Surprising prohibited cruise ship item Royal Caribbean passengers are banned from bringing on board

An item you might not expect is banned from cruise ship lines, including Royal Caribbean, over safety concerns.

Whether it's your first cruise or your hundredth, you want everything to go off without a hitch.

And one thing you definitely don’t want? Being that guest who grosses out the crew - as one woman who lives aboard a cruise ship revealed her biggest pet peeve.

You also don't want to get caught out with something prohibited in your suitcase.

Packing for any vacation can be a hassle, but with social media at our fingertips, travel hacks are easier than ever to find.

However, there's one you should probably steer clear of if you're due to board a cruise ship anytime soon.

Just like traveling via plane, there are certain luggage rules you need to follow when taking to the seas.

Some prohibited items are pretty obvious, like firearms, sharp objects and dangerous chemicals.

But if you're looking to maximize your plug socket space, then you're in for some bad news.

We've all been there; a shoe-box-sized room where the only plug socket is inexplicably positioned on the opposite side of the room from your bed.

And to make matters worse, there’s just one outlet for everyone. It's impracticable and simply unforgivable in this day and age.

That's why, over the years, people have come up with the genius idea of adding an extension lead to their packing list.

Multiple outlets in one convenient place, on-the-go? Life-changing.

But sadly - alongside hoverboards, HAM radios and alcohol - Royal Caribbean lists 'electrical extension cords, including power strips/surge protected strips,' among its prohibited items.

Cruise ship expert Tim (Cruisetipsandchat) took to TikTok to explain why the handy cords are banned on 'almost all' cruise lines.

Tim highlights that they can be a 'fire risk,' and how plugging multiple items into one outlet is 'more risky' than plugging in one single item.

But there's another unusual reason they're not allowed.

"They say the surge protected ones can also interfere with other electronics on the ship," Tim - who's spent a total of 110 nights at sea - adds.

He went on to explain a useful alternative to extension cords we should all know about.

"What is normally allowed though is USB multi-plugs, USB hubs - that kind of thing," he explained.

Tim added that 'lots of people' still take extension cords with them and he's 'never known' them to get confiscated.

Perhaps leave the extension cord at home - unless you want your cabin to be the one blamed for setting the ship ablaze.

Full list of items prohibited from Royal Caribbean cruises

• Firearms & Ammunition, including realistic replicas.
• Sharp Objects, including all knives and scissors. (Note: Personal grooming items such as safety razors are allowed. Scissors with blade length less than 4 inches are allowed.)
• Illegal Drugs & Substances
• CBD Oil / CBD Products
• Candles, Incense, Coffee Makers, Clothes Irons, Travel Steamers & Hot Plates. (Items that generate heat or produce an open flame. This includes heating pads, clothing irons, hotplates, candles, incense, and any other item that may create a fire hazard. NOTE: The only exception to this policy is curling irons and hair straighteners. Matches and normal lighteners are allowed onboard. However, "torch lighters" and novelty lighters that look like guns are not allowed onboard. Torch lighters emit a powerful concentrated flame, and therefore are prohibited.
• Hoverboards
• Martial Arts, Self Defense, and Sports Gear, including handcuffs, pepper spray, night sticks.
• Flammable Liquids and Explosives, including lighter fluid and fireworks.
• Hookahs & Water Hookah Pipes
• HAM Radios
• Electrical Extension Cords, including power strips/surge protected strips
• Dangerous Chemicals, including bleach and paint.
• Perishable Food & Meat Products
• Alcoholic Beverages (beer, seltzer or hard liquor) seized on embarkation day will not be returned.