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

[Vegas Vic]

By the way, there is more to this issue than some of you realize.

 

It's not just the revenue that they generate from charging you to wash your clothes.

 

Several cabins per laundry room must be sacrificed.

 

How many laundry rooms would be enough?

 

Every deck?

 

Every other deck?

 

Every third deck?

 

When does the ratio start to get ugly, competition-for-machines-wise?

 

Equipment to buy, equipment to maintain. Personnel to maintain it.

 

Cruise after cruise, week after week, year after year, ship after ship, giving up the revenue from 12 cabins? Beancounters aren't going to like that.

 

This is really the nuts & bolts of it all. People need to realize that every square foot of the ship is analyzed not only for its functionality but for its revenue producing capabilities, and there has to be a balance between the two in the decisions that are made.

 

Sure, a section of deck 4, as an example, could be designated as a laundry, but at what cost? Could a simple laundry room also contain additional revenue generators (a bar/Starbucks with flat screen TVs and comfortable seating)? Would the lost cabin revenue per cruise be passed along and added onto all other cabin prices?

 

I have no dog in this fight and see both side of the situation. I wouldn't object to a laundry as I have no intentions of using one when planning the week's activities in advance...but you never know. Unexpected things can happen on a cruise ship just as they can happen at home, and the availability of such facilities can make the difference between a problem-solved vacation and one that puts a bummer into the trip....regardless of how well we plan and how creative we get with the packing of our luggage.

[Charles4515]

This is really the nuts & bolts of it all. People need to realize that every square foot of the ship is analyzed not only for its functionality but for its revenue producing capabilities, and there has to be a balance between the two in the decisions that are made.

 

Sure, a section of deck 4, as an example, could be designated as a laundry, but at what cost? Could a simple laundry room also contain additional revenue generators (a bar/Starbucks with flat screen TVs and comfortable seating)? Would the lost cabin revenue per cruise be passed along and added onto all other cabin prices?

 

I have no dog in this fight and see both side of the situation. I wouldn't object to a laundry as I have no intentions of using one when planning the week's activities in advance...but you never know. Unexpected things can happen on a cruise ship just as they can happen at home, and the availability of such facilities can make the difference between a problem-solved vacation and one that puts a bummer into the trip....regardless of how well we plan and how creative we get with the packing of our luggage.

 

Other cruise lines have laundry rooms and those that do have more than one. Like a laundry room on almost every deck with cabins. On a long cruise they are needed. On a seven day I would not do laundry either.

[richstowe]

I get why RCI doesn't have self seve laundry. $$$$$$

 

What I don't get is why so many posters argue against it. You don't have to use it if you don't want to.

Nobody will make you use the machines against your will.

 

Mentioning the $25 special as a reason to not have washer/dryers is silly.

 

As as far as the Red Roof crack, perhaps the laundry fumes are getting to you.:p

[richstowe]

Nobody avoids a particular cruise line just because they don't offer self serve laundry.

BUT

It is another cost to consider as part of the entire cost of cruising.

People will bi*** if a extra buck is added to their beer prices, so what's wrong with

complaining about having to pay for laundry service ?

 

 

I am sorry for those who are sick of this thread but I didn't notice it first time around.

[Luv2CruiseRCL2]

Would you want your room next to the laundry room and have to listen to that all the time?

 

With 3000 to 6000 people onboard that could be alot of loads of laundry.

 

The cost of lost rooms, cost of machines, maintaining them, storing all of the supplies, flooding of the laundry room. People taking other loads out of the machines because they were left unattended. What a nightmare for the cruise line. There is no financial motivation for RCI to install them. Yes Carnival has these machines, but they also stuff more people in onboard a ship with less square footage also.

 

Either send it out to be done by the ship or wait until you get back home.

[Charles4515]

Would you want your room next to the laundry room and have to listen to that all the time?

 

With 3000 to 6000 people onboard that could be alot of loads of laundry.

 

The cost of lost rooms, cost of machines, maintaining them, storing all of the supplies, flooding of the laundry room. People taking other loads out of the machines because they were left unattended. What a nightmare for the cruise line. There is no financial motivation for RCI to install them. Yes Carnival has these machines, but they also stuff more people in onboard a ship with less square footage also.

 

Either send it out to be done by the ship or wait until you get back home.

 

Never heard any complain about being next to the laundry room and the ships that have them don't just have one for 3000 passengers. They have multiple laundry rooms. They are not a nightmare for the cruise lines. You mention Carnival, well Princess has them and even tony Cunard has them. I have done laundry on the QM2.

 

It's okay if they want to cut cost by not having them. Either I won't go on cruises longer than seven days on Royal Caribbean or I will wear my clothes a few extra times, or wrinkled.......the main thing I use the laundry room for is ironing.

[hightownCO]

Interesting thread. I've booked my first RCL cruise - 14 nights - and dreading packing for this without the convience of self serve laundry on board. (Princess cruiser here!) Of course I'll have to use the ship's service but would much rather have the option of doing it myself on a sea day.

 

Just as an FYI for some, you do not hear the laundrys next to your room and they are locked off after 10 at nigth till 7am. There are few, few issues that arise and it's a great convience and service to those passengers who choose to use it. No issue to those that choose not to use it.

 

I'm not sure I understand why there seems to be such protectivism with RCCL when someone asks 'why doesn't...'.

[bus man]

I'm not sure I understand why there seems to be such protectivism with RCCL when someone asks 'why doesn't...'.

 

BECAUSE ROYAL CARIBBEAN CAN DO NO WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Well, except for not having laundry rooms, and __________ (fill in your favorite pet peeve here). But other than that, they're perfect and beyond reproach! :)

[kymbakitty]

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.

 

I'm sure more people agree with you than me on this topic, but I never understood that type of response when it comes to laundry.

 

Unless and until they ban wearing clothes on a cruise, how do you get a "break" from laundry if you still are going to wear clothes? You wear clothes--they get dirty. Is it me?

 

We go on cruises that are typically 14+ days and I exercise regularly...even on vacations. Imagine 12 or so days of sweating running clothes? Yuck. My husband and I have no issues with throwing in a load of laundry and reverting to the balcony and having a beer!

 

We just returned from a vacation on the Star Princess from Rio and when we came home, the only dirty clothes we had is what we wore when we got off the ship in Florida--now that was cool!

 

We just booked another TA cruise and I know we will just have to deal with no laundry facilities. I can wash the daily sweat bands and perhaps some of the lighter weight running shorts in the sink. We'll still miss the laundry....hubby doesn't mind washing clothes either...and actually, he washes about 75% of our clothes at home.

 

I'll figure something out.

 

:)

[Gilgo Surfer]

I packed for an eleven night cruise including carry on with out going over the airlines fifty pound weight limit:

 

Ten tee shirts.

Four polo shirts.

One kakis.

Two jeans.

Five button up dress shirts.

Four shorts.

Three swim suites.

One suit(with two different shirts and ties)for formal nights.

Enough socks and undies that some came home unused.

Two flip flops.

Dress shoes, casual shoes, docksiders and sneakers.

Toiletries.

Laptop, Ipod, camera, video cam, chargers.

Three pairs of sunglasses.

I'm sure that I am leaving something out.

 

Laundromat and vacation should not be used in the same sentence.:D IMHO

[Gilgo Surfer]

I get why RCI doesn't have self seve laundry. $$$$$$

 

What I don't get is why so many posters argue against it. You don't have to use it if you don't want to.

Nobody will make you use the machines against your will.

 

Mentioning the $25 special as a reason to not have washer/dryers is silly.

 

As as far as the Red Roof crack, perhaps the laundry fumes are getting to you.:p

 

Of course we don't have to use it. We're just telling you why we don't need it.

[magenta321]

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.

 

I used to believe that. Then I got married on Explorer. When we arrived in port in Bermuda, we had hired a photographer to take our pictures on the beach. It was terribly stormy during our stay, and as a result, my wedding dress was disgusting from the mud and sand that it was dragged through that day. Yes, I did realize that this would happen.

 

I used the ship's dry cleaning to clean my wedding gown. When filling out the form, I put the most appropriate of the choices that were listed... I think I put "formal gown" or some such. The charge was $7. I felt so guilty, as I didn't want to take advantage, but it was the choice most like what I was having laundered. My wedding dress was satin and beaded, and I was paying $7 to dry clean it?!

 

I expected someone to contact me and say "we are really sorry, but this is going to cost a little more than you expected" or something, but no one did. I came back to my room and saw my dress, back to its original condition, cleaned and pressed, hanging in my stateroom.

 

I don't feel their prices are high any more... I feel like they are a blessing.

[Paulxyz2004]

I get why RCI doesn't have self seve laundry. $$$$$$

 

What I don't get is why so many posters argue against it. You don't have to use it if you don't want to.

Nobody will make you use the machines against your will.

 

Mentioning the $25 special as a reason to not have washer/dryers is silly.

 

As as far as the Red Roof crack, perhaps the laundry fumes are getting to you.:p

 

I agree with you on the $$$ argument, as every business decision is always about the $$$.

 

I know nobody will make me use the machines and still I wholeheartly agree with the decision to not have them. I rather see the cruise line charge for laundry service and use the space to put in another cabin and not have it wasted by laundry facilities. I want the cruise line to make $$$ that´s what they are in the business for.

FWIW I have to fly to all my cruises, no port in driving distance and I usually don´t take any trips (cruise+pre/post land part) of less than three weeks and I don´t have a problem with airline restrictions and I never use self serve or cruise ship laundry. The only thing I will use is dry cleaning for my formals, as it´s cheaper to have that done onboard than where I live, so I spare that to have it done onboard.

Oh and I don´t cruise RCI exclusively but have cruised on more lines that have self serve laundry than those that don´t.

[Name Of The Game]

What is the big deal about doing laundry on vacation?

 

Start the washer

Shower & dress

Put clothes in dryer

Eat breakfast

Put clothes away

 

I'd rather do that than have two suitcases full of dirty clothes when I get home and have to be at work the next morning.

[Paulxyz2004]

What is the big deal about doing laundry on vacation?

 

 

The big deal about doing laundry on vacation is:

 

Start the washer

Put clothes in dryer

Put clothes away

 

;)

I´d rather get a break from that and don´t care about it until being back at home.

[Name Of The Game]

I guess I see what you mean...

 

Then there are parents that bring babies and have to change diapers, work around their sleep schedule, etc. I'd rather have a break from that.

[Paulxyz2004]

I guess I see what you mean...

 

Then there are parents that bring babies and have to change diapers, work around their sleep schedule, etc. I'd rather have a break from that.

 

Oh I have the perfect (to me) solution for that - I´m happily single, no kids, no desire to change that and can cater to only my selfish self needs:cool:

[Sugar*Magnolia]

I didnt read the entire thread but some interesting and hilarious comments!

 

Neither myself or DH would ever tihnk of doing laundry while on a cruise. The prices to get something laundered or dry cleaned (as another early post indicated) is CHEAPER than at our (NY/NJ) local dry cleaners, seriously. Vacations mean different things to diff people. Some folks might do cross country vacations in an RV and need to do their own laundry....not us. Wouldnt happen because Idont consider that a 'vacation".

 

Oddly someone [compman9] commented that anyone posting that they dont want to do laundry on board are either RCI employess or get everything for free b/c they're diamond. Dude, that was thee most ridiculous comment.

 

The four of us were fine on a 14 night cruise sending out 2 bags of laundry when you could do the fill-a-bag with socks, underware, jammies and tee shirts. The cost is so minimal, cant see the big fuss over sending laundry out.

 

Someone probably already posted this but I cant read the entire thread this morning, lol http://media.royalcaribbean.com/content/en_US/pdf/LaundryPriceList.pdf

[foxesden1]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ 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.

 

the only issue I have with having to send my clothing to RCCL to cluse is 1. one tee shirt was ruined, and it had a 3 day turn around (TA). I wanted to wail until I could really fill bag, and that left me low. I thought 24h. but it was more then 2 days, once it was even 3!

 

not a fan of this "service"

 

T

[Merion_Mom]

the only issue I have with having to send my clothing to RCCL to cluse is 1. one tee shirt was ruined, and it had a 3 day turn around (TA). I wanted to wail until I could really fill bag, and that left me low. I thought 24h. but it was more then 2 days, once it was even 3!

 

not a fan of this "service"

 

T

 

That is certainly the exception, not the rule.

 

I just returned from an 11 night cruise on the Independence of the Seas. Not quite as long as your TA, but not a short one, either.

 

There were three of us in the cabin.

 

First we stuffed a bag on Day 6. Used my free coupon. Got two large bags of clean laundry back in less than 24 hours. (yes, I know how to stuff a bag!)

 

Then we stuffed a bag on Day 8. Used my $10 off coupon. Got two large bags of clean laundry back in less than 24 hours.

 

Pretty good deal, I think.

 

Even if we had paid $50 total for that service, it would have been worth it.

 

Several people have posted on this thread that they work out every day and have lots of dirty laundry. My kids do this. The stench is overwhelming. :D These two uses of the ship's laundry service solved all of those problems.

[Gilgo Surfer]

What is the big deal about doing laundry on vacation?

 

Start the washer

Shower & dress

Put clothes in dryer

Eat breakfast

Put clothes away

 

I'd rather do that than have two suitcases full of dirty clothes when I get home and have to be at work the next morning.

 

The big deal is that you are on vacation and you're doing laundry.:eek:

[richstowe]

The big deal is that you are on vacation and you're doing laundry.:eek:

 

As opposed to a) carefully stuffing a small bag (or two) so as to make sure you get your $25 out of it

b) making sure you don't put anything in it that you are not allowed to or paying extra

c)giving instructions to steward to get it washed

d)hope they do a good job and not ruin anything

e)wait for it to be returned ,counting to make sure everything was in fact ,returned

f)making sure it is $25 "laundry special" day

 

Wow. You're right! That is so much easier then doing a load.:rolleyes:

[negc]

The big deal is that you are on vacation and you're doing laundry.:eek:

 

Apparently it is a big deal for some (not me);) The poster left out "be sure to get back to the laundry room to remove your clothes before another passenger does the task for you, or has a tantrum because you are not back on time". :D

[Gilgo Surfer]

As opposed to a) carefully stuffing a small bag (or two) so as to make sure you get your $25 out of it

b) making sure you don't put anything in it that you are not allowed to or paying extra

c)giving instructions to steward to get it washed

d)hope they do a good job and not ruin anything

e)wait for it to be returned ,counting to make sure everything was in fact ,returned

f)making sure it is $25 "laundry special" day

 

Wow. You're right! That is so much easier then doing a load.:rolleyes:

 

I don't do that either. I see you're very passionate about this subject. Doing my own laundry just is not my thing. I send my laundry out at home.

[Stags14]

Eh... couldn't really care less either way. Wouldn't do laundry while I'm on vacation, regardless of anything - I'd prefer to pack a suitcase full of dirty clothes and do it once I get home.

 

No time for chores on vacation.