Sailing out of Galveston next week. I have 2 questions:
1. Can you borrow an iron onboard ship? My sister-in-law wants to bring one but knows it will take up a lot of luggage space.
2. Cell phone calls - are you roaming when you are out at sea?
3. (just thought of another one) Do Carnival ships (Ecstasy) have wireless available? Can we get wireless in our cabins? Or do they have Internet cafes? Wondering whether it's worth bringing the laptop or not...
I can only answer the first one ... NO IRONS ever! They're a fire hazard. Some lines (Princess for one have a laundry room with irons ... don't know about Carnival.) Celebrity does NOT have a laundry room.
Many people bring a "wrinkle free" spray.
__________________ I cruise the Emerald Princess, Eastern Caribbean on April 16, 2012
1. The ships do not have irons. I always pack a small travel iron. Also, the ships usually only have one outlet near the desk. So, I always end up ironing on a towel on the floor.
2. I have never had luck with my cell phone once we are a couple of miles off shore...even in the Bahamas. Too far from the towers and not sure about roaming charges.
3. Usually all the ships have an internet cafe. They usually have a special package you can purchase. I'm not sure about wireless. You can always check with Carnival direct to be sure.
Have a great time!
Hi Lori,
My Hubby took the laptop on our Alaskan cruise. But not for the internet. We have a digtial camera and after a day of picture taking he would download the pictures to the laptop so the card would never fill up. I would also avoid that iron out of fear of fire. Hope that helps answer your questions have a great time on your cruise.
__________________ One part age; three parts liquor!
Freedom of the Seas 2012
Carnival Splendor 2010
Carnival Freedom 2008
Carnival Elation 2007
Celebrity Infinity 2006
Carnival Ecstasy 2005
Carnival Paradise 2004
Star Princess 2003
Viking Serenade 1994
I think you are on the wrong board and would be better posting to the Carnival Board. I can't answer for the Cell phone questions on Carnival ships but most cruise lines forbid Irons as a fire hazard.
amoul2 - for the sake of the rest of the passengers and crew, I do hope you will stop bringing and using a travel iron ... it's very irresponsible and extremely dangerous.
__________________ I cruise the Emerald Princess, Eastern Caribbean on April 16, 2012
Once again,,,no irons, take spray wrinkle release. Your cell phone won't work at sea, (no repeater towers!), however they will work at some ports of call. (depending on your cell carrier, you will have roaming charges). Yes, the ships do have wireless internet available. It depends on which ship how widespread the service is. Some of the newest ships have wireless shipwide, however most only have it in certain areas. (The cost is high as well!) Have a great cruise, and don't take your iron!
Ken
amoul2 - for the sake of the rest of the passengers and crew, I do hope you will stop bringing and using a travel iron ... it's very irresponsible and extremely dangerous.
I agree...please please do not encourge new cruisers to take up a very irresponsible and dangerous habit. NO IRONS EVER on board a ship.
There are some very good alteratives. Anti-wrinkle spray and steamers..both work extremly well.
I find it interesting that irons are not allowed on board, in the cabins, but smoking is allowed in the cabins. Wonder which has caused the most fires? I often read about fires in homes and apartments being caused by smoking, but I don't think I've ever read about one caused by an iron. I'm sure there have been some, just as some have been caused by children playing with matches, and matches are allowed in cabins. I guess loss of business over safety is the key with the smoking issue.
CruzNut: for the sake of the rest of the passengers and crew, I do hope you will stop bringing and using a travel iron ... it's very irresponsible and extremely dangerous.
Ken: Once again,,,no irons, take spray wrinkle release. Your cell phone won't work at sea, (no repeater towers!), however they will work at some ports of call. (depending on your cell carrier, you will have roaming charges). Yes, the ships do have wireless internet available. It depends on which ship how widespread the service is. Some of the newest ships have wireless shipwide, however most only have it in certain areas. (The cost is high as well!) Have a great cruise, and don't take your iron!
Field Mouse: I agree...please please do not encourge new cruisers to take up a very irresponsible and dangerous habit. NO IRONS EVER on board a ship.
There are some very good alteratives. Anti-wrinkle spray and steamers..both work extremly well.
Good grief, guys! It's time for a reality check here. A travel iron is no more dangerous than, for example, a curling iron or a travel hairdrier. There are basically two risks for any electrical appliance.
>> 1. A wiring problem (frayed wiring, defective grounding, etc.) can start an electrical fire.
>> 2. Heat from an appliance can damage furnishings in your cabin or burn an unsuspecting fellow passenger or member of the crew who picks up an appliance that is still hot.
In the Navy, where grounded steel decks and bulkheads increased the danger of electrical defects, any sailor could obtain personal electrical appliances for use aboard ship. We required only that the sailor take the appliance to an electrical shop for inspection -- which consisted of inpection of the wiring and the case and a ground test (there better be no impedence between a metal case and the ground pin on the plug) -- after which the electrician's mate would attach a certification tag to the cord. Electric razors and battery powered calculators were excepted from the inspection requirement.
For those who wish to bring a travel iron, I would suggest three simple rules.
>> 1. Inspect the external wiring and the case before the trip. If there's any sign of damage or wear, get it fixed before packing it.
>> 2. Make sure that you have a suitable surface that won't be damaged by heat on which to use the iron. The counters, desks, and tables in many cabins have plastic laminate surfaces, which the heat may damage. (Some cruise lines do make ironing boards available.)
>> 3. Before you start ironing, ensure that you have a suitable place to put the iron to cool when you finish. The best location probably is on a shelf of a storage locker where it can't fall out, and where nothing can fall on top of it, if the ship takes a sudden roll. Try to arrange your schedule so that you will be in your cabin until it does cool completely.
The same guidelines would apply to curling irons, hair driers, and any other personal appliances that generate heat. If you cannot meet these guidelines, don't use the appliance.
BTW, I do NOT take a travel iron when I travel, lest anybody think that I'm saying this to defend my own practice.
The biggest danger from an iron is neither of the previously mentioned reasons. It is walking away and leaving it on, thus causing the heat to burn something which is highly flammable such as the clothes you are ironing. Have been to many fires caused by irons including one particularly nasty fatal one so do as the cruise line says and don't bring one.
You are absolutely correct.
What has been lost on this whole thread which I mentioned earlier is that the woman is apparently going on a Carnival ship and is on the wrong board. Carnival ships have irons on board in their laundry rooms, Celebrity ships do not since they don't have laundry rooms.
The biggest danger from an iron is neither of the previously mentioned reasons. It is walking away and leaving it on, thus causing the heat to burn something which is highly flammable such as the clothes you are ironing. Have been to many fires caused by irons including one particularly nasty fatal one so do as the cruise line says and don't bring one.
Don
That is, of course, the reason NOT to bring an iron of any kind.
__________________ I cruise the Emerald Princess, Eastern Caribbean on April 16, 2012
The biggest danger from an iron is neither of the previously mentioned reasons. It is walking away and leaving it on, thus causing the heat to burn something which is highly flammable such as the clothes you are ironing. Have been to many fires caused by irons including one particularly nasty fatal one so do as the cruise line says and don't bring one.
I would have thought that "don't leave an iron plugged in" would go without saying... but maybe not...
In any case, you can add this to my list of rules.
The biggest danger from an iron is neither of the previously mentioned reasons. It is walking away and leaving it on, thus causing the heat to burn something which is highly flammable such as the clothes you are ironing. Have been to many fires caused by irons including one particularly nasty fatal one so do as the cruise line says and don't bring one.
I would have thought that "don't leave an iron plugged in" would go without saying... but maybe not...
In any case, you can add this to my list of rules.
Norm.
Hi Norm,
I believe the iron rule is like the formal night rule It needs to be followed. When you book a cruise you are agreeing to follow the rules of the cruise line if the cruise lines don't allow irons as previous posters have said then you should not encourage people to break the rules. Because next thing you know someone will wear jeans in the dining room on formal night and I know you don't want that.
__________________ One part age; three parts liquor!
Freedom of the Seas 2012
Carnival Splendor 2010
Carnival Freedom 2008
Carnival Elation 2007
Celebrity Infinity 2006
Carnival Ecstasy 2005
Carnival Paradise 2004
Star Princess 2003
Viking Serenade 1994
I believe the iron rule is like the formal night rule It needs to be followed.
If the cruise line has established such a rule, you are correct.
I honestly don't recall seeing anything written anywhere saying that passengers are not permitted to bring travel irons on Celebrity cruises, but I probably would not have noticed such a rule because I don't bring a travel iron anyway.
Most of the time it is accidental but phones and doorbells ring and people tend to forget what other things they are doing.
As far as the ban on irons goes, Celebrity used to put it in all their paperwork, advertisements and daily activitiy sheets. It has not been there in the past few years. They still do however put the ban very clearly in a web site that is run by Royal Caribbean for travels agents only and is password protected. Not the best way to get the word out as no one would know unless they specifically asked a TA.
Most of the time it is accidental but phones and doorbells ring and people tend to forget what other things they are doing.
Those issues are virtually non-existent on cruise ships.
As far as the ban on irons goes, Celebrity used to put it in all their paperwork, advertisements and daily activitiy sheets. It has not been there in the past few years. They still do however put the ban very clearly in a web site that is run by Royal Caribbean for travels agents only and is password protected. Not the best way to get the word out as no one would know unless they specifically asked a TA.
If a rule is not stated in the pre-cruise documents or in a conspicuous place aboard ship, it's no longer a rule.
Most of the time it is accidental but phones and doorbells ring and people tend to forget what other things they are doing.
Those issues are virtually non-existent on cruise ships.
On that I would disagree with you, phones do ring on cruise ships especially traveling with others and people do come to the door, again, especially when traveling with others.
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