Power Strips Confiscated?

[Band1Mom]

I have always traveled with a power strip, mostly because there aren't enough outlets in the cabins to accommodate my needs. Hair Dryer, CPAP machine, laptop and other technology charging requirements.

 

I noticed on a recent thread someone had posted a picture of a table that had 4 or 5 power strips on a table awaiting pick up at the end of a cruise that were confiscated at the beginning of the cruise.

 

Does anyone have any definitive information on why this happened or does it happen on all ships. We will be sailing in July on the Radiance (and I've sailed her 3 times in the last 15 years and all three times have taken power strips).

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Edited March 21, 2016 by Band1Mom

[SonicShip]

I have always traveled with a power strip, mostly because there aren't enough outlets in the cabins to accommodate my needs. Hair Dryer, CPAP machine, laptop and other technology charging requirements.

 

I noticed on a recent thread someone had posted a picture of a table that had 4 or 5 power strips on a table awaiting pick up at the end of a cruise that were confiscated at the beginning of the cruise.

 

Does anyone have any definitive information on why this happened or does it happen on all ships. We will be sailing in July on the Radiance (and I've sailed her 3 times in the last 15 years and all three times have taken power strips).

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&faqId=2608&faqSubjectId=333

 

 

Onboard Policies

 

Q: What items are not allowed onboard the cruise ship?

 

A: Weapons, illegal drugs, and other items that could interfere with the safe operation of the ship or the safe and secure environment of our guests and crew are prohibited. The following are examples of items that guests are not allowed to bring onboard. These and other similar items will be confiscated upon being found. Alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, flammable liquids, explosives, and dangerous chemicals will not be returned..

 

Prohibited items:

Firearms & Ammunition, including realistic replicas.

Sharp Objects, including all knives and scissors. (Note: Personal grooming items such as safety razors are allowed. Scissors with blade length less than 4 inches are allowed.)

Illegal Drugs & Substances

Candles, Incense, Coffee Makers, Clothes Irons, Travel Steamers & Hot Plates. (Items that generate heat or produce an open flame. This includes heating pads, clothing irons, hotplates, candles, incense and any other item that may create a fire hazard. NOTE: The only exception to this policy are curling irons and hair straighteners. Matches and normal lighteners are allowed onboard. However "torch lighters" and novelty lighters that look like guns are not allowed onboard. Torch lighters emit a powerful concentrated flame, and therefore are prohibited.

Baseball Bats, Hockey Sticks, Cricket Bats, Bows & Arrows

Illegal Drugs

Skateboards & Surfboards

Aerial Drones

Martial Arts Gear

Self-Defense Gear, including handcuffs, pepper spray, night sticks.

Flammable Liquids and Explosives, including lighter fluid and fireworks.

Hookahs & Water Hookah Pipes.

HAM Radios

Electrical Extension Cords

Dangerous Chemicals, including bleach and paint.

Alcoholic Beverages (Note: Alcoholic beverages that are purchased in ports-of-call or from shops onboard will be stored by the ship and delivered to you on the last day of the sailing. Alcoholic beverages seized on embarkation day will not be returned.)

[Merion_Mom]

I have always traveled with a power strip, mostly because there aren't enough outlets in the cabins to accommodate my needs. Hair Dryer, CPAP machine, laptop and other technology charging requirements.

 

I noticed on a recent thread someone had posted a picture of a table that had 4 or 5 power strips on a table awaiting pick up at the end of a cruise that were confiscated at the beginning of the cruise.

 

Does anyone have any definitive information on why this happened or does it happen on all ships. We will be sailing in July on the Radiance (and I've sailed her 3 times in the last 15 years and all three times have taken power strips).

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

This seems to not bother RC:

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-SurgePlus-3-Outlet-Charger-Protector/dp/B00ATZJ5YS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1458590094&sr=8-3&keywords=belkin+surge+protectors

[Scotty G]

I have always traveled with a power strip, mostly because there aren't enough outlets in the cabins to accommodate my needs. Hair Dryer, CPAP machine, laptop and other technology charging requirements.

 

I carry an extension cord in my CPAP bag that is similar to this one. Never have been questioned.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Power-All-903250-Extension-Outlet/dp/B004MB2ZPG/ref=sr_1_44?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1458590402&sr=1-44&keywords=12%2F3+extension+cords

[Trekker954]

Maybe depends on the port. In Sydney port, before checking our luggage upon embarkation, staff was running around with certain things we needed to remove from our checked luggage. Power cord extensions was one of them. They were okay, just had to put them in our carry on. We were guilty of having one. :) They did take away our dive knife and couldn't have it back until after the cruise and the Great Barrier Reef dive.

[ace1zoe2]

This seems to not bother RC:

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-SurgePlus-3-Outlet-Charger-Protector/dp/B00ATZJ5YS/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1458590094&sr=8-3&keywords=belkin+surge+protectors

 

 

I have used this one as well on last 4 cruises without any problems

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[NurseDave]

This was just asked on another forum and the issue is the surge protectors built into many of these items, not just having extra outlets. Believe it or not, many of the USB multi outlet charges have surge protectors built in as well.

 

Here is a detailed explanation about the hazard of surge protectors on ships

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=48102515&postcount=10

Edited March 21, 2016 by NurseDave
fixed link

[tserface]

I think they don't mind ones that split the power, but don't have long cords. Perhaps it's a tripping thing or a fire hazard or something like that. We have a small 3 outlet one with a very short cord that folds into it and we've never had a problem. Of course, with a lot of the new ships they are really not needed any longer because there are more outlets.

 

I'd guess they will make an exception for medical equipment cords.

 

Tom

[springmac]

I sailed on the Brilliance March 12th, and ours was confiscated.

[dmlee1990]

How many outlets are there in a cabin? Do all cabins regardless of the size have the same number of outlets?

[Clarea]

How many outlets are there in a cabin? Do all cabins regardless of the size have the same number of outlets?

There are some differences between ships. Oasis class has more US outlets at the desk, plus an outlet near the bed. Don't know about Quantum class. Most other ships seem to have two US outlets and one Euro outlet near the desk.

[Kingofwylietx]

Here is a detailed explanation about the hazard of surge protectors on ships

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=48102515&postcount=10

 

Interesting.

[dmlee1990]

There are some differences between ships. Oasis class has more US outlets at the desk, plus an outlet near the bed. Don't know about Quantum class. Most other ships seem to have two US outlets and one Euro outlet near the desk.

 

Thank you, clarea! We'll be sailing the Anthem in September. Hopefully, there will be at least 2 outlets, if not one or two more in the cabin.

[tserface]

I've heard that on Anthem they even have USB plugs that work for lots of device charge cords.

 

I tried to use the picture, but it's huge. Here's a link to a review that had the picture.

 

http://www.shinyshiny.tv/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/DSCF6434.jpg

 

Tom

 

Thank you, clarea! We'll be sailing the Anthem in September. Hopefully, there will be at least 2 outlets, if not one or two more in the cabin.

Edited March 21, 2016 by tserface

[tserface]

Yeah, the splitter we have is not a surge protector. I guess we're taking some risk using it, but I figure it's pretty minimal on a cruise ship and no worse than plugging directly into the wall.

 

That was an interesting read. Thanks for the post.

 

Tom

 

This was just asked on another forum and the issue is the surge protectors built into many of these items, not just having extra outlets. Believe it or not, many of the USB multi outlet charges have surge protectors built in as well.

 

Here is a detailed explanation about the hazard of surge protectors on ships

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=48102515&postcount=10

[medic526]

I sailed on the Brilliance March 12th, and ours was confiscated.

I am sailing on Brilliance on 3/31 and now wonder how many outlets do they have in the staterooms?

[chengkp75]

This seems to not bother RC:

 

 

 

 

I have used this one as well on last 4 cruises without any problems

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

As I've posted on nearly every forum here, while the Belkin multi-USB port does in fact get past security quite often, I would recommend that they not be used onboard any ship. They have a surge protection circuit, and are consequently exactly what the cruise lines are looking to prohibit.

 

If you look at the entire thread that NurseDave has linked the one post from, you will see various reasons not to use surge protectors, and why they are not required. The USCG and NFPA have both recommended that consumer surge protectors, whether on power strips or multi-USB ports not be used as they can fail without warning and cause an explosion or fire.

[Band1Mom]

Ok, so FWIW, I don't use the ones with surge protectors. What I use are basically glorified extension cords. On the Radiance class ships, there are no power outlets by the bed and I ALWAYS travel with a 15 foot extension cord. I have a standard 15' extension cord packed with my CPAP equipment.

 

I have in the past traveled with a power strip (sans surge protection) without it being confiscated, so this was news to me. I realize that the last time I cruised was in November 2013, and it was another cruise line, but it wasn't taken from me. FYI - I sailed on the Oasis in November 2010 without anything being confiscated.

 

Guess I'll make sure that it's put in our carry on and see what happens.

[Merion_Mom]

As I've posted on nearly every forum here, while the Belkin multi-USB port does in fact get past security quite often, I would recommend that they not be used onboard any ship. They have a surge protection circuit, and are consequently exactly what the cruise lines are looking to prohibit.

 

If you look at the entire thread that NurseDave has linked the one post from, you will see various reasons not to use surge protectors, and why they are not required. The USCG and NFPA have both recommended that consumer surge protectors, whether on power strips or multi-USB ports not be used as they can fail without warning and cause an explosion or fire.

 

Oh, interesting. I did not buy mine for the "surge protection". I bought it for the three outlets and two USB plugs.

 

I also unplug it when I'm not using it. Is that better, chengkp?

Edited March 21, 2016 by Merion_Mom

[dmlee1990]

I've heard that on Anthem they even have USB plugs that work for lots of device charge cords.

 

I tried to use the picture, but it's huge. Here's a link to a review that had the picture.

 

http://www.shinyshiny.tv/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/DSCF6434.jpg

 

Tom

 

This is perfect! Thank you for the picture, tserface!

[chengkp75]

Oh, interesting. I did not buy mine for the "surge protection". I bought it for the three outlets and two USB plugs.

 

I also unplug it when I'm not using it. Is that better, chengkp?

 

It is better, that you would be there if it failed, but the problem is that the longer a surge protector is subjected to shipboard electrical system, the more likely it is to fail. There are very few multi-USB ports that don't have surge protection, and even within one manufacturer, it can vary. You really cannot depend on consumer websites like Amazon to give accurate information, and I've even found that manufacturer's websites don't always show this info. I've found that the Zilu 5 USB port product is without surge protection, directly from them, but that all other products in their line are.

[mrmapt]

Hi

I have power cords taken until the cruise is over and other times not. Depends on the ship and the security people. My last cruise I asked for one and the provided a power cord for us to use. They have them through house keeping.

 

I bought an adapter for the European outlets. I have used this all over the ship. Took care of the extra plug problem.

 

The best thing I found was a power outlet with USB adapters at teh Dollar store that worked great.

 

Have a great trip!

[minn0315]

I also have CPAP and always bring an extension cord. BUT, I do not bring it out until I go to sleep and I put in a drawer when first arising in the morning. Out of sight, out of mind.

 

I also use a power strip for portable electronics and do the same routine at night. The stateroom attendant never sees it so it is never noticed or taken away.

 

The simple solution to this is for RCI to add additional electrical outlets on a reasonable basis.

[joand452]

My husband's CPAP also uses distilled water in the humidifier, so we contact special_needs@rccl.com to request a gallon of distilled water and an extension cord. He does keep an extension cord (as well as a power strip) in his CPAP bag, which is carried on with him.

 

I had forgotten about the two USB ports on the vanity on Quantum class, so we should be all set.

[Merion_Mom]

My husband's CPAP also uses distilled water in the humidifier, so we contact special_needs@rccl.com to request a gallon of distilled water and an extension cord. He does keep an extension cord (as well as a power strip) in his CPAP bag, which is carried on with him.

 

I had forgotten about the two USB ports on the vanity on Quantum class, so we should be all set.

 

And there is another outlet with USB port next to the bed.