Laundry question

[rockdoctor]

The cabin steward may actually suggest that he take and get it presses. Neptune Suites are great.

[debdiva]

You have three choices in how to pay to send laundry out:

First, and most expensive, is to pay by the piece.

Second, is to stuff a bag as full as you can for $20 (higher in Europe).

The last way is to pay for an "unlimited" plan. That costs $7 times the number of days in your cruise (again, slightly higher in Europe). The bag need not be full, so this is great for a single person (since it takes so long to fill a bag), or in hot climates, where day clothes really need to be laundered after one wearing.

Our TA arranged the unlimited laundry for our 22-day Mediterranean cruise ahead of time and it was at the lower (non-European) rate. It showed up as a gift, but we paid for it. On the Zuiderdam, there is no self-serve and we preferred to spend our port days as tourists, not navigating the intricacies of local laundry.

 

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[LindaSSF]

My husband's tuxedo jacket was misdelivered to a different cabin once. Our steward was more distressed than Mike was.

 

The steward checked every cabin who had dry cleaning delivered that day and found it for us.

 

Describe it? Well, it is a back tuxedo jacket, size 44 Short...

[Petam012]

Is the $7 per day for ironing as well or just wash and fold????

[Krazy Kruizers]

Is the $7 per day for ironing as well or just wash and fold????

 

 

It is for ironing as well.

[Straymo]

Would you tip when laundry is delivered back? I would think yes, but curious.

[LindaSSF]

The laundry fairy often comes when you are out! It magically appears in the room when we are out and about.

[serendipity1499]

Would you tip when laundry is delivered back? I would think yes, but curious.

 

We have never tipped for laundry service. :confused: Most of the time our laundry is delivered while we are out of the cabin..

[blizzardboy]

In my experience, it's your steward who starts the process and often is the one who puts the laundry in your room. You pay a daily gratuity to ships personnel in general, but your steward is key. As a suite cruiser, I still tip my steward over and above as they work really hard to maintain excellent service. I read a suggestion recently that giving the steward on day one a reasonable portion of what you would normally give them for the whole cruise, with a promise of more at the end, ingratiates them and notably improves service.

[TAD2005]

Our TA arranged the unlimited laundry for our 22-day Mediterranean cruise ahead of time and it was at the lower (non-European) rate. It showed up as a gift, but we paid for it. On the Zuiderdam, there is no self-serve and we preferred to spend our port days as tourists, not navigating the intricacies of local laundry.

 

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We're on the Zuiderdam for 26 days this Oct., Mediterranean then TA. We would probably go through 2 or 3 bags a week for almost 4 weeks. in order for us to compare the unlimited cost vs. the per/bag rate, does anyone know the actual daily rate on a Med/TA cruise, vs. the per bag rate on the same route. Everybody has said that $7/day or $20/bag is higher in Europe. How much higher ? And, why is it higher ? HAL uses the USD even in Europe for onboard expenses. The laundry room staff doesn't get off the ship in Gibraltar when heading TA westbound and a lower paid crew comes aboard, the water & soap cost the same in the eastern hemisphere as it does in the western. So, why the difference in rate ?

[kazu]

We're on the Zuiderdam for 26 days this Oct., Mediterranean then TA. We would probably go through 2 or 3 bags a week for almost 4 weeks. in order for us to compare the unlimited cost vs. the per/bag rate, does anyone know the actual daily rate on a Med/TA cruise, vs. the per bag rate on the same route. Everybody has said that $7/day or $20/bag is higher in Europe. How much higher ? And, why is it higher ? HAL uses the USD even in Europe for onboard expenses. The laundry room staff doesn't get off the ship in Gibraltar when heading TA westbound and a lower paid crew comes aboard, the water & soap cost the same in the eastern hemisphere as it does in the western. So, why the difference in rate ?

 

 

I don't know why the price is higher in Europe and have wondered if they are charged more money for electricity, water, whatever.

 

In any case, it usually is. I have seen different pricing on different cruises so I suspect the best thing to do is wait until you are on board and check out the cost of unlimited versus by the bag. If you would use 3 bags per week you will find it is cheaper to get unlimited in most cases.

[RuthC]

in order for us to compare the unlimited cost vs. the per/bag rate, does anyone know the actual daily rate on a Med/TA cruise, vs. the per bag rate on the same route.

The most recent figures I have read are $26 per bag, or $9 times the number of days in the cruise.

 

Cruise Critic poster Bruce Muzz is a Hotel Manager who has explained before why the price is higher in Europe. Perhaps you could run a search to find his posts on the subject.

It had to do with European passengers bringing their laundry packed to do on board, I believe.

[TAD2005]

The most recent figures I have read are $26 per bag, or $9 times the number of days in the cruise.

 

Cruise Critic poster Bruce Muzz is a Hotel Manager who has explained before why the price is higher in Europe. Perhaps you could run a search to find his posts on the subject.

It had to do with European passengers bringing their laundry packed to do on board, I believe.

Thanks Ruth, I know the ships desalinate their own potable water onboard, so it had to something external as a reason for the higher cost. Nothing like carrying a couple of suitcases of dirty, smelly clothes through customs when entering the country for your cruise.

[chefestelle]

If you can't send laundry out in the last 48 hours is the rate times the number of days of the cruise or the number of days less two (in other words, times the number of laundry days)? Not that it matters much since it will still likely be cheaper than the per bag rate!

Edited August 9, 2015 by chefestelle

[Alberta Quilter]

If you can't send laundry out in the last 48 hours is the rate times the number of days of the cruise or the number of days less two (in other words, times the number of laundry days)? Not that it matters much since it will still likely be cheaper than the per bag rate!

 

The rate is based on the total number of days of the cruise. That's why one has to really decide if the more economical option is by the bag or unlimited based on their expected use. It's not necessarily cheaper with unlimited. On one 14 day cruise, the unlimited was $98. We sent out laundry four times. It would have been less expensive to do it by the bag, at $20/bag.

Edited August 9, 2015 by Alberta Quilter

[chefestelle]

Thank you! I'm going to test our habits on the Mexico cruise so I can decide how to go with the med cruise!

[TAD2005]

Our cruise on Oct 14, Zuiderdam, departs Athens, and arrives in Ft. Lauderdale 26 days later. I called HAL's Ship's Services and they looked up my cruise and found a 26 day unlimited laundry package could be purchased online or onboard for $182, which is $7 per day. This cruise has about 19 days in the Mediterranean and 7 days trans-Atlantic, so maybe that is why the rate is not $9 per day ?? Ship's Services also confirmed the $20 per bag rate for my cruise, not $26 or $30.

[Alberta Quilter]

Our cruise on Oct 14, Zuiderdam, departs Athens, and arrives in Ft. Lauderdale 26 days later. I called HAL's Ship's Services and they looked up my cruise and found a 26 day unlimited laundry package could be purchased online or onboard for $182, which is $7 per day. This cruise has about 19 days in the Mediterranean and 7 days trans-Atlantic, so maybe that is why the rate is not $9 per day ?? Ship's Services also confirmed the $20 per bag rate for my cruise, not $26 or $30.

 

That happened to me, as well, but once onboard, the cost was $9/day and the per bag rate was higher, too. I hope you pre-paid the amount quoted and got the confirmation as someone advised earlier. I suspect you'll need it onboard so you pay the lesser amount.

[TAD2005]

That happened to me, as well, but once onboard, the cost was $9/day and the per bag rate was higher, too. I hope you pre-paid the amount quoted and got the confirmation as someone advised earlier. I suspect you'll need it onboard so you pay the lesser amount.

Thanks AQ. I guess this is another example of HAL-Seattle not having a clue what is really happening on their fleet of ships. I believe in the idea that the captain (or other dept. head) can set their own methods of operation, but when that is in stark contrast to the HAL website or advise from HAL-Seattle employees, something is definitely wrong. Another example of this is when I was transferred to 4 different HAL agents when I asked about the credit card hold of $60 per day/per passenger vs. $30 per day/per passenger on cruises longer than 25 days. Three HAL agents swore to me they have never heard of this before, until I finally asked them to browse the FAQ's on the HAL website. Then they kept passing me to other agents for confirmation. Who is training these agents ?

[TAD2005]

That happened to me, as well, but once onboard, the cost was $9/day and the per bag rate was higher, too. I hope you pre-paid the amount quoted and got the confirmation as someone advised earlier. I suspect you'll need it onboard so you pay the lesser amount.

I again spoke with Ship's Services, and pressed the issue on laundry rates. I was transferred to a supervisor, who said: "The official price for laundry is $7 per day, unlimited, and $20 per bag for bulk". They said "However, the rates charged for laundry are left up to the management on the individual ship, and they have the authority to increase the cost of either plan as they see fit". So, that's where the $9 per day and $26 or $30 per bag is coming from. The supervisor told me that "if there is an expected increase in the laundry loads from passengers, the ships will increase the price". I think that's something called "gouging". During hurricanes in Florida, stores raise prices on plywood to board your windows, gasoline, candles, etc. That's gouging too. I was advised to purchase the unlimited laundry package from Ship's Services ahead of time and they will then guarantee the $7 rate.

[sail7seas]

Thanks Ruth, I know the ships desalinate their own potable water onboard, so it had to something external as a reason for the higher cost. Nothing like carrying a couple of suitcases of dirty, smelly clothes through customs when entering the country for your cruise.

 

It's true the ships desalinate water but at times they also bunker potable water often depending upon the price.

 

[dakrewser]

I again spoke with Ship's Services, and pressed the issue on laundry rates. I was transferred to a supervisor, who said: "The official price for laundry is $7 per day, unlimited, and $20 per bag for bulk". They said "However, the rates charged for laundry are left up to the management on the individual ship, and they have the authority to increase the cost of either plan as they see fit". So, that's where the $9 per day and $26 or $30 per bag is coming from. The supervisor told me that "if there is an expected increase in the laundry loads from passengers, the ships will increase the price". I think that's something called "gouging". During hurricanes in Florida, stores raise prices on plywood to board your windows, gasoline, candles, etc. That's gouging too. I was advised to purchase the unlimited laundry package from Ship's Services ahead of time and they will then guarantee the $7 rate.

 

Gouging? Hardly. It's called "supply and demand". There's a finite capacity for doing laundry, and adjusting the price is a way to insure the service isn't oversold.

[debdiva]

We pre-purchased at $7/day for 22 day Mediterranean. We did a bag almost every day, because we could.

 

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[frugaltravel]

In my experience, it's your steward who starts the process and often is the one who puts the laundry in your room. You pay a daily gratuity to ships personnel in general, but your steward is key. As a suite cruiser, I still tip my steward over and above as they work really hard to maintain excellent service. I read a suggestion recently that giving the steward on day one a reasonable portion of what you would normally give them for the whole cruise, with a promise of more at the end, ingratiates them and notably improves service.

 

So at this point it is really called a "bribe" not a "tip." :)

[Quinte Girl]

Hi: How big is the $20 bag?