Laundry question for a newbie 4 Star Mariner

[kelmac]

My wife and I are headed to the Oosterdam in a couple of weeks.  Since we just earned 4 star status, and we get free laundry; is this unlimited service, or is it a set number of loads?  (Trying to pack ultra lite)

 

Thanks for the info!

Kel

[Alberta Quilter]

Unlimited!

[aliaschief]

A great perk enjoy!

[wesport]

Take clothes that can be stone washed in hot water. 

[shipshapegirl]

Unlimited!  They do a great job and most of the time if it goes out in the morning, you will have it back that night.

[Nodakboiler]

We always ask for cold water wash and low heat dry on each list and haven't had problems other than sometimes trying to get the iron-on tabs off without ripping out seams on lightweight shirts!

[lazey1]

Unlimited, send anything and everything. It all comes back perfectly ironed, on hangers or neatly folded in tissue paper. Best perk ever!

[Native Floridian 26]

2 hours ago, wesport said:

Take clothes that can be stone washed in hot water. 

Just a followup question because of this comment.  On one of our Transatlantic crossings, I can't remember if it was on Princess or NCL, we did the stuff your bag of laundry for $xx.  When we got our laundry back, almost every item lost so many years of life based on the worn/faded/pilled condition.  To this day I can look at a piece of clothing and remember that it "went through the wringer".  Literally!  Is HAL's laundry like this?

[OlsSalt]

37 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

Just a followup question because of this comment.  On one of our Transatlantic crossings, I can't remember if it was on Princess or NCL, we did the stuff your bag of laundry for $xx.  When we got our laundry back, almost every item lost so many years of life based on the worn/faded/pilled condition.  To this day I can look at a piece of clothing and remember that it "went through the wringer".  Literally!  Is HAL's laundry like this?

 

No, HAL takes very good care of its laundered items.

 

Even returning items to you unwashed, if they find a hidden tear or snag that they think might not do well in their laundry process. I have also put things in a net laundry bag I bring along with me, if I think they need extra special treatment.

[Kruising Kathy]

4 star: we were on Nieue Statendam April, 2022, and the laundry did not come back until the second day.  The ship had been occupied by 100 staff members for 2 years during Covid.  Room was only cleaned once per day (interior cabin).  You can send laundry every day if you want, and I take clothes that have been previously washed.  Headed to Rotterdam 7 next month for 30 days, so will be using their laundry.

[REOVA]

Tip: before putting in bag, lay each item on the bed and snap one photo so you know what's in the bag. We have had items "misplaced" and HAL asks to describe it we know what it is.  Over the decades they've only lost 1 item but found others a day later "somewhere". We usually send at least a bag every day (sometimes 2 bags) even on embarkment day. Definitely saves on luggage, especially on longer itineraries. 

[OlsSalt]

As a rule, we always plan on a 2 day turn-around, and are always happy when it often comes back sooner or even on the same day.

 

You can pay extra for expedited laundry, if it is really critical you get it back the same day. 

[Cruise Suzy]

Laundry isn't picked up on the day before disembarkation, so plan accordingly. At least that has been the case on all our cruises. (Not yet 4* but we use OBC from TA to get unlimited laundry.)

[AFNavigator]

11 hours ago, Nodakboiler said:

We always ask for cold water wash and low heat dry on each list and haven't had problems other than sometimes trying to get the iron-on tabs off without ripping out seams on lightweight shirts!

Those laundry tags are like the ones we used to get when deployed overseas.  They can be stubborn buggers to get off.  Sometimes I would miss one and find it months or more later the next time I wore that clothing item.  I wouldn't notice the tag until it started chewing at my neck or ankle like a nasty bug.

[kelmac]

Thanks everyone!  Starting the packing process today.👍

[DaveOKC]

We normally send out the lights and darks on separate days, as one time the whites came back grey!

Last week if we had the laundry out on the bed for the early room makeup, it came back by 8 PM every day.

No service the last day as I recall.

[Cruise NH]

We were just on the Zaandam and Koningsdam, the laundry was fantastic.  I separate the cold water wash from normal wash and send them in separately.  We never had a problem.

 

On the form, after checking off what’s in the bag, I write in big letters ‘Cold Water wash- low dryer heat’.   I never experienced any problems. (I was going to say shrinkage but Seinfeld fans might take that wrong)

[lissie]

4 hours ago, Cruise NH said:

We were just on the Zaandam and Koningsdam, the laundry was fantastic.  I separate the cold water wash from normal wash and send them in separately.  We never had a problem.

 

How do you separate the items that need different treatment. We are doing a cold-water cruise on Zaandam and will  have lots of merino clothing (wool - can't  go in  a dryer). I want those items to come back damp so I can dry them naturally in the cabin. 

[Cruise Suzy]

26 minutes ago, lissie said:

How do you separate the items that need different treatment.

Use more than one bag. Your stewards can supply extras.

[JeffElizabeth]

LOL, free laundry is why we are still cruising on Holland America. 

[OlsSalt]

2 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

LOL, free laundry is why we are still cruising on Holland America. 

 

A beloved perk that makes absolutely no real fiscal sense considering what it takes to actually get to 4 star status, but we love it too.