Why is there no self-laundry on board RC ships?

[Aquahound]

I'm not one who would sit in a laundry room, but that doesn't mean I would give a rats behind if there's a laundry room on board. If others would use it, then why not have it?

 

Now, RCI is a cruise line of innovations, so if they put a bar and grille in the laundry room, I might be more tempted. ;)

[Schplinky]

They "give up" ten staterooms for Adventure Ocean, even though people without kids couldn't care less about it. They "give up" ten staterooms for dance clubs, even though people who don't dance couldn't care less about it. They "give up" ten staterooms for the spa, even though people who don't get spa treatments couldn't care less about it. They "give up" ten staterooms for the specialty restaurants, even though people who don't want to pay extra for their meals couldn't care less about them.

 

You see where I'm going with this? Everyone has different things that they want and care about. This thread, and others like it, have shown that plenty of people couldn't care less about self-service laundry. But they also show that some of us DO care about it, and would like to see such facilities provided.

 

If you don't want to do laundry on a cruise, then by all means, don't do it. But it's hardly necessary to mock those of us who do.

 

they give up space for a kids club...and get families onboard and extra people in cabins (since kids rarely book their own), which increases revenue

 

they give up space for a spa and make thousands on appointments each week, which increases revenue.

 

they give up space for a dance club and sell some drinks, which increases revenue.

 

they give up space for specialty restaurants and we sometimes have trouble reserving, so clearly someone is eating there.

 

 

They give up space for laundry and they earn a few quarters. Seem a big difference to me. The only thing laundry does is decrease drycleaning revenue. That would mean they need to find that revenue elsewhere, like in fares.

 

Revenue is not a dirty word, cruise ships are not national parks or public housing. You want a service? Pay for it.

[koterry]

They "give up" ten staterooms for Adventure Ocean, even though people without kids couldn't care less about it. They "give up" ten staterooms for dance clubs, even though people who don't dance couldn't care less about it. They "give up" ten staterooms for the spa, even though people who don't get spa treatments couldn't care less about it. They "give up" ten staterooms for the specialty restaurants, even though people who don't want to pay extra for their meals couldn't care less about them.

 

You see where I'm going with this? Everyone has different things that they want and care about. This thread, and others like it, have shown that plenty of people couldn't care less about self-service laundry. But they also show that some of us DO care about it, and would like to see such facilities provided.

 

If you don't want to do laundry on a cruise, then by all means, don't do it. But it's hardly necessary to mock those of us who do.

Has everything to do with common sense, plain and simple. RCI cares about providing an excellent cruise experience, not laundry facilities for a few. It also makes money for the stockholders. Your argument lacks substance and common sense. Everything you have tried to compare the "laundry" with such as dance clubs(alcohol),Spa(treatments, etc. etc.),specialty restaurants(alcohol, surcharge),Adventure Ocean(families)....They all MAKE money for RCI:rolleyes:

[koterry]

I'm not one who would sit in a laundry room, but that doesn't mean I would give a rats behind if there's a laundry room on board. If others would use it, then why not have it?

 

Now, RCI is a cruise line of innovations, so if they put a bar and grille in the laundry room, I might be more tempted. ;)

I don't care who you are thats funny!;)

[JaxieWaxie]

I wait until they have that "fill the bag for a flat fee" special and cram days and days and days of gym socks, workout gear, etc in there. God help the poor guy who opens that bag and gets that first whiff!

 

Seems to work fine for the longer trips.

[cruisegirl1]

We started sailing over 20 years ago when our children were 4 and 9. Self serve laundry is a great feature for families with young children . We used it on other ships when our children were young A kid can go through 2 or 3 sets of clothes a day. No wearing anything twice.

 

I would not use it now, but I can see the benefit.

 

 

M

[Schplinky]

God help the poor guy who opens that bag and gets that first whiff!

 

Seems to work fine for the longer trips.

 

 

Totally. I would hate that job! I've never understood when people say they store their dirty laundry in their suitcases. Yuck!

[conrad75070]

I'm not one who would sit in a laundry room, but that doesn't mean I would give a rats behind if there's a laundry room on board. If others would use it, then why not have it?

 

Now, RCI is a cruise line of innovations, so if they put a bar and grille in the laundry room, I might be more tempted. ;)

 

In college, I loved the laundromat that was also a bar. IN the evening they even had bands playing. Best way to do your laundry.

[Paul65]

I would rather do my own laundry after seeing how RC treats clothes. I used their $25 wash bag for my last cruise. What a waste!!! They washed the clothes but returned them stuffed into a bag. Everything was so horribly wrinkled that I couldn't wear any of it. It looked like someone took my clothes out of a dryer and just shoved them in a bag. I wasn't expecting my clothes to be pressed, but I thought they would at least hang or fold them. My shirts and shorts were so wrinkled that Downy wrinkle release and steam from the shower couldn't get the wrinkles out. When I complained about the condition, I was told that the laundry bag only included washing and didn't include folding or hanging. I needed to pay $1.50 each if I wanted my shirts pressed. :mad:

 

Sorry that happened to you. The laundry bag service does not include pressing, but it does include folding. I've used it several times, and the clothes always reappear in a neatly folded pile in my stateroom. Returning them unfolded and stuffed in a bag doesn't make sense. If this is what they did for you, it was atypically poor service.

[Schplinky]

In college, I loved the laundromat that was also a bar. IN the evening they even had bands playing. Best way to do your laundry.

 

We used to have a restaurant here like that. They had a wall with a lighted board (like at bingo) where you could tell if your wash was done and you needed to put stuff in the dryer. It was great because the time to do laundry was just enough to have dinner.

[Desert Cruizers]

We have sailed on Princess and have no problem doing a couple loads during our 14 days. I pick a day, when we will be back on board ealy afternoon and most everyone is still out touring around so have the laundryroom to myself or close to it. It might take up an hour of my time but no biggie. I bring my own soap. With RCL, then we have them do it, as we don't like dealing with dirty clothes going home.

[Paul65]

They "give up" ten staterooms for Adventure Ocean, even though people without kids couldn't care less about it. They "give up" ten staterooms for dance clubs, even though people who don't dance couldn't care less about it. They "give up" ten staterooms for the spa, even though people who don't get spa treatments couldn't care less about it. They "give up" ten staterooms for the specialty restaurants, even though people who don't want to pay extra for their meals couldn't care less about them.

 

You see where I'm going with this?

 

I think I see where you're going with it. You're demonstrating that RCI tends to "give up" space on the ship for things that are fun activities that a portion of their customers look forward to, like dancing, fine dining and kids activities, but not for more mundane tasks that a portion of their customers might like to be able to do as a matter of convenience.

 

So, yeah, I guess I can understand that distinction.

[coordinator23]

Since we have to fly into port, no matter where we sail from, (Chicago) I would like to have the laundromat feature. In our experience, it was a life save when we went on an Alaskan Cruise tour with Princess. After 6 days we were able to wash our clothes, so we did not have to try to do them while on the land portion. Had we traveled with RCL, we would have had to either pay for another suitcase or two, or tried to find a laundromat on land (which would have cut into that part of our vacation). I did laundry on a sea day and it worked out well. If RCL is the so called nation of why not, why not put in a laundromat and jazz it up. I've seen a few good suggestions, a bar, food service area, etc. They sure could make money off of the machines too.

It was also a god send on our 10 day southern carib. cruise on Ruby Princess. (which left from Florida - much cheaper airfare for us) Less packing is always great; clean clothes - priceless.

[pwopp]

Why are there no laundry facilities aboard RCI? Because you're on vacation...you are supposed to relax! Enjoy your cruise!

[ShayRue]

To everyone who refuses to launder anything on vacay- Perhaps you have never been in a small room with a smelly teenage boy before.

 

 

LMAO - Enough said !! :) :)

[kyriecat]

Paul65,

 

I thought I had used the laundry bag once before and the clothes had been returned folded. That would have been fine. On Serenade, they were adament that folding was not part of the laundry service. When I first saw my clothes wadded up in a bag, I thought they had been returned without being washed until I realized that they were in a different bag. I couldn't wear any of the outerwear that RC laundered due to the wrinkling (socks & undies were ok wrinkled). I ended up rewashing everything when I got home.

[bus man]

Why are there no laundry facilities aboard RCI? Because you're on vacation...you are supposed to relax! Enjoy your cruise!

 

What could be more relaxing than watching your clothes spin round and round? :)

 

Seriously, I agree that doing your laundry does not rank all that high on the list of things I want to do on vacation. But having clean clothes to wear, without having to pay sky-high prices either for the ship's laundry or for the airline baggage fees . . . well, I find that to be rather relaxing in its own right.

[Leesbrug Land]

I have had laundry sent out on most of my cruises and I have never paid more then $25. I always send out ironing on the first day and if I run out of anything like socks or undies I always send those out. I refuse to do laundry on my vacation.

 

That being said if someone else wants to do laundry I don't see how that affects me. If they take out a few cabins and put in washer and dryers I don't see how that will lesson my enjoyment unless my cabin was above, below, or next to self-service laundry.

 

If they put in self-service laundry I'm sure that no one will put a gun to my head and force me to use it. Just because I would rather pay a few bucks and have someone else do it that doesn't mean everyone has to feel the same way.

[silentbob007]

On my last Carnival cruise (it's been a while), we shared a table with a family joining the cruise after a week at Disney. The father made use of the laundry room the first night, using all of the washers to cut down on time. Unfortunately the water line was somehow contaminated with brown water and essentially ruined all of their clothes ... there was compensation of course, but that story combined with personal experiences of dryers that never dry in the humid room ... I'm content sending laundry out if necessary. ;)

[njmomof2]

I am a huge fan of doing laundry on vacation. We travel by plane so we have restrictions on baggage. I also have 2 boys, and in the years we've been on vacation with them, they often spill, stain, mess up whatever they have and we need to change part way through the day or before dinner in the evening. I take a couple of hours one afternoon while they are at the pool or doing an activity and get my laundry done. One of the reasons we love owning Disney Vacation Club is that we either have a free laundry room (for studios) or washer/dryer in the room (1 or 2 bdrm units).

 

I also wish there would be a self service laundry facility on Royal. I do use the fill a bag special and believe me, you'd be surprised at what I can get stuffed into that little white paper bag. I remember the clothes coming back "lightly" folded so they weren't too wrinkled, but I would so much rather do my own with cooler water and control the dryer heat and time if possible. Some things just don't do as well with high heat water and dryers. I like being able to pack a bit lighter and do my clothes part way through the vacation.

 

It's not for everyone, but I can't see why people would object to the facilities. If you don't want to use them, send your laundry out. If you do, it's there.

[M&A]

We did a 32 day transpacific on the Sapphire Princess a few years ago and it was handy having the laundry room outside of our cabin.

We did a 26 day transpacific on the Rhapsody of the Seas two years ago and it would have been nice to have the facility on board.

For short cruises 10 days or less, I don't want to do laundry. We were on 2 Carnival cruises and they had laundry services available but for 7 day cruises no need to do the laundry,

We will be going on a TA on the Jewel this May and we will probably have to do the washing in the sink and the cabin service for the bigger stuff.

[Marian Paroo]

Skipping ahead - it seems that MSC doesn't have slef laundry either, but as it is a European company I understand that. Most people in Europe (and the Middle East) have a machine at home. Coin laundries in Israel are used mostly by young renters.

 

I'm travelling light, so I'll just air out things the best I can, wipe away stains and use the laundry when I must.

[msucooper]

I just want the laundry room so I can iron my shirts

 

I agree!!! I do not use the laundry room for washing. I only use it for ironing (if need be). I am so glad Carnival continues to have these rooms.

[Paul65]

It's not for everyone, but I can't see why people would object to the facilities.

 

This seems to be a repeating theme on the thread, "why would people object?" But in general, people are not objecting. OK, maybe I saw one person who said something about finding another line, if RCI added self-serve laundry. So, maybe it's just that one outlier opinion to which so many people are responding.

 

Others are just explaining that most people don't want to do their own laundry while on vacation, and hence RCI has better uses for the space.

[canucks4]

At least they provide laundry services, I don't recall too many land vacations where we've had coin laundry on the premises. Condos rentals, yes, most hotels & resorts, no.

 

I bring along a few plastic bags for dirty clothes and on the second last day, I'll do the fill the paper bag with undies & socks & workout clothes for a few bucks - works for us.