Cruise Ship Safety: Essential Tips for Staying Safe at Sea and in Port
Leave the pepper spray at home. Cruise lines prohibit it, and bags are screened before boarding. Here's what to pack instead, and the habits that matter on board and in port.
By POM Industries · Updated · 6 min read
Short answer: Don't pack pepper spray. Major cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages, list it as prohibited, and bags are screened before you board. Bring a passport book, read your line's prohibited items list, go to the muster drill, lock your cabin and wash your hands often. In port, know the all-aboard time and use official transport.
Part of our Travel Safety Guide. A cruise is one way to travel. The guide covers planning, getting around and what to do if something happens.
Read the guideLeave the pepper spray at home.
Cruise lines treat self-defense sprays as prohibited items. Being legal where you live doesn't matter on the ship.
| CRUISE LINE | PEPPER SPRAY | WHAT THE POLICY SAYS |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | No | Lists mace and pepper spray as prohibited. Prohibited items may be confiscated, and ship security decides on anything in question. |
| Virgin Voyages | No | Lists pepper spray and mace on its prohibited items list. |
| Your cruise line | Check | Search its prohibited items list for "self-defense" or "incapacitating." Other major lines have similar bans. |
Personal AlarmCheck your cruise line's prohibited items list before you pack any safety device.
Before you board.
The State Department's cruise advice comes down to a few steps you take at home.
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Bring a passport book
The State Department strongly recommends one, even if your cruise line doesn't require it. You need a passport book to fly home from another country in an emergency.
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Check entry rules for every stop
Get any visas you need for each port, even ones where you don't plan to get off.
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Read the prohibited items list
Check your cruise line's list before you pack, not at the terminal.
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Enroll in STEP
The State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program sends you alerts and helps the embassy reach you.
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Pack a day-one bag
Our tip: keep your passport, medications, chargers and a change of clothes with you. Checked bags can take hours to reach your cabin.
Lock your cabin.
Treat it like a hotel room. US law requires large cruise ships that board or drop off passengers in the US to have cabin doors with peepholes or another way to see who's there, and ships built since mid-2010 to have security latches and time-sensitive keys.
Lock it and latch it
Lock the door and use the security latch whenever you're inside.
Check before you open
Use the peephole. If someone says they're crew and you didn't call, phone guest services to confirm.
Use the safe
Passport, cash, spare cards and jewelry go in the cabin safe.
Keep your cabin number private
Don't post it or say it out loud around strangers.
Around the ship.
A ship is a public place with thousands of strangers and an open bar. Use the same habits as any busy trip.
Go to the muster drill
Find your muster station and two ways to get there from your cabin.
Watch your drink
Watch it being made and keep it with you. Don't accept an open drink from a stranger.
Pace the alcohol
Set a limit and alternate with water. Stay off open decks and balconies if you've been drinking, and don't walk back to your cabin alone.
Mind your footing
Decks get wet and stairs move. Wear shoes with grip and use handrails, especially in rough seas.
Set rules for kids
Pick a meeting point, make sure they know the cabin number and teach them how to find crew.
Speak up early
Report harassment, theft or anything that worries you to security or guest services right away.
Stay healthy on board.
The CDC says more than 90% of cruise ship stomach-illness outbreaks with a confirmed cause are norovirus. Handwashing is your best defense.
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Wash with soap and water
Before eating and after the restroom. Use hand sanitizer as a backup, not a replacement.
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Report symptoms early
Tell the medical center about vomiting or diarrhea and follow its instructions.
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Bring your medications
Pack enough for the trip plus a few extra days, with copies of prescriptions. A ship's medical center isn't a hospital.
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Get your flu shot
The CDC says to get the current flu vaccine at least two weeks before you sail. If you have a medical condition, talk to your doctor before you book.
In port.
You're in another country, often for a few hours, with a hard deadline to get back.
| BEFORE YOU GO ASHORE | WHY |
|---|---|
| Know the all-aboard time | Ships can leave without you. Set a phone alarm with time to spare. |
| Bring your ship card and ID | You need them to get back on board. |
| Follow local laws | You're subject to the law of the country you're in, including its rules on pepper spray and other items. |
| Use official transport | Take licensed taxis or transport the ship arranges, and carry only the cash and cards you need. |
| Check excursions | Read reviews, know the return time and make sure there are life jackets for water activities. |
| Know where to get help | Your cabin should list US embassy and consulate contacts for each port. |
If something happens.
Report it right away. Early reports help the crew respond and preserve evidence.
On the ship
Go to a public area, call ship security or guest services, or tell any crew member. CLIA member lines' policy is to help passengers contact law enforcement.
In port
Contact local police, the ship's port agent or the US embassy or consulate.
Sexual assault
Get to a safe place and report it to ship security or medical staff. The National Sexual Assault Hotline is 800-656-4673.
Lost passport
Tell guest services and contact the nearest US embassy or consulate.
Before you sail
- Pepper spray left at home
- Passport book packed
- Entry rules checked for every stop
- Prohibited items list read
- Medications in your carry-on, with prescriptions
- Muster station found
- Cabin locked, latch on
- All-aboard time in your phone
Mistakes to avoid.
Packing pepper spray "just in case"
It's prohibited and will likely be confiscated. Leave it home.
Skipping the muster drill
Ships differ. Know where to go before you need to.
Sharing your cabin number
Keep it off social media and out of conversations with strangers.
Cutting it close in port
Traffic and lines happen. Be back well before all-aboard.
Questions.
Can I bring pepper spray on a cruise?
No. Major cruise lines prohibit pepper spray and mace, and bags are screened before boarding. Leave it at home.
What happens if security finds pepper spray in my bag?
Expect it to be confiscated at the terminal or on board. Don't count on getting it back.
Do I need a passport for a cruise?
Some cruises accept other ID, but the State Department strongly recommends a passport book. You'll need one to fly home from another country in an emergency.
How do I avoid getting sick on a cruise?
Wash your hands with soap and water often, especially before eating and after using the restroom. Report vomiting or diarrhea to the ship's medical center and follow its instructions.
Is it safe to leave the ship in port?
Usually, with a plan. Check the State Department's information for each country, use official transport, carry only what you need and be back before the all-aboard time.
What should I do if I feel unsafe on a cruise ship?
Go to a public area, call ship security or guest services, or tell any crew member. Report it right away.
A cruise is one part of the trip.
The Travel Safety Guide covers planning before you go, getting around, hotels and nights out, and what to do if something happens.