Power Outlets

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, Javert1969 said:

By extension chord does this include even an adapter with a very short chord say 1 foot long?

 

Also by "ban", does this mean they are searching your luggage and confiscating them on boarding?  Or they just take them if they find them in your cabin?

 

If so why - I've not experienced this on any other cruise line?

If they see an extension cord or gun in your bag when they scan it at the port, the bag is confiscated. Bags with contraband are sent to the Naughty Room.  Around sailing time and your bag doesn't show up at your room, you go hunting for it. You wait in a [long] line and then security will search your bag with you for the contraband. It is confiscated. And you can pick it up once your disembark. 

 

 

[Javert1969]

6 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

If they see an extension cord or gun in your bag when they scan it at the port, the bag is confiscated. Bags with contraband are sent to the Naughty Room.  Around sailing time and your bag doesn't show up at your room, you go hunting for it. You wait in a [long] line and then security will search your bag with you for the contraband. It is confiscated. And you can pick it up once your disembark. 

 

 

 

Is this something that is unique to RC?  I have taken extension leads on many other cruises before with no issue.  I took one on an RC ship about 6 years ago.

 

Edit:  To clarify, I am not talking about a long lead that goes across the whole cabin - it is just effectively a very short lead that turns a socket into 4 sockets.

Edited April 20, 2023 by Javert1969

[Biker19]

Just now, Javert1969 said:

I have taken extension leads on many other cruises before with no issue.

Many probably have taken them on RCI as well, but policy prohibits them - the only question is whether yours will be caught/confiscated.

[The Scurvy Pirate]

1 hour ago, chengkp75 said:

However, the link you provided states the unit is surge protected, and should not be used on a ship, whether it is ever confiscated or not.

Is there an easy way to tell if it has a surge protector?  The one I got was an E-Polar pure sine wave converter.  It talks about "built-in multi-protection system provides overvoltage, under-voltage, over-current, short-circuit, overload, over-heating protection, and fire-proof UL94 V-0 material, which provides all-around protection for you and your devices" but doesn't say "surge protection".  If it had surge protection, it seems it would have been easier to say surge protection rather than the above (but maybe that is just marketing to use more words).  Anectdotally, there was one review that specifically said it doesn't have a surge protector as some of his electronics got fried...

[chengkp75]

15 minutes ago, The Scurvy Pirate said:

Is there an easy way to tell if it has a surge protector?  The one I got was an E-Polar pure sine wave converter.  It talks about "built-in multi-protection system provides overvoltage, under-voltage, over-current, short-circuit, overload, over-heating protection, and fire-proof UL94 V-0 material, which provides all-around protection for you and your devices" but doesn't say "surge protection".  If it had surge protection, it seems it would have been easier to say surge protection rather than the above (but maybe that is just marketing to use more words).  Anectdotally, there was one review that specifically said it doesn't have a surge protector as some of his electronics got fried...

If a device has surge protection, it should have, on the fine print engraved on the device, a "VPN" or voltage protection number, which is the voltage at which the surge protector activates, typically about 600v for consumer devices.  Surge protection does not protect your devices from everything, just high voltages.  So, it won't protect against "over current", you need separate protection for that (though "over current", "short-circuit", and "overload" all refer to the same protection, high current).  

[shof515]

2 hours ago, Javert1969 said:

 

Is this something that is unique to RC?  I have taken extension leads on many other cruises before with no issue.  I took one on an RC ship about 6 years ago.

 

same here. i have an extension cord that looks like kind of old fashion like these:

 

Surprised to see that is now a banned item on Royal cruises. I have taken it onboard many many cruises in the past on both Carnival and Norwegian 

[ONECRUISER]

6 minutes ago, shof515 said:

 

same here. i have an extension cord that looks like kind of old fashion like these:

 

Surprised to see that is now a banned item on Royal cruises. I have taken it onboard many many cruises in the past on both Carnival and Norwegian 

Will they catch them all, no. But Royal has been known to seize surge and non protected. Been doing that while now. 

[catlady66]

Out of curiosity, why are extension cords and especially "surge protected" outlets prohibited?  You'd think the surge protectors would be the preferred option if you were to bring one

[Javert1969]

I would hope that it's due to the perceived danger of fire caused by devices plugged in to the extension cable.

 

Otherwise I would question whether you should even be getting on the ship in the first place if their electrical system becomes unsafe when passengers plugs in an extension lead.

 

What's also not clear is whether they make any distinction between an device with a very short lead that's clearly just to add additional capacity, versus someone who has brought a 100 foot cable that they normally use to cut their lawn.

Edited April 20, 2023 by Javert1969

[brillohead]

3 hours ago, catlady66 said:

Out of curiosity, why are extension cords and especially "surge protected" outlets prohibited?  You'd think the surge protectors would be the preferred option if you were to bring one

Surge protection is a hazard on a ship because of the difference in the electrical system.  @chengkp75 has explained this at length in many other threads.  

I believe extension cords are prohibited mainly because of the risk that they aren't maintained properly (worn wiring, etc.) which would make them a fire hazard.

[Tree_skier]

13 hours ago, shof515 said:

for those that need a fan or cpap machine by the bed, what do you use? i doubt the ship provides a cord

 

13 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

They did for me.  Email special_needs@rccl.com

Or just fill in this form.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/resources/guest-special-needs

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, Javert1969 said:

Is this something that is unique to RC?  I have taken extension leads on many other cruises before with no issue.  

Extension cords are prohibited on RCCL ships. Along with guns, drugs, hazardous chemicals, and CBD products. Not allowed. What other cruise lines do is irrelevant. 

 

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

 

 

[chengkp75]

14 hours ago, catlady66 said:

Out of curiosity, why are extension cords and especially "surge protected" outlets prohibited?  You'd think the surge protectors would be the preferred option if you were to bring one

Surge protectors protect electronics on land from two main sources of voltage spikes:  lightning and failed transformers on the poles.  Neither of which happen on a ship.  The ship's grounding system allows lightning to strike the ship and pass harmlessly through the hull to the ocean, without interacting with the ship's electrical system in any way.  I've been on ships struck by lightning several times, and none of the electronics have been damaged, without any surge protection at all.  None of the ship's electronics are surge protected.  

 

The second type is a failed transformer, which reduces the 12,000 volts running through the main power line to the 220 volts used by your house.   When one of these transformers fails, you can get a 12,000 volt spike to your electronics, which a surge protector prevents.  On a ship, the 10,000 volts generated, is stepped down to 220/110 volts for the cabins in three steps:  10,000 to 480 volts, then 480 to 220 volts, and finally 220 to 110 volts.  Most surge protectors don't "activate" until the voltage spikes above 600 volts, so at least two of the transformers would have to fail at the same time to provide a high enough voltage spike to damage electronics.

 

Now, speaking of the ship's grounding system, this is different than land based systems, and the semi-conductors in the surge protector are not designed to see the types of voltages that they may see on a ship.  This can cause a perfectly working surge protector, due to an electrical issue somewhere else on the ship, to fail and catch fire.  Surge protectors are not needed on ships, and the simple consumer ones used on land are dangerous.

[cruiseguy1016]

On 4/20/2023 at 8:45 AM, Toddcan said:

Since cabins have a European plug - buy one of these and make use of that outlet 

 

 

Just know that this device is a power ADAPTER and not a power CONVERTER. It will allow you to plug into a 220V European outlet bit it will not convert the power from 220V to 110V. 

[luvintravel]

On 4/20/2023 at 7:33 AM, Biker19 said:

That's exactly what they do - just ask the cabin attendant.

Yes. We were on Symphony in September and the cabin attendant took care of it. 

[catlady66]

11 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Surge protectors protect electronics on land from two main sources of voltage spikes:  lightning and failed transformers on the poles.  Neither of which happen on a ship.  The ship's grounding system allows lightning to strike the ship and pass harmlessly through the hull to the ocean, without interacting with the ship's electrical system in any way.  I've been on ships struck by lightning several times, and none of the electronics have been damaged, without any surge protection at all.  None of the ship's electronics are surge protected.  

 

The second type is a failed transformer, which reduces the 12,000 volts running through the main power line to the 220 volts used by your house.   When one of these transformers fails, you can get a 12,000 volt spike to your electronics, which a surge protector prevents.  On a ship, the 10,000 volts generated, is stepped down to 220/110 volts for the cabins in three steps:  10,000 to 480 volts, then 480 to 220 volts, and finally 220 to 110 volts.  Most surge protectors don't "activate" until the voltage spikes above 600 volts, so at least two of the transformers would have to fail at the same time to provide a high enough voltage spike to damage electronics.

 

Now, speaking of the ship's grounding system, this is different than land based systems, and the semi-conductors in the surge protector are not designed to see the types of voltages that they may see on a ship.  This can cause a perfectly working surge protector, due to an electrical issue somewhere else on the ship, to fail and catch fire.  Surge protectors are not needed on ships, and the simple consumer ones used on land are dangerous.

Wow--thank you for the great and very thorough explanation! 

[steveru621]

9 hours ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

 

Just know that this device is a power ADAPTER and not a power CONVERTER. It will allow you to plug into a 220V European outlet bit it will not convert the power from 220V to 110V. 

 

Plus it has no ground.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078M32R41/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&th=1

That said, any charger or device that has a brick, normally will be OK.  Check the fine print on the brick.

 

I plug my CPAP, laptop, Kindle, and phone chargers (with brick) into this device on ships with no bedside outlet.

Edited April 21, 2023 by steveru621