Celebrity Cruises absolutely bans this travel item
If you try to sneak this common travel tool on board a Celebrity Cruises ship, expect it to be confiscated.
Every cruise line has a long list of items that passengers aren’t allowed to bring on board their ships for safety and security reasons.
Prohibited items include weapons, explosives, illegal drugs and marijuana, as well as any items with heating elements or open flames.
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When it comes to items with heating elements, passengers often wonder just how serious cruise lines are when they say that these items will be confiscated during security screenings.
Travel steamers tend to be the most commonly confiscated item during any cruise ship’s boarding process, but some passengers still think they might be able to sneak one on board. Apparently, being able to steam the wrinkles out of your clothing during a cruise is very important to a number of passengers.
For cruise lines like Celebrity Cruises and its sister cruise line Royal Caribbean, keeping steamers out of cruise ship cabins is much more important, however.
In the Celebrity Cruises community on Reddit, one passenger recently shared a warning for anyone who may be thinking about trying to bring a travel steamer on board a Celebrity Cruises ship.
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Celebrity Cruises passenger tests travel steamer ban
“I wondered if they actually screened for portable steamers. I know they aren’t allowed but I rolled the dice and put one in my checked luggage,” Reddit user bbwolf22 admitted.
The passenger explained what happened when the cruise ship’s security crew discovered the steamer.
“My luggage didn’t arrive and I got a call from security to tell me they are holding my steamer and luggage at security office. They were very polite and returned it at the end of the cruise,” bbwolf22 said. “Lesson learned. They do screen for steamers.”
The passenger’s post served as a warning for other cruisers, but also angered one person who didn’t like that bbwolf22 tried to get away with bringing a prohibited item on board.
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“I wish people would stop thinking they're something special and don't need to abide by rules like everyone else,” lilbigblue7 commented.
Another passenger explained the important reasons why Celebrity Cruises and most other cruise lines ban travel steamers and basically any item with a heating element (with the exception of heated hair styling tools).
“There are very good reasons they don’t allow them,” dkwinsea wrote.
“Steamers generate intense heat and steam, which could pose a fire risk if left unattended, misused, or placed near flammable materials,” dkwinsea explained. “Electrical fires are one of the biggest risks at sea, so cruise lines strictly regulate high-heat appliances.”
Celebrity Cruises ban helps to minimize safety risks on cruise ships
The passenger also pointed out the risks associated with high-wattage appliances.
“Cruise ship electrical systems are designed for efficiency, and high-wattage appliances like steamers can overload circuits or cause power surges, leading to malfunctions or potential fire hazards,” dkwinsea said.
The cruiser noted that steam from these appliances can damage cruise ship cabins too.
“Steam can damage walls, ceilings, and cabin furnishings, leading to mold, mildew, or warping of materials,” dkwinsea continued.
“The International Maritime Organization (IMO) and cruise lines have strict policies against personal high-heat devices to minimize risks to passengers and crew,” dkwinsea explained.
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Most cruise lines do make an exception for hair curling irons, straightening irons, and hair dryers, however, which leads passengers to think that steamers should be allowed too.
“I always rationalized bringing it because I also bring hot hair tools and the risk is the same. So why ban one item and not the others,” Rope-Fuzzy explained. “But I’ve learned to accept it and it’s not worth the hassle. I have learned better packing methods and make smarter decisions about what fabrics to travel with. I use the Downy spray and also find that in the course of a few days wrinkles mostly fall out while stuff is hanging in the closet.”
If having access to a clothes steamer is important to you during your cruise, you may want to consider cruising with Virgin Voyages. In the thread, a couple of passengers noted that on Virgin Voyages' ships, your cabin attendant will provide you with a steamer to borrow if you request it. Passengers are strictly prohibited from bringing their own steamers aboard Virgin Voyages' ships, however.
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