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

[conrad75070]

I'm not talking about dry cleaning. I'm talking about washers and dryers. I don't know about you, but I don't dry-clean my shirts, shorts, socks, and unmentionables; I shove 'em into a washer, followed by a spin in a dryer. I can guarantee you that doing it this way is MUCH cheaper than dry cleaning, in your town or in mine.

 

Dry Cleaners also do laundry. I have my shirts laundered and pressed at any dry cleaner I've ever used.

[IwannaGo Now]

I send out my "cruise clothes" out to be laundered, and ironed, pre-cruise. I don't like to iron, and my everyday clothes are wash and wear. I also don't like to waste money, and get a fair price at my dry cleaner. The cruise ship, I feel, charges too much......especially in relation to what they pay the people doing the work. So, on a 14 day transatlantic, I'll bring what my baggage allows, and air my shirts, and pants out as necessary.

I don't call it "cheap"...as much as I do common sense. ;)

[RDC1]

I was just on a 15 day Panama canal trip on the Coral Princess which does have them. They are very handy for longer trips.

 

The configuration is 1 laundry room per deck. They occupy a little less space then a normal inside cabin. Same depth but narrower. They hold 5 pairs of stackable washers and dryers. The cost is $1.00 per load in either (30 minutes normal run time).

 

They were pretty busy on at sea days. Approximately 100% utilization from 8am to noon and about 60% in the afternoon. A little use, but not much in the evenings and port days. While they were busy and one had to check for a free unit, people were good about being back on time to move/get their clothes.

 

I have done a number of cruises on RCI and Celebrity, up to 14 days in length, prior to my trip on Princess. Got by without them on the RCI and Celebrity trips. Was able to pack much lighter on the Princess trip. Would certainly want them on longer trips. I have had issues with getting clothes back substantially faded when using the RCI laundry service.

 

I suspect that one of the reasons why they are found on pretty much all Princess and HAL ships is that they tend to do more longer cruises and have more cases where the ship alternates routes instead of just doing the same route multiple times in a row. That means more trips with people staying on the ship for longer periods. For example they have a baltic trip of 14 days, similar to the RCI trip of Harwich, but they alternate in with an Norway fords and Iceland trip of 14 days, so people can also book at 28 day that includes both routes.

 

One note these rooms on Princess and HAL seem to be designed in for that function at the time the ship was initially built. As such they utilize space that is not as large as a cabin would be. Would be less efficient to try and add them to an existing ship by converting cabin space.

[Paul65]

OK-I'll give you 10 points for that!!!;):D

 

Woohoo! That should bump me up to Emerald!! :D

[Janet524]

It's my vacation...The LAST thing I want to do is laundry!

[Charles4515]

It's my vacation...The LAST thing I want to do is laundry!

 

Good for you but while I may not want to do laundry on vacation I do need to do laundry on longer cruises. If I could wear jeans and a t shirt the whole cruise I would not have too but there are still the dress up nights on Royal Caribbean. It is my vacation so I will not do cruises over nine days on Royal Caribbean. That is the most I can pack in one checked bag plus a carry on. There are plenty of great options that have self service launderies, like Princess and Holland America. They get my business those cruises. Also Celebrity since they do my laundry for free!!!

[Schplinky]

I can't imagine not booking a longer sruise based on laundry service?! A second bag is only $25 on most airlines. If you had a good deal on a cruise but didn't choose the line because of the laundry policy, you'd be stubborn or dumb or both.

[Can'tStayHome]

Disclaimer - I haven't read this entire thread, so sorry if anyone else has asked...

 

I'm curious how they handle the laundry. I assume that they take the stuff from the bag they supply you in your cabin, and place it all in a mesh (or similar type) bag with other passengers stuff, and wash it all at once in a large industrial washer... the same kind that they wash the towels and sheets in.

 

I've only sent my laundry down once... and when 3 of my bras came back sans underwires, I never sent anything again. Now THAT was an expensive load of laundry! :eek:

[chef_christoph]

Here's a perfect solution for this problem! Bring your own small washing machine with you! :) :D :)

 

And for your viewing pleasure, it seems the company has an infomercial of sorts posted on Youtube...enjoy!

 

 

:D

[Wilda]

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.

 

Not necessarily. The Princess laundry (every other deck on the Golden and the Crown) always had people in there. My guess is there are plenty of folks that would pack half and do their own laundry on board ship. Instead, they MAY be packing twice as much.....and paying that to the airlines:eek: I think those that will send their drycleaning out will continue to do so, and those that want a self-serve laundry will be a new revenue stream!

[Debde]

I can't imagine not booking a longer sruise based on laundry service?! A second bag is only $25 on most airlines. If you had a good deal on a cruise but didn't choose the line because of the laundry policy, you'd be stubborn or dumb or both.

 

Now now Schplinky::(

The poster didn't say they would pay more-just said other options.That poster could be very smart in finding a cruise-with a cruise fare much cheaper then RCCL and they could do laundry themselves. That is by far NOT stubborn or dumb!!!:D :p

[Cruising89143]

I can't imagine not booking a longer sruise based on laundry service?! A second bag is only $25 on most airlines. If you had a good deal on a cruise but didn't choose the line because of the laundry policy, you'd be stubborn or dumb or both.

 

 

Me either. We spent two weeks on Allure last month. Sent laundry out when we needed it and then we were given the free bag each week for underclothes and socks. Worked out great and was not expensive.

[kimberley]

Having a laundry or at least somewhere I can press my dresses would make Royal Caribbean the perfect cruise. As for not having the demand who are they kidding!

[kyriecat]

Which airlines only charge $25 round trip for a second bag? I know Southwest lets you check two bags free. Continental, American, and Delta all charge $25 EACH WAY ($50 round trip) for the first bag and $35 EACH WAY ($70 round trip) for a second bag. A third bag jumps up to $100 EACH WAY! :eek:

 

Next cruise is a 10-nt on HAL with 2-days pre- and 4-days post cruise. I'm planning to have 1 checked bag and doing a load or two of laundry onboard since we're flying American.

[Debde]

Sent laundry out when we needed it and then we were given the free bag each week for underclothes and socks.

 

Does everyone get a free bag of laundry service?? This would definitly reduce the need for self serve laundry in some cases!!!:)

[Molly Doble]

Hi

We are planning to go on the Radiance of the Seas March 2012. OK i accept no laundry room but i do like to pop into laundry room to iron a few things that need it. How do we get on there?

 

Tania

[Cruising89143]

Does everyone get a free bag of laundry service?? This would definitly reduce the need for self serve laundry in some cases!!!:)

 

D+ receives this but it only includes certain items. If you try to slide things not included on the list, they will charge you. Actually the more important things that we needed laundered and pressed were not included.

[Merion_Mom]

Hi

We are planning to go on the Radiance of the Seas March 2012. OK i accept no laundry room but i do like to pop into laundry room to iron a few things that need it. How do we get on there?

 

Tania

 

Royal Caribbean offers pressing only for half the cost of cleaning.

 

http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/LaundryPriceList.pdf

[Debde]

D+ receives this but it only includes certain items. If you try to slide things not included on the list, they will charge you. Actually the more important things that we needed laundered and pressed were not included.

 

Ahhhhhh-that is whay so many would like to see a place to do some self serve. Only the D+ passengers get the freebiie.

 

Love that document Merion_mom- Very good info. Quite pricey for wash services too too!!!:eek: Now who the heck would press a pair of socks and not wash them ??!!! LOL :p

[koterry]

I can't imagine not booking a longer sruise based on laundry service?! A second bag is only $25 on most airlines. If you had a good deal on a cruise but didn't choose the line because of the laundry policy, you'd be stubborn or dumb or both.

I go with both!!!:confused::confused::rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Charles4515]

I can't imagine not booking a longer sruise based on laundry service?! A second bag is only $25 on most airlines. If you had a good deal on a cruise but didn't choose the line because of the laundry policy, you'd be stubborn or dumb or both.

 

I don't want to take two bags. One is enough to handle. I will choose the cruise line that meets my needs for longer cruises. Royal Caribbean does not. As far as a good deal I get better deals on Princess and HAL and both are better lines than Royal Caribbean.

[Charles4515]

I go with both!!!:confused::confused::rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

Sure, if you don't agree call names.

 

Some here don't like any criticism of Royal Caribbean. Tough.

[Schplinky]

I don't want to take two bags. One is enough to handle. I will choose the cruise line that meets my needs for longer cruises. Royal Caribbean does not. As far as a good deal I get better deals on Princess and HAL and both are better lines than Royal Caribbean.

 

Having tried both, I think they are better for a more sedentary person (and an older person, in HAL's case) but I have different priorities. The great thing is we both get to chose. HAL has very comfortable rooms but I have never been so bored on vacation in my life.

[Charles4515]

Having tried both, I think they are better for a more sedentary person (and an older person, in HAL's case) but I have different priorities. The great thing is we both get to chose. HAL has very comfortable rooms but I have never been so bored on vacation in my life.

 

HAL also had better food. Cruises I have taken in the last year the deomographic on HAL was not much older than Royal Caribbean. It is all relative. The most lively cruise I have been on in the last year was on Carnival. Much livelier than Royal Caribbean and they had laundry rooms. Since it was a seven day cruise I did not use it except to iron my formal shirts.

 

On the longer cruises the demographics are pretty similar among all the lines. The longer the cruise the grayer the demographic. Royal Caribbean certainly is better for a seven day Caribbean cruises than HAL but for longer cruises HAL and Princess have lots of great itineraries that Royal does not have. And it is longer cruises we are talking about. Seven days without a self service laundry is fine. Ten days or longer the laundry is an issue.

[mrsfecura]

I LOVE places that have laundries! Shoot...it's not like you're pounding clothes on rocks in a stream or anything! Throw them in, read a book, take them out....no biggie! I'd rather be able to wash a few things, than send them out and pay those prices or have to lug MORE stuff than I normally do!

 

Couldn't agree more!