Duct tape and power strip?

[KyGolden08]

Yeah, we've only been on two cruises. First one got right thru, second got taken. Oh well...dems da breaks.

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Forums mobile app

[spookwife]

Sometimes in rough seas the drawers slide in and out! Duct tape is a simple solution!

 

Diane

 

I found that folded over ads for art auctions were just as useful...

[easy_123]

I keep seeing these two listed on packing lists. Why the need for duct tape? We travel a lot (first cruise though) and have never needed either item. Is there an outlet by the bed? If so I think that will suffice for me. Let me know if I'm missing the obvious.

 

What CAN'T you do with duct tape? You can always tape ducks together. Repair holes in the hull, it is water resistant after all! Help your neighbor in the cabin next door find peace and quiet.

 

Instead of taking a roll of it, I have wrapped several feet of the tape around a plastic card (an old frequent flyer card). This makes it a lot smaller and easier to pack.

 

When I took my first cruise in Sep, I marked my black suitcase with several "stripes" of it so that I can see it at a distance. This worked so well, that I have done this with my other bags as well.

[ERIE 13]

Instead of a power strip I bring a short extension cord a one of those 3 way adaptors. Works great for cameras, phone, etc. Leaves the other plug for my wife to use. This past cruise we had to plug the hair dryer in this spot. Usually the hair dryer is already pluged in when you open the drawer but this was not the case in the room we had.

[nomoreknothead]

I've use duct tape to hold the button on the hair dryer down, So my fingers doesn't go numb! :D

[marjosagb]

Save on luggage fees. Instead of packing formal wear, make your own from duct tape.

LOL

 

Also good for DIY excursions

 

[mjldvlks]

LOL

 

Also good for DIY excursions

 

Apparently not that good.

[JasonV1]

As others have said, don't be surprised if they take your power strip. Anything that draws a lot of power (like a hairdryer) or enables you to plug more things in than the cabin can "support" is subject to being confiscated until the end of the cruise.

 

Your results may vary from ship to ship, but having been to the room where this stuff is stored in Port Everglades I can tell you they are looking for power strips, hair dryers, candles (duh), and portable heaters.

[KeywestK]

I've use duct tape to hold the button on the hair dryer down, So my fingers doesn't go numb! :D

 

a rubber band work or a small piece of scotch tape works well;)

[Sunny AZ Girl]

We've never had a problem getting a power strip through. Perhaps this May will be different.:rolleyes:

 

Duct Tape - used it often. Broken zipper on a suitcase, DD's emergency hem repair, banging drawers and most recently to help secure our Banner on the balcony of our Allure cruise for sail away! We thought the ties on the banner would work, but there was no gap on the railings to put them through. So, duct tape and bungee cords that my DH uses with his luggage did the trick.:cool:

[Brandonclan]

I have never taken a power strip with me, but am taking one on the Oasis as

I have read that apparently the outlet is in a hard to reach spot in the cabin.

I am packing it in my carry on, so if they take it from me at check in, at least

I won't have to worry about my checked bag with my clothes in it hitting the

"naughty room". :eek:

 

I don't like having to go down there!! :(

 

Oasis outlets have been moved to the top corner of the desk area. No more reaching under for the outlet. There are 4 outlets available here. Nice that they listened, and corrected this issue.

Duct tape is one of those things that you hope to NOT use. Guarantee you'll need it if you don't bring it!

[readytolose]

I'm curious why you can't take a surge protector but you can bring the SurgePlus USB Swivel Charger that others have mentioned above? Seems like it would be the same thing.

 

I always take a surge protector and never had it taken but worry about my next cruise. I need more outlets!!

Edited November 8, 2013 by readytolose

[Robinola]

I like mine double sided.

Great for balancing that extra plate of cookies and brownies on your arm while walking to your table.

[chengkp75]

Most lines do not allow any type of appliance that has a heating element, other than hair curlers and dryers (if not provided in room), as the heating elements are a safety concern. (As is taping down the hair dryer button, it's designed this way for a reason)

 

The most common reason for a power strip to be confiscated is if it is in poor condition, or has an obvious surge suppressor. The extension cord with three plugs in one end is not really a good idea either. The power strip with a plastic or metal box on the end with 5-6 outlets and an on/off switch (circuit breaker) is best. The small Belkin surge suppressors mentioned above usually get by because they do not appear as a power strip in the baggage scanners.

 

Surge suppressors are not required aboard ships, and actually cause problems with the ship's electrical system. If several are plugged in in a group of cabins, this can cause an alarm in the engine room. Surge protectors only work when the voltage varies by several thousand volts (think lightning striking your house), so the small power variations experienced onboard ships does not trigger the surge protection circuit.

[KarinaGW]

I'm curious why you can't take a surge protector but you can bring the SurgePlus USB Swivel Charger that others have mentioned above? Seems like it would be the same thing.

 

I always take a surge protector and never had it taken but worry about my next cruise. I need more outlets!!

 

I cannot read the rccl mind, but!, having said that. You can go into a dollar store and buy a power strip made god knows where to god knows what if any standards. Aside from the quality control, the cable could easily be a tripping hazard in close quarters. Even in my own home, I have accidentally vacuumed over a power cable that had been there for *years* and exposed wiring. I can see not trying to spend a bunch of time trying to second-guess dozens, if not hundreds, of power strips.

[cruzin lady]

 

DH and I both use CPAP machines, and in order to use them RC furnishes

an extension cord, but both machines have to attach; thus, the heavy duty

power strip; since the extension cord goes across the room, the duct tape covers the cord to keep us from tripping over the cord.

 

Happy packing:)

[DiamondSuiteCruiser]

Sometimes in rough seas the drawers slide in and out! Duct tape is a simple solution!

 

Diane

 

Great idea Diane! I carry duct tape, but I never thought about using it for that.

[DiamondSuiteCruiser]

I've use duct tape to hold the button on the hair dryer down, So my fingers doesn't go numb! :D[/quote

 

Another great idea :eek: don't you just hate holding down that darn button to dry your hair?

[Coralc]

I had always :rolleyes: at the duct tape suggestion until we needed it.

 

We had a San Juan to San Francisco 14 night cruise booked. The airline destroyed one of our bags. It was old, and not particularly expensive, but we didn't want to replace it in San Juan.

 

We went to Walgreens and bought duct tape and repaired it. The suitcase wasn't pretty, but it made it onto the ship and lasted for the car ride home from SF. It went into the trash then.

 

We keep duct tape (a small, squished roll) in the suitcase now. :)

[cruzincurt]

 

Surge suppressors are not required aboard ships, and actually cause problems with the ship's electrical system. If several are plugged in in a group of cabins, this can cause an alarm in the engine room. Surge protectors only work when the voltage varies by several thousand volts (think lightning striking your house), so the small power variations experienced onboard ships does not trigger the surge protection circuit.

??? A good quality surge suppressor designed for a 120volt device is generally rated to start clipping the voltage transient at 300 volts. Cheaper ones at up to 600 volts are basically useless for the intended purpose of protecting the 120v device. I can think of no engineering reason why they would cause problems with the electrical system. The generator on a ship is massive in comparison to a 600 joule surge suppressor. If they don't work (conduct) until thousands of volts, then what possible effect would they have on the electrical system?

 

If they do cause an effect, then to me that means the voltage is jumping all over the place.

Edited November 8, 2013 by cruzincurt

[SPacificbound]

We did use the duct tape, I was thankful we had it.

[wah20]

??? A good quality surge suppressor designed for a 120volt device is generally rated to start clipping the voltage transient at 300 volts. Cheaper ones at up to 600 volts are basically useless for the intended purpose of protecting the 120v device. I can think of no engineering reason why they would cause problems with the electrical system. The generator on a ship is massive in comparison to a 600 joule surge suppressor. If they don't work (conduct) until thousands of volts, then what possible effect would they have on the electrical system?

 

If they do cause an effect, then to me that means the voltage is jumping all over the place.

This makes total sense to me.

[xxHadleyxx]

I haven't seen our most recent use for duct tape mentioned, so I will throw it out there :p

 

About half the time the beds do not clip together and STAY together when made into one larger bed. Usually we zip tie the inner legs together if we start to slide apart on that first night-but we forgot to pack the zip ties, so we secured them with duct tape. It was a bit more of a hassle to get on (and off--I would never leave that for the stateroom host to deal with!) but it held for all 12 nights.

 

Yes in both electrical formats (the room one that is...the outlet for the eRazor is over the bathroom mirror).. But, I'm pretty sure the dryer is hardwired, but I could be wrong...don't use it personally. My main impression is it taking up perfectly good drawer space.

 

LOL part of the unpacking process for us involves moving that onto the top of the closet with the llifevests so we can use that drawer.

[Keith1010]

Duct tape can be helpful if your luggage is damaged.

 

Keith

[chengkp75]

??? A good quality surge suppressor designed for a 120volt device is generally rated to start clipping the voltage transient at 300 volts. Cheaper ones at up to 600 volts are basically useless for the intended purpose of protecting the 120v device. I can think of no engineering reason why they would cause problems with the electrical system. The generator on a ship is massive in comparison to a 600 joule surge suppressor. If they don't work (conduct) until thousands of volts, then what possible effect would they have on the electrical system?

 

If they do cause an effect, then to me that means the voltage is jumping all over the place.

 

The problem comes with the difference between a shore side electrical system and shipboard. Shoreside power is designed with the neutral (white wire) and ground (green wire) at the same voltage (they are wired together in the breaker box in your home). Surge protectors have high resistance connections between the hot and neutral (black and white wires) to the ground (this is the zener diodes that divert the high voltage from the hot wires (going to your computer) to the ground, to keep this high voltage from the appliance.

 

Shipboard electrical systems have what is called a "floating" ground. The neutral wire is no longer at the same potential as the ground wire. The ship has a high resistance measuring circuit that checks for current flow between the black and white wires to the ground. Stray currents to the ground will cause electrolysis corrosion of the hull, and is therefore undesirable. If sufficient surge protectors are connected to the ship's electrical system, the cumulative high resistance (low current, even when not diverting high voltages) connections will trip the alarm, telling the engineers that some equipment is now "grounded" to the hull, and they will need to look for the problem. And if the surge protectors have diverted high voltages before, the zeners tend to break down, and will divert power at lower levels, and increase their leakage current, making the detected ship's ground more prevalent.