Melinda from Texas packed one innocent item to help her sleep, and got slapped with a lifetime ban from Carnival before the ship even left Miami.
I stopped working on cruise ships three months ago, and I’m going to tell you exactly why the rules you see on YouTube are outdated.
What I’m about to show you isn’t just about saving $5 on soda. These are the 15 specific mistakes that are getting passengers fined, left behind, and banned.
But listen: I am not sharing this to scare you. I’m sharing this so you can relax. The only difference between a nightmare vacation and the best trip of your life is knowing where the traps are.
THE 15 Cruise MISTAKES That Will Get You BANNED from Cruising (SIMPLIFIED)
Mistake 1:
Bringing Weed or CBD. Everyone talks about weed, but here’s what they don’t tell you. Cruise lines have new scanners. It’s not just about smoking anymore. If security finds CBD gummies, oils, or even ‘legal’ sleep aids made from cannabis in your bag, you are done.
No refund. No appeal. Melinda lost $5,000 and her vacation because she thought ‘legal in Texas’ meant ‘legal on a ship.’ It doesn’t. Ocean laws are stronger than state laws.
Mistake 2:
Packing Pills Wrong. Stop packing your medicine in those cute daily plastic organizers. If a drug dog sits next to your bag at the port—and they are everywhere now—and you can’t show the original bottle with your name on it, police can hold you for hours while the ship leaves without you.
I saw a couple miss their honeymoon on the Wonder of the Seas just because of three loose pills.
Mistake 3:
Vaping in Your Room. You think you can vape in your cabin because it’s not smoke? Wrong. The new ships use sensors that smell the air, not just look for smoke.
They can smell the vape mist. The second that silent alarm goes off, a $500 cleaning fee hits your bill, and security comes to your room. Do it twice? They kick you off at the next stop.
Mistake 4:
Climbing Balconies. We all saw the video of those teens climbing between balconies. They thought it was funny. The cruise line thought it was dangerous.
They didn’t just kick the teens off; they banned the entire family for life. Never sit on the railing or climb over. The cameras have AI tracking now—they see you before you even post the video.
Mistake 5:
Taking Food Off The Ship. This sounds like a joke, but it will cost you $3,000. If you are cruising to Australia or New Zealand, do not take any food off the ship.
A passenger was recently fined huge money for a forgotten sandwich in her backpack. These ports use X-ray scanners on everyone getting off. Eat on the ship, or buy food on land.
Mistake 6:
Leaving The Door Slightly Open. Crew members hate when you do this. You open your balcony door to hear the ocean, then you open your room door to get a breeze. You just created a wind tunnel that can slam doors shut like a hammer.
I’ve seen fingers crushed this way. Plus, on new ships, if that balcony door is open for 60 seconds, the AC turns off for all the rooms near you to stop mold. Your neighbors will hate you.
Mistake 7:
Being Nosy During Emergencies. When you hear ‘Code Alpha’ on the loud speaker, that means a serious medical emergency. The biggest mistake? Going to look. If you block a hallway or elevator when the medical team is running with a stretcher, security can lock you in your room for getting in the way. Stay away. Give them space.
Mistake 8:
Touching Other People’s Chairs. Carnival finally cracked down on people who save pool chairs for hours. If you leave your towel for 40 minutes, they put a sticker on it.
If you aren’t back, they take your stuff. But here is the dangerous mistake: moving someone else’s stuff yourself. This has caused real fights on the deck this year. Let the crew handle it, or you might end up in the ship’s jail for fighting.
Mistake 9:
Losing Kids in Elevators. On new ships, you pick your floor outside the elevator. The mistake parents make is letting kids press the button, then the doors close on the parents. The kids shoot up to deck 15, parents are stuck on deck 5. With 7,000 people on board, finding a scared 6-year-old takes hours. Always hold the door, and travel together.
Mistake 10:
Removing the Daily Tips. You think you’re smart by removing the daily tips to pay cash instead? The second you remove them at the front desk, your account is marked in the crew’s system. The person who cleans your room and serves your dinner can see it.
You aren’t ‘saving money’—you are guaranteeing yourself the bare minimum service for the rest of the week.
Mistake 11:
Lying About Being Sick. If you lie on the health form to hide a fever and then get sick on board, they check the cameras to see when you got on versus when you went to the doctor. If they prove you lied, you have to pay for the medical bills of everyone you infected. It is fraud. Just reschedule if you are sick.
Mistake 12:
Missing the Ship. Let me be clear: The ship does not have to wait for you. If your tour bus breaks down 2 hours away, the Captain might wait 30 minutes.
If you are on your own? You are left behind. We wave at people running on the pier every week. It costs about $2,000 to catch the ship at the next stop. Set your watch to Ship Time, not Local Time.
Mistake 13:
Drone Confiscation. You want epic aerial shots of the ship? Don’t bring the drone. Best case: Security takes it until the end of the cruise. Worst case: You fly it in a port like Cozumel without a permit, and local police arrest you. Port authorities have zero sense of humor about drones near their docks.
Mistake 14:
The Power Strip Fire Hazard. Stop bringing power strips from home. Ships use a different electrical system.
A cheap plastic strip can overheat and melt the ship’s wiring. Security scans checked bags specifically for these. If you need outlets, bring a European converter, or ask your steward. Don’t risk a fire at sea.
Mistake 15:
The ‘DNR’ List. Finally, the most dangerous mistake of all is thinking you’re anonymous. Cruise lines share data. If you get banned from Royal Caribbean for fighting, you might find yourself unable to book other top cruise lines too.
It’s called the ‘Do Not Sail’ list, and once you’re on it, there is no getting off. Be nice, follow the rules, and don’t be the person we talk about in the crew bar tonight.
