Surprising Prohibited Items On Cruise Ships: What Not to Take (With Downloadable List)
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Unsure what not to take on a cruise ship? Check out this list of prohibited items on cruise ships, because some will surprise you.
The cruise lines go to great lengths to keep all their passengers safe. To do this, they x-ray all bags before boarding the ship to check for prohibited items.
Of course, the obvious weapons and illegal drugs aren’t allowed, but the prohibited items list is long and might include items that would surprise you. To avoid having items confiscated upon boarding, familiarize yourself with the list to be sure you don’t accidentally pack contraband.
What Is Not Allowed
The list of what not to take on a cruise ship is quite long. Below is an overview of the types of things that are prohibited.
- Clothes irons, travel steamers, heating pads, coffeemakers, hot plates, slow cookers, heating blankets, rice cookers
- Candles, incense, torch lighters
- Explosives, including fireworks, flares, and pyrotechnics
- Flammable liquids or dangerous chemicals such as bleach or paint
- Illegal drugs, substances, and paraphernalia, including marijuana and its derivatives such as CBD oil, CBD products, THC products, hookahs and hookah pipes
- Firearms and ammunition
- Weapons of any kind, including realistic replicas that can be mistaken for real (such as paintball guns and starting pistols) or items that can be used as a weapon such as nightsticks and stun devices
- Martial arts gear, self-defense gear, sports gear, pepper spray
- Compressed air tanks
- Restraining devices such as handcuffs or leg and head restraining straps
- Sharp objects, including knives and scissors
- Baby monitors
- HAM radios, satellite phones, lasers or laser pointers, metal detectors with lithium batteries
- Fans, electric or battery-operated (all except small fans are now prohibited on NCL)
- Hoverboards
- Drones (check with your cruise line for their rules)
- Roller skates, roller shoes
- Electrical extension cords
- Perishable food and meat
- Alcoholic beverages (check with your cruise line to see what is permitted)
What Is Allowed
To clarify what is allowed, check out the below items:
- Hair curlers and straighteners
- Matches and regular lighters
- Scissors with blades less than 4 inches
- Wine (Certain cruise lines allow two 750ml bottles of wine. Check with yours.)
- Some cruise lines will allow sporting gear such as baseball bats, hockey sticks, cricket bats, golf clubs, skateboards, surfboards, and bicycles but will insist on storing them for you and will allow you to take them ashore.
- Only reef-friendly sunscreens are allowed in the Virgin Islands.
- Some cruise lines will allow drones but will store them for you to use ashore. Be sure to familiarize yourself with local laws and ordinances regarding drone usage before bringing one with you.
What happens if I accidentally bring a prohibited item?
Depending on what the item is, two things can happen:
The cruise line may store the item for you and then return it to use on an excursion or at the end of the cruise,
Or the cruise line will confiscate it and not return it. If the item is illegal, local authorities will be called.
Common sense prevails here. If an item is innocuous, like a travel steamer, the cruise line will store it and then return it at the end of the cruise. If you bring a dangerous chemical like bleach, the cruise line will confiscate it and not return it.
Cruise Prohibited Items List
Would you like a FREE Cruise Prohibited Items List to help you as you pack for your next cruise?
Final Thoughts On Prohibited Items On Cruise Ships
This list is not all-inclusive but is intended to give you an idea of what not to take on a cruise ship. If you plan to carry something you’re not sure about on your cruise, check with your cruise line first, or just leave it at home.
Want more packing tips? Check out our posts.
Safe sailing!
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