You might assume vaping rules are more relaxed than smoking on a cruise ship. But that’s not always the case.
Some cruise lines treat vapes exactly the same as cigarettes, while others have their own rules that can catch passengers out. Get it wrong, and you could end up with your vape confiscated or even face penalties onboard.
Before you pack your vape, there are a few important things every cruiser should know. Are the rules really as strict as you think?
You Can Bring a Vape With You
You can bring a nicotine vape onto most cruise ships, but it’s generally treated the same as a cigarette. That means you can only use it in designated smoking areas. Vaping in your cabin or on your balcony is prohibited on almost every major cruise line.
However, you can’t bring THC or marijuana products onboard, including weed vapes, edibles or oils. Many cruise lines also ban CBD products, even if they’re legal where you live.
Even though marijuana has been legalized in many countries and US states, the major cruise lines still have strict zero-tolerance policies. This also applies to medical marijuana, so if you rely on it, you’ll need to speak to your doctor before you travel about suitable alternatives for your time at sea.
Bringing prohibited drugs onto a cruise ship can have serious consequences. Depending on the circumstances, they may be confiscated, you could be denied boarding or removed from the ship, and in some destinations you could even face legal action.
Cruise lines take these rules very seriously. All luggage is screened before boarding, and if security finds banned substances, you shouldn’t expect any leniency.
Read more: Do Cruise Ships Check for Drugs?
You Can Only Vape In Designated Areas
You can’t vape in your stateroom or on your private balcony. Cruise lines generally treat vaping the same as smoking, so it’s only permitted in designated smoking areas.
Exactly where you can vape varies by cruise line and ship. Some only allow smoking and vaping in a few outdoor areas, while others also have indoor smoking lounges or designated casino sections.
On many ships, smoking and vaping are allowed in parts of the casino while you’re playing slot machines, although table games are often smoke-free because you’re sitting much closer to other guests.
Smoking areas are usually easy to spot thanks to the ashtrays, but if you’re unsure, Guest Services can point you in the right direction.
Some vapers argue that vapour is less intrusive than cigarette smoke, especially as many use e-cigarettes to help them quit smoking. However, cruise lines generally apply the same rules to both in order to minimise the impact on other passengers.
Costa Cruises used to be one of the few exceptions, allowing smoking and vaping on private balconies. However, that policy has now changed, and vaping is now only permitted in the ship’s designated smoking areas. You may still find older information on parts of Costa’s website saying otherwise, but its current contractual terms make the updated rule clear.
Cruise Line’s Individual Policies on Vaping
Here’s a quick look at the vaping policies of some of the world’s biggest cruise lines. They’re broadly similar but it’s worth reading the policy for your chosen cruise line:
Carnival Cruise Line Vape Policy
Carnival Cruise Line treats vaping and e-cigarettes in the same way as traditional cigarettes. They can only be used in designated smoking areas, and vaping is strictly prohibited in cabins and on private balconies.
Guests caught vaping in their cabin or on their balcony face a $500 charge per violation. Serious or repeated breaches may also result in everyone staying in the cabin being removed from the ship without a refund.
You can check Carnival’s Cruise Ticket Contract for the full rules, or view the ship-specific smoking areas before you sail.
Weed vapes, marijuana and CBD products are completely prohibited, even if they have been prescribed for medical use. Carnival follows US federal law, so these items are banned onboard, in cruise terminals, during transfers, on shore excursions and at private islands.
Royal Caribbean Vape Policy
Royal Caribbean only allows electronic cigarettes and vape pens to be used in designated smoking areas onboard. They aren’t permitted in staterooms, on private balconies or in any other indoor public area. Guests who smoke or vape in their cabin or on their balcony will be charged a $250 cleaning fee and may face further action under the cruise line’s Guest Conduct Policy.
The Royal Caribbean smoking policy explains where you’ll find the designated smoking areas on each ship.
Princess Cruises Vape Policy
Princess Cruises only allows e-cigarettes and vapes to be used in designated smoking areas. These generally include a section of the open deck, and on some ships may also include a cigar lounge or part of the nightclub.
Smoking and vaping are prohibited in all staterooms and on private balconies. Guests who break this rule will be charged a $250 fine for each occurrence, which is added to their onboard account.
The casino is also non-smoking, except for designated slot machines where guests may smoke or vape while actively playing. You can find full details in Princess Cruises’ smoking policy.
NCL Vape Policy
Norwegian Cruise Line treats vaping and e-cigarettes the same as traditional cigarettes. They can only be used in designated smoking areas, which include selected indoor and outdoor locations depending on the ship.
Smoking or vaping in your stateroom or on your balcony is prohibited. Guests who break this rule will be charged a $250 cleaning fee, and may also have to pay for any damage caused to furniture, carpets, towels or other furnishings.
You can find the designated smoking areas for every ship in NCL’s smoking policy.
Disney Vape Policy
Disney Cruise Line only allows e-cigarettes and vapes to be used in designated smoking areas. These are more limited than on many other cruise lines, and on some ships certain smoking areas are only available between 6 pm and 6 am.
Guests who smoke or vape in their stateroom or on their verandah will be charged a $250 stateroom recovery fee to cover the cost of deep cleaning.
If you’re sailing on Disney Adventure, be aware that vapes and e-cigarettes are completely prohibited because the ship sails from Singapore, where they are illegal.
You can see the designated smoking areas for each ship in Disney Cruise Line’s smoking policy.
The Bottom Line
On almost every cruise line, vaping is treated the same as smoking a traditional cigarette. That means you won’t be able to vape in your cabin or on your balcony, and you’ll need to stick to the ship’s designated smoking areas instead.
If you’re used to taking a quick puff whenever you fancy it, that might take a little getting used to. But it’s not worth breaking the rules. Depending on the cruise line, you could be hit with a hefty fine, charged for extra cleaning or even removed from the ship.
The good news is that as long as you know the rules before you sail, bringing your vape onboard shouldn’t be a problem. Just make sure you only use it where it’s allowed, and you’ll avoid any unpleasant surprises.
