Short answer: on a cruise you need two things on you all day: your phone and your ship card. The easiest way to carry both is a crossbody phone case with a card slot, worn like a lanyard. The ship card and one credit card go in the sealed wallet on the back of the phone, the phone hangs at your hip or across your chest, and your hands are free for the buffet plate, the railing and the camera. A Keebos is $49.90 with the case, the strap and the wallet included, and the $19.90 waterproof case with strap covers the pool, the beach and the water excursions.
Why a cruise is the one trip where you only need your phone and a card
Most cruise ships are cashless. Your ship card (the SeaPass on Royal Caribbean, the Sail and Sign card on Carnival, the key card on Norwegian, the Key to the World card on Disney) is your room key, your onboard charge card and your ID at the gangway. That is why the classic cruise packing tip is a lanyard with an ID holder: you need the card ten times a day and you have nowhere to put it.
The part the old tip misses is that the phone has become just as essential. On most lines the daily schedule, the dining menus, the deck plans, the chat with your travel group and the shore excursion tickets live in the cruise line's app. People check their phone on the way to breakfast, by the pool, in the theater line and on the pier. So you end up juggling two things: a card on a lanyard and a phone in your hand. The fix is to carry them as one.
A crossbody phone case does exactly that. The card slides into the wallet on the back of the case, and the phone hangs from an adjustable strap so you wear it like a lanyard, or lower across your body. Nothing to hold, nothing to set down on a bar, nothing to fish out of a pocket you do not have.
Cruise lanyard vs phone pouch vs crossbody phone case
There are three ways cruisers carry the card and the phone. Here is how they compare.
| Cruise lanyard with ID holder | Phone pouch on a cord | Keebos crossbody phone case | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holds the ship card | Yes | Sometimes, in a loose sleeve | Yes, in a sealable wallet that holds up to 6 cards |
| Holds the phone | No, the phone is still in your hand | Yes, but you take it out to use it | Yes, and you use it without taking it off |
| Protects the phone | No | From water, not from drops once it is out | Shockproof case, 4-corner bumper, 3mm raised lip around the screen |
| Formal night | Looks like a conference badge | Looks like a pool accessory | Swap the cord for a gold or onyx chain or a pearl strap |
| Pool and beach | Card gets wet | Good | Use the $19.90 Keebos waterproof case with strap for the water |
| Port days ashore | Card only, phone and wallet separate | Phone only | Phone, ship card, credit card and ID, all on your body |
| Price | A few dollars | $19.90 at Keebos, 2 for $29.90 | $49.90, case, strap and wallet included |
What goes where: ship card, credit card, ID
Every Keebos crossbody case for iPhone, Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel has a sealable wallet on the back. It is oriented sideways and closes over the cards, so nothing slides out when you lean over a railing. It holds up to six cards and a little cash. Here is how cruisers use it:
- On the ship: the ship card only. Tap it at the bar, the shop and your cabin door without taking it out of the wallet on most readers, or slide it out in a second when a crew member needs to swipe it.
- Port days: ship card, one credit card and your ID or a copy of your passport, all together. That is everything you need to get off the ship, pay for lunch and get back on.
- Formal night: ship card and nothing else. Clip on a chain and the case is your evening bag.
Behind the wallet is an elastic finger strap. Slide a finger through it and the phone sits steady in one hand for photos over the water, which matters more than you would think on a moving deck with a big phone.
Kim, who bought the Sunset case for a trip, described the routine in her verified review:
"Bought this for my annual trip to New Orleans and I have been using since. Haven't taken off my phone! I LOVE the fact that I can put my license, credit card and a little cash in the pocket on the back of my phone and I don't have to go in my pocket book to get my wallet at checkout."
Sea days, formal night, port days and the pool: one case, four ways to wear it
The strap on a Keebos is 54 inches long, adjustable and detachable. It clips to two connector rings built into the case, so you can change how you wear it in seconds without changing the case.
- Sea days: shorten the cord and wear it high like a lanyard, so the phone is at chest height for the app and the card is right there for the bar. Or let it out and wear it crossbody while you carry a plate and a drink.
- Formal night: swap the cord for the Royal Chain in gold or onyx (45 inches, $24.90) or the Pearl Paradise strap ($24.90). The same case goes from the pool deck to the dining room.
- Port days: wear it crossbody with the phone in front of you. In a crowded market or on a tender, a phone that is strapped to your body is a phone that does not get set down, left behind or lifted out of a back pocket.
- Cabin and dinner: unclip the strap and the case is a normal phone case with a wallet.
Annie, who has MS and drops her phone often, took her Keebos through Italy and London before she bought a second one:
"I loved my first one, traveled everywhere with it, and used it at home during the day. I totally trusted it with my phone including traipsing all over Italy and London. It held up to constant wear and tear."
Megan M. used hers the same way on a trip to Italy:
"This was the perfect phone case. It kept my phone safe and readily available to take hundreds of photos. I loved being able to switch out the straps to dress up or dress down the look."
The pool, the beach and the water excursions: use the waterproof case with strap
The crossbody case is not waterproof, and we would rather say so than have you find out in the pool. For the pool deck, the beach day and the snorkel or kayak excursion, Keebos makes a waterproof phone case with strap in black, blue and turquoise:
- Leakproof snap closure, and it floats so you can spot and grab it if it goes in the water
- Touchscreen responsive front, so you use the phone without opening the pouch
- Clear back for photos and video in the water
- Detachable, adjustable quick-dry strap, worn crossbody or around the neck
- Fits every iPhone, Samsung and Google Pixel (the pouch is 4.5 by 9 inches)
- $19.90 for one, $29.90 for two, or all three colors for $39.90
The two-for-$29.90 option exists because of exactly this trip: one for you and one for whoever you cruise with, so nobody is passing a single pouch back and forth at the beach. The ship card can ride in the pouch with the phone for the day, then go back into the wallet on your crossbody case for dinner.
Men on a cruise: the all-black version
Swim trunks and linen shorts have the same problem as a sundress: nowhere to put a phone and a card. The Midnight case is all black, strap and hardware included, and the Voyage has a plain black cord. Worn short across the chest it reads as a lanyard, which on a cruise ship is what half the passengers are wearing anyway. Marcus, who bought the Black Voyage, called it "sleek and practical" and "a game-changer for commuting or traveling."
Already have a phone case you love? Add the strap
If your phone is in a case you want to keep, the Universal Crossbody Strap at $34.90 attaches to any existing case with no adapter, and the adjustable cord lets you wear it high like a lanyard or lower across the body. You will still need somewhere for the ship card, so this is the option for cruisers who are happy with a card lanyard and just want the phone off their hands.
Celebrities wearing Keebos
Keebos has been photographed on Eva Longoria, Scarlett Johansson, Tori Spelling and Gina Rodriguez, among others. Eva Longoria has been spotted with hers on walks around the city and while working out. Scarlett Johansson wears the Venice green case. Tori Spelling has posted about hers on Instagram, and Gina Rodriguez was seen showing off her case at the House of Intuition. The full list, with pictures, is in our celebrity phone case post.
A few more reasons cruisers pick Keebos
- The original crossbody phone case, since 2018. Keebos has made the case, the strap and the wallet together from the start, assembled in Venice Beach, California.
- Free US shipping on every order, and a 30-day money-back guarantee if it is not right for you. Order it before the sailing and try it on the trip.
- Made for your phone. iPhone 7 through iPhone 18 Pro Max and iPhone Duo, Samsung Galaxy S9 through S26 Ultra plus the Z Fold, and Google Pixel 6 Pro through Pixel 11 Pro XL. Pick your model from the dropdown on any case.
- One Keebos, one tree. For every Keebos purchased, a tree is planted through a designated 501(c)(3) like One Tree Planted, and the packaging is biodegradable.
Flying to the port? Our phone lanyard for travel post covers the airport and the sightseeing days, and if you cruise without checked luggage, the no-bag travel post is the companion to this one.
Cruise Phone Lanyard FAQ
Do you need a lanyard on a cruise?
You need a way to keep your ship card on you, because on most lines it is your room key, your onboard payment card and your ID at the gangway. A lanyard is the traditional answer. A crossbody phone case with a card wallet does the same job and carries your phone too, which matters now that the schedule, menus and excursion tickets are in the cruise line's app. This applies on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Disney, Celebrity, MSC and Viking alike. Princess uses a wearable Medallion instead of a card, so there you only need the phone.
What is the best phone lanyard for a cruise?
One that holds the ship card as well as the phone, protects the phone from drops, and does not look like a conference badge at dinner. The Keebos crossbody phone case is $49.90 with a sealable wallet for up to six cards, a shockproof case and a 54-inch adjustable strap that can be swapped for a gold, onyx or pearl chain for formal night.
Is there a lanyard for a phone and a cruise card together?
Yes. A Keebos crossbody case puts the cruise card in a sealed wallet on the back of your phone and hangs both from one adjustable strap. There is no separate card sleeve to lose.
What kind of lanyard should I bring on a cruise?
If you only want to carry the card, any lanyard with an ID holder works. If you want to carry the card and the phone with your hands free, bring a crossbody phone case with a card slot instead. Most people who switch do not go back to the badge-style lanyard.
How do you carry your phone on a cruise?
Wear it. A crossbody phone case hangs the phone from a strap at chest height or across your body, so it is there for the app, the camera and the ship card without being in your hand or in a pocket you may not have. Unclip the strap in the cabin and at dinner.
Do I need a waterproof phone case for a cruise?
For the pool deck, the beach day and water excursions, yes. The Keebos waterproof phone case with strap is $19.90, floats, has a touchscreen-responsive front and a clear back for photos in the water, and fits any phone. For the rest of the ship, the regular crossbody case with the wallet is the better everyday carry. Many cruisers bring both.
Can you use your phone on a cruise?
Yes, and most cruise lines expect you to, because their app is where the daily program, the menus and the excursion tickets live. To avoid roaming charges at sea, switch the phone to airplane mode and use the ship's Wi-Fi. Check your cruise line's own guidance for its internet packages.
Where do you put your phone on formal night?
On a chain. The Keebos Royal Chain in gold or onyx and the Pearl Paradise strap each clip onto the same case as the everyday cord, so the phone and the ship card become the evening bag.
Is a crossbody phone case allowed on cruise excursions?
A phone strap is personal clothing, not a bag, and it is worn through the gangway security scanner like a lanyard. For specific excursions with a no-loose-items rule, such as zip lines or some water rides, follow the operator's instructions on the day.
Does the Keebos wallet hold the cruise card securely?
The wallet is sealable and oriented sideways, so the card does not slide out when you bend or lean. It holds up to six cards and some cash. The foldable cases for the Samsung Z Fold and iPhone Duo do not include the wallet.
Can I try it before the cruise and return it if I do not like it?
Yes. Every Keebos ships free within the US and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Email hello@keebos.com within 30 days of delivery for return instructions and a full refund of the purchase price.
