Packing

[ivyleaguegent]

Gentle Cruise Critic Members,

 

Your thoughts would be much appreciated.  We will be cruising for 12 days and staying at the embarkation city 3 nights prior to the cruise.  We do not have the complementary laundry service.  Would you pack for the entire trip assuming that laundry is never done or pack assuming that you will send laundry out to the ship at least once during the cruise.

 

Thank you for your input.

[ctjon]

I would assume and plan to do laundry on the trip.  Some depends upon cruise line and what facilities they have. 

[Keith1010]

If I knew for sure we could do laundry on the ship (facilities were not only offered but sufficient and easy to use including machines on our deck) I would plan to use the facilities.  However, if not I would bring for the amount of time I am away.  I would post on the board for the line you are sailing asking questions about the facilities.

 

For example, when we sailed QM2 we didn't plan to wash clothes and that was a good decision as the machines were not plentiful and not easily accessible from our floor.  On SS (the ships we sailed) not many machines and very small.  So in these cases we didn't plan to wash either.

 

Keith

[Tmc1512]

Hello! I bring some soap for things that I can reasonably wash out. If there is a washer available, I will do one or two small loads. If there is laundry service, I budget for laundry. My next cruise will be long, so on day 4-5 and 9-10, I plan on sending out a bag. We are traveling with carry on sized bags.

[shipgeeks]

We pack for the entire trip, no matter how long.

However, we do not go to the gym or otherwise get overly sweaty.

Our daytime and evening clothes have never felt too dirty to rewear, as the ship is so clean (and we've been fortunate to have never spilled coffee or pasta sauce all over a shirt).

We pack enough undies for the duration, but if we feel like we need more, we just wash them in the bathroom and hang in the shower to drip dry.

[puppycanducruise]

I'd send laundry out while on the cruise.

[Skippy]

On carnival used the self service machines. I bought some laundry detergent sheets which take up very little room in the suitcase. I did 2 loads since there were 4 of us during the week. We only took carry on luggage. 

[iancal]

We typically pack for six days.  Use the ship laundry service as needed.

 

Since retiring we travel with carry on only.  Does not matter if it is a 10 day cruise or a two month land trip.

 

We returned home in June after five weeks in Portugal.  At two airports we passed by 'acres' of unclaimed or lost bags.  We were thankful we had our carry on.

Edited August 21, 2022 by iancal

[LHT28]

I pack  1  26" case each  for cruises  up to 32 days so far

1 wk cruises  we take  a carry on

 

We have not done World cruises  where we would need several cases each so not a problem for us

I will do some smalls in the sink if no laundry rooms are available on the ship or just go to the self serve laundry room

 

[cb at sea]

Not all cruiselines offer self-laundries....

[donaldsc]

We don't know your life style, how often you change your clothes (there are some people on CC who change clothes every day), your tolerance for basically clean but once or twice worn clothes and how big a suitcase you want to take so we really can't answer your question.  Also does the ship have a self service laundry and will you use it.  Basically both options work,   You have to decide for yourself.

 

DON

[mom says]

We pack clothes to allow for a change each day for a week, regardless of the length of the cruise. And will do some combination of sink washing, self laundering if there are facilities available, or sending out to the ship's  laundry. Depending on the cruise length, that may also require sending evening  clothes to the on board dry cleaners 

[ldubs]

For a 15 day trip that includes two weeks on board, I would likely plan on sending out for laundry on the cruise ship.  I always pack the "essentials", meaning drawers, for the entire trip.  When I send out for laundry it is typically to replenish stuff like polo shirts.      

 

If you can pack for the entire trip using the same amount of luggage, then forget what I just said and do that.    

 

Like a lot of folks, I tend to over estimate my clothing needs.  There is a good chance that if I pack as if I need to do laundry, I will make it through the trip OK.    

[navybankerteacher]

6 hours ago, puppycanducruise said:

I'd send laundry out while on the cruise.

Same - I’ll use the self serve if not overcrowded, but a few dollars a week for clean clothes seem like a reasonable line item.

[iancal]

The cost of laundry, onboard, or on land travels is insignificant compared to the cost of travel or the convenience of travelling with less baggage.

 

We only pack easy care (and layered) clothing that does not require dry cleaning.   

Edited August 21, 2022 by iancal

[lenquixote66]

We never send laundry out .We at times wash and dry things like underwear and socks.

[wowzz]

15 days - no need to use laundry at all. I assume you have a minimum of 15 sets of underwear and 7 or 8 tops, plus assorted trousers , shorts etc. 

Why need to wash anything ?

[dsrdsrdsr]

I'm with wowzz.  There are two principles at stake here.  (1) the principle that I don't pay laundry prices for a job I can easily do myself, and (2) the principle that I don't do laundry when on holiday.

 

For me, carrying a 15-day suitcase isn't much harder than carrying a 7-day suitcase.

Edited August 21, 2022 by dsrdsrdsr

[Blondilu]

I hate having to do laundry on the cruise.  There is always a line at the self-service and I'm afraid to turn my clothes over to a laundry service.  Most of my clothes have never been in a dryer.

 

I only ever take my 24 inch suitcase and a small duffle or tote as a carry-on.  Between what I have on while traveling to the cruise and the extra outfit I put in my carry-on I have a lot of room in my suitcase and honestly think I could do 15 days without laundry.  

[cruisemom42]

My cruises are usually combined with land travel, so there is an advantage to packing sparingly. (Think dragging suitcases along cobbled streets, up and down from trains, etc.). I try to pack about 7 days' worth of clothing, with a few extra tops. Some of these I just hand wash along the way, some I might send to the ship laundry.  I find the self-service laundries are to be avoided; people seem to get crae-crae there.

[SbbquilterUT]

Just back from 19 days cruising plus a couple land pre cruise - managed it with carry on only and sent laundry out on board.  I figure it as an expense of travel.  Since I retired and we live a very casual lifestyle I do not even have enough outfits for much more than a week.  

[navybankerteacher]

There are a few activities I would prefer to avoid while on vacation:

 a) spending time washing things in the sink,

b) re-wearing underwear, or any “fatigued” article of clothing,

c) dealing with (usually overcrowded) self=service laundromats,

d) carrying  enough luggage for desired clothing changes for a couple of weeks.

My solution is to take advantage of shipboard laundry.  Maybe I’ve just been lucky, but ships’s laundries do not seem to damage my things.  

 

 

[iancal]

Many laundromats in Europe and Asia offer the same services as on board laundry.  Laundromats are often staffed during the day.  

 

Many  offer 'wash and fold' service for a very slight premium.    Drop your laundry off in the morning, pick it up in the afternoon.

Edited August 23, 2022 by iancal

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, iancal said:

Many laundromats in Europe and Asia offer the same services as on board laundry.  Laundromats are often staffed during the day.  

 

Many  offer 'wash and fold' service for a very slight premium.    Drop your laundry off in the morning, pick it up in the afternoon.

To be honest,  finding a laundrette in a foreign port is not my idea of a holiday! 

 

[iancal]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

To be honest,  finding a laundrette in a foreign port is not my idea of a holiday! 

 

We do not have much choice when we are travelling for seven or eight weeks at a time.

Edited August 23, 2022 by iancal