You can take them, mostly – the rules are about where you use them, not whether you can pack them.
Can you take walkie talkies on a cruise? Yes, and tons of families do – it’s the classic way to keep a group together on a ship where cell service costs a fortune. Do walkie talkies work on cruise ships? Honestly, sort of. The ship is a giant steel box, and steel is terrible for radio signals. You’ll get good range on deck and near windows, but inside the corridors and cabins expect dead spots. On deck it’s usually fine – we see families using them all the time for pool and shore day coordination.
Do walkie talkies work on cruises in terms of rules: most cruise lines allow personal radios, but some restrict them – it’s worth a quick check with your line before you pack. Can you use walkie talkies on a cruise ship on the licensed bands? Technically the frequencies you use at home may not be legal to transmit on in other countries – the ship’s port of registry and the waters matter. In practice, nobody’s getting arrested for using FRS on a cruise, but use your judgment with commercial bands.
Can you bring walkie talkies on a plane? Yes – they’re not on the prohibited list. TSA treats them like any electronics. Put them in carry-on, and remove the battery if it’s removable, which avoids any awkward questions and also protects the radio. Are walkie talkies allowed on cruise ships in checked luggage? Allowed, but carry-on is smarter – you don’t want your radios lost with your checked bag when you land.
Practical tips for travel: take spare batteries because the ship’s electrical system won’t match your charger on some ships (US outlets vs 220V), bring a dual charger, and test your radios on the first day before you actually need them. Nothing worse than discovering a dead battery at 8am when the kids have already wandered off.