Help from those who have spent 10 or more days at sea at a time

[flagger]

How do you pack for that long? We have a 15 day booked to Hawaii. I think I can amass 15 days or more worth of underwear and undershirts, but how do you pack when there is no laundry facilities on board.

 

It kind of skeeves me out the thought of someone handling our underclothes and on humid days I usually go through a couple of pairs a day. With no laundry facilities on board how do you do it? There are three of us which means two bags each and one carry on for the plane ride, but I wanted to see what you other folks do or have done? Do you ever drop off at a wash and fold in a port? Do you just fold underwear on the outside for the next day?

 

Please share your tricks of the trade!!!

[isujim]

Very simple.........you send it to the ship laundry.......:rolleyes:

 

Seriously, the prices aren't that bad and it sure beats stuffing 4 suitcases full of clothes and trying to beat the 50lb per bag airport limit........

 

We did 15 days on the Radiance and sent clothes to the ship laundry 3 times during the cruise............it didn't cost an arm and a leg and we didn't have to worry about clothes or how much each bag weighed before getting to the airport.

 

The more we travel we learn............less is more!

 

Good luck

[driftychick]

We actually prefer the longer cruises and have done several 15, 14, 13 and 12 days cruises with a few back to backs thrown in for good measure. I too do not like to send my "dainties" out to the ships laundry. We always send out outer wear out about half way thru the trip, (pants, shorts, blouses, t-shirts and sleepwear.) We find the price of the ships laundry is not that high and it is worth it not to have to carry so many clothes!

 

I usually pack my undies in zip lock bags. I can pack enough panties (and yes I have more than 30 pairs!) for the complete trip, as far as my bras are concerned I NEVER send them out to the laundry. I usually wash them in the sink, I bring along a small bottle of woolite, and hang them to dry. I do know that some cruisers vist a laundromat but I really do not want to waste my precious port time doing laundry! Also, remember that some days you will be onboard, when at sea, and in a swimsuit a lt of the time!

[Cam6959]

I agree with isujim. Laundry service! At first I was very leary about it. Who wants some stranger to see my dirty underwear?!! But, then I turned it around and said. Who cares if some stranger sees my dirty underwear at least I won't be spending more money on overweight suitcases! So in actuality I save money if I send it to the laundry people on the ship! :D

[Sue L]

Mix and match is the way to go for evenings. Several pairs of pants and a selection of shirts. You might consider renting a tux for formals so that leaves extra room.

 

The laundry service is a great alternative and I wouldn't worry about it. I have found that I don't use a outfit per day for the daytime wear. Shirts can be reworn when you have only worn it for a couple of hours the day before. Hubby is a t-shirt fanatic so we buy him a new one in each port.

[Elaine0138]

Use the ship laundry, with airline weight restrictions from Europe so tight now it is the only way to go, even on shorter cruises.

[Janice M]

This may sound terrible, but we take kind of worn out undies and throw them away when we are done with them. Enjoy Hawaii.

[mediator]

The longest we have done is ten days. We find that we almost need an outfit a day. After you've been dragging around town and excursions, it's best to use one and retire one as a courtesy to your other ship mates. day. The evening however, I agree with other post, mix and match, and rotate a little. You are in the evening clothes for lot less time and are not usually as active. We do bring enough undies to change 2's per day.

[kingsgirl]

You could take less clothes and take a small bit of liquid detergent with you and wash your underclothes in the sink yourself, and then just send out the rest of your clothes to be cleaned. Or, even if you just bring enough to wash your bras, you could just back a ton of cheap underwear and throw them out as you use them.

 

When in a sticky situation, even a bar of soap will do the job.

[flagger]

Well I stopped wearing bras back in college. I could just never manage the look and art of the tuck.

 

I just wish RCCL had self-laundry facilities on board like other ships. It is the one thing that is really lacking, IMO.

[wakelover]

We are taking some wash powder / liquid with us to wash our smalls....there was a small washing line in our shower on Brilliance where you can hang stuff. We shall take a few pegs too....and the rest???? ....the laundry fairy will take care of that :D

[smoosh21]

I bring more than enough underwear and socks, since they take up so little space. Other clothes I will try to get laundered, or if I only wore it for part of the day, I will hang up and wear again. I normally would only wear khakis to dinner so they are not going to get soiled from one dinner.

[kingsgirl]

Well I stopped wearing bras back in college. I could just never manage the look and art of the tuck.

 

I just wish RCCL had self-laundry facilities on board like other ships. It is the one thing that is really lacking, IMO.

 

If only all of us had the option of not wearing one :eek: :o :(

[98Charlie]

Let's get real. If you can afford to cruise as often as you do you can afford a few extra dollars to use the ships' laundry services.:D

 

Seriously, we've found the prices of laundry services very reasonable on all of the cruiselines we've cruised so far and also find the ships' laundries to a great job. Dry cleaning services onboard ships are almost always cheaper than dry cleaning services we have in our hometown. In fact, DH has often joked that we should take all of his soiled ties on a cruise sometime to get them all cleaned at once. DH wears a tie to work every day and works in the restaurant business. Said we would save some big bucks and I have to agree.

 

Dianne

[skandls]

I agree that the ships laundry for 'outer' clothes are not expensive and they do a great job. However DH's undies cost as much to clean as to buy new. I used to be able to buy men's bikini undies 6 to a box for $10 at Ross or Marshalls. They packed small and got tosses after wearing. I have been looking and I guess they have been discontinued - so if anyone knows where I can buy these let me know.

 

My personals get washed in the sink - they dry overnight so I take maybe 4 days worth (2 changes a day). Enough for choice of colors but not so few I have to do laundry every day.

 

We did do a trip where we had to do laundry - a France Italy thing about 3 weeks. Stuff came out too wrinkled for my taste. Couldn't hang and smooth - we had to fold and repack into the suitcases. Our guide in Italy managed to get an iron for us to borrow. They aren't allowed in many hotels there.

[flagger]

I am not opposed to letting the ships laundry do my outerwear, I just wonder about enough underclothes. Like I say, I usually go through two undershirts and underwear a day on vacation because I sweat so much. I like to be fresh for dinner.

 

As far as formal night, we are forgoing that completely this time. BTDT, time to move on.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

This may sound terrible, but we take kind of worn out undies and throw them away when we are done with them. Enjoy Hawaii.

 

That's a great idea. It doesn't sound terrible at all.

[bfos]

You mean we do not have to take all six suitcases and carryon's? Seriously, my wife needs a lesson in packing. We have enough clothes to dress 3 or 4 rooms of people. If she didn't look so pretty I would complain.

[cyscopup]

We are on the same cruise and we are taking enough undies to change regularly and then send our outerwear to the ships laundry. I have a RCCL laundry pricelist if you would like to see it. Let me know on the roll call.

[cantwait2cruize]

You can always pack a box of pantylines, it should do the trick:o .

[tinkerme1]

Flagger: I'm actually glad that RCI doesn't have laundry facilities onboard for passenger use. I've been on the Disney ships when the laundromats were so full, and folks would put all kinds of shoes in the dryers. :eek:

 

The reason RCI doesn't have passenger facilities is because of "fire issues". Believe me, I've smelled burning rubber more than once on the Disney ships.

 

As for packing for a 10, 11, 12, or longer cruise, the key is to pack matching clothes and take just enough undies to get you through the cruise. I usually take three extra for "just in case" and put them in compressed zip-lock bags. We really learned the packing lesson when we traveled to Europe. Once you have weight and luggage restrictions, you pay attention to everything you put in your suitcase.

 

The good thing is, you're going to Hawaii where you can wear shorts and t-shirts just about everywhere. :D

[taxatty]

Like others here--it's easy to bring some Woolite or travel detergent and do them yourself. We've traveled a lot on ships and otherwise with CoolMax and other quick dry underwear, T-shirts, socks, bathing suits, etc. (even jeans!) from online travel stores like Travelsmith, Magellans and Campmor that are easy to wash in the sink, hang up in the bathroom (RCCL probably doesn't want to see them hanging on your balcony:eek:) and dry overnight (or if desperate, with a towel and the hair dryer) . Very easy.

Les

[cb at sea]

Or, better yet, just buy more underwear! Then you'll have plenty for your many daily changes!

[skipsu14]

I have to agree with the last poster. We went on a 11 day cruise last year and we just stocked up on lots of socks and underwear. We live in NJ and sail out of Cape Liberty, so most cruises are at least 9 days to get to someplace warm. I would rather take up the extra bit of space than have to do laundry (even in a sink) on my vacation. Just a personal preference. And besides, the extra underwear comes in handy when you are back at home - my DH now jokes that he doesn't have to do laundry for at least 3 weeks since he has so many boxers from when we stocked up for our last cruise. :)

[jimbug]

Seriously, it's not as weird as it seems...sending your bras/underwear out in the laundry. They bring them back to you all wrapped up in tissue paper in a basket (at least they did on HAL and Princess...and I think I read on here where RCCL does the same). It's not like anyone but you and the person who does the washing will ever see them. :)