Can you bring an iron on a cruise?
No. All 9 cruise lines we cover ban it. Leave it at home.
Pick your cruise line
Clothing irons are banned along with other heating devices.
All 9 lines side by side
- Not allowed Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Princess, Celebrity, Disney, MSC, Holland America, Virgin Voyages
| Cruise line | Status | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnival | Not allowed | Clothing irons are banned along with other heating devices. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Royal Caribbean | Not allowed | Clothing irons are banned. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Norwegian | Not allowed | Clothing irons are banned along with other items that have a heating element. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Princess | Not allowed | Clothing irons are on Princess's banned list of items with heating elements. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Celebrity | Not allowed | Clothing irons are banned because they make heat. Use the ship's laundry service instead. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Disney | Not allowed | Electric irons are banned by name. Use the irons in the ship's self-service laundry rooms instead. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| MSC | Not allowed | Clothing irons are banned by name as items with heating elements. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Holland America | Not allowed | Travel irons can't be used in your cabin for safety reasons. Use the ship's laundry and valet service instead. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Virgin Voyages | Not allowed | Clothing irons are not allowed on board. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
Rules checked on Nov 6, 2026. Independent guide. Not affiliated with any cruise line. Rules change, so confirm with your cruise line before you sail. Security staff have the final say at the terminal.
Every line names irons
This one isn't a gray area. All 9 lines we cover ban clothing irons by name, so you won't find a line where a travel iron is fine. Holland America says travel irons can't be used in your cabin for safety reasons, and Virgin calls them a no go on board.
The reason is heat. Lines ban appliances with heating elements in cabins and allow only a few hair tools as exceptions.
Mini, cordless and dual-voltage irons
Lines don't make an exception for small irons. A mini iron for crafts or a cordless iron still heats up, so it falls under the same ban. A dual-voltage travel iron is still an iron.
If you're packing a craft or quilting project, leave the mini iron at home and plan your project around that.
Where you can press clothes on the ship
Disney is the one line in our list that offers irons you can use yourself. Its ships have self-service laundry rooms with irons and ironing boards.
Celebrity and Holland America point you to the ship's laundry and pressing service instead. Celebrity's pressing service is paid. On other lines, check your ship's services list before you sail, since what's offered can vary by ship.
Ways to arrive wrinkle-free
Pick fabrics that don't crease much for dinners and dress-up nights. Roll casual clothes and lay dress clothes flat on top. Hang everything as soon as you reach your cabin.
A hot shower with the bathroom door closed relaxes light wrinkles. Wrinkle-release spray works on many fabrics and isn't on any banned list we read.
What to pack instead
- Wrinkle-release spray. Spray, tug and hang. A pump bottle avoids any aerosol questions. It isn't on any banned list we checked. See options on Amazon
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Questions people ask
Can I iron my clothes on the ship?
On Disney, yes, in the self-service laundry rooms. Celebrity and Holland America offer laundry and pressing services. Check what your ship offers.
Is a mini craft iron allowed?
No line makes an exception for size. Any iron heats up, and that's what the rule bans.
What if security finds my iron?
It will be taken. Depending on the line, it's held until the end of the cruise or thrown away. Carnival and Princess say removed items are discarded.
Is a clothing steamer any different?
No. Steamers are banned on all 9 lines too, by name or under a heating-element ban. See our steamer page for each line's wording.