cost of laundry on 14 day Oosterdam

[sunviking90]

1 hour ago, FLCruiser97 said:

Do you think you can get 20-25 items into one of the laundry bags. Is it a paper bag or cloth?

This is what we got in ours. We rolled everything and shoved the smaller items down the sides. It’s cloth with a draw string at the top. 
 

Edited December 16, 2023 by sunviking90

[0106]

6 hours ago, FLCruiser97 said:

Do you think you can get 20-25 items into one of the laundry bags.

Two long sleeved dress shirts, two short sleeved dress shirt, three pair jeans, three yoga pants, one athlete shorts, one tshirt ( not shown, folded in basket undergarments and socks).

[FLCruiser97]

Thanks. I think I can live with that.

[crystalspin]

Duplicate post! Written on the previous page so I couldn't see it had posted...

Edited December 16, 2023 by crystalspin

[crystalspin]

6 hours ago, FLCruiser97 said:

Do you think you can get 20-25 items into one of the laundry bags. Is it a paper bag or cloth?

Cloth bag, about the size of a travel (not neck) pillow case. There is no restriction on what you may put in the bag (as above illustrations show), unlike RCI where you can put only soft goods (undies/tshirts/PJs) in the small paper bag.

 

A bag half way through the cruise was our method up until we now will have laundry included. By the bag is the most economical FOR THE LAUNDRY, but you must pack enough clothes to have that many dirty at once, plus two days for the laundry to get back to you. So if you're flying on an airline that charges for checked luggage, you may find you have to do the math. As well as struggling with your suitcases!

 

I know I'm looking at much smaller baggage with the unlimited, now.

[FLCruiser97]

Yes. That makes sense with the smaller luggage. So on a 25-day cruise with 8 days post cruise land, I can pack much less knowing I can send clothes to laundry a few times. 

[crystalspin]

It occurs to me that Unlimited Laundry is like a Beverage Package: You may not get your "money's worth" in dollars, but it improves your vacation, not having to think about it!

 

ETA: Unlike Beverage Packages, everyone does need to buy their own! One Laundry Package per cabin!

 

Edited December 16, 2023 by crystalspin

[FLCruiser97]

4 minutes ago, crystalspin said:

It occurs to me that Unlimited Laundry is like a Beverage Package: You may not get your "money's worth" in dollars, but it improves your vacation, not having to think about it!

Yes, I did the math. For my cruise the unlimited laundry package is $262.50. I don't think I will need that much laundry done. 

[FLCruiser97]

I think by the bag will be more cost effective for me.

[Bill B]

2 hours ago, crystalspin said:

ETA: Unlike Beverage Packages, everyone does need to buy their own! One Laundry Package per cabin!

 

A family of four could certainly get their money's worth, but most 'solo' cruisers won't have that much laundry.

[Haljo1935]

4 hours ago, FLCruiser97 said:

I think by the bag will be more cost effective for me.

And if you do want to change from per bag to unlimited, you can do that.

I also send everything out at the end so I have only 1 change of dirties to wash once home - makes unpacking so easy.

[crystalspin]

4 hours ago, crystalspin said:

ETA: Unlike Beverage Packages, everyone does need to buy their own! One Laundry Package per cabin!

I guess everyone figured out I meant "everyone does NOT need to buy their own" laundry package.

[Petronillus]

5 hours ago, crystalspin said:

It occurs to me that Unlimited Laundry is like a Beverage Package: You may not get your "money's worth" in dollars, but it improves your vacation, not having to think about it!

You've nailed it. Like you, the real point of the beverage package is the carefree spirit it gives me of ordering what I want when I want without giving a thought to the cost. Especially true of the elite package, but on our last cruise, when we had the $11/drink signature package, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I wasn't charged extra for a rusty nail nor for a double!

[FlaMariner]

The business case for unlimited laundry for us....(before 4*s)....taking a carry on and backpack only:

 

Delta checked baggage fee:  $30 bag x 2 bags x round trip = $120

Longshoreman tip fee at Port Everglades:  $10

Total cost to bring big suitcase w/no laundry:  $130

Total cost of laundry @ $9/day x 7 = $63 (or whatever it costs now)

Savings from using HAL laundry:  $67

 

Now that we are 4*'s (FREE LAUNDRY!!!) and take longer cruises (retired), the business case is not only more positive but includes many other benefits:

 

• can take trains in Europe easily (5 days pre cruise in Europe means a carry on and boarding the ship with dirty clothes for day 1 laundry service)
• can easily maneuver thru early dis-embarkation
• can easily react to cancelled/delayed flight issues (luggage is not in the cargo hold of the plane or "in transit" in ATL when things go south)
• less likely to need chiro/ortho doctor after cruise
• no tipping of porters (don't need them)
• easily unpack and pack
• arrive home with mostly clean clothes

I realize YMMV and glad we have options.

 

Enjoy the ship laundry.....and the journey.

 

 

 

[Jilliebean28]

On 12/15/2023 at 3:36 PM, kazu said:

 

You can buy it now by logging in and then choose packages.  Under packages, you will see laundry and you can purchase.

 

You can also purchase it once on board.  whichever suits you the best - either can be done.  Hope this helps.

Thank you so much!  I found it.

[Smartology]

Just checked and our 22-day South America/Antarctica cruise has a laundry package for $187 per cabin. Spending about 5 days in Buenos Aires and 5 days in Santiago. Pays to do laundry bag when needed for us as we'll be gone a month. We're old geezers so not hitting the gym with two sets of soaking clothes per day. You're right, HA does a very nice job with their laundry service!

[AnneandChris]

On some cruiselines they run a cheap "laundry special", usually about half way through the cruise. Does Oosterdam ever do this?

[crystalspin]

11 minutes ago, AnneandChris said:

On some cruiselines they run a cheap "laundry special", usually about half way through the cruise. Does Oosterdam ever do this?

The more-economical by-the-bag option is always available. The bag is medium-size and cloth, and you can get a LOT in it. The cost recently reported range from $20-30, I believe. Some of the reports are in this thread?

 

See my longer description in post #30 above.

[gddo]

Does anyone know if you can have laundry done on the day you board?  If so, when will it be done?  

[RuthC]

18 minutes ago, gddo said:

Does anyone know if you can have laundry done on the day you board?  If so, when will it be done?  

Yes, I have done it a few times, as in when I was on a land tour first. Or, when time got away from me and I didn't have time to do all the laundry before packing. 

It was usually returned faster, since most people aren't sending laundry the first day. I send it that night, and get it back the next day. 

[Haljo1935]

58 minutes ago, gddo said:

Does anyone know if you can have laundry done on the day you board?  If so, when will it be done?  

I call for pick up as soon as I drop my bags in my cabin and usually have it fairly early the next day. If I travel before getting on the ship, as we did recently spending 3 days in Rome prior to boarding NS, we will have those dirties to send out and put them in carry on so we're not waiting for them. They typically are picked up while we're out exploring the ship and having lunch.

[Shelerich]

On 12/15/2023 at 2:42 PM, Petronillus said:

We have always relied on the by-the-bag flat fee option. I'm always impressed at the amount of laundry I manage to cram into that bag. And somehow there's always room for "one more thing."

The service is astonishingly quick and top-quality (depending on your expectations, of course!). You can even specify whether you want the laundry folded or put on hangers. Unfortunately, in my experience, you can't say to use hangers with the dress shirts and trousers, for instance, and fold the rest; so, you get your underwear back on individual hangers.

On our last cruise I noticed that the washing comes back including a small card identifying by name the crew member who handled your laundry. Nice personal touch. Like "Your tax dollars at work," it helps put a name (if not a face) on where our crew-appreciation gratuities are going.

YES!!!!  I agree completely.  You can squeeze a heck of a lot in that blue laundry bag and its only $30 (or is it $35 now?)  My husband and I have done 2 x14 day cruises and only did 3 bag loads for each trip  (we travelled with large backpacks and no huge suitcases!).  

[crystalspin]

14 minutes ago, Shelerich said:

You can squeeze a heck of a lot in that blue laundry bag and its only $30 (or is it $35 now?)

Latest reports are $25/bag non-European, $35/bag on any cruise that touches Europe.

 

My take is that the by-the-bag option is most economical ON THE SHIP, but unlimited lets you pack less so if a passenger is paying for checked bags, it may balance out.

[Petronillus]

3 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Latest reports are $25/bag non-European, $35/bag on any cruise that touches Europe.

We're just back from an Asian cruise on the Westerdam. The bags are as capacious as ever, our charge was only $25, and the service was quick and top-notch. By all reports, this is one area where HAL outshines the competition, even competitors at higher price points.

[agathasmum]

Just off Oosterdam South America cruise. We did the laundry bag at $35 (I think ) per bag. The bag is fabric and you can cram an awful lot of clothes in it! Large items come back on hangers, smaller items are folded, wrapped in tissue and presented in a basket. It usually came back the next day.

Our next cruise we will bring fewer clothes and make better use of the laundry service 🙂