Why is there no self-laundry on board RC ships?

[carpecruising]

In these days of more and more luggage restrictions/surcharges in air travel one has to pack light.

 

On RC itinaries one finds more sea days as in the past as the vessels seem to go at a slower speed (to save fuel) and more sea days also mean more days for passengers to spend money on board instead in port.

So one would find the time to do some washing (and one would be sure to have ones own back, thus avoiding arguments with cabin attendant/guest relations).

 

As RC is the nation of why not – why not do self-laundry on board?

 

Your point of view, please. ;)

[Mysticks1]

Because the laundry is a larger money maker for RCI. By not having self service laundry facilities you have no choice but to use their services if you want your clothes done. I personally don't want to do my laundry on vacation and wouldn't use the self-serve if they had it. I just watch for the fill the bag specials.

[sandancer]

Donna is exactly right. Why would they have self service laundries where you might spend at most $8 to wash and dry a load when they can make much more revenue by having you send your stuff to the laundry. The only ship we have ever cruised which had self service laundry facilities was a Princess ship and as we were on for 31 nights I was very happy to do my own laundry.

[RDC1]

i have found the self serve laundries on Princess and HAL to be a big plus on longer cruises. Not so much of an issue on cruises of 10 days or less.

[hpreece]

Someone asked the captain that while I was on EOS. His response was that there wasn't a big enough demand and the space can be used for more passengers and that the ships that do have them will soon be removed.

[MAHA]

It's vacation! I don't do laundry while on vacation. Vacation is a change from the normal routines in life. It's meant to be a break from everyday life. I also have not used the laundry on board except the fill the bag specials on a 14 night cruise. We pack accordingly and plan to wear regular and dinner clothes more than once.

[Shooraq]

I hate having to take time out of my vacation to wait for the clother to be done in the washer or dryer. I rather bring minimal clothes, then mid-cruise, use the fill a bag special.

 

Royal needs to make money somehow... limiting the laundry accessibility does that!

[bplazo]

I am not going to do laundry when I am on vacation.

[ChipLondon]

Nor do I, and the wife is on holiday as well.:D

 

I am not going to do laundry when I am on vacation.

[cb at sea]

I LOVE places that have laundries! Shoot...it's not like you're pounding clothes on rocks in a stream or anything! Throw them in, read a book, take them out....no biggie! I'd rather be able to wash a few things, than send them out and pay those prices or have to lug MORE stuff than I normally do!

[mckeeganj2]

To everyone who refuses to launder anything on vacay- Perhaps you have never been in a small room with a smelly teenage boy before.

 

But in general, yeah. I can see them making better use of the space, and more money by charging per item. It also saves them from having to stock laundry items like soaps and fabric softener, and from having to check the bags of ever spring breaker who mysteriously needs a two gallon jug of laundry soap for a 5 day cruise.....

[jonbgd]

I just want the laundry room so I can iron my shirts

[PhoenixCruiser]

I am not going to do laundry when I am on vacation.

 

Ditto! I also do not iron at home, that is why Dry Cleaners were created :D

 

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[sidari]

At least everyone agrees that the reason is to make money for RCI ! though having travelled on Princess and Cunard we have made use of the Irons in their Laundry rooms! my other half hates anyone else ironing her evening dress.

 

As for using the space for other things they may get 1 extra Inside cabin out of the space given over for a Laundry.

[mauimary]

Self laundry is in your bathroom sink!! remember seeing those clotheslines in the shower? for shirts we just hang them in the bathroom and the steam from the shower helps to get the wrinkles out--:)

[bus man]

Lack of self-service laundry facilities is one of my few pet peeves about RCI. I won't use the ship's laundry, as I feel the prices they charge are too exhorbitant. Nor do I want to wash things in the sink and hang them to dry. So, that leaves me with packing all the clothes I need.

 

For those of you who don't want to do laundry on vacation . . . well, don't. But for those of us who would be willing to do it, it would be nice to have the option.

[traveling1969]

It's certainly a dollars and cents issue; room for more staterooms and laundry profits. That said, we appreciate the self-serve laundry availability on Princess. I will do a load or two while reading a book on the balcony or my wife will do the same. Also, my wife makes full use of the irons (her epitaph will read "she ironed"; she's that picky:)). It cuts down on the amount of stuff we pack and the money we save goes for MORE CRUISING!

[Mysticks1]

For those of you who don't want to do laundry on vacation . . . well, don't. But for those of us who would be willing to do it, it would be nice to have the option.

 

There are cruiselines that offer self-serve laundry. I know that Carnival and Princess both offer that.

[SevenSeas1492]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ The same reason they won't let you bring a travel iron. Oh, wait! That's about safety! Funny, they haven't banned curling irons.

[pltag]

Why does the Red Roof Inn have a laundry room, but the Ritz Carlton doesn't??

[Illinoisgal]

I wish they would have them, at least one room on each ship. We are doing a back to back in Europe so we dont wnat to take alot of luggage but dont want to wear dirty clothing. For the bag special it isnt so much the cost for us but how they handle the tiems. For undershirts, that kind of thing they are fine but I wash in cold water and dry gentle or hang up some items. They wash all stuff in the hot water so items can shrink/fade etc. Besides the clothing always feels not as soft when they do the laundry. Also sometime you are wearing a particular item and get a spot on it and want to wash it asap not wait till the next morning and then not get it back for another day. PLus I really dont like other peoplke washing my undies :)

[bus man]

Why does the Red Roof Inn have a laundry room, but the Ritz Carlton doesn't??

 

Somehow I see Royal Caribbean as more akin to a Hilton, or a Sheraton, or maybe a Holiday Inn . . . and I believe they have laundry rooms!

[jack278]

Somehow I see Royal Caribbean as more akin to a Hilton, or a Sheraton, or maybe a Holiday Inn . . . and I believe they have laundry rooms!

 

Most Hilton I've stayed doesn't offer self laundry, neither does Marriott.

 

Maybe American Holidays Inns do offer it, but the Holiday Inns in Asia are super nice, and they don't have self laundry mats either.

 

If RC puts them in, then it's time for me to cruise with another line, cause it'll make me feel like living in a dorm.

[jewopaho]

Why does the Red Roof Inn have a laundry room, but the Ritz Carlton doesn't??

But you're not paying Ritz Carlton prices to sail on Royal Caribbean. I liken the self-serve laundry option to a specialty restaurant ... there if you want it, but not necessary to use it. By the way, that $25 "special" is basically a small white load ... anything else you sneak in there is pulled, and you're charged the regular price. We certainly could have used one on our transatlantic ... pop a load in before lunch, come back and move it to the dryer ... and in about a half-hour, you're done. Of course, if you prefer others to do it for you, they will ... at a cost. I don't buy the space issue ... Carnival and Princess are doing just fine.

[gerif]

I've been on a couple of ships that did offer self-serve laundry. One happened to be diagonally across from my cabin (I think they were on alternate decks but won't swear to it). Think chair hogs are bad? How about washing machine/dryer hogs. People would put their stuff in the washer then take off for lunch, sunning by the pool, bingo, whatever. Someone else would come along and want to use the washer - hmmmmm. So the first person's stuff would be dumped out. They would eventually return and have a hissy fit. Same deal with the dryers (and there aren't a whole lot available), stuff pulled out and left in a wrinkled heap - well, you get the drift. I did witness a few altercations. Who needs it? I'm on vacation.