Is this tacky?

[medfordgirl]

Usually we send out a ton of stuff to the dry cleaners just before we cruise which is costly, however, since we will be in a deluxe suite and have free dry cleaning...do you think it would be tacky is I sent maybe just half the clothes to the dry cleaners and after I got on the ship, send the other half to get cleaned there? This way I could have a little extra to spend on the ship. :o too tacky? :o

[pilotdane]

I would not walk on to the ship with suitcases full of dirty laundry but I assume it is rather normal to send items to the cleaners once on board to get the wrinkles out. Or if you had come directly from a land tour the ship might be your first opportunity to have some laundry done.

You paid for the fancy suite and its ammenities. Use them!

[lvtotrvl1]

Sorry.. I would have to vote for tacky...

[bigwally]

I would say tacky to pack dirty clothes with the specific intent of getting free dry cleaning. But perfectly acceptable to immediately send out clothes soiled whilst traveling to the ship or on any pre-cruise days.

[pipedreams62]

I hope we don't need a poll for this?

[pms4104]

If you have to ask if this is tacky, my guess is your gut is telling you it is.

[ladychar]

What would you do if, for some unknown reason, dry cleaning was not available on the ship-some type of breakdown, etc. Prepared to wear dirty clothes?

[papadave]

You are entitled to use the dry cleaning service. I take issue with anyone characterizing something that is considered part of what you paid for, as an exttra ammenity, as free. There is no extra charge. You have already paid the charge as part of your cruise fare.

When we cruise with HAL I am happy to pay for unlmited laundry (as opposed to dry cleaning) and if we have been travelling we have dirty clothing with us. Plenty of people do. The self service laundry room was full of people on the first day of the cruise we took to Alaska, on the Volendam, so they must have come aboard with some dirty clothing.

[vanders]

As long as nobody else finds out what's the harm?

Oh, wait... :P

[cccole]

I agree with pappadave.....when you book a suite that includes dry cleaning and laundry and you do not abuse it....why not use it? When we traveled on the Zuiderdam in a SA I sent just about everything to be pressed, and many things to be dry cleaned. I just did not have time or want to spend a couple hours in the hotel ironing before we boarded the ship. I preferred to take a swim. A lot of people overpack for a cruise so you may want to hold off on dry cleaning things that you will not wear. And....the first couple of days can be slow so make sure that the items you want first you have ready when you board. The concierges were frantic trying to find my son's tux that was being pressed before the first formal night. Sending things to be dry cleaned and pressed is part of your charge for traveling in a suite. We actually packed less because we knew that we would be able to get things cleaned and pressed. Have fun...Cherie

[jhannah]

You said, "...ton of stuff." I think taking a huge quantity of clothes with you just to have them cleaned would be abusing the benefit. But if you're talking about an appropriate number of pieces that you're wearing ON THE CRUISE, then that would be fine, IMO, to have them cleaned. Question is, other than formal, what would you wear on a cruise that would require dry cleaning? :confused:

[JimVrhovac]

We travel mostly in suites and use the services rendered quite heavily. We never come home with dirty clothes where we have to spend several days cleaning them.

Our clothing for the second and further formal nights does get excessively winkled so we do have it cleaned over the first few days on the cruise.
Is it tacky - we don't think so...

Ruth & Jim

[fireman845]

I would say tacky to pack dirty clothes with the specific intent of getting free dry cleaning. But perfectly acceptable to immediately send out clothes soiled whilst traveling to the ship or on any pre-cruise days.


Totally DISAGREE with bigwally!!! How can you call it free? Also did she say the clothes were soiled? And if they are who cares SHE PAID for the service. To call yourself TACKY No flippn way!!!

[mountainmare]

I don't think it is tacky. If I understand you, the clothes are not foul and discusting, its just you like fresh and that brand new clean feeling on vacation. There are probably some people who as a matter of course send everything out to be pressed and freshened up after arrival.

[richkinkade]

It would be tacky if you brought along several steamer trunks full of your neighbor's clothes and planned to recoup the cost of the cruise by operating a dry cleaning service. Other than that, you've paid for the service. It isn't free. It's included in the price you paid and you have a right to use it.

[pipedreams62]

Who drives a Rolls Royce worry about tipping the valet $5. Maybe they do?

[Susie51]

I don't think it is tacky, but come prepared with 2-3 days of clothes that do not need to be cleaned. Sometimes there are delays.

We are in an SS suite in Dec. Are dry cleaning privileges a part of this category?

[medfordgirl]

I don't think it is tacky. If I understand you, the clothes are not foul and discusting, its just you like fresh and that brand new clean feeling on vacation. There are probably some people who as a matter of course send everything out to be pressed and freshened up after arrival.

Oh dear no, not foul and disgusting, yes, the fresh feeling. some things I send before the cruise are clean, I just like it crispy clean. Not hanging in my closet for 6 months and not worn clean. Plus there are a few items mostly linen items that after being packed get wrinkled.

It would be tacky if you brought along several steamer trunks full of your neighbor's clothes and planned to recoup the cost of the cruise by operating a dry cleaning service. Other than that, you've paid for the service. It isn't free. It's included in the price you paid and you have a right to use it.

funny, but I hope you don't give any ideas to others:p

oh, jhannah, I pretty much dress semi to formal every night. I just love dressing up for dinner. my casual wear for the first and last nights will probably consist of linen skirts and/or blouses. You won't see me in any jeans. I just like to look my best at all times. With my mom coming on this cruise, I have alot to live up to. my DH says she is the best dressed woman he has ever known. She will change 3-4 times a day. If you were on the same cruise as her, you would be looking forward to see what she shows up in.

So, I guess it would be ok to send a few things for freshening up when I get there. Won't feel bad about it. And for sure will have everything cleaned before I leave. feel better now.
Thanks all

[bigwally]

Oh dear no, not foul and disgusting, yes, the fresh feeling. some things I send before the cruise are clean, I just like it crispy clean. Not hanging in my closet for 6 months and not worn clean. Plus there are a few items mostly linen items that after being packed get wrinkled.

Oh, well that's a different story. I often send out clean clothes that have been in my closet for an exended period to freshen them up. Packed clothes to get wrinkles out too, for that matter.

[PathfinderEss]

Usually we send out a ton of stuff to the dry cleaners just before we cruise which is costly, however, since we will be in a deluxe suite and have free dry cleaning...do you think it would be tacky is I sent maybe just half the clothes to the dry cleaners and after I got on the ship, send the other half to get cleaned there? This way I could have a little extra to spend on the ship. :o too tacky? :o
Tacky, tacky, tacky...........and I remember on several cruise where the dry cleaning machine weren't working and it was months before they got them fixed, so in doing that, be prepared to wear some dirty cloth.

[cccole]

Oh, well that's a different story. I often send out clean clothes that have been in my closet for an exended period to freshen them up. Packed clothes to get wrinkles out too, for that matter.

I am not sure what the difference is to the ship's dry cleaners whether something has been hanging in the closet and needs freshening or something needs cleaning. Don't they all require the same dry cleaning service? I don't remember checking a box for "freshening" when I sent my formal dress in to be dry cleaned. It had been hanging in the closet for a while and I sent it to be dry cleaned. I know there is a difference between "press" and "dry clean." Is there a difference for those who bring clothes clean and have them taken care of after wearing so they don't have to worry about it when they get home? I think the honesty in the answers on this thread are very welcome.

You are going to have a great time and, as others have said, you will enjoy the benefit of complimentary laundry and dry cleaning in the suite!!!!! Just my opinion, Cherie

[JimVrhovac]

Which type of steamer trunks would you suggest or can I drag out some of my Viet Nam era foot lockers to carry the clothing in??????????

Please don't give my wife ideas, she spends enough on the cruises now....

Jim ( without Ruth)

[cp556]

When I first signed onto CC in 2005, one of my initial questions was "we're doing an Alaska cruisetour, with the land portion first. Is it tacky to send the dirty clothes we wore during that time out to the ship's laundry on the first day of the cruise?". We were in an S Suite aboard Statendam, with laundry services included.

The replies were consistent in that it was NOT tacky, since we'd worn those clothes en route to and during an HAL trip.

We followed that advice, and it allowed us to pack more lightly.

In Medfordgirl's situation, she may wish to use the "pressing only" option in the listed laundry services for the clothes she's bringing aboard.

[norcal2]

You asked a good question and if you call HAL you can let us know the answer. ;)

That is who I'd call as I suspect the free dry cleaning was intended for any clothes one soils from the moment they leave for their fabulous vacation and not soiled clothes you packed for them to dry clean. Who knows they may say it is perfectly fine.

You have an expensive Suite. I suspect you wouldn't miss a single step if you had to dry clean them before you packed and had HAL freshen them.

Opinions are free and that's the beauty of mine. :D

[Grumpy1]

You asked a good question and if you call HAL you can let us know the answer. ;)

That is who I'd call as I suspect the free dry cleaning was intended for any clothes one soils from the moment they leave for their fabulous vacation and not soiled clothes you packed for them to dry clean. Who knows they may say it is perfectly fine.

You have an expensive Suite. I suspect you wouldn't miss a single step if you had to dry clean them before you packed and had HAL freshen them.

Opinions are free and that's the beauty of mine. :DCall HAL? Why?
They have NO policy regarding the matter. If you have a suite or have an unlimited dry cleaning package that you have purchased, use the service. Remember, there will likely be several items you will wear that you will not have time to get cleaned near the end of the cruise. It's absolutely proper to have some items cleaned at the start of the cruise to offset those:D

[Grumpy1]

I don't think it is tacky, but come prepared with 2-3 days of clothes that do not need to be cleaned. Sometimes there are delays.

We are in an SS suite in Dec. Are dry cleaning privileges a part of this category?
Normally, only the PS, SA, SB, & SC categories have the dry cleaning included. There are times that a sale or early bird special may include that perk for other categories.

[expectGREATthings]

On one 10 day cruise we took the dry cleaning machine was broken, thus you could be in a sticky situation. Good luck.

Michael

[norcal2]

Call HAL? Why?
They have NO policy regarding the matter. If you have a suite or have an unlimited dry cleaning package that you have purchased, use the service. Remember, there will likely be several items you will wear that you will not have time to get cleaned near the end of the cruise. It's absolutely proper to have some items cleaned at the start of the cruise to offset those:D

That's what I do when I need information and they have no published answer on something I need. You never know, a phone call or email to them may answer that question as it is a good HAL question imo. Not sure if quid pro quo is the answer but whether it is or not I admire the creativity. :D

May even work for me one day. lol

[babyher]

Who drives a Rolls Royce worry about tipping the valet $5. Maybe they do?


I don't know anyone with a Rolls Royce , but I know a few people with Mecedes and BMWs who would. Thats how they afforded the Mercedes and the BMWs.



To the Op I don't see anything wrong with sending a few things in to freshen up.

[MWGuy]

If the "dirt/wrinkles" were gotten pre-board, yup, tacky.
It's not the problem of future cruisers to pay for your dirty clothes you arrived with..and this indeed drives up the price for the rest of us.

[bunnycrawford]

...and sounds like people are just jealous they don't have suites or drycleaning service!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Usually we send out a ton of stuff to the dry cleaners just before we cruise which is costly, however, since we will be in a deluxe suite and have free dry cleaning...do you think it would be tacky is I sent maybe just half the clothes to the dry cleaners and after I got on the ship, send the other half to get cleaned there? This way I could have a little extra to spend on the ship. :o too tacky? :o

We usually send out DH's sport jacket when we get on the ship to get it pressed -- from being packed in a suitcase for several days before we actually got on the ship.

But I certainly wouldn't send out a ton of items to be dry cleaned when we get on a ship.

JMO.

[gizmo]

On one 10 day cruise we took the dry cleaning machine was broken, thus you could be in a sticky situation. Good luck.

Michael

Same thing happened to me. The dry cleaning machine was "broken" the entire 10 days !

[medfordgirl]

Same thing happened to me. The dry cleaning machine was "broken" the entire 10 days !

that would be bad. I mean what if someone packed light thinking that they could just have things cleaned and re-worn? I have a few linen tops and skirts that I mix and match so I can wear two or three times on the cruise. I would hate to wear them a second time, dirty. I suppose I could call them just before I leave to find out if it is broken? This would alter my packing, having to bring extra tops and skirts. And my DH's tux, he will wear it twice, if it were to get dirty on the first night (happened on Mariner, an asst waiter spilt a cup of coffee all over him) he would have to have it dry cleaned for the next formal night. Did HAL do anything for you? I mean since this was part of your SUITE package that you paid for.

[Palmetto Lady]

Im just amazed that people send clean clothes out to be dry cleaned to be "freshened up". Having them pressed is fine, but the worst thing you can do to your clothes is have them dry cleaned when they are not dirty. Dry cleaning takes the life out of your clothes. Some clothes are never the same when they come back from the cleaners. If they are not dirty or funky, don't send them. (The exception would be woolens, if you have moth problems.)
I know there is a cleaning establishment in NYC when wealthy people send their designer dresses (some even mail them cross country), but that is an exception.

[cp556]

that would be bad. I mean what if someone packed light thinking that they could just have things cleaned and re-worn? I have a few linen tops and skirts that I mix and match so I can wear two or three times on the cruise. I would hate to wear them a second time, dirty. I suppose I could call them just before I leave to find out if it is broken? This would alter my packing, having to bring extra tops and skirts. And my DH's tux, he will wear it twice, if it were to get dirty on the first night (happened on Mariner, an asst waiter spilt a cup of coffee all over him) he would have to have it dry cleaned for the next formal night. Did HAL do anything for you? I mean since this was part of your SUITE package that you paid for.


From personal, unfortunate experience I can tell you that if the cruise line damages a garment you're wearing (they spill coffee on a shirt) they will take care of cleaning, repairing or replacing it. The individual does not have to take cleaning into his/her own hands.

Also, my personal opinion is that HAL in Seattle may not have the accurate answer as to whether the dry cleaning equipment on a particular ship is functioning or not at a given moment. Calling them might not be productive nor accurate....