CPAP - can we request an extension cord from our room steward

[tootsiescurly]

My husband uses a CPAP. Can we request an extension cord from the room steward on day 1 or do you pack an extension cord? We are in a 2 bedroom Grand Suite. Are there sufficient outlets in the large bedroom?

Thank you for any advice. 

[scubaslayer]

1. Which ship? Yes you can request DI water and an extension cord. There is also a special needs request form you can do that should have it in the room when you arrive but that has been hit or miss for us. On Oasis class and higher, there is a plug on one side of the bed. Our CPAP has a long enough cord that it was not an issue to plug in and run the cord behind the bed to the other side.

[tootsiescurly]

4 minutes ago, scubaslayer said:

1. Which ship? Yes you can request DI water and an extension cord. There is also a special needs request form you can do that should have it in the room when you arrive but that has been hit or miss for us. On Oasis class and higher, there is a plug on one side of the bed. Our CPAP has a long enough cord that it was not an issue to plug in and run the cord behind the bed to the other side.

Thank you. We are on a Voyager class ship. It appears as though there is a European plug by the bed. We have a couple of voltage converters.

[Norwich Cruiser]

8 minutes ago, tootsiescurly said:

Thank you. We are on a Voyager class ship. It appears as though there is a European plug by the bed. We have a couple of voltage converters.

We always fill in a special needs form and an extension cord ( not that we’ve always needed it ) and distilled water have always been delivered to our stateroom on embarkation day by our room steward.

[KennDemon]

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/resources/guest-special-needs

 

My sister and I filled this out for our upcoming cruise and the response was very encouraging. It will be my first time traveling with a CPAP and they promised to have water and an extension cord waiting in the room for me. And I didn't even have to talk to an actual human.

 

If you do fill it out, don't be shy about mentioning anything else you think might be too minor. My sister has a flower/fragrance allergy that she mostly just puts up with as an inconvenience at home. Royal told her they would deep clean the room for her to get rid of any lingering perfumes.

 

We will see how well this translates to practice when we sail, but so far I am pleased with how these things are being handled.

[lovesthebeach2]

I haven’t read the responses, but DO NOT bring an ext cord….it will be confiscated.

They will supply the cord and distilled water. You can fill out the special needs form, but most times we just tell the room steward when we meet them. My DH has both American and European cords for his machine.

[leaveitallbehind]

As others have mentioned I just want to reinforce that you can also just talk to Guest Services or you stateroom attendant when you board and distilled water and an extension cord will be provided to your stateroom that day.  This is a common request for which they are prepared to assist.

Edited Wednesday at 01:12 PM by leaveitallbehind

[S.A.M.J.R.]

1 hour ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

I haven’t read the responses, but DO NOT bring an ext cord….it will be confiscated.

They will supply the cord and distilled water. You can fill out the special needs form, but most times we just tell the room steward when we meet them. My DH has both American and European cords for his machine.

Depends on the extension cord.  

 

I carry a two conductor (no ground) 6' extension cord in my CPAP bag.  It has three outlets on the end (all two conductor).  Not confiscated.  Do they think it's part of the CPAP?  Don't know.  

 

They're like these: 

A two pack on Amazon is $10.  Can probably find them cheaper elsewhere.  

[Nike4000]

1 hour ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Depends on the extension cord.  

 

I carry a two conductor (no ground) 6' extension cord in my CPAP bag.  It has three outlets on the end (all two conductor).  Not confiscated.  Do they think it's part of the CPAP?  Don't know.  

 

They're like these: 

A two pack on Amazon is $10.  Can probably find them cheaper elsewhere.  

 

I carry basically the exact same thing in my suitcase and it hasn't been confiscated yet. My understanding is that the problem arises when the extension cord has some sort of built in surge protection. I'm not an electrician, so I can't speak to the ins and outs of it, but a regular, plain old extension cord seems to be fine.

 

I've used mine on DCL, Royal, Carnival, and Princess without any issues - so far. Of course, as with anything on a cruise ship, your experience might be totally different depending on who is reviewing the bags as they get scanned and what they're focused on at that particular time.

 

Edited to add - Now that I have a travel CPAP, both the CPAP and extension cord fit in my suitcase, which are checked in at the pier & go through that security/screening process without any issues. Before getting the travel CPAP, I would carry on my Airsense 10 and kept the extension cord in the case with the hose. It would go through the x-ray machine without question.

Edited Wednesday at 04:12 PM by Nike4000

[mikefromny]

12 hours ago, scubaslayer said:

1. Which ship? Yes you can request DI water and an extension cord. There is also a special needs request form you can do that should have it in the room when you arrive but that has been hit or miss for us. On Oasis class and higher, there is a plug on one side of the bed. Our CPAP has a long enough cord that it was not an issue to plug in and run the cord behind the bed to the other side.

On Oasis and Symphony, there's usually a hidden outlet behind the bed I use for my CPAP.

[Baron Barracuda]

Have been bringing CPAP for many years.  Always fill out special needs form but usually have to remind steward to bring water and extension cord.  Always keep a 9' extension cord like the one pictured above in my cpap bag.  Never a problem.  It provides a couple of extra outlets if needed.

[PapaSquatch]

I use a cpap, bring my own water in a bottle I was able to get from local hospital stating it is distilled water. I also carry my own 8' white ext cord in my cpap bag. I have never been told I could not use it, it has never been confiscated. 
 

If I am going to be using it, we have always told our room steward and they have not had a problem with it. I always unplug it during the day and roll it up so it is out of the way.

 

Before taking my own, the two times I req'd one, they'd bring me the same cord I have at home. Thats why I just started carrying my own. Out of 10 cruises, I've used it 4 or 5 times.

 

It does surprise me that with the newer ships, very few seem to have plugs on at least one side of the bed for medical devices.

Edited Wednesday at 10:23 PM by PapaSquatch

[jcl410]

On 9/18/2024 at 10:15 AM, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Depends on the extension cord.  

 

I carry a two conductor (no ground) 6' extension cord in my CPAP bag.  

I have a similar cord (but 3 prong, 3 feet) I've done 14 cruises on RCI over the last 15 years. It was only confiscated one time. (in  San Juan, PR in 2022) <shrug> you never know

 

 

Aloha,

 

John 

[Tolkmit]

On 9/18/2024 at 9:15 AM, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Depends on the extension cord.  

 

No, it doesn't. All of them are banned.

 

The ban in the past has seldom been enforced. Royal is currently trying to change that, no one knows to what extant they will be successful.

 

The reason Royal bans all extension cords is because they don't train their security people to know the difference between cords that are safe, and cords that are not. So whether a cord is safe or not is irrelevant, it's banned regardless.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

3 minutes ago, Tolkmit said:

 

No, it doesn't. All of them are banned.

 

The ban in the past has seldom been enforced. Royal is currently trying to change that, no one knows to what extant they will be successful.

 

The reason Royal bans all extension cords is because they don't train their security people to know the difference between cords that are safe, and cords that are not. So whether a cord is safe or not is irrelevant, it's banned regardless.

Go back and read.  Neither I, nor the post I quoted, mentioned the word "banned".  The post I quoted said all extension cords would be confiscated.  Thats not always true.  

 

Maybe Royal will do that going forward, but you don't know that any more than anyone else.

[Tolkmit]

3 minutes ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Go back and read.  Neither I, nor the post I quoted, mentioned the word "banned".  The post I quoted said all extension cords would be confiscated.  Thats not always true.  

 

Maybe Royal will do that going forward, but you don't know that any more than anyone else.

 

You said whether or not it gets confiscated depends on the cord. That is false. They are all supposed to be confiscated, according to Royal Caribbean.

[BenDover]

I have taken an extension cord on every NCL cruise I have been on (10+) and I have never had it confiscated. It’s a high quality cord and I put it in the CPAP bag with a label stating that it is medical equipment.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

1 hour ago, Tolkmit said:

 

You said whether or not it gets confiscated depends on the cord. That is false. They are all supposed to be confiscated, according to Royal Caribbean.

But they're not.  I and others are proof of that.  Will the new rules change that?  Doubtful.

[tootsiescurly]

2 hours ago, jcl410 said:

I have a similar cord (but 3 prong, 3 feet) I've done 14 cruises on RCI over the last 15 years. It was only confiscated one time. (in  San Juan, PR in 2022) <shrug> you never know

 

 

Aloha,

 

John 

Was it in your luggage or carry on?

[jcl410]

13 minutes ago, tootsiescurly said:

Was it in your luggage or carry on?

It was in the CPAP case that comes with the machine. They were actually able to separate the short extension cord from the brick/cable that comes with the CPAP.

 

Aloha,

 

John

[scubaslayer]

But why not just request one from the ship? You know it will not be confiscated, and one less thing to pack. Even the times it wasn't in the room when we arrived, we notify the stateroom attendant and the cord, along with distilled water arrives by the time we are back from dinner (probably earlier but we aren't in the room much on day one). We always unplug the CPAPs when not in use. We just wind it up in the morning and that frees up the plug for other things and has the cord out of our way. Again if you are on Oasis class or higher, you likely won't need an extension cord if there is only 1 CPAP, since there is a plug by the bed.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

1 hour ago, scubaslayer said:

But why not just request one from the ship? You know it will not be confiscated, and one less thing to pack. Even the times it wasn't in the room when we arrived, we notify the stateroom attendant and the cord, along with distilled water arrives by the time we are back from dinner (probably earlier but we aren't in the room much on day one). We always unplug the CPAPs when not in use. We just wind it up in the morning and that frees up the plug for other things and has the cord out of our way. Again if you are on Oasis class or higher, you likely won't need an extension cord if there is only 1 CPAP, since there is a plug by the bed.

I keep my cord with my CPAP all of the time.  I've been to hotels that only have one outlet (part of a lamp) next to the bed, or just one outlet that works.

 

We requested an extension cord on our last cruise, never got it, but didn't need to ask CA for it, because I had mine, AND it provided three outlets.

 

As I understand it, the issues with power strips/extension cords are how they interact with the (electrical) ground.  My cord doesn't even have a ground conductor.

[LHARTWICK]

The ban also mentions multi-plug outlets.  Does this include the USB chargers w/multiple ports??  Or do we even know?  Wish they would specify.  The new ban will certainly be a challenge especially on the older ships with only one outlet.

[DarthGrady]

On 9/18/2024 at 10:15 AM, S.A.M.J.R. said:

Depends on the extension cord.  

 

I carry a two conductor (no ground) 6' extension cord in my CPAP bag.  It has three outlets on the end (all two conductor).  Not confiscated.  Do they think it's part of the CPAP?  Don't know.  

 

They're like these: 

A two pack on Amazon is $10.  Can probably find them cheaper elsewhere.  

 

Same here, never had an issue on RCL, CCL or other lines. 

[RobInMN]

10 hours ago, LHARTWICK said:

The ban also mentions multi-plug outlets.  Does this include the USB chargers w/multiple ports??  Or do we even know?  Wish they would specify.  The new ban will certainly be a challenge especially on the older ships with only one outlet.

This has been mentioned in this thread and others. The wording says "Multi-Plug". USB's are "Ports" (as you correctly called them). The general belief is that that they are fine. That the issue is specifically cords or units that have multiple 110/220 volt "plugs" on them, not low voltage USB ports.