Washing laundry in Port Cities

[Tessis2cool]

In one of our port cities that we will be stopping in I am familiar with the area and I was hoping to take some laundry to a local laundromat to do. It would be a limited amount that I would take in a beach bag. I also plan to wash some items in my room. Is there any unforseeable issue to taking laundry off the ship if it doesn't get rolled out in a suitcase? A fellow cruiser said to be aware of taking a suitcase off the ship and bringing it back on. Honestly I hadn't planned to take a suitcase and since I am new to cruising I didn't think about doing laundry off the ship as being an issue. I am from this area too and have family nearby.  I am taking a 3 week cruise so I am trying to minimize what I bring and rewash items if/when needed.

[Ferry_Watcher]

Many cruise lines offer a 'fill a bag' laundry promotion half way thru the cruise, which may be more economical, at least if time is more valuable than money.  Hand washing in your bathroom sink is an option for underwear, and maybe easy care shirts/tops.  We have done that using magnets over the bathtub to hang the wet shirts.   You could use the laundry promotion to wash heavier items like pants, jeans, etc.

 

If you are on a cruise for weeks, then I would suggest just buying the laundry package.  It makes those longer cruises that much more enjoyable.

[crystalspin]

5 hours ago, Tessis2cool said:

I am taking a 3 week cruise so I am trying to minimize what I bring and rewash items if/when needed.

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

What line are you sailing with?

[Tessis2cool]

Thank you! I know about the special promotions and the bag is really small not that I intend to wash heavy items. In case of an emergency spill, my husband can't fit a lot into a paper bag that I see people showing. I didn't know if there would be a laundry package offered. I don't dry some of my clothes, I hand dry them so that is my preference for some items to be washed by myself. We are sailing on Norwegian Encore. I do know we will receive one free wash and then a bag for $29.00.

[john watson]

You can take things off and on cruise ships. In this respect you could purchase a suitcase ashore if you needed to take home your purchases from ports of call. Therefore if you take a suitcase off why can you not bring it back. The only problem I see is they might think you are prematurely disembarking. I should think the best plan is to ask the cruise line if they have a problem with your plan. They scan all thing brought on board at every port.

 

Regards John

[Ferry_Watcher]

On 2/26/2024 at 2:43 PM, Tessis2cool said:

I am taking a 3 week cruise so I am trying to minimize what I bring and rewash items if/when needed.

 

Honestly, I would price out the unlimited laundry package (assuming that NCL offers one).  This past October we did a 26 day TP / Circle Japan just with a 22 inch carry-on bag each, and a small shoulder bag.  We paid for HAL's unlimited laundry package ($171 I think), and it was the best money we spent.  We sent clothes out nearly every day, and it was just so convenient not to worry about having fresh clothes, and not having drying laundry in the shower/bath or hanging in the corners of the stateroom.  Even my DH, who was willing to do the washing and hanging up was happy that we went the laundry package.

 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Ferry_Watcher said:

Honestly, I would price out the unlimited laundry package (assuming that NCL offers one). 

NCL does not offer an unlimited laundry package.

[Ferry_Watcher]

12 hours ago, njhorseman said:

NCL does not offer an unlimited laundry package.

 

Thanks for letting us know.   We were so happy and spoiled to have had HAL's laundry package on our extended cruise.  It really was a game changer, especially being able to travel lightly.  

[Hlitner]

Over the years we have helped folks find laundromats in some European ports (Civitavecchia quickly comes to mind) but I honestly think it makes little sense.  Consider that you are paying a lot of money to be on a cruise vacation, have limited time in the ports, and one has a few options when it comes to laundry.  1.  Simply pack more clothes!  Even if you need to pay the airline for an additional bag, so what!  The time you waste messing with laundry in a port if likely more valuable.  2.  Just pay the cruise line to launder the few items that you MUST have.  

 

A third option was mentioned to us by a lady (on HAL) who had "a thing" about letting anyone launder her unmentionables.  Her solution was to bring along all her older items, use them first, and throw them out!  She said another benefit was that throwing away those older "unmentionables" lightened up her luggage so she could buy new stuff :).  I might add that this lady takes the full world cruise.

 

Hank

[hallux]

On 2/27/2024 at 12:13 PM, Tessis2cool said:

my husband can't fit a lot into a paper bag that I see people showing

I'm a big guy, I wear XL and XXL clothes.  I fit 9 days of clothes (and then some) into one of those bags.  9 boxers, 9 pair of socks, 4 polos, 6 T-shirts (including one long-sleeve), a pair of slacks and a pair of cargo shorts.  I wouldn't say I'm an expert (it was my first time sending laundry out) but I feel I did a nice job getting those in. This was in a bag on NCL.  Being Gold (at the time, made Platinum that cruise which moves me to free bag of laundry) it cost me $15 at half price, the laundry comes back in 2 days.