Ironing for suite guests.

[cprofits]

I'm gathering clothes for our 3/21 sailing and told my DH that I didn't think I should put them in the suitcase until the morning of departure because they would get more wrinkled than they had to be. He said I shouldn't worry about it because we can send them all to be ironed once we're onboard. I feel kind of guilty about that and he thinks I'm being silly. I'm OK with sending the odd thing or two that looks especially bad but wondered if many of you send a lot of things to be pressed when you board. Would you think it would be in bad form to send all of DH's and DS's shirts to be pressed upon arrival? Thanks.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Hi Cprofits:

 

I see from your previous posts that you are in an "SB" category suite. Therefore, you are paying for the "free" laundry, drycleaning, and ironing services. It's included in your fare. I personally have no compunction sending out whatever needs to be attended to. But if it makes you feel better, you could send out your ironing a few pieces at a time. When cruising with my family, we have sent out a full bag of laundry daily. We just made sure to show our appreciation to our room steward at the end of the trip.

[seasideny]

I'm also uncomfortable sending out so much clothing so early in the cruise but I have found ways to rationalize it.

1. I've paid for it in my suite price.

2. If they allowed us to iron our own clothing I would as I do in hotels - but we have no other option.

3. I hate to look at the wrinkles and so will my passengers and staff.;)

4. We are actually doing a good thing by sending it out early when other passengers haven't accumulated bags of laundry - the laundry staff are less busy and won't be as overwhelmed.

 

Hope this helps.

[peaches from georgia]

I think you'll find if you pack clothes that might need ironing in dry cleaner bags (our dry cleaner just gives us as many as we want) they will be almost entirely wrinkle-free when you unpack. I take a spray bottle of Downy Wrinkle-? (can't remember exact name but it is on the laundry products aisle) for the occasional wrinkle, but rarely even have to use it. I also pack all the 'foldables'- t-shirts, underwear, shorts, etc.- in the giant zip lock bags and then sit on them to get out the air. You can pack twice as much when they are vacuumed packed like this and nothing wrinkles either.

 

We also are in an S, but have almost nothing to send out when we first arrive. A lot of posters here do exactly the same thing, so this is no special secret. ;)

[sail7seas]

We have spent hundreds and hundreds of days in "S" cabins and I have maybe sent out 3 or 4 things throughout all these cruises for just pressing. I pack, as Peaches suggested, using dry cleaner bags and all DH's shirts come out of the suitcase just fine and almost never need pressing. If you pack flat and with dry cleaner bags, it would be the rare piece you need to send out.

 

BUT, if you feel something needs pressing, by all means, you have paid for the service, send it out to the laundry.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Keep in mind that if you send out a lot of items to be pressed the first day, you won't get them back right away. You may need some of those items for the first formal night.

 

I also do the same thing -- tissue paper and plastic bags -- really works. That way we send out only a couple of items that may need pressed during the cruise.

[Betsy's Mom]

We traveled for five days pre cruise and I sent out all our formal clothes to be pressed as soon as we got unpacked in our SA cabin. Used the Laundry and Dry Cleaning as well. Wonderful service on the Amsterdam. It's in the suite price so do not be shy!:)

B.

[island lady]

I am also booked in an SB suite for my upcoming "O" cruise.

 

Will use the laundry services offered sparingly, but also am planning on bringing my little hand held steamer for quick touch up jobs. Are they still allowed? If not,...I will leave at home.

 

Cheers! :)

[RuthC]

IWill use the laundry services offered sparingly, but also am planning on bringing my little hand held steamer for quick touch up jobs. Are they still allowed?

Not according to a letter that was in the cabin on my January Noordam cruise. Another poster also mentioned the same prohibition was in a letter on his ship, but I forget now which ship that was.

[smoothsailors]

:) Absolutely do not hesitate to take full advantage of this "suite perk"...it's built into the price differential. And they do a better job of cleaning/pressing than we can get in Florida! (My husband always returns from a HAL cruise wondering why I don't return his socks wrapped in tissue on a wicker tray.)

 

Seriously, tho, this perk really helps us cut down on luggage especially on a long trip overseas. In June, we are spending 6 days pre-cruise in Athens: whatever we plan to wear there will be packed in a separate, small bag and we'll then send that all out to the laundry first day out at sea. Whatever has wrinkled from remaining in closed suitcases (although I am also a true believer in plastic cleaner bags) will also be sent out for pressing.

 

Makes it much easier to then have fresh clothing to set aside for post-cruise travel...and it is WONDERFUL to return home with clean clothes and very little laundry to do!!! I used to hesitate to pack anything white or light color...not anymore!

[mamaofami]

I packed my clothes just the way peaches described. everything was in plastic bags with the air squeezed out and I also took a bottle of Downy dewrinkler. My clothes were fine. Nothing needed to be sent out.:)

[West Coast]

I also pack all the 'foldables'- t-shirts, underwear, shorts, etc.- in the giant zip lock bags and then sit on them to get out the air. You can pack twice as much when they are vacuumed packed like this and nothing wrinkles either.

 

So what happens at the end of the cruise and you have to get everything back into your bags? Obviously you don't have a vacuum with you... so does re-packing to come home become a challenge?

[RuthC]

So what happens at the end of the cruise and you have to get everything back into your bags? Obviously you don't have a vacuum with you... so does re-packing to come home become a challenge?

You do the same thing---sit on 'em, or roll the air out and close 'em up.

If you do have the bags that require a vacuum then ask your cabin steward if you can borrow his.

[peaches from georgia]

So what happens at the end of the cruise and you have to get everything back into your bags? Obviously you don't have a vacuum with you... so does re-packing to come home become a challenge?

There is no 'vacuum' involved with using large Hefty bags. You put some clothing items in a bag, partially close the zip leaving an opening so that air can escape, sit on it, turn it over and sit on it again, then close the zip. All the air is out and you have created an airtight very flat package.

[sail7seas]

And that method also protects your clothing should the airline leave it sitting out in a downpour before loading it onto the airplanes.

 

[BaltimoreCruise]

Does anyone know if pressing is included in the unlimited laundry package that one can purchase for $40 and some change?

 

Thank you.

BaltimoreCruise

[CruiseQueen13]

I do the dry cleaning bag trick too - they work! I haven't had to iron in ages on a cruise. Someo f the really wrinkly items I iron at home and place in the dry cleaning bags. It's great.

[jakvek]

Just got back from the Zuiderdam and yes, as soon as we got onboard, we sent at least 12 items that needed pressing including hubby's tux and my formal gown. The tux and formal came back the following day and the rest later in the evening. We were in an SA.

[peaches from georgia]

.... I haven't had to iron in ages on a cruise.....

I haven't ironed in ages at home either. Do people really still iron a lot of things? I'll have to tell DH that so he can get out the ironing board after he finishes vacuuming. :D

[sail7seas]

I confess. I still iron. Not that I love it but I like how golf shirts, jerseys, shorts look when they are neatly ironed rather than hung/folded immediately out of the dryer.

 

I even iron t-shirts.

 

Okay....so maybe I'm crazy but I have the time and it's how I like our things to look.

[twinkletoes4445]

I also iron, although not as much as I used to. I send almost all of hubby's things to the cleaners, but I still find myself doing a lot of ironing. I used to iron everything...sheets...jammies...everything.

 

Most everything we have has to be line dried...so I have to iron those things. I remember slaving over the ironing board ironing all three of my kids clothes. It took forever. Then one day the oldest was home from college and he did his own laundry. He washed and dried EVERYTHING. I couldn't believe it. I asked him if he ironed his clothes, and he said, "no," and pointed to the dryer and said, "this is my iron." Can you believe it?

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I also iron, although not as much as I used to. I send almost all of hubby's things to the cleaners, but I still find myself doing a lot of ironing. I used to iron everything...sheets...jammies...everything..... WOW!:eek: says MAM

 

Most everything we have has to be line dried...so I have to iron those things.:eek: Mam says WOW again! I remember slaving over the ironing board ironing all three of my kids clothes. It took forever. Then one day the oldest was home from college and he did his own laundry. He washed and dried EVERYTHING. I couldn't believe it. I asked him if he ironed his clothes, and he said, "no," and pointed to the dryer and said, "this is my iron." Can you believe it?[/quote]

 

 

Yes, I can believe it; it's called permanent press!:D

 

Seriously, Twinkletoes, could I adopt you for about a week twice a year, to help me give my house a proper cleaning? I think I can see why you're known as "Twinkletoes":)

[cprofits]

I'd like to use it but can't get over my phobia/odd compulsion to never let most of our clothes see the dryer. It makes laundry a lot more time consuming and trouble. I think I just need to let some of it go and only save the very best things for air drying.

 

...Most everything we have has to be line dried...so I have to iron those things.

[lmt1022]

I will be cruising in 3 days. At home I iron every thing I wear (every day). So, I was just figuring on going to the laundry room and do the same on the ship. However, I see that there is not a laundrette on the Navigation Deck.

so, now I am thinking I may send my items out to be ironed since it is included with the Suite.

Who would I contact regarding the need to have items ironed? Do I tip the person that does the ironing each time I have them iron something for me? or just at the end of the cruise?

[Betsy's Mom]

You never see the person who irons! Just tip your cabin steward and you could ask him to share with the laundry person. It is returned in perfect condition:)Your automatic tips( hopefully you will leave it on your account) are partly for these unseen workers. There is a sheet in your cabin which you check off item and what you want done and give both to your cabin steward.

B.