Ah, cruises. A floating paradise, where you can stuff your face with buffets, lounge by the pool, and rack up an absurd amount of photos you’ll never look at again. But hey, Royal Caribbean, can you make it just a tad easier for us to know what we’re allowed to bring onboard without feeling like we’re trying to decode some ancient pirate scroll?
Recently, Royal Caribbean quietly updated its banned-items list, and let’s just say, things have gotten murky — not murky in the beautiful tropical-sea kind of way, but in the “Wait, can I plug in my phone charger or will it be confiscated by some crew member wielding a confiscation wand?” kind of way. The culprit? The new “multi-plug device ban.”
The Old Rules Were Confusing, The New Ones? Even Worse
Listen, we all understand cruise ships don’t want to burst into flames mid-vacation, and I think we can all agree that candles and hoverboards have no business being on a cruise. But when you sneak in changes to banned items and don’t bother to make it crystal clear — well, that’s when confusion starts to spread like an overbooked buffet line.
Previously, Royal Caribbean, in its vague benevolence, allowed us to bring those multi-plug outlets as long as they didn’t have a surge protector. For the tech-savvy among us, that was perfect. You could keep your phone, tablet, and whatever other overpriced gadget fully charged without issue.
But now, according to Royal Caribbean’s website, the rules say “Extension Cords and Multi-Plug Outlets/Power Strips” are banned. Naturally, people saw this and thought, “Wait, does this include the multi-plug outlet I’ve been using for years that doesn’t even have a cord?” Of course, it wasn’t as if Royal Caribbean felt the need to clarify.
You know what would’ve been great, Royal Caribbean? A simple picture. A little visual aid. Is it too much to ask for a graphic of a happy charging block with a thumbs-up and a villainous power strip with an X over its face?
The Social Media Scramble for Clarity
So, in typical modern-day fashion, where do passengers turn for answers? Social media, of course! You know things have gone off the rails when paying customers are forced to tweet at a cruise line to figure out whether they’re allowed to bring an extra plug for their devices.
One savvy passenger took to X (formerly Twitter, in case you’ve been living under a rock) to ask about a European to 110V converter block with USB ports. A simple enough question, right? Is it allowed or will the Royal Caribbean confiscation crew swoop in and take it?
Enter Zack from Royal Caribbean’s social media team, who graciously clarified — sort of. He said, “We do allow blocks that have multiple USB plugs, however, as it has an additional power outlet it wouldn’t be permitted.”
Wait, what now? USB ports are good but extra outlets are bad? So if you want to charge your phone, no problem. But if you want to plug in your hair straightener and phone at the same time — off to the confiscation bin it goes. Never mind that my beloved straightener is the only thing keeping my hair from resembling a bird’s nest while battling the sea breeze.
How Hard Is It to Show Us What’s Allowed?
I don’t know about you, but I’m getting pretty tired of trying to figure out these cryptic messages. Even Indiana Jones would have trouble deciphering Royal Caribbean’s policies. If only they’d take a few minutes and put together a list of what’s allowed and what isn’t. Better yet, how about a picture of the offenders and the rule-abiding gadgets?
But nope, passengers are left to guess. Some people think it’s the kind with cords that are banned, others are convinced anything that adds an outlet is verboten. Royal Caribbean, please, we beg of you: save us from this guessing game.
One passenger, @NiceCarFather (bless his soul), asked, “Is there a plan to post a list of acceptable and unacceptable chargers on the website? This is creating chaos among your customer base and we’re trying to be compliant by being informed.”
To which Royal Caribbean responded (in true corporate non-answer fashion), “I apologize for any confusion. However, power strips and extension cords are not permitted. Charging blocks are permitted.”
Oh, thanks, that really clears it up… not.
What’s Actually Allowed? Your Guess Is as Good as Mine
So where does this leave us? Well, it seems like Royal Caribbean’s stance boils down to this: You can bring something with USB or USB-C ports, but the moment that little gadget starts behaving like an overachiever and adds an extra outlet? Nope, not allowed.
Let’s break it down for those of us struggling to make sense of it all (and honestly, I don’t blame you): You can bring something that turns one cruise ship outlet into multiple USB ports. Want to plug in a laptop or some other power-hungry device? You’re out of luck. The cruise ship police will swoop in and, like some kind of plug-hating fairy godmother, whisk it away to the land of banned gadgets.
But again, we’re still left wondering — is a simple adapter that turns a European outlet into an American one allowed? Based on the lackluster answers, it seems that’s a big no too.
The Bottom Line: Pack at Your Own Risk
The result of this whole mess? Confusion, frustration, and a whole lot of cruisers boarding with one less plug than they expected. So what’s a tech-loving traveler to do? Maybe spend your vacation unplugged? Nah, that’s crazy talk.
If you ask me, Royal Caribbean’s new multi-plug device ban has done nothing but add unnecessary stress to the vacation planning process. We get it, safety first and all that. But how hard is it to throw us a bone — or better yet, a helpful diagram?
Until then, pack cautiously, hope for the best, and maybe consider packing an extra battery pack or two. After all, it’s better to be safe (and fully charged) than sorry.
The new Royal Caribbean multi-plug device ban is just another confusing rule change in a long list of things we’re not allowed to bring onboard. Here’s hoping they’ll eventually provide more clarity — or at least a picture. Until then, good luck figuring it out. May your USB ports be plenty, and your outlets be few.
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