Packing for a cruise is a little bit more complicated than packing for a week at the beach. If you happen to forget anything, you're not a short ride to the closest drug or big box stores, such as CVS, Target, or Walmart.
Along with making sure you have everything that you'll need, you will want to make sure that you don't have any prohibited items in your luggage. If you bring something that's not permitted onboard, it is likely that your luggage will be delayed getting to your stateroom.
Most prohibited items are common sense. You wouldn't try and smuggle a knife or illegal drugs onboard with you. Others, however, are common household items, such as extension cords, coffee makers, and irons.
Since you're packing everything you'll need for your cruise in a suitcase, it's likely that something will end up getting wrinkled. If irons aren't allowed onboard, what about steamers?
Unfortunately, you should not plan on throwing a portable steamer in your suitcase for your next cruise. On my friend's first-ever cruise in mid-2022, she packed a steamer in her luggage and was surprised when it was delivered to her cabin with a note that it had been confiscated!
Are steamers allowed on cruises?
Cruise lines prohibit streamers because they're considered fire hazards. Other items, such as irons and candles, are not allowed onboard cruise ships for the same reason. If you're caught with a steamer, it is likely that it will be confiscated by the cruise line.
According to Royal Caribbean's website, "Irons and clothes steamers are prohibited items and should not be brought with you on your vacation."
Carnival Cruise Line states that not only are irons and clothes steamers prohibited, but so are all electrical and household appliances that contain any kind of heating element. Common examples include heating blankets, water heaters, coffee machines, hot plates, toasters, heating pads, etc.
Just because you cannot bring your steamer doesn't mean you'll have wrinkly clothes, though. Norwegian Cruise Line, for instance, states that they carry a limited number of irons and ironing boards onboard, and they can be loaned to guests for a few hours. To request one, simply contact your cabin steward or visit Guest Services.
If you're on a ship that does not have any irons available, you may always pay for their laundry services. There are, of course, cheaper alternatives to keep your clothing wrinkle-free.
What is a steamer?
Steamers use hot steam to help remove wrinkles from your clothing. First, you fill the attached container with water, which is then heated up by the machine and converted into steam.
Steamers are different from irons in that they're not pressed directly against the article of clothing. They work on a wider range of clothing, as some delicate fabrics, such as silk, cannot be ironed. Steamers tend to be more portable, too.
Alternatives to bringing steamers on a cruise ship
There's no denying that steamers are one of the most useful tools to help you remove wrinkles from your clothes. Since, however, they aren't allowed on cruise ships, here are some alternative methods.
Cruise ship laundry service
Every cruise ship has some sort of laundry service available for an additional fee. While this isn't the most cost-effective option, it can be a useful tool when you only have a few articles of clothing that you want pressed.
Pricing tends to range from $3 to $10 per item; however, the actual cost varies from cruise line to cruise line. Carnival's website, for instance, states that it costs $4 for a shirt/blouse to be pressed. If you want it to be washed and pressed, it costs $5.
If you're sailing onboard Royal Caribbean, they usually offer a deal that allows you to fit as many pieces of clothing into provided for $34.99. If you don't see this special advertised in the Cruise Compass, you can simply ask your cabin steward.
Some cruise ships even have laundry rooms. For a nominal fee, you can do your own laundry and avoid paying for dry cleaning.
Purchase wrinkle-release spray before your cruise
You can buy wrinkle-release spray for less than $10 on Amazon. Some products even have more than one purpose, such as the Bounce Rapid Touch-Up. This spray is a 3-in-1 product that refreshes the clothing's scent and removes static!
While you're purchasing miscellaneous items for your cruise, it would not be a bad idea to make sure that you have a stain remover stick handy, too. Wrinkle-release spray won't do you much good if you accidentally get a stain on your favorite blouse the first night you are onboard.
Please note that we have linked Amazon items with an affiliate link above. The affiliate link costs you nothing extra, but Cruise.Blog will make a small commission if you purchase the item through the link.
Read more: 20 best things to bring on a cruise that cost less than $10
Hang your clothes in the bathroom while you shower
One of my favorite methods to remove wrinkles from my clothing on cruises is to hang the article in the bathroom while I shower.
Since ensuite bathrooms on cruises are relatively small, there's usually enough steam produced from my shower to remove the wrinkles from a single garment.
If not, however, I'll simply hang the piece of clothing inside the shower and let it run a little longer while I do my hair and makeup. By the time I am finished, my shirt/dress/etc. is wrinkle-free!
While you can't bring a streamer on a cruise ship, there are some ways that you can get wrinkles out of your clothes
Just because your trusted steamer has to stay at home doesn't mean that your clothes have a wrinkled fate.
Whether you choose to purchase wrinkle-release spray before your cruise, rely on the steam produced while you're in the shower, or pay for laundry onboard, there are other methods to help you de-wrinkle your clothes in the middle of the ocean.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
