The $29 is the standard full-bag rate. On cruises 7 days or longer, they offer a half-price deal on one day mid-way through the cruise (when laundry team isn't as busy with sheets/towels).
In our experience, you can fill the bag to overflowing. The room steward puts it in a plastic bag anyway so that loose pieces don't fall out.
Strategies:
> Use a second bag slipped CAREFULLY over the top
> Stuffing a t-shirt with rolled items and then slide that bundle into a paper bag to reduce tearing.
> Slide the paper bag into a mesh draw-string laundry bag (Dollar Tree!) which allows for a larger load and no lost pieces.
> Put delicates/socks in smaller mesh bags, too. Sometimes the crew opens them to fold items, sometimes it comes back still zipped in the bag.
We have never been charged extra for (modestly) oversized loads, but your mileage may vary.
$5 to the room steward seems to make good things happen.
