Laundry

[Corkybob]

Hi

We're Bob and Sherry from So. CA and very excited about our Panama cruise leaving this next Sat., Sept. 26.
We sailed the Pearl in July 2007 and it was a great ship. At that time they had a laundry area where you could do your own laundry (for quarters) but I am not sure if they still do have that available. We would appreciate a reply from anyone who has been on the Pearl in the past year.
We look forward to meeting others on this cruise.

Shery

[Luckyroot]

Hi Shery

Unfortunately NCL has closed all self laundry facilities on their ships.

You'll love the Pearl she's a beautiful ship, enjoy!

[Cubechick]

It's true the self-service laundry facilities are gone, but they'll run the "$24.99 to clean a bag of laundry promotion" during your cruise (more than once I imagine as your cruise is long).

You can get quite a bit of laundry into that bag and may help you to keep packing down.

[Budget Queen]

I have been packing a bar of Zote laundry soap for years and rinse out stuff in the sink. Light packing is a priority for me. I was gone for 5 weeks this summer in Europe with a 14 day cruise in the middle, and had only one regular checked bag and a carry on. Worked out perfectly for me.

[H82seaUgo]

What's behind the removal of this amentity? Are irons no longer available as well?

[Budget Queen]

Originally Posted by H82seaUgo

What's behind the removal of this amentity? Are irons no longer available as well?

I know on some ships, it was for additional cabin space.

[njhorseman]

Originally Posted by Budget Queen

I know on some ships, it was for additional cabin space.

That was never mentioned as a reason (and I did talk to a HD about it) nor has it been done as far as I know.

There were a couple of issues:

(1) The laundry rooms were a mess. Passengers didn't remove their clothes promptly from the machines, and other passengers would remove the clothing so they could use the facilities.

(2) The laundry rooms were often flooded because passengers would put too much detergent in the washers. This was a health and safety problem and potential downgrade to NCL's inspection scores.

(3) The self service laundry room didn't generate revenue. Having passengers send their cothes to be done by the ship's laundry does. (this one didn't come from the HD...just from my looking at it from a business perspective)

[Don Haynes]

Originally Posted by njhorseman

That was never mentioned as a reason (and I did talk to a HD about it) nor has it been done as far as I know.

There were a couple of issues:

(1) The laundry rooms were a mess. Passengers didn't remove their clothes promptly from the machines, and other passengers would remove the clothing so they could use the facilities.

(2) The laundry rooms were often flooded because passengers would put too much detergent in the washers. This was a health and safety problem and potential downgrade to NCL's inspection scores.

(3) The self service laundry room didn't generate revenue. Having passengers send their cothes to be done by the ship's laundry does. (this one didn't come from the HD...just from my looking at it from a business perspective)

And to avoid paying a hefty Coast Guard fine because of the mess.... If NCL has to post an employee to watch the self-serve laundry mats to preserve the peace, NCL's high brass will rightly ask the question, why bother with them? Simply put, the self-serve laundry mats were more trouble than they were worth to NCL....

We have met the enemy, to find out the enemy is US.....

[SnootieTootie]

Beware of sending your clothing away to be laundered.

As Platinum Latitudes members, we took advantage of the "fill a bag full of laundry" freebie offer.

I am not a real picky person, but the laundry all came back with a horrrible odor, and did not seem clean at all.

I would be more in favor of rinsing garments in the sink, than sending away my garments away to the ship laundry.

Just my opinion, and others may disagree.

[STARFISH*4]

i did the STUFF A BAG and EVERYTHING came back just FINE...i am pretty picky about my CLOTHEs and sent things that could easily be DRIED and FOLDED and NO PROBs also have used for pressing and dry-cleaning and again NO PROBs...we did this on the STAR & SPIRIT and probably will do again on our PC cruise!

[Legalwife]

I asked about using an iron from housekeeping on POA but only one person responded and was not sure. I will be sailing Saturday and will let folks know how it is on this ship. I do agree that I think they have done away with laundry rooms. As I posted on other, Star let us check out an iron for an hour or so. Don't think they allow on all ships. Will be heading out tomorrow afternoon and will post when I return re: POA

[Corkybob]

Thanks to all of you who wrote about laundry. I imagine it could be a mess. As a new member to the Cruise critic Board, I love hearing what's going on.
Thanks,

Sherry (Corkybob)

[DMRick]

We've had an ironing board and iron delivered (inside cheapy cabin) on every cruise we've been on. I iron and then our cabin person picks it up.

[Budget Queen]

Originally Posted by njhorseman

That was never mentioned as a reason (and I did talk to a HD about it) nor has it been done as far as I know.

There were a couple of issues:

(1) The laundry rooms were a mess. Passengers didn't remove their clothes promptly from the machines, and other passengers would remove the clothing so they could use the facilities.

(2) The laundry rooms were often flooded because passengers would put too much detergent in the washers. This was a health and safety problem and potential downgrade to NCL's inspection scores.

(3) The self service laundry room didn't generate revenue. Having passengers send their cothes to be done by the ship's laundry does. (this one didn't come from the HD...just from my looking at it from a business perspective)

Sorry, you aren't the only one with "connections". The laundry rooms on the Jade ARE NOW cabins.

[Budget Queen]

Originally Posted by SnootieTootie

Beware of sending your clothing away to be laundered.

As Platinum Latitudes members, we took advantage of the "fill a bag full of laundry" freebie offer.

I am not a real picky person, but the laundry all came back with a horrrible odor, and did not seem clean at all.

I would be more in favor of rinsing garments in the sink, than sending away my garments away to the ship laundry.

Just my opinion, and others may disagree.

I fortunately had no problems with sending out my laundry multiple times doing 3 weeks worth of cruising since May. For platinum there also is no limit on the number of bags you send. One time was three and mostly it was 2. Everything came back.

[rpbcouple]

Snootie Tootie: At least our clothes didn't smell. Here is my post after our Sun cruise last year.
We were on the Sun Oct 13-24. They offered the $19.99 fill the bag-wash iron and fold deal. We took advantage of the first one offered about day four. HOWEVER and its a big HOWEVER...We sent two pairs of jeans, about 12 pair of socks, 12 pair underwear, gym clothes, about four shirts, and some shorts. (we had spent the weekend in San Fran before the cruise) EVERYTHING was returned in a lovely basket wrapped in tissue paper with a lovely seal which said, "cleaned, folded, and ready to wear" NOT! Everything was BLUE. I took the basket of everything except for the jeans to the reception desk since it was in the evening. They looked at me like I was from another planet. No clue what the problem was. The third person behind the desk caught on. They took our stuff and said they would take care of it. The next day we get two visitors to our cabin about an hour apart asking about picking up our blue laundry. We were sure we would never see it again. About 30 hours after the initial delivery we received a call that the front desk would be returning our laundry in a few minuts. About an hour later, someone from the front desk delivered our laundry. Yes..it was white and the correct other colors again. I don't know what is going to happen after we try to wear these clothes because I am sure they bleached and/or dry cleaned them over and over again.

We did not take advantage of the second offering about day 8 or 9. I know someone will ask so I will answer now....No, they did not take the charge off of the bill and we did not question it since we did receive the service.

We will be on the Star for 13-days in November after a couple of days in LA, so we will give it another try.

BUDGETQUEEN:

[Budget Queen]

Originally Posted by rpbcouple

Snootie Tootie: At least our clothes didn't smell. Here is my post after our Sun cruise last year.
We were on the Sun Oct 13-24. They offered the $19.99 fill the bag-wash iron and fold deal. We took advantage of the first one offered about day four. HOWEVER and its a big HOWEVER...We sent two pairs of jeans, about 12 pair of socks, 12 pair underwear, gym clothes, about four shirts, and some shorts. (we had spent the weekend in San Fran before the cruise) EVERYTHING was returned in a lovely basket wrapped in tissue paper with a lovely seal which said, "cleaned, folded, and ready to wear" NOT! Everything was BLUE. I took the basket of everything except for the jeans to the reception desk since it was in the evening. They looked at me like I was from another planet. No clue what the problem was. The third person behind the desk caught on. They took our stuff and said they would take care of it. The next day we get two visitors to our cabin about an hour apart asking about picking up our blue laundry. We were sure we would never see it again. About 30 hours after the initial delivery we received a call that the front desk would be returning our laundry in a few minuts. About an hour later, someone from the front desk delivered our laundry. Yes..it was white and the correct other colors again. I don't know what is going to happen after we try to wear these clothes because I am sure they bleached and/or dry cleaned them over and over again.

We did not take advantage of the second offering about day 8 or 9. I know someone will ask so I will answer now....No, they did not take the charge off of the bill and we did not question it since we did receive the service.

We will be on the Star for 13-days in November after a couple of days in LA, so we will give it another try.

BUDGETQUEEN:

It sounds like the jeans ran. Were they new?? I don't take anything but well washed clothes and nothing new- just my preference, since I do rinsing when needed and have been known to wash and wear rather than overpack.

[happytotravel]

Hi All,

We've done 16 cruises with NCL and have always sent out our laundry under the Special and have always gotten it back fine. Shirts and pants were beautifully ironed and hung on hangers and the rest was folded.

Accidents, of course, can happen anywhere even at home. But NCL does their very best to rectify a problem. I think the attitude of the passenger makes all the difference when a problem comes up whatever it might be.

Everyone, enjoy your cruise and send out your laundry. Don't waste precious moments of your holiday washing and rinsing out stuff. You do enough of that at home.

Enjoy,
happytotravel

[gbcruise]

When your laundry is sent is it combined with others or just your own? I have used the laundry service on RCL each time & it came back smelling great, clean & pressed.

Does NCL have a pricing sheet for laundry available to download? If so I havent run across it but would like one.

[Marzbar71]

I'm going to be on that same cruise and plan on doing the laundry special. I've already got my duct tape in the pile to be packed so I can tape the bag and stuff as much as I can in there!

So much I've learned from these boards.... LOL!


See you around the ship Bob!