Best way to handle laundry B2B

[CorrieCJ]

Hi all, we are taking our first B2B in August on the Carnival Pride. Have been on the Pride many times but never had to deal with laundry. I'm trying to figure out the best way to handle it. We are a group of 6 - 2 adults, 2 teens, 2 younger boys. I know there are options to send it out and to do it ourselves... what I want to know is what works best for you... I'm guessing it will be some combo of extra clothes/re-wear/send out.

 

During the day we are mostly in t-shirts/coverups and bathing suits... we have dinner in MDR every night but can likely re-wear items that are only worn for this short time... underwear doesnt take up much room but I'm not sure we all have 2 weeks worth in any case...

 

So - what do you do? Send out? Do yourself? When do you do it? Any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks!

[cb at sea]

I would do it myself....they have washers! It's not like you're beating the clothes on a rock or something! They have laundry detergent you can buy or you can bring some in a baggie! I would do it whenever....pop a load in, read a book...transfer to dryer....boom...it's done!

 

I LOVE hotels and ships with laundries! Doesn't take long at all, and won't cost an arm and a leg!

Edited July 15, 2016 by cb at sea

[Budget Queen]

The bag laundry service is excellent. You can fit a LOT in the bags- roll everything. I'm platinum, it's been a $15 charge/credit that shows up on my bills. So verify- if it is $15- well worth a couple bags perhaps?

[HawkIVette]

By the looks of your past cruises, I am betting you are Platium. If not, still be worth the $15/ bag.

If so, you will get 3 bags of laundry per Platinum guest. Just send out some and they will return it later that day or the next morning.

 

I would suggest sending/doing laundry near the last day of your first leg. Then plan on sending some out the second day of the last leg. Not many others will be doing laundry then and better chance of getting it back sooner and not lost.

Edited July 15, 2016 by HawkIVette

[ryano]

Gosh, this is a very rare instance where I find myself agreeing with cb at sea :eek:

 

On Magic it was 3.00 a load to wash and 3.00 a load to dry. 1.50 for a single use pack of detergent. All this charged to my onboard account. I did it on sea days when i was bored. Took about an hour at most.

 

Of course if you are an upper tier VIFP member and get laundry done for free, its a no brainer to send it off

[sailor_jimc]

If you are NOT platinum then doing your laundry (at least the stuff that is easily machine washable) yourself may be the best bet cost-wise. The BEST time to do it on on turnaround day between your cruises. NO ONE will be using the machines since all of their clothes are packed (except for other b2b cruisers that is. And for the little bit of time you will be gone to do your second leg customs check, no one else is one the ship anyway so the cloths can sit in there. You should be able to get it all done before the new cruisers get on the ship, but if not ... no one is going to want to be washing on the first day...

 

If you are platinum, take advantage of the free bag laundry service everyone that is platinum should get 2 bags worth a cruise. Works really well for t shirts and shorts and such. I do my casual shirts but the wife doesn't use it for stuff she is fussy about the way it is washed..

[crzndeb]

I'm platinum, but I don't use the ship laundry service. I prefer to do my own, in a load by themselves, on the water temp of my choice. I also hang quite a few things to dry.

 

It's nice that they have washers/dryers on board. You might try doing it on disembark day, when many will leave. Of course, this may be prime time for other B2B people to do their's also.

 

I have a B2B2B (33 days) coming up, and I will definitely be doing a some wash.

 

I either take a few Tide pods, or Purex 3 in 1 sheets with me.

[uncleg]

I have never done a B2B cruise but first night of a 7 day I discovered all of my dress shirts in a suite bag(about 7 or 8) had fallen out somehow and were muddy water stains and had blue paint on a couple when they were loaded on ship and had to be washed. I was going to do it myself but after thinking of the time it would take to wash/dry and iron...I decided to send them out...it was well worth the cost and there was no charge for 2 shirts that had been ruined with "Carnival" blue paint????

 

I could have made a fuss, but I only had 7 days to relax 365 days of stress, not worth it.

[SadieN]

I'd probably do a combo.

Sturdy stuff sent out in the bag and the more delicate I'd either machine wash or hand wash. Using the machines either turn around day (laundry rooms are closed in some ports) or the second day.

 

It's amazing what can be shoved into those bags. We can get two pair of DH's khakis, several shirts and underwear. There's usually room for some of my stuff.

 

Know that the machines are single life size, much smaller than what's now used at home. I'll make up some pre-measured detergent baggies or a half a Purex sheet (placed in a sweater bag. The sheets are no longer being made.

Edited July 15, 2016 by SadieN

[jazm2011]

I must be the only one who's had a negative experience with laundry bag service. Our stuff came back just like it was sent out - wadded up in the bag. It was a joke. It completely turned me off from trying it again. But with everyone talking highly of it, maybe ours was the exception not the rule. ??

[virginiab]

I've learned to unpack the laundry bags as soon as I see them come back from the laundry because at least once, they came back a little damp and needed to be hung or laid flat on the beds and other furniture to finish drying. The skill on folding the clothes varies a great deal. Sometimes they are nicely folded and once in while they are not so well folded.

 

We use the free laundry service for undies, nightwear, tees, sweatshirts and such. Slacks, skirts, better tops, and bras we wash ourselves in the washers.

[Nic6318]

Hi Corrie

 

You have a fairly large group. It would easily warrant a load or two in a machine.

 

Some ships the washer/dryers take coins, and some operate with the cabin card. If you hold out till the second leg of your cruise and they do take coins get the coins that you need at the end of your first leg, that way you can get the washing done on the first day and you won't have to find someone to give you change on embarkation day. You can get change at guest services or the casino.

 

If you do opt for a bag of laundry...nobody mentioned this...don't send out anything that you would consider delicate and certainly nothing of value.

 

hope this helps

have a great cruise

[cruizergal70]

If you have free OBC, send it out.

[Rosefloater]

I would suggest sending/doing laundry near the last day of your first leg. Then plan on sending some out the second day of the last leg. Not many others will be doing laundry then and better chance of getting it back sooner and not lost.

 

The last few days will be busy because people like to have clean clothes when they leave the ship.

 

Since you are doing a B2B, I suggest doing a load on the first day of the 2nd cruise. No one is in the laundry room doing their clothes at the beginning of a cruise.

[PattBenatar]

I did B2B in December my question you is you really want to waste your time doing clothes? Pay to have them done, you send them out the last day of the 1st cruise and they will be back the next day if not sooner. If you are worried about shrinkage, just hand wash delicates.

 

I paid to have mine washed, dried and delivered all nice and neat. I would not imagine doing it yourself. Vacations are meant to enjoy yourself.

[Nic6318]

Hi Corrie

 

After reading Pat B.'s comment. I agree...you shouldn't have to do this on your vacation.

 

I still think that with a family of 6 you will need to do a load or two in the machines. Do them on the first day of your second leg and have your teens take on the task. :) I am sure they can handle it.

 

have a great cruise

[cmptrwiz]

We did a B2B a few years ago and I got up early the last day of the 1st week and did a couple of loads. None of the machines were busy, because everybody is leaving. After doing laundry we went to breakfast and then joined all the other back to backers.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[crusinpsychRN]

They offer a lower price once during the cruise. You could do it then. They've always done a nice job for me.

[okgirl]

Almost everything I wear is mix and match so I can put together almost endless outfits that have a different look.

 

I send out only the durable items that can stand up to harsh detergent and hot washer and dryer. Mostly capri's and denim.

 

On turnaround day we do a couple of loads of laundry with our delicates and stuff. We bring our own detergent and always bring our own bounce sheets, the fabric softener that they sell is liquid

[N2Mischief]

Just be aware that if you try to do your laundry on the "turn over" day to your next cruise, they clear out the computers between cruises and you get a new card. We tried to do our laundry as soon as we got walked through customs and back on ship and we couldn't for a couple of hours until the computers were switched over to the new cruise. This probably wouldn't be an issue on a cruise that uses coins in the laundry room, but for the ones that use your sail and sign card it might be. We had no problem as soon as the computers were up for the second leg.

[mistycruiser]

I just did this on a B2B on the Conquest. Even though I get free laundry I prefer to do it myself. On turn around day when the self serve laundry was empty I did it myself. No waiting for a washer or dryer. Like someone else mentioned, I bring the Purex 3 and 1 sheets with me. I've heard they've been discontinued but someone mentioned a similar product that's available on Amazon that the military uses. Not as bulky as bringing on your travel packages of detergent and I also bring along my own Bounce sheets. Only took me maybe about an hour and a half since the laundry and the ship were both basically empty. On some ships you use your S&S card and others you use quarters. So plan ahead if you need quarters so you'll be set to go.

[JenniVamp]

We travel with six and since four of the six are too young to carry their own luggage, we pack less and have laundry done. We send our laundry out on B2B's, since it gives me an hour or more of vacation time at a cost that's much, much lower than my billing rate as a CPA! (That's always my "measuring stick" to determine if something is worth the cost. Probably the reason we'll spend $$ on laundry and pictures, but tend to avoid some of the fancier excursions, and also why our beer budget stays pretty tame [emoji3]. Cost per hour- that's what we look at!)

 

Made the mistake last B2B of waiting for the $15 bags to show up instead of asking our room steward for them on day one. Since we only pack for 3 days, we were were too close to having no clean pj's by day 3. So, better to ask for the bags on day one if you know you'll be having laundry done.

 

They do wash in hot water, so you may not want to send everything out. On one cruise, we lost two single (tiny toddler) socks, but that was the only problem we've had. Clothes have always come back neatly folded. Our room steward usually tells us to fill the bag even more, to the point where one stuffed full bag of dirty clothes usually yields 5-6 bags of clean, folded laundry.

 

We're flying out for our next B2B, and planning to stick to carry on's only. We'll be sending out laundry by day 2, and probably every 3 days or so thereafter.

 

We've learned to budget for laundry. We probably spend about 7+ hours a week at home doing the laundry. Unless they set up a free bar in the self-service laundry rooms on the ship, I won't be spending any time there!

 

Perhaps if our kiddos were old enough to be saddled with the onboard laundry chores we'd skip the extra cost and just make them do it. Luckily, we'll hit platinum on our Hawaiian cruise next fall and the $$$ we spend on laundry will be available to increase my beer budget!

 

If you're planning to do laundry on embarkation day of the second leg of your trip, be sure to ask about if/when the water might be turned off. They usually do and it would be no fun to have it happen in the middle of a wash cycle.

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

Jennifer

[riclop]

Hi all, we are taking our first B2B in August on the Carnival Pride. Have been on the Pride many times but never had to deal with laundry. I'm trying to figure out the best way to handle it. We are a group of 6 - 2 adults, 2 teens, 2 younger boys. I know there are options to send it out and to do it ourselves... what I want to know is what works best for you... I'm guessing it will be some combo of extra clothes/re-wear/send out.

 

During the day we are mostly in t-shirts/coverups and bathing suits... we have dinner in MDR every night but can likely re-wear items that are only worn for this short time... underwear doesnt take up much room but I'm not sure we all have 2 weeks worth in any case...

 

So - what do you do? Send out? Do yourself? When do you do it? Any pointers would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

Take enough clothes.

[ksy8384]

We are just turning plat on our next cruise so we will be trying the ships service for the first time. My husband is a laundry freak and will usually do laundry once, twice and maybe more when we cruise (7+ days). I usually try to get a cabin fairly close to the facilities and we try to do it on off times. We always carry a folding hamper that folds flat and slides into the front pocket of one of our suitcases. We used to use the 3 in 1 sheets but now just carry the pods with us.

[Velvetwater]

I have done 12/13 day cruises (with a stay before)and didn't do Laundry. I simply packed mix and match instead to save extra clothes. I can't be doing with washing on my hols! All my luggage fitted into the max case for international airlines. I always pack travel wash (use in the sink then dry) just in case of an unexpected event but I haven't used it yet.

 

Hubby likes to do his washing on the ship as he loves his small suitcase. He washes early in the morning when it is quieter and there are no shows to see. The laundry rooms get busy afternoons to just before dinner.