“If you bring a prohibited item with you, please know this will be confiscated at the port and we cannot guarantee the item will be returned to you. This also applies to cultural items such as Skean-Dhus and Kirpans, which are often important heirlooms.”
Whilst all tourists expect that items such as knives are prohibited on board for the safety of all passengers, it may come as a surprise to learn that P&O Cruises bans the majority of batteries.
The main reason is to reduce the risk of fires breaking out on board if the devices they are fitted to get damaged. Fires are a particularly significant risk on cruise ships, with staff members needing to tackle them quickly to keep passengers as safe as possible.
Nevertheless, tech-loving tourists can be reassured that they are still welcome to bring along small batteries for electronics such as cameras or medical devices.
Another somewhat surprising item that may be confiscated from passengers when they reach the cruise terminal is a wide range of aerosol cans.
Whilst P&O Cruises noted that cans of deodorant are perfectly fine to bring on board, other forms of aerosols are banned as they contain compressed gas, which could explode if exposed to high temperatures.
Different cruise lines enforce this rule uniquely, so it is always best for passengers getting ready for their trip to check the company’s website before packing other types of aerosol, such as crease removers and cleaners.
Finally, the P&O noted that they enforce some rules surrounding how many drinks they can take on board, including alcohol.
They advised: “Each guest aged 18 years (21 years in United States of America ports) and older may bring up to one litre of wine or Champagne on board when they embark the ship for the first time only. Wine or Champagne over the one-litre limit will be stored and returned to the guest prior to the end of the cruise.
“If this alcohol is consumed in the dining rooms, bars, restaurants or lounge areas, it will be subject to a corkage fee of £20 per bottle, per occasion, which will be charged to the guest’s on-board account. Other alcohol types such as spirits are considered restricted items and guests are prohibited from bringing them on board when they first embark the ship.”