Salty air, water, and humidity create a nightmare scenario for electronics. But cruises offer views and moments that beg to be photographed so you can preserve those memories and relive the trip later.
Keeping your camera safe at sea requires a little extra attention, so consider our advice before you pack yours.
In This Article:
The Biggest Risks to Cameras On a Cruise
Besides the ocean itself, salty air is a camera’s biggest threat. It settles on your gear and causes corrosion over time.
Humidity is another issue that builds up condensation inside the lenses and camera bodies.
Then you’ve got the cruise environment itself. Crowded decks, slippery floors, and the rocking motion can all cause the camera to fall.
And on top of all that, you’re also dealing with greasy sunscreen, sand, and the risk of theft!
Must-Have Gear to Protect Your Camera
Whether you’re heading out on an eastern Caribbean cruise or touring the Greek islands, the first step is to arm yourself with the right gear.
We thoroughly recommend purchasing the following items:
- Waterproof dry bag: This is essential for excursions, poolside, and beach days. Choose a good-quality brand that is genuinely watertight.
- Silica gel packs: Keep several in your camera bag and storage case to ward off moisture. Swap them out if they feel damp.
- Anti-corrosion strips: These neutralize corrosive gases and keep your gear pristine. Add them to your camera bag and storage.
- Padded camera bag: A good camera bag protects against falls, scratches, and bumps.
- Anti-theft gear: Cable locks and discreet body straps help prevent opportunistic thieves from trying their luck.
- Wrist strap: This simple addition prevents you from dropping your camera.
10 Tips For Safe Cruise Camera Handling
Even with all the right gear, you still need to be careful. Follow these tips to keep your camera in top shape:
- Let your camera acclimate when moving from air-conditioned rooms to humid environments. Give it a few minutes in the bag to prevent it from fogging up.
- If the deck is wet or the waves are wild, it might be better to leave the camera in its bag. If you must take it out, always use a wrist strap so you won’t drop or lose it.
- When on the beach or poolside, wash your hands before using your camera to remove any sand and sunscreen.
- Cruise ship cabins tend to be humid, so never leave your camera sitting out on a dresser or nightstand. Keep it in its bag with fresh silica gel packs.
- Make cleaning a daily habit. Use a microfiber cloth or glasses cleaning wipes to wipe down equipment, and use a mini blower to remove any sand or dirt particles.
- Consider using an inexpensive phone or a second camera for snapping photos in situations where damage risk is high.
- Don’t swap lenses outdoors. The risk of dropping one is high, so do it indoors or not at all.
- Never place your camera on railings or deck furniture. It might be a great shot, but one sway of the boat and it’s done for.
- Keep your drinks far away. Sugary liquid can do as much damage as seawater.
- Get decent insurance! Pick coverage that includes loss, damage, and theft for electronics. That way, if the worst happens, you’ll still get your money back.
Lastly, one big travel packing hack is to take multiple memory cards with you. Rotate cards throughout your cruise and store them separately.
That way, if one goes missing, you have the others for backup.
As soon as you have wifi, upload your pics to cloud storage.
Final Thoughts
All it takes is some planning and common sense, and your camera will survive the cruise, no matter how humid it’s been.
With some protective gear and a little extra care and thought, you’ll come home with plenty of snaps and an intact camera, ready to serve you on your next trip.
