Is self serve laundry ever coming to NCL?

[awilliams98]

You do have an iron option. Just call Guest Services and they'll have an iron and ironing board brought to your room, then pick it up when you're finished.

 

I believe there's a time limit of two hours or so, but it was incredibly convenient. They came within 15 or so minutes of my calling to bring it and to pick it up.

 

Perfect...Thank you!!! Problem solved...happy NCL camper, lol!!!

 

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[Us2inFL]

I'd rather see a FedEx drop box on board... that way I can box up the dirty clothes and send them home instead of packing them. ;)

 

I subscribe to the "throw as you go" for underwear.

 

Nothing like leaving a worn pair of BVD's in the ashtray by the elevators.

[Darthdaddy]

Notion that NCL is alone in removing self-serve laundry is nonsense. Never had such facility on any Carnival or RCCL ship I've sailed on. Disney had it a decade ago, but can't speak to 2014. Experience on DCL was terrible. I still recall the scene one woman made because she HAD to jump ahead of others, because her precious darling needed his clean clothes for dinner. Well, guess what? Everyone else had concerns for their families, too. The *#^<€> was lucky that she didn't get punched. 10 yrs later and my BP still rises, when I think of her...hardly the memory one wants of a cruise. Never thought much about the fire hazard, but I can understand the concern. Sorry, can't fault any cruise line for removing this headache.

The laundry bags are expensive, but better than the alternatives.

 

 

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[sparks1093]

I'd rather see a FedEx drop box on board... that way I can box up the dirty clothes and send them home instead of packing them. ;)

 

I wouldn't mind that but there are laws against shipping hazardous waste...and we sail with teenagers:eek:.

[Casino Comp Chick]

I don't get it.

 

The #1 complaint about NCL is the laundry situation.

 

Almost every other line has self-serve machines, even high-end Crystal.

 

So why does't NCL install some laundry rooms in the dry docked ships?

 

Do they not realize that the laundry situation is irritating enough to where some people probably go on comparable lines instead?

 

I told my parents about the laundry situation, for example, and their answer was, "Well, I guess we will never be cruising Norwegian!"

 

That "stuff all you can into a bag for $27" promotion isn't a good solution. It's infuriating in a few ways:

 

1) You need to do laundry on their schedule, not yours.

 

2) The bag is flimsy and rips very easily.

 

3) The clothes simply aren't cleaned very well. It was honestly the worst load of laundry that I've ever seen done. Nothing looked or smelled clean. I thought that maybe I was just crazy, but then I read on here that people reported THE EXACT SAME THING, meaning they are probably overstuffing the machines and things aren't getting clean.

 

The whole situation is just awful.

 

There are many things that are good about NCL compared to other lines. Most notably, their customer service is better and the buffet quality is surprisingly good (and I'm NOT usually a guy who likes buffets!) They have a wide variety of specialty restaurants. They also make more of an effort than the other lines to pressure people into keeping their hands sanitized, which is important for obvious reasons.

 

I left my first NCL cruise last year with a lot of positive thoughts, but that laundry situation really got my goat.

 

Also, how hard would it be to put in a pizzeria that is open from like 11am-midnight? Again, other lines have this, and it would be wildly popular if it were on NCL ships. Instead we are stuck with this $5 room service pizza that few people bother ordering.

 

I just don't get it. Is anyone at NCL listening to the will of the people here?

 

Hello?

 

Hello?

 

Bueller?

 

Bueller?

 

 

#1 complaint? How about maybe for you but that isn't even on my list or anyone else I knows list.

[NLH Arizona]

I don't want to do laundry on my cruises, I'd rather send it out.

 

BTW, Celebrity doesn't have self-service laundry either.

[Planmaam]

I'm with those who say they don't want to do laundry on a cruise. Really? I'm on vacation!

 

Love the laundry special during the cruise week, always use it. I'll be platinum after the next cruise, so then it's free!

 

I have also never even THOUGHT about checking to see if a ship had a self-serve laundry. No way, no how!

 

Can you tell I don't like doing laundry? Now you made me remember I need to get a load or two started..................... ;)

[RickinNYC]

The #1 complaint? In all the cruises on NCL we've been on, I'm pretty confident that's something I've never heard anyone mention. Would it be nice to bring back? Sure, I guess. But I don't know that I'd waste my time using it. I'd certainly not waste my time being upset over it while on the cruise, and definitely not after.

 

 

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[fstuff1]

When I sent my laundry out on bag day, it was returned to me fresh, clean, and nicely folded in a cute little basket. All I sent was underwear, and some older tees. Good clothes which need special care, I took home to wash.

 

Royal Caribbean no longer has laundry rooms either, and they charged $30.00 per bag. They returned the clothes folded in paper without a basket.

 

As an NCL platinum member, I'll use the laundry service for free on bag day. If I'm on another line, I'll only use it when on long cruises.

 

doh.. I tend to underpack so I have room in my luggage for souveniers.

I was on RCL to Alaska a couple of years ago and they had self serve laundry. loved it. I just washed underwear+socks.

 

thx for this post. now I gotta pack enuf underwear + socks for my ncl trip from nyc to Canada.

would have sucked to run out of clean socks on day 5. :eek:

Edited June 29, 2014 by fstuff1

[emcelh]

Maybe Pokerpro should have said "My #1 complaint". I've read posts by people asking if self-service laundry facilities exist but that's about the extent of it.

 

They were removed for a reason and those reasons still exist so I would agree with those that doubt they will ever return. There were probably more complaints when they had them.

[buckirj1]

I like having a self-serve laundry, even if I never use it, but it's hardly a dealbreaker. I don't mind doing a load of laundry when I'm on vacation, but I don't travel amongst a herd, as do many folks. It isn't a big deal to chuck some clothes into the washer / wait 20 minutes / bang it into the dryer / wait 45 minutes. It isn't as if you can't do anythign else, all you need to do is keep track of the time and be considerate.

 

Contrary to the OP, I think more cruiselines don't have self-serve laundry than do. It might be more accurate to say the lines no longer have them; most cruise lines have discovered the advantages of centralized laundry. Of the mass market lines, I'm pretty sure only Carnival, Princess, HAL and Cunard have self-service laundries...and most of newer ships on those lines don't.

 

I've never had a problem using the ship's laundry for anything, but I only send out things like underwear, socks, t-shirts, turtlenecks, shorts and jeans. They always come back looking and smelling clean; nicely folded in a basket with tissue paper between layers. I don't send out (if I even pack them) anything that needs to be ironed or go on a hanger.

[rvsullivan]

This is a couple of times at least for the OP asking for on board laundry facilites. NCL and many others tried it for years. Ask any of the old time Hotel Directors and they will tell you the number one issue in those days was the self serve laundry. It probably will never come back.

If it is a determining factor in taking a cruise, there are a few lines that have them and are available for booking.

If you read just this link, you will see that the majority of answers dispute the comment that this is the number one complaint. Most don't care. On the OP's comment yesterday, the comment about unclean laundry was from another cruise line.

Two very good choices are available, take enough clothes for a week or use the laundry special and relax during your cruise.

[DebJ14]

My husband and son's idea of vacation is to rent a house on the bay so they can with the boat and fish. We did that last week. I did 31 loads of laundry and made 3 meals a day for 7 people and did all the dishes etc. That is clearly no vacation for me.

 

DH understands that cruises and all inclusive resorts are a true vacation for me. I would never dream of doing laundry on a cruise. If he doesn't pack enough underwear or socks, that is not my problem. He sends out the laundry. On some lines it is free for us due to status as a past guest or because we stay in a suite. On the others he pays if he wants it done.

 

Having self service laundry has no bearing on which cruise we select.

Edited June 29, 2014 by DebJ14

[barnacle_boy]

Laundry facilities are nice to have on longer itineraries. It's hard to carry enough luggage to hold a month's worth of clothing. Most of NCL's itineraries are only one or two weeks long, so it's not as vital as it may be for some other cruise lines.

[Hikini]

Personally, this is the last thing I look for when researching cruises. I am on vacation; there is no way I am going to do laundry. That is part of my unpacking/reminiscing process when I get home.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

We are platinum so as a perk we get complimentary laundry service, but I still don't use it.

[johnql]

#1 complaint? Certainly not mine. But out of curiosity, I just started a poll here on the NCL forum in a new, separate thread.

[OCMS Fan]

No laundry the #1 complaint? Really?

 

Behind these...

Smoking/no smoking

Cost/availability of unlimited alcohol

Price drop after final payment

Being concerned with how much others tip

Being concerned with whether others adjust the DSF

Unsupervised kids

Availability of baby sitting

Chair hogs

(Did I leave anything out?)

[SteveH2508]

No laundry the #1 complaint? Really?

 

Behind these...

Smoking/no smoking

Cost/availability of unlimited alcohol

Price drop after final payment

Being concerned with how much others tip

Being concerned with whether others adjust the DSF

Unsupervised kids

Availability of baby sitting

Chair hogs

(Did I leave anything out?)

 

If lack of laundry rooms is OP's #1 complaint I would suggest that they are generally very happy with NCL (or they felt like stirring on a 'slow news day':rolleyes:).

[JMHAM1]

I would love to have the laundry option. We went with all six of our little kids in Dec....one still in diapers at the time and I would have loved to have saved room in the luggage and have the option to wash. We were at max capacity with our luggage and also we were struggling to get everything in the car as well. I would say thumbs up to the laundry.

[OceanDreaming2]

Not having a self service laundry is NOT a deal breaker for us. We use the laundry special and if need be, I'll hand wash a few items and hang them in the shower to dry.

 

When the Pearl was brand new, I went to the self service laundry only to see a clueless guy putting hand soap in the washer. It was going to be like a scene from Mr. Mom with suds everywhere. It's no wonder they were taken out!

[deladypilot]

I do not see that laundry is the #1 complaint of why people do not sail on NCL. Actually, I am really very happy that they do not have laundry rooms there. The last thing I want to do on vacation is wash clothes. After all, im on vacation. If I wanted to be domestic, I would stay at home.

[BermudaBound2014]

I can only speak about my personal experience. When I sailed Europe, self-serve laundry was a rather large consideration in our final decision because we were spending 3 weeks total and only 11 of those nights were on-board. I boarded with a weeks worth of dirty clothes (washed them); and washed again before debarking so I had all fresh clothes for our time in Venice.

 

This trip is only 10 days (7 cruise plus 3 in NY) so laundry doesn't matter; but my experience is that self-service laundry is super convenient on the longer voyages; not so critical for the Caribbean market which seems to be NCL's major market.

[4774Papa]

We cruise on Celebrity as well, which does not have self-service.

Frankly, I don't want to be fighting with people to remove their laundry from the washer or dryer.

I have read on cc that self-service has be cancelled by some cruise lines because of conflicts generated between passengers over use of the machines.

[SeaShark]

I can only speak about my personal experience. When I sailed Europe, self-serve laundry was a rather large consideration in our final decision because we were spending 3 weeks total and only 11 of those nights were on-board. I boarded with a weeks worth of dirty clothes (washed them); and washed again before debarking so I had all fresh clothes for our time in Venice.

 

This trip is only 10 days (7 cruise plus 3 in NY) so laundry doesn't matter; but my experience is that self-service laundry is super convenient on the longer voyages; not so critical for the Caribbean market which seems to be NCL's major market.

 

While I understand your unique situation, I don't think NCL, or any other line, can base decisions on what you MIGHT do pre and/or post cruise.

 

You could have just as easily washed your clothes at a shore side laundry before and then again after the cruise...problem solved.

[pokerpro5]

I shouldn't have said "#1 complaint" as indeed I was exercising hyperbole. I don't really think that's the #1 complaint about NCL. I would have guessed the smoking on the balconies thing, and indeed that's what's leading in a poll someone just started.

 

However the reasons people are giving NOT to have self-serve laundry are poor.

 

"I don't like doing laundry on my vacation" -- That's great. Then don't. Nobody would force you to use the self serve machines. But just because YOU don't want to do something doesn't mean that others feel the same way. I don't like bars, but I am not proposing they eliminate bars on the ship!

 

"The machines are a fire hazard" -- I don't believe that. How often do you hear about laundromats catching on fire? I don't think I've ever heard of that happening once.

 

"Fights break out between passengers about the machines" -- This is probably the actual reason they got rid of them, but this could be solved. They could post a crewmember at each laundry room, which would only be like 6 additional crew out of thousands. That would actually solve it, and the increased cost for NCL would be minimal.

 

 

Also, I'm glad that many of you had a good job done on your laundry during the $25 (now $27) specials, but mine came back poorly washed, and I've read other reports here saying the same. Maybe we all ran into a fluke, but I doubt it.