Whittier Embarkation - Laundry Rooms Open?

[lucky cal]

We are sailing from Whittier to Vancouver in July following a week-long independent land tour. We are taking the train from Anchorage to Whittier on embarkation day and should be on the ship by about 1:00pm.

 

Given that our bags will be full of dirty clothes and many people board the ship late in Whittier, this would be an ideal time to do laundry. Does anyone know if the onboard laundry rooms are open on embarkation day?

 

Thanks.

[Rejeana]

I've never seen one that wasn't open on embarkation day. In fact, that's when I did laundry a few years ago.

[lucky cal]

Thanks. That's good news.

 

On some threads, people have noted that laundry rooms are sometimes closed when ships are in port. I hope your experience is more the norm!

[frugaltravel]

Just that it would be a shame to waste that afternoon on the ship when you could be out and about - Whittier has excellent boat tours for example.

 

You do realize that you have the entire next day after embarkation as a "sea day" and would have plenty of time for laundry then too.

 

Also realize that just because you might sadly board about 1pm, your luggage may take hours longer to appear in your room.

[lucky cal]

Just that it would be a shame to waste that afternoon on the ship when you could be out and about - Whittier has excellent boat tours for example.

 

You do realize that you have the entire next day after embarkation as a "sea day" and would have plenty of time for laundry then too.

 

Also realize that just because you might sadly board about 1pm, your luggage may take hours longer to appear in your room.

 

Thanks for these observations.

 

By the time we arrive in Whittier, we will have already done a 6-hour Kenai Fjords boat tour out of Seward as well as many other activities in the week before our cruise. Our DIY land tour is pretty ambitious. Not only do I expect we'll be pretty tired by the time we board our ship, but we will also have spent a large amount of money on boat tours, flightseeing, etc., with additional expensive excursions planned in our ports of call. So the idea of getting on the ship in the early afternoon is both to preserve some energy for the rest of the trip and to save a few dollars as well. I considered the idea of a Philips or Major Marine boat tour in Whittier, but I think it will be somewhat similar to what we are doing in Seward. I may reconsider, however, if our tour in Seward is impacted by bad weather.

 

And I do know that the first two days on our ship will be scenic cruising by Hubbard Glacier and in Glacier Bay, but I imagine the laundry rooms will be packed at that point with people just like us who have suitcases full of dirty laundry from their land tours. I'd rather spend my time on deck or on my balcony seeing those beautiful sites than competing with others for the washers and dryers!

 

I will hope that with fairly early boarding and most of the Princess land tour folks showing up later in the afternoon, our luggage will catch up with us in our cabin fairly quickly. Fingers crossed.

[frugaltravel]

I have found that if you get up early - say 7am - the laundry facilities are rarely used. Later in the day for sure they get more crowded.

 

FYI the Seward/Kenai Fjords boat tour emphasizes marine wildlife and the Prince William Sound boat tour gets you close to glaciers (closer than you will get on your cruise ship).

[lucky cal]

I have found that if you get up early - say 7am - the laundry facilities are rarely used. Later in the day for sure they get more crowded.

 

FYI the Seward/Kenai Fjords boat tour emphasizes marine wildlife and the Prince William Sound boat tour gets you close to glaciers (closer than you will get on your cruise ship).

 

Thank you for pointing out the differences between the Kenai Fjords and Prince William Sound tours. You are making me rethink my strategy!

 

I'm just wondering if we will be able to make it onto the latest of the boat tours that day? I believe it departs at 1:00pm. We won't arrive in Whittier on the train until 12:05pm. And then I'm assuming we would need to check our luggage in with Princess before we head over to catch the tour. So the timing may be too tight.

Edited February 4, 2015 by lucky cal