Can you bring walkie-talkies on a cruise?
It depends on your cruise line. Royal Caribbean allows it with limits. Norwegian bans it. Carnival, Princess, Celebrity, Disney, MSC, Holland America and Virgin Voyages don't say.
Pick your cruise line
Carnival's pages don't name walkie-talkies or two-way radios. The banned list includes "radios" with speakers and boom boxes, but it allows ham radio gear. Ask the line before you pack them.
All 9 lines side by side
- Allowed with limits Royal Caribbean
- Not allowed Norwegian
- Not stated Carnival, Princess, Celebrity, Disney, MSC, Holland America, Virgin Voyages
| Cruise line | Status | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnival | Not stated | Carnival's pages don't name walkie-talkies or two-way radios. The banned list includes "radios" with speakers and boom boxes, but it allows ham radio gear. Ask the line before you pack them. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Royal Caribbean | Allowed with limits | Two-way radios are allowed only if they reach 10 miles or less, use 5 watts or less, carry voice only, and have no external antenna. Ham radios are banned. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Norwegian | Not allowed | Walkie-talkies are banned. Ham radios and satellite phones are banned too. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Princess | Not stated | Princess's pages don't mention walkie-talkies. Ask Princess before you pack them. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Celebrity | Not stated | Celebrity's pages don't mention walkie-talkies. Ham radios are banned. Ask the line before you pack walkie-talkies. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Disney | Not stated | Disney's pages don't mention walkie-talkies or two-way radios. Ham radios, communication scanners and wideband receivers are banned. Ask the line before you pack them. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| MSC | Not stated | MSC's US pages don't mention walkie-talkies or two-way radios. Ask the line before you pack them. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Holland America | Not stated | Holland America's pages don't mention walkie-talkies. Ham radios, scanners and satellite phones are banned. Ask the line before you pack walkie-talkies. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Virgin Voyages | Not stated | Virgin's pages don't mention walkie-talkies or two-way radios. HAM radios and satellite phones are banned. Ask the line before you pack them. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
Rules checked on Nov 6, 2026. Independent guide. Not affiliated with any cruise line. Rules change, so confirm with your cruise line before you sail. Security staff have the final say at the terminal.
Only two lines give a clear answer
Royal Caribbean allows two-way radios with limits, and Norwegian bans walkie-talkies by name. The other seven lines, Carnival, Princess, Celebrity, Disney, MSC, Holland America and Virgin, don't mention walkie-talkies at all.
Not stated isn't the same as allowed. Ask your line before you pack a set.
Royal Caribbean's limits
Royal Caribbean spells out four conditions. The radios must have a range of 10 miles or less, use 5 watts or less, carry voice only and have no external antenna. Check the range printed on the box against that 10-mile limit before you pack them.
Ham radios are banned on Royal Caribbean even though small walkie-talkies are fine.
Ham radios are a separate rule
Several lines ban ham radios while saying nothing about walkie-talkies: Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, Disney, Holland America and Virgin. Disney and Holland America also ban scanners.
Carnival goes the other way. It allows ham and amateur radio gear, but its banned list includes radios in the same line as speakers and boom boxes. Walkie-talkies aren't named, so ask Carnival.
Questions people ask
What limits does Royal Caribbean set?
Two-way radios must reach 10 miles or less, use 5 watts or less, carry voice only and have no external antenna.
Can I bring walkie-talkies on Carnival?
Carnival's pages don't name them. Its banned list includes radios alongside speakers, while allowing ham radio gear. Ask Carnival before you pack them.
Can I bring walkie-talkies on Norwegian?
No. Norwegian bans walkie-talkies, ham radios and satellite phones.
Are walkie-talkies and ham radios the same thing?
Not to the cruise lines. Several lines ban ham radios by name but don't mention walkie-talkies, so check both rules.