A CPAP machine is one of the easiest medical devices to travel with, because every airline and cruise line sees thousands of them a year. The problems are never permission - they are water, power and spares, and all three are solved before you leave home.
The essentials
Every major cruise line accepts CPAP, BiPAP and similar machines as medical devices. Flying with one is equally routine: the US Transportation Security Administration lists CPAPs as allowed in carry-on bags with special instructions - the machine comes out of its carrying case for X-ray screening, while the face mask and tubing can stay inside the bag. Two rules do most of the work. First, the machine never goes in checked luggage: Carnival's policy is explicit that guests must hand-carry their own equipment and label it. Second, tell the cruise line before you sail, so power and water are waiting in the cabin.
Before you sail
Notify the line's access or special-needs desk when you book. Norwegian Cruise Line asks CPAP guests to request distilled water and provides it onboard; Carnival sells distilled water for CPAP machines either pre-cruise online or once aboard. Ask about extension cords at the same time: most lines ban personal extension cords for fire safety but will supply an approved one through the access desk. Check what the cabin offers - newer ships have bedside US-style 110V outlets, older ones may not - and pack the right adapter if you sail with a European line. Keep your prescription or a copy of your pressure settings with the machine, and remember that a medical device travels in addition to your normal carry-on allowance.
On the ship
Set the machine up on the first night and test everything while the access desk is still open. Cabin outlets are rarely right beside the bed, which is where the approved extension cord earns its place. Distilled water for the humidifier comes from the line, since ship tap water is desalinated and not ideal for the machine. Bring spares of everything consumable - mask cushions, filters and tubing - because none of it is sold onboard, and a battery backup is worth its weight if you worry about power hiccups or overnight stays ashore. If you also travel with prescription medicines, our guide to medications abroad covers the paperwork side.
The five-minute version
- CPAPs are accepted medical devices on every major line; the TSA allows them in carry-on, machine out of the case for X-ray.
- Never check the machine - hand-carry it, labeled.
- Tell the line at booking: distilled water and an approved extension cord need arranging.
- Pack spares of masks, filters and tubing; nothing CPAP-related is sold onboard.
- Carry your prescription or settings; a battery backup is cheap insurance.