Aussie cruisers are jumping on the trend of decorating cabin doors

If you haven't been on a cruise in a while, expect to see something different when you next board a ship and search for your stateroom.

It feels a bit like entering an abyss. Walking down a long corridor, valiantly trying to find your cabin, passing door after door after door after door. But the monotony of cruise ship hallways is fast becoming a thing of the past, with the trend of decorating stateroom doors taking off Down Under.

I first became aware of the practice during a voyage on Disney Wonder, which began sailing in Australian waters last year, when I noticed perky pictures of Mickey Mouse and his cohorts on neighbouring cabin doors. While it’s been a tradition on some international cruise lines for decades, the statement is gaining traction locally, with cruisers snapping up magnetic decorations from party shops and websites such as Amazon and Etsy. Numerous Pinterest and Facebook groups provide inspiration, with ideas ranging from pictures of ships with cabin occupants’ names to “Just Married” signs.

Sophie Appleyard, cruise director on P&O’s Pacific Explorer, started to see the decorations about a year ago, and it’s grown from there. “We notice it most during our themed cruises, like our ’80s cruise, Tribute to The King (Elvis), Christmas and Easter,” she says. “Walking down guest corridors at Christmas was like a winter wonderland, and although we can’t allow any obstructions or anything flammable, snowflakes, Merry Christmas signs and pictures are on most cabin doors.”

A door decorated on the Disney Wonder in Australia. Picture: Angela Saurine

Groups celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and hens/bucks parties are among those who enthusiastically embrace the custom year-round.

“Some people like to get personalised shirts and lanyards made for cruising, like ‘Crazy Cruising Family 2024’, then decorate their doors with the same thing,” Sophie says. “On the last ’80s cruise, there was a cabin decorated with lots of pictures with four animals in the middle – a unicorn, a turtle, a hippo and a cat. I asked them what it meant, and they said I’d find out on the last day of the cruise. On the last day, they all had onesies and dressed up as those animals.”

Scott Sanders, from Disney Cruise Line Blog, says the trend is common on Disney ships. “There have been sailings where I’ve walked down the passenger stateroom hallways and it feels like there are more doors decorated than not,” he says. “It’s become so popular that Disney started to sell stateroom door magnets in the on-board gift shop.”

Locating your stateroom isn't always easy on a cruise ship.

Scott believes the tradition began in the early 2000s, when guests used dry erase boards to let others in their party know where they were before the Disney Cruise Navigator app, which has a chat feature, was launched. “Back in the day, it wasn’t easy to stay connected on a cruise,” he says.

As well as being fun, Scott says the decorations help guests easily identify their room. “It can be very helpful on an unfamiliar ship, and with children who may not remember their stateroom number, but remember they have a graphic of Donald Duck and Captain Minnie on the door,” he says.

Hanging fabric pouches known as fish extenders, in which crew place door keys on the first day and notes throughout the cruise and passengers share gifts with other enthusiasts, is an extension of the trend.

So, if you’re cruising soon, it’s time to get on board.

Originally published as Aussie cruisers are jumping on the trend of decorating cabin doors