Laundry etiquette for unattended loads

[gallivanter]

We have been on a lot of cruises and we have some clothing that I just don't trust to the ships laundry.  Where possible I will do these items in the launderette.  We almost always seem to run into people who put in a load and then simply vanish.  When the load is done it can sit there for a long time.  My question is if this happens often on Seabourn or how best to handle this situation?  Are there empty carts there where the laundry can be placed?  What amount of time should someone wait until emptying their finished laundry?  There are simply never enough machines to meet the demand no matter what cruise line I've sailed.   Thanks.

[wripro]

This may not be the answer to your question but my advice is to leave at home anything you don't trust the ship's laundry to do. That way you won't worry or have to wait for someone else to clear their load out of the machine.

[Isklaar]

  

I don't use the launderette very often so generally I haven't encountered problems with people not emptying the machines on time, but there are usually some baskets available to place items in if necessary.

I forgot a load in the dryer once and  when I returned to the launderette at least an hour late, someone (crew most likely)  had very kindly unloaded and folded my items very neatly and placed them into one of the baskets.

Personally I'd wait 15 minutes for someone to unload their machine before I emptied it. 

Edited November 23, 2019 by Isklaar

[saminina]

4 hours ago, gallivanter said:

 There are simply never enough machines to meet the demand no matter what cruise line I've sailed.   Thanks.

 

Crystal Serenity would be an exception.  

 

There is no  etiquette in the launderette on SB ships.  Battles can happen and  crew keeps their distance when the oft-dispute occurs.   The newer ships were designed to have no launderette, and the O ships were built and furnished to provide the minimum one would could expect from the cheapest cruise line, minus the slot for coins.  I think Meadows buys into the wripro thinking of no passenger should be doing their own laundry aboard ship. 

 

Yes, the larger ships have installed self service laundry.

 

We do our own......between 10 PM and 5 AM.

 

 

 

[sunshineocean13]

I frequently found unattended, yet complete, loads in both washers and dryers on both Odyssey and Sojourn. I usually waited a few minutes, and then if no one came, put the wet clothes into a laundry basket - if I was lucky enough to find one in the laundry room. I attempted some careful folding of dry clothes, if the owner didn't return. To make sure my wet clothes didn't need to be taken care of by someone else, I always tried to return to the laundry room early. I brought a book to read while I waited, but I also met some interesting people for conversations! We used the ship laundry service for the last two cruises, so I haven't had to experience this lately. I do understand, Gallivanter, that there are clothes you just want to take care of yourself.

[n2wdw]

The etiquette - whether on Seabourn, Crystal, college, the White House, Buckingham Palace -- is the same.  You snooze, you lose.  In other words, if someone is late, you put their stuff in a basket.  Now, I agree with others, I'd wait a few minutes.  But I've done it both ways.  I've put other people's stuff in a basket if they are late (I wait 5+ minutes).  And I've had my stuff put in a basket.  I've never been offended by someone doing that.  After all, we're sharing these machines. If you're the kind of person who does not like other people to touch your stuff, either don't be late, or use the ship's laundry (which by the way people are touching your stuff). 

 

And BTW I would NEVER fold someone else's stuff.  I mean, come on, that's gross, and do you really think they want you to touch their stuff that way?

Edited November 24, 2019 by n2wdw

[gallivanter]

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts here.  I think the  minute rule will apply.  Totally agree with n2wdw that folding someone else's clothes is totally gross.  If we, I would be looking for some rubber gloves to wear...  Personally I believe that if you are going to wash you clothes, be considerate enough to ensure you are there when the timer goes off....

[Isklaar]

2 hours ago, gallivanter said:

Thank you all for sharing your thoughts here.  I think the  minute rule will apply.  Totally agree with n2wdw that folding someone else's clothes is totally gross.  If we, I would be looking for some rubber gloves to wear...  Personally I believe that if you are going to wash you clothes, be considerate enough to ensure you are there when the timer goes off....

 

Fortunately I didn't find it gross as I assumed it was the crew member from housekeeping who had been present initially who had done the folding. However there was no underwear or other 'intimate' type clothing in the load, for me I would certainly have found the folding gross in that case!

Actually this is a very good point in regard to emptying a machine. I would never fold for someone else but wouldn't want to cause discomfort for another guest by simply removing their laundry and placing into a basket. 

[gallivanter]

1 hour ago, Isklaar said:

Actually this is a very good point in regard to emptying a machine. I would never fold for someone else but wouldn't want to cause discomfort for another guest by simply removing their laundry and placing into a basket. 

 

This actually may be more of an touchy ethical question rather than an etiquette one.... Any non-political Ethical Advisors here?

Edited November 24, 2019 by gallivanter

[Isklaar]

1 hour ago, gallivanter said:

 

This actually may be more of an touchy ethical question rather than an etiquette one.... Any non-political Ethical Advisors here?

I'm just relieved not to have to deal with this issue on my forthcoming cruise. Thankfully I won't need to use the launderette this time! 

[fudgbug]

On 11/23/2019 at 12:39 PM, Isklaar said:

  

I don't use the launderette very often so generally I haven't encountered problems with people not emptying the machines on time, but there are usually some baskets available to place items in if necessary.

I forgot a load in the dryer once and  when I returned to the launderette at least an hour late, someone (crew most likely)  had very kindly unloaded and folded my items very neatly and placed them into one of the baskets.

Personally I'd wait 15 minutes for someone to unload their machine before I emptied it. 

Another passenger could have taken out your laundry and folded.  It could have been me. 🙂 🙂

 

[sunshineocean13]

I'm finding the responses to this question interesting. I've never seen a crew member taking out completed laundry from any machines, but I have seen passengers who are waiting for machines do so, frequently, from both the washers and dryers. I think if you are concerned about someone touching your clothing, you might want to be back before it is finished. I thought I was being kind to gently fold, rather than heap it in a basket to emerge later quite wrinkled. (No, I don't think there were any undergarments.) Oh well....

[fudgbug]

On 11/23/2019 at 7:51 PM, n2wdw said:

The etiquette - whether on Seabourn, Crystal, college, the White House, Buckingham Palace -- is the same.  You snooze, you lose.  In other words, if someone is late, you put their stuff in a basket.  Now, I agree with others, I'd wait a few minutes.  But I've done it both ways.  I've put other people's stuff in a basket if they are late (I wait 5+ minutes).  And I've had my stuff put in a basket.  I've never been offended by someone doing that.  After all, we're sharing these machines. If you're the kind of person who does not like other people to touch your stuff, either don't be late, or use the ship's laundry (which by the way people are touching your stuff). 

 

And BTW I would NEVER fold someone else's stuff.  I mean, come on, that's gross, and do you really think they want you to touch their stuff that way?

Folding someone's laundry is better than leaving it all in a heap and getting wrinkled.  If I use the laundry room on a ship, I stay with the laundry, read a book, have a pleasant conversation with someone and often learn a lot.

[sunshineocean13]

8 minutes ago, fudgbug said:

Folding someone's laundry is better than leaving it all in a heap and getting wrinkled.  If I use the laundry room on a ship, I stay with the laundry, read a book, have a pleasant conversation with someone and often learn a lot.

That's my philosophy, too!

[Hoyaheel]

We also sit and wait for the laundry - perhaps running up to a bar for a drink to go with whatever we're reading ;-) Or if I must go attend to something else, I set the timer on my phone and make sure I'm back early to move the clothing.

 

If necessary, I'll wait ~10 minutes to move out of a machine. Which is longer than I wait for an unattended microwave at work during lunch :-)

[tv24]

If there are any tensions in the laundry room, just order up some bubbly to be delivered, strike up a conversation, and all will be well with the world and the laundry!

[Catlover54]

20 hours ago, sunshineocean13 said:

I'm finding the responses to this question interesting. I've never seen a crew member taking out completed laundry from any machines, but I have seen passengers who are waiting for machines do so, frequently, from both the washers and dryers. I think if you are concerned about someone touching your clothing, you might want to be back before it is finished. I thought I was being kind to gently fold, rather than heap it in a basket to emerge later quite wrinkled. (No, I don't think there were any undergarments.) Oh well....

You were indeed being kind.  I would have appreciated it, had I been late to remove my stuff.  Why would anyone be upset about having their clean laundry neatly folded when they are late?  It is *clean* cloth, nothing vile or shameful.

 

I tried doing our own laundry the first couple cruises we took.  But as I was obsessed with being on time ( ugly flashbacks to my youth when I lived in apartments with shared laundry faciIities where  rude people would gleefully  throw  stuff on the floor), I  hated spending precious minutes  in the drab, stuffy, windowless room so as not to inconvenience others.  Cruises already seem too short to do all I want to do on them. The ship laundry prices started looking very reasonable and I now just consider cost of ship laundry a part of the cost of cruising, part of the temporary luxury escape experience.

 

SB laundry prices are a bit inflated per item, (though not as bad as in luxury hotels) but the “all you can stuff” bags are fun and reasonable even if you are paying, and with a low loyalty level you can get them without extra cost. Anything super delicate  either can stay home, like wripro wisely suggested, or can be hand washed with travelers’ Woolite and hung on the laundry line over the tub.  I actually enjoy soaking in the bubble bath playing music and looking up at the gently swaying dainties,  while the ship’s laundry works on the heavier things and then delivers them beautifully ironed or neatly folded into a basket with tissue paper.    😊

 

 

 

[sunshineocean13]

Yes, Catlover54, we now enjoy the challenge of seeing how many items we can stuff in the ship laundry bag. It's actually amazing how many will fit! I'll have to try your bubble bath scenario, maybe with a glass of wine, too?

[Covepointcruiser]

I had forgotten that Seabourn offered the laundry bag.   We will probably use this on our April crossing.   I still have some items that I will wash in the laundry where I can do a cold wash and a light dry.   I believe the machines give you the exact time the wash or dry will take so it is easy to get back to the machine without causing inconvenience to other passengers.

[orvil]

I set a timer on my phone with a few minutes less for travel time back to the laundry.  That seems to work.  If there is a finished load, I put it in the basket.  None of us has an expectation that the machine is ours permanently.  The only time I hesitate is when the wash is finished and needs to go into the dryer.  I'm afraid that I might shrink someone's nighty.  Bottom line, put it in the basket.  I don't expect it to be folded.  Folded is a bonus.

[lvog]

27 minutes ago, orvil said:

I set a timer on my phone with a few minutes less for travel time back to the laundry.  That seems to work.  If there is a finished load, I put it in the basket.  None of us has an expectation that the machine is ours permanently.  The only time I hesitate is when the wash is finished and needs to go into the dryer.  I'm afraid that I might shrink someone's nighty.  Bottom line, put it in the basket.  I don't expect it to be folded.  Folded is a bonus.

Don’t worry about shrinkage. Two weeks of eating and drinking will cause shrinking anyway,.

[firsttimers68]

On 11/26/2019 at 6:40 AM, tv24 said:

If there are any tensions in the laundry room, just order up some bubbly to be delivered, strike up a conversation, and all will be well with the world and the laundry!

What a wonderful idea, and attitude thank you! I've met some wonderful people and had some great conversations in various cruise ship laundry rooms. Off on a cruise soon and hopefully I won't encounter any laundry rom tensions. Really, life's too short to sweat the small stuff!

[MsMermaid]

On 11/23/2019 at 4:35 PM, saminina said:

 

Crystal Serenity would be an exception.  

 

There is no  etiquette in the launderette on SB ships.  Battles can happen and  crew keeps their distance when the oft-dispute occurs.   The newer ships were designed to have no launderette, and the O ships were built and furnished to provide the minimum one would could expect from the cheapest cruise line, minus the slot for coins.  I think Meadows buys into the wripro thinking of no passenger should be doing their own laundry aboard ship. 

 

Yes, the larger ships have installed self service laundry.

 

We do our own......between 10 PM and 5 AM.

 

 

 

The laundry closes at midnight on Ovation, so that would be a little difficult.