Royal Caribbean Updates Prohibited Items List for 2026: Smart Glasses, Snacks & Drink Rules Explained
If you’re cruising with Royal Caribbean in 2026, you may want to double-check your packing list.
The cruise line has quietly updated and reorganized its Prohibited Items Onboard Policy page, breaking it into clearer categories and adding new guidance on everything from smart glasses to snacks. While many of the rules remain the same, the updated layout makes it easier for guests to see exactly what’s allowed — and what could get confiscated at the terminal.
Here’s a full breakdown of what’s new and what you need to know before you sail.
New for 2026: Smart Glasses Come With Restrictions
The biggest headline from the update involves wearable tech — specifically smart glasses with built-in cameras, such as Ray-Ban Meta glasses.
They are not completely banned, but there are strict rules on where you can wear them.
Royal Caribbean states that smart glasses cannot be used anywhere there is a “reasonable expectation of guest and crew privacy.”
🚫 Restricted Areas Include:
- Casinos
- Spas
- Restrooms
- Locker rooms
- Medical facilities
- Security screening areas
- Back-of-house tour areas
- Crew-only spaces
- Youth and kids’ areas
If guests are caught wearing them in these locations, security can confiscate the glasses.
The cruise line also recommends bringing a backup pair of traditional prescription glasses if your smart glasses are medically necessary, since you won’t be able to wear them in certain parts of the ship.
Drinks and Snack Rules (Yes, There Are Limits)
The beverage rules remain specific, and the snack section now encourages guests to be “sensible.”
🍷 Alcohol
- Each guest of drinking age may bring one sealed 750ml bottle of wine or champagne.
- Boxed wine and liquor are prohibited.
🥤 Non-Alcoholic Drinks
- Up to 12 standard cans or bottles (17 oz or less) of soda, water, or energy drinks per stateroom are allowed.
🍿 Snacks
- Pre-packaged, sealed snacks are permitted in reasonable quantities.
- Open food containers are not allowed onboard.
In short: bringing a few protein bars? Fine. Rolling up with your full warehouse club haul? Probably not.
Hair Tools: Clearly Allowed
Hair appliances now have their own category on the page — but this isn’t a ban.
Guests can bring:
- Curling irons
- Hair straighteners
- Hair dryers
Royal Caribbean also reminds guests that hair dryers are already provided in staterooms, so packing one may not be necessary.
Sporting Goods: Bring Them — Just Don’t Use Them Everywhere
Guests are allowed to bring personal sports equipment, including:
- Pickleball paddles
- Ice skates
- Other recreational gear
However, these items can only be used in designated sporting areas or for shore excursions — not in hallways or open deck spaces.
Diving Knives
Scuba divers may bring a recreational diving knife, but it must be:
- Checked with security upon boarding
- Stored by the ship’s security team
- Checked out only for approved dive excursions
You cannot keep it inside your stateroom.
Baby Gear: More Clarity for Families
As a family-focused cruise line, Royal Caribbean clarified several baby-related policies.
👶 Allowed:
- Strollers
- Portable cribs / Pack ‘n Plays
- Baby bathing basins
Important Rule:
Strollers and basins must be stored inside your stateroom — not left in hallways, where they can block walkways.
Case-by-Case Approval:
Items like:
- Baby bottle warmers
- Sanitizers
- Bottle cleaning systems
These require pre-approval through Royal Caribbean’s Access team.
🚫 Not Allowed:
- Baby monitors
Pets and Service Animals
The policy is simple:
- No pets are allowed onboard.
- Only officially recognized service animals are permitted.
Guests traveling with service animals are encouraged to contact the cruise line in advance to coordinate accessible shore excursions.
Toiletries and Luggage: No Airline-Style Restrictions
Good news for over-packers.
Unlike airlines, Royal Caribbean does not enforce a 3-ounce liquid rule. You can bring full-size bottles of shampoo, sunscreen, and other toiletries.
As for luggage:
- There are no strict size limits.
- However, oversized bags that don’t fit through the port’s X-ray machines will require manual inspection, potentially slowing down boarding.
Destination-Specific Warnings
At the bottom of the updated page, Royal Caribbean includes reminders about local laws in certain ports.
🇧🇧 Barbados
Wearing camouflage clothing is illegal for civilians. Violations can result in fines or even jail time.
🇲🇽 Mexico
Vapes and e-cigarettes are banned in Mexico. Guests cannot bring them ashore.
🇺🇸 Alaska
If you purchase an Ulu knife in Alaska, you may bring it back onboard — but it must remain in your stateroom for the rest of the cruise.
Still Strictly Prohibited
Several long-standing banned items remain on the list:
- Illegal drugs (including marijuana, even with a medical certificate)
- Firearms, ammunition, and replica weapons
- Standard hardware tools like hammers and screwdrivers
- Cybersecurity equipment such as routers or satellite dishes
Why This Update Matters
Cruise line prohibited item lists aren’t static. As new technology and trends emerge — like wearable camera glasses — policies evolve.
Royal Caribbean’s biggest change isn’t necessarily adding a long list of new bans. Instead, the cruise line has reorganized and clarified its policies, making it easier for guests to understand what’s allowed before they arrive at the terminal.
The bottom line:
Before your next cruise, take five minutes to review the updated policy page. It could save you from having something confiscated — or worse, delaying your boarding process.
Because nothing says “vacation mode” like starting your cruise in a security line debate over your smart glasses.
