If you don’t want to get kicked off your cruise — or not even allowed to board — then make sure you don’t do something that literally tens of millions of people do regularly. And while there’s no issue if you do it on land, doing it on a cruise is a major “no-no” that can lead to fines or even worse, including being kicked off the cruise.
Millions of People Do These Things Regularly, But Strict Rules Apply on a Cruise Ship
When you book your cruise, you may not realize but you are agreeing to the cruise line’s ticket contract. This lays out all sorts of rules and regulations that you agree to abide by and the potential consequences.
For example, it lays out things like the cancellation policy, the cruise line’s right to change the itinerary if need be, and even that the line can use your image however they want, including in advertising.
One thing that’s also laid out is likely the cruise line’s policy on smoking and marijuana use. And the rules surrounding them are strict on a cruise. If you don’t know the rules, then ignorance is no excuse and you could see major repercussions if you break the cruise line’s policy.
Smoking has no doubt fallen in popularity over the decades. However, according to CDC data in 2021 there were nearly 30 million adults who smoked in the United States, or roughly 12 percent of the population.
Meanwhile, marijuana use has overtaken cigarette use as it has grown in acceptance and become legalized for recreational use in several states. The CDC says that more than 50 million people — or about 19% of Americans — used marijuana at least once in 2021.
But while having a cigarette or taking a gummy might be no big deal on land, on a cruise it’s something you don’t want to do casually.
Smoking On a Cruise: Allowed With Major Restrictions on Where You Light Up
Let’s start with smoking. Fire is a major concern on a ship in the middle of the ocean, so it’s natural that there would be strict rules about smoking to prevent accidents. But there’s also the issue of having thousands of people on the ship and the vast majority preferring not to smell cigarettes.
That’s why there are strict rules about where you can smoke. Each ship will have a designated smoking area. It’s usually on an outdoor deck on one side of the ship. Smoking is often (though not always) allowed in the ship’s casino as well.
But if you think you can just casually light up at a bar on the ship, or have a smoke in your room or on your balcony, think again. All the cruise lines have rules against this and there are major consequences.
For instance, Carnival lays out the following on its website:
“What happens if a guest is caught smoking in a stateroom or balcony?
“They will be assessed a $500 charge, per violation, on their Sail & Sign® account. Information on this charge is included in Section 8 of Carnival’s Cruise Ticket Contract. The assessment of this charge does not allow a guest to continue smoking in his/her stateroom. If a guest is found to be in violation of our smoking policy, all guests in the stateroom may be disembarked from the vessel and risk not being allowed to sail on Carnival in the future.”
And it’s not just Carnival. Royal Caribbean has a $250 fine and warns passengers can be “subject to further actions.”
Virgin Voyages states that “smoking of any kind outside of designated areas (even with a “vape” device) will result in a $500 fee, is a material breach of your ticket contract, and may result in you being disembarked at the next port with no refund.”
In other words, smoking in the wrong place can cost you at least a lot of money and may even get you kicked on the ship.
Marijuana Is Not Allowed, Even In Legal States
Just a decade or two ago, you couldn’t have predicted that marijuana would be used by more people than cigarettes, but that’s exactly the case today.
That is, unless you’re on a cruise ship.
While marijuana for medical and recreational purposes is legal in many states, it’s still illegal on the federal level. And given that cruise ships sail from port to port, cruise lines also have to contend with the laws of the countries visited. That’s why the rules are simple: Marijuana isn’t allowed on cruise ships. That includes gummies and vapes as well.
If fact, it’s gotten to the point that lines like Carnival has even introduced drug-sniffing dogs at departure ports to keep passengers from boarding with it.
If found, then you could be in for a rude awakening that costs you your trip. Carnival makes their policy clear on their website:
“Any Guest who refuses any such search or screening [for drugs or other contraband], or any Guest traveling with such items and/or attempting to board the Vessel with any such items, may be denied boarding or reboarding and/or disembarked and no refund of any portion of the the Total Cruise Price will be issued.”
You’ll find similar policies on other lines, no matter who you sail. In other words, don’t bring it with you and don’t try to sneak it on.
The only way to legally use marijuana during a cruise is to enjoy it in a port where it is legal.
