Will American appliances work on Amadeus Riverboat?

[traveller333]

Will American electrical appliances work on Amadeus riverboats? Mine do not have dual currency.

[steamboats]

traveller333,

 

Amadeus Waterways ships do have 230 V. Do not try to use a 110 V electrical device with 230 V. It´ll blow up. You definitely need dual voltage devices or a step down converter.

 

I´m not sure whether there is a shaver outlet with 110V in the bathroom. But that one can´t be used with high wattage devices (like a hair dryer).

 

steamboats

[WIT]

Will American electrical appliances work on Amadeus riverboats? Mine do not have dual currency.

Read the fine print on your device's charger. My cellphone, camera, and laptop all say they can handle 220 or 110. I just bring the small plug adaptors for the right country and everything recharges fine.

 

If you must bring a device that only charges via 110 then you'll need to bring a voltage converter as well.

 

WIT

[Benita]

We just returned from the Amadagio. There was a 110 volt outlet in the bathroom and three 240 volt outlets by the desk in the cabin. The one in the bathroom is in the medicine cabinet, so you can not close it if using the outlet. One of the outlets by the desk had the "American "type prongs and the other two were European. We brought two adapters and one power strip, which added two more outlets. All our appliances are dual voltage - cell phone and camera battery chargers, etc. If you only have 110 volt appliances, bring a converter, or better yet, get applicances with dual voltage. Other than irons and hairdryers (and they supply a hand held one in the cabin), I never see any single volt chargers anymore. You do not need to bring a laptop computer, as the internet in the room is great (and free)

[odblnt]

Benita,

 

Welcome back! Did you get the reply I posted in your other thread?

 

Did you have as good a time as we did?

 

Pete

[FlyerTalker]

We brought two adapters and one power strip, which added two more outlets.

I would be reluctant to use a power strip unless it too was rated for 230V. The wiring from the outlet to your charger has to be able to handle the current. Check the power strip -- they all have their rating imprinted. If you can't find a rating, I'd get rid of the strip, as it likely isn't UL (or CE) approved. FWIW, every plain strip I checked at my house was only rated to 125V.

 

Now, if you had a voltage converter (note converter, not adapter) between the outlet and the power strip, I would be OK, since it would be 110 going out from the converter to the strip. Then a plain ol' USA strip would work fine.

[TwoFortwo]

Thanks, Benita, -- we will be on the Amacello starting Saturday and that is useful information.

 

For the original poster -- DO NOT use the 110v outlet in the bathroom for anything except a shaver. Most, if not all, 110V shaver outlets in 240V countries are designed to drive small motorized devices like shavers only and can damage electronics.

[hcross888]

What pronged adapter do you need for Amadaus? My cell phone charger, Ipod charger and curling iron all are dual voltage.

 

Vicky

[traveller333]

I am naive about this. I do own an adapter (I believe this is what it's called, it's only about 1 inch square with the round European prongs). I used this one time in Europe and it destroyed the travel coffee pot I was using in on. Obviously this is not the outcome I want again.

I do own a 5 year old Sony laptop I was hoping to bring so I could download photos. I don't own the instruction manual anymore so not sure if this is considered dual or not. The prongs look American to me.

[odblnt]

I am naive about this. I do own an adapter (I believe this is what it's called, it's only about 1 inch square with the round European prongs). I used this one time in Europe and it destroyed the travel coffee pot I was using in on. Obviously this is not the outcome I want again.

I do own a 5 year old Sony laptop I was hoping to bring so I could download photos. I don't own the instruction manual anymore so not sure if this is considered dual or not. The prongs look American to me.

 

Does the power cord on your Sony go through a "power brick" (where the cord goes to a plastic "brick" and then another cord goes to the laptop)? If so, it probably will work. I've never seen a power brick that wasn't 110/230. Look on the brick itself, though to see if anything is written on it.

[WIT]

I am naive about this. I do own an adapter (I believe this is what it's called, it's only about 1 inch square with the round European prongs). I used this one time in Europe and it destroyed the travel coffee pot I was using in on. Obviously this is not the outcome I want again.

I do own a 5 year old Sony laptop I was hoping to bring so I could download photos. I don't own the instruction manual anymore so not sure if this is considered dual or not. The prongs look American to me.

Look at the writing on the charger - perhaps with a magnifying glass. It will say what charging voltages will work. Amadeus uses round prongs whereas the US uses flat prongs. Do not use a 110 multi-outlet with 220 on the boat. The right choice is to get 3 or 4 round prong to flat adaptors. Available lots of places.

WIT

[FlyerTalker]

A bit of a glossary to help out:

 

Converter: This is an electrical device that takes current at one voltage and converts it to a different voltage. You can get them for 220 -> 110 or for 110 -> 220 (depending on the input voltage). To use an "American" product in a "European" outlet, it would be a 220 to 110. Converters come with different wattage ratings - be sure the wattage rating of the converter is greater than the total peak load you would be drawing.

 

Adapter: This is a mechanical device that plugs into one type of electric outlet and provides a different outlet on the other end. Adapters only provide for a different receptacle...they do not alter the voltage of the current passing through the adapter.

 

Wattage: The amount of electric power passing through the circuit. This is a function of the amperage and voltage. Heating elements draw high wattage, motors and chargers much less. That is why you see outlets marked "shavers only"....they are not designed for the current draw of a heating element such as a hair dryer. Electrical devices have their wattage on the label, just as they have the voltage.

 

So, what (watt??) does this mean. First off, know what you want to power. Find out the ratings, both in terms of voltage and wattage. READ THE LABEL. DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING. If the device runs on both 110 and 220 (indicated by a wide range for voltage), you will not need a voltage converter, just an adapter to allow you to plug in the device to the outlet. If it does not run on all voltages, you will need a converter, and one that has enough capacity for the wattage you need. You will also need an adapter, though many converters have them built in (or part of an adapter kit that comes with the converter). Be sure that all parts of your "circuit" are rated for the voltage and wattage that will be flowing through their part of the wires.

 

There are many different converters and adapters on the market. Go to a good travel products website for more details on specific requirements different geographical areas. (Magellan's has a particularly good site).

 

Hope this helps out.

[halbfl2]

I got tired of trying to use both a converter and an adapter to get my curling iron to work in Europe (with both those things, it kept falling out of the plug), so bought an inexpensive curling iron (in Spain) that should work all over Europe. I will, however, have to use a plug adapter in the UK , but not the converter (which is the heavier thing to take). Now, of course, we're thinking about weight on everything we pack. I thought I read someplace where the river cruisers were like the cruise ships and had 110V in the staterooms. Not so? or does it depend on the co?

[Benita]

The ships from Amadeus use 240 volts. The adapter needed is the European style, with two round prongs about an inch apart. We plugged an extension into one - not really a power strip, but it had three outlets which could be rotated, so it does not stick out from the wall (in case it is near furniture). This way, we could plug three appliances or chargers in to one outlet.

The chargers for most laptop computers and cell phones are dual voltage, so they can be used while traveling. Check the area where the power brick is located, or where the plug is located. Most will say the voltage required, and all mine say 110-240 volt. My travel iron has a switch on the back which you can flip from one voltage to another.

I do not trust the converters that you can buy separately. I have seen them malfunction too often. Plus, they are bulky and heavy.

Hi Odblnt, I saw your reply to my post from the ship. The tulip gardens were magnificent. May 3 was a great day to be there. There was supposedly a big parade the week before and the crowds were said to be unbearable, but it was fine the day we were there. We stayed for about 6 hours and took a bus and train back to the ship.

[odblnt]

The ships from Amadeus use 240 volts. The adapter needed is the European style, with two round prongs about an inch apart. We plugged an extension into one - not really a power strip, but it had three outlets which could be rotated, so it does not stick out from the wall (in case it is near furniture). This way, we could plug three appliances or chargers in to one outlet.

The chargers for most laptop computers and cell phones are dual voltage, so they can be used while traveling. Check the area where the power brick is located, or where the plug is located. Most will say the voltage required, and all mine say 110-240 volt. My travel iron has a switch on the back which you can flip from one voltage to another.

I do not trust the converters that you can buy separately. I have seen them malfunction too often. Plus, they are bulky and heavy.

 

Sorry, I can't resist with a story from when I was stationed in Germany with the army. A friend had to have his big American tv repaired from shipping it over and his young kids (all early elementary school and younger) were eagerly waiting. Well, in his quarters he had 220 wall outlets, some with the big, bulky transformers. For some reason he had regular (110) extension cords plugged in to each (with adapter in the 220 outlets).

 

Well, I helped haul his tv up to his quarters (for some reason, my friends never lived on the first floor) and he proudly plugged the tv in (you guessed it) to the wrong extension cord. The sparks made such a pretty arch across the top of his tv before we could get it unplugged. He quickly headed down to the exchange to buy a dual voltage television.

 

 

Hi Odblnt, I saw your reply to my post from the ship. The tulip gardens were magnificent. May 3 was a great day to be there. There was supposedly a big parade the week before and the crowds were said to be unbearable, but it was fine the day we were there. We stayed for about 6 hours and took a bus and train back to the ship.

 

Sounds like you had a great time. Did you do Brugge?

 

I really have to get busy and do a review of our wonderful trip.

 

Pete

[Benita]

We went to Brugge. It was on May 1, which besides being my birthday, it is a holiday where they have paraders in Crusader garb carrying around a relic which is supposed to have dried drops of the blood of Christ. The excursion was changed to the morning, instead of the afternoon, before the place got too mobbed. It was fun to watch the festivities. Brugge is a place I could centainly visit again. We went to Ghent in the afternoon, which was also enjoyable.

We also did the optional Brussels excursion and were glad we did. Although there was not much time allowed there (the cruise director, Paul, was not very flexible in the hours), we enjoyed the driving and walking tours.