Queen Victoria

[devolve]

Hi

could anyone please answer a few questions for me

what type of plugs are in the cabin uk or usa

is shampoo, body wash, body lotion and hair conditioner provided

is the hairdryer adequate or will I need to take one I have thick hair that needs a reasonable hairdryer 

thank you

[Victoria2]

I saw this and thought 'that's for me' but I can only reply as far as QG cabins are concerned so I'll leave it unless advised otherwise.

 

What I will say is the Penhaligon Quercus product [in all cabins but might have to ask for conditioner/body lotion ] is highly perfumed and if you have any skin allergies, steer clear and ask for tablet soap.

 

I take my own shampoo to avoid any skin contact with the perfumed shampoo [which is lovely by the way], and the conditioner for what it's worth, is useless for my hair so I take my own. Body lotion is also a bit thin but might be OK. I again bring my own.

 

Again, a QG answer but I have thick hair and have never seen the need to bring my own hairdryer.

Edited September 10, 2023 by Victoria2
hair dryer afterthought

[Lanky Lad]

The is one UK socket in the cabin plus european and I think a US one as well. 

 

You get liquid soap shampoo down was and body lotion in Britannia grade. 

[Pushpit]

The unmarked one on the left is also USA 115v, so 2 x USA 115v, 1 UK, 1 European 3 pin. This is the case for all staterooms, as a minimum, but the bigger statesrooms typically have more single Euro sockets in various locations. The bathroom cosmetics are also Penhaligion in all cabins.

 

 

 

Edited September 10, 2023 by Pushpit

[Kynance]

I always take my Dyson hairdryer wherever I go. It’s combination of heat & speed settings, plus the tools really works for me and I wouldn’t go back to any other brand. Before I owned the Dyson I once forgot to take my own own hairdryer and I didn’t really like the hair dryer provided in the Britannia cabin. It just seemed to take a lot longer to dry my hair and it felt under powered. If you’re happy to use hairdryers provided in hotels, you may be be ok with the one Cunard provides. If you are like me, however, you won’t be. I can understand perhaps not taking a hairdryer on a fly cruise where luggage weight is a consideration but for Southampton round trips that obviously doesn’t apply.  The concept of what’s adequate can be quite subjective of course  - my advice would be to err on the side of caution unless you are concerned about weight limits and take your own. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

Does Cunard allow you to have your own hairdryer?

[Winifred 22]

Yes definitely.Never had an issue. Also bring a Dyson so do my daughters when they travel independently.

[exlondoner]

They are actually on the list of forbidden items.

 

What am I not allowed to take on board?

Answer

The safety and security of our ships is paramount and, as such, you are prohibited from carrying certain items onto our vessels.  Security screening of you and your baggage will be conducted each time you board the ship and if you are found in possession of any of these items they may be permanently confiscated.  This list is not exhaustive and any other items may be refused at the discretion of either the Port or Ship security staff.

The following items (this is not an exhaustive list) will not be permitted on-board:

• Any illegal narcotics/drugs including synthetic and designer drugs
• Medical marijuana (including CBD oil)
• All firearms including replicas, imitations and their components
• Air, BB or pellet pistols or rifles
• Any other projectile-weapon (e.g., paint ball guns)
• All ammunition
• All explosives, including imitation explosives and devices
• Electric streamers
• Fireworks, flares, pyrotechnics
• Sharp pointed weapons including throwing stars
• Knives with a blade longer than 2.75 inches / 7cm, any blade length that is prohibited by local laws/regulation and all concealed bladed weapons such as belt buckle knives, cane and umbrella knives/swords, pen knives, credit card knives, etc
• Open razors or scissors with a blade longer than 2.75 inches / 7cm
• Skean Dhus or Kirpans
• Spears or spear guns
• Crossbows, crossbow bolts and long bow arrows
• Blunt weapons including knuckle dusters, brass knuckles, clubs, coshes, batons, flails or nunchaku
• Items containing incapacitating substances (e.g. gas guns, tear gas sprays, mace, phosphorus, acid and  other dangerous chemicals that could be used to maim or disable)
• Flammable substances and hazardous chemicals
• Any other item made, adapted or intended for use as an offensive weapon
• Stun devices
• Items not supplied by the Company containing any kind of heating element, such as but not limited to: immersion heaters, heating blankets, clothes irons, hair dryers, water heaters, coffee machines with heating / hot plates, etc.
• Any remotely controlled or autonomously flying devices, toys or aerial drones
• Electric bicycles
• Self-balancing hover boards, air wheels, scooters, or Segways
• Compressed gas tanks, bottles, cylinders including dive tanks, propane tanks and aerosol cans
• Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB), ham radios, communication scanners, hand-held radios, wide-band receivers, satellite phones, transformers, lasers and laser pointers
• Inflatables – with the exception of children’s swimming aids
• Medical gas bottles are allowed in connection with a certified medical condition but cannot be packed in baggage.  Oxygen cylinders must be delivered to the pursers’ office and stored in a designated safe area
• Any items or amounts of currency prohibited by customs regulations
• Balloons - As part of our Ocean's Alive programme and our continued commitment to do everything we can to help protect our environment and wild/marine life, we no longer use or allow balloons of any kind on board Carnival UK ships
• Personal extension leads, including those that are surge protected, unless to be used with essential medical equipment (e.g. CPAP and nebuliser machines)

[Winifred 22]

Oh no. Thank you for drawing this to my attention. I can do without but I had better warn them. The eldest always is in QG and is very untidy !! so I am sure she leaves it lying about as she would never be so organised as  to put to it away and no one has ever said anything. She is nearly Diamond so sadly will have be doing this for a while. Time to stop I think. 

[Kynance]

I am not sure if you can find this information on the Cunard website, but if you have a booking and log into My Cunard and then go to Before You Sail / Important to know / Safety and click more details, the following appears which indicates taking your own hair dryer is allowed: 

 

Use of electrical appliances

Passengers are not permitted to bring on board irons, kettles or appliances with heating elements, however hair dryers, straighteners and curling tongs are permitted. Electrical chargers, adaptors and e-cigarette charging devices are to be CE marked and should not be left unattended or left charging overnight or when the stateroom is unoccupied. Personal extension leads are not permitted on board unless to be used with essential medical equipment (e.g. CPAP and nebuliser machines). These will be checked for electrical safety along with your piece of medical equipment prior to sailing. Surge protected extension leads are not accepted in any circumstances as they interfere with the ship's electrical distribution.

 

 

 

[Winifred 22]

Thanks for this I did think that was the case and they both certainly take straighteners too and have never been challenged. We all have future bookings together and separately so it will be carry on as normal then. 

[devolve]

Do they provide hair conditioner, is the hairdryer a proper one or is it in the bathroom.

Thanks

[PORT ROYAL]

14 minutes ago, devolve said:

Do they provide hair conditioner, is the hairdryer a proper one or is it in the bathroom.

Thanks

Apologies…. Just came across this by accident.

Small hairdryer in dressing table drawer and shampoo, also conditioner are supplied.

But

DW takes onboard her preferred brand of shampoo and conditioner.  Plus a salon quality hairdryer complete with attachments and two gas powered hair brushes.

Hope this assists.

Edited September 10, 2023 by PORT ROYAL
Typo

[devolve]

Thank you

[PORT ROYAL]

6 minutes ago, devolve said:

Thank you

Plus a Cornucopia of various creams, gels, wax, sprays, crinkles etc., etc….

Basically anything that will be used or possibly could be used is packed.

[Victoria2]

Taking a hairdryer all depends on your needs.and hair style.

 

I have a Dyson at home [Christmas present, wouldn't have dreamt of spending that amount on myself] but see no need to hike it onto QV. I have thick, below shoulder hair and the in drawer dryer is fine.  Slower process obviously but absolutely fine to dry my hair [straight] to be finished off with GHDs.and so unless the dryers in other cabins are different [and they are in QV Q1s], then the provided in drawer hair dryers are more than adequate.

[exlondoner]

9 hours ago, Kynance said:

I am not sure if you can find this information on the Cunard website, but if you have a booking and log into My Cunard and then go to Before You Sail / Important to know / Safety and click more details, the following appears which indicates taking your own hair dryer is allowed: 

 

Use of electrical appliances

Passengers are not permitted to bring on board irons, kettles or appliances with heating elements, however hair dryers, straighteners and curling tongs are permitted. Electrical chargers, adaptors and e-cigarette charging devices are to be CE marked and should not be left unattended or left charging overnight or when the stateroom is unoccupied. Personal extension leads are not permitted on board unless to be used with essential medical equipment (e.g. CPAP and nebuliser machines). These will be checked for electrical safety along with your piece of medical equipment prior to sailing. Surge protected extension leads are not accepted in any circumstances as they interfere with the ship's electrical distribution.

 

 

 

So which do you believe? Which you want, I imagine. 🙂

[Kynance]

16 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

So which do you believe? Which you want, I imagine. 🙂

Well, yes!
 

It’s another case of somewhat mixed messaging from Cunard which gives rise to a lot of comments and questions on this board. Another couple of examples I can quickly think of relate to the dress codes and how much alcohol you can carry on. I’m sure there are lots more. We could probably do a whole thread on it! 
 

I do wonder just how many people write the online content for Cunard and how the quality assure it before publication. 
 

On the specific hairdryer point, I’m pretty sure the question about hairdryers used to be one of the FAQs in the print edition (yes - fine to bring on) and I’m sure I’ve seen it in online FAQs before now, again the same response. When reading around & looking for the quote I pasted above, I found other messaging around hairdryers was that there’s no need bring them because Cunard provide them. In the same paragraph, it went on to say that irons must not be brought on board, which was clearer and consistent with all the other messaging around them. It made me wonder if the conflicting advice on hairdryers has something to do with wanting to reduce the ship’s electricity consumption rather than a bona fide safety one. 
 

[Pushpit]

Yes, there are quite a few areas where the rules say one thing, daily life something else. So for example the rules restrict the amount of alcohol you can bring onboard - it's simply not enforced, but could be if there was a problem. In the case of hairdryers, in reality they allow them otherwise there would be a minor riot with every embarkation.

 

The reason why cruise companies are concerned about heating elements is the risk of fire and a lot of hotel fires have been caused by irons, straighteners and hair dryers. Also they use huge amounts of electricity, some are over 2,000 watts, which is a big load for a small thing, twice that of a microwave. I live off grid and there's no way I could allow a hairdryer, 5 minutes usage would burn out my system and use more power that I typically use for 10 hours overnight. So the ones supplied on board are going to be lower wattage, with a slow power-step, to protect the system. Dysons aren't usually so bad, they are in the 1,600 watt area usually.

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, Kynance said:

Well, yes!
 

It’s another case of somewhat mixed messaging from Cunard which gives rise to a lot of comments and questions on this board. Another couple of examples I can quickly think of relate to the dress codes and how much alcohol you can carry on. I’m sure there are lots more. We could probably do a whole thread on it! 
 

I do wonder just how many people write the online content for Cunard and how the quality assure it before publication. 
 

On the specific hairdryer point, I’m pretty sure the question about hairdryers used to be one of the FAQs in the print edition (yes - fine to bring on) and I’m sure I’ve seen it in online FAQs before now, again the same response. When reading around & looking for the quote I pasted above, I found other messaging around hairdryers was that there’s no need bring them because Cunard provide them. In the same paragraph, it went on to say that irons must not be brought on board, which was clearer and consistent with all the other messaging around them. It made me wonder if the conflicting advice on hairdryers has something to do with wanting to reduce the ship’s electricity consumption rather than a bona fide safety one. 
 

My latest paper brochure, which goes up to December 2024, does not seem to have that question, though, like you, I think they did in the past.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I always thought hair dryers were on the forbidden list, so I've made do with the one in the desk, although i don't like it. Mine has a brush attachment so I can curl my hair as I dry it. So much easier than a round brush in one hand and the hair dryer in the other. Most US hair dryers now have a large plug with a circuit breaker in it. Is that a surge protector, or only an overheating shutoff? 

[Pushpit]

The circuit breaker is just there to protect your household system. It may also protect you if you are too close to water (e.g. using it in a damp bathrooom). Older houses were never wired to expect an instant jolt of 2,000 watts and so could blow the entire system. This is I suspect quite similar to why there are concerns about modern hair dryers onboard, which used to run at 700 to 800 watts up to about 20 years ago.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Pushpit

[techteach]

@3rdGenCunarder I took my brush hairdryer last year on QM2 without a problem.

[rakkor]

Just a quick question regarding hairdryers, do Dyson Airwraps work  onboard ? Asking for someone less follically challenged than myself who heard that Airwraps don't work. Her Hot Hairdryer worked fine on last years cruises and was given the OK by the steward to use it and she wants to take her new toy with her in November.

Edited March 8 by rakkor

[D&N]

2 hours ago, rakkor said:

Just a quick question regarding hairdryers, do Dyson Airwraps work  onboard ? Asking for someone less follically challenged than myself who heard that Airwraps don't work. Her Hot Hairdryer worked fine on last years cruises and was given the OK by the steward to use it and she wants to take her new toy with her in November.

I came across an Airwrap that claimed to be rated at 1,300W. That seems fairly high to me for a hair dryer. My wife's short and hard hair only needs dried when going out in cold soon after washing and her traditional drier is 1,200W. I suspect the ones in the cabin drawers are much less.

Can you compare the rating on the one she took last time? Theoretically if it's not any higher it should work.

Of course someone that actually has tried one can give a better response.

 

I prefer polish! 👨‍🦲