pingpong1

Folks - I'm certainly appreciating all of your input and welcome even more comments regarding the hotel and the sights to see in Stockholm. It seems like there's a lot of interest in Stockholm on this thread.

But let's make sure we're talking about the same hotel!

There is a "Grand Hotel" located at #9 Vestergrogade. It is part of the ARP-Hansen group and looks GREAT! In fact, I'm going to investigate it further for my possible pre-cruise stay in Stockholm. I believe that might be the hotel that "Bissel" stayed at and is talking about and I thank them for their recommendation.

And then......there's the "Scandic Grand Central Hotel" that is part of the Scandic Hotel Group (a chain all over Scandinavia) and it is located at #70 Kungsgatan. An older building and not on the water's edge. THIS is the hotel that Regent is using for their Pre-night passengers before boarding the Baltic cruise. And it DOESN'T sound so great in some of the on-line reviews that I've read!

Could the previous posters please re-check and make sure which hotel it is they're recommending?

RallyDave - Thanks for the post. I am well-aware of the economics of the whole thing and would have no intention of booking a second night (before the pre-cruise night) through Regent. I would book that directly with the hotel (on a per/room basis vice per/person basis) and it would have nothing to do with Regent. I'd just be staying in that same hotel 2 nights (if I decide to stay there at all). The first night, I would be paying the hotel directly. The second night would be "included" in the price that I paid for the entire cruise - if I don't back it out of the cruise package.

Based upon the input I get from everyone on this thread, I may very well "back out" the pre-cruise room (offered by Regent) altogether out of the total invoice and arrange BOTH nights (pre-cruise) on my own at another hotel entirely - and just get my own cab to the ship on embarkation day on my own, as well. I realize that Regent is "no bargain" when it comes to those "off-ship" accommodations and transfers. I've already backed out the air fare from Regent's invoice when I first booked this cruise and we're flying on our own to Stockholm (and back from Copenhagen) - BA from Phoenix, connecting through Heathrow. And I Thank You very much for the word of caution!

To others - please keep the recommendations and thoughts about Stockholm coming. They are much appreciated! It looks like there's a lot of interest.

Mudhen - If you are on this same sailing (June 14, Stockholm to Copenhagen) Mary and I (Kelvin) look forward to meeting you. Regards to all.

Hi Folks - I'm asking for some advice from those of you who have had experience (both good AND bad) with Stockholm hotels.

My general impression/bias, and limited experience with Scandinavian accommodations (and hospitality :confused:), is that it's all rather Spartan, cold, utilitarian, minimalist, and comes with an emphasis on "less" rather than "more".

The latest trend also seems to be on "Eco-friendly" accommodations. That's a code word for - "We're going to charge you an outrageous price without providing the common amenities that you're used to receiving in 4/5-star hotels in the US.....but you're going to feel better about it because you're ostensibly doing something to "help the environment" (not to mention our "bottom line" profits).

Opinion - The quite common amenities routinely found in US Hampton Inns, La Quinta's, Holiday Inns, and Courtyards (which to me, are quite acceptable accommodations) seem to be sorely lacking in even the most high-end and costly hotels overseas - and especially true in Scandinavia.

I know I will have to expect to pay upwards of $600/night (If I'm "lucky") for a "luxury hotel" in Sweden. But if I must put out that kind of money - I'm at least hoping/expecting to find something more than a small/cramped/dark little hotel room, that is furnished in old Ikea-like furniture, and comes with just one towel, one tiny bar of soap, and no bath mats! Oh, and It would also be nice to get more than a cold, businesslike stare, and slow grudging service from the reception desk person who is taking the bag-full of money I'm handing over to them. :p

So with that as prologue... For the moment (subject to change), I'm scheduled to use Regent's pre-cruise hotel in Stockholm - The Scandic Grand Central. And I'm also considering arriving in Stockholm an extra day earlier (2 days before the ship embarks) to allow for a day of sightseeing (a private tour - yes, I actually do use them sometimes :D ). My first thought was to book the extra (pre-pre) night at the same Regent accommodation, the Scandic, so I didn't have to move. But now I'm not so sure.

Upon reading all the reviews of the Scandic Grand on TAdotCom - I can't say that I'm too excited about this place. In fact, it doesn't sound very "grand" at all! When reading reviews, I usually filter out the "Excellent" and "bottom" ratings and focus mostly on the mid-level/average ratings. I think that's were you get to the real "feeling" for the place. I saw a lot of adjectives like "slow service", small rooms, old-fashioned plumbing, no drawers to put clothes in, "over-priced for what you get", etc.

I then expanded my search to other supposedly 4/5-star hotels in Stockholm and none of those (Courtyard, Radisson Blu, Hilton Slussen, Sheraton, etc.) even sounded that much better, either.

So, I'm asking my fellow Regent friends if they have stayed at (and enjoyed) any accommodations in Stockholm pre- or post-cruise, that they would enthusiastically recommend - regardless of price, and would gladly return to themselves? Many Thanks in advance.

Mark - In another life, I think we must have been twins! :) You expressed my thoughts exactly. Although I'm "new" to Regent, the poster should not assume (if they do) that you and I are "newbie world travelers", Just because we're not Regent gold or platinum (is there a titanium?).

By the time I was 40, I had been to nearly every non-communist country in the northern hemisphere - plus a few in the southern hemisphere. There are other ways and reasons to see the world than just on a luxury cruise ship!

Several of the folks I've met on my two Regent cruises are also new to Regent - but they certainly have seen a lot of the world by other means (than by just a cruise ship). In fact seeing a country via cruise ship is probably one of the most limiting and worst ways to do it!

Having retired from the government (DoD) with nearly 40 years of service, my work sent me all over the world - constantly. And I never tired of seeing the same places multiple times! Whenever I went back to the same place, I'd always see something new that I had missed before. For the last 10 years of my career, I was "putting on" nearly 150,000 air miles a year.

Our latest (just 2nd) Regent cruise started in Rome and ended in Venice......both places I've been to many times...just not with Regent or another cruise ship. We enjoyed going on Regent's walking tours in Venice and seeing the same things again that we had seen on our own - several times -before Regent ever entered our lives.

During the 4 years we lived in Scotland we drove and camped (in a pup tent) all over the UK - we still love the "walking tours" of London that assemble outside the many "tube stations". These walking tours, I think, are as good as any Regent tour of London. And we often take the same tours in London that we've gone on before and enjoy them every time we do it. Sorrento? My house is filled with inlaid wood objects bought there over the years. On our Regent stopover there a couple of weeks ago, I got a big hug from the owner of a shop that I used to regularly visit - long before Regent.

In our latest pre-cruise visit to Rome, we arrived 4 days early just so we could "go back" to some of our favorite places that we had seen and enjoyed in the past.

On the Regent excursions we actually LIKE to meet and talk with our fellow passengers! That's as much of a social and cultural opportunity, and FUN, as the tour itself! We don't see a crowded bus or a crowded assembly area (the theater) as an "inconvenience". But maybe we're just......different.

Mark, like you, we also have several "Kamakura T-shirts" hanging in our closet. :p And after living in Japan for 2 years, I often went back there to visit on later business trips. I always enjoyed repeated visits to Yokohama, Sasebo, Tokyo, Osaka, Misawa, and Okinawa - I miss the "good old days" when the yen was "360 to the dollar"!

Countless trips over the years have taken me to the Philippines, Iceland, Hong Kong, Australia, Korea (fortunately - South!), Nam/Cambodia (certainly not as a "tourist"), Singapore, Thailand, Greece, Panama (again, not as a tourist). And I didn't get there, or travel around there, by a Regent cruise ship!

And as for Hawaii...well, "don't get me started". I couldn't count the number of times I've ridden the "Wiki-Wiki Bus" to the arrival terminal! And one of my favorite (repeated) adventures is paddling the kayak down the Ni Willi Willi River past the blue grotto. I very much look forward to hoisting that "cold one" with you out there some day in a nice bar in Princeville!

This upcoming Regent Baltic cruise will be my first time to step foot on Russian soil. In my past life, a trip to that country would have been "problematic". :eek: But I am looking forward to seeing the sights of St. Petersburg, courtesy of Regent.

My whole point here (and I think Mark's point) is that just because someone doesn't have too many Regent cruises (or any other cruise line trips) under their belt, does not necessarily mean that they are new to world traveling, or just "fell of the turnip truck" yesterday morning. And a lot of people actually like going back to the same places again and again. Regent certainly isn't the only way to "see the world". But it certainly is undeniably one of the most expensive (and enjoyable) ways to do it! ;)

Best Regards to all.

Tom - Like you, I very much enjoy La Veranda/Sette Mari. I spent more eating time there than at the other dining venues. It was never crowded. In fact, throughout the cruise and everywhere on the ship - nothing ever seemed crowded. It was a delight to be able to just walk in and sit down most anywhere you wanted to.

As I said earlier, I enjoy the breakfast buffets. whether it be the smoked salmon and cream cheese, fresh fruit, or eggs and sausage (haven't quite gotten used to the baked beans for breakfast yet, but I do like the little cooked tomatoes :p

At dinner (in Sette Mari) I had the most delicious veal. Very lean and cooked just right, with a wonderful light marsala wine sauce. And a side dish of buttery angel-hair pasta. All accompanied by a wonderful bottle of Valpolicella. Yummmm! Can't wait to get back. I might have to find a cardiologist who wants to travel with me and sit at my table while I'm eating....just in case. Regards.

Hi Softball - We just got off of a Voyager cruise in the Med. Very port/excursion intensive - every day. We went on the "included" excursions on 7 of the 10 nights. On two days - we just stayed on board, did laundry, pigged out at the pool deck, and had a few cold ones. On the 7 excursions we had a great time.

Yes, we loaded ourselves onto the big buses and went on the guided/escorted tours. Everyone was friendly and we all struck up many good conversations. If/When things got a little crowded, we just asked the guide when we needed to get back to the bus for return to the ship, and then went off and did our own thing - or just sat on a nearby bench and watched the "world walk by".

We had a great time. in the theater onboard in the mornings/afternoon, where we all met to get our bus tickets was no more crowded at those times than it would be in the evening when we were all there to watch the productions/shows. And there were many friendly/charming people there to talk to while we were waiting. It was very well organized - both boarding the buses and while on the tours - and no one seemed to mind. Regards.

Like Yogi Berra once said - "That restaurant is so crowded, no one goes there anymore!" Another corollary might be someone going to Longhorn Steakhouse or Morton's, and then complaining because there's just too much "steak" listed on the menu.

You have to decide what's a priority for you. If paying (included in the fare) for excursions that you don't want to go on, or getting a feeling of being "herded" (for each of us to individually define that term) onto buses with 30-40 other people - on a bus that is expressly designed to hold 30-40 other people - is a "big (negative) deal" or a major annoyance factor.....than perhaps Regent might not be the cruise line for you - Or any cruise ship for that matter, since none of them leave the harbor "empty" or with just one couple onboard.

I also can't quite understand the logic of someone paying (or complaining about) a premium high-end price for a cruise line like Regent, whose fares includes all liquor 24/7 - and then saying, "but we aren't drinkers"? Why then, would someone seriously consider booking on that particular cruiseline? With those self-imposed parameters which are totally up to each individual, I'm not quite sure about the logic of then booking a cruise on Regent? It's an "all-inclusive" cruise line. If one doesn't like, want, or use the majority of "stuff" that's included - then why book with Regent? Why would someone who is a regular committed smoker then book a cruise on a line that is totally "non-smoking" (not Regent - at least not yet)?

A ship like Voyager - which only holds a maximum of 700 passengers - certainly wouldn't be in the same category of "crowded tours", as if we were talking about Royal Caribbean's "Oasis of the Seas" with 6,296 passengers! If Dante had instead written a story about the "circles of suffering" on an ocean cruise - "Oasis" would be in the 10th level - for me! Voyager, to the contrary (or Mariner and Navigator), would be in "heaven", sailing around with the angels, when we're comparing "crowding" on various cruise lines! Regards.

Hi Everyone - We are now back home from our Rome to Venice cruise on Voyager. I'll try to keep this as short as possible and not make it a full-blown report. Just some random thoughts and not organized in any particular order.

We loved the cruise, Voyager, and the whole Regent Experience (this was our second Regent Cruise). Enough so - that we booked our 3rd cruise while onboard. Our next Voyager experience begins on June 14/14 - Stockholm to Copenhagen. I thought the ship was in fine condition, the crew made everyone feel quite welcome (as usual), and we enjoyed all the included excursions. This cruise was very port-intensive and in 2 ports (Monte Carlo and Ancona) we decided to just stay onboard for the day, relax, and eat (with a little drinking thrown in for good measure).

The ship seemed empty. Oftentimes, it seemed like we had the whole pool deck to ourselves. And the dining rooms never seemed crowded. we prefer eating earlier rather than later and I think this lent to the feeling of being the only ones in the dining room. The pace of service in Compass Rose was much improved over our Navigator experience a year earlier. No complaints whatsoever with the speed of service in any of the dining venues. For breakfast, I enjoy La Veranda the best. I like breakfast buffets and I'm quite willing/able to serve myself and "graze" at my own pace :D . I had no problem getting a table at 0730-0800 on any given morning. I also liked Sette Mari for dinner, followed by Prime 7. Signatures was my least favorite. I found it difficult (at Signatures) to select something that I cared to eat - and I'm by no means a picky eater. We were quite happy in all dinner venues to stick with the "house" offerings. We enjoyed both the whites and the reds.

We were so very lucky and fortunate to be offered a once-in-a-lifetime upgrade (upsell) to one of the 4 Master Suites on the ship just 2 weeks before we sailed. We jumped at the opportunity, knowing we would never be able (or willing) to pay the "full price" for that accomodation. We took immediate advantage of this greatly-discounted opportunity to experience so much room -all to ourselves. Thanks, Regent! Our butler, Leslie, was the nicest guy you could ever meet. Leslie's home is Mumbai, India, and he has the most infectious smile and warm personality. In our end-of-cruise comments, we made sure to pass along our high praise and regard for Leslie's service to Regent and their passengers. Each of our few requests of him were met with a quick smile and prompt action. Even down to making sure we had a constant supply of sliced lemon, Glenlivet, and Drambuie in our quarters (love those Rusty Nails!).

We met many nice fellow passengers onboard. Partly thanks to our prior conversations with them on CC. WrigleyBear, Susar, Debijaynes, and others. I certainly hope we see them again on future cruises. Using the Roll Call thread in advance of the cruise, and being able to introduce yourselves to each other beforehand, is a very nice opportunity.

The weather was absolutely fantastic throughout the cruise. Warm and sunny every day. We didn't get our first overcast or drizzle until the last morning onboard (in Venice). And Venice was not flooded! We could actually walk around St. Mark's Square with dry shoes. Obviously, Regent has no control over the weather, but nice days like we had certainly improved everyone's mood. I found internet speeds to be fine, considering all the onboard users, and the internet cafe was never more than half full.

Wes - I looked for your "Pool Guy", Sherwood - and was told that he is now working onboard the Navigator.

If anyone has any specific questions. Just ask. Best Regards to all.

Hi Folks - Less than one hour away from our reservation at Prime 7 this evening (6:30PM) in Ancona, Italy. We have met some truly wonderful folks onboard this cruise from Rome to Venice. We "expanded" our Prime 7 reservation from our own original group of 3 to 5 with two people (daughter/father) we especially wanted to have dinner with. And they, in turn expanded their original Prime 7 reservation from 2 to 5 people (us) for tomorrow night. So...we each have two reservations in Prime 7 vice the original 1 reservation. It's called "gaming the system" :) We've had a lovely time on this cruise and everything has been "perfect". We've now book our 3rd Regent cruise....June 14 of 2014 from Stockholm to Copenhagen. Again, the weather remains perfect. Not a cloud in the sky, and temps in the mid-70's. Perfect. Just came back from Trivial Pursuit. What a "hoot". All for now. Regards to all.

Folks - I'm finding the table Service at Compass Rose to be decidedly faster on this cruise than on our previous cruise. We have not felt rushed at all, but we don't now feel like the pyramids are being rebuilt between each course, either! This is a big improvement. You can eat at your own pace, but when you're through with each course, the next course follows in a timely fashion. A huge improvement! Regards.

Findacruise - The chairs are still heavy and hard to move. I don't want to sound like an "apologist" for Regent, but I think this is intentional. I'm 66 and a relative "teenager" compared to most of the folks on this cruise. Lighter chairs would be very easy for these folks to accidentally tip over when sitting down and getting up. They would also be quite unstable in anything other than calm seas.

Although it's a pain to move these things around, I think the alternative (lighter weight chairs) would lead to more accidental tip overs and people falling down or injuring themselves. As it is now, these heavy chairs are very stable - once you actually sit down on them.

Any more questions, please ask. I'll be here until Saturday. Regards.

Regarding my last post - Yes, I know it should be "whether" rather than "weather". Regards

I completely AGREE with Debijaynes on all counts! The Voyager is top notch in all areas. Everything looks great on all decks and I LIKE the new outside paint job very much - including the blue stripe! It looks very classy. I think some folks are getting too far down in "the weeds" on the critiques and nit-picks of every single little thing.

Certainly Regent doesn't need "our permission" if they choose to change their paint scheme a little bit. On this cruise the service has been great, the food is great, the new entertainment show/s at night have been wonderful, the dancers and singers have put on a tremendous show, and the staff - as always - have been extremely friendly and competent.

Come on folks, give 'em a break! Regent tries to do the best they possibly can and they're delivering a very good product. In fact, we booked another cruise (our 3rd) yesterday afternoon. We've met very nice people onboard - some have told us that they also are considering additional cruises - and no one has "offended us" by their dress. I would not spend one minute of time scrutinizing or worrying about what anyone else is wearing or weather any "rules" were being "broken". As Debi said, we've now pulled into Korfu and looking forward to a wonderful day. The weather has been fabulous throughout the cruise. Regards.

Hi Folks - I've been having too much fun to start a thread for our current cruise from Rome to Venice. I'll open/start one now. Hope it doesn't get edited/censored. Regards to all.

Hi Celticmutt (Bill) - I'm really enjoying your travelogue. My Dad and I took this same itinerary last year (but on Avalon) - Amsterdam to Budapest (we disembarked upon reaching Vienna). And I'm actually thinking about doing it again - this time with "wifey-poo" (DW in "Cruisecritic-speak") - but next time on a cruiseline other than Avalon - haven't firmely decided on which one yet. Nothing particularaly wrong with Avalon but think I should try a "change". I have a technical question for you. You're obviously a man who enjoys his afternoon/evening "happy hour" - just as I do. Did Viking offer you the choice of purchasing an optional "full drink package" so you wouldn't be running a "tab" to pay at the end of the cruise? If so, did you consider purchasing it? I decided against it on Avalon after doing the math. Since the river lines have no problem at all with folks bringing their own bottles onboard, and since wine/beer was complimentary at dinner (not lunch) I found the pricing of Avalon's optional "drink package" to be exhorbitant (I could never have drunk enough to achieve any type of "savings" over the pay-per-drink price). Given the fact that we had our own supply of single-malt in our stateroom and just discretely carried a tumbler up on the sun deck in the afternoons/evening, I decided against the all-inclusive drink package. Did you arrive at the same conclusion and/or are you happy with "running a tab" at the bar? Best Regards. Continue to have fun on your cruise.

Nana - You are "shameless" :D

When I was"researching the pros and cons of purchasing a "drink package" rather than just "paying as you go", I read the "fine print". Buying a drink package (at least on Avalon) does NOT entitle you to ANYTHING in the bar ("call brands") you want. The packag generally only includes the "house brand" (well-drinks). The package entitles you to a vodka and tonic - it did NOT entitle you to a "Ketel One" and tonic. It entitled you to a Scotch on the rocks - It did NOT entitle you to a Macallan or Glenlivet on the rocks. It included a gin and tonic - But it did NOT entitle you to a Bombay Saphire and tonic. You got a rum and coke. It did not include a Myers and coke, etc. Be aware of this if you have specific preferences in your liquor. I came to the same conclusion as some of the other posters have. Namely, it's not worth the relatively high additional amount of money they want for these packages. Particularly when you factor in that you are allowed to locally purchase and bring onboard any booze you want to on the boat and drink it in your room, while looking out at the scenery, or carry a glass up onto the sky deck. On average, you'd have to be drinking between $30-35 dollars worth of extra drinks each and every day (both you and your stateroom partner). That would be in addition to the complimentary wine and beer that the cruise is already providing you at dinners. "Paying as you go" in the bar for whatever you want is absolutely no problem. Remember, these are small boats. It takes all of 10-seconds for them to hand you a little paper "chit" for you to sign for each drink you select - over and above the complimentary liquor they're already servingl you and the stuff you might have in your room.

Paulinda - Thank You! You've helped me (perhaps unintentionally) make my point. That was sort of what I was trying to say in the first place but I guess I didn't express it very well. The money is inconsequential. After already spending all this money for the whole cruise experience ($20K + and counting...with upgrades, hotels before and after, and airfare), why would you (I) want to waste one minute of my vacation time washing any clothes and having to hang them all over the stateroom to dry....just to save a few piddling "bucks"?!

Most of the posters have already said that they send "a few things" out to be washed during the cruise, anyway. So as long as you've already willingly crossed that "hurdle" and are willing to pay them to do any of it at all, why not just let the cruise boat do it all for you? As long as they're willing to do any of your laundry at all (with presumably no limit) - which we've already established that they will willingly do (on a per/piece basis) - then why can't they just come up with some (hopefully) reasonable "package price" - which they've already done in the case of tips and drinks - (which of course, no one would be forced to pay if they didn't want to) to charge to do all of your laundry without me or them having to itemize and count/charge for each and every individual piece?! Regards.

Folks - Obviously, there's no "winning" this one. I'm not suggesting that anyone's laundry be done for "free". Nothing about the entire cruise is "free". Even the little chocolates on the pillow aren't "free". Nothing is being "given away for nothing". The "all-inclusive drink package" is not "free". It costs an additional $430 for a 13-day cruise and the drinks are not strictly "all-inclusive". It does NOT include the top-shelf liquors.

I was Just suggesting that they could offer an "all-inclusive laundry package" for.....you pick the price.....$200/week, (that's about in line with what everything else is costing)....and for that, you'd get unlimited laundry service without having to "count out" each and every sock, underpants, undershirt, slip, blouse, etc.

Really sorry I mentioned it, now. Obviously, there's no "demand" for it. Regards

Hey, Keenemolly! It should be considered a "privilege" to have one's bed linens washed with my underwear!! :o I guess that is what will happen anyway, even if I do have Avalon wash some of my laundy on a "per piece" basis (which I will, of course). Having been on Navy ships for 20 years, and having my underwear mixed with that of 1,500 other sailors', I have a lower threshold of concern on this point. There's a lot worse things that could happen. I relied upon the hot water and the detergent to "take care" of any potential "issues".

"Something" is definitely happening with the laundry of those 160 passengers during a 1-2 week cruise now. One of 4 scenerios - People are packing huge amounts of clothing (particularly underwear) with them and just washing it all when they get back home; people are re-wearing lots of previously-worn/unwashed underwear (not pleasant to think about!); people are paying Avalon (per piece) to wash their laundry - and Avalon is "dealing" with that somehow - just as is happening now; or in the evenings after a nice meal and a few cocktails - people are returning to their lovely staterooms and turning them into "late evening Chinese Laundry operations" with clothes hanging all over the place - Certainly "no offense" intended towards the Chinese :)

Now, there is a 5th option to consider, as well...during several years of being stationed ("posted") in southeast Asia, I did observe many locals living on "sandpans" just sitting cross-legged on deck and happily washing their clothing in the Mekong River. That might be a unique "marketing photo" for Avalon to show all the passengers sitting on deck together, as we cruise down the Rhine - being served "complimentary wine" while we all merrily wash our clothes during the "off hours"!

Since everything else in the world is being "included" in the Avalon package (wine/beer, daily excursions, sumptuous meals, evening turn-down service, chocolates on the pillow, gourmet coffees, opulent staterooms, robes/slippers/hair dryers, etc.), why is it "unreasonable" to suggest some level of "complimentary laundry" being offered to the passengers - who are paying "bucket-loads of money" for this crusing experience? If Avalon were to throw that into the "package", I have no doubt it would set them apart from the competition, greatly increase business for them, and translate into a huge increase in revenue. If we can send people to the moon, we can certainly figure out how to handle the laundry for passengers on a river cruise (they're already managing to do the personal laundry for the crew, afterall). Regards to all.

Webfoot/others - Why do you suppose Avalon (and other river cruises) charge so much - unrealistically so, I think - to process/handle their customers' laundry? Particularly since we're all paying so much to begin with for the cruise itself. If a company doesn't want to do something, all they have to do is set their price high enough to discourage any use. Is that what is going on here? In our case, we will be on their boat and their cruise for nearly two weeks. I've already paid them thousands of dollars for the basic cruise, plus thousands extra for a deluxe suite. Is that not enough, already? I don't really wish to spend my vacation time doing laundry in a bathroom sink. I thought those days were over at Boy Scout camp 50 years ago! I believe it is unreasonable to have to pay them a pretty high "per piece" charge for each and every piece of clothing I might give them (particularly underwear) when all they have to do is throw it in one of their huge industrial-sized washing machines along with all the other tons of laundry they're undoubtedly already doing each day. I would glady pay them an additional flat fee for doing a reasonable load of laundry for me near the end of each week of the cruise. In fact, I'd glady have them do that laundry for me INSTEAD of them sending a maid in every day to make my bed! I could certainly make my own bed each day but it is far more difficult and time-consuming (not to mention a little "tacky" given the price of this cruise experience) for me to be drinking a nice "complimentary" bottle of wine at their dinner table and then having to go back to my suite and do my own laundry without a machine and having to hang it up all over the place in my room (and hope it dries in a couple of days). Avalon - please "weigh in" on this if you're reading this post. Is this not something that should be given some corporate attention? Why not just give each stateroom a medium sized laundry bag "to fill" and charge us $20 USD a bag to launder it - no matter how many pieces are in there? In the case of underwear, you don't even have to iron/fold it. Just throw it back in the bag after it's washed/dried. I'll take it from there! Regards.