There are rules about what you can and cannot bring on a cruise ship, including water.
Royal Caribbean has specific rules about what you can and cannot bring onboard with you, and there are limits to things like bringing water.
More travelers are bringing water bottles with them on their cruise. There's a heightened awareness of the importance of staying hydrated in our lives, and that leads many to want to know how much water they can bring with them on a cruise. Or if they can refill a water bottle.
Before you pack for your cruise, don't ignore the rules about how much water you can bring, and be sure to investigate what alternative options you have for having enough water for your needs.
Royal Caribbean’s official policy on bringing water
Royal Caribbean allows its passengers to bring water on a cruise, but only on one day of the sailing and in a limited quantity.
The cruise line does not distinguish between water or soft drinks, but does allow some non-alcoholic drinks to be brought:
Guests may also bring non-alcoholic beverages as carry-on items on boarding day. Non-alcoholic beverages may not exceed 12 standard (17 oz.) cans, bottles or cartons per stateroom.
This means you can bring up to 12 bottles of water with you on embarkation day only.
Moreover, it needs to be carried onboard and not put into your luggage that you give to porters to be delivered to your cabin.
Why? Because all bags are scanned in an X-Ray machine, and if they see bottles, the security team many not be able to distinguish between bottles of water or bottles of liquor. In that case, they'll hold your luggage back and you'll need to go to security and have them open it up and check it out.
You can also bring a water bottle to use and refill
Instead of plastic bottles, you're allowed to also bring your favorite water bottle onboard.
Whether you prefer a Hydroflask or Yeti cup or Stanley cup, they're all allowed onboard (Contains an affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use). There's one important caveat.
You cannot directly refill your water bottle at one of the ship's refillable water stations because of health concerns.
Cups should never be re-used for refills because that cup was in contact with your mouth, and that's how illnesses can be spread. Instead, Royal Caribbean provides plastic cups you can use to easily grab and fill.
In the case of a water bottle, you'd have to get the water from a plastic cup, and then pour the water into your water bottle from there.
Any bar or food service location will give you a glass of iced water. You can pour into your own sports bottle.
You don't need to bring water for a CPAP machine
If you have the need for a CPAP machine on your cruise, Royal Caribbean will provide water for you without the need for you to bring any.
The key is to fill out an online form for your CPAP requests.
There's no fee for the cruise line to provide you with the distilled water.
Royal Caribbean can provide the distilled water and an extension cord, at no extra cost. These items will be placed in your stateroom on the day of sailing.
Be sure to carry your CPAP/BIPAP machine onboard with your carry-on luggage. Don't check it in with the porters.
Alternatives to bringing your own water
If carrying your own water onboard seems like more hassle than it's worth, there are other options for you.
First and foremost, there is complimentary tap water in staterooms, dining rooms, and buffet areas.
It's perfectly safe to drink the water on a cruise ship straight from the tap, including the water that comes out of your bathroom sink.
All the water on your ship is rigorously distilled or purified according to sanitation standards approved by the U.S. Public Health Service.
The water is regularly desalinated, treated, filtered, and tested to confirm the water quality. It's probably cleaner than the tap water you get at home.
Read more: 8 Royal Caribbean cruise questions guests are too embarrassed to ask
If you prefer spring water, Royal Caribbean sells bottled water packages.
Packages of 12 Evian water bottles are sold that you can pre-purchase from the Royal Caribbean app or its Cruise Planner website.
The water will be delivered to your stateroom, and you can even share it with others. Plus, there's no heft on your part to worry about getting it to the ship.
The standard price for a 12 water bottle package is $45.
Another option is to buy an unlimited drink package, which also includes bottled water.
Both the Deluxe Beverage Package and the Refreshment Package include bottled water during your sailing, and there's no limit to it either. Plus, you get other drinks to enjoy too as part of the cost.
Plenty of water, whether you bring your own or not
The bottom line is you can stay hydrated on your Royal Caribbean cruise whether you bring your own or not.
Packing water to bring on your cruise means you could save money on a costly drink package, and provide the exact brand and type of bottled water you prefer.
Remember that there's a limit on the amount of water you can bring, even if in practice, crew members sometimes don't get too concerned with the exact amount brought onboard.
Royal Caribbean's water policy is simple, but don't overlook the fact there's lots of water you can drink on the ship at no cost.
In fact, one really useful cruise hack is to bring water drink mixes to enhance the flavor of the water included with your cruise fare (Contains an affiliate link, which costs you nothing extra to use).
Plan ahead and review the cruise line rules to avoid surprises on embarkation day.
