Worried about looking wrinkled at the captain’s dinner? Wondering if irons on cruise ships are allowed, and whether you can just slip a travel iron into your suitcase?
Short answer: No, you can’t use irons or clothes steamers in your cabin on mainstream cruise lines. They’re treated as fire hazards and will be confiscated if found in your luggage. But, despair not! You have more wrinkle-fighting options than you might expect.
Why Cruise Ships Ban Irons And Steamers
Fire is the greatest safety threat on any ship at sea. An unattended iron in a stateroom can spark a blaze that spreads quickly through tight corridors with limited escape routes. Cruise lines take this risk seriously: if security finds an iron or steamer in your luggage during embarkation screening, they will confiscate it and return it to you when you disembark.
Important note: This ban applies to both traditional irons and handheld clothes steamers. The heat source is the concern, not the form factor.
The one exception we know of is Marella Cruises (owned by TUI). Marella allows guests to bring travel irons onboard, though the ship reserves the right to confiscate any iron it deems unsafe and return it at the end of the cruise. If you sail with Marella, pack at your own discretion.
Major lines like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Princess, Disney, Celebrity, MSC, and Holland America all list irons and garment steamers as prohibited items or fire hazards in their policies.
Your Onboard Alternatives To Irons On Cruise Ships
Self-service laundry rooms (with irons)
Several cruise lines offer self-service launderettes that include irons and ironing boards at no extra charge. The washers and dryers typically cost $3 to $4 per load, but the ironing equipment is free.
Cruise lines with self-service laundry rooms (2025):
- Carnival Cruise Line: Self-service launderettes on most ships, with irons and ironing boards in the laundry rooms. Excel-class ships (Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, Carnival Jubilee) have ironing rooms only, and Firenze, Luminosa and Venezia have no self-service laundry at all.
- Princess Cruises: Self-service launderettes fleetwide, with irons and ironing boards in the laundry rooms.
- Disney Cruise Line: Disney maintains self-service “Fairytale Fresh Laundry” facilities with complimentary irons and ironing boards; machines are paid and accessible via the Key to the World card.
Cruise lines without self-service laundry:
- Royal Caribbean (no self-service on any ship)
- Norwegian Cruise Line (removed self-service years ago)
- Holland America (no longer has self-service laundry rooms)
- Celebrity Cruises
- MSC Cruises
If you sail on a line with launderettes, you can iron your own clothes just like at home. The rooms tend to be busiest on sea days, so plan accordingly.
Professional laundry and pressing services
Every major cruise line offers valet-style laundry, dry cleaning, and pressing services through your stateroom attendant. On most mainstream cruise lines, pressing a shirt runs somewhere in the $4–$8 range, and dry-cleaning a dress or suit typically runs $15–$25, depending on the line and whether you choose express service. You’ll find a price list in your stateroom.
On Royal Caribbean, you’ll often see a “wash-and-fold” bag special mid-cruise. You stuff a bag with smaller items (underwear, socks, tees), and they wash and fold it for a flat fee. As of 2025, that flat fee is typically in the mid-$30s to high-$30s per bag, and it’s subject to change by ship and itinerary.
Princess Cruises includes complimentary laundry and pressing for suite guests and Elite Captain’s Circle members (excluding same-day express service).
Several mainstream cruise lines offer wash-and-fold ‘fill-a-bag’ laundry deals on some itineraries. They’re often more economical than paying per item, especially if you’re traveling with kids or packing light.
Be forewarned: Standard turnaround is 24 to 48 hours. If you need something pressed for tonight’s formal dinner, request express service early in the day and expect to pay a premium.
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Diy Wrinkle Solutions That Actually Work
The shower steam method
This classic trick costs nothing and works surprisingly well:
- Hang your wrinkled garment in the bathroom.
- Run the shower at its hottest setting for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Close the bathroom door and let the steam work for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Smooth out any remaining creases by hand.
This method handles light to moderate wrinkles in most fabrics. It won’t replace a proper press for heavily creased linen or cotton, but it can rescue a dress shirt in a pinch.
Wrinkle-release spray
Products like Downy Wrinkle Releaser are allowed onboard and take up minimal suitcase space. Spray the garment, tug the fabric taut, and let it dry. For stubborn wrinkles, follow up with a hair dryer on medium heat.
- Fight Wrinkles & Static On-the-Go: This all-in-one anti wrinkle spray for clothing fights static cling and is ideal for busy lifestyles. Spray, tug, and smooth to eliminate wrinkles without ironing. Brought to you by Nehemiah Manufacturing.
Hair tools as iron substitutes
Cruise lines permit hair dryers and flat irons (straighteners) in staterooms. A flat iron works well on collars, cuffs, and narrow areas. Your stateroom likely has a hair dryer built in, which you can use to smooth wrinkles while gently pulling the fabric.
Worth keeping in mind: Hair tools lack the broad surface of a clothing iron, so they’re best for touch-ups rather than full garments.
Packing Strategies To Prevent Wrinkles
The best wrinkle solution is avoiding them in the first place:
- Choose wrinkle-resistant fabrics. Polyester, nylon, and synthetic blends hold their shape better than pure cotton or linen. Knit fabrics wrinkle less than woven ones.
- Use a hard-sided suitcase. Soft bags compress and crease clothes more than rigid shells.
- Don’t overpack. Cramming extra items creates pressure wrinkles. Leave breathing room.
- Try the bundle folding method. Wrap smaller items in the center, then fold larger pieces around them to create a compact bundle with fewer fold lines.
- Pack packing cubes. These compression organizers keep clothes flat and separated.
- Stuff structured items. Place tissue paper inside jacket shoulders and dress bodices to help them hold their shape.
- Unpack immediately. The moment you reach your stateroom, hang everything that needs hanging. The longer clothes sit compressed, the deeper the creases set.
PRO TIP: Have formal items dry-cleaned and heavily starched before your trip. Leave them in the plastic bags, roll them gently, and pack them last. They’ll unpack nearly press-ready.
FAQ’s For Irons & Steamers On Cruise Ships
Can I bring an iron on a cruise ship?
Generally, no, not without breaking the rules. On almost all mainstream cruise lines, clothing irons are treated as fire hazards and are listed as prohibited items. If security spots an iron in your suitcase during embarkation screening, they’ll pull it out, hold onto it for the duration of the cruise, and return it when you disembark.
Are clothes steamers allowed on cruise ships?
No. Garment steamers fall into the same category as irons because they use a heated element. The form factor doesn’t matter—if it’s designed to press or steam clothing, assume it’s not allowed in your luggage or your stateroom.
What happens if security finds an iron or steamer in my bag?
You won’t be marched off the ship, but you won’t be using that iron, either. Security will remove the iron or steamer during luggage screening, tag it, and store it until the end of the cruise. You can pick it up again when you disembark.
Do any cruise lines let you bring a travel iron?
The only mainstream exception right now is Marella Cruises (part of TUI). Marella allows travel irons as personal grooming devices, but reserves the right to confiscate anything that seems unsafe. If you’re sailing with Marella, read their most recent prohibited-items list and pack with caution.
Do cruise ships provide irons for passengers to use?
Yes, some do, but only in certain spaces. Some cruise lines offer self-service laundry rooms with irons and ironing boards that guests can use for free. You won’t find irons or boards sitting in your stateroom.
Can I bring a hair straightener or curling iron on a cruise?
Yes. Cruise lines generally allow personal grooming tools like hair straighteners, curling irons, and blow dryers in your cabin. Use them as you would at home: don’t leave them plugged in and unattended, and let them cool on a heat-safe surface. If crew members see a device being used unsafely, they can remove it for the rest of the cruise.
So, what’s the bottom line?
You can’t bring your own iron or steamer on a cruise ship (Marella Cruises excepted), but wrinkle-free clothes are still within reach. If ironing matters to you, book a cruise line with self-service laundry rooms: Carnival, Princess, Disney, or Oceania. Otherwise, pack wrinkle-resistant fabrics, bring a wrinkle-release spray, and use the shower steam trick for last-minute touch-ups. Your clothes will thank you.
Elaine Warren
Founder & Crew Chief
Elaine founded this website after publishing the book The Family Cruise Companion’s Guide to Cruising With Kids. (Second edition recently released!) She has sailed on 45 cruises (and counting). She loves helping families navigate their way to an adventure-filled, fun, and memorable vacation.
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Last update on 2026-01-06 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API