Bringing a Drone on a Royal Caribbean Cruise

[Hawgguy]

Probably all for the best. When I'm on a cruise I like my family time. Also, when on a cruise, on occasion my BAC will exceed legal/respectable/medically safe/droneworthy limits.

 

[finalfantasyfans]

I went to Royal Caribbean cruise in June, 2016 and I brought my Phantom 3 Pro with me. They scanned all my bags and told me the drone was not allowed on board. But I can check-in/out at each port during embarkment/disembarkment at the security. I don't know if the rule change or not since then but I called and confirmed with Royal Caribbean before my cruise so I think you should call too.

 

[kennyfreemoney]

Guys, let me tell you about my experience with taking a drone on a cruise.

It was a Disney Cruise out of Port Canaveral May 2016. I had brought my drone all the way from WY and didn't think to check if it was OK until the night before when we were at the hotel in FL. Well according to the Disney Cruise website they are prohibited. Can't leave it in the hotel though so I decided to just take it and see what happens. Worst case, they take it and I get it back when we get off right? So we get to check in, the bag goes through the scanner and comes out the other side. Not a single word said. and this isn't a suitcase with my drone hidden inside. It's a Manfrotto D1 Backpack. Specifically made for holding the drone. That's it. nothing else in the bag. So I snatched it up and got on the ship. Happy ending right? Just wait. a few days later we arrive at BVI. So I get off with my Drone bag and again, no one says anything. we go a few blocks inland into an open are between a few buildings and take off. Everything is going awesome. Getting GREAT shots! So I decide to get a shot of the Ship. I fly over to it, about 300 yards according to the app, get a nice shot orbiting around the ship and head back. I fly directly over the ship to get back to where I took off and about 30 yards past the ship the drone flips! It tumbles in the air a few times (this is where it gets weird) then starts floating sideways! its tipped so the camera is pointed almost straight down but I can see one of the arms of the drone so I know the camera isn't just pointed down. then after about 3 seconds of floating it falls and cuts off the live feed before it hits the ground. My first though "Put everything away and get back on the ship! Drones are illegal here and you're going to jail!" So I put everything away and stuff it under our stroller and start heading back and we see a cop close to where I think it went down. So my wife decides to go ask if they are illegal. Turns out they aren't so we start looking. I've got the remote out and turned on so I can see if somehow the drone is still powered on and will get a connection. Never happens. We look for 2 hours and then have to get back on the boat. Never to see the drone again.

Here's my Instagram where I posted the video of when it went down. Kenny Grant (@kenny___grant) • Instagram photos and videos

I bought a Phantom 4 right when we got home and am selling it today to order a Mavic!

Moral of the story, you can get the drone on the ship, but its possible that they have Anti-Drone devices onboard. Be Careful.

 

[Daskid]

It sucks that Princess Cruises doesn't allow UAV's as well. (24th bulletpoint)

Princess Cruises: FAQ: Cruise Answer Place : What To Pack

Also, I'm all bummed out I am unable to bring my catapult!!!!! This is ridiculous!!!!

 

[rlomeu]

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

Do you have success?

 

[Benclement]

I went on an Alaskan cruise with Royal Caribbean about 3 weeks ago. I took my Mavic and extra batteries on and off the ship through security multiple times and they never said a thing. I'm not sure they even realized what it was when folded up. That said I bought a few knives in a few different ports and they found them (I declared them as well) and held onto them until we disembarked.

 

[gnirtS]

Can't say im too upset. There are a ridiculously large number of people here that arrive on a ship and fly a drone (smuggled or otherwise) without bothering to check any local laws or regulations.
The result is a large number of drones, most week days, being flown less than 1 mile from the runway threshold and actually on the extended centre line of the main approach as thats where the cruise ships moor.
Most seem to think the rules don't apply to them.

 

[rlomeu]

Can't say im too upset. There are a ridiculously large number of people here that arrive on a ship and fly a drone (smuggled or otherwise) without bothering to check any local laws or regulations.
The result is a large number of drones, most week days, being flown less than 1 mile from the runway threshold and actually on the extended centre line of the main approach as thats where the cruise ships moor.
Most seem to think the rules don't apply to them.

I'm trying to get a permission to enter with my Mavic in Disney Cruise. I already have a permission from Bahamas authorities, but in the case of Disney I think it's impossible.

 

[MF Pro]

I received this from Royal Caribbean on 26th September 2017:

"Drones will be confiscated at the gangway and released to guests once in a port-of-call only on the understanding they are fully liable to comply with local regulations and operate them legally in that port-of-call. Drones may be released to the guest in the ports-of-call, only if the guest can present to the Chief Security Officer written approval from the country in which he/she intends to operate the drone. It is the sole responsibility of the guest to acquire permission from the countries in which he/she intends to use the drone and to comply with local regulations. In the absence of such permission, the drone will be returned to the guest only at the end of the voyage.

Drones are prohibited for onboard use. Any drones detected during the embarkation process or onboard the ship will be confiscated."

 

[Mxh666]

There is another thread about another cruise line that the OP wrote to:

Thomson cruise ship drone acceptance

 

[nuclearheli]

I am two days away from a Carnival destination cruise to Bermuda. Everything checked out. Drone is allowed on board for port use only. Bermuda, no problem for drones, laws are the same as home. I should be good to go.

 

[chazzm]

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.

LoL, I was flying in Cozumel last year! Probably me(seriously) and last year I only had problems when I tried to fly at the Chichén Itzá pyramid! Even then I was only made to delete the video from my iPad! While holding the SD micro card between two fingers!! LoL it was weird because nothing about drones was posted anywhere!! But I kept everything!!!

 

[buzzbuggy1970]

On our Royal Caribbean cruise in March 2018, I took my Mavic Pro and my GoPro Karma, there was no problem bringing them onto the ship. I kept them in their cases while onboard. In Cozumel Mexico, however, the Mexican customs confiscated my Karma as a prohibited item. (Other prohibited items are extension cords, hot plates, and weapons). I didn’t get it back until the end of the cruise. When I talked to Passenger Services, onboard, they said it was strictly an issue with Mexico, not RCI. In fact, in the RCI magazine provided in our cabin, there was an article about a couple who always travels RCI with their drones (Phantoms, I believe). The RCI folks at Port Canaveral were fascinated by my Karma, but they hardly noticed my Mavic, in its original shoulder bag. I never took my Mavic out the whole trip, mostly because of bad weather.

 

[Jester 1]

Update. I just read Royal Caribbean’s website not expecting to find anything except the old you can’t bring a drone on board because we will take it away from you, you will be put in the prison, we won’t ever talk to you again, you’ll be kicked off the ship ...blah blah blah stuff. Surprisingly, it says you cannot use the drone while on board and you cannot use the drone at any of their private islands like Coco Cay or whatever the one is they have in the Bahamas. Also surprisingly it says that you can keep your drone in your state room. This means you won’t have to deal with security taking it away from you and signing in and out. Wow. Unlike NCL which I happen to really like (they have a great drink package), They list drones and game flying devices will be confiscated. Sucks if you are taking a cruise in the middle of a trip and are still on vacation. Thanks NCL. Way to treat everyone like a 12 year old. Carnival will also let you take a camera drone on board. How about that! Still always kind of think of Carnival as a floating Ryan’s. Anyway. As far as updates go things are looking up. Maybe book a cruise based on who treats you like a responsible adult? And if you ever go on Windstar they list drones as prohibited but really don’t care as long as you don’t have knives, firearms or booze in your backpack.

 

[Jester 1]

LoL, I was flying in Cozumel last year! Probably me(seriously) and last year I only had problems when I tried to fly at the Chichén Itzá pyramid! Even then I was only made to delete the video from my iPad! While holding the SD micro card between two fingers!! LoL it was weird because nothing about drones was posted anywhere!! But I kept everything!!!

My mi

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.

Its weird how the wives are such sticklers for the rules. We went on a Windstar cruise to Tahiti and it says no drones on their website, but we were going to be there for an additional week. I called the info line got some lady that read the website to me. I asked for her supervisor, explained that I was a certified drone operator and had no intention of flying the drone on board. He said “ bring it, it shouldn’t be a problem “. I asked if he could send me an email stating that it was ok, he said he couldn’t. Lol. Enter the missus. I said F... it I’m taking it. What’s the worst they can do. She was so freaked out the whole time standing in line. They checked my bag. Moved my mavic out of the way to see under it. Let us go on board. Fast forward 3 days into the cruise, I’m the only one waiting for a tender talking to the head security guy. I ask him, what’s the deal with drones. He goes, oh, I think they don’t want you to fly them while on the ship. He said in the past they let a dude fly one following their tender to shore. I’m so glad I took it. I would have missed some amazing stuff, and the missus is too....now, lol.

 

[Thomas B]

I’d still recommend contacting you cruise line and asking, if not getting written permission.