If you're ready to take a Royal Caribbean cruise in 2025, make sure you leave a few commonly packed items that aren't allowed onboard, at home!
Royal Caribbean has a lengthy list of prohibited items not allowed to be brought on a cruise ship, but in 2025, it's a good reminder that last has been recently updated.
Thanks to changing technology and different trends in travel, there's an occasional need not to bring certain things with you on your trip.
A few things were added to the banned item list last year, and others are still mistakenly brought onboard as a mistake.
Before you leave home, make sure you leave these 5 things at home before your cruise begins.
Outlet extender
Probably the most surprising thing you can't bring on a Royal Caribbean cruise anymore are outlet extenders.
In September 2024, the cruise line banned the very popular travel accessory without warning.
There's never been an official explanation, but I think it has to do with a fire risk. Fire is the most dangerous concern for a cruise ship because of how quickly it can spread.
"Multi-plug outlets" are now no longer allowed onboard, in addition to power strips and surge protectors.
From what we can tell, it seems the key is to ensure any power outlet extender you bring only has one electric outlet. It can have any number of USB outlets.
As an example, this Anker 6 Port USB Charging Station would be acceptable (contains affiliate link that costs you nothing extra, but Royal Caribbean Blog will make a small commission if you purchase the item through the link).
A single EU to American power adaptor could also be allowed, since it does not add any new outlets.
Travel router
Another new addition to the banned list of items is a travel router or other networking device meant to circumvent Royal Caribbean's internet offerings.
Royal Caribbean added "satellite dishes, routers, and other networking equipment" under the "cybersecurity and deliberate electronic crime" category of prohibited items.
Routers and other networking equipment can potentially interfere with the ship’s onboard systems, leading to security risks and connectivity problems for passengers and crew.
Plus, these items can be used to extend a Voom internet package beyond the amount of devices it was intended to handle.
Clothing irons or steamers
Probably the most commonly packed thing you can't bring on a cruise ship has to be a clothing iron.
You're not allowed to pack, bring, or use an iron on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship. And steamers are also not allowed to be brought onboard.
If you try to bring one, it will be confiscated and returned to you after the cruise is over. The security team screens every piece of luggage coming onboard the ship and they look for irons (and other contraband items).
These are fire hazards and it will be confiscated quite quickly.
After a cruise is over, there's always a table full of confiscated irons, which means a lot of people aren't aware they aren't allowed on a ship.
Alcohol
Don't bother trying to bring beer or booze on your ship, because it will be confiscated.
Royal Caribbean bans these items and will hold it until the end of the cruise. You can purchase these items in ports of call or on your ship, but they'll be held back until the end of the voyage.
You are allowed to bring one bottle of wine per adult on embarkation day, however.
While we're on the topic, no, you should not try to sneak alcohol on your ship either. Not only is it against the rules, but it seems more trouble than it's worth.
You'd have to constantly shuttle back and forth to your room for refills, and the risks outweigh the convenience of simply buying a drink package.
Cooking appliances
If irons and steamers are the top two most mistakenly packed things on a cruise, cooking appliances are probably second.
You'd be amazed how many rice cookers, instapots, and tea kettles are attempted to be brought on ships.
Regardless of why people want to bring them to use on the ship, they too are fire hazards and not allowed.
