Let’s face it. We all do it. If there’s a soap or shampoo that we like in a cruise ship bathroom, those bottles go straight into our suitcases. And we love the cabin stewards who keep replenishing our supplies.
If you cruise on a luxury ship, or upgrade to a suite on a mainstream ship, there is real value there. Snag the beauty and bath amenities and you could be walking away with a few hundred dollars in products (based on what it would cost to buy versions of the goods at retail prices).
Here’s a rundown of some of the designer amenities some lines offer — and how much they’re worth.
1. Bulgari
Your butler will give you a choice of products if you are cruising on an all-suite Silversea ship, including this luxury Italian brand. They're not the only ones: You’ll also find the products on SeaDream yachts.
What it’s worth: Those 75 ml bottles of Bulgari products are worth their weight — the shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, and lotion are worth approximately $85 total.
2. Salvatore Ferragamo
The luxury Italian brand’s woodsy Tuscan Soul bath products are among the choices on Silversea. You can also choose from the Ferragamo products when staying in a penthouse spa suite on Seabourn ships.
What it’s worth: Silversea offers 75 ml bottles of Ferragamo's Tuscan Soul products, and the bath soap, shower gel, shampoo, conditioner, and body cream are worth about $55 in total.
3. Etro S.P.A.
Crystal Cruises is the only line with bath and body products from this Italian luxury brand, known for bold ready-to-wear collections. Shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, and bath salts are available in unisex fragrances.
What it’s worth: Crystal doesn't skimp. Staterooms are stocked with 150 ml bottles of the products — versus the more standard 75 ml bottles — and everything is replenished throughout the cruise. And since these products are exclusive to Crystal and not available at retail, they are basically priceless.
4. Molton Brown
On the all-suite Seabourn ships, your steward presents a choice of soaps on a silver tray, including items from Molton Brown’s Therapies line. Look for the U.K. line’s Ambrusca products made from grape leaf extract and ground olive stones. If you’ve had a long journey, go straight for the temple soother made with Moroccan cedrus oil.
What it’s worth: Seabourn's regular staterooms are stocked with 50 ml bottles of body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion from the Ambrusco line, which total about $22 for the set. If you are in a suite, you'll get 80 ml bottles, worth a little over $35 in total.
5. L’Occitane
Regent Seven Seas is using these products in the staterooms on the new Seven Seas Explorer, stocking the massive marble bathrooms with bottles from L'Occitane's Mer & Mistral line, as well as the line's signature lavender liquid foaming bath. The French brand’s natural bath and body products are also popular on river lines — including Avalon Waterways, AmaWaterways, and Uniworld.
What it’s worth: Many of the Mer & Mistral products (including the shampoo, conditioner, and soap) are being made exclusively for Regent. But the 50 ml shower gel and body lotion, plus 100 ml of lavender bath, add up to over $25 alone.
