Laundry on Celebrity - $ saving tips?

[CanWeGoYet?]

I just changed my booking to a Celebrity transatlantic cruise, after the transatlantic I had booked on Carnival was canceled by their cruise line.

 

I hate to sound cheap, but I guess I am! I've read reviews from people complaining of laundry costs being 200-300 on their sea pass. :eek:

I'm used to doing my own laundry onboard, and being as this is a 14 day cruise I will not be able to pack enough to avoid laundry. Do they offer a bag of laundry special for a flat fee like they do on some other cruise lines? I'm wondering since they pretty much have a captive audience with no self serve laundry, especially on the longer cruises.

 

Also have a question on the mini-bar, how much do the bottles cost? We have a CC cabin, I looked into the gift dept. but Baileys or brandy are not available for purchase.

[JanineM]

I always send laundry out and just can't imagine how one could spend $200-$300 on a sailing ... Those people must be cleaning everything they brought at least twice! Last time we sailed I sent out about 2 shirts & 2 pairs of dockers for laundering, plus a pair of dress pants and a blouse for dry cleaning. I think the bill was about $23.

 

They do offer the "all you can stuff in this paper bag" deal for about $20 later in the sailing. You can also bring along a small bottle of detergent and take care of a lot of the small stuff in your cabin. That would save a few bucks! Otherwise, just pack things that don't crease easily and don't show dirt. Silk is bad, cotton is good. White is bad, prints that hide stains are good. And those Tide pens help with a multitude of sins!

 

Can't help you with the mini bar, we didn't use it.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Thanks, Janine. That is reassuring. I will pick up some tide pens, and certainly revert to "vacation standards" on what must be laundered. Can see that the main culprit will be DS, who can change outfits 3 times a day and want everything laundered even though he only wore it for an hour.

[dkjretired]

I don't send dry cleaning out at home prior to going on board. I have it done on the ship. Prices are equal to at home and everything is nice and neat. I have never seen anyone on these boards complain about a $200 to $300 bill.

[hajekfam]

That stuff a bag special that is offered to all passengers is offered on the next to last full day of the cruise as an "extend your vacation - bring you clothes home clean" special.

The cost was about $30 on our transatlantic in December last year.

[CanWeGoYet?]

I don't send dry cleaning out at home prior to going on board. I have it done on the ship. Prices are equal to at home and everything is nice and neat. I have never seen anyone on these boards complain about a $200 to $300 bill.

 

It may not have been on this board, but I did see it somewhere.

 

Celebrity Cruise Lines - Cruisemates Reader's Cruise Reviews

 

A longish review, #5 under Laundry and Workout Facilities/ Spa.

[CanWeGoYet?]

That stuff a bag special that is offered to all passengers is offered on the next to last full day of the cruise as an "extend your vacation - bring you clothes home clean" special.

The cost was about $30 on our transatlantic in December last year.

 

$30 isn't bad, if the stuff a bag special is offered early enough for us to do it (we are disembarking a day early) I'll want to take advantage of it - we are staying on in England for 2 days before we fly back, clean clothes are good!

 

I can do a load or 2 of laundry a day between me and my son - it won't be sheets & towels on board at least - but with the way he goes through laundry I can see how it could really add up.

[JanineM]

It may not have been on this board, but I did see it somewhere.

 

Celebrity Cruise Lines - Cruisemates Reader's Cruise Reviews

 

A longish review, #5 under Laundry and Workout Facilities/ Spa.

 

That was one cranky lady! So I can see how she racked up the charges ~ but still don't see how she got to $200 ... but I digress ... We also work out every day, but I just rinse our stuff out with my little bottle of laundry detergent and hang it in the shower. I generally bring enough workout stuff to last for about 5 days, and wind up washing things out once. (Although we pretend to work out every day, we really wind up skipping at least a couple of days!). That in-shower laundry line comes in handy!

[sheeng]

Yes, one cranky lady! If you travel and work out a lot then it pays to invest in lightweight, quick dry athletic clothing. Two sets each is plenty. I take a few plastic clothes pegs so I can fit each of our sets on the one short line in the shower stall. We each wash our own while showering. We use the Celebrity shampoo in the dispenser. Works well for us.

[Lsimon]

In the past they've had a bag of laundry coupon for Select or Elite Captains Club members (5+ and 10+ prior cruise credits) for $20 or $15. They always offer it to everyone at the end of the cruise but probably for delivery on "packing day" - the day before disembarkation for $25 or $30. On some long cruises they've also offered it around the mid point of the cruise. We've used the coupon on a couple of trips. It is good for laundry only, not dry cleaning, and on some trips it did not include any pressing nor hangers - items came back neatly folded in a paper sack - so if you need pressing you better ask first. I've tallied up what we were able to stuff in the bag and it usually comes out to between $40 and $50 at regular prices - although regular prices include pressing and hangers for appropriate items like shirts and pants. There is a price list on Celebrity's web site.

 

On our longer cruises in Europe, where we've had longer pre-cruise stays, we typically do a fair amount of laundry. I guess there is just more need as opposed to the Caribbean where we're wearing beach/pool clothes during the day and are less concerned with how neat they look. We often have a lot of dressy items pressed on embarkation after they've been in our suitcase for several days, a few items dry cleaned and a bunch of items laundered both with and without the bag of laundry special during the rest of the cruise. I doubt if we've passed $100 although we might have on our last cruise - a 14 day TA with several days in Barcelona pre-cruise. Seems like I was always spilling something and we were sending something out for laundry almost every day.

[barryod]

I agree with Janine and Sheeng.....some"cranky lady". So much money for cleaning work-out clothes sounds crazy to me. Unless you're working-out a whole bunch. Now that I think about it, when I read that woman's review, she did mention that father and son worked-out and based on her not having one positive thing to say in her review, maybe father and son spent a lot of time in the gym for a reason. Just my opinion.

 

Barry

[pcur]

We just got back from a 15 night cruise, and we've done a b2b that was 22 days long. Here are my suggestions:

 

First of all, you're only going to perspire in workout clothes. They technically aren't getting dirty, and if you shower every day they don't have to be washed every time you use them. Let's face it: if you're a woman, there's only one place on your body that you're REALLY worried about, right?

 

Pantyliners.

 

Put the workout clothes on the little knobs on the inside of the bathroom door, or lay them over the chair in the cabin, and they will be dry in a few hours.

 

As mentioned above, take several sets.

 

Pack your workout clothes, undies, socks, and jammies in Packmate bags. These are the bags you roll the air out of, and you can fit double the clothes in there. I took almost 2 dozen pairs of panties for my 15 night cruise.

 

DH takes his oldest socks and undies, wears them, throws them away, and buys a new supply at a Walmart somewhere along the cruise. We also pack his in Packmate bags.

 

The only time we've ever used the laundry service on board ship was on our really long cruises. We sent out several pairs of pants for DH, and I spilled food on a top of mine.

 

I hang our clothes multiples to one hanger and take tops that can be worn during the day and also in the dining room on casual nights. All my dressy clothes are separates that can be mix 'n match with other clothes: long black skirt, black pants, etc.

 

By the way, I am very fussy about my clothes, so I take a lot of them, but lightweight so I can take more. Anything I pack has to coordinate with at least two other tops or bottoms.

 

Laundry is a rarity for us on a cruise.

[nothriver]

I'm used to doing my own laundry when I travel and I guess I'm more worried about trusting someone else to do the laundry than I am paying.

 

I'll be planning my wardrobe carefully. I like poly knits, like the Chico's Travelers type materials. The poly blends can be washed in the sink or at the least easliy spot treated and they dry quickly - this is especially important in humid climates. Plus the poly knits are lightweight, take up little room in the suitcase and don't need ironed. I like to make sure everything can mix and match too so if one item is soiled everything else can still be worn in different combinations.

 

No matter how carefully I plan, I'm sure I'll need to send my kids clothes to be laundered, however!

[atb]

We just returned from the Infinity Panama Canal Cruise - 16-days. I always take enough undies for the trip - but this was SOOO HOT. I do pack a few of the big (2-gallon) zip loc bags and a little bottle of my laundry detergent (allergies). Undies, socks, hankies - I did in the sink, using the big zip lock baggies it's like having your own washing machine, and they were dry by the next day.

I also sent out shirts and pants to the laundry - twice. 15 garments each time for an average price of $35 each time. I worked out every day - DH not so much. We packed to come home with about half clean and half dirty, so could have managed a post-cruise stay.

By the way - although the shirts and pants are light weight - they do need pressing.

[CanWeGoYet?]

I agree with Janine and Sheeng.....some"cranky lady"..... when I read that woman's review, she did mention that father and son worked-out and based on her not having one positive thing to say in her review, maybe father and son spent a lot of time in the gym for a reason. Just my opinion.

 

Barry

 

:D you might have a point. But despite all the complaints, I did get some useful info out of the review. Not that I'll be booking a suite on the sky deck any time soon!

[CanWeGoYet?]

I am planning on bringing some woolite or even dove dishwashing soap - it doubles pretty well for rinsing out items in a sink. I'm going to bring some clothes pins or the suction cup hooks to hang things up in the bathroom. What about trying to make use of the balcony to set a couple things out to dry - or am I likely to be losing my laundry into the atlantic!? :p Don't laugh, I haven't had a room with a veranda before so no past experience.

 

I was thinking about discreetly hanging up an item or two with a hanger onto a deck chair, or low on the inside of the railing - not intending make a mess of the balcony with underthings strung visibly all over.

[Napi's Mom]

I am planning on bringing some woolite or even dove dishwashing soap - it doubles pretty well for rinsing out items in a sink. I'm going to bring some clothes pins or the suction cup hooks to hang things up in the bathroom. What about trying to make use of the balcony to set a couple things out to dry - or am I likely to be losing my laundry into the atlantic!? :p Don't laugh, I haven't had a room with a veranda before so no past experience.

 

I was thinking about discreetly hanging up an item or two with a hanger onto a deck chair, or low on the inside of the railing - not intending make a mess of the balcony with underthings strung visibly all over.

There IS a washline in the shower that you can run across, only problem is our stuff never got dry in the bathroom, except the swim clothes. I've noticed in some of the passengers photos some people hang their clothes on the backs of chairs on the balcony, can even use the hangers, but would make sure they're not out at night, they move pretty fast sometimes, and wind can come up too:confused:

[greydog]

 

DH takes his oldest socks and undies, wears them, throws them away, and buys a new supply at a Walmart somewhere along the cruise.

 

 

Hey, that was my SECRET strategy you just shared with everyone!;) I also bring the quick-dry workout sets and wash as needed in sink. Clothespin clips are a good idea. We also use the 'stuff-a-bag' special. The more we have cruised, the less we now pack. Happy Sailing.

[Lsimon]

We generally hang our swimsuits on a chair on the balcony to dry. The backs of the chairs on most celebrity ships are perfect - you'll see why when you look. We got some beach towel clips that work great - try googling these or the term "boca clip" which is one brand. They are designed to clip towels to a beach chair so they clip around the metal tube frame of the chairs so stuff won't blow off.

[CanWeGoYet?]

Great tips everyone! I'll have to google the Boca clips, sounds like a very good idea.

[CrazyAboutCruise]

this is my seventh cruise and I never send out for laundry. Same when I am on vacation or business trip abroad.

 

Main reason? I don't trust the laundry service. They wash everybody's clothes together, do you want your clothes to be washed with strangers'?

 

For the same reason I don't use dry cleaning service either, I know someone that owns a dry cleaning store, if you only see how they re-use the solution.... yuks

 

I have very high-end washer dryer that can do all hand-wash items. Most dry cleaning only clothes too, most people don't realize that is perfectly fine to hand wash most clothes that are labelled dry-cleaning only. Even my suits!

 

There are exeptions of course, woven cashmere sweater and coats can not be washed. I have a steamer that I use, or I take them to very high-end dry cleaner.

 

When I am on cruise or trips I always hand wash the clothes. If I didn't bring enough to change I will just buy locally as those usually are best for the local climate anyway. This is exactly what I did in a recent trip to China. I only brought half of what I need and bought a lot of clothes locally. Luckily I did this as none of the clothes I brought from Canada was suitable for the local climate.

 

So along this line of thinking I always have extra room in my luggage for the extra clothes I buy which also serve as souvenir. To make room in my luggage, I never bring any snorkeling equipment. They are heavy and difficult to carry around, not worth the savings, I rather rent. Besides, most snorkeling tour that require a boat always include the equipment anyway.

 

I find in the end it was cheaper to buy than to wash! But that is just me, for a woman. Can't say for a man.

 

As for pressing. Roll your clothes in your luggage. Hang them immediately as you arrive in your stateroom. If it wrinkled a bit, hang it in the bathroom and let the steam from the shower do its work. I chose my fabric carefully which I normally do at home anyway so I never need pressing also. Remember if you lay your clothes flat to dry then it will not wrinkle. For delicate fabrick, try laying them flat on a towel to dry :)

[Michele Noel]

On a transatlantic, I washed socks for DH and myself and hung them on the veranda to dry overnight. In the morning they were all crusted with salt. Oh well, wash them again. Then they took three days to dry in the cabin. I finally put a few at a time on the top of the refrigerator which had a warm top. It was a real pain, next long cruise I will go for the bag of clothes at the end. For me, washing is easy, drying is never ending.

[Lsimon]

... I don't trust the laundry service. They wash everybody's clothes together, do you want your clothes to be washed with strangers'?...

 

...I never bring any snorkeling equipment. They are heavy and difficult to carry around, not worth the savings, I rather rent. Besides, most snorkeling tour that require a boat always include the equipment anyway...

 

OK no offense but... let me get this straight: You wouldn't want to wear clothes that have been cleaned in the same laundry as a strangers clothes, BUT you don't mind sticking a snorkel in your mouth that was used by countless strangers and cleaned by unknown means by a deck-hand on some boat or some guy working in a small beach shack?

 

Sorry but I just don't get it. While I can appreciate the economic issues some folks have I've never worried about hygiene of items cleaned in the same laundry.

 

Even after thinking about your post I still have no issue having my clothes cleaned in the ship's laundry but I do carry at least my own snorkel & mask - although I will wear rental & excursion fins.

[usha]

OK no offense but... let me get this straight: You wouldn't want to wear clothes that have been cleaned in the same laundry as a strangers clothes, BUT you don't mind sticking a snorkel in your mouth that was used by countless strangers and cleaned by unknown means by a deck-hand on some boat or some guy working in a small beach shack?

 

Sorry but I just don't get it. While I can appreciate the economic issues some folks have I've never worried about hygiene of items cleaned in the same laundry.

 

Even after thinking about your post I still have no issue having my clothes cleaned in the ship's laundry but I do carry at least my own snorkel & mask - although I will wear rental & excursion fins.

Larry, I was thinking that, but I'm glad you said it.:cool:

[dkjretired]

Larry, I was thinking that, but I'm glad you said it.:cool:

 

Same here...