Major Cruise Line Bans Popular On Board Item

(KMDL-FM) When you first realize that you're going on a cruise, there is a sudden panic that races through your brain, asking the question, "What should I bring"? You're not alone; we all go through it. And lately, the way cruise lines have been issuing edicts on what you can and what you can't bring on the ship, it is really hard to keep track.

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The last thing you want to do is show up on embarkation day and find out that someone is going through your luggage looking for items that seem perfectly reasonable to bring on a vacation. But cruise vacations are different than a land-based week away from work.

Why Do Cruise Ships Ban Certain Items On Board?

Cruise lines have to be concerned with safety. They also have to be concerned with security. And, even though it's not Las Vegas, the cruise lines do try to pay attention to guests' need for privacy. And that privacy issue is what has prompted an onboard ban from one of the world's largest cruise lines.

Royal Caribbean has joined MSC Cruises in the banning of a popular tech item that many influencers use to document their time and travel onboard. That item is known by the collective name "smart glasses".

Smart glasses are basically sunglasses with a camera built into them. Okay, they are very expensive sunglasses with a camera built into them. They are quite handy for getting a "first-hand" video review of the sights and sounds of wherever the wearer is looking.

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Why Are Cruise Lines Banning Smart Glasses On Board Their Ships?

The problem with smart glasses is that you can film or video without others knowing that they are being filmed or videoed. That is where the privacy concerns enter the picture. Some cruise lines allow topless sunbathing on the upper decks. I am sure many guests would feel very uncomfortable if they thought their "privacy" was being invaded by someone with a camera.

There are also security concerns. A smart glasses user could video security protocols and procedures, which might give ne'er-do-wells insight into the best ways to beat the system and breach the secure environment on board.

I do need to clarify one issue concerning the smart glasses, the MSC Cruises and the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line bans are about wearing smart glasses while onboard the ship. You may bring them onboard but you may not wear them on board.

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There is considerable rumbling among cruise industry writers that many other cruise lines will be enacting similar policy changes, and the current thinking suggests that the glasses will eventually be disallowed on board, but as of now, in some areas of the ship, you could still use them.

So what else did you buy for your cruise that you can't take along? Here's an up-to-date list, but remember the items get added and changed almost daily, it seems. It would be wise to check your cruise line's website too.