Experience in using laundry service on a cruise

[Sillyalaskasally]

Never have used laundry services aboard ship.  Comments, suggestions, how it works, etc,  welcome.  Will be on Zuiderdam.  Thanks.

[Daisyloo]

We have used the laundry service many times and been very happy with it.

There are different options to choose from. 

Pay by the piece - most expensive option.

Stuff a bag for $20 or $30 (depends where the cruise is I think) is a good option.  The bags are strong canvas and you can stuff a lot in them. 

Unlimited laundry - $7 to $9 a day times the number of cruise days.  You can send it out as often as you wish.

Turn around time is usually 24 hours approximately.  

 

[OHCruiser]

We've used it frequently.  We've had one problem with a lost shirt and that was found in 24 hours.  Our clothes always come back in 24-36 hours. 

 

We are careful about what we send out. If it's a poly/cotton blend, socks, mens underwear, denim, it goes to the laundry with no concerns.  If it's travel clothing that's all polyester, nylon, linen, or fine cotton, it gets washed in the sink & hung in the room.

 

On my most recent cruise, as an experiment, I sent out a few things and requested no ironing & no hot water/dryer..........I'd read on CC that this was an option.............I obviously can't speak to the temperature requests, but things came back ironed..........

 

I miss the self service laundries.........but I appreciate the option to send out 30-50% of my clothes so that I don't have to pay for extra baggage on an airline.

 

[Ineke]

We use the ‘stuff a bag’ laundry service, it’s amazing how much can be stuffed into that bag!  And you will get it back nicely folded and on hangers, great!  One time I had put in a white sweatshirt with what I thought were permanent, old stains from spilling some varnish, and when it came back it was pristine!  Now that was totally impressive.We have a guest laundry on our next cruise, which is great, too, and after that we will have reached that coveted 4 star status, free laundry!  Now that’s really exciting - less to pack!

[3rdGenCunarder]

12 minutes ago, Daisyloo said:

We have used the laundry service many times and been very happy with it.

There are different options to choose from. 

Pay by the piece - most expensive option.

Stuff a bag for $20 or $30 (depends where the cruise is I think) is a good option.  The bags are strong canvas and you can stuff a lot in them. 

Unlimited laundry - $7 to $9 a day times the number of cruise days.  You can send it out as often as you wish.

Turn around time is usually 24 hours approximately.  

 

 

I checked my winter cruise on Zuiderdam, and it's $7 per day. They usually say to allow two days, but like you, I've usually had things back in 24 hours, sometimes less.

 

[bamelin]

My wife and I used the self service laundry on Princess and it was a very convenient option -- not sure if HAL offers that though.

 

I've also used Laundry service on Princess where we have Elite benefits -- as others have noticed be careful with "nice" clothing -- I noticed some fading.   Standard stuff though like socks, casual cloths, undergarments, etc -- no problems.   I'm sure it's the same with HAL.

[cat shepard]

I am a fan. Never had an issue. Usual turnaround 24 hours.

 

Only wash & wear; no delicates. But I find myself packing fewer and fewer delicates, these days.

[kazu]

Love it.  I’m on vacation so I don’t need to do laundry.  And, besides, I have enough laundry when I stay on land for a bit after I get off the ship to bring home 😉 

 

Other than a few “unmentionables” which I handwash, everything else is sent out.

 

I circle items I want in cold wash and low dry and so far, so good.

 

If I am really concerned, drycleaning is an option since they use the eco system.  But, there are few things that need that, really.

 

 

[VennDiagram]

We really like it. There have been a couple of times when it took 3 days to get it back. That was awkward. And a couple of items lost but they were eventually found.

 

We have done both Unlimited (when we have traveled a few days before the cruise so  already had 2 bags to send when we arrived on the ship) and By the Bag. 

 

Have never had anything ruined by the laundry though I wash our technical fabrics in the shower and hang them to dry.

[highland cruiser]

We used to use the bag option every cruise before we hit the free laundry status!!  Never had a problem.  It was always back within 24 hours.  We would often send a bag out as soon as we boarded especially if we had done some traveling before embarking.  Like someone else said, you can get a lot in that bag.  I watch what I send out to make sure I can live with it if it is washed in warm/hot water.  Really like the option of having it folded or hung on hangers.  We do some hand wash as well.  One time my DH sent out a t-shirt with a small hole. It came back mended! Didn't ask for that but sure was a nice surprise.  I would have thrown the shirt away!! No more mending for me at this stage in life!!

[Loreto]

Free laundry has been our perk for some time now, and I have been very happy.  On my July 7 day Alaska cruise last month the laundry department must have been lonely...laundry sent out in the morning was delivered in the evening!  Included was a thank you note from the person who took care of it...first time ever for that!  My strategy is that I send light clothes one day and dark clothes the next.  I do include water temperature, or no drier, which have been honored.  I would never send anything delicate.  On some ships the hanging items have come in a bag that has the laundry paper in a clear pocket...nice touch.

 

I love finding the iron on tags on garments long after I have cruised...a reminder of a great cruise!

 

Karen

[Cruise_More_Often]

We love the unlimited laundry on HAL. We do what Karen does -- send darks one day, lights the next, just in case, but everything has come out perfectly. The laundry does a better job on our clothes that I could ever do. I would happily give up an excursion or some other onboard expense to fund unlimited laundry for every cruise!

 

Our next cruise is not on HAL, and among all the things about HAL we will miss, I think we will miss unlimited laundry the most. And the salads in the Lido and burgers at the Dive In.

[JeffElizabeth]

Unlimited laundry is our favorite Mariner perk.

[rkacruiser]

I always use the ship's laundry service.  Always have been pleased regardless of whether I was sailing on a HAL, Princess, or Carnival ship.  Except once.  Returning to Los Angeles, on a HAL ship, I chose to wear a pair of slacks for my trip home.  These slacks had just been returned from the laundry.  For whatever reason, I decided to try them on on the night before arrival in LA.  They had shrunk!  I quickly exchanged them for comfortable slacks before my luggage had been picked up.

 

Moral of my story:  whatever you send out for the laundry that you intend to wear when disembarking, try on before the rest of your luggage is picked up that last night at sea.

[oakridger]

I've had pants "shrink" at the end of a cruise too, but oddly, I hadn't had them laundered during the cruise!  Hmmmmm.......😉

 

~Nancy

[dillpickle48]

Since finding out you can request cold water wash have not had any problems.  Love the laundry service.

[sevenseasnomad]

We now have free laundry, and I love it.  Long before we had this perk, we used the laundry on our 24-day Med cruise.  When our first order came back, we discovered that two pair of my husband's underwear was missing.  We called and asked about it.  They couldn't find it.  No big deal to us; we didn't complain and figured with the volume they handle some items may get lost, but for the rest of that trip we were not charged for our laundry.  Neither of us could believe we received that level of service.  Just one of the many reasons I continue to cruise with HAL.

 

 

[colbe]

5 hours ago, oakridger said:

I've had pants "shrink" at the end of a cruise too, but oddly, I hadn't had them laundered during the cruise!  Hmmmmm.......😉

 

~Nancy

I know that some people also have a problem with their home closet clothing as well. When they get home from their cruise they find that everything has shrunk! 😀

[tv24]

We are lucky enough to stay in a Neptune suite and benefit from the free laundry service by the bag.  It is excellent, turn around is very fast, often in 24 hours, and they deliver on hangers and folded.  Excellent.

[3littlepigs]

We book a Neptune a suite so have unlimited laundry. We always write cold wash or ask for items to be dry cleaned. I have only ever had one issue and that was a ladies dress that was supposed to look crinkled that I asked not to be ironed. They must have worked super hard to iron it because it’s been flat ever since. I just laugh...it’s like a completely different dress now but still a favourite!

Its a fantastic service and makes packing much easier, especially if you are on a long trip.

[Been There, Planning That]

100% cotton underwear often comes back a shade of grey but I now save 'travel greys' so no worries.  I also bring a travel spray bottle filled with spot remover for any stubborn stains which I spray first.

 

We rely on the blue bags on every HAL trip.

 

Ruth

[JeanieCM]

We always use the stuff-a-bag.  Great convenience & pricing to have clothes washed well & quickly returned.

Perks are that I have turned this into a fun competition with myself to see how much I can stuff in that bag (it's

a LOT!) and those iron-on tags that, months later, are a surprise reminder of the cruise!  

[Krazy Kruizers]

Delicates I do myself in the bathroom sink.

 

One thing I did learn quite a few years ago.  Take pictures of everything you send out.  One time when laundry was brought back to the cabin, we were missing one of DH's golf shirts.  I was asked to describe it -- I couldn't remember the color or stripes or anything about it.  So from that time on, I have taken pictures of everything which with digital cameras can easily be taken out once the laundry is returned.

[zelker]

22 hours ago, kazu said:

If I am really concerned, drycleaning is an option since they use the eco system.  

 

 

 

Any idea which chemicals/solvents they use in their eco system?  Thx.

[kazu]

16 hours ago, zelker said:

 

Any idea which chemicals/solvents they use in their eco system?  Thx.

 

They don’t use chemicals or solvents.  That’s why it’s an eco friendly system.  They use soy, banana & orange extract according to this article - https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=528