What Can You Not Bring on a Cruise? 15 Things Not to Pack
If you’ve never been on a cruise ship, you may be surprised by what you can and can’t bring onboard for your vacation. You may have sailed several times, but find yourself unaware of the (long) list of prohibited items — some dovetail with those on planes and airports, but not all.
While some of the items on the list are obvious — I mean, you didn’t really think you could bring a hotplate or a power saw, right? — but others (such as a bluetooth speaker) may be surprising. Read on to find out exactly what you can’t bring on a cruise.
On This Page
- You Can’t Bring Firearms and Explosives on Your Cruise Ship
- You Can’t Have Weapons and Objects that Could Be Potential Weapons
- Drugs and Any Other Banned Substances Are Prohibited on Your Cruise Ship
- Beverages Are (Mostly) Not Allowed on a Cruise Ship
- Items that Are Fire Hazards Aren’t Allowed on Your Cruise
- Pets (Except Service Animals) Can’t Board with You on a Cruise
- Don’t Bring Fresh Flowers or Plants on Your Ship
- Flying or Remote-Controlled Devices Such as Drones Are Not Allowed on Cruises
- Boomboxes, Speakers, Radio and Satellite Equipment Are Prohibited on Cruise Ships
- Leave Your Hand and Power Tools at Home
- Some Sports Equipment Is Not Permitted by Cruise Lines
- This One Cruise Line Bans Door Decorations
- Perishable Food is Mostly a No-No
- One Cruise Line Specifies Curtains and Drapes are Not Permitted
- Surfboards and Other Lightweight Water Vessels Are Not to Be Brought Onboard
1. You Can’t Bring Firearms and Explosives on Your Cruise Ship
This is a no-brainer: you can’t bring anything that can harm yourself or others onboard a ship. But it’s also important to mention that even if the right to carry firearms is legal in the state where you are boarding the ship (and even if you have the required permits), you still cannot bring them onboard.
Firecrackers and fireworks are also not allowed to be brought onboard at any time, even though some ships include fireworks as part of their entertainment or if you are traveling on a cruise that goes over a holiday where fireworks are traditionally used for celebrations.
2. You Can’t Have Weapons and Objects that Could Be Potential Weapons
Just like at airports, sharp objects, knives, guns, ammunition, and weapons of any kind -- including replicas like toy guns -- are not allowed to be brought onboard the ship (but nail clippers and small scissors are fine).
Where cruise lines differ from airlines is in the “personal grooming” category, and many lines (including Royal Caribbean) allow shaving razors. Scissors — such as nail scissors, child safety scissors, and sewing scissors — are also allowed on Royal Caribbean ships as long as the blade itself is smaller than four inches.
Carnival allows recreational dive knives as long as they are held by the Guest Services Manager or Chief Security Officer and checked out by the owner for dives that take place during the sailing. Viking Ocean Cruises adds wallpaper knives and scalpels to the prohibited list of sharp items.
3. Drugs and Any Other Banned Substances Are Prohibited on Your Cruise Ship
Similar to firearms, even if a narcotic or substance (marijuana or cannabis products, for example) is declared legal in the embarkation state, it is still prohibited to bring it on the cruise. This includes products containing CBD oil, candies and edibles, even if prescribed by a physician as medication.
To detect illicit material, many port authorities employ K9 dog units that will sniff every piece of checked and carry-on luggage (and even every passenger) prior to embarkation. Carnival Cruise Line has even started using drug-sniffing dogs at ports of embarkation to combat cannabis and other illicit substances from being brought onboard.
Drugs are a serious security matter onboard ship, and you definitely don’t want to get on the wrong side of the law. Many countries, too, have strict laws that can land passengers in jail for attempting to bring drugs off the ship that can result in jail time or, in some places, even the death penalty.
4. Beverages Are (Mostly) Not Allowed on a Cruise Ship
Except on embarkation day where you are allowed to bring onboard a bottle of wine or Champagne on most lines, all other alcoholic beverages are not allowed. And don’t try to sneak them inside your checked bags or other containers such as water or mouthwash bottles.
All luggage going onboard the ship is screened, and any suspicious containers will be opened and removed if the rules are violated. Once the cruise is underway, any alcohol purchased at a port of call or onboard the ship’s shop will be stored by security, and guests can retrieve them on the last evening of the cruise.
Some cruise lines (such as Carnival) prohibit all plastic and glass bottled beverages because, again, when you’re onboard the ship they want you to buy your beverages from them. This list isn't limited to alcohol and includes water, soda, and other non-alcoholic drinks such as iced tea or mixers.
5. Items that Are Fire Hazards Aren’t Allowed on Your Cruise
Fire is the most dangerous hazard onboard a cruise ship, so it makes complete sense that you aren’t allowed to bring anything flammable, that makes an open flame, or has a heating element.
The list includes -- although certainly not limited to -- any flammable liquid or fuel (although disposable cigarette lighters are fine), candles, incense, coffee makers, kettles, hot plates, heating pads, electric blankets and clothes irons.
Not every cruise line has the same rules about curling irons and heat-generating hairstyling tools: some allow them if used with proper care and are unplugged when unattended, while others outright say no.
Hand-held clothes steamers and power bars are another gray area, as they can potentially overheat if left plugged in. If you want to bring these items onboard, it’s best to check with the cruise line you are sailing with for their rules.
Lastly, hoverboards are not allowed on cruise ships because of the potential fire hazard posed by lithium-ion batteries, due to their flammable nature. They could ignite if damaged, and ships also lack controlled charging options on board.
6. Pets (Except Service Animals) Can’t Board with You on a Cruise
Except for service animals, you aren’t allowed to bring pets onboard the ship. Cruise lines have specific definitions as to what qualifies as a service animal. The animal must perform tasks to aid the human -- for example, a seeing-eye dog -- who otherwise would not be able to function on their own. Although you can double-check with the cruise line you plan to sail with, emotional support animals of any kind typically do not qualify as a service animal.
One exception to the no-pets rule is Cunard Line, where guests can transport their cats and small dogs on any of the Queen Mary 2’s transatlantic sailings that depart from Southampton, Hamburg, or New York. Pets are accommodated in one of the ship’s 24 kennels (which needs to be pre-booked and paid for) and are looked after by a crew member. Pets must remain in the kennel area at all times and are not allowed to be in the guest’s cabin or any public areas, although guests can visit their pets during scheduled hours.
7. Don’t Bring Fresh Flowers or Plants on Your Ship
Thinking of brightening up your cabin by bringing a bouquet of flowers or a potted plant onboard? Think again because you won’t be allowed to do so, as these items may carry pollen/seeds or agricultural diseases that might inadvertently impact the ecosystems on the ship or in ports of call that you visit.
If you want flowers for yourself or give them as a gift to those cruising with you, order them from the cruise line’s Bon Voyage Gifts department, and they will be waiting in the cabin on embarkation day.
8. Flying or Remote-Controlled Devices Such as Drones Are Not Allowed on Cruises
With drones increasingly gaining in popularity, you may consider taking one onboard to record aerial footage of your cruise. Or you or your child might want to bring a remote-controlled vehicle or flying device to play with onboard. Neither is allowed, as drones interfere with the ship’s operations, not to mention they can intrude on people’s privacy, and any remote-controlled toys can be a safety hazard for other guests or have a chance of going overboard.
In addition, many places and ports around the world have outright banned the use of drones or have placed restrictions on their use to those who have approved permits or licenses. Unless you’re one of those folks, leave the drones grounded.
9. Boomboxes, Speakers, Radio and Satellite Equipment Are Prohibited on Cruise Ships
All speakers (including Bluetooth, portable, and wireless) and radios are prohibited for safety reasons, as public announcements must be heard by all guests and crew. Many lines say that cruisers boarding with these items will find them confiscated, held, and returned at the end of the sailing.
Carnival’s regulations also prohibit the following items: Satellite dishes, routers and other internet related equipment, emergency position indicating radio beacons (EPIRB), communication scanners, wideband receivers, satellite phones, transformers, lasers and laser pointers.
10. Leave Your Hand and Power Tools at Home
Seabourn, Princess and Holland America prohibit both hand and power tools, including hammers, drills, drill bits, crow bars, saws, power saws and chef/cooking knives/utensils. That also includes any tools greater than seven inches in length, such as screwdrivers, wrenches and pliers -- not that you will be needing these are your vacation.
11. Some Sports Equipment Is Not Permitted by Cruise Lines
Holland America, Seabourn, Princess, Viking, and Celebrity certain sports equipment, such as baseball bats, hockey sticks, cricket bats, lacrosse sticks, pool cues and ski poles. Carnival also prohibits footwear with wheels, such as Heelys shoes.
12. This One Cruise Line Bans Door Decorations
This one might be a shocker for some, since door decorations are celebrated and a fun part of getting your cruise vacation started, but did you know not all cruise lines favor door decorations?
While Royal Caribbean, Disney, and Carnival allow these, Norwegian prohibits all door decorations, including paper or magnetic ones, due to their potentially “flammable nature.” If you're considering taking door decorations on your next cruise, it's worth checking that your cruise line allows this, before your carefully curated selection of decor gets confiscated.
13. Perishable Food is Mostly a No-No
This list includes fresh fruit and vegetables, as well as meat and meat products, such as cured ham. It also includes all homemade food. Pre-packaged non-perishable snacks are generally allowed by all cruise lines (think potato chips and snack bars). If you have special dietary needs, or are traveling with a child who eats baby food, contact the cruise line in advance to discuss options and requirements.
Carnival’s policy notes that fish are prohibited and that “if fish are caught during an excursion, they must be shipped home.”
14. One Cruise Line Specifies Curtains and Drapes are Not Permitted
This more unusual item is prohibited by Carnival, with regulations prohibiting curtains, drapes or hanging room dividers. Some lines, such as Disney, have them already installed for guests who want to, say, read or watch TV after their kids go to sleep.
15. Surfboards and Other Lightweight Water Vessels Are Not to Be Brought Onboard
Carnival and Princess expressly prohibit surfboards, boats and canoes, as well as kiddie pools. (Fortunately, canoes and kayaks can be rented in many warm-weather ports.) Similarly, NCL prohibits scooters, Segways, and bicycles and Seabourn prohibits skateboards.
Some lines, such as expedition cruise lines, also carry kayaks, and many mainstream lines offer kayaking excursions.