Can you bring a hair straightener on a cruise?
It depends on your cruise line. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney, MSC and Virgin Voyages allow it. Norwegian and Celebrity allow it with limits. Princess and Holland America don't say.
Pick your cruise line
Flat irons are allowed as personal grooming devices.
All 9 lines side by side
- Allowed Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney, MSC, Virgin Voyages
- Allowed with limits Norwegian, Celebrity
- Not stated Princess, Holland America
| Cruise line | Status | What the rule says | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carnival | Allowed | Flat irons are allowed as personal grooming devices. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Royal Caribbean | Allowed | Flat irons are allowed for personal use. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Norwegian | Allowed with limits | Flat irons are allowed if you use them with care. Security can remove one it sees as a hazard and give it back on the last day. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Princess | Not stated | Princess's pages don't mention hair straighteners. Ask Princess before you pack them. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Celebrity | Allowed with limits | Hair straighteners are an exception to the ban on items that make heat. The banned list says the exception covers items that are certified low wattage. Pages disagree: Celebrity's what-not-to-pack list allows them only if certified low wattage. Its prepare page and Guest Conduct Policy allow them with no wattage limit. We show the stricter rule. We show the stricter rule. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Disney | Allowed | Flat irons used for hair are allowed. Your stateroom has small heat mats to set hot tools on. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| MSC | Allowed | Hair straighteners are allowed. MSC lists them as an exception to its ban on items with heating elements. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Holland America | Not stated | Holland America's pages don't mention hair straighteners. Ask the line before you pack one. | Official pageChecked Nov 6, 2026 |
| Virgin Voyages | Allowed | Hair straighteners are allowed by name, as an exception to the heating-element ban. | 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.
Yes on most lines
Five lines allow flat irons outright: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Disney, MSC and Virgin. Norwegian allows them if you use them with care, and security can hold one it sees as a hazard until the last day.
Princess and Holland America don't mention hair straighteners at all. Both ban items with heating elements, and neither lists hair tools as an exception, so ask before you pack one.
The heating-element exception
Straighteners get hot, and most lines ban appliances with heating elements. Hair tools are the usual exception. Virgin names hair dryers, curling irons and straighteners as the only items it lets through. MSC lists hair straighteners and hair irons as exceptions too.
That's why a flat iron can be fine on a line that bans a travel steamer. The exception covers hair tools by name, not anything that heats.
Celebrity's low-wattage wording
Celebrity's pages don't agree with each other. Its what-not-to-pack list allows straighteners only if they're certified low wattage. Its prepare page and Guest Conduct Policy allow them with no wattage limit. We show the stricter version, so we mark Celebrity as allowed with limits.
Celebrity doesn't give a wattage number. If your straightener is a high-power salon model, ask Celebrity before you pack it.
Voltage and outlets
Check the label on your straightener for its voltage. Celebrity and Holland America cabins have both 110V and 220V outlets, and MSC cabin outlets take US-style and Northern European-style plugs. A dual-voltage straightener gives you the most options.
Questions people ask
Why are hair tools allowed when steamers aren't?
Several lines list hair tools as a named exception to their heating-element ban. Steamers and irons don't get that exception.
Can I bring a flat iron on Princess or Holland America?
Their pages don't say. Both ban items with heating elements without naming hair tools as an exception. Ask the line before you pack one.
What does certified low wattage mean on Celebrity?
Celebrity's banned list uses that phrase but doesn't give a number. If you're unsure about your straightener, ask Celebrity.
Do I need a converter?
Check your tool's label against your ship's outlets. MSC notes some hair tools may need one, and Norwegian says some high-wattage hair dryers do.