Do Cruise Ships Have Irons? (Here’s How to Prevent Wrinkles)
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When traveling on a cruise, it’s common to find your clothes wrinkled. I used to wonder how people kept their clothes wrinkle-free when irons weren’t allowed on cruise ships.
In this post, I’ll share tips for keeping your clothes looking fresh and preventing wrinkles while traveling.
Do Cruise Ships Have Irons?
Cruise ships do not provide irons or ironing boards in cabins due to the fire risk they pose. However, some cruise lines offer irons in the onboard laundromat for guests.
Instead of providing irons in cabins, cruise ships offer laundry and pressing services. Laundry services on cruise ships often have an added fee but might be free depending on your loyalty status, cabin category, or length of cruise.
Some cruise lines offer self-serve laundry services, which are great for ironing out wrinkles quickly.
But not all cruise lines offer self-serve laundromats.
If your cruise ship only offers full-service laundry, you may need to wait to have your clothing pressed. If you want to look your best on the cruise ship’s formal night, inspect your clothing on embarkation day, and have your formal wear pressed before formal night.
The turnaround time for full-service laundry is usually less than 24 hours. Some cruise ships offer same-day laundry service for an additional fee. But don’t expect the cruise line to press your clothing on short notice.
Can You Bring an Iron on a Cruise Ship?
Due to fire safety concerns, most cruise lines do not allow guests to bring an iron on a cruise ship.
You can use the onboard laundry services if you require iron or pressing services.
What Happens if You Bring an Iron on a Cruise Ship?
If you’re caught bringing an iron on a cruise ship, it will be confiscated. The cruise line may give the iron back at the end of the cruise, but they reserve the right to keep all prohibited items.
Cruise lines take passenger safety very seriously, and there are no exceptions to the rule.
Fires are one of the most dangerous risks to a cruise ship. To protect yourself, other passengers, crew members, and the vessels, do everyone a favor and leave the iron at home.
Can You Bring a Clothes Steamer on a Cruise?
Clothes steamers are usually permitted on cruise ships. Like clothing irons, they present a possible fire risk and are prohibited on most cruise lines.
How to Remove Wrinkles from Clothes While Travelling
Several times, I’ve begun getting ready for a formal night, only to find a wrinkled blouse or dress. And I can’t count how many times Marcello’s dress shirts get wrinkled while traveling.
Below are some tips I use to remove wrinkles from my clothes without an iron.
Wrinkle Release Spray
I never go on a cruise vacation without Downy Wrinkle Releaser. The small travel bottle doesn’t take up much space in my luggage and removes wrinkles from clothing without an iron.
The spray isn’t always effective, and you won’t get the nice clean lines an iron provides.
But it does the trick if you’re in a pinch and need to remove wrinkles.
Simply spray your clothing, and give it a gentle tug to release the wrinkles.
If you are in a hurry, use a light spray, so you don’t need to wait for the clothes to dry. Otherwise, give it a good spray, a gentle tug, and hang it to dry. After 30 minutes, your clothing is dry and wrinkle-free.
Tip: If you’re struggling to remove wrinkles with the wrinkle-release spray, hang your clothes in the bathroom and let the steam release the wrinkles before applying the spray.
Shower Steam
You can use the steam from the shower to remove wrinkles in your clothes. Hang your clothes from the hook on the back of the door, and let the shower run on high heat.
Unlike hotels, the showers on most cruise ships get pretty hot. The heat can help release wrinkles in a matter of minutes.
After a few minutes in the steam, tug gently on the bottom of your clothes to remove wrinkles.
You’ll be surprised how effective it works.
Some cruise ship showers only get medium hot. But if you look closely at the shower head, you can push it in and keep turning it to increase the water temperature.
Tip: If you’re worried about water conservation, hang your clothes in the bathroom while you take a hot shower.
Hand Washing
If you don’t want to pay for laundry services, you can hand wash your clothes in the cabin bathroom sink.
The bathrooms on most cruise ships are uncomfortably small, but they can work.
After washing your clothes in the sink, you can hang them to dry from the clothesline or the hook on the back of the bathroom door.
Some cruise ships don’t provide either, so it’s a good idea to bring a magnetic hook to stick on the door.
How to Prevent Wrinkles in Clothing While Travelling
Removing wrinkles from your clothing isn’t difficult. But, it makes it easier if you prevent wrinkles from forming in your clothing from the start.
The following tips will help you prevent wrinkles in your clothing while traveling.
Choose Wrinkle Free Clothing
Many clothing options use wrinkle-resistant fabrics. Most wrinkle-free clothes are casual-style, but you can find wrinkle-resistant business casual and formal wear.
You can find some blended fabrics that resist wrinkling if you prefer cotton or other natural fabrics. Blended fabrics aren’t 100% wrinkle-free, but they help minimize wrinkles while traveling.
Don’t Overpack
I am notorious for overpacking. I can’t help but be prepared for all kinds of weather, events, and styles.
But the added weight from the clothes and pressure from the overfilled suitcase can form wrinkles in clothing.
If you want to prevent wrinkles in your clothing while traveling, it’s best to ensure that you pack the right amount of clothes.
Additionally, your clothes may shift while traveling if you don’t pack a full suitcase. The shifting can create wrinkles as they unfold in the suitcase. Add a towel or two to fill the suitcase to prevent your clothes from moving around.
Use Packing Cubes
Packing cubes are a product you won’t understand until you try them. I always thought they were a gimmick, but now I can’t travel anywhere without them.
The tightly packed cubes compress your clothing into neat little cubes. Unlike an overstuffed suitcase, the cubes keep your clothes adequately folded and minimize wrinkles.
They also help with organization, as you can package similar items in the same cube.
