Irons and Steamers

[Princess_Sunflower]

My hubby and i will be going on our first cruise this August on Voyager of the Seas. Does anyone know what their policy is regarding irons or steamers? I read on another post that someone had smuggled their little travel iron onboard. I'd be afraid to do that worrying that I'd get in big trouble. I know i'm sick but I iron everything but socks and underwear.

 

Thanks for replying....

[Andee]

It's my understanding that irons are not permitted, but steamers are.

[TrentS]

Irons are not permitted, they're a huge fire hazzard and the last thing you want on a ship is a fire! Steamers are fine... If you need something ironed they will do it for you, contact your cabin steward.

[Bassnote_1]

ain't cheap, but it is functional. I used a steamer and it worked out pretty good.

[Cotton]

BIG fire hazard. People who smuggle on irons that could possibly start a fire should be the last ones allowed into the lifeboats.:rolleyes:

 

I believe the small travel steamers are acceptable....but NO irons (or candles or heating pads). Just take Wrinkle Release - works wonders.

 

Don't all cruise ships have self-serve laundry rooms? Carnival has two on every passenger deck with washers, dryers, ironing boards, and irons.

[TrentS]

Don't all cruise ships have self-serve laundry rooms? Carnival has two on every passenger deck with washers, dryers, ironing boards, and irons.

No, I think there are more without than with... I can't remember the last time I was on a ship with one.

[Princess_Sunflower]

Royal Caribbean does not have laundry facilities onboard. You're only option is to pay to have your clothes pressed. I do have a steamer that I can take. Thanks for responding. I'm glad I found this board. It's very helpful for first timers. :)

[madelinerose]

Irons are not allowed because of the wattage. Steamers are ok, I believe.

 

On our last cruise, I packed everything in dry cleaner bags with the bottoms tied in knots (the air provides a cushion and reduces wrinkling) and overlapped the folds. Nothing had to be pressed, but, if there were a few wrinkles, I used Downey Wrinkle Releaser and it worked like a charm! ;)

 

Some Princess ships, as well as Carnival, have laundry rooms.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[TrentS]

Actually outside hair dryers are not allowed because of the wattage, irons are not allowed because they're a fire hazard!

[Princess_Sunflower]

Outside Hair Dryers TOO???? :confused:

HMMMMMMMMM....I didn't read that anywhere.....

 

Of course I'll abide with the rules of no irons in the rooms but I don't see the difference between a curling iron and a small travel iron.... You can just as easily forget to turn off a curling iron or burn something with it.....

[Big Al B.]

I've read many threads where people say they take their own hair dryers because the ones provided aren't powerful enough. My wife has taken her hair curling thingie several times with no problems.

[Cotton]

Not all cabins on all ships have blowdryers. There is no mention of not bringing blowdryers or curling irons - not in any of the info I've read. Irons and heating pads use high wattage; the other products don't.;)

[TrentS]

The problems with some hair dryers is that they also use very high wattage, and will blow out the circuit... My cabin lost power once, was due to a lady next door using her hairdryer... The maintenace people who came said it happens all the time.

[Princess_Sunflower]

Thanks for all the tips...I'll definitely try the plastic bags and wrinkle releaser.:)

[MJ25]

We just returned from a cruise on the AOS and used the laundry service and found it very reasonable. For example we had a man's dress shirt cleaned and pressed for around $2.50.

 

On our future cruises there will be items that we know will always wrinkle, so we will just wait and have them cleaned and pressed once we arrive on board instead of having it done at home and then trying to get them there wrinkle free.

[cantwaittokrewz]

Just don't get it. I can't bring my travel iron because of fire hazard, but someone in the next cabin can fall asleep smoking in bed?

[MJ25]

Just don't get it. I can't bring my travel iron because of fire hazard, but someone in the next cabin can fall asleep smoking in bed?

 

I can not speak of the other lines but on RCCL there is no smoking in the cabins. Only in the designated smoking areas which are a few designated lounges.

[Cotton]

I can not speak of the other lines but on RCCL there is no smoking in the cabins. Only in the designated smoking areas which are a few designated lounges.

 

You're dreaming.:rolleyes: Since the Carnival Paradise changed from a non-smoking to a smoking ship, there are now NO cruise ships that don't allow smoking in the cabins.

 

My best friend got back a coupla weeks ago from an RCCL cruise, and she smoked in her cabin. She was with a group of 30+ folks, all but two of whom smoke. She said she had to ask her cabin steward for an ashtray, and it was provided immediately. They ALL smoked in their cabins.

 

Someone said on another recent thread that he couldn't smoke in his cabin on RCCL, and then found out that it wasn't the cruiseline rules, it was his wife who told him that!:D He asked a ship's officer why they didn't have smoking as well as non-smoking cabins, and the officer told him ALL cabins are designated 'smoking'.

[cruisingbug]

I know the OP asked about RCCL but just in case someone else happens by - we've recently cruised on the NCL Dawn and the Island Princess, and both of these had self-serve laundries on every deck with irons, so we just ironed our formal clothes in the laundry on formal night - no lines, no waiting. The irons in the laundries are on a timer so if someone forgets to turn it off it turns itself off, also can be checked regularly by staff.

 

I will also never understand how irons are not permitted in rooms but smoking is as far as the whole "fire hazard" idea goes. Anyone know the stats on how many household fires are respectively started by irons, curling irons, candles, cigarettes, etc? The only fire I've ever been involved in was started by an upstairs neighbors who fell asleep with a cigarette. Not to start a war here, but considering that the biggest safety issue onboard a ship is fire, I find it strange that smoking is allowed in cabins (other places are more reasonable - not much chance of people falling asleep at bars or in the casino).

[Cotton]

Anyone know the stats on how many household fires are respectively started by irons, curling irons, candles, cigarettes, etc?

 

Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. My brother is a captain in one of the fire departments here on the MS Gulf Coast, and as soon as I saw this....I called him and asked.

 

#1 cause:

Kitchen/Stove fire

 

On down the line, in order:

 

2. Faulty electrical wiring

3. Electric space heaters

4. Fireplace being left unattended

5. Unsupervised kids playing with matches

6. Arson

7. Cigarettes left unattended

8. Candles left unattended

9. Electric appliances like irons and heating pads

[johnql]

I will also never understand how irons are not permitted in rooms but smoking is as far as the whole "fire hazard" idea goes.

Here's my take, which I'm sure not everyone will agree with.

 

Smoking and irons are two separate fire hazards. Each has to be considered independently. For purposes of this discussion, let's all agree that smoking is indeed more dangerous than using irons. So what? The two hazards still need to be treated separately. Banning one has nothing to do with the other. Each decision has to be based on: 1) the extent of the danger; 2) the ability to impose and enforce a ban; 3) available alternatives; 4) economic considerations; and 5) consumer resistance to a ban.

 

If a ban were based solely on "the extent of the danger", it would be a no-brainer. Smoking would then be banned. However, you have to take into consideration the other factors. It's probably far more difficult to search for and locate smuggled cigarettes since they contain no metal. Irons are far easier to identify. There is a real practical limitation on imposing a smoking ban, especially in private, unsupervised areas (i.e., cabins).

 

Cigarette smokers, in general, have no alternatives since they're indulging in an addictive habit. I suppose they could all be forced to wear nicotine patches, but I don't see that happening any time soon. On the other hand, there are many alternatives to ironing (packing differently, Downey spray, steamers, using onboard pressing services, etc.).

 

As far as economic considerations, you need only look at Carnival's short-lived experiment with the Paradise, the only "no smoking" ship afloat until fairly recently. Part of the reason the "no smoking" ban was lifted was that there's a strong correlation between smoking and drinking, which generates a significant part of a ship's revenue. Simply put, a smokeless ship generates less income. There's no corresponding negative associated with banning irons. In fact, cynical people like to believe that some cruise lines ban irons in order to force cruisers to use the ship's pressing/laundering/dry cleaning services, leading to additional income.

 

What about consumer resistance? This is by no means definitive, but I believe there would be far more resistance to a smoking ban than an iron ban. Even if the smokers represent a minority on the ship, they would be pretty vocal about a ban.

 

I guess the bottom line is, the cruise line picks and chooses the battles it thinks are worth fighting - in this case, both smoking and irons are probably worth banning. But then, the cruise line has to decide whether such a fight is winnable and the extent of the casualties (e.g., lost customers, lost revenue).

 

Just my two cents.

[emdia43]

As you pack your suitcase,put a plastic garbage bag between each layer of clothing. If you do this you will not need an iron.

I promise you this works.

On my last cruise I had my formal dress pressed because it was new and never ironed before. By the last day we had a bag of laundry and I was pleasantly surprised at the low cost to send out for washing and ironing. RCCL doesn't have self laundering facilities.:)

[Princess_Sunflower]

Looks like I solved my problem. I found a Rowenta "Steam n' Press" in Macy's the other day. It has a soleplate like an iron with an attachment that fits over the soleplate with a lint and fabric brush. It uses only 1000 watts of power which is way below the allowed 1400 watts posted on RCL's website. I got it on sale for $29.99. Yes, it's alot of money but I'm such a fanatic about wrinkles and hate to have to spend $2.50 just to have a few wrinkles taken out or a seam tidied up and wonder when to send it out and get it returned back to me.

 

Here is what it looks like:

http://www.rowenta.com/rowenta/home_appliances.htm