curling irons?

[swannie]

I was just reading about irons not being allowed in the cabins, which I knew...and was just thinking about the curling iron I was planning to pack. Are they allowed? It seems that they could be dangerous in a similar way.

[operafan]

I've never heard of a curling iron being a problem on any cruise line.

[John Bull]

A lot of folk think the problem with flat irons is the risk of them setting fire to furnishings etc, but it's more to do with overloading the cabin's wiring - which these days is more likely to pop a fuse than set a fire. Embarrassing nonethless to call out maintenance crew to re-set the fuse cos you've used a banned appliance such as a flat iron :o

 

But your curling tongs (then your straighteners :D) are OK cos they use much less power :)

 

JB

[griffy116]

When did flat-irons get banned? We've always taken ours. My goodness, we will be a mess if ours get confiscated!! Say it ain't so :(.

[John Bull]

When did flat-irons get banned? We've always taken ours. My goodness, we will be a mess if ours get confiscated!! Say it ain't so :(.

 

Sorry, no panic. :)

Or mebbe panic. :confused:

Flat irons are banned on many many cruise ships, incl every one I've been on.

But I have heard they're ok on some.

 

So check out your cruiseline's regs.

Then panic :eek:

Or not :D

 

JB

[cruiseryyc]

My flat irons the poster meant an iron that takes the wrinkles out of your clothes, NOT the flat iron for your hair.

[John Bull]

My flat irons the poster meant an iron that takes the wrinkles out of your clothes, NOT the flat iron for your hair.

 

Uh-oh.

Quite right.

That's what happens when a man gets involved in wimmen's talk. :D

JB :)

[swannie]

thanks everyone...I didn't think it would be a problem...but I thought I'd better make sure!

[Tralynn]

I've never had a problem on Princess, Carnival, or RCI with any curling iron or flat iron for hair being packed in my suitcase. Boy, could you image a ship full of angry women with the frizzies? By day 3 at sea there would be a mutiny and a bunch of scared men!

[colsiebear]

I believe it is a clothes iron that is not allowed.

[beachchick]

A lot of folk think the problem with flat irons is the risk of them setting fire to furnishings etc, but it's more to do with overloading the cabin's wiring - which these days is more likely to pop a fuse than set a fire. Embarrassing nonethless to call out maintenance crew to re-set the fuse cos you've used a banned appliance such as a flat iron :o

 

But your curling tongs (then your straighteners :D) are OK cos they use much less power :)

 

JB

 

I've heard this often, but have to wonder how true it is. Most travel irons these days are less than 1000w. In fact, 600w to 800w are common and nearly all (if not all, due to stricter safety standards) have auto-shutoff. The newest ones have "if the iron plate is horizontal and not moving for more than X seconds, the iron shuts off" in case of forgetfulness. Sure, there might be a passenger who would try to bring a regular iron. Those aren't exactly hard to spot when scanning luggage and those should be confiscated as a significant safety hazard. If with all these safety features and lower wattage, travel irons are a problem, why are passengers allowed to bring heavy duty blow dryers that are 1500w to 2000w? Why are they allowed to plug in six chargers to their multi-outlet extension cords? Aren't all those chargers at once a hazard? Aren't high wattage hair dryers a hazard? With curling irons, we often hear, "Well, they usually have auto shutoff [so do most travel irons] and they don't get all that hot." They most certainly do get very hot--anyone who's ever been burned by one could testify to that.

 

I've also heard the argument that "Well, everyone would be ironing their clothes before dinner and that would overload the circuits." Yet, there are all those passengers drying and styling their hair before dinner and all the electronics being charged overnight would be a hazard. How is that really different?

 

The bottom line is that travel irons are singled out as a safety and fire hazard, whereas the cruise lines wouldn't dream of taking away high power blow dryers, hot curlers, flat irons (for hair), and curling irons or the 6+ outlet power strips passengers bring to plug in their cell phones, computers, ipads (etc.), portable DVD players, portable game consoles, et all. I'm sure there would be a massive passenger revolt if the cruise lines confiscated any of those items because, after all, passengers can't live without them, but the cruise line can make money by kindly offering pressing services for a fee.

 

While I don't disagree that all these items, including travel irons, could pose a problem, I find it disengenuous of the cruise lines to conveniently single out the one that they can then "sell" the service to passengers. (Yes, I know there is a hair salon onboard. It couldn't possibly handle the number of passengers it would need to if blow dryers, etc. were not allowed. Plus, there are many passengers, women in particular, who would refuse to cruise if they couldn't bring their own hair styling items. I certainly prefer my own.)

 

In any case, the idea that relatively low wattage travel irons would overload the circuits, but all the other (many higher wattage) electrical items would not makes no real sense.

 

beachchick

 

p.s. just in case: No, we do not try to sneak a travel iron onboard--not ever. I do bring a travel steamer sometimes because many cruise lines do allow small steamers. We also request our steward bring an iron and ironing board for an hour when available. We're very safety conscious; we just don't care for double standards.

[John Bull]

Tsk, tsk, Beach-chick. I thought I was the cynical one ;)

 

You may be right, though there's ships which offer diy ironing rooms foc.

 

Some time back I did check out the consumption of various travel appliances, I recall that there was generally a big difference between irons/kettles and steamers/curlers but, yes, there were exceptions - esp on little one-cup water boilers.

But cruisers, security staff, cabin stewards etc aren't electricians and rulebooks are very very much more straightforward to write, understand & enforce without debate if they're one-liners, A & B are banned, C & D & E are OK. Keeps life simple.

 

Just my take on the rules :)

I may be wrong :confused:

I usually am :D

 

Regards, JB

[Malcoltom]

On this topic, what are the plugs onboard? Are they two pin? Obviously all our electrical items we will be bringing are the UK 3 pin type so i will need the correct adaptors.

:confused:

[jcl410]

On this topic, what are the plugs onboard? Are they two pin? Obviously all our electrical items we will be bringing are the UK 3 pin type so i will need the correct adaptors.

:confused:

 

You will need to check with the cruise line you are going on; available plugs and voltages vary.....

 

For example, Royal Caribbean has 3 prong US plugs at 110V, and German style European plugs at 220V.

 

Last year, we were on the Royal Clipper which had only the European plug at 220V.... My wife's hair "thingee" was 110V only, so even with an adaptor she could not use it....

 

Aloha,

 

John

[cb at sea]

Any and all hair appliances are allowed. It's clothing irons that they don't want you to have. You may bring your curling irons, flat irons, crimping irons, electric curlers, hair dryers, etc...

[SadieN]

Onboard I have seen 110v American outlets and 220v outlets. The 220v has been EITHER a European (pin) or British (slant prong) outlet. These are on lines that cater to Americans (Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Holland America).

 

Best to ask on your specific cruiselines board about your specific ship.