Cruise ship expert Gary Bembridge has sounded the alarm for holidaymakers, cautioning them against bringing certain items on board that could lead to a lifetime ban.
Bembridge highlights that many cruise lines have strict lists of prohibited items, often banned for safety reasons, which passengers should be mindful of when packing for their sea voyage.
In our tech-dependent world, we’re accustomed to charging a plethora of devices such as smartphones, tablets, and hair styling tools. Yet, Bembridge warns that personal mains adaptors for charging multiple gadgets at once are a big no-no on ships.
“All cruise lines ban any extension cord with a surge protector feature,” he states, pointing out the serious fire risk they pose due to incompatibility with the ship’s electrical system. “Basically, anything allowing multiple plugs is no longer allowed, certainly on Royal Caribbean,” he continues, but notes that USB-only plug adaptors are still permitted.
Gary, a dedicated fan of cruising getaways, recently shared that Carnival has barred Bluetooth speakers across its fleet for critical safety reasons. He stated: “They have said that if any passenger tries to bring them on board at embarkation or at a port, they’ll be confiscated, and if cruisers buy a Bluetooth speaker in the on-board shops, they will be held until the end of the cruise.”
It’s previously been reported by the Express that Carnival claims this measure is to ensure all safety announcements are heard clearly.
Yet, Gary harbours a different theory: “I am sure it has really been done as it is annoying and intrusive having people playing loud music at the pools, around the deck, on their balconies and in their cabins.” Having previously used his Bluetooth speaker on cruises to play white noise for better sleep, Gary expressed his ‘devastation’ over the ban.
Moreover, Gary cautioned that carrying wi-fi hotspot devices and Elon Musk‘s Starlink satellite dishes may also result in denied access to the ship.
Recollecting an event, he relayed: “Carnival Miracle guest and YouTuber called Richard Shillington brought his own Starlink mini-dish on board his cruise. He made a video showing how he used it on the ship and posted it using it. But as soon as the cruise line saw the video and that he had his own Starlink dish on board, they confiscated it.”
Passengers are being cautioned that they risk being turned away at the gate if they try to board with a wheelchair without having pre-booked a specially adapted cabin.
“In the past, people using wheelchairs on these lines could often book a regular cabin, particularly if they used a foldable one and only used infrequently,” Gary noted.
However, stringent safety regulations set in 1974 now bar such individuals from boarding, as crews are limited in how many wheelchair users they can assist during an emergency evacuation. Gary elaborated: “If people arrive without having declared that they use a wheelchair and haven’t booked an accessible room, they could be denied boarding at their own cost at check-in.”
In another surprising turn, CBD oil is also on the list of prohibited items for some cruise lines.
Melinda Erin Van Veldhuizen discovered this the hard way when she was stopped from joining a Carnival cruise in Port Miami, Florida, where she intended to celebrate her wedding anniversary. After finding CBD gummies in her luggage, she was not only prevented from boarding without a refund but also received a lifetime ban from Carnival cruises.
Gary lets slip that one of the more unusual items to be outlawed is, surprisingly, a cardboard pineapple. Apparently, when this innocent-looking ornament is placed upside-down on a cabin door, it serves as a covert message to fellow passengers that the occupants are open to indulging in swinging activities.
Gary can’t help but wonder at the effectiveness of such a subtle signal: “I’ve never quite understood the hit-and-miss nature of advertising using that on regular cruises, when there are entire ship charters dedicated to swingers run by groups like such as Bliss Cruises which seems a surer thing.”
He cautions that these prohibited items lists vary between cruise lines and can change at a moment’s notice, so it’s wise to search for the latest list by typing your cruise line’s name alongside “prohibited items” before you set sail.
This story originally appeared on Express.co.uk
