If I were doing "security" on that ship, I would carry a single AAA light on my keychain. When you need a light, you need it right away.

Fauxton and tiny whistle on keychain. small sunscreen and hand sanitizer in pocket. slim wallet with pen and buss cards

In cabin - water, snacks, meds, longterm light, cell with batt charger, jacket.

I've never been on a cruise, but if I were to go on one I wouldn't carry anything other than my normal EDC stuff. Knife, flashlight, wallet, cellphone (which probably wouldn't work on a ship anyway), etc. Any ship-specific stuff that could help in an emergency would be too big to carry - a life raft, life preserver, cold water survival suit, shark repellant, flare gun, cutting torch, scuba tanks, semaphore flags, seawater purifier.

I would just relax, have a nice vacation, and pray that it wasn't my time to go. Walking around ship carrying all kinds of stuff like a Rambo/sherpa wouldn't be any fun at all.

Does anyone know how useful a compass is below decks?

Even if it worked perfectly, how useful is it to know which direction North is on a ship unless you are steering it?

It could help with orienting yourself. Especially if you knew which way the ship was pointing. I've never been on a big liner myself, but I imagine below decks they are just endless corridors that all look alike.

Below decks, you are not likely to have the vaguest notion of the direction in which the vessel is headed (in a large vessel). What counts is fore and aft, port and starboard. Hopefully, exits would be labelled;if not, finding them would be one's first order of business.

Interference from electrical circuits and surrounding ferrous metal is likely to render your compass highly inaccurate, in any event. Feeling the ship's motion is more likely to give you an idea of direction than any compass.

Really? Never noticed that.

On cruise ships, cabin numbers will usually, but not always, help you with knowing fore/aft/port/starboard.

Cabin numbers usually get larger as you move aft on the ship.

Cabin numbers usually get larger as you move to the starboard side of the ship.

Relative to the other cabins in the same hall.

Vessel motion works on the relatively small vessels with which I am familiar. Not so sure about a really large cruise ship.

Cruises are tons of fun and statistically very safe.

I carried an old Gerber Ultra single AA in my pocket or my wife's beach bag we took to the pool because dark is about the only contingency you can plan for with any ease.

That, not getting drunk, and going on deck and hanging out there if is any indication of trouble are IMO the best things you can do to stay safe on a cruise.

I enjoy a balcony on the aft of the ship. Nice to look back at the wake of the ship at the end of the day while enjoying a rum and coke, plus the added benefit of never being on the bad side of a listing ship.