Travel adapters

[Jojogingerwood]

I need help before I go totally crazy. I will be cruising on the MSC Divina on the 17th March sailing from Miami with hotel stays in Miami and NYC before and after. I'm a first time cruiser and need to buy a travel adapter with both USB-A and USB-C plus a type G socket for my CPAP machine I have spent the past few months, on and off, trying to track down one WITHOUT surge protection because that's what I need apparently. The last 3 days have been spent going round in circles reading reviews, trawling AMAZON and the Web in general, getting excited thinking I'd found one only to get right to the end and be confronted by the words Surge and Protected. 

 

Is there anyone out there in the real world who can actually tell me which one I should buy? I like the idea of the 'cube' type but I'm open to any suggestions right now. I've also been looking at pictures of the placement of the sockets/power outlets in various cabins and notice they seem to be quite low to the desk underneath. Most, if not all, the cubes I have looked at have the USB's at the bottom, is there enough room between the cube and desk to fit the cables in? My heads a shed right now and I seriously need some educated advice please. 

 

One other quick question, if I may, I've been trying to complete the Web check in but get thwarted every time when it gets to add credit card. It repeatedly comes up with a message saying its unable to continue. Thinking this was a particular credit card problem I tried another but still the same message. I asked my friend to try checking in and she had the same issue. Am I doing something wrong or is it simply not possible to check in online for the Divina? 

 

Okay, thanks for reading this far and if you can help please do otherwise I formally inform anyone who will be on the Divina's said sailing should they formally or informally come across a fully formed Crazy Lady, that said Crazy Lady will be me. 

Jo

[Essiesmom]

If you can bypass the credit card thing, do it.  On MSC, credit cards are registered at a kiosk onboard within the first two days.  
I have a couple of cubes that have outlets on four sides and usb ports on the top.  But all of the outlets are US style, and before usb-c became a thing.  One has changeable adapters so it can be plugged into EU sockets.  
 I find that the only item I travel with that needs a plug is my Surface Pro.  The other items use usb cords so I take multi plug cords for kindle, iPad, watch, iPhone.  Only the watch is new enough to require a usb-c plug.  Keep searching…. EM

[Turtles06]

OP: some suggestions:

 

There's a Cruising Technology forum here on CC, where it would be good for you also to ask you adapter questions:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/677-cruising-technology/

 

I would also ask those questions in the MSC forum, as you may find someone who can help with what works in those ships.  (I've never sailed on MSC, and have no idea where the outlets [receptacals] are or what they have -- American only?  American and European continent?)

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/49-msc-cruises/

 

And there's a UK Cruisers forum, where you might find folks who have already solved this problem.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/544-uk-cruisers/

 

Finally, a search for "UK to USA plug adapters" returns a number of results, including this from Amazon, which I don't believe mentions surge protection.  (It converts to a USA two-prong plug, so again you want to know what the outlets are on your ship)

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/544-uk-cruisers/

 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise!

 

 

 

[Jojogingerwood]

12 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

OP: some suggestions:

 

There's a Cruising Technology forum here on CC, where it would be good for you also to ask you adapter questions:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/677-cruising-technology/

 

I would also ask those questions in the MSC forum, as you may find someone who can help with what works in those ships.  (I've never sailed on MSC, and have no idea where the outlets [receptacals] are or what they have -- American only?  American and European continent?)

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/49-msc-cruises/

 

And there's a UK Cruisers forum, where you might find folks who have already solved this problem.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/544-uk-cruisers/

 

Finally, a search for "UK to USA plug adapters" returns a number of results, including this from Amazon, which I don't believe mentions surge protection.  (It converts to a USA two-prong plug, so again you want to know what the outlets are on your ship)

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/544-uk-cruisers/

 

Good luck and enjoy your cruise!

 

 

 

Thank you so much, I'll go check the links out. you can tell I'm a newbie can't you?Jo

[fruitmachine]

Don't try to get everything in one unit.

 

I'd buy:

1) A standard UK extension cable from the likes of Ikea, B&Q, Robert Dyas or a thousand other hardware stores: https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/koppla-4-way-socket-earthed-white-30412033/  There are no electronics in these, and from what others have written shouldn't be a problem.

2) A standard UK travel plug.  You can get ones that do multiple countries, but I'd keep it simple with a country specific one: https://www.argos.co.uk/browse/sports-and-leisure/bags-luggage-and-travel/travel-adaptors/c:30503/

 

And then take whatever existing charger/s you need.  They can plug into (1) above.

 

Also, if your CPAP machine has a removable mains cable (i.e. it plugs into a socket in the back of the machine), and you're worried about the distance from the mains to the bedside, then you could probably buy and take a longer version of that instead of the standard one, just plugging it into the standard travel plug mentioned above.  Even the strictest of checks is not going to eject the mains cable for your machine just because it is long.

[chengkp75]

To add to the above post, I would get two travel adapter plugs.  Use one for the extension cord for the CPAP as mentioned, on the 220v Schuko European outlet, and one in a 110v US outlet (or a 220v if another is available), to power a multi USB hub (one that has 4-6 USB ports), but doesn't have any power outlets).  Typically, a "pure" USB (whether A or C or combination) hub is acceptable to all cruise lines, as there are no power outlets, and hence no surge protection.

[Essiesmom]

This is what the outlets look like on Divina.

 

 

You can get plugs with dual USB-C connections, and you can get adapters for regular USB connections to USB-C.  These came from Amazon in a package of three.  

 

 

Lots of great stuff on Amazon.  EM

[Benthayer Gonbak]

On 1/12/2023 at 6:54 AM, Jojogingerwood said:

I need help before I go totally crazy. I will be cruising on the MSC Divina on the 17th March sailing from Miami with hotel stays in Miami and NYC before and after. I'm a first time cruiser and need to buy a travel adapter with both USB-A and USB-C plus a type G socket for my CPAP machine I have spent the past few months, on and off, trying to track down one WITHOUT surge protection because that's what I need apparently. The last 3 days have been spent going round in circles reading reviews, trawling AMAZON and the Web in general, getting excited thinking I'd found one only to get right to the end and be confronted by the words Surge and Protected. 

 

Is there anyone out there in the real world who can actually tell me which one I should buy? I like the idea of the 'cube' type but I'm open to any suggestions right now. I've also been looking at pictures of the placement of the sockets/power outlets in various cabins and notice they seem to be quite low to the desk underneath. Most, if not all, the cubes I have looked at have the USB's at the bottom, is there enough room between the cube and desk to fit the cables in? My heads a shed right now and I seriously need some educated advice please. 

 

One other quick question, if I may, I've been trying to complete the Web check in but get thwarted every time when it gets to add credit card. It repeatedly comes up with a message saying its unable to continue. Thinking this was a particular credit card problem I tried another but still the same message. I asked my friend to try checking in and she had the same issue. Am I doing something wrong or is it simply not possible to check in online for the Divina? 

 

Okay, thanks for reading this far and if you can help please do otherwise I formally inform anyone who will be on the Divina's said sailing should they formally or informally come across a fully formed Crazy Lady, that said Crazy Lady will be me. 

Jo

I have and adapter that takes 2 US plugs, because that’s what we have mostly,  I use one for the Cpap and the other for the charger for whatever device I’m charging.  That keeps them relatively small although there is nothing small about a European plug!   We also own a European power strip rated to include 220v.  Ours is short, but I believe they may exist with USB ports too.   Our power cord will take various plugs which on occasion been quite helpful.   We only have 2 devices that need 110 v exclusively, a shaver and an electric toothbrush, so we just use all the outlets available! 
 

i can tell you that we had to use the simpler European adapter on our last MSC as their extension cords are tripping hazards and barely reached one of the CPAPs.  We unplugged the lamp to use that outlet which was 220, of course.

 

i know you didn’t ask, but we had a real problem with the distilled water we were given, especially on our last MSC.  Our water chambers became quite cloudy and looked like it might have been salt!  With effort they wiped out.  Said another way, MSC is not bringing Distilled water in anything you’d recognize as being distilled water!  Yes, we’ve used tap water before, and bottled water, in a pinch but we’d never seen enough residue to be visually obvious!  Bottomline, take your own if you can! 

[Benthayer Gonbak]

On 1/12/2023 at 11:18 AM, Essiesmom said:

Lots of great stuff on Amazon

 

Yep, finding an extension cord for 220v was easy there.  I deliberately chose the European plug because it would be easiest to use precruise even as a pseudo adapter.  For what it is worth, I’ve never had that power strip questioned, never!