Royal Caribbean warns cruisers of cabin door decoration risks
For many Royal Caribbean cruise vacationers, decorating their stateroom door is a beloved cruise tradition. Door decorations not only add some personalized flair to a cabin, they make it easier to find your room in a long hallway of doors that all look the same.
Some passengers use door decorations to highlight something they're celebrating on a cruise, while others add decorations themed to their cruise itinerary, places they've visited, or ships they've sailed on during past voyages.
If decorating your door is something you want to do on your next Royal Caribbean cruise, don't get discouraged by misleading headlines suggesting that the cruise line is banning door decorations. Decorating your door is still allowed on Royal Caribbean ships, but the cruise line wants to make sure its passengers understand the rules - and the risks.
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Is Royal Caribbean cracking down on door decorations?
As decorating cabin doors has become more popular with Royal Caribbean cruisers, reports of decorative door magnets being stolen during cruises have become increasingly common. This leads to frustration among passengers, many of whom turn to Guest Services for help.
During one recent sailing on Symphony of the Seas, multiple reports of door decoration theft and vandalism prompted Guest Services staff to issue a letter to all passengers, according to Royal Caribbean Blog, a fan blog not affiliated with the cruise line.
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The letter didn't serve as a crackdown on door decorations, but as a reminder about the cruise line's rules and the risk of theft involved with leaving personal items outside your room. It also advised passengers that Royal Caribbean isn't liable for door decorations that disappear.
"We expect guests to be mindful of your door display, but any decoration displayed outside of your stateroom door is done at your own risk. Royal Caribbean International is not responsible for any items on display that go missing outside of your room," the letter stated.
That means if you think your door decorations were swiped by other passengers, don't expect compensation or security staff to get involved.
Rules to follow when decorating your door on a Royal Caribbean cruise
Royal Caribbean's letter to Symphony of the Seas passengers also emphasized the rules that passengers must follow if they choose to decorate their stateroom doors. These rules aren't new, and are intended to ensure passengers don't create fire hazards or damage doors or walls with their decorations.
For safety reasons, stateroom door decorations must not:
- Use a lithium-powered light
- Cover the peep hole
- Pose a fire hazard
- Touch the door frame
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To avoid damage to doors and walls, passengers shouldn't use tape or adhesives to hang anything in or outside of their staterooms. Magnetic decorations are considered the safest and easiest way to decorate your cabin door on a cruise, since cabin doors are made of metal.
As you plan your door decorations, keep in mind that unique cruise magnets often attract unwanted attention. Don't decorate with anything that you wouldn't want to lose, because unfortunately, door magnet theft is a common problem at sea - no matter which cruise ship or cruise line you choose for your vacation.
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This story was originally published May 25, 2026 at 3:17 PM.