interfere with clear access to your room or the hallway for crew and fellow guests.

We offer so much more than magnets! Explore our full collection of Clever Cruise Gear

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Decorating with Disney Cruise Door Magnets and Decorations

Posted on Published: 01/10/2024

If you are going on a Disney Cruise Line cruise for the first time, you may not realize that many cruisers decorate their stateroom doors with Disney Cruise door magnets. The stateroom doors are magnetic, and with just a little bit of work, you can put together some great things to decorate your Disney Cruise Line stateroom door and make it stand out.

Disclosure: Affiliate links within. Purchasing and/or clicking on some of the links in this post may result in a commission paid to us. I’ve been on one media cruise as well as two cruises as part of Disney Social Media Moms (as well as many cruises at my own cost), but all opinions are my own.

Decorating your stateroom door is a fun way to celebrate your family vacation and an easy way to spot your stateroom door. If you are traveling on the Disney Magic, Disney Dream, Disney Wish, Disney Wonder, or Disney Fantasy , here’s everything you need to know about Disney Cruise stateroom door magnets.

Why Make or Buy Disney Cruise Door Magnets to Decorate Your Door?

Cruise door decorations aren’t required at all. I’ve cruised a few times without them, because I’d either forgotten to pack them, or I didn’t realize they were an option. Disney cruise door magnets make it easier to spot your door among a sea of doors, and they are so fun to look at.

My kids love looking at all of the Disney Cruise door decorations as we walk through the hallways. It’s a great way to decorate your room and make it feel like your own. But it is completely optional, and you’ll see other doors that aren’t decorated among the sea of decorated doors.

How Do You Find Graphics For Your Disney Cruise Door Magnets or Where to Buy Disney Cruise Door Magnets?

Thinking about doing a Disney cruise door magnets DIY? You can certainly create your graphics, especially if you are familiar with using PicMonkey, Canva, or Photoshop.

Or, for a partial DIY, there are many different Facebook groups with designers offering fun free printable Disney door magnets. Just search Facebook for the different groups.

You can also choose to purchase custom graphics from the many sellers on Etsy that offer them. Some of the sellers offer digital files that you need to download, while others will ship you the magnets already made.

Make sure that you look at the item descriptions carefully. If you are getting custom-made magnets, you’ll want to make sure that you order them with plenty of time for them to arrive before your vacation.

What Types of Disney Magnets Do People Use?

If this is your first Disney Cruise, you may wonder what stateroom door magnets most people use. The sky’s the limit! I’ve seen so many wonderful creative stateroom door decorations.

Many people make a magnet for each family member. You could choose each family member’s favorite character as an inspiration for their magnet.

Others make a magnet for each cruise that they’ve been on – adding a new one with travel dates for each new cruise. It’s fun to add the cruise itinerary to these magnets too – especially for those ships with lots of different itineraries.

When we traveled on the Disney Fantasy a few years ago, it was on my son’s birthday. So we had a big Happy Birthday magnet for him on the door. We save all of the magnets from each sailing and reuse them.

So now that we’ve been on seven Disney cruises as a family, we have a pretty big collection! If you plan on saving them and reusing them, I’d recommend making smaller magnets so you’ll have room for all of them as your collection grows.

As my kids have gotten older and are less excited about magnets, we’ve focused more on purchasing completed magnets from Etsy sellers. I typically buy a new one for each sailing.

In recent years, I’ve seen such creative doors that even go beyond just magnets. I’ve seen Haunted Mansion themes, lollipop boards, Christmas lights, and other creative themes. I’d encourage you to get as creative as possible – but just be sure to stay within the rules and don’t do any damage to the doors.

How To Make Disney Cruise Door Magnets

Many of the resources listed above will provide you with a digital file to print out yourself and make into a magnet. While some people choose to print them directly on magnetic paper sheets, I prefer a stronger magnet. I have found that the magnet paper sheets aren’t very strong, and can often fall off the door.

I print out the graphics on regular printer paper, laminate them with my laminator , cut them out, and then attach magnets. I put all of my custom stateroom door decorations in a folder to keep them from bending.

Don’t forget to take them off of your door when you leave – we’ve almost forgotten them a few times! It’s always sad when you remove them and see a plain door again. I usually do it the night before I leave so I don’t forget.

Where to Buy Disney Cruise Door Magnets

If you’d prefer not to do any DIY, there are still plenty of options. I’ve seen Disney magnets in the shops on board, but that’s not always a guarantee. Plus, you’ll probably want something a little more unique and original. I’d recommend searching on Etsy for magnets that you don’t have to print.

You can also purchase a selection of personalized magnets on Amazon . Just make sure that you know if you are getting an electronic file or a physical product in the mail.

White Board for Your Disney Cruise Door

Wondering what other things to put on your Disney cruise room door? A whiteboard is great to have, especially if you have family members headed off in different directions. You can easily leave notes on the board.

In years past, silver, gold, and platinum Castaway Club members received a small whiteboard as a gift, but I haven’t seen a whiteboard as a gift in a while.

Related: Read our Adventures by Disney review here.

Fish Extenders:

If you are also interested in decorating with a fish extender and participating in a fish extender exchange, check out my fish extender post for more information!

On a separate note: For cruises leaving from Port Canaveral, we stay at the Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport . Check  reviews on TripAdvisor  and book here )

How have you decorated your Disney Cruise Line stateroom door?

When booking a Disney Cruise, I recommend booking with Get Away Today. Plus, when you mention Family Travel Magazine, you get an extra $25 on-board credit! Give their agents a call at 877-510-2929.

More Disney Cruise Ships Resources: Click to read more about the Disney Cruise Line ships including restaurants, tips, itineraries, activities, and more.

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Friday 24th of September 2021

What kind of magnet do you use?

Jodi Grundig

Saturday 25th of September 2021

@Jillian, I got magnets at Michaels. It was a while ago, but they are something like this: https://www.michaels.com/pro-mag-magnetic-strips-.5in-x-4in/10579052.html

Monday 2nd of March 2020

We have a cruise planned soon on the Fantasy. I read somewhere that not all doors are metal that some are wood. I had planned on ordering magnets, but not sure what I can place on a wood door? Thanks!

Tuesday 3rd of March 2020

Hi Lisa, I'm not 100% positive, but I'm pretty sure the wood doors are in the concierge area. If you have a wood door, I don't think there's anything you can put on it, but I'm not entirely sure.

Friday 3rd of May 2019

Whiteboards were not provided for Castaway Club Silver on my Dec 2014 Dream sailing, either.

Barbara Jones

Friday 22nd of March 2019

We are planning a Disney cruise and my question is ... can I attach a ribbon or fabric bow to my Minnie door decoration?

Sure, I would just make sure it doesn't make it too heavy so the magnets don't hold.

Sunday 12th of July 2015

Hi, leaving on a cruise 7/19, just wondering if the door decorating has to be Disney related? Are we allowed to put spirited college or local football team logos on the door? Just asking because everything I've seen up until now has been Disney related on the door, and I don't have time to buy Disney magnets at this point :( Thanks!!

Cruise Door Decorations: Ideas & Secret Meanings

Decorating your cruise cabin door can be a fun way to make your room stand out from the rest amongst a long corridor of identical stateroom doors.

Whether you want to show that you’re celebrating a special occasion, need help with recognising your cabin number, or just want a bit of fun, cruise cabin door decorations are becoming increasingly popular.

Cruise lines have some rules you’ll need to follow when decorating your cabin door. There are also some things you should make sure you know – Like what pineapple door decorations mean on a cruise ship .

In this article, you’ll find lots of cruise door decoration ideas, including kits to buy on Amazon , in stores and cruise decorations you can make yourself at home.

Do People Decorate Cruise Ship Doors?

Cruise door decoration ideas, why decorate your stateroom door, cruise line rules about decorating cabin doors, how to attach cruise door decorations, where to buy cruise door decorations, how to make your own cruise ship door decorations, faqs about decorating cruise doors.

The prevalence of cabin door decorations varies quite a lot depending on the cruise line. Here’s what to expect on each ship, from the most popular for decorations to the least…

1. Disney cruises

Disney cruisers love to decorate their cabin doors more than anyone else. Door decorations are really popular on Disney Cruises and if you don’t do it, you might feel a little left out of the fun. Each door has a round port-hole shape with the cabin number on which can easily be transformed into a Mickey Mouse head with the addition of ears.

2. Carnival cruises

Carnival refers to its ships as ‘fun ships’ and Carnival cruisers of all ages love to decorate their doors with funny signs and pictures. If you’re going on a Carnival cruise, decorating your door is a great idea!

3. Royal Caribbean cruises

Most doors aren’t decorated on Royal Caribbean ships, but you will see the occasional one, mostly belonging to frequent cruisers who are celebrating birthdays or anniversaries.

Other cruise lines

Door decorating is not as common on cruise lines such as P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, Celebrity Cruises and Cunard. You may see the occasional cabin door with decorations on it, probably more so at Christmas than at other times of the year.

Here’s a door decoration that we saw on P&O Cruises’ Arvia on our Christmas cruise . There really weren’t many doors decorated at all though. On a Disney or Carnival cruise you would see many more!

Norwegian Cruise Line – Banned!

Norwegian Cruise Line has banned all door decorations. You must not decorate your doors on NCL ships or the decorations will be taken down.

If you’re thinking of decorating your cabin door on your next cruise, take a look at these photos to come up with some ideas as to what you could do.

Funny Cruise Door Decorations

There are so many funny cruise puns that you could use on your cabin door banners. Like this one, which is straight to the point and perfect for a stag do, hen do, bachelor party or bachelorette party!

Personalised Cruise Door Decorations

Adding your names to your door is a great way to make your stateroom feel like home. And you’ll always be sure you have the right door!

Birthday Cruise Door Decorations

Celebrating a birthday is always a good time to break out the funny door signs…

Swinger Cruise Door Decorations

If you see an upside-down pineapple on a cruise ship door it will mean one of two things. Either the couple staying there are swingers and this is an invitation to knock… Or someone is playing a cruel trick on them by sticking this on their door!

Halloween Cruise Door Decorations

If you love to decorate your home for Halloween, why should your cruise be any different? Halloween door decorations are easy to make.

Christmas Cruise Door Decorations

A full Christmas door wreath like this one looks amazing, although it might take up quite a lot of room in your luggage! Christmas cruise door magnets are always an option if you’re short on space.

To celebrate a Christmas cruise, how about attaching Christmas stockings to your door? Who knows what Santa might leave inside?

St Patrick’s Day Cruise Decorations

Whatever the holiday, you can buy or make cruise door decorations to match, like these fun St Patrick’s Day signs.

Easter Cruise Door Decorations

This Easter wreath is so cute. Again, you may wish to opt for card and magnets rather than something so bulky for your cruise.

Disney Cruise Door Decorations

Disney cruisers are often the kings of cabin door decorations. Turning that round door number into a Mickey is a common theme, and people often like to add more magnets with their own interests.

As well as Disney cruise door magnets in Mickey Mouse shapes, Disney cruisers often decorate their cabin door with whatever they fancy to make them unique.

Some Disney cruisers also add fish extenders to their cabin doors. These are gift bags you use to receive small gifts from other cruisers as party of a fish extender gift exchange. Sounds cool? You can read more about Disney fish extenders here .

Message Boards For Cruise Cabin Doors

Whiteboards, chalkboards, dry erase boards and magnetic letters can all be used to create messages on your door which you can change as often as you like.

You could even attach pens and paper to create a guest board for fellow passengers to sign.

Some of the reasons people choose to put up cruise stateroom door decorations include:

1. It helps you to recognise your room

Stateroom doors all look the same except for the number and corridors can be incredibly long. It can be quite tricky to spot which door is yours and it’s easy to walk straight past your cabin if you’re distracted and chatting.

For people with poor eyesight or learning disabilities like NVLD , cruise door decorations can be incredibly valuable. Many cabin numbers are five digits long and so having something unique, bright and colourful on your cabin door can make it much easier to recognise.

2. To celebrate a special occasion

Taking a cruise is a great way to celebrate a special birthday or anniversary. Whether you want to let everyone know that you’re celebrating twenty years of marriage or embarrass your husband on his 40th birthday, cruise door decorations are a great way to celebrate.

This also lets your stateroom stewards know that you’re celebrating too, which is a good idea as they might even leave a little surprise for you in your cabin.

3. You can leave messages on your door

Adding a magnetic whiteboard to your cabin door can be a handy way to leave messages for others. If your group is spread across two or more nearby cabins, you could leave a note to let people know where you’ll be. Using your mobile phone at sea can be incredibly expensive, so having a way to pass messages can be very handy.

You could also encourage strangers to leave notes for you on your whiteboard, which can be fun. Just remember that if you’re on a family ship, not to leave any notes or pictures that you wouldn’t want little eyes to see.

4. Meet like-minded people

If you’ve read my post about pineapple on a cruise ship door , you’ll know that this tropical fruit is a secret symbol that swingers use to let others know what they’re into.

If wife-swapping isn’t for you, then you’ll want to make sure that you don’t decorate your door with pineapples to avoid any unwanted attention. On the other hand, if you’re not shy and are looking for some adult fun on your cruise , a pineapple magnet on your cruise cabin door could be the way to attract it!

Read more: The Best Cruises For Swingers

The rules about door decorations are different for each cruise line. Be sure to read these carefully before you make the decision to decorate.

General Rules (for all cruise lines)

• Any decorations must not be offensive, vulgar or otherwise inappropriate
• Decorations must not leave a mark or damage the door. If they do, you’ll receive a fine
• Decorations mustn’t extend beyond the door. Cruise ship corridors are narrow and so any decorations shouldn’t block service carts from passing

Carnival Cruise Door Decoration Rules

• Decorations may consist only of fire-retardant materials. Items sprayed with fire retardant spray are not acceptable
• Decorations may only be placed on the stateroom door and not the surrounding frame, walls or railings
• You may use magnets or Command Strips but no adhesives such as tape or glue
• Over-the-door hanging organizers must hang inside the stateroom, must also be of fire retardant material and cannot damage the door
• No decorations of any kind are allowed on balconies
• No decorations or items may be placed over light fittings or fixtures
• No string lights of any kind are allowed

Flame Retardant Cruise Door Decorations

If you’re cruising with Carnival there’s a requirement that your cruise door decorations are fire retardant. Paper and card decorations are likely to go against this rule and be taken down so you may be better off using decorations made of flame-retardant plastic or laminated in glossy plastic.

Disney Cruise Line Door Decoration Rules

• You may not affix items to your stateroom doors using tape or any adhesive, including removable gel adhesives
• Using over-the-door hanging organizers is prohibited
• Light bulb strings are not permitted

Norwegian Cruise Line Door Decoration Rules

In 2019, Norwegian Cruise Line updated their policy on cruise door decorations to no longer allow any decorating of doors whatsoever.

As per safety requirements, all stateroom door decorations are strictly prohibited on Norwegian Cruise Line. Stateroom stewards have been instructed to remove all decorations and place them inside the room.

Glue, tape and gel adhesives are banned on cruise ships. Almost all cruise ship cabin doors (and walls) are made of metal. Therefore, the best way to attach decorations to your door is with magnets.

Sometimes metal cabin doors are painted but sometimes the metal door is covered with another surface. This can mean that sometimes, magnets don’t stick too well. It’s wise to go for the strongest magnets to be sure that they stick. These strong sticky magnets are a great choice.

Occasionally, cruise ship doors have a wooden veneer, for example, the Concierge staterooms on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. If you’re staying in one of these, you’ll need to use extra-strong neodymium magnets to get anything to stick.

Read more: Are All Cruise Ship Stateroom Doors & Walls Magnetic?

The easiest way to decorate your stateroom door is with ready-made decorations that you can just buy and stick up. Here are some of the most popular places to buy them…

The online store that sells everything also stocks some interesting cruise door decorations, including a good selection of full-length cabin door covers .

The online marketplace for unique homemade crafts, Etsy, has thousands of cruise door decorations to choose from. Many decorations can be custom-made with your names, ship name and sail date if you wish.

3. Craft stores

If you live in the United States, have a look in shops like Hobby Lobby and Oriental Trading as they often have ready-made nautical decorations.

Unfortunately, British equivalents such as Hobbycraft and The Range don’t seem to have the same stock of cruise decorations.

4. Dollar stores and pound shops

If you’re on a budget, head to Dollar Tree (in the US) or Poundland (in the UK) and see what they have in store. What you’ll find can be hit and miss and depends very much on the time of year, but this is certainly worth a look.

5. Buy them from the cruise line

Carnival Cruise Line offers a stateroom decorating service with two horizontal banners, one centrepiece magnet, one door magnet/photo frame with dry-erase marker, two luggage tags and two standard queen pillowcases. These aren’t cheap at $70.95.

The cruise line also offers various themed door magnets for $19.95. You can buy these on the Carnival website .

1. Print a design on your computer

The easiest way to make your own cruise door magnets is to print a design off onto paper using your computer and home printer. You can then laminate it using a self-stick laminating sheet and attach stick-on magnets or magnetic tape . This is such an easy thing to do and you can personalise your design however you like.

See an example below…

As an alternative to stick-on magnets, you can also buy magnetic paper . This incredible stuff goes into your printer just like normal paper. You can print whatever you link onto it and it will strick straight to your metal cabin door with nothing else required!

2. Draw your own design

Handmade cruise decorations are so cute and this is a project that the whole family can get involved in. Getting your kids to design their own cabin door decorations will not only keep them busy for an hour, it should also get them really excited about your cruise.

3. Think outside the box

Virtually anything can be used to make door decorations and the more unique they are, the better!

Take a look at this cruise door wreath which one clever cruiser made using cheap flip-flops, strong glue and stickers.

Most cruise lines allow you to decorate your stateroom or cabin door. It’s a fun way to celebrate a special occasion and it makes it easier to find your room. Adding personalised decorations means you don’t need to check for room numbers.

Norwegian Cruise Line is one of the few cruise companies that does not allow you to decorate your stateroom door. The cruise line banned decorations on doors in 2019, claiming that decorations could be an additional fire hazard.

Decorating your door on a Disney cruise is part of the fun of making your room feel extra special. Guests are encouraged to use magnetic decorations as tape and other adhesives are banned. Be careful, as damaging a door can incur a $100 cost.

Every Disney Cruise Line stateroom has a fish outside that acts as a mailbox. A fish extender is a hanger to allow for more space in the fish mailbox. Guests often take part in organised gift exchanges, leaving small presents in fish extenders.

Carnival’s stateroom doors are magnetic, so you are able to decorate your door with magnetic decorations. You can also use Command Strips, but no other tapes or glues are permitted.

Most cruise lines do not permit helium on-board, as floating balloons can become a safety hazard if they are let go on a deck. You’ll need to check with your chosen cruise line on regulations around balloons that you blow up yourself.

Most cruise lines decorate their ships for Christmas. Decorations tend to be added around Thanksgiving time, and so anyone cruising in late November or December can enjoy a Christmas theme, usually with a large tree in the atrium.

Cruise ship cabin doors are the standard door width, similar to your doors at home. However, accessible cabins have wider doors so that wheelchairs can easily fit through.

The meaning of a unicorn on a cruise ship door depends on personal interpretation. Some may consider it a symbol of uniqueness, while others may see it as a representation of magic and fantasy. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide what the unicorn signifies to them.

The Bottom Line

There are lots of ways that you might decorate your cruise ship door. If you’re feeling crafty, making your own cruise door decorations is a great way to get excited about your cruise with your kids.

If you’re short on time, you’ll also find lots of ready-made cruise door decorations that you can buy for your cruise.

Whether you’re decorating for Halloween, Christmas, a birthday, or just to celebrate being at sea, you can have a lot of fun by personalising your door.

Just be sure to follow any rules that are set out by your cruise line and avoid anything like tape or glue which may leave a mark.

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• Why I (Almost) Always Choose an Inside Cabin for a Family Cruise

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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.

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5 thoughts on “Cruise Door Decorations: Ideas & Secret Meanings”

What is the milliliter strength you need for magnets to stay on I’ve seen on Amazon 20 mL and 30 mL. I am trying to surprise my mom. This is our second cruise together and going to cruise every year until WE can’t cruise no more.

What size is the door portal with the room number on it? (Disney Dream)

I believe it’s 7 and a half inches, according to this article .

We are scheduled for a cruise in November and we contacted our NCL agent about decorating our door because I’ve seen this rumor on the internet so often. He said they allow it, and even encourage it! It would be nice to have the right information out there. I’m so confused.

Hi Aletha. Thanks so much for sharing your feedback from NCL. The line publicly stated that decorations were banned back in 2019 (link with quote: https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Citing-fire-safety-NCL-shuts-door-on-decorations ) but they have been quiet on the issue since. However, decorations aren’t listed on the NCL prohibited items list , so it sounds like they may have relaxed the policy – although this hasn’t been publicly stated by NCL. I’d love to know how you get on, will you let us know? Jenni

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Table of Contents

10 fun and creative ideas to decorate your disney cruise door in 2023 .

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10 Fun and Creative Ideas to Decorate Your Disney Cruise Door in 2023

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If you're planning to sail on a Disney cruise in 2023, you'll likely be excited to make your stateroom feel like home away from home. A fun and creative way to personalize your cabin is by decorating your Disney cruise door.

But with so many ideas out there, where do you start? In this guide, we'll share 10 fun and creative ideas to decorate your Disney cruise door in 2023 that will make your stateroom stand out and show off your Disney spirit.

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What are the benefits of personalizing your Disney cruise cabin?

How can you make your disney cruise door decorations stand out even more, are there any rules or guidelines you should follow when decorating your disney cruise door, other related pages links ↓.

• Draw your favorite Disney characters on it:! Grab some removable/ washable art supplies and your most creative skills to bring your favorite characters to life. Plus, other people on board will love to see your art!
• Stick magnets on it: There are tons of fun and creative Disney magnets available to decorate any door. Plus, you can add your own special touches to them too.
• Get custom Disney door decorations: You can order custom Disney decoration, printouts, and or stickers that can make your door stand out like no other.
• Put up Disney vacation photos: Photos of your Disney vacation are easy to stick up in places like your door. Doing this will make it look even more like your own little kingdom.
• Decorate with colored lights (RGB): String up some Disney-inspired twinkle lights to light up your door. Just be sure to follow the ship’s on-board safety guidelines.
• Stick Disney themed stickers: Choose from Disney’s vast selection of stickers and create your own work of art on your door.
• Hang character bunting: Find Disney character inspired fabric and hang it up for a festive look.
• Put up a banner: Hang up a banner with your favorite Disney movie quote to get a more fun and creative look.
• Pretty up with pins: Show your Disney side by dressing up your door with pins of your favorite characters.
• Add personal accessories: pom-poms, tassels, or faux-flowers for a fun and creative look.

• Happiness: By personalizing your Disney Cruise cabin, you can create a unique space that reflects your style and makes you happy – bringing a little bit of your own home away from home.
• Increased Comfort: By personalizing your cabin, you can create an environment that is comfortable and cozy. You can choose to add items such as extra pillows, blankets or a small area rug to make your cabin even more inviting.
• Memory-Making: With a personalized cabin, you’ll have the chance to create a setting for making long-lasting memories with your family. Whether it’s taking a photo of all of the decorations before the cruise or laying out your favorite books in the room – personalizing your cabin is a great way to document and preserve such a special experience.
• Fun: Personalizing your Disney Cruise Cabin can add an extra dimension of fun to your vacation. You can add unique decorations or special items from home that will create a fun atmosphere for you and your family or friends!
• Sense of Achievement/ Ownership: When you personalize your cabin, you’ll have a greater sense of ownership, comfort and accomplishment. In addition, by adding personal touches to your cabin, you’ll feel more at home and therefore more relaxed, allowing for a better and more meaningful experience overall.
• Streamers: Hang colorful streamers from the top of your door and around the door.
• Balloons: Tie balloons to the handle of your door or to the walls beside it.
• Photo Collage: Create a collage of photos of your family or the cruise; print it on a poster board and hang it on your door.
• Glitter: Make the decorations sparkle by adding some glitter. Use glitter glue sticks to draw images or make a cool design on your door.
• Disney Characters: Cut out your favorite Disney characters and attach them to the door or wall.
• Personalized Touches: Add personal touches with quotes, by painting or drawing Mickey Mouse or Minnie Mouse silhouettes, or by using stickers with your favorite characters.
• Movie Night: Create a movie night theme with a poster from a favorite Disney movie and hang it on the door.
• Lights: Add some extra bling to your door decorations with battery powered lights.
• Welcome Sign: Perk up your door with a sign that reads “Welcome aboard!”
• Wreath: Hang a wreath on the door with your name and the cruise date on it.
• Keep decorations in the spirit of Disney: - Disney characters, colors, logos, and designs are all great ideas for door decorations.
• Use magnets and plastic hooks instead of nails: - Because you can’t use nails or tape, use lightweight decorations that stick to steel doors with magnets or hang from plastic hooks.
• Follow Cruise Department Rules: - Cruise departments usually have rules regarding door decorations, like the size and placement of decorations, so make sure to follow them.
• Remove all decorations before disembarking: - Make sure to take all your door decorations down before you disembark the cruise. That way, your decorations don’t get left behind!

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New Policy on Disney Cruise Line Door Decorations

There is a new policy for passengers on board for Disney Cruise Line door decorations. Many passengers enjoyed decorating their stateroom doors with pictures, characters, name tags, and more.

Disney Cruise Line now requires all passengers to refrain from using any type of adhesive (including removable gel adhesives) or over-the-door hanging organizers on their cabin doors. Passengers are only permitted to use magnetic decorations now. According to Disney, these adhesives can cause damage to the appearance and overall condition of the doors.

Disney’s Media Relations Manager, Jacqueline Lorenzetti, reported that any passengers found with a nonmagnetic decoration will be reminded of the policy. If the decorations are not removed, the cabin occupant faces a $100 fee to cover the cost of repairs for damage to the door.

Letters containing this message will be available to guests in every cabin. Magnetic door decorations are available for purchase on-board in merchandise areas and at guest services.

Disney’s official statement reads:

“As you may be aware, it is important to us to keep our facilities looking their best for all our guests. As part of our commitment to this area of focus, we ask that you do not affix anything to your stateroom door utilizing tape or any adhesive, including removable gel adhesives. We have found that these adhesives damage the finish on our stateroom doors; therefore we ask that you limit door decoration to those of the magnetic variety. 

Concurrently, we ask that guests not use over-the-door hanging organizers as they have been found to scratch and/or disfigure stateroom doors and trim.”

What do you think of the new policy on Disney Cruise Line door decorations? Do you decorate your cabin door?

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One thought on “ new policy on disney cruise line door decorations ”.

This is good to know. I only use magnets on the outside door, but do like taking my over the door hanger. I may experiment with magnets to see if I could attach one with magnets or in the closet on hangers.

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Home » Cruise Tips » Dos and Don’ts for Decorating Your Cruise Ship Cabin Door

Dos and Don’ts for Decorating Your Cruise Ship Cabin Door

Find out everything you need to know about decorating your cruise ship cabin door, including which cruise lines allow it and which don't.

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If you’re a first-time cruiser, perhaps one of the items not on your initial vacation to-do list is decorating your cruise door. But if you cruise often, you’ll come to find that on many cruise lines, decorations on cabin doors are a fun way that some passengers express their personality and display their excitement about the sailing. Whether it’s a banner to mark a milestone birthday or a wreath during Christmas, cruisers have been known to take full advantage of door real estate to transform their stateroom into a home away from home for the entire voyage — from the outside in.

Of course, even cruise door decorations aren’t without a little controversy. Some passengers lean into the over-the-top embellishments. Others feel it’s a bit tacky. Even cruise lines are divided on the issue of decorating cruise ship doors. Some actually ban the practice claiming it’s a fire hazard.

So ultimately, what are the dos and do nots of decorating your cruise door? Find out everything you need to know if you’re curious about snazzing up the door of your cruise ship cabin — including which lines don’t allow it. 

Do check whether your cruise line allows door decorations.

Many family-friendly cruise lines embrace their guests’ creative compulsion to dress up their stateroom door. Disney Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, and Princess Cruises all allow cruise door decorations. These can range from enthusiastic cutouts of Disney characters with kids’ names on them to hanging hearts for a honeymoon or anniversary celebration.

But even cruise lines that allow door decs have restrictions, which should be followed closely for safety reasons. For example, Carnival’s policy does not allow the use of materials deemed flammable or not fire retardant. In addition, they must be manufactured as flame retardant and can’t be transformed using a flame-retardant spray.

To avoid your room steward having to disassemble your cruise door masterpiece, read the fine print for your cruise ship before boarding with an entire bag of ribbons and posterboard.

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Don’t decorate your cruise door if the cruise line prohibits it.

This one is straightforward. Door decorating is a blast, but don’t do it if the cruise line tells you not to. If you’re cruising with a line that doesn’t allow anything on your door and you do decorate, it’s possible that your stateroom attendant will clean it off with a warning.

Cruise lines that don’t allow door decorations include but aren’t limited to:

• Norwegian Cruise Line
• Virgin Voyages

Do use door decorations to celebrate holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays.

If you and your travel party have established that (approved) cruise door decorations are permitted onboard your ship, then get ready to unleash your inner design artist. Surprise a friend or loved one by decorating their door for a birthday, bachelorette party, or a “just because.” Not only will they feel special every time they get to their stateroom but having a jazzy cruise door is also extremely helpful in spotting your cabin.

Not everyone is crafty, and that’s totally fine. Cruisers can easily purchase or customize online door signs and magnets intended for cruise ships. The best part is that some of them already adhere to cruise line rules about door décor materials. Others are even ready to adhere to the door. (Most cruise doors and cabin walls are metal and therefore work with magnets).

Don’t damage the door with your decorations.

Even if your materials are up to code, make sure you don’t affix them with tape or anything that could damage the door. After all, while it is your room for the week, it is still company property of the cruise line.

As mentioned, most cabin doors will be metal and should work easily with magnets. Though, there are some models with a wooden veneer. In many cases, Command strips that are easily removable after a few days might be a good option. If you’re not sure about the surface of your door, ask your travel advisor or look up some photos and reviews online to see if you can gage whether the door will be magnetic.

For those looking to turn their cruise door into a spectacular display of lights, know that no string lights or anything of the kind is allowed on the door or anywhere else in the corridor. This also extends to the ceiling of your cabin and your balcony if you have one. Regardless of cruise line, these rules are basic safety measures to avoid fire hazards and obstruction of the hallways.

If you do damage your door or insist on hanging prohibited materials, you could face a fine from the cruise line for the infraction.

Do use your cruise door as a way to engage with friends and fellow passengers.

We’re not talking about inciting a lively debate over politics. Consider hanging a white board and erasable marker so you can write simple messages or communicate with others in your cruise group.

Remember to only decorate a door even your mom could be proud of, meaning vulgarity is never acceptable. Not only will offensive content be removed from a cruise door, but you’re bringing bad vibes onboard. And, that is simply not cool.

Ask a question or a riddle, play Tic-Tac-Toe…the options for an entertaining cruise communique via door go on and on.

The holidays are an especially popular time to leave goodies on the door. Attach a small bucket or bag on Halloween so cruisers — or crew — can go “trick or treating”. Or, hang a few candy canes in December. A cruise vacation is all about having a good time, so spread the cheer beginning with your door.

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Don’t let fish extenders or pineapples confuse you.

On Disney Cruise Line specifically, you’ll find pouches hanging from a wooden dowel attached adjacent to many cabin doors. These are called “fish extenders”. The name is derived from the metal fish above each stateroom number on Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. While this little metallic adornment varies by ship class (it’s a seahorse, for example, on Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy), its purpose it to hold documents and tickets left by your room steward.

It also conveniently allows these fish extenders to hang, serving as a place for little gifts. Make your own fish extender or find an elaborate variety on websites like Etsy. Not only is it a place for friends and family to leave surprises for the kiddos, but prior to sailing, some Disney cruisers take to message boards to organize a White Elephant-style gift exchange for anyone who wants to participate.

In terms of the pineapple, it might seem like a festive, tropical fruit to brighten up your door for a Caribbean cruise. However, it’s worth mentioning that it has an alternative meaning when placed on a cruise door. Used in many cultures to symbolize hospitality, a pineapple on a door aboard a ship could signify that the couple inside is very hospitable…and open to meeting other like-minded couples, if you catch our drift.

Are you known for decorating your cruise door? What types of themes and décor have you used to decorate your cruise ship cabin? Drop us an anchor below with some inspirational tips.

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Decorating Cruise Doors: A Complete Guide

Ideas & rules – everything you need to know about cruise ship door decorations.

If you’ve been on a cruise lately, you’ll likely have seen a variety of magnets, signs, or even full banners across stateroom doors. Cruise door decorations are a trend found on almost all family-friendly cruise lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Princess, and of course Disney Cruises.

Why decorate your stateroom door + a few ideas

There are so many reasons people might choose to add a little personalization on their cabin door during a cruise vacation! Sometimes it’s as simple as quickly identifying which cabin is yours. Elaborate decorations might be used to celebrate a life event or holiday. 

These are a few common reasons people participate in door decorating on a cruise ship:

It helps you to recognize your room/cabin

With the size of ships now, the chances of getting lost in finding your stateroom are pretty good! People use cruise cabin door decorations to mark their cabin and quickly identify it. Then there are those who tend to indulge too much and after an evening of breaking even on the drink package, a door magnet or small decoration will help you know when you’ve arrived — at the right cabin!

Stateroom Door decorations To celebrate a special occasion

Celebrate a birthday, anniversary, retirement, or any other special occasion with a fun door decoration on your cruise cabin. Walk through the halls of most cruise ships and you’ll see people of all ages being announced on their door!  

Cruise Door Decorations to Celebrate a holiday

Christmas is a great time to take a cruise and an even better time to decorate your cabin door for the festive season! On a recent MSC Cruise on the MSC Meraviglia, we couldn’t believe the number of door decorations we saw with so many creative takes on the holidays! It was great fun!. 

But don’t limit the door decorating to Christmas, we’ve seen both large and small decor for Valentines Day, easter, and especially Halloween. 

You can leave messages on your cabin door

Fun + Practical, use a decorative magnet wipe board and announce to your travel mates where you’ll be. Want even more fun and live on the edge a little? Leave a dry-erase marker tied to the board and see other passengers get creative with your message board. Be warned, this is risky! 🙂

Meet like-minded travelers

Do you love beer? Maybe you’re loyal to a cruise brand? Rainbow flags and pink triangles, anyone? Or… are pineapples your thing ??? (if you know you know). Cruise door decoration s are a good way to express yourself! 

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Cruise Ship Door Decoration Ideas

Cruise door magnets and banners.

The easiest way to add a little fun to your cruise cabin door is simply getting magnets you love. There are magnets for everything available on Amazon and Etsy, or even design your own and have them made! The ideas are endless. Additionally, this is the safest way to go when trying to adhere to cruise policies about flame-retardant materials. 

Other passengers go all out with banners and foil letters that can be adhered with command strips or even double-sided magnets. 

See a few great ideas on Pinterest for decorating your cabin door .

DIY & Personalized Cruise door decorations

Don’t feel like you’re stuck with what’s available in big box stores or online. If you’re creative, make your own door decorations! The most popular method is printing on magnetic material which is available at most craft stores or online. 

Avery Printable Magnet Sheets, 8.5" x 11", Inkjet Printer, 2 Packs, 10 White Magnetic Sheets Total (5814)

Where to buy cruise door decorations.

There are so many places to buy cruise cabin decorations including Amazon, Etsy, and specialty shops. But don’t feel like you’re limited to buying the ideal door decor, make your own! In fact, seeing the personalized nature of door decorations is what makes them special. 

Some of our favorite cruise door magnets from Amazon:

Don’t forget to check out Etsy for some great ideas on decorating your stateroom door for your next cruise!

Can You Decorate Your Stateroom Door on All Cruise Lines?

While some cruise lines encourage decorating and personalizing your cabin door, others have decided to rule the practice out. Norwegian Cruise Line & Virgin Voyages explicitly prohibit door decorations (though some people still do it). 

Cruise line rules about decorating cabin doors by each cruise line 

Some cruise lines promote door decorating fun and sell decorations to guests, however, there are some important rules to decorating your door! Here’s a list of rules for each cruise line.

Can you decorate a cabin or stateroom door on Disney Cruise Line?

Yes, you can! Decorating a stateroom door on a Disney Cruise is a great family activity as well as a great roll call or group cruise activity!

Disney Cruise Line door decoration rules

You may not affix items to your stateroom doors using tape or any adhesive, including removable gel adhesives or command strips.  Over-the-door hanging organizers are prohibited. Light bulb strings are not permitted. 

The recommended door decorations for Disney Cruises are magnetic only… but it’s important to know that not all doors are magnetic.  Concierge staterooms on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy have wooden doors. 

Can you decorate a cabin door on Carnival Cruise Line?

Yes! you can decorate your stateroom door, but there are rules about what’s allowed and what’s not. 

Carnival cruise door decoration rules

Carnival cruise line has put out the most extensive rules about decorating your cabin door. Some people may feel like these rules are too restrictive, but the fact that Carnival actually embraces the concept as well as they do, it’s no surprise there are rules. 

Rules are updated on occasion and it’s good to read the Carnival website about  decorating your stateroom door and stateroom here .

This is what Carnival allows, and doesn’t allow for cruise door decorations: 

• All decorations must be fire retardant from the factory (not sprayed with fire retardant material after the fact). 
• Only decorations on the actual door, not in the hall or on the frames & walls. 
• Magnets and command strips only – no tape.
• Nothing is allowed on the balconies (which is no surprise)
• Nothing can be hung to restrict airflow or lights.

Most importantly – what I see violated sometimes, is the fact people hang string lights. This is a no-no. Not even battery-powered fairy lights are allowed.

When in doubt, Carnival Cruises sells door decorations directly, but here are a few tips on Carnival Cruise Line door decorations.

Can you decorate your cruise cabin door on Princess Cruises? 

Princess is not necessarily the first cruise line that would come to mind to embrace creative door decor as the clientele trends older and there are fewer children (normally). There are no rules against decorating your cabin door on a Princess Cruise, but following the general guidelines of no adhesives and using items that are fire-rated will keep you from getting in trouble with the cruise line. 

Generally speaking, most passengers on Princess Cruises, should they do a door decoration, it’s usually a simple magnet to help identify a cabin or a small magnetic celebration door sign. I’ve yet to see elaborate door decor on a Princess ship the way you might on a Disney ship. 

Can you decorate your door on Royal Caribbean?

Following basically the same guidelines set out by Carnival, RCCL allows door decorations as long as they’re not hazardous or stuck to the door with tape or adhesives. 

Norwegian Cruise Line door decoration rules

Stateroom stewards have been instructed to remove all decorations and place them inside the room. A real bummer, right?

The reality is, while NCL published a policy against cruise decorations in 2019, there are still plenty of people who put magnets on their doors and they go ‘unnoticed’. Much more than magnets, however, will likely get the decorations removed. Just know that it’s officially against NCL rules to decorate a door, but it seems that the cabin stewards have some discretion. 

The below photo was from a Norwegian ship. So while they have rules, how they are applied or adhered to will vary. Just be prepared to have your treasures removed since it’s the official policy on NCL.

Can you decorate your cabin door on Virgin Voyages?

If you ask around about door decorating on Virgin Voyages , you’ll find that most people don’t participate and some travel agents have even said it’s against Virgin policy (we can’t find it in writing, though we’ve tried to confirm). On a couple of Virgin Voyages cruises, we saw only 2 doors that had anything on them and they were simple magnets. If in doubt, contact Virgin directly, just know it’s not a common practice with this cruise brand. 

Do you decorate your cabin door?

Let us know what you think of cruise cabin door decorations.

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Prohibited Items – Frequently Asked Questions

May I decorate my stateroom verandah or hang a sign from the ship's railing?

Guests may not hang, attach or otherwise display any flag, banner or sign from any part of the ship, including stateroom verandahs. Additionally, seasonal and/or celebratory light bulb strings or other hanging items are not permitted.

See a complete list of items prohibited on board Disney Cruise ships and on Castaway Cay .

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Tag Archives: Door Magnets

Disney Cruise Line Stateroom Door Decorating Clip Art Pack

If you’ve sailed on a Disney Cruise you are probably already familiar with stateroom door decorations ranging from character door magnets to battery operated string lights. Fellow passengers have become Continue Reading →

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Fleet Wide Stateroom Door Decoration Policy Change

Last October, when I shared my technique for creating custom door magnets to decorate the stateroom doors, I included a few simple rules to follow.  The most important rule was Continue Reading →

Decorating Your Stateroom Door with Custom Magnets

If you have ever been on a Disney Cruise you will most likely remember seeing door decorations.  If not, then you will be in for a surprise when walking the Continue Reading →

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Decorating Doors - any specific rules?

By BuckeyeMark , March 24, 2022 in Princess Cruises

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BuckeyeMark

Not interested in debating it, just want to know if anyone has had an official with Princess say "you can't do that" or "that's okay but don't do ______."  I'm guessing nothing that leaves a sticky residue or intrudes into the hallway, obstructs the room steward etc.  We're talking a simple sign with magnets so I can find my door easily.  And ... anyone got door dimensions?  Thanks.

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3 minutes ago, BuckeyeMark said: Not interested in debating it, just want to know if anyone has had an official with Princess say "you can't do that" or "that's okay but don't do ______."  I'm guessing nothing that leaves a sticky residue or intrudes into the hallway, obstructs the room steward etc.  We're talking a simple sign with magnets so I can find my door easily.  And ... anyone got door dimensions?  Thanks.

I always decorate my door with no issues. I always take them down at the end of the cruise and never use anything that will damage or leave residue on the door.

Most folks don't understand why people do this but I think it's fun and always get positive comments from cabin neighbors.

ETA: Don't know door dimensions but they are narrow.

8 minutes ago, BuckeyeMark said: We're talking a simple sign with magnets so I can find my door easily.  And ... anyone got door dimensions?  Thanks.

This is it. Doors are 22 inches wide. Subtract a few inches on each side for clearance. Decoration maybe about 18 inches wide.

"...any specific rules?"

Nudity is discouraged.   😜

Be aware of the wind tunnel that MAY happen if you are on a balcony. If you have the balcony door open and then open the cabin door it will create a wind that can blow things off the door and other areas. Including the outside of the door.

We decorate our door.  Once on a halloween cruise, we decorated, and I pre-made a 'certificate' proclaiming our door had won "2nd Place" in the door decorating contest - looked really official - date of cruise, cabin # , and 'the captain's signature'.  We got a couple of comments that people didn't know about 'the contest' and wondered who had won first place ...

17 minutes ago, voljeep said: We decorate our door.  Once on a halloween cruise, we decorated, and I pre-made a 'certificate' proclaiming our door had won "2nd Place" in the door decorating contest - looked really official - date of cruise, cabin # , and 'the captain's signature'.  We got a couple of comments that people didn't know about 'the contest' and wondered who had won first place ...

Now that is just genius!  LOL

Be prepared for decorations to disappear. We put up American flags on a Panama cruise 2 weeks after 9/11 and they were gone 4 days after sailing

13 minutes ago, memoak said: Be prepared for decorations to disappear. We put up American flags on a Panama cruise 2 weeks after 9/11 and they were gone 4 days after sailing

You took the words right out of my mouth (keyboard?) I wouldn't put major effort or expense into a door decoration.  There are thieves who steal nice looking door decorations.  I don't know why but I hope they enjoy their stolen artworks.  Sometimes it's kids switching door decorations around to confuse people but most of the time when a door decoration is taken, that's the last time you'll see it.

19 minutes ago, memoak said: Be prepared for decorations to disappear. We put up American flags on a Panama cruise 2 weeks after 9/11 and they were gone 4 days after sailing

Yep, $store decorations ... 

If painting your stateroom door, please kindly put up a sign "Wet paint" after 😉

3 hours ago, Esprit said: If painting your stateroom door, please kindly put up a sign "Wet paint" after 😉

Maybe if you put up a sign that read "COVID WARD" nobody would want to steal that one... 😂

On my last cruise (not Princess) I had ordered a poster made specifically for cruise cabin doors and hung that. And I included a command hook with a Dollar Tree bucket. I kept that bucket filled with individually wrapped candies, suckers, mints, etc for guests to take. I refilled as needed - it was fun! This cruise we're celebrating a landmark birthday so I'm thinking of doing the same thing. On the other cruise line, they did specify that it had to be fire resistant materials. So that might be something to consider.

sloopsailor

I've seen full size decorations similar to these shown below. Pretty eye catching!

17 hours ago, Chelly said: No door decorations but....Once had a cabin with toilet that wouldn't flush.  Called housekeeping and front desk.   Half a day passed and toilet still wasn't repaired.     I Put a large sign on hallway side of door "TOILET STILL DOES NOT FLUSH" in bold magic marker.  Left cabin, came back in 20 minutes.  Sign was gone and toilet was repaired.    

Good sign, a message that was actually useful besides the typical ones I've seen.

2 hours ago, Doug R. said: Really????? You chose this unrelated topic to bellyache about one of your apparently many complaints against Princess.

Not only was her post meant to be funny, how is it a complaint when she said it was fixed in 20 minutes? Sounds more like a compliment to me....

2 cruises a year

In an attempt to get back on topic, our door last Christmas on the Ruby.

All magnetic, non-flammable

There are very limited door decorations on the Enchanted this cruise. 

5 hours ago, 2 cruises a year said: In an attempt to get back on topic, our door last Christmas on the Ruby. All magnetic, non-flammable

Love this! I need to figure out  how to do a penguin for our cruise. :-)

I decorate my door the same for every cruise.   I’ve hung a stuffed monkey on my door for 8 years or more and it’s never been stolen.   Here is exactly how my door has looked since I started decorating.   

On 3/24/2022 at 11:18 AM, memoak said: Be prepared for decorations to disappear. We put up American flags on a Panama cruise 2 weeks after 9/11 and they were gone 4 days after sailing

On 3/24/2022 at 7:03 AM, BuckeyeMark said: Not interested in debating it, just want to know if anyone has had an official with Princess say "you can't do that" or "that's okay but don't do ______."  I'm guessing nothing that leaves a sticky residue or intrudes into the hallway, obstructs the room steward etc.  We're talking a simple sign with magnets so I can find my door easily.  And ... anyone got door dimensions?  Thanks.

Here’s what I put on my door & it’s magnetic.  I have 2 sizes one large & one small both the same sign.   

I’ve never seen any regulations for what’s on your door.   

I used the small sign with my Christmas decorations. The lights were on a timer & the Santa spoke when anyone passed by, turned off over night, but the stateroom people loved the Santa.   

I used large hooks to hang the lights & decorations on.   

wannagonow123

We decorate so we can find our stateroom. I get things from the Dollar store (now the $1.25 store). 2 sided tape, command strips and magnet clings.

I decorated for my birthday one year.  I just used gift wrap but made sure I took all the tape and paper off the night before.

Overdoing the decorations can look tacky. We use two small magnets, one from our home state and one celebrating our favorite team the Phillies. 

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