Surviving the Ship’s Laundry?

[island lady]

3 hours ago, teddie said:

We used the laundry service for a 7-day when our son was a preteen, and for just my husband and I, on 9 and 10-day cruises--but it depends on if we are needing to fly to the port.  Our home port is Bayonne/Cape Liberty, and since we live less than 30 minutes from there, we are able to pack as much stuff as we want. We just returned from an 8-day and did not need to use the laundry. 

 

We that do laundry on the ship (and I am one of them)....will do the combo of hand washing, "boil & fry" (AKA wash and fold), and on rare occasion, send out dry cleaning.  A 10 night or less cruise for us is "a short cruise"....and indeed don't need to do laundry on those either.  

 

Our cruises are B2Bs and longer.  Some weeks at a time, some months at a time even.  Yes, doing laundry is a necessity for us.  

 

 

[crzndeb]

19 minutes ago, island lady said:

Our cruises are B2Bs and longer.  Some weeks at a time, some months at a time even.  Yes, doing laundry is a necessity for us.  

For sure. My laundry needs are quite different for a 14 night cruise (don’t need laundry) to the 54 nights I’m on now. LOL!

 

[island lady]

37 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

For sure. My laundry needs are quite different for a 14 night cruise (don’t need laundry) to the 54 nights I’m on now. LOL!

 

 

Nice! 🥰  Enjoy your cruise, as I am sure you are!  🙂  

 

Which ship, and itinerary?  

[crzndeb]

9 minutes ago, island lady said:

 

Nice! 🥰  Enjoy your cruise, as I am sure you are!  🙂  

 

Which ship, and itinerary?  

Boarded the Ovation in Sydney on Mar 27. Doing a B5B, all the home to Seattle. They are doing the Covid testing today for Consecutive cruisers, and that always makes me anxious. 😩

[LB_NJ]

18 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:IMO worth it to pay for extra luggage if necessary and luggage assistance. Bring what you want on the cruise.

I am not thinking about cost. It is the significant hassle of dealing with all the luggage at a foreign port and fitting it into taxis, etc.  If possible I want to be able to survive with 1 large suitcase, 2 carry on bags, and 2 backpacks.

[Cruise a holic]

Depends on your itinerary.  If that works for you great.  Laundry ok for not good clothes, underwear , tee shirts and anything that will survive a hot dryer, and dry cleaning ok but costly.

[island lady]

15 hours ago, crzndeb said:

Boarded the Ovation in Sydney on Mar 27. Doing a B5B, all the home to Seattle. They are doing the Covid testing today for Consecutive cruisers, and that always makes me anxious. 😩

 

Sweet!  We were supposed to be on Radiance, when RCI cancelled our Aussie adventure (again!) when they decided to send her to NO.  

 

Booked again, but this time with Viking.  24/25 season and staying on in Australia wine country for a month after the cruise.  

 

Would prefer to the TP back to the states...but...eh...this will work also.  😉 

[HappyTexan44]

On 4/2/2023 at 2:33 PM, lovesthebeach2 said:

I’m curious where you get day dresses that you can wash in the sink! Can you share where you get them?

 

Just about all your dresses can be washed in the sink.  It is a very delicate way of washing, so unless the dress says "Dry Clean Only" it can be washed in the sink.  Now it might come out very wrinkled, but that is easy to tell just by looking.   

Sometimes even dry clean only clothes can be washed on cold.  When my daughter was little the kid's resale stores had fancy little girl dresses for dirt cheap, i.e. less than the price of jeans.   I'd wash everything even though most said Dry Clean Only.   Only once did it cause a problem when the dress was silk and it shrunk.   Even then it was only a problem because the lining didn't shrink.   DD would be in the sandbox wearing a taffeta dress, and I had to make a "No sequin clothing in the sandbox" rule.  
 

[chaching]

We were on a B3B on Ovation in February and March and sent our laundry twice plus did hand washing of other clothes. They did an excellent job on the laundry we sent both times! I would recommend it.

 

ChaChing

[lovesthebeach2]

1 hour ago, HappyTexan44 said:

 

Just about all your dresses can be washed in the sink.  It is a very delicate way of washing, so unless the dress says "Dry Clean Only" it can be washed in the sink.  Now it might come out very wrinkled, but that is easy to tell just by looking.   

Sometimes even dry clean only clothes can be washed on cold.  When my daughter was little the kid's resale stores had fancy little girl dresses for dirt cheap, i.e. less than the price of jeans.   I'd wash everything even though most said Dry Clean Only.   Only once did it cause a problem when the dress was silk and it shrunk.   Even then it was only a problem because the lining didn't shrink.   DD would be in the sandbox wearing a taffeta dress, and I had to make a "No sequin clothing in the sandbox" rule.  
 

I was interested in what type of dresses you get. The material must not be cotton, I would think that would be too hard to wash in the sink. So where do you buy your dresses?

[HappyTexan44]

48 minutes ago, lovesthebeach2 said:

I was interested in what type of dresses you get. The material must not be cotton, I would think that would be too hard to wash in the sink. So where do you buy your dresses?

 

Anything that you can wash in a washer, you can wash in the sink.  Cotton is perfectly fine.  

 

[Brianr70]

Would anyone know the cost of laundry service onboard? 

[Ret MP]

1 hour ago, Brianr70 said:

Would anyone know the cost of laundry service onboard? 

www.royalcaribbean.com/content/dam/royal/resources/pdf/laundry-service-price-list.pdf

[Max and Ruby]

On 4/2/2023 at 2:25 PM, orville99 said:

We pack 4 of these to do the same:

 

Hi! Do you pack the magnets in your checked bag or carry on? Just wondering about magnets passing security in airports. Thanks!

[island lady]

4 minutes ago, Max and Ruby said:

Hi! Do you pack the magnets in your checked bag or carry on? Just wondering about magnets passing security in airports. Thanks!

 

I pack mine in the checked luggage.   Have been held up twice for the couple of magnets in my carry on bag...but only at security at the port during check in.  Odd...usually airport security is much more intense.  

[orville99]

1 hour ago, Max and Ruby said:

Hi! Do you pack the magnets in your checked bag or carry on? Just wondering about magnets passing security in airports. Thanks!

Always in checked luggage.

[topnole]

On 4/4/2023 at 2:23 PM, HappyTexan44 said:

 

Anything that you can wash in a washer, you can wash in the sink.  Cotton is perfectly fine.  

 

But the sinks are so small, how could one wash something that doesn’t fit in it?   There is zero chance I could wash a pair of pants in those sinks.  The shower seems a more reasonable place

for that?

[cruiselvr04]

I use a dry bag for large items like pants.  They come in 10L to 20 L sizes. They fold flat in your suitcase and weigh almost nothing.  Toss your clothes in, add water and soap, roll down the top and soak and agitate a little.  

[barbeyg]

On 4/4/2023 at 1:33 PM, lovesthebeach2 said:

I was interested in what type of dresses you get. The material must not be cotton, I would think that would be too hard to wash in the sink. So where do you buy your dresses?

Most of the wrinkle-free dresses I get are rayon or cotton/polyester mix.  Jostar, Korsis, Moskill, Elescat are all brands on Amazon that do not wrinkle.  I've got tops and dresses from them.  They are so inexpensive, but the ones I've bought hold up very well. 

[new_cruiser]

Is there a laundry package? 

Is a by the bag wash and fold service always offered and what is the current charge?

Edited May 5, 2023 by new_cruiser

[new_cruiser]

On 4/25/2023 at 6:59 AM, orville99 said:

Always in checked luggage.

I've packed magnet hooks in my carry-on and TSA hasn't objected. 

 

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/magnets

Edited May 5, 2023 by new_cruiser
add the TSA link on magnets

[island lady]

3 hours ago, new_cruiser said:

I've packed magnet hooks in my carry-on and TSA hasn't objected. 

 

https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/magnets

 

I don't get stopped by TSA, but have been checked at the port terminal security check in.  They check them, and then let me keep them.  

[ReneeFLL]

On 4/2/2023 at 11:48 AM, time4u2go said:

Not sure if you care but your clothes will be washed with other people's clothes, each in their own mesh bag. That bothers some people.

Isn’t everything washed with other people’s things or things used by others? Napkins, sheets, towels? What do they do then?

[ReneeFLL]

On 4/25/2023 at 11:34 AM, barbeyg said:

Most of the wrinkle-free dresses I get are rayon or cotton/polyester mix.  Jostar, Korsis, Moskill, Elescat are all brands on Amazon that do not wrinkle.  I've got tops and dresses from them.  They are so inexpensive, but the ones I've bought hold up very well. 

Aren’t the rayon and polyester fabrics hotter to wear? They seem like it to me or is it just me?

[barbeyg]

1 hour ago, ReneeFLL said:

Aren’t the rayon and polyester fabrics hotter to wear? They seem like it to me or is it just me?

Not the dresses I buy, which are short sleeve or sleeveless. I buy them because they can literally be rolled up in the luggage and never look wrinkled.