My power strip was taken at check in :-(

[Noomi]

Our power strip was confiscated on the 9/26 Majesty sailing. I apologized and told the crew member I didn't know or I wouldn't have brought it (we've had no issues on the previous 11 or so RCI cruises we've taken). He said it was a fairly new fleetwide rule because they've had issues with overloaded outlets causing fires on other ships.

 

Fine by me if they ban them. I'd rather deal with a dead phone battery than a fire.

 

That would be an interesting thread...what's the craziest thing anyone has seen?:D

 

When I was picking up my power strip at the end of the cruise, the staff member handed me a paper that had a spreadsheet-type list of the things that had been confiscated, stateroom numbers, etc, so I could sign for it. I scanned it, saw handcuffs were on the list, and sort of chuckled about it. She held up a ziplock bag and said, "We took five sets of handcuffs just on this sailing, these are fur lined."

 

Rock on, passengers. Have fun! :)

[aliciajayn]

glad i saw this post. i have sailed on carnival exclusively for the last few years and am going on royal for the first time since i was diagnosed with sleep apnea in a few months. i have always brought a power strip/extension cord on board to be able to extend the cpap cord to the desk, but this prompted me to check out royal's site to see how to handle that on my upcoming trip.

 

for anyone else with a cpap, you can go to the special needs page on rccl's site where there's an option for "bringing cpap on board." if you click that and submit the form, it states that they will provide you with distilled water and an extension cord, which is great!

[tonyjeto]

I bought a 10 port USB charger from Amazon.com. It's tiny and can charge multiple ipads (up to 10, obviously) phones without issues. I now use it at home, all you need is a charging cable for each device. That's assuming that's all you need the extra outlets for.

[stonepebble]

Oh My!!

 

So question...

 

Is it the surge protection that's the problem? My husband just found one online that has 3 USB ports & 3 plugs. It does not have surge protection.

 

We've been bringing a power strip for years (and never had it confiscated)...it never got hot. That being said, if it's not safe I certainly don't want to bring it.

 

Chris

[Clarea]

Oh My!!

 

So question...

 

Is it the surge protection that's the problem? My husband just found one online that has 3 USB ports & 3 plugs. It does not have surge protection.

 

We've been bringing a power strip for years (and never had it confiscated)...it never got hot. That being said, if it's not safe I certainly don't want to bring it.

 

Chris

Yes, it's the surge protection that is the problem. The ship's electrical system is not compatible with regular "land" type surge protectors.

[stonepebble]

Thanks Bob,

 

We checked and the power strip we have used clearly says it has surge protection on it.

 

Obviously this new item would not, but I'm not sure the staff would understand that....

 

What do you think?

 

Chris

[alfaeric]

Regardless of how many times you have taken this onboard and used it, or how many times you have gotten it past security, this is a ticking time bomb. The more times it is exposed to ship board power, the more likely it is to fail catastrophically. It can work perfectly well right up to the moment when a ground fault elsewhere on the ship causes the surge protector to fail and catch fire.

 

Can you clarify that? You now have me worried- we use a plug that just has 4 USB outlets to charge our stuff at low levels. One of these- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EI8SS4U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

(an Anker 36W USB wall charger if the link doesn't work)

 

Works between 100-240V, so it's perfect to travel with (I thought).

 

Is it that which is the issue, or the surge protector part of the Belikin outlet?

 

Thanks.

[CRUISEFAN0001]

Can you clarify that? You now have me worried- we use a plug that just has 4 USB outlets to charge our stuff at low levels. One of these- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EI8SS4U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

(an Anker 36W USB wall charger if the link doesn't work)

 

Works between 100-240V, so it's perfect to travel with (I thought).

 

Is it that which is the issue, or the surge protector part of the Belikin outlet?

 

Thanks.

 

Bob answered this question a couple of posts back:

 

Yes, it's the surge protection that is the problem. The ship's electrical system is not compatible with regular "land" type surge protectors.

[champagne123]

Oh My!!

 

So question...

 

Is it the surge protection that's the problem? My husband just found one online that has 3 USB ports & 3 plugs. It does not have surge protection.

 

We've been bringing a power strip for years (and never had it confiscated)...it never got hot. That being said, if it's not safe I certainly don't want to bring it.

 

Chris

 

http://www.RoyalCaribbean.com/SpecialNeedsForm

As your above poster suggested, just get in touch with special needs. :)

[alfaeric]

Bob answered this question a couple of posts back:

 

What's confusing is that many of the surge protectors are digital in nature- so do they have the same fire risks as the strip protectors that we've been using for decades on land?

 

Plus- the very low power usage of the USB only chargers- do those still have a risk?

[Clarea]

What's confusing is that many of the surge protectors are digital in nature- so do they have the same fire risks as the strip protectors that we've been using for decades on land?

 

Plus- the very low power usage of the USB only chargers- do those still have a risk?

Any surge protectors than shunt overvoltage spikes to ground are susceptible because the ship has a floating ground.

[chengkp75]

Can you clarify that? You now have me worried- we use a plug that just has 4 USB outlets to charge our stuff at low levels. One of these- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EI8SS4U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

(an Anker 36W USB wall charger if the link doesn't work)

 

Works between 100-240V, so it's perfect to travel with (I thought).

 

Is it that which is the issue, or the surge protector part of the Belikin outlet?

 

Thanks.

 

What's confusing is that many of the surge protectors are digital in nature- so do they have the same fire risks as the strip protectors that we've been using for decades on land?

 

Plus- the very low power usage of the USB only chargers- do those still have a risk?

 

I've done some research into the multi-port USB hubs, and despite many manufacturers' claims that their products are surge protected, they generally are not. Many use the term "voltage protection", which is not the same thing. If the multi-USB unit does not have a three prong plug, then it is not surge protected. Nearly every multi-USB that combines with power outlets will be surge protected, and have a three prong plug.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by surge protectors being "digital in nature", except that they protect electronics? Regardless of the power output, whether a 120v 15 amp power outlet, or a 5v 1 amp USB outlet, the surge protection is the same, since it deals with the input line voltage and it's attendant voltage spikes, and must dump that high voltage (like a lightning strike of several tens of thousands of volts) to ground. They all use the same semi-conductors (MOV's), which present the same hazard when installed in a floating ground electrical system as is found on ships.

[alfaeric]

I've done some research into the multi-port USB hubs, and despite many manufacturers' claims that their products are surge protected, they generally are not. Many use the term "voltage protection", which is not the same thing. If the multi-USB unit does not have a three prong plug, then it is not surge protected. Nearly every multi-USB that combines with power outlets will be surge protected, and have a three prong plug.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by surge protectors being "digital in nature", except that they protect electronics? Regardless of the power output, whether a 120v 15 amp power outlet, or a 5v 1 amp USB outlet, the surge protection is the same, since it deals with the input line voltage and it's attendant voltage spikes, and must dump that high voltage (like a lightning strike of several tens of thousands of volts) to ground. They all use the same semi-conductors (MOV's), which present the same hazard when installed in a floating ground electrical system as is found on ships.

 

I may be technical, but not electrical technical- so I barely know of what I speak/ask.

 

The USB charging port does not have a ground plug- it's just the two plug style- so it sounds as if it's not surge protection but just voltage protection.

 

And since there is no ground- does that mean the floating ground isn't an issue for outlets like the one I use? Seems like they would be safe as long as there's 100-240V AC operating 50-60hz between the two plugs.

[stonepebble]

And as I asked...(our situation is not for special needs)

 

My husband found something on Amazon that has 3 USB & 3 plugs (there's a model with 2 plugs as well) and is not surge protected.

 

Would that work and do you think staff would know the difference?

 

Thanks,

Chris

[jules815]

It's the new Samsung 7 Note. It catches on fire spontaneously. There's a worldwide recall on it and they have stopped selling it. Was just on American Airline flights and its now part if the take off talk that is has to be fully powered off and not in airplane mode. It's banned from use by Carnival Corp, Royal Caribbean Corp and some others.

 

Yes, definitely the Note 7. I have a Note 5, and was in a bit of a panic the other day whether or not I'd have to get a new phone before our next trip.

[chengkp75]

Oh My!!

 

So question...

 

Is it the surge protection that's the problem? My husband just found one online that has 3 USB ports & 3 plugs. It does not have surge protection.

 

We've been bringing a power strip for years (and never had it confiscated)...it never got hot. That being said, if it's not safe I certainly don't want to bring it.

 

Chris

 

Thanks Bob,

 

We checked and the power strip we have used clearly says it has surge protection on it.

 

Obviously this new item would not, but I'm not sure the staff would understand that....

 

What do you think?

 

Chris

 

Heat in an electrical appliance or power strip is indicative of excess current. A surge protector is designed to shunt excessive voltage away from the appliance, and a surge protector can fail onboard ship with no prior warning, and go into "thermal runaway" causing the unit to melt and catch fire at relatively low currents.

 

I would be surprised if a combination power outlet and USB outlet was not surge protected. There are a couple out there, but you need to be very careful, and you can't rely on consumer sites like Amazon as to whether a unit is protected or not. Even some manufacturer's sites are misleading, so read the packaging or included documentation closely.

[poncho1973]

I've done some research into the multi-port USB hubs, and despite many manufacturers' claims that their products are surge protected, they generally are not. Many use the term "voltage protection", which is not the same thing. If the multi-USB unit does not have a three prong plug, then it is not surge protected. Nearly every multi-USB that combines with power outlets will be surge protected, and have a three prong plug.

 

I know you can't speak for what they will/won't confiscate, but are you actually saying that if it has 2 prongs on the cord, we SHOULD be to go?

 

My multi-USB is like you describe, it has 2 prongs and says "Voltage protection" in the description, not surge.

[Clarea]

I know you can't speak for what they will/won't confiscate, but are you actually saying that if it has 2 prongs on the cord, we SHOULD be to go?...

Correct, with 2 prongs there is no fire hazard.

[stonepebble]

Thanks again...at least if we bring one of those I can honestly explain that it is safe!

 

Chris

[chengkp75]

I know you can't speak for what they will/won't confiscate, but are you actually saying that if it has 2 prongs on the cord, we SHOULD be to go?

 

My multi-USB is like you describe, it has 2 prongs and says "Voltage protection" in the description, not surge.

 

Voltage protection turns off the power when the voltage gets too high, while a surge protector shunts high voltages from power to ground.

[bazil501]

Correct, with 2 prongs there is no fire hazard.

 

Hang on, from reading the thread it sounds like the new policy is to ban power strips even with no surge protection due to the fire hazard of an overloaded outlet.

 

If that's the case, even a 2-prong device would be against their rules. Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like they are worried about the heat generated from excessive current draw (from multiple high draw devices) causing fires (Shouldn't their breaker trip before this happens though?).

Edited October 4, 2016 by bazil501

[Clarea]

Hang on, from reading the thread it sounds like the new policy is to ban power strips even with no surge protection due to the fire hazard of an overloaded outlet.

 

If that's the case, even a 2-prong device would be against their rules. Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like they are worried about the heat generated from excessive current draw (from multiple high draw devices) causing fires (Shouldn't their breaker trip before this happens though?).

I was only answering a question with regard to a fire hazard due to using a conventional surge protector with the ship's floating ground. I've no idea if the ship even cares if a device has 2 or 3 prongs when they decide to confiscate it.

[chengkp75]

Hang on, from reading the thread it sounds like the new policy is to ban power strips even with no surge protection due to the fire hazard of an overloaded outlet.

 

If that's the case, even a 2-prong device would be against their rules. Correct me if I'm wrong but it sounds like they are worried about the heat generated from excessive current draw (from multiple high draw devices) causing fires (Shouldn't their breaker trip before this happens though?).

 

The cruise lines and their insurance companies are concerned with the surge protectors. However, it is easier to flat out ban power strips and extension cords rather than train their security staff to recognize whether an item is surge protected or not.

 

There is very little that you could use in a ship's cabin that would overload the common extension cord. You would need to run a couple of 1800 watt hair dryers on the same extension cord for an hour or so to really overheat the extension cord or outlet.

 

And yes, generally, the circuits in the cabins cover 2-3 cabins on a single 20 amp breaker, so 2-3 women running a hair dryer at the same time in different cabins will frequently trip the breaker.

[jacads]

Since everything I use is USB. Phones, Tablets, ETC I have a 4port usb charger I got off of Amazon they work great and really small. Usually around $15 or cheaper at times. This one pictures is $12.99 with free prime shipping.

[kearney]

glad i saw this post. i have sailed on carnival exclusively for the last few years and am going on royal for the first time since i was diagnosed with sleep apnea in a few months. i have always brought a power strip/extension cord on board to be able to extend the cpap cord to the desk, but this prompted me to check out royal's site to see how to handle that on my upcoming trip.

 

for anyone else with a cpap, you can go to the special needs page on rccl's site where there's an option for "bringing cpap on board." if you click that and submit the form, it states that they will provide you with distilled water and an extension cord, which is great!

 

I had to make a call to Royal for some reason, cant recall why, but while on the phone the customer service rep asked if there was anything else she could help me with and she went ahead and made a special notation about the CPAP. When we got on board our attendant noted that the Oasis class has an outlet just under the bed.. so this worked out well. Better than having one laying across the floor. But older ships dont have this feature.