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Ashley Kosciolek, of the Points Guy, is an avid cruiser and shared some of her essential packing items with Express.co.uk. A couple of Ashley’s packing essentials might shock some new cruise passengers.

Ashley said: “Duct tape. I know you’re thinking this sounds a little suspicious. But bear with me.

“Two years ago I was travelling home for Thanksgiving and decided to gate-check my hard-sided carry-on luggage.

“When I picked it up at the end of the flight, it was cracked in two places and had a giant hole at the top.

“Thankfully, I had a roll of duct tape inside so I patched it up for the duration of my trip.

“I also routinely use duct tape to attach paper luggage tags to my suitcases after I fly and before I board my cruise.

“Other handy uses include removing lint and mending torn clothing hems.”

Duct tape might seem unusual but it has so many uses that could come in handy on a cruise holiday.

As Ashley found, it can be used to repair holes in any luggage or to attach any paperwork to the bag.

She added: “The walls in cruise cabins are made of metal, so most of them are magnet-friendly.

“If you’re someone who routinely sticks important documents to your refrigerator at home, bring a set of small magnets with you to organise everything from daily schedules to shore excursion tickets and dinner invitations.

“For additional functionality, snag a set of magnets with hooks that will allow you extra space to hang robes, sweaty gym clothes or wet bathing suits.”

Packing magnets can be a real help for any guests who want to stay organised on their cruise holiday.

They can also be a great help when it comes to drying wet clothes as passengers who hang clothes off the balcony are taking a risk.

Cruise ships often pick up a lot of wind when they’re out at sea and clothes could end up lost to the ocean.

Ashley added: “This tip might not be for everyone, as cruisers often like to disconnect on their vacations, but I rarely travel without my laptop.

“As such, I also bring an HDMI cable. In the event that I feel like a lazy day lounging in my cabin, I’m able to plug my laptop into my cabin’s television and watch shows or movies via my computer.

“This also works with iPads and other tablets if you have an HDMI adapter.”

An HDMI cable will allow passengers to watch their own programmes or film on their cabin’s TV.

On some cruise lines, passengers may have to pay to access the ship’s personal entertainment.

However, if passengers don’t want to pack a cable there’s likely to be a full schedule of entertainment and events to keep them occupied.

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