How can you take a travel steamer on a cruise ship through the x ray machines

[deepcman]

Who puts creases in jeans or do you still call them Dungarees?

[gerig]

On 4/6/2024 at 5:13 PM, Tinkrbell said:

We are going on a long cruise and would like to know if anyone has successfully taken a clothes steamer through the security scanner. 

i believe it is strictly a prohibited item only to make royal caribbean more money by sending things out to be pressed.  Think about it you can bring on hair dryers, hair straighteners, hair curlers so why not a portable steamer?  It doesn't make sense other than to have royal caribbean make $$$.  I have heard some people will use the hair straigheners on their clothes to get out wrinkles.  I try buying clothes that don't wrinkle.   I cruise princess and they have laundry rooms with those very dangerous irons on board.

[shirazcruiser]

2 hours ago, deepcman said:

Who puts creases in jeans or do you still call them Dungarees?

I do - they look nicer 

Edited April 8 by shirazcruiser

[shogothbait]

I will make an attempt to answer the question as asked.

 

The steaming device must be less than 8.5" long x 4" high for any single part.

 

1. Start by wrapping the device, fully disassembled, in a laptop faraday bag.  There are available on Amazon.

2. Purchase a used curling rock and carefully machine it out to a wall thickness of 0.5"

3. Line the inside of the rock with 0.5" of lead. This will leave an area of d = 9" x 4" h inside the rock.

4. Carefully line the lead with plastic wrap using a scraper and a blow dryer

5. Cover the plastic wrap with aluminium foil, SHINY SIDE OUT.  This should sound important.

6. Place the item, disassembled, along with any tools required to reassemble the device on the ship into the rock and fill the remaining space with coffee grounds.  This will prevent rattling and help throw off the steamer-sniffing dogs.

7. Replace the rock's handle

8.Attach a tasteful little plaque with the words "Earthly Remains of Donald Foley (1929-2002)"

 

The x-ray machine will not see the steamer.  Probably.

 

It is left as an exercise for the reader to explain why you are carrying a rock with human remains many times the regulation weight onto a cruise ship.  

 

A note on personal safety:  I would strongly recommend you do not come within a day's drive of a TSA agent while in possession of an item like this.

 

I may be an electro-mechanical engineering technologist; But I am not YOUR electromechanical engineering technologist; this is not electro-mechanical engineering advice.

[DennysDad]

2 hours ago, shogothbait said:

I will make an attempt to answer the question as asked.

 

The steaming device must be less than 8.5" long x 4" high for any single part.

 

1. Start by wrapping the device, fully disassembled, in a laptop faraday bag.  There are available on Amazon.

2. Purchase a used curling rock and carefully machine it out to a wall thickness of 0.5"

3. Line the inside of the rock with 0.5" of lead. This will leave an area of d = 9" x 4" h inside the rock.

4. Carefully line the lead with plastic wrap using a scraper and a blow dryer

5. Cover the plastic wrap with aluminium foil, SHINY SIDE OUT.  This should sound important.

6. Place the item, disassembled, along with any tools required to reassemble the device on the ship into the rock and fill the remaining space with coffee grounds.  This will prevent rattling and help throw off the steamer-sniffing dogs.

7. Replace the rock's handle

8.Attach a tasteful little plaque with the words "Earthly Remains of Donald Foley (1929-2002)"

 

The x-ray machine will not see the steamer.  Probably.

 

It is left as an exercise for the reader to explain why you are carrying a rock with human remains many times the regulation weight onto a cruise ship.  

 

A note on personal safety:  I would strongly recommend you do not come within a day's drive of a TSA agent while in possession of an item like this.

 

I may be an electro-mechanical engineering technologist; But I am not YOUR electromechanical engineering technologist; this is not electro-mechanical engineering advice.

Done.

[gavvy]

In the UK we have something called Lenor crease release, I think in USA its called Downey?  I'm sure I've seen it in Walmart.  You spray it on the clothes and smooth out the marks, works very well but it makes surfaces very slippery so beware if using in bathroom

[Airbear232]

On 4/6/2024 at 5:13 PM, Tinkrbell said:

We are going on a long cruise and would like to know if anyone has successfully taken a clothes steamer through the security scanner. 

Include a small one in a carry on with other electronics or metal items you pass through the scanner.  Usually works, if not you collect back at end of cruise.  Have a great trip!

[cruiseguy1016]

23 hours ago, robtulipe said:

Use the steam chamber,  aka the shower stall, in your bathroom.

Hang winkled garment inside away from the shower spray by running it to the far away side away from your clothes and run only hot water spray for a few minutes which will result in very steamy surrounding. 

Avoid being in chamber for long period when doing the above! 😉

 

In all of the staterooms we have stayed in (we stay in oceanview or balcony cabins), the shower head has been on a hose. I put the shower head on the floor before turning on the hot water. It eliminates the possibility of spraying the clothes and it allows the steam to rise past the clothes.

[Nickles_1]

On 4/6/2024 at 5:13 PM, Tinkrbell said:

We are going on a long cruise and would like to know if anyone has successfully taken a clothes steamer through the security scanner. 

On my very first cruise, I brought one and it made it through. I honestly didn't know then. On my next cruise, I brought it again, not thinking anything because I had brought it the first time. It was confiscated and returned to me at the end of the cruise. I haven't brought one again since. Now, I arrive for my cruise the day before and then I give a good iron/steam to my clothes in the hotel room the morning of the cruise and just unpack them as soon as I board.

 

I've seen clothes irons/steamers that look like hair straighteners, but they are $$$$. I wouldn't spend that money to possibly bring something on board just for it to possibly be confiscated. 

[BecciBoo]

You can legally take a flat iron for hair which I find does wonders for clothes in a pinch, doesn't get too hot and even dries damp things. And it doesn't waste the ship's valuable asset....water.

Edited April 8 by BecciBoo

[PhillyFan33579]

4 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

You can legally take a flat iron for hair which I find does wonders for clothes in a pinch, doesn't get too hot and even dries damp things. And it doesn't waste the ship's valuable asset....water.

I don’t think wasting water is an issue on a ship. It has been several years since I went on a behind the scenes tour so I don’t recall the exact figures/numbers, but ships have the capacity to generate way more fresh water than needed on the ship on a daily basis.

[Charles4515]

5 hours ago, Airbear232 said:

Include a small one in a carry on with other electronics or metal items you pass through the scanner.  Usually works, if not you collect back at end of cruise.  Have a great trip!

If you have been getting it through you have been lucky. A friend in our group brought one, I did not know about it. We were in her cabins and she had not recieved her luggage and she got a notice to get it in the naughty room. I though maybe she had wine or something. She mentioned the steamer. They don't go in your bag, you have to go watch them search it. So I went with her and we waited in line 45 minutes because they go through the bags completely. Of course they found the steamer which was not the type that looks like an iron. The type filled with water and steam comes out. They gave her a receipt to pick up at the end but she did not bother. Really not worth it and if they flag your bag you won't get the bag until you go get it. They searched everything including her undies. Somewhat embarrassing. Doesn't make sense to bring something not allowed that they are looking for. 

[Charles4515]

1 hour ago, Nickles_1 said:

On my very first cruise, I brought one and it made it through. I honestly didn't know then. On my next cruise, I brought it again,

I brought one on my first cruise, then I didn't because the next few were on Princess which had laundry rooms. Did a few Princess cruises then a couple on Celebrity and brought a a steamer out of ignorance. Those were before 2000 and there were no cruise groups. In 2003 I joined Cruise Critic and found out they were prohibited. I was kind of skeptical and not happy about it  but I never brought one after becoming aware it was a prohibited item. Now I have a strategy for avoiding wrinkles. They make great technical clothing that does not wrinkle. 

[chengkp75]

58 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

I don’t think wasting water is an issue on a ship. It has been several years since I went on a behind the scenes tour so I don’t recall the exact figures/numbers, but ships have the capacity to generate way more fresh water than needed on the ship on a daily basis.

If the watermakers were able to run 24/7, then, yes, they can make more than is needed.  However, since they cannot run when less than 12 miles from shore, or in port, and if slow steaming that limits/reduces the amount of water that can be produced, so quite a few ships, depending on the itinerary, will load water while in port, as the ship cannot produce enough for the cruise based on the cruise parameters.

[PhillyFan33579]

3 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

If the watermakers were able to run 24/7, then, yes, they can make more than is needed.  However, since they cannot run when less than 12 miles from shore, or in port, and if slow steaming that limits/reduces the amount of water that can be produced, so quite a few ships, depending on the itinerary, will load water while in port, as the ship cannot produce enough for the cruise based on the cruise parameters.

Thanks for good information as always. 

[chengkp75]

16 hours ago, gerig said:

i believe it is strictly a prohibited item only to make royal caribbean more money by sending things out to be pressed.  Think about it you can bring on hair dryers, hair straighteners, hair curlers so why not a portable steamer?  It doesn't make sense other than to have royal caribbean make $$$.  I have heard some people will use the hair straigheners on their clothes to get out wrinkles.  I try buying clothes that don't wrinkle.   I cruise princess and they have laundry rooms with those very dangerous irons on board.

Oh, yes, RCI makes bundles and bundles of money from the few people who send clothes out to get ironed.

 

It is risk/reward.  Banning hair care appliances would cause a great uproar (high risk, potential loss of customers), to a high reward as well (limiting heating appliances), while banning steamers is low risk (not many complaints) to high reward (limiting heating appliances).  The insurance premium the ship pays is based on this risk/reward calculation.  The irons the ship provides are inspected, tested, and repaired on a regular basis, something the cruise line cannot do to passengers' appliances.

 

As someone who has fought shipboard fires, has worked with shipboard electrical systems, and understands maritime risk/reward considerations for over 4 decades, I personally would like to see hair appliances banned as well, but I also know that that would never happen, so you adjust to the risk.

[chengkp75]

2 minutes ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

Thanks for good information as always. 

But, steamers are not even a miniscule user of water, so that is not a concern.

[HicksRA]

21 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

If the watermakers were able to run 24/7, then, yes, they can make more than is needed.  However, since they cannot run when less than 12 miles from shore, or in port, and if slow steaming that limits/reduces the amount of water that can be produced, so quite a few ships, depending on the itinerary, will load water while in port, as the ship cannot produce enough for the cruise based on the cruise parameters.

I’ve noticed Liberty at Galveston many times tanking up with shore water. 

[Airbear232]

6 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

If you have been getting it through you have been lucky. A friend in our group brought one, I did not know about it. We were in her cabins and she had not recieved her luggage and she got a notice to get it in the naughty room. I thought maybe she had wine or something. She mentioned the steamer. They don't go in your bag, you have to go watch them search it. So I went with her and we waited in line 45 minutes because they go through the bags completely. Of course they found the steamer which was not the type that looks like an iron. The type filled with water and steam comes out. They gave her a receipt to pick up at the end but she did not bother. Really not worth it and if they flag your bag you won't get the bag until you go get it. They searched everything including her undies. Somewhat embarrassing. Doesn't make sense to bring something not allowed that they are looking for. 

The naughty line is not that big a deal.  DW and I like to dress up for evenings, much better with a steamer than without.  As some others pointed out, not much risk difference between a flat iron, steamer hair dryer or even a CPAP machine.  Most people in the naughty line are there for booze and not steamers.

[cruiselvr04]

We put each dress item in its own dry cleaning bag.  I’ve saved them for years for this purpose but I think if you went to a dry cleaners they’d sell you some.  We use a “cruiser suitcase” where the clothes stay on the hangers and fold in the middle.  We don’t have to send anything out. Steam in the shower helps if needed.  Otherwise we go wrinkled. 

[GTO-Girl]

16 minutes ago, cruiselvr04 said:

We put each dress item in its own dry cleaning bag.  I’ve saved them for years for this purpose but I think if you went to a dry cleaners they’d sell you some.  We use a “cruiser suitcase” where the clothes stay on the hangers and fold in the middle.  We don’t have to send anything out. Steam in the shower helps if needed.  Otherwise we go wrinkled. 

this is exactly what I do and I never have any wrinkles!!!

Edited April 9 by GTO-Girl

[3CatsInMA]

Surround the steamer with rum runners.

 

You're welcome.

[BecciBoo]

23 hours ago, PhillyFan33579 said:

I don’t think wasting water is an issue on a ship. It has been several years since I went on a behind the scenes tour so I don’t recall the exact figures/numbers, but ships have the capacity to generate way more fresh water than needed on the ship on a daily basis.

I am well aware of that.  I've seen lots of programs showing the water systems.  But, water is precious always, we never waste it, even here.  We are strictly rain water collection.