Bringing a Drone on a Royal Caribbean Cruise

[iamjohnbamber]

Just wondering if anyone here has had success with taking a cruise (specifically) on Royal Caribbean with a drone? The only thing I've seen from them is that they're not allowed while on the ship, but I've heard they will allow you to bring them on and check them in with ship's security, and then it can be checked out when you are in port. Just wondering if anyone's actually done this as of yet.

I'm someone who doesn't believe anything as far as rules go until it's in black-and-white on a website or posted someplace public. I've only heard from other people, and a call center rep @ Royal Caribbean who didn't seem 100% sure himself.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jordandhs]

do they actually open your bag? i was told security can be bought out (or porter can be...)

i remember back in the days (or even now) you slip in $20 to the porter with a luggage full of liquor, it pretty much guarantee it will make it to your room, rather than being taken away before it reach the ship. maybe it work same with drone?

 

[Wombat55]

The Mavic is kind of new. Would the cruise ship people even be able to recognize a folded-up Mavic as being a drone? If you had never seen a Mavic before, what would you think that a folded-up Mavic was? A portable coffee maker? A compact stereo system? Some sort of camera tripod?

 

[iamjohnbamber]

The Mavic is kind of new. Would the cruise ship people even be able to recognize a folded-up Mavic as being a drone? If you had never seen a Mavic before, what would you think that a folded-up Mavic was? A portable coffee maker? A compact stereo system? Some sort of camera tripod?

Totally valid questions, but I'm always wary of taking that gamble with a $1k+ piece of kit... Liquor, in the worst sense, you can buy again. I'm not in a position to be able to buy another drone if mine is confiscated, or something happens to it.

 

[Big Bull]

I've never been on a cruise - is there baggage screening similar to airports before getting on the ship?

 

[peter.simons.583]

Just did a cruise on Royal Caribbean and they are strict. You bags are scanned and searched. You can not even take power boards on with you. When we departed the cruise on the last day there was some very large tables with all the things that they took from people so they could collect at the end of the cruise. I would ask them in writing if you could take your mavic so you had something to show the staff if they decide to take your mavic off you.


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[kiteboy]

Why don't you call RC and ask them directly? I've read that they keep the drone and give it back to you on each port, but they first call each port to ask for permission and y the port says no then you won't get it on that port! But ask them maybe things have change

 

[PilotMan7700]

Eighth bullet down, pretty black and white to me.

"Alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, flammable liquids, explosives, and dangerous chemicals will not be returned.."

^tells me if they do find it you will get it back later. You really think that they will confiscate your property and not let you have it back?? That would cause more issues in bad publicity and potential lawsuits.

What items are not allowed onboard the cruise ship - Royal Caribbean International


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[Wombat55]

Eighth bullet down, pretty black and white to me.

"Alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, flammable liquids, explosives, and dangerous chemicals will not be returned.."

^tells me if they do find it you will get it back later. You really think that they will confiscate your property and not let you have it back?? That would cause more issues in bad publicity and potential lawsuits.

What items are not allowed onboard the cruise ship - Royal Caribbean International


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Wonder how "aerial drones" ended up on their prohibited list. Was Royal Caribbean being preemptive, or did someone actually try flying a drone around the ship while at sea?

 

[iamjohnbamber]

Wonder how "aerial drones" ended up on their prohibited list. Was Royal Caribbean being preemptive, or did someone actually try flying a drone around the ship while at sea?

I think it might be something of both... with a lot of their ships having a large percentage of balcony rooms, people's privacy can be compromised if they forget to close their curtains,etc.

 

[Squamer]

I could easily see people trying to fly drones of their balconys and definitely see how it could end badly. Honestly I would probably too, let me take this bad boy up around the ship out to sea and back!

I also see why they don't want hover boards on board as they've had the whole catching on fire and blowing up problem widely advertised. Fire at sea? No bueno!

 

[flip2dabone2000]

Wonder how "aerial drones" ended up on their prohibited list. Was Royal Caribbean being preemptive, or did someone actually try flying a drone around the ship while at sea?

Really sucks that drones are prohibited. Anybody try at least get with Royal Caribbean and ask if we can check it in with security and check it out at port for excursions?

 

[boldblue737]

The policy regarding drones on RCI and all other major cruise lines is the same... they will take the drones as soon as they discover them (and they look carefully at baggage during boarding) and then hold on to it UNTIL THE END OF THE CRUISE. They will not return the drone to you in ports even if drone flying is legal in that port. The *only* way to use drones on a cruise is find a way to sneak them on and sneak them off each and every time you board the ship and I don't know how to do that.

 

[Hawgguy]

We have a Disney Cruise coming up. I thought Castaway Cay would be a great place to fly. The Missus (who is a stickler for details) informs me that it is specifically not allowed..... Mavic stays home. We did a Carnival Cruise to Cozumel last year and I remember a fellow cruiser disembarking with his drone to fly and all seemed cool.

 

[Wombat55]

The policy regarding drones on RCI and all other major cruise lines is the same... they will take the drones as soon as they discover them (and they look carefully at baggage during boarding) and then hold on to it UNTIL THE END OF THE CRUISE. They will not return the drone to you in ports even if drone flying is legal in that port. The *only* way to use drones on a cruise is find a way to sneak them on and sneak them off each and every time you board the ship and I don't know how to do that.

Well, as far as I'm concerned the cruise lines just added yet another reason why I have no intention or interest in ever taking a cruise trip. Don't need them playing the role of nanny and preventing me from doing activities which are legal in foreign locations.

 

[slimcobra]

I'm going on a Disney Cruise next week and my wife pointed out that drones were not allowed on ship. If I had my Mavic I would have tried but I would take the props and batter off and put them all in different bags, and put the controller in my son's bag. They run the bags through x-ray machines but I bet the Mavic could slip through. Check out 10th bullet down. What Items are Not Allowed on a Cruise | Disney Cruise Line

 

[Grey Wolf]

Get an SFOC or 107 equivalent from each port of call.
You should be ok if you did it correctly. Just don't open up the drone on board and have it packed so the cruise ship people know you won't fly it on board!

 

[ooberwoot]

I'm going on a Disney Cruise next week and my wife pointed out that drones were not allowed on ship. If I had my Mavic I would have tried but I would take the props and batter off and put them all in different bags, and put the controller in my son's bag. They run the bags through x-ray machines but I bet the Mavic could slip through. Check out 10th bullet down. What Items are Not Allowed on a Cruise | Disney Cruise Line

Funny you bring up DCL. I've been on 5 cruises with them, 3 on the Wonder, 1 on the Magic, and 1 on the Fantasy. 4 out of the 5 cruises resulted in a drone being taken until debark (that was with a p3 though). The Alaska Cruise they allowed me to keep my p3, because I 'promised' to only use it during excursions. I'm wondering if their policy has more to do with the countries being visited. I believe the Bahamas and Cayman Islands you have to have a drone visa... I'm not 100% sure, but could be the issue there. Or I just got lucky on the Alaska cruise.

Someone brought up security... Yes, they have screening much like TSA at an airport. X-Ray for bags and metal detector for people. If there's an issue with your bag they'll open it up, and confiscate what they need to. Like slimcobra pointed out, the mavic being folded up, they might not know what the heck it is. I've heard some people reporting back that they check their mavics in their checked luggage on the ship, and run the gamble that they do a quick scan and won't check as hard, but that's an expensive gamble.

 

[michaelpw]

Carnival allows drones to be brought onboard - they prohibit their use onboard though saying they are only for use off-ship in port, adding they are not responsible if your drone gets confiscated by local authorities if they are not permitted there... Exemptions (items for port use only) | Carnival Cruise Lines

 

[scott rand]

I know Norwegian prohibits bringing drones on their ships. I won't even try bringing mine next year, though I could get great drone footage of Bermuda if I could.