Cabins are dark at night – inside cabins are always dark.  Like many other older cruisers, I need to get up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom or get a drink of water (in my case, I also have a pill to take in the middle of the night).  The bathrooms on cruise ships are raised a few inches, so it is easy to stub your toe when you enter or while walking around the small cabin to get to the bathroom (I know this from experience).  It has always amazed me that cruise cabins do not have nightlights in the bathrooms.  I have experimented with several solutions for providing low levels of light at night.

Turn on the bathroom light and leave the door cracked

This solution only works on some ships.  I have been known to turn on the bathroom light and leave the door cracked slightly.  Some ships have a lighted makeup mirror, which works better than the main light.  The drawback for this approach is that, if the ship is rocking a lot, the door may swing open and closed.  Very annoying!  Since you cannot know in advance whether the door has a tight hings or whether the seas will be rough, this is my choice of last resort.

Keep your phone close by as a makeshift flashlight

Another simple solution is to keep your phone on the nightstand so you can access it easily at night.  You can simply activate it or, if you are more proficient than me, you can turn on the phone’s flashlight to help you find your way around the room.

Plug-in nightlight

There are many inexpensive, durable nightlights that are easy to carry.  I suggest a small LED nightlight like the one pictured here which also has a sensor that turns it on only at night.  It costs less than $4, so I am not upset if I accidentally forget to pack it on my return.  The small size and gentle light is not annoying at night, yet provides sufficient light to navigate in the dark.  You might consider taking two: one for the bathroom and one for the main room (just make sure they are not too bright).  The major drawback is that many ships to not have a suitable outlet in the bathroom.  You will probably have to use the outlet for the shaver, if one is provided.

Battery Powered Nightlight or Candle

This is my favorite solution.  You may already have a battery powered tea light candle, which are popular replacements for real candles.  If so, take one with you and place it on the sink in the bathroom or elsewhere in your room to provide light at night.  There are many battery powered nightlights available at low cost.  Keep in mind that you cannot take actual candles on a ship as open flames are prohibited.  Using one of these cheap candles will provide an ambiance.  Many of them simulate the flicker of a real candle to provide a romantic feel.  If you want to get more exotic, you can find larger battery powered candles and even ones with remote controls.  However, I suggest a cheap one, since you will eventually forget to pack it at the end of a cruise.  Since they are small and not annoyingly bright, you can put one in the main room as well.  Always remember to carry spare batteries, especially for longer cruises.

Considering the small size of the room and the unfamiliar layout, I think you will appreciate how a little light to help you navigate in the dark will make your nightly venture safe and less painful.  Just make sure you pick something small and cheap, since this is an item that is susceptible to being left behind.

Please let me know if you have other suggestions for dealing with dark room.