When you pack for a Royal Caribbean cruise, you may want to bring all the comforts of home so that your stay at sea is just like being on land, but you should be aware there are some important rules about what you cannot bring on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
For the safety and well-being of all guests, certain items are prohibited from being brought on a cruise, and it will save you time (and embarrassment) by being aware of what you can and cannot bring on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
During the check-in process, security will scan all luggage (both checked and carry-on), and if they spot an item that meets the criteria, they can confiscate it and return it to you after the cruise concludes.
Illegal drugs
While it may not surprise you that illegal drugs and substances are banned from Royal Caribbean, CBD oil and CBD products are also prohibited.
Even if you have a legally prescribed dose of marijuana, you cannot bring or smoke pot, edibles, cartridges onboard. Medicinal use is not permitted, and can result in serious legal troubles since Federal drug laws apply.
Alcohol
While Royal Caribbean does allow you to bring one bottle of wine per adult, any other alcohol is strictly forbidden.
Any alcohol you purchase onboard the ship or in a port will be stored by Royal Caribbean, and then returned to you on the last day onboard to be brought home.
Alcoholic beverages seized on embarkation day will not be returned.
You are also allowed to bring small quantities of non-alcoholic beverages in a carry-on or hand luggage onboard only on boarding day. Specifically, non-alcoholic beverages brought onboard may not exceed 12 standard (17 oz) cans, bottles or cartons per stateroom. Distilled water or specialized beverages such as, milk for medical purposes, dietary or infant use, are permitted.
Weapons
All firearms and weapons, parts, ammunition, explosives and incendiary devices are all prohibited from being brought on Royal Caribbean.
This includes (but not limited to):
- Rifles
- Shotguns
- Pistols
- Revolvers
- All their components
Royal Caribbean specifies that guns, replicas, and ammunition are also not allowed onboard:
- Guns, operational or replicas
- Ammunition of all types
- BB Guns
- Compressed air guns, including paint ball guns
- Flare guns
- Gun lighters
- Gun / firearms parts
- Pellet guns
- Spear guns
- Starter pistols
- Realistic replicas of firearms
- All their components
Any kind of explosive is prohibited from going on a cruise ship.
- Blasting Caps
- Dynamite
- Fireworks
- Hand Grenades
- Plastic Explosives
- Bomb Making Components
- Replicas of Explosives
- Gun Powder
Sharp objects
Personal grooming items such as safety razors are allowed. Scissors with blade length less than 4 inches are allowed.
You also cannot bring any knives with a blade length of four (4) inches or greater.
These types of knives are not allowed either:
- Knives that are concealed or disguised as other commonplace objects
- Knives that incorporate locking blades
- Flick knives, automatic knife, push-button knife, ejector knife, or switch blade
- Sharp objects
- Box Cutters
- Ice Picks / Ice Axes
- Meat Cleavers
- Razor-type blades, such as box cutters utility knives and razor blades not in cartridge (Note: shaving safety razors are allowed.)
- Sabers
- Swords and Fencing Foils
Recreational diving knives are also still allowed but must be held in the custody of the Chief Security Officer.
Guests can purchase Alaskan Ulu knives while on their Alaska cruise, but must keep it in their stateroom and not bring it to public areas.
Things that can catch on fire
Fire is a major threat to cruise ships, so anything that can generate a flame is prohibited.
Nothing with an open flame or heating element is allowed, except for hair curling irons and hair dryers.
This includes:
- Candles
- Clothing Irons
- Travel Steamer
- Hot Plates
- Incense & Burners
- Tea Cup Immersion Heaters
- Aerosols, except for personal care toiletries which are permitted
- Fuels, including cooking fuels and any flammable liquids
- Gasoline
- Gas Torches
- Lighter Fluid
- Flares
- Flammable Paints
- Turpentine & Paint Thinner
- Realistic Replicas of Incendiaries
- Hookahs & Water Hookah Pipes
- Car batteries
- Hoverboards
- Extension Cords and Multi-Plug Outlets/ Power Strips
You can't bring your tools on a ship
You'll have to leave your tool belt at home.
Royal Caribbean won't allow these handy items to be brought on a ship:
- Axes & Hatchets
- Cattle Prods
- Hammers
- Drills and Drill Bits
- Saws
- Other Tools (such as wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers) greater than seven (7) inches in length
Self-defense items
Martial arts and self defense items should remain in the dojo.
- Billy Clubs
- Black Jacks
- Brass Knuckles
- Kubatons
- Mace / Pepper Spray
- Martial Arts Weapons
- Night Sticks
- Nunchakus
- Stun Guns / Shocking Devices
- Throwing Stars
- Handcuffs
- Bows & Arrows
Sporting goods
You are allowed to bring sporting goods and equipment, but it cannot be used, displayed or carried in the public areas at all.
These are meant to be used as part of a shore excursion or activity on land.
This includes:
- Baseball bats
- Cricket bats
- Hockey sticks
- Skateboards
- Surf boards
- Golf clubs
- Bicycles
Chemicals
The following items or those similar are not permitted onboard:
- Chlorine
- Bleach
- Spray Paint
- Tear Gas
- Transformers
- Electrical Extension Cords
- Spillable Batteries (Note: Wheelchair batteries are permitted)
- Small Compressed Gas Cartridges
- Fire Extinguishers
- Other Compressed Gas Cylinders (Note: Dive tanks are permitted if they are empty; Medical gas bottles are also permitted)
- HAM Radios
Food
You can bring packaged dry snacks (e.g., chips, nuts, candy, etc.), but cannot bring food cooked from home or a restaurant.
The issue is due to public health policies related to any potentially hazardous foods (PHFs) or cooked food from restaurants or private homes, raw foods, etc.
