Clothing and Tipping Help!

Hi,

Is it true that you cant wash your clothes on board (Pacific Star 11 nite Cruise departing 29th Aug)? How did others manage on long cruises? What sort of clothes did you take?

Tipping? I realise I pay a certain amount per day but if I particularly think I am getting good service from certain staff how do I tip them? I have never tipped before in my life!! Except at restuarants.:D

Help please!

Ta!

Mel

thanks for asking this question, i too am interested as i want to travel relatively lightly (Pacific Star 7 Night Delight 2nd December)

i think the tipping question has come up before on here so i am sure someone will have an answer.

Hi,

Is it true that you cant wash your clothes on board (Pacific Star 11 nite Cruise departing 29th Aug)? How did others manage on long cruises? What sort of clothes did you take?

 

Tipping? I realise I pay a certain amount per day but if I particularly think I am getting good service from certain staff how do I tip them? I have never tipped before in my life!! Except at restuarants.:D

 

Help please!

 

Ta!

Mel

Mel,

You are right - Pacific Star doesn't have a self service laundry on board. You either have to take enough clothes to last the whole trip, or use the laundry washing service. I didn't bring back the prices for the laundry service - maybe someone else who's been on Pacific Star will be able to help with that. On our 12 night cruise we just made sure we took enough clothes to last the whole cruise, and tried to get as much wear out of the clothes we did take as we could, particularly trousers and shorts. Shirt's were a bit harder - particularly in places like Suva and Vila where it was very humid.

As for tipping - the Purser's desks provides special envelopes that you can pop your money into and give it personally to the crew members you want to tip. We normally do this at the end of the cruise (at the final dinner for the table waiters, and just before diesmbarkation on final morning for the cabin stewards).

Kym

thanks for asking this question, i too am interested as i want to travel relatively lightly (Pacific Star 7 Night Delight 2nd December)

 

i think the tipping question has come up before on here so i am sure someone will have an answer.

Sam,

7 nighters aren't too bad, my first cruise was 7 nights and I packed fairly lightly. The biggest problem I find is taking stuff for the formal nights - a suit and shirts and shoes for those take up most of the room. At least going to North Queensland at the start of summer you won't need to take jumpers or anything like that!

Also us guys can get away with taking less! We don't need a different shirt for everytime we leave the cabin! :rolleyes:

Mel,

 

You are right - Pacific Star doesn't have a self service laundry on board. You either have to take enough clothes to last the whole trip, or use the laundry washing service. I didn't bring back the prices for the laundry service - maybe someone else who's been on Pacific Star will be able to help with that. On our 12 night cruise we just made sure we took enough clothes to last the whole cruise, and tried to get as much wear out of the clothes we did take as we could, particularly trousers and shorts. Shirt's were a bit harder - particularly in places like Suva and Vila where it was very humid.

 

As for tipping - the Purser's desks provides special envelopes that you can pop your money into and give it personally to the crew members you want to tip. We normally do this at the end of the cruise (at the final dinner for the table waiters, and just before diesmbarkation on final morning for the cabin stewards).

 

Kym

Ok - anyone got the pricelist for the laundry washing service on the "Star"? :rolleyes: Unfortunately I find it really hard to pack lite at the best of times - I just cant imagine packing for 11 days and not taking 3 suitcases!!! LOL

Mel

Our family of 5 went for 11 nights & we got through the whole cruise without me having to do any washing (made it all the better holiday for me). Certainly made up for it when we got back though:( . Our next one is 14 nights and I'm hoping to get away without washing again.

Karen

our family of four didnt wash for our 10 night cruise. a lot of the time we were in swimmers etc. Clothes at night , you are only in for a few hours, so you could get away with two wears from them.

karon

Does anyone know where to buy a magical suitcase? I need one which is a bit like Dr Who's phone-booth. It needs to be much larger on the inside!

Meh! I'll be lucky to last 7 days without washing. I also have to worry about weight. Virgin Blue only gives you 20kg baggage allowance and a maximum of 32kg. This is very concerning. Last time my case was so heavy it broke. My cabin steward gave me a roll of duct tape to tape it close.

Does anyone know where to buy a magical suitcase? I need one which is a bit like Dr Who's phone-booth. It needs to be much larger on the inside!

 

Meh! I'll be lucky to last 7 days without washing. I also have to worry about weight. Virgin Blue only gives you 20kg baggage allowance and a maximum of 32kg. This is very concerning. Last time my case was so heavy it broke. My cabin steward gave me a roll of duct tape to tape it close.

We were lucky on our 12 night cruise - living in and leaving from Brisbane meant that we didn't have any luggage weight problems, although we still managed to keep ourselves to 2 large suitcases, a large sports bag and two back packs between the two of us. One of the large suitcases came back full of dirty clothes.

After the cruise - we had 3 of the four other people in our group staying at our place - I don't think our washing machine stopped working for about 2 days after we got back.

Kym

On our cruise they gave every1 the chance to 'fill a bag' and get your clothes washed for $20 if i can remember correctly. Otherwise it was somthing ridiclious like $4.50 to get a shirt ironed :eek:

On Pacific sun in June they had that special of 20 items for $20 two days into our 12 days then again 2 days before our return. So came back with no washing to do at all!

I have a price list at home from January. Will detail when I get home. On the Star they had $20 to fill the bag but then on the Sun in Feb it was only 20 pieces. Not as good deal but still fair. It is amazing what you can fit in one of those bags. My bag contained about $110 worth of washing. You still fill out the form but just write $20 special.

Ok - anyone got the pricelist for the laundry washing service on the "Star"? :rolleyes: Unfortunately I find it really hard to pack lite at the best of times - I just cant imagine packing for 11 days and not taking 3 suitcases!!! LOL

 

Mel

Hi Mel,

Here is the reply I received from P&O regarding the laundry service on Star.

Other 'posters' here have said it's for 20 items of clothing. might be tough with 4 of us...We are staying in a S/C apartment upon our return to Brisbane, so I am imagining doing a fair bit of washing then!

Cheers

Thankyou for your e-mail.

Unfortunately there is no public laundry facility on the Pacific Star, there is a laundry wash bag service which costs $25.00 per bag.

Kind Regards

Laila

I find that as long as you take enough clean undees you can usually get by wearing the same thing a few times unless you are going on lots of hot sweaty shore excursions. We managed a 7 nighter in Singapore a few weeks ago without washing. I took 3 pair of shorts and just cycled through them to give them a chance to air out and I took enough t shirts to have a clean one each day. For night time wear, I basically packed 2 skirts and 4 tops that mixed and matched. Our 2 suitcases on the way over weighed just over 10 kilos each (although we have extra light weight luggage - well worth the extra $$$ if you need to replace it) and that was all the clothes we needed. Will be interesting to see how well we pack for our cruise to Alaska next year having to pack coats and winter woolies !!! :-) Mummsie

Don't forget the great tip of packing Febreeze to help you get more wear out of your clothes. We found it very useful and it's always on our list of things to pack now. Also note you can wash out a few things and hang them on the small clothes line in the bathroom. For those in outside cabins we found the window area to be very effective in drying clothes last time.

When we were on the Star in January they said that if there was enough requests for it they probably would put in a self service laundry. For those who remember the Fair Princess was originally commissioned with no laundry but later had a few put in. Just ensure that you include the need for a laundry on your comment card at the end of the cruise. If enough people do it they will have to add one.

Cheers,

Chaz:)

I find that as long as you take enough clean undees you can usually get by wearing the same thing a few times unless you are going on lots of hot sweaty shore excursions. We managed a 7 nighter in Singapore a few weeks ago without washing. I took 3 pair of shorts and just cycled through them to give them a chance to air out and I took enough t shirts to have a clean one each day. For night time wear, I basically packed 2 skirts and 4 tops that mixed and matched. Our 2 suitcases on the way over weighed just over 10 kilos each (although we have extra light weight luggage - well worth the extra $$$ if you need to replace it) and that was all the clothes we needed. Will be interesting to see how well we pack for our cruise to Alaska next year having to pack coats and winter woolies !!! :-) Mummsie

I am the same. I like to pack an outfit for every day of the cruise. A clean shirt for day time and night time, plus a couple of pairs of long pants and shorts, skirts for day and night wear.

And of course underwear for every day!

I don't like to do washing while on holidays, that's why I take enough clothes to last the week. I leave the washing for when I get home!:D :p

I find that as long as you take enough clean undees you can usually get by wearing the same thing a few times unless you are going on lots of hot sweaty shore excursions. We managed a 7 nighter in Singapore a few weeks ago without washing. I took 3 pair of shorts and just cycled through them to give them a chance to air out and I took enough t shirts to have a clean one each day. For night time wear, I basically packed 2 skirts and 4 tops that mixed and matched. Our 2 suitcases on the way over weighed just over 10 kilos each (although we have extra light weight luggage - well worth the extra $$$ if you need to replace it) and that was all the clothes we needed. Will be interesting to see how well we pack for our cruise to Alaska next year having to pack coats and winter woolies !!! :-) Mummsie

What cruise are you going to Alaska? When are you going on that cruise?

I certainly added to my comment form I missed the laundry.

P&O advised prior to sailing that the bag service would exist but once onboard they had never heard of that policy. Once I showed them the email they agreed to the offer. They did in general offer the bag service once during the cruise. I get really hot and sweaty and find that I can't really wear my clothes more than once.

Set price list is as follows from January cruise:

Shirt/Blouse $4

Shirts Formal/special $4.50

Polo/tshirt $3

Trousers/jeans $4

Skirt $4

Short $3.50

Tracksuit pants or top $3

Pjs (2 pieces) nightgown $5.50

Undershirt/singlet $2

Underwear $2

Socks/Pantyhose $1.50

Slip $2

Bra $2

Hanky $1

Oh, and the promotion on our cruises was $25 not $20.

Mummsie, yes do tell us the details of Alaska. Don't stress about needing lots of bulky winter stuff.

Also note you can wash out a few things and hang them on the small clothes line in the bathroom. For those in outside cabins we found the window area to be very effective in drying clothes last time.

Cheers,

Chaz:)

One day after our room had been cleaned, we put the wet clothes on coathangers and hung them on the ladder (which we put between the two top bunks and just under the air con):p. Dried very quickly and then we didnt have to move the clothes to have a shower.:)

Karen

Don't forget the great tip of packing Febreeze to help you get more wear out of your clothes. We found it very useful and it's always on our list of things to pack now. Also note you can wash out a few things and hang them on the small clothes line in the bathroom. For those in outside cabins we found the window area to be very effective in drying clothes last time.

That's what we will be doing too, we even have an elastic travel clothes line. For a summer cruise it would be very light clothes anyway.

What cruise are you going to Alaska? When are you going on that cruise?

We are looking at the Norwegian Wind in May 2007. Hopefully we will be booking it in the next couple of weeks. Mummsie

Those Ladders make excellent drying racks.