As technology becomes more and more advanced and accessible to people, cruise ships have to put rules in place to make sure passengers are safe, and their privacy is protected
People are being warned that they could be fined or kicked off a cruise ship they’re a passenger on for wearing 1 luxury item when onboard. Several cruise companies have introduced a number of new rules in 2026 to ensure the safety of passengers travelling on board.
As technology continues to advance and people snap up the latest gadgets, cruise operators are keeping their policies up to date to safeguard holidaymakers and protect their privacy while travelling at sea. Whether you’re sailing with Disney, Virgin, P&O or Fred. Olsen., each cruise liner has their own set of rules that could land passengers in trouble.
Don and Heidi, a couple who have clocked up 100 cruises between them, regularly share updates and handy tips on TikTok, and have been keeping a close watch on shifting cruise policies over recent months.
With the rise of people wearing smart glasses, such as the very popular Meta Glasses, cruise ships have been forced to take steps to protect their passenger’s privacy when they’re traveling on cruise liners.
Don said: “Cruise lines are instituting new policies and in 2026, these behaviours will get you fined, banned, or removed from the ship entirely.
“One, recording other passengers without their consent using technology like Meta Glasses is a serious violation of privacy policies and fellow cruisers are reporting it.”
One of the cruise companies who has banned the items is Royal Caribbean who quietly updated its prohibited items list to tighten onboard safety and cybersecurity.
Recently, Royal Caribbean updated the verbiage on its prohibited items list to read: “‘Smart’ glasses from any of several manufacturers that can record video and audio are not allowed to be used in certain areas onboard the ship, including, but not limited to, public restrooms, Youth Program areas, medical areas, as well as the casino.”
Royal Carrabian’s app confirmed that if a guest fails to abide by the policy, the chief security officer and captain are authorized to confiscate the smart glasses.
Don continued: “Two, flying a drone from the ship is banned on nearly every cruise line. Get caught launching one and you’ll be escorted off at the next port.
“Three, fights on cruise ships are all over the news and lines are done looking the other way. Passengers involved in physical altercations are now being banned from certain cruise lines for life.
“Four, getting caught with prohibited items in checked luggage and you get escorted to a security meeting. Try to bring something more serious on board and you could be handed over to authorities at the next port.
“Five, this isn’t optional. It’s international maritime law. Skip the muster drill and crew will track you down to complete it. Refuse entirely and you’ll be removed from the ship before a set sail.
“Six, lighting up on your balcony, in your cabin, or anywhere else outside the designated smoking areas can get you fined and repeat violations can get you escorted off the ship.
“This includes vaping. Don’t forget to share this one with your cruise mates for your next sailing.”



















