Unlimited laundry- yes or no

[robtbob]

We are headed for 24 nights on the Neiuw Amsterdam. It does not have a self serve laundry. I see a few posts where people say the best thing they got was unlimited laundry. If this is so, it could really help in taking too much clothing. Does any one know how much it is for 2 people :confused: or would, just have it done occasionally, be a better option?

[wander]

We usually get the unlimited laundry and have been most pleased with it!!! Another option is a "by the bag" plan. (Note, we now get free laundry.) Which will work best for you is an individual person/family thing. Once you learn the cost of each you can decide.

 

By using the laundry, for a 24 day cruise I would bring about seven days of clothes, with a one or two extra tops and some extra underwear, which I send to the laundry, some don't. Almost all the clothes I bring on a cruise are washable, except for one or two "formal" dinner tops. As yo can perhaps tell, I am NOT a "clothes horse" but I do like to look nice and appropriate.

 

Of course this plan works when the weather should be fairly consistent. If there will be a wide variation of temperatures, a few more outfits may be needed.

 

This is just my plan, others will have different suggestions. By the way, in almost 500 days on HAL, I have never had any problem with the laundry, hope I don't in the future. However, some folks have had problems from what they write.

 

Just as an aside, on one long cruise my husband had to have his sports coat dry cleaned. The machine on our ship was broken, but in one port when there was another HAL ship docked as well, they took the dry cleaning stuff to the other ship and it came back the same afternoon in fine shape. We were impressed.

[Alberta Quilter]

If you are cruising in Europe, the unlimited laundry is $9/day so it would be $216 for your cruise. That is per cabin (not per person). The laundry by the bag is $30/bag in Europe. At least those were the prices in April for our Med cruise on the Eurodam.

 

When one does the by the bag option, one is able to cram quite a bit in those small bags (rolling seems to work well). However, the lovely thing about the unlimited is that one does not have to wait for enough dirty laundry to accumulate to stuff the bag. One can send out partially filled bags each and every day (except the last couple of days) if one should choose to.

 

We sent out at least one bag every couple of days on our 21 day cruise.

 

Should add that the per diem for non European cruises is $7/day for the unlimited laundry or $20/25 for the by the bag option.

[Crew News]

We are headed for 24 nights on the Neiuw Amsterdam. It does not have a self serve laundry. I see a few posts where people say the best thing they got was unlimited laundry. If this is so, it could really help in taking too much clothing. Does any one know how much it is for 2 people :confused: or would, just have it done occasionally, be a better option?

 

I would choose the $49/week and have laundry done every day starting by filling your first laundry bag before you go to that embarkation-day dinner. The Room Steward will submit your laundry and you should have it back the next afternoon.

 

That means that you can pack for three days plus formal night wear and save the extra space in your suitcase for souvenirs.

 

The rate is per cabin and not per person. You can stuff probably two to three days of clothing in a HAL laundry bag which you will do the first night to get your pre-cruise clothing cleaned. Then send laundry every day. You cannot turn in laundry the day before you disembark but with the three-days packing, you will still have clean clothing to wear home.

[OlsSalt]

We found the $20 bag every week worked fine for longer cruises - but we did pack quite a bit too - mainly underwear and night clothes and the occasional top.

[Jade13]

$20.00 per bag works better for longer cruises. We have done the unlimited for shorter cruises and on one paid for unlimited pressing only.

[Krazy Kruizers]

If you are leaving sooner for the Nieuw Amsterdam - you are cruising in Europe.

The laundry prices are higher.

Are you heading to Europe a couple of days early? If so -- that means you will be starting off your cruise with dirty laundry.

The unlimited laundry is about $9 per day -- per cabin.

The bag laundry is $30 a bag. The bags are not real big.

So you have to decide which will be a better deal for you.

[sparky-elpaso]

We got it for our recent 19 day Panama Canal cruise and it was worth every penny. :D Sent stuff out about every 3rd day - out in the morning and back sometime the next day. Nicely folded in a basket with tissue paper. No problems with shrinking, fading or anything.

[croydonCruiser]

How much is ironing on European cruises?

[Thebes]

If you are cruising in Europe, the unlimited laundry is $9/day so it would be $216 for your cruise. That is per cabin (not per person). The laundry by the bag is $30/bag in Europe. At least those were the prices in April for our Med cruise on the Eurodam.

 

When one does the by the bag option, one is able to cram quite a bit in those small bags (rolling seems to work well). However, the lovely thing about the unlimited is that one does not have to wait for enough dirty laundry to accumulate to stuff the bag. One can send out partially filled bags each and every day (except the last couple of days) if one should choose to.

 

We sent out at least one bag every couple of days on our 21 day cruise.

 

Should add that the per diem for non European cruises is $7/day for the unlimited laundry or $20/25 for the by the bag option.

 

Thank you for sharing your experience. :)

[KirkNC]

We used it for the first time on the Nieuw Amsterdam a few weeks ago and loved it. It also includes pressing so they can unwrinkle as well as wash. We had spent nine days pre cruise in Europe so we had lots of wash when we got on the ship. The one negative was they put little tags on some of your clothes.

[LDVinNC]

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. So convenient. We send laundry out every day so we can really cut back on what we bring.

[Assateague Island Princes]

Unlimited Laundry is the best bargain on a HAL ship! Just do it, you won't be sorry! You can pack less (much less) and the clothes come back neatly pressed and hung (even jeans, my DH was SO spoiled!), with your delicates folded between sheets of tissue paper in a wicker basket. Love the Unlimited Laundry package.

[Cruising-along]

$20.00 per bag works better for longer cruises. We have done the unlimited for shorter cruises and on one paid for unlimited pressing only.

 

I agree. It may be a good deal on 7-day cruises, but we haven't done a 7-day since our first cruise. The only time the unlimited was worth the $$ for us was when we arrived at the ship with a week of laundry from travel pre-cruise. For us by the bag works best on longer cruises.

 

OP, each cruise is different. I would do the math and then decide what is best for you.

[OlsSalt]

Next step if one chooses the per bag price is to get tips about stuffing that bag. We just put things in the first time. Then we orchestrated it with far more precision the next time sliding things down the sides and making sure all "air holes" in the bag between garments got filled too. It really added to the number of items that fit in.

[Cruising-along]

Next step if one chooses the per bag price is to get tips about stuffing that bag. We just put things in the first time. Then we orchestrated it with far more precision the next time sliding things down the sides and making sure all "air holes" in the bag between garments got filled too. It really added to the number of items that fit in.

 

Exactly. It always surprises me when people say they can't get much into a bag!

[erin_cruisers]

We used the "by the bag" option on our recent Eurodam cruise - It worked out very well.

I filled the bag, then DW got a hold of it, and basically doubled the contents with her laundry :eek: I was amazed at what she was able to cram into it.

(I thought the sides would surely split).

Anyway, the shirts came back nicely pressed on hangers, and shorts and skirts nicely folded and a basket full of undies and socks nicely folded.

I forget the price. It was very reasonable anyway.

They also cleaned and pressed my tuxedo shirt at N/C.

[Typhoon1]

Unlimited laundry on a 24 night trip is an absolute must.

 

We regard the unlimited package as one of the best bargains at sea.

[brazilgirl]

Yes , yes !! Great deal!!! We loved it and used it to the max!! Came home with nice clean clothes!

[PathfinderEss]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

Here is another vote for yes, yes, yes to unlimited laundry. It is worth every penny.:D

[Sunshine91]

We've used both the unlimited & the by-the-bag options. Just like Mrs. Erin-Cruisers, I can stuff a whole lot into what the husband thinks is a full laundry bag. :)

 

Just want to mention that all clothing is washed in hot water & dried at a high temp. There is no such thing as a delicate cycle. Yes, everything comes back pressed & is either folded or on hangers & is lovely. But it took me several cruises to be willing to send out my unmentionables (so maybe don't pack the newest, prettiest ones ;)). Some things I still hand-wash in the bathroom sink. As for John's cotton golf shirts, which I normally do not dry, I give them a test hot wash & dry at home before the cruise.

 

Even tho a couple of recent cruises have been on ships with self-service laundry, we've still chosen to send out our dirties. We're on vacay & don't want to spend our on-board time doing chores. I'm willing to press John's dress shirts for nighttime, as that only takes a few minutes, but why spend several hours of my trip tied to the spins & coins of the laundromat? :)

[Linda&Vern]

<snip> Just want to mention that all clothing is washed in hot water & dried at a high temp. There is no such thing as a delicate cycle. Yes, everything comes back pressed & is either folded or on hangers & is lovely.

Can you tell me where you found that info? That used to be the rumor - but several people who have done behind-the-scenes tours have said that is not the case.

[Crew News]

Can you tell me where you found that info? That used to be the rumor - but several people who have done behind-the-scenes tours have said that is not the case.

 

On my behind-the-scenes tour, the hot water question was asked and we were told that regular clothing was washed in warm water in accordance with HAL's eco policy.

 

In all of my cruises, none of my clothing has been shrunk or damaged. It must be noted that I do not send delicate items for laundering.

[northernphoenix]

We were in a deluxe suite in 2011, and certainly took advantage of both laundry and dry cleaning, with wonderful results. I did ask for cold wash and rinse, can't tell you what was actually used, but hadn't any problems ,

Marilyn

 

 

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[lizzies_mom]

Clothing I pack for cruises is what I wear at home and wash in cold water delicate cycle. Have not had a problem with anything laundered on the ship.

 

Some people purchase spa packages. I relax by not doing laundry.