Power Strips

Power strip I packed was not allowed on our last Royal Caribbean cruise last week. It was taken from us and given back after we returned. Check with your cruise line before packing your power strip.;)

Did it also have a surge suppressor?

Those with suppressors are typically not allowed.

A simple extension cord with 2 or 3 outlets at the end should be fine. That's what I take and have never had a problem.

I took a surge protector because an extension cord doesn't protect against any power surges. I took the same surge protector on the same ship a year ago with no problems. I saw a pile of extension cords and surge protectors that security and taken up.

There are no power surges on cruse ships. Do a search, you will find many, many threads about power cords. There is one on every cruise line forum here. EM

Discussed here many times. Power strips with surge protectors somehow are not good for ship's electrical systems.

That's what I was thinking but I keep on reading people are packing power strips. Oh well it was ok. Once we got to our room we realized we didn't even need it.

This thread will best serve as a reminder to read the "Prohibited Items" list found on your cruise line's website. The OP should consider themselves fortunate that their item was returned; many lines have amended their Passage Contracts to state that any Prohibited Item found to be "concealed" (in the cruise line's judgement) in your checked baggage will be destroyed and not returned. Or such items if discovered before sailaway are stored at the embarkation port, so if you are not on a round-trip closed loop cruise you are out of luck.

As the previous reply mentioned the power strip issue has been discussed to death. No strips with surge protectors are allowed--and most with polarized plugs are confiscated as well as the outlets on some ships do not have the one-blade-larger-than-the-other configuration. And as the OP belatedly discovered, RCI has taken the need to assess if the strip found in your bag is permissible or not away from ship's security by issuing a blanket ban on all power strips and even extension cords:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/prohibited-items-onboard-policy

Live and learn!! I guess OP on here that are packing them are soon realizing that they can't take them. I almost didn't want to get in line when we got back to get it back. We only have 5 at home..not sure why?;p

Please see this United States Coast Guard bulletin about Surge Protective Devices Onboard Vessels. The electrical system on board ships is different that your regular electrical. I, instead, carry a 1-to-4 splitter which is NOT surge protected AND is too short to be considered an extension cord.

I took a surge protector because an extension cord doesn't protect against any power surges. I took the same surge protector on the same ship a year ago with no problems. I saw a pile of extension cords and surge protectors that security and taken up.

You may want to do a bit of research: surge suppression on land is significantly different than at sea. Your Home Depot surge suppressor power strip is a fire hazard in a marine environment.

Our extension cord was confiscated on our cruise in June. I had a fan and a heating pad packed in the same bag and neither of those items were even questioned. Passed right through, but not the extension cord.

Power strips WITHOUT surge suppression are typically ok.

I call mostly Princess and have never had my simple extension cord taken.

Please see this United States Coast Guard bulletin about Surge Protective Devices Onboard Vessels. The electrical system on board ships is different that your regular electrical. I' date=' instead, carry a 1-to-4 splitter which is NOT surge protected AND is too short to be considered an extension cord.

Thank you for this constructive information and the link Z'Loth. I had my power strip (with surge suppressor) confiscated in 2015 but did not know why (I was following long-standing Cruise Critic "what to pack" advice). Traveling with electronic devices these days it seems like I'm hauling around more chargers than anything else so an extra plug-in or four is really handy!

Thank you for this constructive information and the link Z'Loth. I had my power strip (with surge suppressor) confiscated in 2015 but did not know why (I was following long-standing Cruise Critic "what to pack" advice). Traveling with electronic devices these days it seems like I'm hauling around more chargers than anything else so an extra plug-in or four is really handy!

I just checked NCL's "prohibited items list" at their websites (because they were the ones who confiscated my power strip back in 2015). Power strips and extension cords with or without surge suppressors are nowhere on that list. However, "Samsung Note 7" is explicitly prohibited. :eek: