I'm a cruise ship worker

Release time：2024-05-21 18:32:02 Source：Culture Compass news portal

Many of us fantasise about hopping on a cruise somewhere tropical, but did you know there are several items that are officially banned on board?

Lucy Southerton, who runs the Cruising as Crew social media accounts recently uploaded a YouTube video outlining some of the prohibited items.

Some more obvious things may spring to mind but Lucy dived straight into some quirky things cannot bring on Royal Caribbean Cruises - one of the biggest providers, or bring with caution.

No-go items ranged from floaties to appliances, and she even used a horrific anecdote with one family's ashes to illustrate why these are rarely allowed aboard.

She outlined a total of five things that you may not think would be confiscated or subject to rigorous checking.

Floating devices 

Lucy Southerton, uploaded a video to her YouTube channel Cruising as Crew where she outlined a few strange things that could get confiscated while aboard a ship, if you don't follow the rules

Lucy said: 'Floating  devices, rubber ring, etc - the reason you can't bring lilos or rubber rings is because there's limited space in the pool.

'So if you have five people all on a lilo spread on a pool, no one else would be able to fit in the pool.

'It makes sense why you're not allowed to use them and bring them on board.

'However, you can bring your floatie on board and use them out in port - you're just not allowed to use them in pools on board the ship.

'And if you do like to use a lot a lilo, a rubber ring, a flamingo, I would bring it, just because you can save yourself some money. 

'The other day I was in CocoCay [in the Bahamas] and they have lilos you can use but they're $20 each! so if you have one at home you could just bring it with you.

'Or if you just want to pay the $20 to save yourself having to waste luggage space and the time it would take to blow it up then I'd understand'.

Appliances 

The cruise ship worker insisted that some of the things were okay to bring but with caveats and specific permission

While you're more than okay to bring your hair straighteners or curlers abord, you need to be more wary with other appliances, which may risk you a fine.

Lucy explained that this includes irons and steamers. 

She said: 'If you've been watching my videos for a while you'll know I tried to take a steamer on board one of my Virgin voyages and I thought I was being crafty. but it got confiscated'.

'No coffee machines, no huge smoothie makers or anything like that. No toasters - someone did try and bring a toaster on board once!'

'The reason being is these are a fire hazard and a fire on a cruise ship is the the thing that us members on a cruise ship are most afraid of. 

'It'd be pretty disastrous if we had a fire on board, and can you imagine if your toaster or iron caused that fire - it'd be pretty embarrassing. 

'Of course anything hair related is absolutely fine'. 

Drones 

The YouTuber is known for her popular videos discussing cruise life, and encouraging others to take the plunge and work on one

Another odd one - drones. Lucy insisted: 'You can bring a drone on board, you just cannot use it on board. 

'Of course it will be thoroughly checked just like everything else. You also cannot use it on any of the private destinations, but you will be able to use it in a generic port of call'.

So if you're docking in St Thomas for example, you can use your drone once you're outside. 

Walkie talkies/baby monitors 

Lucy, who is pictured all dolled up, revealed some of the things cruise passengers should never bring on board, or bring with caution

Although admitting she was clueless on the walkie talkie ban, Lucy understood why baby monitors were banned aboard.

'I honestly don't know why walkie talkies are not allowed, it must interfere with something. 

'It's just a bit weird if you left your baby in the cabin and the parents went down to one of the bars. 

'I also don't think either of these would work effectively on a cruise ship'.

Spreading ashes 

Some travellers may want to scatter ashes if visiting a place loved by a recently departed loved one - but the rules are stringent, Lucy revealed.

She said: 'Spreading ashes at sea is allowed but with restrictions. I always remember on a P&O ship a family came on to spread their dad's ashes and they were stood at the back of the ship and stupidly tipped the ashes out into the sea out of the urn. 

'The wind was blowing the wrong way so the ashes flew back onto the sundeck and covered everyone because as you can imagine there were loads of people sunbathing in their bikini with sun cream, so the ashes stuck to their bikini!'

She also explained that the urn must be thrown into the sea so it must be biodegradable so it's suitable to do so. 

'Upon boarding, you will have to provide a death certificate and a cremation certificate to guest services, and to schedule a time to spread the ashes, throw them into the ocean. So it is allowed but please don't spread the ashes like confetti!' 

Related articles