Duct tape and power strip?

[Peacemkr59]

Power strips are not allowed. But sort of like other smuggled items, many bring them.

I was recently invited to the naughty room and noticed many power strips on the table. Along with full size irons??

 

Get one of these: It's what us and many other cruisers use for power strips. Also the power plug rotates 360 degrees for adapting to all the different cabin outlets.

http://www.quill.com/belkin-1-5-outlet-surge-protectors/cbs/207663.html?cm_mmc=SEM_PLA_T_207663

 

Power strips are not allowed, but this is? Or is this now allowed either? How is this different? Thanks in advance!

[jt1120]

Wow, I can't believe what I am reading. I've packed a power strip for the past three years at least and have never had it confiscated. Now I've got to go and find one of these jobbies as we are two weeks away from our next cruise. :mad:

[chengkp75]

Power strips are not allowed, but this is? Or is this now allowed either? How is this different? Thanks in advance!

 

This is a surge suppressor, and is generally not allowed, but they tend to get by since they don't look like a surge suppressor (no cord) in the baggage scans.

[Travel R]

Just a note - instead of duct tape, on our last cruise, I brought along electrical tape. It provides the user with all the same benefits as described in the above posts regarding duct tape, and it also sticks to just about anything. The benefit electrical tape has (IMO) over duct tape is that the normal roll is smaller in size, which makes easier to pack.

[chengkp75]

Wow, I can't believe what I am reading. I've packed a power strip for the past three years at least and have never had it confiscated. Now I've got to go and find one of these jobbies as we are two weeks away from our next cruise. :mad:

 

Again, a "power strip" that does not say it is a surge suppressor is fine. The inexpensive ones with a cord and a plastic box with 6 outlets and an on/off switch is fine. These are generally cheaper than one that looks the same, but says it is a surge suppressor.

[north29]

In case of a fire in a hotel, forbid a cruise ship. After the Las Vegas fire, most of the travel info companies/web sites were repeating fire departments recommendations, to keep a roll of duct tape in your luggage to tape the cracks of the doors to your hotel room to keep the smoke out, while waiting hopefully to be rescued.

[mdrobtx]

xxxx

Edited November 8, 2013 by mdrobtx

[mdrobtx]

Power strips are not allowed, but this is? Or is this now allowed either? How is this different? Thanks in advance!

 

It's probably not allowed either. But I'm a smuggler so I bring it and my liquor. :D

[Paul65]

I keep seeing these two listed on packing lists. Why the need for duct tape? We travel a lot (first cruise though) and have never needed either item. Is there an outlet by the bed? If so I think that will suffice for me. Let me know if I'm missing the obvious.

 

Some people swear by them, but I've never brought, nor wished I'd brought, either item.

[hellsop]

I keep seeing these two listed on packing lists. Why the need for duct tape? We travel a lot (first cruise though) and have never needed either item. Is there an outlet by the bed? If so I think that will suffice for me. Let me know if I'm missing the obvious.

 

No outlet near bed, save if you've got the dual twin bed configuration, and then the desk outlet MAY be nearish the foot of one bed. Desk (typically two US, one Euro) and bathroom (one multiplug) are it.

[cruzincurt]

The problem comes with the difference between a shore side electrical system and shipboard. Shoreside power is designed with the neutral (white wire) and ground (green wire) at the same voltage (they are wired together in the breaker box in your home). Surge protectors have high resistance connections between the hot and neutral (black and white wires) to the ground (this is the zener diodes that divert the high voltage from the hot wires (going to your computer) to the ground, to keep this high voltage from the appliance.

 

Shipboard electrical systems have what is called a "floating" ground. The neutral wire is no longer at the same potential as the ground wire. The ship has a high resistance measuring circuit that checks for current flow between the black and white wires to the ground. Stray currents to the ground will cause electrolysis corrosion of the hull, and is therefore undesirable. If sufficient surge protectors are connected to the ship's electrical system, the cumulative high resistance (low current, even when not diverting high voltages) connections will trip the alarm, telling the engineers that some equipment is now "grounded" to the hull, and they will need to look for the problem. And if the surge protectors have diverted high voltages before, the zeners tend to break down, and will divert power at lower levels, and increase their leakage current, making the detected ship's ground more prevalent.

 

That sounds like a very plausible explanation due to the high resistance grounding. Now based on your explanation I can be electrocuted if I happen to touch the white (neutral) wire and the ship's metal structure. It takes less than 5 mA to kill someone. And I agree that surge devices may have leakage currents but those would be so tiny I don't see how they would be picked up unless there were hundreds of them plugged in. Whats the grounding resistance, a couple of hundred ohms?

 

Lets at least agree if the voltage transient is thousands of volts the surge protector will be toast.

[griffy116]

When I first started visiting this forum, I was carrying all kinds of items...alarm clock, power strip, duct tape, highlighters, post it notes, magnets, over-the-door hangers, bungee cords, laundry baskets, mesh bags, my own coffee and flavored creamer, laundry detergent..the list was endless. I now carry a plug in that converts one plug into 3 (no cord and small), OTC meds in travel size. If I need duct tape, I can go to Guest Services. I use zip lock bags for the clothes. They start off carrying the clean clothes and end up carrying the damp and dirty clothes. I use an ink pen to circle anything on the Compass. They have plenty of storage in the cabin, especially for only two people, so I don't need the pop up laundry or the mesh bags or the mesh bags. Never on 15 cruises used or needed the bungee cord. I carry a few plastic clothes pins to hang and dry a few things and I use the generic stuff in the shower to wash out my swimsuit. I use the wash and fold. I don't carry copies of my passport, credit cards or DL around. I scan them (back and front) and e-mail them to myself in case they get lost or stolen. I've found that Guest Services can provide anything you need and the other stuff is just stuff you have to pack and unpack and drag around in a suitcase. Just me, and I'm sure you'll hear many different opinions.

Edited November 8, 2013 by griffy116

[Folk Singer]

I had always :rolleyes: at the duct tape suggestion until we needed it.

 

We had a San Juan to San Francisco 14 night cruise booked. The airline destroyed one of our bags. It was old, and not particularly expensive, but we didn't want to replace it in San Juan.

 

We went to Walgreens and bought duct tape and repaired it. The suitcase wasn't pretty, but it made it onto the ship and lasted for the car ride home from SF. It went into the trash then.

 

We keep duct tape (a small, squished roll) in the suitcase now. :)

 

we will be bringing one (duct tape) with us now.

[chengkp75]

That sounds like a very plausible explanation due to the high resistance grounding. Now based on your explanation I can be electrocuted if I happen to touch the white (neutral) wire and the ship's metal structure. It takes less than 5 mA to kill someone. And I agree that surge devices may have leakage currents but those would be so tiny I don't see how they would be picked up unless there were hundreds of them plugged in. Whats the grounding resistance, a couple of hundred ohms?

 

Lets at least agree if the voltage transient is thousands of volts the surge protector will be toast.

 

Yes, you can get shocked from the neutral wire (unlike at home), just as you can from touching the black wire and ground at home. Each of the legs on ship (black and white) are now 60 volts above the ground, unlike at home where the black is 120v above the neutral and ground. Yes, it takes a few milliamps to electrocute you, but at high voltage. I've been nailed with 20amp 220v mistakes several times. I've even gotten across a 440v line one time, and that really lit my lights.

 

You are correct, if a surge protector has absorbed a lightning hit, you need to toss it out, but everyone keeps them.

[xxHadleyxx]

When I first started visiting this forum, I was carrying all kinds of items...alarm clock, power strip, duct tape, highlighters, post it notes, magnets, over-the-door hangers, bungee cords, laundry baskets, mesh bags, my own coffee and flavored creamer, laundry detergent..the list was endless. I now carry a plug in that converts one plug into 3 (no cord and small), OTC meds in travel size. If I need duct tape, I can go to Guest Services. I use zip lock bags for the clothes. They start off carrying the clean clothes and end up carrying the damp and dirty clothes. I use an ink pen to circle anything on the Compass. They have plenty of storage in the cabin, especially for only two people, so I don't need the pop up laundry or the mesh bags or the mesh bags. Never on 15 cruises used or needed the bungee cord. I carry a few plastic clothes pins to hang and dry a few things and I use the generic stuff in the shower to wash out my swimsuit. I use the wash and fold. I don't carry copies of my passport, credit cards or DL around. I scan them (back and front) and e-mail them to myself in case they get lost or stolen. I've found that Guest Services can provide anything you need and the other stuff is just stuff you have to pack and unpack and drag around in a suitcase. Just me, and I'm sure you'll hear many different opinions.

 

I'm pretty much with you. We happened to have duct tape on our recent cruise (which we did use on the bed) because DD was carrying it for Halloween costume repairs, but normally the only "just in case" item we carry is a handful of zip ties--lots of uses an they take almost no space and weigh very little and basic painkillers.

 

We've always had enough storage in the cabin without bringing show bags, etc. Wake up calls work so no need to bring a clock. I pack shoes in plastic bags and then put laundry in them as well for the return trip. Etc---we always wonder HOW people manage with so much extra stuff floating around their cabins--they probably wonder how we manage without all the items :D

[bythehex]

When I first started visiting this forum, I was carrying all kinds of items...alarm clock, power strip, duct tape, highlighters, post it notes, magnets, over-the-door hangers, bungee cords, laundry baskets, mesh bags, my own coffee and flavored creamer, laundry detergent..the list was endless. I now carry a plug in that converts one plug into 3 (no cord and small), OTC meds in travel size. If I need duct tape, I can go to Guest Services. I use zip lock bags for the clothes. They start off carrying the clean clothes and end up carrying the damp and dirty clothes. I use an ink pen to circle anything on the Compass. They have plenty of storage in the cabin, especially for only two people, so I don't need the pop up laundry or the mesh bags or the mesh bags. Never on 15 cruises used or needed the bungee cord. I carry a few plastic clothes pins to hang and dry a few things and I use the generic stuff in the shower to wash out my swimsuit. I use the wash and fold. I don't carry copies of my passport, credit cards or DL around. I scan them (back and front) and e-mail them to myself in case they get lost or stolen. I've found that Guest Services can provide anything you need and the other stuff is just stuff you have to pack and unpack and drag around in a suitcase. Just me, and I'm sure you'll hear many different opinions.

 

I wish there was a "Like" button because I would like this post!

 

We too have never found the need for duct tape, bungee cords, highlighters, etc, etc. We also bring some of the small plastic clothes pins for hanging things up, but all the other stuff is useless to us.

 

Our 15th cruise is next month and other than the small 3 outlet power strip (which I carry on in my camera bag with the video camera), I won't be bringing any of those extra items either.

 

By the way, when we're not using the power strip, we unplug it and put it in the drawer. We only plug it in when we're actually charging something. Less chance of anything happening, not that I believe it will. Better to be safer, though.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I've dramatically reduced what I carry, too. However, a few things are necessities in my mind - the duct tape and power strip (small one) we do use. The ripped suitcase sold me on that. I have found a very small roll at WalMart that worked well. The zip-lock plastic bags I use the same as the above poster. They carry clean clothes there and dirty back. Our luggage was left out in the rain on an airport tarmac during a storm (we saw it there) and my clothes in plastic were the only dry ones. DH had to have most of his relaundered. I carry a bunch of travel size OTC meds in a cosmetic bag along with band-aids, etc. Walgreens is NOT around the corner on a ship. Plus the ship doc is very pricey and going there for a visit due to case of indigestion from too much rich food can buy you a couple of days in quarantine until Noro Virus is ruled out!:( (Happened to a friend of mine. She knew she only had eaten too much rich food as she has a sensitive stomach). I also use a lay flat pop up hamper that lives in the outside pocket of my large suitcase all the time. It takes no extra room and is very handy for keeping the room tidy. We keep it in the closet on a cruise and then color sort the dirty clothes into the zip locks while packing. That helps save time once at home. Oh - and the post-it notes work great to communicate with our room steward or each other when we miss each other. A note on the mirror does the trick.

 

However, we no longer pack the kitchen sink and a whole lot more we used to bring. Baggage fees have reduced that. We have the clothes packing down to a science so we don't carry a lot extra and are prepared to pay for wash and fold when needed. Others are right. There is plenty of storage in the cabins for two people.

[m*u*g*]

In case you excursion taxi ride gets a flat.

 

[Folk Singer]

I've dramatically reduced what I carry, too. However, a few things are necessities in my mind - the duct tape and power strip (small one) we do use. The ripped suitcase sold me on that. I have found a very small roll at WalMart that worked well. The zip-lock plastic bags I use the same as the above poster. They carry clean clothes there and dirty back. Our luggage was left out in the rain on an airport tarmac during a storm (we saw it there) and my clothes in plastic were the only dry ones. DH had to have most of his relaundered. I carry a bunch of travel size OTC meds in a cosmetic bag along with band-aids, etc. Walgreens is NOT around the corner on a ship. Plus the ship doc is very pricey and going there for a visit due to case of indigestion from too much rich food can buy you a couple of days in quarantine until Noro Virus is ruled out!:( (Happened to a friend of mine. She knew she only had eaten too much rich food as she has a sensitive stomach). I also use a lay flat pop up hamper that lives in the outside pocket of my large suitcase all the time. It takes no extra room and is very handy for keeping the room tidy. We keep it in the closet on a cruise and then color sort the dirty clothes into the zip locks while packing. That helps save time once at home. Oh - and the post-it notes work great to communicate with our room steward or each other when we miss each other. A note on the mirror does the trick.

 

However, we no longer pack the kitchen sink and a whole lot more we used to bring. Baggage fees have reduced that. We have the clothes packing down to a science so we don't carry a lot extra and are prepared to pay for wash and fold when needed. Others are right. There is plenty of storage in the cabins for two people.

 

we still bring more than we actually use on the cruise. we do use the laundry service. but will bring some duct tape next time. never know:D

[griffy116]

Oh..we do carry the zip ties (along with nail clippers to cut through them). Ours are neon colors and this just keeps our luggage sitting in the hall from being unzipped and looked into without us knowing it. As for the zip lock bags, we use EVERY size they make, including the 2-1/2 to 3 gal. We pack almost all of our clothes in the zip locks. I wipe the drawers out with a anti-septic wipe and toss all of the zip lock bags in. When I head to the shower, it's easy to see and grab a couple of the ziplocks with my underwear and another with my shorts and t-shirt. I'm ready to head in quickly...then the dirty outfit goes into the zip lock and gets tossed into the suitcase under the bed. When the last day arrives, I have very little packing to do. I mark the dirty bags with an X and then i toss everything back in the suitcase. I don't have to spend my last day packing. An added plus: One year my daughter's luggage was chosen for a search. When they unzipped her luggage, one of her bras ended up dangling half off the conveyer belt. Since then, she has gone to my zip lock baggy method of packing. I forgot to mention that I carry a travel size of Downey Wrinkle Release. That is the greatest travel item EVER!

[knobcreek]

I've gotten better but bring some of the mentioned items, can't stand messes and find the pop up hamper is great, once it's full I put things into zip lock bags an put into stored luggage. Don't carry tape but have bright colored straps that were purchased in London after a piece of luggage was broken by airline. Little things aren't my problem......it's clothes and shoes, getting better but I love playing dress up....lol. Linda

Edited November 9, 2013 by knobcreek

[Folk Singer]

Oh..we do carry the zip ties (along with nail clippers to cut through them). Ours are neon colors and this just keeps our luggage sitting in the hall from being unzipped and looked into without us knowing it. As for the zip lock bags, we use EVERY size they make, including the 2-1/2 to 3 gal. We pack almost all of our clothes in the zip locks. I wipe the drawers out with a anti-septic wipe and toss all of the zip lock bags in. When I head to the shower, it's easy to see and grab a couple of the ziplocks with my underwear and another with my shorts and t-shirt. I'm ready to head in quickly...then the dirty outfit goes into the zip lock and gets tossed into the suitcase under the bed. When the last day arrives, I have very little packing to do. I mark the dirty bags with an X and then i toss everything back in the suitcase. I don't have to spend my last day packing. An added plus: One year my daughter's luggage was chosen for a search. When they unzipped her luggage, one of her bras ended up dangling half off the conveyer belt. Since then, she has gone to my zip lock baggy method of packing. I forgot to mention that I carry a travel size of Downey Wrinkle Release. That is the greatest travel item EVER!

 

 

downey wrinkle release. will have to see about that. good idea.

[3CatsInMA]

Duct tape is good for securing the lid on your crock pot when you hit rough seas.

 

:)

[sleepless]

Just a note. The Oasis and the Alllure have outlets near the bed. You have to move/lift the mattress to find it. It is near a corner, next to the wall.

[oneputt18]

I don't know what type of power strip but pamsannity just had one confiscated.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=40626310

 

 

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