The power strip is the single most confiscated item at cruise security, and it is on almost every packing list written before 2024.
Power: the rule that has actually changed
| Line | Position | The detail that matters |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | Extension cords, power strips and multi-plug outlets prohibited | Exception for USB and device chargers carrying a recognised US safety certification |
| Virgin Voyages | Extension cords and multi-plug power strips subject to inspection | Approval rests with the Ship’s Electrician — bring it in carry-on, and expect it to be looked at |
| Most other lines | Assume prohibited until their own page says otherwise | "Cruise-approved" on a product listing is a marketing phrase, not a cruise line’s decision |
This is the whole section in one idea. The problem is not surge protection, it is the extra sockets. Ship electrical systems are not domestic ones, and a strip that multiplies outlets is what security is looking for. The fix is not a cleverer strip — it is a single certified USB charger in one wall socket, plus long cables. Cabins are short of outlets; a two-metre cable solves that where an extension cord loses you the device.
"Cruise-approved" is a marketing phrase. No cruise line certifies third-party products, and a listing that says so is describing its own hopes. The only authority is your line's prohibited-items page for your sailing — and on Virgin, even a permitted-looking item is only "subject to inspection and approval by the Ship's Electrician", which is a decision made at the pier, not in advance.
What Virgin Voyages actually allows
Virgin publishes unusually specific numbers, which makes it the useful worked example. These were read at source on 6 September 2026:
| Item | Virgin Voyages policy |
|---|---|
| Wine | Two 750 mL bottles per cabin, carry-on only |
| Hard liquor, spirits, beer | Not permitted. Found in checked luggage, it is collected and returned at the end of the voyage |
| Non-alcoholic drinks | 12 sealed cans or cartons, each 12 oz or less, hand luggage only |
| Containers | Cans and paper cartons only — no glass, no plastic bottles |
| Drones | Not allowed aboard; confiscated pre-voyage and returned at the home port |
Two of those deserve emphasis. Alcohol in checked luggage is not simply refused — it is collected and returned at the end of the voyage, which means the bottle you packed is gone for the week rather than turned away at the door. And a twelve-pack of standard 12 oz cans fits the beverage cap exactly, while standard 16 oz cans do not: buy those onboard.
Drones: stricter than most people assume
"You cannot fly it from the ship" and "you cannot bring it at all" are different rules, and several lines apply the stricter one. Virgin does not allow drones aboard — they are confiscated before the voyage and returned when the ship reaches its home port. That covers a drone you only intended to use ashore.
Royal Caribbean's current position could not be confirmed for this article, and the source material flagged it as unverified too. Do not resolve that from a forum post: ask the line before the drone goes in the case.
Heat, flame, and the rest of the confiscation list
- Irons and garment steamers. Nearly universally prohibited. Ships have laundry services and most cabins have a hair dryer.
- Kettles, coffee makers, hot plates, toasters. Anything with a heating element.
- Candles and incense. Open flame, on a ship.
- Extension cords, power strips, multi-plug outlets. As above.
- Weapons, ammunition, illegal substances. Obviously, and enforced.
- Drones and remote-controlled aircraft, on several lines including Virgin.
Hair dryers, curling irons and straighteners are the common exception — permitted on most lines despite having heating elements, because they are handheld and briefly used. Check whether your cabin already provides a dryer before packing one.
The first-day carry-on
Checked bags may not reach your cabin for several hours after boarding. Pack the first afternoon in something you carry yourself:
- Documents and medications — never in a checked bag, ever.
- Phone, charger and power bank.
- Swimsuit and sunscreen, because the pool is open before your luggage arrives.
- One dinner outfit, in case the bags are slow.
- Valuables and anything irreplaceable.
- Accessibility and medical-device supplies, with their documentation.
- One comfortable outfit held back for disembarkation — luggage often leaves the cabin the night before, and you still have to walk off.
What this guide will not tell you
No passport-validity rule appears above. The often-quoted "six months beyond your sailing" is a convention, not a universal requirement, and the real answer depends on your nationality, your itinerary and each country you call at. The same goes for destination sunscreen-ingredient bans and for line-by-line dress codes: all three vary enough that a confident sentence here would be worth less than a two-minute check against your own line and ports.
Frequently asked
Can I bring a power strip on a cruise?
Assume no. Royal Caribbean prohibits extension cords, power strips and multi-plug outlets outright, allowing only USB and device chargers with a recognised US safety certification. Virgin Voyages treats them as subject to inspection and approval by the Ship’s Electrician, which is not the same as permission. Check your own line’s page.
What is the safest charging setup to pack?
A compact USB-A and USB-C charger that plugs directly into one wall outlet, with no surge protection, plus long cables and a power bank. Cabins have few outlets, and a longer cable solves that problem where an extension cord will get you stopped at security. Pack anything questionable in your carry-on.
Can I bring a drone on a Virgin Voyages cruise?
No, and not even for use ashore. Virgin does not allow drones aboard: they are confiscated before the voyage and returned when the ship reaches its home port. "You cannot fly it from the ship" and "you cannot bring it at all" are different rules, and Virgin applies the stricter one.
How much alcohol can I bring on Virgin Voyages?
Two 750 mL bottles of wine per cabin, in carry-on. Hard liquor, spirits and beer are not permitted, and any alcohol found in checked luggage is collected at embarkation and returned to you at the end of the voyage. Other lines set different allowances, so verify yours.
Can I bring energy drinks or soft drinks aboard Virgin Voyages?
Yes, within limits: 12 sealed cans or cartons per person, each 12 oz or smaller, in hand luggage only, with no glass or plastic bottles. A twelve-pack of standard 12 oz cans fits exactly. Standard 16 oz cans exceed the size cap, so buy those onboard instead.
What should go in my carry-on for embarkation day?
Documents, medications, phone and charger, a swimsuit, sunscreen, one dinner outfit, valuables, and any accessibility or medical-device supplies. Checked bags may not reach the cabin for several hours. Keep one comfortable outfit out for disembarkation morning too, since luggage often leaves the night before.
Do I still need to print a boarding pass?
Usually not. Most lines run check-in, boarding passes, schedules and the onboard account through an app. Download it, complete check-in and save your documents offline before you reach the terminal, where signal is frequently poor and the queue is not the place to discover it.
What we verified, and what we would not. Virgin's drone, extension-cord, wine, spirits and beverage rules, and Royal Caribbean's electrical prohibitions and USB exception, were all read at source on 6 September 2026. Not claimed: Royal Caribbean's current drone policy, any USB port count or AC pass-through allowance on a certified adapter, destination sunscreen bans, passport validity, and per-line dress codes. Prohibited-items lists change, and the decision at the pier belongs to the ship.
Sources
Off The Grid Getaways is an independent travel advisor affiliated with Nexion Travel Group. Prohibited-items lists, allowances, dress codes and accessibility procedures are set by the cruise lines and change without notice; the final decision on any item rests with the ship at embarkation. This article is general information as of 6 September 2026 and is not medical, legal or entry-requirements advice. Photographs by SHVETS production and Kaboompics via Pexels, used under the Pexels licence and resized only.
Not sure whether it will get through?
Send me the item and your sailing. I will check it against your line's current list and tell you plainly — and if it needs advance notice, like medical equipment, I will start that before it becomes a problem at the pier.
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