HAL Prohibited Items now includes multi-plug outlets

[VMax1700]

44 minutes ago, syesmar said:

Perhaps they should re-word these sentences to be abundantly clear, to something like the following:

 

“What items are prohibited on board Holland America Line cruises?  "Electrical devices with surge protectors such as small fans, multi plug box outlets/adaptors, power strips/extension cords."

But this is a split infinitive.  The 'such as' refers to 'Electrical devices' it does not refer to 'surge protectors such as small fans'.  They are ok if the electrical device does not have a surge protector.

 

So, it should say, "What items are prohibited on board Holland America Line cruises?"   "Electrical devices, such as small fans, multi plug box outlets/adaptors etc, which have surge protection.

note the comma after 'electrical devices' and the comma after 'etc'. 

[Mary229]

Just so we all understand why this topic came up here is the RCCL blog post yesterday about their new rules

 

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2024/09/19/royal-caribbean-bans-multi-plug-outlets

[POA1]

The takeaway here is that the headline is wrong. Reacting to the headlines, hackles go up and knickers twist.

 

The concensus is that we'd be happier if the prohibited items list read:

 

Electrical devices such as small fans with surge protectors, multi plug box outlets with surge protectors/adaptors with surge protectors, power strips with surge protectors /extension cords with surge protectors.

 

Because unless someone beats us over the head with surge protectors, it's not going to sink in.

 

[Tampa Girl]

31 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

We take some thing very similar on board & have had no problems ever 

 

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I recently bought something "cruise friendly" like this. I hope they let me use it on Eurodam this winter, because last time I was on that ship, the USB ports in the room were so loose that I couldn't get a good connection to charge my phone with them. 

 

 

But why would you take a chance of causing a fire if your device is a surge protector?  Would it not be wiser to just buy a non-surge protector device?

[3rdGenCunarder]

11 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

 

But why would you take a chance of causing a fire if your device is a surge protector?  Would it not be wiser to just buy a non-surge protector device?

 

That's the point of what I bought. It doesn't have a surge protector. But one version of HAL's policy seems to say that any multi-outlet device is banned. 

[Petronillus]

1 hour ago, POA1 said:

 

For example, if I wrote, "We enjoy traveling, dining and drinking with friends," you would not assume that we did did not like the first two things with friends, would you? (If you said, "Why yes, POA1 only likes to drink with friends. He prefers travel and eating alone." You would be misreading the sentence. Also, your elementary school teachers who tried to teach you grammar would be sad.)

 

Actually, if the silly one were striving for correct grammar, he/she would have said, "POA1 likes to drink only with friends."

How very subtle.

Query: Would the confusion be allayed with use of the Oxford comma? or compounded? "We enjoy traveling, dining, and drinking with friends." 

Years ago, the widow of an automotive titan bequeathed a very large sum of money to the City of Detroit that she directed be used for "a fountain in the park at the foot of Woodward Avenue." When the fountain was built the residuary heirs objected on the grounds that the fountain, while built in the park, was not built at the foot of Woodward. An English professor from the University of Michigan testified as an expert that the absence of a comma preceding the modifier "at the foot of Woodward" meant that it referred to the park and not to the fountain. 

The city won. The heirs lost.

[wombatKY]

I'm not sure I've ever seen a personal fan with a surge protector. 

 

I do have a personal fan that is powered by USB, but I would hesitate to bring it in the future until some cruisers have reported that their fans without surge protectors weren't confiscated.

[Hlitner]

On 9/19/2024 at 1:19 PM, Fubie said:

Yesterday I watched a video titled Royal Caribbean Just BANNED This On Their Ships by the MidShips YouTube channel and was surprised to find out that Royal Caribbean is now banning multi-outlet plug adapters.  I know I have looked at the HAL prohibited items list in the past but I decided to check now and see if any changes had been made.  I was disappointed but not surprised to find, almost at the bottom of the list:

 

Electrical devices such as small fans, multi plug box outlets/adaptors, power strips/extension cords with surge protectors.

 

Has anyone experienced these adapters being confiscated?  

Hmmm.  They ban "multi-plug box outlets."  But there is no ban on multi-plug round outlets!  Go figure.  

 

Hank

[Anastas617]

10 hours ago, MaxThrusters said:

I'm glad I read through that list, as I had thought about bringing a drone to take some aerial photos while ashore! That being said, am appalled that small fans are prohibited? I bought a small hand held/table-top USB powered fan recently. Why in the world would that be prohibited? Because of the battery? My laptop and camera have bigger batteries of the same type lol

I take a small USB fan with me and never had an issue, including my HAL cruise in August. I was surprised to see that on the list OP cited.

[Haljo1935]

The dealio is NO SURGE PROTECTORS.

 

I shall, once again, be taking (and using) a multi-plug rectangular outlet without surge protection when I board the Eurodam in 8 days.

 

I feel very confident it will not be confiscated (hence the "and using"), but will report back if it is. The report will likely be in my "Live From" unless I remember to come back here.

 

Riveting stuff...

[Hlitner]

8 hours ago, Haljo1935 said:

The dealio is NO SURGE PROTECTORS.

 

I shall, once again, be taking (and using) a multi-plug rectangular outlet without surge protection when I board the Eurodam in 8 days.

 

I feel very confident it will not be confiscated (hence the "and using"), but will report back if it is. The report will likely be in my "Live From" unless I remember to come back here.

 

Riveting stuff...

You think there might be an upcharge to bring that aboard?  Something like $20 a day plus 18%  LOL

[bejw]

Funny,  Holland America is telling me to bring an extension cord with me for my Cpap machine. 

[POA1]

6 minutes ago, bejw said:

Funny,  Holland America is telling me to bring an extension cord with me for my Cpap machine. 

You can request one at no charge a. Do it ahead of time and it will be in your room.

 

Edited September 21 by POA1

[Tampa Girl]

On 9/20/2024 at 11:01 AM, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

That's the point of what I bought. It doesn't have a surge protector. But one version of HAL's policy seems to say that any multi-outlet device is banned. 

 

That is my question, too.  Like you, I am careful to buy only the non-surge multi-outlet devices.  My guess is that the wording on HAL's site, is simply poorly worded.

[3rdGenCunarder]

35 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

That is my question, too.  Like you, I am careful to buy only the non-surge multi-outlet devices.  My guess is that the wording on HAL's site, is simply poorly worded.

 

I agree that it's probably confusing wording.

 

I may pack an ordinary hardware store extension cord. The charger for my camera battery is kind of large and clunky, and depending on the placement of outlets, it won't fit in the space around the outlet. I think it was Queen Victoria last year, when I had that problem because of a small ledge above the desk. The only place I could charge the battery was a low wall outlet in the library, so I had to plan my charging time around the library's hours. 

[Sharon in AZ]

On 9/19/2024 at 2:24 PM, Fouremco said:

Unfortunately, this is just the type of power strip that has a surge protector and presents a potential fire risk aboard a ship. It's important to read the details for any adapter, and the description provided by Amazon is very clear:

 

Power Strip with USB, SUPERDANNY Mini Surge Protector with 2 Wide-Spaced Outlets, 3 USB-A 1 USB-C, 5 Ft Extension Cord, Flat Plug, Compact Size Desktop Charging Station Travel, Home, Office, Black

 

and from the superdanny website:

 

 

• 【7-Fold Protection】Made of fire-resistant PC (1382℉) material, rating: UL94 V-0, the highest fire resistance level. To protect you and your valuable electronic devices, this power adaptor offers all-round protection: overload/short-circuit/ USB over-voltage/ USB over-current/ USB over-heat/surge protection.

 

Unfortunately, the fact that your power strip hasn't been confiscated does not mean that it ok to have aboard. Many such units look very similar, including ones that have no surge protection and are perfectly safe. You should replace it with a unit such as the following:

 

 

 

 

 

Well well, I guess I need to read the fine print!  Thank you for letting me know that this is a surge protector because I had no idea, I just thought it was an extension cord with usb ports. 

[beachbum6264]

We will be on the Volendam soon, I bought a power strip a few months ago similar to the one above with a description pretty close to that one, it says:

Flat Extension Cord, 5FT Flat Plug Power Strip with USB C, 6 Outlets 4 USB Port(2 USB C), No Surge Protector, Cruise Ship, Dorm Room Travel Essentials in the description on Amazon. I printed the Amazon  page out, cut out the part above and taped it on the back of the power strip. 

 

 

 

[highscar]

Please explain the difference between a surge protector cord and a no surge protector cord.   Also any damage one could do.   Thanks 

[Shmoo here]

47 minutes ago, highscar said:

Please explain the difference between a surge protector cord and a no surge protector cord.   Also any damage one could do.   Thanks 

This might be helpful (post #32):

 

Edited September 21 by Shmoo here

[highscar]

@shm. Thanks but that doesn’t answer my question.    I’m ignorant on the subject be willing to learn.   

[Fouremco]

1 hour ago, highscar said:

@shm. Thanks but that doesn’t answer my question.    I’m ignorant on the subject be willing to learn.   

This issue has been discussed many, many times, and @chengkp75 has posted detailed information on many different CC forums. Hopefully he will address any further questions that you might have.

 

In the meantime, here is the answer provided by Perplexity (AI) to the question "What are the risks of using non-marine surge protectors on ships?"

 

Based on the search results, there are several key risks associated with using non-marine surge protectors on ships:

1.  

• Fire hazard: Non-marine surge protectors can overheat and potentially catch fire when used with shipboard electrical systems. This is due to differences in how ship power is configured compared to land-based systems.
• Ineffective protection: Standard surge protectors are designed for land-based power with consistent voltage. They may not function properly or provide adequate protection with the "dirty power" and voltage fluctuations common on ships.
• Electrical system incompatibility: Ships use an ungrounded electrical system where both "live" and "neutral" wires carry current, unlike home systems. Standard surge protectors only interrupt one conductor, which can create dangerous imbalances.
• Potential for shorting: If a standard surge protector trips, it may only secure one power conductor while the other continues providing power, possibly shorting to the device's ground wire and the ship's structure.
• Interference with ship systems: Surge protectors can create small leakage currents that may cause false indications on ships' electrical monitoring equipment.
• Regulatory non-compliance: Maritime regulations often require electrical devices used on ships to be specifically approved for marine use. Standard consumer surge protectors don't meet these requirements.
• Accelerated degradation of electronics: The fluctuating "dirty power" on ships can degrade consumer electronics faster than land-based power, and standard surge protectors are not designed to handle this.

 

Due to these risks, maritime authorities like the U.S. Coast Guard strongly advise against using non-marine surge protectors on vessels and recommend using only marine-grade electrical protection devices that are compatible with shipboard electrical systems.

 

 

[cccole]

Ask your cabin attendant(s) for whatever you need.  They are amazing.  However, just an extension cord was not a problem for us.  I actually would be pissed if someone thought they knew more than the ship's personnel and brought devices on board and caused a problem.  It is so easy to get what you need from the ship.   JMO.  Cherie. 

[highscar]

@Fouremco  thank you.  Perfectly understand now.  

[hrhdhd]

On 9/20/2024 at 10:25 AM, VMax1700 said:

But this is a split infinitive.  The 'such as' refers to 'Electrical devices' it does not refer to 'surge protectors such as small fans'.  They are ok if the electrical device does not have a surge protector.

 

So, it should say, "What items are prohibited on board Holland America Line cruises?"   "Electrical devices, such as small fans, multi plug box outlets/adaptors etc, which have surge protection.

note the comma after 'electrical devices' and the comma after 'etc'. 

This isn't a split infinitive. That's something like "To boldly go where no man has gone before."

 

Meanwhile, "electrical devices with surge protectors" is perfectly worded. The kind of devices is described by the prepositional phrase, then examples are provided just in case.