eurodam laundry

[Krazy Kruizers]

Of all the ships we have been on, the Westerdam was the worst laundry we had.

Took usually 36 - 48 hours before clothes came back.

They lost one of DH's shirts - finally found it after about 3 days. Another suite passenger was missing a pair of slacks for 3 or 4 days. A man we talked to in the Crow's Nest - suite missing for 5 days along with his wife's blouse.

On the Alaskan segment, DH sent a pair of slacks out to be dry cleaned -- came back with a BIG blakc spot of them. Had to get them sent back and recleaned. We worried about if the mark would come out - brand new pair of slacks.

[sail7seas]

Sounds like there were some problems on your Westerdam cruise, for sure. A shame........

 

[sammiedawg]

Cruiselines reportedly monitor these message boards.

Since the Vista ships were designed the world changed. Oil is over $140 a barrel and airlines have started charging for first and second bags on top of very high air fares. Consequently, cruisers will need to pack light and we will not be able to bring sufficient clothes for an entire cruise.

I think people will be more interested than ever in self service laundries on a cruise ship, esp if over 7 days sailing.

Some people are happy to pay for the ship to do the laundry, others prefer to do it themselves to save money and to avoid problems like late or lost laundry.

I hope HAL reevaluates and considers a retro fit of its newer ships for laundry facilities. Especially if they want to attract and keep younger cruisers, families etc which the Vista ships were designed for.

[sail7seas]

:) Either they will build them or they won't.

 

Has anyone ever learned the 'real' reason they eliminated them when they built the Vistas? Was it because those ships really are intended for short, seven day cruises? Can't most people live for 7 days on 50 pounds of clothing that fits into one large suitcase? Hand washing socks, underwear and such is no big deal. Send out the t's and shirts.

 

 

Westerdam and Zuiderdam have had dry docks. If HAL thought they made a mistake re: laundries, they could have added them during the dry docks. Apparently their reasons are still valid to them as they chose to not do that.

 

I wonder how often the machines break down, flood, damage clothes....how much aggravation they get from self-service laundry rooms? Maybe it isn't worth it to them. Maybe the revenue produced in that space was minimal in contrast to revenue from using the space for cabin and having people send out their laundry.

 

[arzz]

I would agree with Sail about the laundries if it were not for the recent changes in air fares and the subsequent changes in the cost of all manner of things due to the rise in oil prices. In the near, and possibly the far, future I think that many people will be hard pressed to vacation at all, let alone cruise from a port that requires a flight by air to reach. We are in the midwest and cruising just got a chunk more expensive for us due to the air fare situation.

 

This is a circumstance that is new since the Vistas were built, new since the Vistas were last dry docked and even new since the Eurodam was designed. Events have happened quickly. Only time will tell how significant the cost of air travel as well as the cost of getting luggage to the ship will impact the decision to cruise. And only time will tell how important the presence of a self service laundry on board will be for folks who do choose to cruise with all of the new restrictions on what they can bring and the costs of getting to the port.

 

I only hope that HAL will monitor this situation. I understand that laundry does not seem to be a big issue to many -- especially those for whom an extra $50 or $100 is not a lot of money. But let's face it. It is clear on these boards that for many the choice of TA with whom to book is often predicated on a cruise fare difference as small as $25 or $50. There are many who love to cruise who can only afford to do so once every one, two or three years. We regularly hear from those folks on these boards. To many of these people the lack of a laundry coupled with higher air fares and additional luggage fees -- this could be the last straw. I only hope that HAL does read these boards and continues to consider the impact of a self service laundry in light of recent changes in the economic climate.

 

As someone who greatly enjoys indulging in HAL's longer and Grand Voyages, yet not someone who has unlimited means -- I am concerned about the future. There will come a day when the R and S class ships will no longer sail for HAL. Hopefully this day is far in the future. We cruise for the ports and the tours. Yet we very much enjoy the atmosphere on board ship and not having to repeatedly pack and unpack while we travel from location to location. I cannot imagine doing a long cruise without a self service laundry option. What will happen if a time comes that only these larger HAL vessels, with no self service laundry, are the ships that are deployed for the long cruises?

[sail7seas]

Please don't think I minimize the expense. You are right that every $20 bill adds up. Five $20 bills = $100 and it goes very quickly.....far faster today than 6 months ago.

 

But I think most of us can manage a 7 day cruise with one suitcase and 50 lbs of contents. That and the largest carryon permitted. ;)

 

 

Of course, that inevitably will lead to a conversation re: discontinuing formal nights. :)

.

[martini cruiser]

Even the Crystal Serenity has self service laundry rooms. I usually don't do laundry on a cruise but I took a 12 day on Serenity and did a load or 2 beacause I had another weeks travel before and after the cruise.

 

I think Hal just wants to have the extra $$$ from the laundry service.

 

On Princess as a Plat. elite cruiser I get free laundry in whatever category cabin I'm in, a very nice perk.

 

 

Martini Cruiser

[sail7seas]

;) Nothing is free. You may not pay the sum individually and specifically for the laundry, but it isn't free. ;)

[CoolChile]

We did a 21-day Panama Canal sailing last Fall on the Vista class Zuiderdam and loved it. (So I guess all this talk about these ships being used mostly for one week hauls are just that --- talk.)

 

And I DO get the revenue bit. BUT here's where I hope HAL is really listening: I would be hard pressed ;) to sail on another ship without a self-service laundry. That's how important it is to me. Flame away, but I don't want to send my laundry out. I can kick back and read while doing it the way I want it done (can hear husband groaning in background) and I can have everything ready to wear in no time, instead of having to go the dining room in my bathing suit. :D

 

If anything shrinks or goes missing, I want it to be all my fault. :o

[jtl513]

I can see HAL not wanting to put small laundries on several floors as on the R- and S-class ships ... but I don't see why they couldn't convert one larger space down on the A deck now used for storage into a laundromat with a dozen machines or so.

[sail7seas]

We did a 21-day Panama Canal sailing last Fall on the Vista class Zuiderdam and loved it. (So I guess all this talk about these ships being used mostly for one week hauls are just that --- talk.)

 

 

 

Yours was a twice a year repositioning. They had to get the ship to FLL. Look at the yearly cruise planner...... Spring and fall they reposition to Alaska, Europe or New England.

 

 

The Vistas are MOSTLY doing short cruises.

[Juanita462]

There can be problems with the onboard laundry - double creases in polyester slacks that do not come out with time - try 4 years later and still there.

I had that happen as well as a friend of mine. She also had a white blouse come back covered in blue splotches - someone left a pen in a pocket - they paid for it but on a long cruise she would rather have had her blouse. I have had lthem lose my laundry and take a couple of days to locate it and sometimes had to ask for my blue bag contents after 4 days of not seeing it.

 

So, most of the time they do a good job but I would never send anything really good or delicate and never send slacks anymore.

 

We are going for 14 days next time but plan on one suitcase between two of us and one carry on - with a self serve laundry it is possible to do that.

[Opinions]

We have cruised for over 40 years...We have always used the self-service laundries where they were available...Recently we were on a 24 day cruise on the Zuiderdam...No self service laundry...We sent our clothes to the laundry for $12 a bag...It was great!...

 

My wife was thrilled and said she will never, ever do the laundry again on a cruise ship...Our clothes came back folded or on hangers...We never realized what we had been missing all these years...Try it, you might like it.

[mrskmirolla]

We have splurge several times and had the laundry done by the ship. OOOOOOh it is so great to let them do it and they do a great job. My only complaint is that they iron everything and my husband thinks I should too!:D

 

I am curious though how much it the unlimited laundry on the Eurodam we will be on her for 20 days and I am not packing the closet;) So I will use thier services.

 

Kathy

[cruiseluv]

This is probably a stupid question. Do you need to label your underwear (or anything else) before sending it out?

 

I have never been in a cruise ship w/o self laundromat facilities, thus have never needed to send stuff out.

[NetwrkEng]

This is probably a stupid question. Do you need to label your underwear (or anything else) before sending it out?

 

I have never been in a cruise ship w/o self laundromat facilities, thus have never needed to send stuff out.

 

No but there will be some stubborn little tags on everything..;)

[sammiedawg]

FYI

Be very careful with luggage restrictions. We traveled this weekend, non cruise. At the United check in counter, the person in front of us paid $150 in excess charges. His first bag was a few pounds over 50 and there was a flat $100 fee. He also had a second bag which was $50.

I think he was on his way to catch a flight to Europe but I have no details on his itinerary.