Ever wonder what cruisers actually leave behind on a ship? From flip-flops to wallets—and some things you won’t believe—people lose way more than you’d think. Some items are practical, others sentimental, and a few are just plain weird.
I skipped the studies and went straight to real passenger stories. Here are the 16 most commonly lost (and unexpectedly bizarre) things people leave behind at sea.
How I Put Together This List
To figure out what people actually lose on a cruise—not just what surveys say—I went straight to the source: real cruisers. I scrolled through dozens of Facebook cruise group discussions, reading every comment thread where people shared what they’d accidentally left behind onboard.
Some responses were expected (sunglasses, wallets, phone chargers), while others were more surprising—or just flat-out funny.
It wasn’t simply a numbers game. I looked at the kinds of stories people told, the types of items they admitted losing, and how often certain items popped up across different posts.
Whether heartfelt (“I lost a precious ring from our vow renewal”) or hilariously relatable (“Chargers!!!”), the comments gave a clear picture of what people actually lose. The result is a list shaped by actual cruiser experiences—some frustrating, some amusing, and a few heartbreaking.
1. Glasses, Sunglasses & Jewelry
Small, valuable, and easy to overlook—glasses, sunglasses, and jewelry are by far the most frequently lost items on a cruise. Whether it’s a gust of wind on the upper deck, a quick dip in the pool, or simply slipping them off during dinner, these items have a way of disappearing fast.
“Lost designer sunglasses on two different cruises. Never handed in,” one cruiser admitted. Others shared similar stories, like: “I lost 2 pairs of reading glasses at 2 different ports!” And some losses are deeply personal: “I lost a precious ring from our vow renewal. I was devastated.”
2. Wallets, Cash & Keycards
Wallets and keycards might seem secure in your cabin safe—until you forget to grab them. “My husband left his wallet in the safe. Realized it when we went to pay for parking—too late to go back,” one cruiser shared.
When it comes to cash, it disappears quickly, especially in the casino, while keycards are easily lost poolside or during excursions. “Lost my bank balance,” one person joked, and another admitted, “Lost our cabin key card. Had to go to guest services.”
3. Chargers, Phones & Selfie Sticks
Small and essential, these items are often forgotten—especially when hidden behind beds or left in dark corners. Chargers are frequently left plugged in, phones go missing during excursions or poolside lounging, and selfie sticks tend to slip out of bags or get left behind in public areas.
4. Clothes, Flip-Flops & Hats
Clothing is one of the most commonly forgotten items on a cruise, especially when it’s dark-colored or tucked away. “Left a black skirt, blouse, and bra on the cabin chair—Princess never replied to my email,” one guest shared, showing how easily items can blend into the cabin décor.
Flip-flops often vanish near pools or under beds—“Lost a whole flip-flop,” another cruiser laughed. Hats are another common loss, either blown off in the wind or mistaken for someone else’s. As one guest recalled, “Lost my hat… it was returned two days later.”
5. Flight Tickets, IDs & Cruise Documents
Losing essential documents like flight tickets or IDs can turn a smooth cruise into a stressful scramble. These items are often left behind in drawers, tucked away in safes, or forgotten in carry-on bags during the rush to disembark.
Some travelers accidentally throw out paper tickets or assume digital versions will be accepted—only to realize too late that a physical copy was required.
Before you zip up your suitcase, read this guide on packing mistakes cruisers often regret.
6. Toiletries & Makeup
Toiletries and makeup are some of the easiest things to forget on a cruise. Small items like razors, creams, or mascara often get left behind in vanity drawers, behind mirrors, or on bathroom shelves—especially since they tend to blend in with the white counters.
Some guests pack them separately in small pouches and simply forget to grab them during the final rush. Even though they’re not often mentioned in comments, they’re one of those things everyone realizes too late. As one guest joked, “I brought three lipsticks and left all three in the bathroom.”
7. Books, Kindles & Magazines
Books, Kindles, and magazines are often forgotten in cabins, left on lounge chairs, or abandoned in theaters after a show. Guests often leave books or magazines on lounge chairs or in theaters, thinking they’ll come back for them later—but rarely do.
Kindles are especially easy to misplace, slipping between bed frames or getting packed into someone else’s bag. As one cruiser put it, “Pretty sure my Kindle took its own vacation and never came back.”
8. Forgotten Bottles: Champagne, Wine & Cruise Freebies
Free drinks are a fun surprise—until you realize you left them behind. Bottles of wine or champagne are often tucked into the mini-fridge and forgotten during the chaos of packing. Some guests who don’t drink admit to leaving them on purpose, while others assume they’re not allowed to take them off the ship.
As one cruiser put it, “Forgot a free bottle of champagne in the mini fridge. Rookie mistake.” Another added, “We have left behind many ‘free’ bottles of wine.”
9. Personal Towels
Personal towels often get left behind, especially after beach days or excursions. Whether they’re laid out on a lounge chair, forgotten on an excursion bus, or hung to dry on a balcony, they rarely make it back into your suitcase.
Some guests even mistake them for ship-owned towels and assume they’ll be replaced, while others simply forget where they put them in the chaos of packing. If you’re bringing your own towel, a bright color or label can help avoid you losing it.
10. Medications
Forgetting medication can go from an inconvenience to a serious issue quickly. Small pill bottles or travel packs are often tucked away in drawers, zipped into a toiletry pouch, or stored in the mini-fridge—then forgotten entirely.
Because they’re not easy to replace onboard, a final medication check is a must before leaving. As one cruiser admitted, “I left my blood pressure meds in the fridge and realized it halfway to the airport—not fun.”
11. Swim Goggles & Snorkel Gear
Swim goggles and snorkeling gear are cruise must-haves for water lovers, but they’re also some of the most commonly lost items. Many guests report leaving them behind on catamarans, beach chairs, or inside excursion vans.
Others get left to dry on a balcony or simply forgotten altogether. And to make things worse, unless they’re clearly labeled with your name or cabin number, they’re almost never returned to you.
12. Swimwear
Swimwear is another commonly forgotten item, especially when it’s still damp at the end of your cruise. Suits are often left hanging in the bathroom, drying on balcony chairs, or bundled into wet bags and then forgotten.
Since swimsuits are lightweight and often dark-colored, they blend easily into cabin spaces and don’t always get noticed when packing. Many cruisers don’t realize their suit is missing until they unpack at home—or worse, when they’re already on their next beach stop with nothing to wear.
13. Kids’ Toys & Stuffed Animals
When you’re traveling with children, something always seems to go missing. Favorite toys often get left behind in the kids’ club, and beloved stuffed animals disappear under beds or into the folds of the couch cushions.
One parent shared, “My daughter’s stuffed bunny got lost on day two—she cried every night until we got home.” These small, comforting items can cause a lot of distress when lost, especially if they hold sentimental value.
Need a relaxing, kid-free cruise? Here are the best lines to choose from.
14. Umbrellas
Umbrellas are one of those “just in case” items people bring and then easily forget. Unlike other essentials, umbrellas aren’t used regularly, so people don’t have a habit of keeping track of them. Sudden shifts from rain to sunshine can also make it easy to leave one behind without realizing.
When it does rain, wet umbrellas can feel like a hassle to carry and often get set aside in places on the ship—then left behind. It’s a smart item to pack, but even smarter to check for before you move on.
15. Luggage Tags & Lanyards
They’re small, easy to lose, and often overlooked until the very end of your trip. Luggage tags can tear off during handling, and lanyards frequently go missing during activities or get left on counters in the cabin.
Some guests only realize their tag is missing when trying to identify their luggage on disembarkation day. While not devastating, losing these items can cause confusion or delays—and it’s one more thing to stress about that’s easily avoided.
16. Travel Pillows & Blankets
Travel pillows and small blankets are popular comfort items, especially for cruisers flying long distances to reach the port. But once you’re settled into your cabin, they’re often tossed aside or left on the bed and forgotten.
Soft, compact, and rarely labeled, these items usually don’t make it back to you if left behind. In the rush to pack and disembark, most people forget to check for them—until they’re shivering on the flight home.
As one guest shared, “I didn’t realize my travel blanket was missing until I froze halfway through my overnight flight back.”
Extras: The Not-So-Serious “Losses”
Some cruise “losses” don’t involve misplaced items at all—but they still show up again and again in the comments.
One person summed it up perfectly: “Lost my dignity. Had to be dragged off the ship kicking and screaming.” Others took a more comedic angle, like “Lost my wife. Thank God,” or the painfully honest “Lost the will to go back to work.”
A fellow cruiser joked about losing “track of what day it is,” while another claimed they “lost count of how many desserts I ate.” A few even admitted to losing their voice from singing too much karaoke or cheering too hard at the sailaway party.
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