Free Elite Laundry

[denmarks]

How long does it take for laundry to be returned? Is it worth using to save packing space for underwear on a 15 day cruise? I would still have to bring about 10 days worth and wash when 5 have been used. Doesn't seem worth the trouble.

[4cats4me]

We’ve always gotten our laundry back within 24-36 hrs  on cruises when the ship has approx 10% Elites or less. Cruises with lots of Elites, the laundry can take a minimum of 72 hours and passengers will receive a notice in their staterooms on embarkation. 

 

[cr8tiv1]

On a recent cruise, there were 600 (out of 2500) Elite.  A note in the cabin said laundry would take 72 (3 days) hours to be returned.  I sent out laundry every 3-4 days on a 15 day cruise.  Got it back in 2 (sometimes 36 hours).  I still took too much clothes.  Cross my fingers, so far I've had no problems with my clothes.

[katisdale]

How long it takes is dependent upon how many other elites are on the ship. On our recent 49 day Royal Princess it took 4 to 5 days for return. This was due to the high number of elites on the cruise. On a standard 7 day in the Caribbean it was only 2 days. I send stuff out every 2 to 3 days to have a constant return of clean clothes.

[denmarks]

What is the minimum reasonable amount of clothes to submit? Would one pair of pants and a shirt be too little?

[katisdale]

As little or as much as you want.

[NavyVeteran]

Send out whatever you want whenever you want. If you want to minimize your packing, you may want to send out some every day.

 

I usually send out the laundry in the evening instead of in the morning. If you send it out in the morning, it may take an extra day if your steward doesn't get it delivered to the laundry early enough - even if you have it out in time. I normally bathe and change in the evening before dinner, so there's no reason to keep the laundry until the next morning. I leave it on my bed when I go to dinner, and I don't have to worry what time it's picked up.

[patrickmoran]

On our recent Crown TA it was 60 hours. One  load came back quicker and one load later. I bring detergent in case of an emergency at the end of the cruise. That worked out well this trip.

[candide333]

I am on the Royal Princess and the laundry is returned in two days. 

[denmarks]

Do they put a laundry mark on your clothes or just have separate labeled mesh bags?

[skynight]

Looks like you are on a 15 day Hawaii in December 2019. Hawaii cruises tend to have maybe 300 to 400 Elites. Turn around can be two to three days. You can send a bag every day if you want, or you can send multiple bags at one time. Most clothing is returned ironed, on hangers and hung in the closet. When you remove the clothing from the wire hangers place them out and your cabin steward will remove them. Each piece, some exceptions like socks, is tagged with a number. The tag can be removed, it is kind of stuck on. Items like underwear and socks are returned in a paper bag, the same kind of bag you send in. Toward the end of the cruise there will be a cut off day, maybe three or four days before disembarkation. You cabin steward will know. When you board there will not be enough laundry bags and tickets in your cabin for a 15 day cruise. Just ask for more from the cabin steward.

[memoak]

Usually 2-3 days I have rarely seen it take longer - we send out a bag every 2 days or so (depends on how lazy we are)

[satxdiver]

We now go on longer cruises than the more standard 7 day.  As a result there are more elite aboard.  Last few cruises the laundry was returned in 2 or 3 days.  There was a note in our cabin addressing the issue and stating that turnaround for laundry was x days.  Having seen where they clean pax laundry, I can understand about the volume impacting the turnaround time. If you have never done the UST, it is real eye opening. 

[paul929207]

There are more and more Elites sailing these days. It is not uncommon to have 1000 or 1200 on a cruise. It really depends on the itinerary. 49 days around South America brought out well over 1000. Go to Alaska and we had 30 on one cruise.

[cr8tiv1]

First time this has ever happened to me.  My steward stopped me to say that the ties to the mesh bags with undies had come off on two passengers' laundry.  He would send someone with my laundry to identify.  I know the items were clean, but .... I gingerly removed mine without touching "theirs".  The glued on tags are sometimes very stubborn.  Be careful how you removed them.  Hopefully, the "ink" will not stain light colored items.  

[Musky Ike]

3 hours ago, denmarks said:

Do they put a laundry mark on your clothes or just have separate labeled mesh bags?

They hide a cute little tag that you find later at home and smile.

[geoherb]

When we took our transatlantic cruise on the Royal last fall, it took 2-3 days for laundry to be returned. I would send out a few pieces every other day. Even with our six nights in England beforehand, I never came close to running out of clean underwear and socks. 

[Kate P.C]

It takes about two days, depending on how many elites there are. I always make sure to bring just enough for 7 days cruises, but for longer ones I have to send them to the laundry.

[bemis12]

Could they decrease the wait times by restricting the people that overuse them by sending laundry out every day or every other day?

[paul929207]

I think more of a problem is those who send out laundry for non-Elite friends and families.

[kywildcatfanone]

17 hours ago, denmarks said:

How long does it take for laundry to be returned? Is it worth using to save packing space for underwear on a 15 day cruise? I would still have to bring about 10 days worth and wash when 5 have been used. Doesn't seem worth the trouble.

No more than 2 days.  If they are terribly busy, they will give you a card to state that it will take longer.

[pms4104]

2 hours ago, paul929207 said:

I think more of a problem is those who send out laundry for non-Elite friends and families.

Sadly, at some point, everyone ends up paying for the abuse ... either from longer turnarounds or a change in benfits offeref by Princess

[memoak]

15 hours ago, Musky Ike said:

They hide a cute little tag that you find later at home and smile.

and they itch (the tags that is)

[UT-Volsfan]

As mentioned, cruises with large numbers of Elite take much longer. Our last two trans Atlantic cruises had over 1200 Elite on board and a 5 day turn around on laundry was routine.  When we boarded we were told it would take 72 hours on each cruise, but took considerably longer. We always take one or two laundry pods to use if we get desperate.

[Micahs Grandad]

Our next one is our first as Elite and disappointing to see how long. We have done a lot on Carnival who starts giving free laundry at 70 days and they still manage same day if given to steward early in the morning.