Do I need to buy a european adapter for my hotel room in Rome?

[firefly333]

I'm at the Albergo Santa Chiara Hotel central Rome

 

Someone else posted not to get extra euros at my bank at home. Wait and near the Spanish Steps are atm machines with better exchange rates.

 

Seems like so much to worry about.

[VMax1700]

No you don't need to buy European adapters..........unless you want to use an electrical appliance that does not have a European plug attached to it 😉

[CruiserBruce]

Just part of traveling....were you expecting Europe to do everything the same as the US?

[MeHeartCruising]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

I'm at the Albergo Santa Chiara Hotel central Rome

 

Someone else posted not to get extra euros at my bank at home. Wait and near the Spanish Steps are atm machines with better exchange rates.

 

Seems like so much to worry about.

Yes, Italian power outlets do not use USA plugs.  Hotels do not supply adapters.  You will need to supply one.

 

Yes, Getting Euros from your American bank before the trip will cost you more out of your pocket that getting cash from ATMs upon arrival in Europe.  I use an ATM upon arrival.  However $10-15 in bank fees may be worth it to you to have cash in hand upon arrival. 

Edited July 28 by MeHeartCruising

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, MeHeartCruising said:

Yes, Italian power outlets do not use USA plugs.  Hotels do not supply adapters.  You will need to supply one.

 

Yes, Getting Euros from your American bank before the trip will cost you more out of your pocket that getting cash from ATMs upon arrival in Europe.  I use an ATM upon arrival.  However $10-15 in bank fees may be worth it to you to have cash in hand upon arrival. 

Lol I guess then I'll have to find one on amazon before I go lol. Thank you. It would have been a mess if I coukdnt charge my tablet or phone.

[TouchstoneFeste]

9 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Lol I guess then I'll have to find one on amazon before I go lol. Thank you. It would have been a mess if I coukdnt charge my tablet or phone.

I would encourage you to spend a bit more and get a name brand one (such as Belkin orf Anker); a cheap one may ruin your day/vacation. There are many that can be adapted to multiple world standards, as referenced above. Also look at the labels on your devices to be sure they can handle European current (they'll be marked "120/240") or something similar.

[Hlitner]

We travel all over the world, and carry several different adaptors (including the standard 2 prong that works in most European countries).  They are simply in a large ziplock bag that also houses various charging cables, extension cord, and chargers.  Adaptors are inexpensive and do come in handy.  By the way, another use for the European adaptor is on cruise ships where it is common to have European receptacles in one's cabin.  When we have 1 or 2 US receptacles and 1 or 2 European, we are able to use them all :).  We do make sure that all of our electronics and appliances, with which we travel, work on dual voltage 120/240 so that we never need to have a bulky voltage converter.

 

Hank

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, Hlitner said:

We travel all over the world, and carry several different adaptors (including the standard 2 prong that works in most European countries).  They are simply in a large ziplock bag that also houses various charging cables, extension cord, and chargers.  Adaptors are inexpensive and do come in handy.  By the way, another use for the European adaptor is on cruise ships where it is common to have European receptacles in one's cabin.  When we have 1 or 2 US receptacles and 1 or 2 European, we are able to use them all :).  We do make sure that all of our electronics and appliances, with which we travel, work on dual voltage 120/240 so that we never need to have a bulky voltage converter.

 

Hank

Royal has been a pita on anything with cords. I've had a simple small extension cord with several places to plug into confiscated. I need to bring something royal wouldnt take,

 

Ok touchstonefeste I'll look for a name brand though I'm not sure what or where to look for what you say it should say. I am not very tech and just simply plug in my charge cords, I dont even do ubs charging. Just plug them into a outlet. First TA obviously, 2 legs and then 4 days in rome is beginning to feel overly complicated. 

[VMax1700]

@firefly333 there are a couple of things to consider.  First and most important is the voltage of the device you want to connect.  Europe runs at 220volts whereas America runs at 120volts.  Ensure the device is labeled for dual voltage, otherwise you will have a burn out if you plug it into the European electricity.

Secondly the 'adapter' is relatively simple and is just a method of plugging your two flat pins into the two round holes in the European system. No need for cables!

 

 

[firefly333]

28 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

@firefly333 there are a couple of things to consider.  First and most important is the voltage of the device you want to connect.  Europe runs at 220volts whereas America runs at 120volts.  Ensure the device is labeled for dual voltage, otherwise you will have a burn out if you plug it into the European electricity.

Secondly the 'adapter' is relatively simple and is just a method of plugging your two flat pins into the two round holes in the European system. No need for cables!

 

 

Ok I'll look for one that looks like that. Royal allows simple plug in things. 

 

I have a Samsung tablet and phone. Nothing unusual I will need to charge. Otherwise I cant take pictures. I'll save a screen shot of that one.

[VMax1700]

4 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Ok I'll look for one that looks like that. Royal allows simple plug in things. 

 

I have a Samsung tablet and phone. Nothing unusual I will need to charge. Otherwise I cant take pictures. I'll save a screen shot of that one.

As they use a USB cable to charge why not get something like this.  You could even pick it up in a shop when you arrive!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[firefly333]

1 minute ago, VMax1700 said:

As they use a USB cable to charge why not get something like this.  You could even pick it up in a shop when you arrive!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I said above I've never used a usb to charge. I guess you remove the plug in part of the charge cord? This TA is really pushing me! .. I'm guessing from looking at your picture. 

[VMax1700]

9 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

As I said above I've never used a usb to charge. I guess you remove the plug in part of the charge cord? This TA is really pushing me! .. I'm guessing from looking at your picture. 

With a Samsung tablet and phone then you are already using USB charging.  Is the cable (that you connect to the tablet or phone)  a separate piece of cabling that you plug the small end into your device and the large end into a plug?

Like this:

 

 

 

 and the bit that you plug into your electric socket like this?

 

 

 

 

 

Then all you need do is purchase the adapter shown in post #11 and use the cable that you already have.

 

 

[firefly333]

2 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

With a Samsung tablet and phone then you are already using USB charging.  Is the cable (that you connect to the tablet or phone)  a separate piece of cabling that you plug the small end into your device and the large end into a plug?

Like this:

 

 

 

 and the bit that you plug into your electric socket like this?

 

 

 

 

 

Then all you need do is purchase the adapter shown in post #11 and use the cable that you already have.

 

 

My phone and tablet chargers plugged into the end of a extension cord is all I've ever done. Minus the extension cord onboard a ship. I do see they come apart.

 

 

[VMax1700]

5 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

My phone and tablet chargers plugged into the end of a extension cord is all I've ever done. Minus the extension cord onboard a ship. I do see they come apart.

 

 

Those are usb chargers.  Just get an adapter and plug them into the adapter or get a EU type USB charger and just plug the cable into it.  You will be able to pick both of them up easily either at the airport when you arrive (more expensive) or close to the hotel where you stay.

 

[TouchstoneFeste]

4 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Royal has been a pita on anything with cords. I've had a simple small extension cord with several places to plug into confiscated. I need to bring something royal wouldnt take,

 

 

Cruise lines don't allow you to use extensions that have surge suppression (they interfere in some magical way with the ship's electronics) and for simplicity's sake they find it simpler to disallow any type, even without surge suppression. I've been assured by knowledgeable people that onboard electricity is conditioned in some way that makes surge suppression unnecessary. Knowing next to nothing about electronics, I find this sketchy, but them's the rules.

 

I hope they gave it back to you at the end of the trip.

[TouchstoneFeste]

I saw this brand, EPICKA, recommended by that knowledgeable person

https://www.amazon.com/EPICKA-Universal-Travel-Adapter-Power/dp/B078S3M2NX/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1

and it has served me well for a few years. The sliders make it adaptable to any socket; the slots in the top accept any plugs; and there are four USB-A sockets. I'm not certain if this model's USB sockets are fast-charging. You might consider this if your travel plans go beyond mainland "two-prong" Europe in the future. $20.

 

However, the recommendations you see in the posts above should be perfectly serviceable for your immediate needs.

[TouchstoneFeste]

3 hours ago, firefly333 said:

My phone and tablet chargers plugged into the end of a extension cord is all I've ever done. Minus the extension cord onboard a ship. I do see they come apart.

You have secretly been using USB charging the whole time!

 

Just disengage the cable from the plug that goes into the wall socket (extension cord, in your photo), and you can plug the cable directly into the adapter @VMax1700 recommended. The version he showed will only take one device at a time, but you should be able to find an adapter that will take two or more.

 

The good news: all USB power is the same, worldwide, and both of your devices ought to be dual voltage unless they're incredibly ancient. (Some adapters won't deliver the full power you'd need for fast charging, but the devices will still charge, just not as quickly.)

 

For reference: the larger, rectangular end of the cable is called USB Type A, and nearly all adapters (like the one shown in post #11) will provide the female end of this connection.

 

If you just use your own cables, you won't need to worry about this, but: The roundish connector at the other end of the cable that VMax1700 shows in posts #13 is a USB Type C, which is what your Samsung devices probably use. There's also a connector, USB Type B, which looks like a small, squashed rectangle; this is slowly being replaced by the USB-C.

[firefly333]

59 minutes ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

 

Cruise lines don't allow you to use extensions that have surge suppression (they interfere in some magical way with the ship's electronics) and for simplicity's sake they find it simpler to disallow any type, even without surge suppression. I've been assured by knowledgeable people that onboard electricity is conditioned in some way that makes surge suppression unnecessary. Knowing next to nothing about electronics, I find this sketchy, but them's the rules.

 

I hope they gave it back to you at the end of the trip.

The one pictured does not have surge protection. As I posted it was a simple extension clrd NOT a surge protection cord. The one they took was NOT a surge protector. It's the exact same kind as in the picture. Those are not surge protectors. I had it plugged into a electric lighted clock I liked on my dresser with a short cord. They unplugged from my clock. 

[euro cruiser]

Fire is the biggest danger on a ship, so they will confiscate anything that they deem at risk of causing a fire.

[TouchstoneFeste]

19 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

The one pictured does not have surge protection. As I posted it was a simple extension clrd NOT a surge protection cord. The one they took was NOT a surge protector. It's the exact same kind as in the picture. Those are not surge protectors. I had it plugged into a electric lighted clock I liked on my dresser with a short cord. They unplugged from my clock. 

As I said ... them's the rules. The line I usually take spells it out clearly on their What Not To Bring page: no extension cords of any kind.

[firefly333]

On 7/29/2024 at 2:58 PM, TouchstoneFeste said:

I saw this brand, EPICKA, recommended by that knowledgeable person

https://www.amazon.com/EPICKA-Universal-Travel-Adapter-Power/dp/B078S3M2NX/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1

and it has served me well for a few years. The sliders make it adaptable to any socket; the slots in the top accept any plugs; and there are four USB-A sockets. I'm not certain if this model's USB sockets are fast-charging. You might consider this if your travel plans go beyond mainland "two-prong" Europe in the future. $20.

 

However, the recommendations you see in the posts above should be perfectly serviceable for your immediate needs.

Ok I got this one. I admit I tried to search myself and what I found says is not a power converter. Still confused. So I bought the one in your link. Just to be safe.

 

https://www.amazon.com/European-Adapter-International-Charging-Essentials/dp/B0B3LZ5896/ref=sr_1_5?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.esYcEXiY1dnMd0yIRmDAgNJhcjTTenOmua5nLLKaOwkPrkBYAHPyY2NITaN26_zfh3W36ZTWssMxvDQn65z9MoaZ63YXHd1wrD8WgTLeVRQViLzdP5MSlbf37faSP_SLfq3_llnaB4QMpSOI0HfqSCCEDJN1jxgB1ikT17i67uUYX_0GBlDt4eDd1m1ViIgsKAH_BdG3NCobQNO9QsD5m6gqXOo62zxJBYOVCjZcRfWEl4_K43lKuny1hI3AOuaeo55OpmDKRSlxllWKu7OMPZ1SkyDC4FTxmoWeE4WIaME.rakXsHqZE9nV46G60HAMbav9yJZRYQPz4jdwDN9ca4o&dib_tag=se&keywords=european%2Bpower%2Badapter&qid=1722452985&sr=8-5&th=1

 

These dont convert power to says?

 

 

[TouchstoneFeste]

43 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Ok I got this one. I admit I tried to search myself and what I found says is not a power converter. Still confused. So I bought the one in your link. Just to be safe.

 

These dont convert power to says?

 

 

 

Without getting too technical:

 

A plug adapter (which is what you want and what you got) just changes the shape of the power plugs for you, so your American-shaped plug fits into European sockets. It's like adding an aerator to a faucet. Same amount of water comes out, but it's a different shape.

 

A power converter (which you didn't get and don't want) changes the amount of power that flows through it - like those green thingies inside modern faucets that reduce the amount of water that comes through the faucet. This is related to the "120/240 volts" issue we were talking about. Your devices are almost certainly dual voltage unless they're from the previous milennium, so you don't need or want power conversion.

 

Hope this made it clearer, not muddier.

 

All you should need to do when overseas is 1) move one of the sliders so that the two round prongs stick out, 2) plug that into the wall, then 3) plug your phone and tablet cables into the block and ...  you're charging. You can test #3 at home. No harm will come to your devices. If you have an additional item, like that clock, you can plug it into the top of the adapter as well (you'll have to look closely to find the right slots for an American plug).

 

[firefly333]

8 minutes ago, TouchstoneFeste said:

Without getting too technical:

 

A plug adapter (which is what you want and what you got) just changes the shape of the power plugs for you, so your American-shaped plug fits into European sockets. It's like adding an aerator to a faucet. Same amount of water comes out, but it's a different shape.

 

A power converter (which you didn't get and don't want) changes the amount of power that flows through it - like those green thingies inside modern faucets that reduce the amount of water that comes through the faucet. This is related to the "120/240 volts" issue we were talking about. Your devices are almost certainly dual voltage unless they're from the previous milennium, so you don't need or want power conversion.

 

Hope this made it clearer, not muddier.

 

All you should need to do when overseas is 1) move one of the sliders so that the two round prongs stick out, 2) plug that into the wall, then 3) plug your phone and tablet cables into the block and ...  you're charging. You can test #3 at home. No harm will come to your devices. If you have an additional item, like that clock, you can plug it into the top of the adapter as well (you'll have to look closely to find the right slots for an American plug).

 

I wouldnt have anything but a phone and tablet. And my tracfone only will work with wifi not to make calls. So I doubt I'll use it much. I'm used to my tablet. So just one thing. Crossing my fingers. I bought what was in the link. 

[muffydawg]

I read somewhere that a Type L adapter is necessary for Italy