travel iron vs steamer

[Clarea]

Sailed with Disney & they have self service laundry rooms - washers, dryers & irons so don’t understand why RC state it’s for safety reasons?

The reason really does not matter. Could be they just want the spaces to sell more staterooms. Bottom line is that there are no guest laundry or ironing facilites on RC ships.

[Eslader]

Hmmm....I own many flat irons of all different companies and not one of them snap closed. Someone else mentioned that they don't get hot enough either and that is not true. Mine gets to 450 degrees. That is plenty hot to start something on fire. If it makes contact even on one plate it would be enough. Good thing I am super careful.

 

I'm no expert on flat irons since I barely have enough hair to bother with a barber, but I don't believe any of them are capable of landing with their heating surface face down on the floor.

 

 

450 degrees is just under the temperature needed to start paper on fire. If you want to set clothes on fire you need to be several hundred degrees hotter at minimum. So the flammability argument the company makes doesn't really make a whole lot of sense (especially when they allow butane lighters!). I always figured they got tired of people leaving irons face down on things and damaging them.

[chengkp75]

As to guest laundries, NCL does not have any either. The reason is that laundry fires are quite common, and neither line wishes to spend the manpower and money to continually police, clean, and inspect the laundry equipment over which they have no control of how people use them. It's about the insurance underwriter's "risk comfort level" and the cost of keeping to that comfort level.

 

As for the flat iron/clothes steamer debate. The cruise line would ban all hair care appliances that generate heat if they felt they could without alienating half the cruise population. It is again about the insurance underwriter's "risk comfort level". They are okay with having hair care appliances onboard, but if they can restrict other heat generating sources, they will.

 

The largest risk with any heat generating appliance is the so-called "safety" auto-off feature. These are known to fail, have done so spectacularly (Mr. Coffee almost went bankrupt from home fire lawsuits over their switches), and continue to do so. Even a clothes steamer with a plastic water containment, if the switch fails when the water is gone, the heater will continue to heat until the plastic either melts and drips on something flammable, or ignites itself. This is why, if you read the UL tags on these appliances, they all state "unplug when not in use".

[griffy116]

First cruise with RC, I was in a panic at the idea that if I needed to do a load of wash or press something, I couldn't. It has turned out to be one of the GREATEST PERKS of cruising. I do NO laundry for the duration of the cruise. When we did a med cruise with a few nights pre-cruise and post cruise added in, I did the Wash 'N Fold and carried a travel size of Downy Wrinkle Release and it was all good. Besides, after a few days of all the desserts, snacks and meals, the extra weight will smooth out even the most stubborn wrinkle. :D

[Merion_Mom]

first cruise with rc, i was in a panic at the idea that if i needed to do a load of wash or press something, i couldn't. It has turned out to be one of the greatest perks of cruising. I do no laundry for the duration of the cruise. When we did a med cruise with a few nights pre-cruise and post cruise added in, i did the wash 'n fold and carried a travel size of downy wrinkle release and it was all good. Besides, after a few days of all the desserts, snacks and meals, the extra weight will smooth out even the most stubborn wrinkle. :D

 

[ladylyn915]

It's all about the money...not so much about "safety"...Some lines provide irons for passenger use....and that's mighty nice!

 

Agree 100% - More passengers will send clothes to the laundry if they cannot touch up themselves.

[3monkeys4me]

I'm no expert on flat irons since I barely have enough hair to bother with a barber, but I don't believe any of them are capable of landing with their heating surface face down on the floor.

 

 

450 degrees is just under the temperature needed to start paper on fire. If you want to set clothes on fire you need to be several hundred degrees hotter at minimum. So the flammability argument the company makes doesn't really make a whole lot of sense (especially when they allow butane lighters!). I always figured they got tired of people leaving irons face down on things and damaging them.

 

I have a big black hole in the carpet in my teen's room that says the flat iron can have the heating element touch the surface enough to burn a hole/melt carpet. Thankfully, no fires were started. I think she sets hers a bit low, 390 degrees or so. I have no idea how long it was on the carpet for it to melt though, she has sine been banned from flat irons in her bedroom.

[dpostman]

I have this portable streamer in black

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I9JQYP4/ref=twister_B018FPZGAA?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

It dismantles small enough and fits in my toiletries bag. Very simple and steams within seconds of plugging in. So no leaving it laying around to heat up. Not too powerful so no overloading circuits and automatically adjusts to different world voltages.

 

 

dp

[Grandma Dazzles]

I have this portable streamer in black

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I9JQYP4/ref=twister_B018FPZGAA?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

 

It dismantles small enough and fits in my toiletries bag. Very simple and steams within seconds of plugging in. So no leaving it laying around to heat up. Not too powerful so no overloading circuits and automatically adjusts to different world voltages.

 

 

dp

 

You still run the risk of it being confiscated, also delay of your luggage. Steamers are not allowed.

[Marie51]

I have taken my steamer on 20+ cruises and it has never been confiscated. Guess I just got lucky but mine does not resemble an iron like some do.

[TCruzin]

The minute I was in the room, I used to go to the laundry on other ships and spend an hour ironing for the week. I stopped that about three years ago. It is worth it to have the cruise line do the work. One less thing to do and more time to play.

[RedSails1968]

Having the iron on Carnival was a nice convenience. There was a sign telling you to put it back into the cradle when finished but I guess stewards were expected to keep an eye on the rooms. There is also stuff all the clothes you can into the bag for $15.