Disney Cruise Line bans this commonly-packed travel item from its cruise ships

Disney Cruise Line has added a commonly-packed household item to its prohibited items list: hair dryers. 

Beci Mahnken, founder and CEO of MEI Travel, shared the update on her Facebook after her hair dryer was confiscated when boarding the Disney Destiny cruise ship. 

"My trusty blow dryer - the one I’ve used for years - it probably has Pearl status on its own -  got itself confiscated on the Disney Destiny. Yup. When I opened my bag, I got a little note: 'Welcome aboard — we took your blow dryer!'" she wrote. 

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Although all Disney cruise cabins — from windowless interior rooms to lavish suites — have hair dryers for passengers to use, many guests prefer to bring their own. Some travelers do not like how slow cruise hair dryers are, while others need specific attachments to properly dry and style their hair. 

According to Mahnken, Disney Cruise Line has updated its rules regarding the use of personal hair styling tools onboard, possibly in response to new liquefied natural gas (LNG) safety protocols. The new guidelines cap outlet use at 1,500 watts for 110-volt outlets and 2,000 watts for 220-volt outlets.

She continued, "I had to use the one they provided — which may work for many, but with hair like mine, it’s a slow process. Let’s just say there was a lot of waiting and Deadpool words involved. At the end of the cruise, cue the walk of shame to the confiscated items desk in the port, AKA Hair Jail, where my Gamma dryer was lounging with at least 30 Dysons."

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Disney's website has been updated to reflect the change, noting that curling irons and flat irons are allowed onboard. However, guests must use the small heat-protectant mat in the cabin to lay the tools on while they're heating up and cooling down. 

Do other cruise lines have strict hair dryer restrictions?

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While cruise lines prohibit guests from bringing on a variety of heat-producing products, including heating mats, kettles, and irons, many do not have any strict rules banning hair dryers. 

According to Royal Caribbean's website, passengers are permitted to bring hair appliances, such as hair irons, straighteners, and hair dryers, aboard their fleet. 

Carnival Cruise Line's rules are slightly more specific, stating that personal grooming devices are allowed on its ships when used with proper caution. However, if they're determined to pose a hazard, Carnival will confiscate them and return them on the last day before disembarkation. 

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Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) and MSC Cruises follow similar guidelines. Both allow personal hair dryers and styling tools to be brought on board and used freely, while higher-risk heat appliances remain on the prohibited list for guest and crew safety. 

Like Carnival, NCL's website adds that if the personal grooming devices are determined to pose any sort of safety risk, they'll be removed by the ship's security team and returned on the last day of the voyage.