Packing This Popular Tech Toy Could Get You Banned From Cruises

If you love to fly drones — and more importantly, take aerial pictures and video — a cruise might seem like the perfect opportunity. After all, the ocean is dynamic and ever-changing; from above, there's a chance you'll film drifting seagulls, pods of dolphins, or the ship itself slicing through the water. A bird's-eye landscape (like the one above) is only really possible with a drone, and it captures an environment from a wholly unique perspective. Then consider the ports, with their wharfs, reefs, cliffs, palm trees, and architecture, all ripe for capturing from above.

But you'll probably have to leave it at home. Drones are forbidden on most cruises and will likely be confiscated when you first arrive. Even the cruise companies that permit drones in your luggage will never let you fly them while aboard the ship. Like U.S. national parks, cruises are severely opposed to unmanned aircraft, even if the pilot has a Part 107 license from the Federal Aviation Administration, which is legally required for any profitable activity conducted with a drone. You may be able to fly a drone in port, but note that many nations forbid drone usage at all, such as cruising-favorite Barbados. In short, a drone may seem like a fantastic addition to your vacation, but bringing one is one of the most embarrassing cruise mistakes you can make.

Why must cruise lines ruin our fun? Partly, it's for safety: On a large ship, hundreds of passengers may mingle on the sun deck at any given moment, and a malfunctioning drone could drop right into a crowd, pool, or dinner table. A speeding drone could also fly too low and smack into the bridge — or any other vertical surface — causing confusion and even damage. A cruise ship is a tightly run operation, and operators must already deal with border-crossings, medical needs, weather forecasts, and widespread inebriation. The last thing a captain should have to worry about is an amateur videographer with aerobatic tendencies.

This may feel like a bummer, but consider how many other ways you can (permissibly) document your trip. Smart phones have better cameras than ever, for photos or video, and many even shoot well in low light. There are professional DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, easy-to-master point-and-shoot cameras, plus camcorders, waterproof cameras, and GoPros. You shouldn't have any problem taking these aboard, and many cruise ships encourage passengers to hashtag their images on social media to show how much fun they're having. Many ports have accessible lighthouses and nearby hills for overhead landscapes, so you may still be able to capture some overhead views. If you're new to photography, here's an unexpected tip that will enhance your travel images, even on a cruise line's carefully regulated itinerary.