Hair Dryers

[editingbyrkay]

I found out the hard way that not all ships have them. I was told that they are available on all ships so I left mine at home and on Elegant night had to go to dinner with damp hair that was not "fixed" like I wanted. I had to try to use my curling iron and flat iron to dry my hair. So, if you NEED a hair dryer just take one with you to be on the safe side. I know I will next time.

[Cuizer2]

1) Ask your room steward for a blow dryer.

2) Check to see if the spa has a blow dryer.

3) Go to the front and let the wind blow dry your hair.

[xlxo]

I found out the hard way that not all ships have them. I was told that they are available on all ships so I left mine at home.

Which boat was this? I know Disney states they don't want people to bringing their own.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I found out the hard way that not all ships have them. I was told that they are available on all ships so I left mine at home and on Elegant night had to go to dinner with damp hair that was not "fixed" like I wanted. I had to try to use my curling iron and flat iron to dry my hair. So, if you NEED a hair dryer just take one with you to be on the safe side. I know I will next time.

 

 

What ship were you on?

[Essiesmom]

States it was Elegant Night, which tells you that it was on Carnival, probably a Fantasy class ship. Browsing the Carnival board would have told her this. EM

[Sauer-kraut]

Sometimes the hair dryer is hard wired into a drawer in the "desk", it pays to open all the drawers....

[serene56]

I think even if the OP found the dryer should would not have been happy withit. Its a low voltage that blows out very small amount of hot air.

 

Had the OP did some research before they left they would have found it better to take your own instead of researching stuff AFTER you come home.

[Cuizer2]

Had the OP did some research before they left they would have found it better to take your own instead of researching stuff AFTER you come home.

 

But after you come home you have a better idea of what you do and don't need.

[cb at sea]

I ALWAYS bring my own hairdryer...the provided ones are seldom strong enough for my hair!

[editingbyrkay]

and out first ever cruise. I did check the message boards and they did say that "most" had hairdryers. I also had very long (at the time) and very thick hair. I need a full size hairdryer anyway. I was not trying to get people upset. I just wanted newbies to know so that they were not put in the same situation.

We love cruising and from the moment we got of the ship, I have been trying to get back on. And we are cruising again in 45 days. It did not ruin my trip. It just hindered me getting ready.

[traveldayz]

I thought this was a handy post, particularly on a first time cruiser board.

I don't understand why it drew derisive comment.

 

A friend was asking me about them, but even though I have sailed with several different lines, I wouldn't have a clue about their hair dryers as my hair is very short and I never use them.

[editingbyrkay]

But after you come home you have a better idea of what you do and don't need.

 

Yes, I know so much more now than I did. Sometimes you just need to live it first to know what YOU need. And then there is that saying.."you live and you learn" and that is why I chose to share. :)

[BlueRiband]

I ALWAYS bring my own hairdryer...the provided ones are seldom strong enough for my hair!

 

Regurgitated from an old post but still worth consideration:

 

It may help a bit if you understand how ships electrical systems work.

 

Nearly all cruise ships are built in Europe, where the standard voltage is 220v.

Nearly all the tools used by the construction workers who build the ships are 220v.

Nearly all the electrical machines installed onboard are purchased in Europe, so they are 220v.

 

Cruise Lines know that around 50% or more of their passengers are from North America, where the standard voltage is 110v. They also know that many North Americans are electrically challenged and often have machines and toys that are 110v ONLY. So the cruise lines install step down transformers in accommodations areas, reducing the 220 volt power to 110 volts. That allows them to install a LIMITED number of 110 volt receptacles in passenger cabins. That word LIMITED is very important.

Step down transformers for ships are very large, very expensive, and they create quite a bit of heat. The more power they handle, the hotter they get - and the more noise they make.

They are usually installed in the void spaces between passenger cabins - not far from the pillow you sleep on at night.

Passenger cabins are pre-fabricated on land, and then slid aboard on tracks after the ship is built. Wiring and plumbing are already installed in the cabins before they arrive at the ship. Once the cabins are placed, the wiring and plumbing are connected to the ship's systems.

The cabins are grouped electrically into 3's and 4's to allow them to share the step down generators.

 

Each group of 3 or 4 cabins shares the same electrical circuits. This is a very important concept to understand.

 

Under most conditions, this sharing of the electrical system is not a problem. But occasionally the occupants of all 3 or 4 cabins decide to use their own high wattage electric hair dryers at the same time. If the hair dryers happen to be 220v machines, the system is overloaded and (hopefully) the breaker switch trips to cut the power and avoid a fire. When this breaker switch is tripped, all power to all 3 or 4 cabins goes off. An electrician must be called to re-set the breakers.

But sometimes those passengers have high wattage 110 volt machines in use at the same time. This not only overloads the wiring, but it also overloads the step down generator supplying the power. If the breaker switches do not cut the power before the generator overheats, there could be a fire starting in the space between your cabins.

 

So we have several challenges happening here.

 

1. Passengers who bring high wattage equipment onboard and potentially start fires in the cabin when they forget to turn them off.

2. Passengers who bring high wattage equipment onboard and black out their cabin - and their neighbors' cabins - when the electrical system is overloaded.

3. Passengers who bring high wattage electrical equipment onboard and inadvertently start fires by overloading the step down generators for their cabins.

...And that is why the cruise lines do not want you bringing high wattage heat producing machines onboard our ships.

[traveldayz]

What interesting facts. I guess we are quick to believe they are just putting in the cheapest equipment they can find.

The electricians must have nightmares thinking about what electrical and electronic gadgets we bring on board these days!

[serene56]

and out first ever cruise. I did check the message boards and they did say that "most" had hairdryers. I also had very long (at the time) and very thick hair. I need a full size hairdryer anyway. I was not trying to get people upset. I just wanted newbies to know so that they were not put in the same situation.

We love cruising and from the moment we got of the ship, I have been trying to get back on. And we are cruising again in 45 days. It did not ruin my trip. It just hindered me getting ready.

 

 

and if you ever forget the hair dryer and there is none in the cabin-- head to the gym/spa area. (showers are super larger too)

[BlueRiband]

What interesting facts. I guess we are quick to believe they are just putting in the cheapest equipment they can find.

The electricians must have nightmares thinking about what electrical and electronic gadgets we bring on board these days!

 

Yes, especially so on a ship with fixed dining and on formal night. Just imagine the wattage drain about an hour before dinner when hair dryers are in use simultaneously!:eek: The power on the ship-provided dryers is probably intentionally limited so the breakers don't trip off. If the power goes out nobody is going to get their hair dry.

Edited January 22, 2015 by BlueRiband

[Fydlstyx]

and out first ever cruise. I did check the message boards and they did say that "most" had hairdryers. I also had very long (at the time) and very thick hair. I need a full size hairdryer anyway. I was not trying to get people upset. I just wanted newbies to know so that they were not put in the same situation.

We love cruising and from the moment we got of the ship, I have been trying to get back on. And we are cruising again in 45 days. It did not ruin my trip. It just hindered me getting ready.

 

Sorry you've encountered some rudeness. I don't know why people feel the need to say nasty things to people when they make innocent comments. I did not take a hairdryer on the Ecstasy last month because I just assumed there would be one in the cabin. My cabin steward did cheerfully provide one when I asked, though, and it was a perfectly acceptable hairdryer. The BEST one I have ever used was on the NCL Pearl. I purchased a similar dryer after I came home - not the same one, as they are super expensive and I am hard on my hair appliances - because I liked it so much!

 

I was bummed that there was no fridge and therefore no mini-bar in the cabin on the Ecstasy, too. I hadn't ever given it any thought because I've always had these things available to me when I cruised. lol