Suit Drycleaning Before or once on board?

[martylouie]

My son is joining us on a cruise aboard the Coral. He asked if he should get his suit cleaned and pressed at home before he flies cross country and gets on board, or should he wait and and have it done on board.

 

My suggestion was to have to do it at home for the following reasons. 1. Easier to pack clean clothes. 2. Probably less expensive. 3. He will be sure to have it for 1st formal night.

 

His reasoning. 1. It will just get it wrinkled when he packs. 2. It will be freshly pressed for Elegant Night. 3.Cost will be approximately the same. 4. (the real reason for the query I'd bet) He won't have to go to the Dry Cleaners at home.

Thoughts?

[paul929207]

I don't believe Princess offers dry cleaning

[ggprincess2004]

Princess does not dry clean, they use a different process. Packing freshly dry cleaned items is fairly simple, keep it in the bag and on the hanger(s) from the dry cleaner and lay it carefully in the suitcase, flat, and lapping over as needed. It is even easier when you use a method that starts it on the bottom of the case, with the excess out over the side of the case, then place some rolled items in the case creating another flat level, lap the excess back in the case, repeat if necessary to fully pack the suit.

[OCruisers]

The process Princess uses for cleaning is as good if not better than the normal dry cleaning at home. :)

Probably, best to have the suit done at home to make absolutely sure it's ready for the first formal night.

LuLu

[waltd]

Although Princess does a good job of cleaning cloths we have all heard those horror stories about damage and shrinking. I would have the suit cleaned at home and as already suggested keep it in the plastic cover that is supplied by the cleaners. The plastic seems to help keep the cloths from getting quite as wrinkled. If need be you can always have the suit pressed when you get on board if it is really wrinkled. I can't remember my suits ever being that wrinkled but then again it was never 100% wool or cotton.

[davekathy]

Before...

[TinaLee]

Ask him how much he likes the suit... if he spent a long time picking it out or having it tailored, etc., and you explain to him that having it cleaned on board is kinda sorta a crap shoot, I bet he'll make the trip to the local cleaner without any further complaint. :) A no longer maroon Tommy Bahama embroidered shirt and white spots on tux pants later, we think long and hard before using our Elite "free" cleaning benefits! :cool:

[jagsfan]

I don't have enough extra room in my clothes to risk shrinking. I've never had any washed or cleaned on a ship. I have used washers, air dried and then ironed on ships that have laundry rooms. Scared of commercial dryers, too.

[msw.delafield]

I concur that he get it cleaned at home prior and pack it as suggested by ggprincess2004.

 

I have packed and shipped mine ahead, sometimes up to two weeks prior to sailing via Luggage Valet.

Have had hardly a real wrinkle if carefully folded over in the bag from the cleaner when packed.

 

You can always have the already clean suit simply pressed once onboard.

[Carolyn R]

Princess does an excellent job and the cost for cleaning my silk pants is about half of what they charge at home. Even on land no one uses the old "dry cleaning" system because of the toxic chemicals. If you send the suit out on the evening of the day you board you should have it back for the first formal night. If you elect to have the suit cleaned at home and it gets wrinkled you can send to to be pressed only.

[Bimmer09]

I carry a suit onboard for Formal Nights. I send it to my dry-cleaner before I leave home and then keep it on the hanger covered in thin plastic as she gives it to me.

The plastic stops it wrinkling in my garment bag and I imagine works equally well in a suitcase.

 

It's immaculate when I unpack it on the ship.

 

Norris

[shepp]

Second night of the partial transit is formal, and my experience sending out laundry onboard the Coral is that it often took over a day to get back to me. Therefore, I wouldn't count on anything being back in time. Dry clean if necessary before leaving. Once onboard, if there are a few wrinkles, they can be ironed out in the self-service laundry room.

Edited February 14, 2015 by shepp

[john watson]

Get it cleaned beforehand. If it comes out of suitcase onboard wrinkled get them to press it only.

 

Regards John

[martylouie]

Thanks everybody. I'll pass along your input.:D