Laundering and pressing of clothes, Queens Grills, QM2

[LivinginOZ]

Hi people,

As first time cruisers my wife and I have very limited understanding of the etiquette of the mundane day to day tasks of life on board, such as laundering and pressing of our clothes.

 

We fly to New York in 13 days, spend 6 days enjoying the sites and then embark the QM2 for part of the forthcoming World Cruise, in a Q5 Queens Grills suite, spending 53 days cruising and then disembarking in Sydney.

 

Due to the length of the cruise, both my wife and I will have plenty of clothing that will have been packed in suitcases for a week prior to unpacking in our suite and I would assume that almost all of them would require pressing before wearing, a task that neither my wife or I would prefer to undertake at the beginning of our first real holiday in almost 28 years together!

 

Is this something that could be arranged (and entrusted) to our butler to arrange with the laundry on-board or are we better off taking the time to do it ourselves to ensure that due consideration and care is taken with the various materials of my wife's gowns, dresses etc. and my suites?

 

Once that initial pressing is taken care of, as we are on-board for so long, there will be regular on-going laundry to take care of, again is this something we are better off doing ourselves or do we arrange for a weekly or bi-weekly laundering with our butler and if so, how is this charged?

 

I can both picture the probable process and understand that there would be justification for a per-item charge for major, delicate items like gowns, dresses and suits etc. but what happens with the more voluminous everyday items? Are we automatically provided with laundry bags or do we need to arrange for this type of service and if so are the items ironed after laundering or do we arrange that additionally?

 

Sorry to burden you with such a mundane question on our first posting, but I want this holiday to be as special and as relaxing for both of us as possible (hence the QG suite and experience) and would like to know what to expect prior to boarding.

[branston boy]

Hello, I have no experience of the Grills, but wow all those days on your first cruise, what a baptism of fire. All the very best I am sure it will not be your last. Have a wonderful time and keep us mere mortals up to date.

 

Rodger.

[cruiseluvva]

Your Butler or Assistant Butler will arrange for any laundry and/or ironing that needs doing, as often as you request, but will not do it themselves, and it will be charged to your on-board account.

 

Have a wonderful time - I know you will. The Queen's Grill is fabulous.

[BlueRiband]

Full service pressing, cleaning, and laundry is available in all cabin grades. They do an excellent job of pressing either silk dresses or linen shirts. Since you will have a lot let your butler know what might have high priority - such as any formal wear needed the very next night.

[Bell Boy]

Now for me, I wouldn't dream of sending anything to the onboard laundry, or even for pressing ( and how often we really need to send things for dry cleaning )

 

Just drop your smalls into one of the many self service washing machines ( with free soap powder) and go off and enjoy breakfast ........now thats about two cocktails and almost a bottle of wine to enjoy later that evening ;);)

 

For me, my 6pm evening ritual is to visit the laundry and grab an iron to run things over, not to mention to catch up any ship gossip..... Believe me ,in 53 days so much will have gone on that you'll need to be kept in the loop . ;)

 

:)

Edited December 31, 2015 by Bell Boy

[BlueRiband]

Now for me, I wouldn't dream of sending anything to the onboard laundry, or even for pressing ( and how often we really need to send things for dry cleaning )...

 

Deck 9, where most QG suites are located, has no laudrettes. Whenever I've used the forward one on deck 10 for quick touch up pressing all the machines were in use. There can even be a wait for an iron just before a formal night dinner.

 

To each his her/own. Some will like the socializing in the laudrettes. Others will prefer to pay for the service and spend their time doing otherwise. As somebody who has to deal with an NYC apartment house laundry room I chose the later.

[newjoisey]

"handle it jeeves" :Dthat about covers it in grills;)

[orvil]

The poster above is correct. On the QM2, you will need to go up or down a deck from the QG rooms to find a launderette. The iron in the laundry is a well used unit. It's really only fit for quick touch ups. Bring your own water for steam. There is no spray starch.

 

I would plan on doing the small items in the self service laundry, under things, socks, under shirts, and work out gear. Cunard provides laundry soap.

 

Anything that needs real pressing, send to the laundry. Men's shirts come to mind. It's hit or miss with the ladies formal wear. If it has beads or sequins, I wouldn't send it out. I would do it myself. Men's suits, I will press myself.

 

While it may seem like a mundane task. It's really a bit of an adventure to do laundry aboard a ship. At least is an adventure the first time. If it becomes too much of a chore, your Butler will take care of it for you and charge your account accordingly.

 

I think you have planned a great trip. You are going to love the Queen's Grill. You will be so spoiled, you will never want to go any other way.

[Lakesregion]

Make very certain if you send out, that on your suits and ties that you stipulate that under NO circumstance are they to press the ties or the lapels of the suits hang and steam only. If they press the ties or the lapels all of the stitching of the under cloth will show forth permanently and they are therefore toss aways.

 

I would if you find a need to have your suits pressed to see to it yourself in the self service areas. A bit of a come down from Queens Grille but if you are not bringing your own valet then one must make the sacrifice.

 

Have a great time.

[LivinginOZ]

Make very certain if you send out, that on your suits and ties that you stipulate that under NO circumstance are they to press the ties or the lapels of the suits hang and steam only. If they press the ties or the lapels all of the stitching of the under cloth will show forth permanently and they are therefore toss aways.

 

I would if you find a need to have your suits pressed to see to it yourself in the self service areas. A bit of a come down from Queens Grille but if you are not bringing your own valet then one must make the sacrifice.

 

Have a great time.

Thanks for your help and good wishes everyone.

 

Lakesregion, I must admit that apart from Robyn's gowns I was particularly worried about any possible damage to the fabrics and shaping/fitment of the few bespoke suits that I'll be bringing on-board, so judging by the tone of your reply I think that at the very least I'll take care of those myself.

[cruiseluvva]

One tip is to hang things up in the bathroom while taking a shower, the steam often makes creases drop out.

[maggiemou]

:D:D

Now for me, I wouldn't dream of sending anything to the onboard laundry, or even for pressing ( and how often we really need to send things for dry cleaning )

 

Just drop your smalls into one of the many self service washing machines ( with free soap powder) and go off and enjoy breakfast ........now thats about two cocktails and almost a bottle of wine to enjoy later that evening

 

For me, my 6pm evening ritual is to visit the laundry and grab an iron to run things over, not to mention to catch up any ship gossip..... Believe me ,in 53 days so much will have gone on that you'll need to be kept in the loop .

 

:)

 

Ha ha! that made me laugh tales of the laundry. A best seller!

Seriously to the opening poster I have to say welcome to Cunard, and more so to the world of longer voyages, & world cruises and segments.

As a world cruiser who has done many world segments, half worldies, and four full world cruises in recent years I can tell you there is no need to worry about the laundry.

I do not travel Queens Grills so do not have a "Cunard Butler" to take care of all our laundry needs. I do however have my personal Butler better kown as the "husband" who is more than happy to pop along to the self service laundry to do the washing once a week and he loves to do his shirts around 6-0pm ( iron only before dinner)

In fact the first thing he does when we get on board is hit the ironing room.

Yes, he irons his shirts as we will have been travelling a few days in advance as we live in the Mediterranean. We actually book our cabin in near to a laundry!

We have been on board for 120 days at a time. We use the self service laundry, sometimes Cunard offer a package. One full bag of dirty washing for "X " amount of $.

Or we just sent it to the dry cleaning and receive discount as we are diamond loyalty members.

If we were not they would go to the dry cleaning any way.

Over a long voyage we do not have to keep having things dry cleaned as most of our clothes are not worn over, & over again. I take over enough to last 120 days.

Now for the nitty gritty. As a lady I like my silk undies hand washed in fragrances of Shalimar, & Frangipani and Jasmin :)

What I really do is I kick 'em off and wash them in silk wash, or Cunard shampoo in the hand basin , hang them on the overhead drying line in the shower cubicle and viola! They are dry the next day.

So moral to the story enjoy your half a world, you are in for a fabulous time. not to be wasted on WASHING ! Go and have fun and if all else fails, do as a friend of mine does, take a suitcase full of KNICKERS as she has no intention ever of doing laundry whilst on her jollies.

 

:D Regards Ships Shoes, & Maggiemou. The book;)

Edited January 1, 2016 by maggiemou

[Solent Richard]

Now for me, I wouldn't dream of sending anything to the onboard laundry, or even for pressing ( and how often we really need to send things for dry cleaning )

 

 

:)

 

Ha Ha Bell Boy. That's because you like the 'gossip' that radiates in the laundrettes.

[Solent Richard]

Deck 9, where most QG suites are located, has no laudrettes. Whenever I've used the forward one on deck 10 for quick touch up pressing all the machines were in use. There can even be a wait for an iron just before a formal night dinner.

 

To each his her/own. Some will like the socializing in the laudrettes. Others will prefer to pay for the service and spend their time doing otherwise. As somebody who has to deal with an NYC apartment house laundry room I chose the later.

 

There is also a laundrette forward on Deck 8.

 

For the OPs information, the best times to use them are either first thing in the morning - they usually open 5 or 10 minutes ahead of the time stated - or better still 10 minutes before First Sitting.

 

Detergent is free and most of the laundrettes have two steam irons. Do check the faces of the irons before use, some folk just don't know how to use them.

 

Edited January 1, 2016 by Solent Richard

[Docker123]

Can someone please provide clarification on dry cleaning and this link?

 

It seems to be a different process, but best up to 50% wool fabric. My suits are 100% wool.

 

Is there an alternative that works? Thanks

 

https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/fleet/laundry

[LivinginOZ]

Hi Solent Richard,

Thanks for the links to your very detailed and informative blog, Robyn and I enjoyed reading your reports and seeing your pictures.

[HelloKittysMum]

I found the irons and ironing board to be pretty hopeless on our TA in August (after a 3 week road trip) but last week did the hang in steamy shower room and most creases dropped.

[LivinginOZ]

Do you think that I am better off buying an iron in New York and taking it on-board to use in our suite as there seems to be a question-mark over the number and suitability of the irons in the on-board laundries which also appear, from the photos I've seen, not to have power sockets available?

[Underwatr]

At least on paper you're not permitted to bring an iron aboard.

[Solent Richard]

Do you think that I am better off buying an iron in New York and taking it on-board to use in our suite as there seems to be a question-mark over the number and suitability of the irons in the on-board laundries which also appear, from the photos I've seen, not to have power sockets available?

 

At least on paper you're not permitted to bring an iron aboard.

 

As a user of all the facilities in the laundrette on Deck 10 (the nearest to my Queens Grill suite) for 56 days between Southampton and Sydney, I can categorically state that the equipment was just fine.

 

 

If they are good enough for the Captain's wife then they're good enough for me.

[Underwatr]

Last week I did confirm that the top-loading washing machines have been replaced with front-loaders. Otherwise as pictured.

[cruiseluvva]

On our long voyages my husband takes our smalls and sometimes a few T shirts to the laundrette for washing, but we never dry them there. We just hang things up in the bathroom and they dry in no time.

 

Anything that might need ironing after washing, goes to be laundered. I NEVER iron on board!

Edited January 4, 2016 by cruiseluvva

[alanrow]

In reply to Docker123 , the QM2 still offers proper dry cleaning at very good prices .

[Underwatr]

As of a couple of weeks ago at least, in the in-room order form they offer a specialty cleaning process that's a water-based process.

[Bell Boy]

Do you think that I am better off buying an iron in New York and taking it on-board to use in our suite as there seems to be a question-mark over the number and suitability of the irons in the on-board laundries which also appear, from the photos I've seen, not to have power sockets available?

 

LivingOZ, I think you are worrying too much about the suitability of the laundry & ironing facilities onboard QM2.

 

I travel on the Mary at least four times a year ( and many times 40/60 day trips part world, even down to your neck of the woods ;) ) and have no problem with the irons provided.

 

I must confess to being an ironing fanatic, I have to Iron out any creases before I wear anything, not only shirts but pressing out the creases in the seat of my suits etc ...and that often means a trip to the laundry almost every evening at 6pm. ;)