Is self serve laundry ever coming to NCL?

[pokerpro5]

Frankly, a self-service laundry is about the last thing I look for in booking a cruise.

I question the blanket statement that most other lines offer this.

 

As to the pizza thing, can you imagine the number of half eaten pizzas if there was no $5.00 charge. The charge is there to dissuade people from frivolously

ordering them.

 

Let's see, "Why don't we order once of each. They are free."

 

Yeah I didn't think of that. You're totally right.

 

Cruise lines are known for never wasting food, so half-eaten pizzas would be a tragedy.

[TravelJoe]

I shouldn't have said "#1 complaint" as indeed I was exercising hyperbole. I don't really think that's the #1 complaint about NCL. I would have guessed the smoking on the balconies thing, and indeed that's what's leading in a poll someone just started.

 

However the reasons people are giving NOT to have self-serve laundry are poor.

 

 

"The machines are a fire hazard" -- I don't believe that. How often do you hear about laundromats catching on fire? I don't think I've ever heard of that happening once.

 

 

 

 

It happens all the time -- talk to your local volunteer fire department. Lint fires in dryers are one of the primary causes of laundromat and house fires -- if vent lines aren't cleaned on a regular and frequent basis.

 

It's vacation... enjoy and skip the wash. Just pack more... or as others suggest, buy more tees.

[pokerpro5]

It happens all the time -- talk to your local volunteer fire department. Lint fires in dryers are one of the primary causes of laundromat and house fires -- if vent lines aren't cleaned on a regular and frequent basis.

 

It's vacation... enjoy and skip the wash. Just pack more... or as others suggest, buy more tees.

 

Some of the problem is when you have kids, it is a lot harder to pack enough for everyone.

 

Anyway, while I know that dryers CAN be a fire hazard, that occurs from neglect, and properly maintained machines (as they would be on NCL) would be fine.

[Vyhanek]

As long as airlines charge for checked luggage, customers are going to want self serve laundry. Now that airline travelers have pressure to pack for a week in a single carry-on size suitcase, customers are going to want to do laundry.

 

Other cruise lines still can manage self serve laundry. If this is your hot issue, be a good customer and take your business in the direction that best suites your needs! Speak with your wallet!

 

A couple in their 50's who might have extra money to spend on a $25 bag of laundry might say something like...."I'd never do laundry on vacation!". They can fit their necessary items in that one bag and pay the $25 easy peasy. But a family traveling, a family who is going to have significantly more laundry and who might be without the disposable income, isn't going to want to send 3 bags of laundry to be done for a whopping price of $75! They are going to want self service laundry, even if it means...."doing laundry on vacation"!

 

You might not want to do laundry on vacation but for the Mom with 2 kids back in the cabin, she might not be able to afford the $75 to get thru the week! The days of packing a big suitcase, one for each family member so they have plenty of things to wear during the week is gone. People want to pack lighter and if necessary do a load of wash.

 

If NCL loses enough business to the other major lines because of this issue, they might convert those laundry rooms back!

[KeithJenner]

However the reasons people are giving NOT to have self-serve laundry are poor.

 

 

 

"I don't like doing laundry on my vacation" -- That's great. Then don't. Nobody would force you to use the self serve machines. But just because YOU don't want to do something doesn't mean that others feel the same way. I don't like bars, but I am not proposing they eliminate bars on the ship!

 

 

I disagree that this is a poor reason.

 

Whilst I don't have the stats, I'd confidently say that the number of people who do want a self service laundry is a very small proportion of cruisers. The fact that it is so rarely mentioned on here is evidence that it isn't a big concern. It isn't something that I have ever heard mentioned as an issue in discussions with people outside this board.

 

Most cruises are 7 nights. The vast majority of people on a 7 night holiday will not even consider laundry. It is something of a niche requirement. Those who are cruising for longer can either take more cases (we packed last year for 3 and a half weeks with no laundry required) or use the service offered by NCL.

 

The fact that it isn't a service that is required by all that many people isn't in itself a reason not to offer it (they do offer many things which not many people make use of), it is an important factor when you also consider the difficulties that offering it raises. It is much easier for them to decide that removing it will be a big problem.

 

So, whilst the fact that any of us individually have no interest in being able to do laundry on a ship isn't important in itself, the fact that this is the view of the majority of people is extremely relevant.

 

Quite clearly, the removal of bars from ships would cause rather more of an uproar (plus collapse in numbers cruising and therefore profits) proves in itself that the two are not even remotely comparable.

 

 

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[Bars7816]

Let's hear it for Febreze fabric spray!! Adds a couple days to a garment's wearability. Not for underwear!:D When on a cruise, I don't cook, I don't clear, I don't do laundry -- if I wanted to do that, I'd stay home!

[KeithJenner]

If NCL loses enough business to the other major lines because of this issue, they might convert those laundry rooms back!

 

 

Absolutely.

 

However, the fact that they haven't offered self laundry (at least on most ships, I don't know exactly when the last ones were removed) for a number of years and haven't converted those laundry rooms back would kind of suggest that they aren't losing much business because of it.

 

 

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[pokerpro5]

Absolutely.

 

However, the fact that they haven't offered self laundry (at least on most ships, I don't know exactly when the last ones were removed) for a number of years and haven't converted those laundry rooms back would kind of suggest that they aren't losing much business because of it.

 

 

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To be fair, I don't think many people are giving this feedback to NCL when they don't come back.

 

They just think, "Wow, no laundry? Okay, we're going back to Princess next time..."

[pokerpro5]

As long as airlines charge for checked luggage, customers are going to want self serve laundry. Now that airline travelers have pressure to pack for a week in a single carry-on size suitcase, customers are going to want to do laundry.

 

Other cruise lines still can manage self serve laundry. If this is your hot issue, be a good customer and take your business in the direction that best suites your needs! Speak with your wallet!

 

A couple in their 50's who might have extra money to spend on a $25 bag of laundry might say something like...."I'd never do laundry on vacation!". They can fit their necessary items in that one bag and pay the $25 easy peasy. But a family traveling, a family who is going to have significantly more laundry and who might be without the disposable income, isn't going to want to send 3 bags of laundry to be done for a whopping price of $75! They are going to want self service laundry, even if it means...."doing laundry on vacation"!

 

You might not want to do laundry on vacation but for the Mom with 2 kids back in the cabin, she might not be able to afford the $75 to get thru the week! The days of packing a big suitcase, one for each family member so they have plenty of things to wear during the week is gone. People want to pack lighter and if necessary do a load of wash.

 

If NCL loses enough business to the other major lines because of this issue, they might convert those laundry rooms back!

 

Great post.

 

BTW, if they did a good job for the $25 (now $27), I wouldn't have that much of an issue with it.

 

But it looked to me like they overstuffed our clothes with a bunch of others and nothing got clean. Just seems like you have a choice of paying ridiculously high per garment rates (and getting a good job done) or using that bag and getting a poor job done.

[KeithJenner]

To be fair, I don't think many people are giving this feedback to NCL when they don't come back.

 

They just think, "Wow, no laundry? Okay, we're going back to Princess next time..."

 

Possibly, but for every person for whom it is such a major issue that they cruise with another line there would be a number who see it as an inconvenience. NCL get lots of feedback from those customers (post cruise surveys, comments onboard etc) so it would still be coming up.

 

Perhaps someone should ask the hotel director at a meet and greet. My guess is that they will say it comes up sometimes, but is a long way down the list.

[pokerpro5]

On my upcoming cruise, I am going to mention to the steward when he takes my laundry bag about my poor experience last time. Perhaps that will make him pause before stuffing our clothes into a densely packed machine, and maybe they'll do a better job.

 

Definitely going to complain if it doesn't come out appearing clean/fresh this time.

[KeithJenner]

Just as a bit of an aside, when disembarking from the ships I don't see much evidence from looking at other passengers that too many people are cruising with just a carry on sized case.

 

Having said that, I'm mainly cruising in Europe where most people have had to fly non domestic, so luggage limits are probably less of an issue than US domestic, so perhaps there are more such people on Caribbean routes.

 

I'd still suggest that other than those on a very tight budget most people would pay $50 to check one larger case and avoid doing laundry on holiday.

[mizLORInj]

I wish NCL would've left them on the jewel class ships. I remember seeing the "launderette" on the Gem in 2009.

I prefer to pack less and do some laundry mid-way through the cruise. For longer cruises I choose a ship/line with a laundry room. I won't send any fine washables to the ship's laundry.

RE: Fire hazard, any dryer is a fire hazard so I would be surprised if that was the real reason for their removal.

[KeithJenner]

On my upcoming cruise, I am going to mention to the steward when he takes my laundry bag about my poor experience last time. Perhaps that will make him pause before stuffing our clothes into a densely packed machine, and maybe they'll do a better job.

 

Definitely going to complain if it doesn't come out appearing clean/fresh this time.

 

As we're platinum, we did get the free bag done on our last cruise, to save having to do it when we got home, and it came back very well done. We stuffed the bag pretty full.

[pokerpro5]

Just as a bit of an aside, when disembarking from the ships I don't see much evidence from looking at other passengers that too many people are cruising with just a carry on sized case.

 

Having said that, I'm mainly cruising in Europe where most people have had to fly non domestic, so luggage limits are probably less of an issue than US domestic, so perhaps there are more such people on Caribbean routes.

 

I'd still suggest that other than those on a very tight budget most people would pay $50 to check one larger case and avoid doing laundry on holiday.

 

Honestly for me it's not the $25 luggage charge, but the ability to take enough suitcases. This is because I have young kids (who can't carry their own stuff) and because I like to extend the vacation for a few days at or around the ports. For example, how do you fly to New Orleans for a cruise and not spend a few days in New Orleans, as well? Seems like a big waste to me.

 

Anyway, while I realize that self serve laundry doesn't appeal to everyone, it would be easily manageable to put back and place an employee to oversee each room. That would put an end to the fights, abandoned laundry problems, etc.

[sprint180]

I always do my laundry on the ship if possible. Hate to go home to dirty laundry. I have never seen the laundry room a mess. Or had laundry left in machines for and extended period of time. But everyone has different experiences.

[NMLady]

Laundry facilities are nice to have on longer itineraries. It's hard to carry enough luggage to hold a month's worth of clothing. Most of NCL's itineraries are only one or two weeks long, so it's not as vital as it may be for some other cruise lines.

 

We have cruised for more than a month on NCL besides a pre-cruise stay and only take one suitcase each and one backpack each. We take only enough clothes for ten days, sending dirty clothes in the bag special each week. No extra luggage needed. No self serve laundry.

Edited June 30, 2014 by NMLady

[NMLady]

On my upcoming cruise, I am going to mention to the steward when he takes my laundry bag about my poor experience last time. Perhaps that will make him pause before stuffing our clothes into a densely packed machine, and maybe they'll do a better job.

 

Definitely going to complain if it doesn't come out appearing clean/fresh this time.

 

The steward has nothing to do with your laundry other than making sure it gets to and from the laundry room. I have taken the "behind the scenes tour" which includes the laundry room. There is a weight limit on how much laundry is put into each of the huge machines. So, by the piece or by the bag, the weight limit determines how much laundry goes in each machine. And personally I've never had clothes returned dirty.

Edited June 30, 2014 by NMLady

[barnacle_boy]

We have cruised for more than a month on NCL besides a pre-cruise stay and only take one suitcase each and one backpack each. We take only enough clothes for ten days, sending dirty clothes in the bag special each week. No extra luggage needed. No self serve laundry.

 

 

I regularly vacation for 4-6 weeks at a time, and typically bring a pair of 50 lbs. suitcases and a large carry-on. To each his own. I'd rather have more variety and tip the valets and stevedores a bit more than limit myself. I tend to also have to carry suits and tuxes for B2B with other lines with dress codes or other formal land based events, so that takes up a lot of room. Still, that only gets me through a week or two, so laundry is inevitable. I prefer having the option of doing it myself, since I can do it within a couple of hours. NCL is horribly inconsistent. Sometimes it'll be back the same afternoon, and other times it'll be back within 2 or even 3 days. It also saves a ton of money. I'm platinum and I get the free bags, but before that I hated having to pay 5x more for someone to do a mediocre job (I almost always have to send a few items back) that I could have done better myself.

 

 

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[shelly11]

If I'm on vacation I am not going to do laundry. I pack accordingly.

[3shar]

I also wish they had laundry. I usually will do it once halfway through a trip. When you have 5 people to pack for it is nice to have the option so you don't have to pack as much. I don't mind paying to have it done but everything I read says they throw it all in one load and dry it all. I don't machine dry a lot so it doesn't work for me ....

[sprint180]

our family each only take a carry on. We have taken 7 day trips. I like to do laundry so I don't have to take dirty clothes home but to be honest I wouldn't have enough clothes to fill a large suit case. :)

[dwjoe]

Royal Caribbean and Celebrity don't have self-service laundry. Carnival and Princess do.

 

So it varies.

[mjkacmom]

Honestly for me it's not the $25 luggage charge, but the ability to take enough suitcases. This is because I have young kids (who can't carry their own stuff)

 

How old? My kids are in charge of their own bags, starting at 5 or so (rollable carry-ons). Once they put those baggage fees in place, we went from checking everything, to carrying everything (family of 7). I've gotten all of them through airline security while DH parked in long-term parking (and this was when they still had to take off their shoes!).

[jethrojam]

I wish they had a self serve laundromat like the OP. Of course I am on vacation. But, on vacation, I still wear clothes. They have to be washed. I don't like paying a huge amount of money for something I can do myself the way I want it done for considerably cheaper, and at my own time. I also don't want to pack so much. I am bringing my toddler too, which within itself is a good reason to need SS laundry.