CruisingKitty

I saw Mats new blogpost about the new Cruise Planner Sale when it went live a couple of hours ago. 
We're sailing on Harmony on the 23rd this month and I had previously purchased The Key and soda packages for the family (two kids, two adults). Been talking with the wife about getting us the Deluxe beverage package but I never did. 
Until today ???
I mean, we spent roughly $1000 on The Key and Soda packages and I refunded everything and ibstead got us:
- 2 deluxe beverage packages (~$55/person/day)
- 2 refreshments packages (~$17/person/day)
- 4 voom internet devices (~$30/day)
It all worked out to roughly $1400 and I feel that the extra 400 is nothing compared to the value I feel we're getting from the beverage packages. I bought The Key solely for the included internet, nothing else is of real interest to us there, so this worked out fine. 
I also found myself smiling when I saw the price for the coco beach club which today was at ~$180 per person, we snagged it at $40 per person ?
See ya onboard in 2.5 weeks ???

There is no such thing as a cruise approved power strip.  It's a marketing gimmick.  Officially, only surge protectors are banned but the port employees (who do not work for Royal) have no interest in slowing down the boarding process to check whether or not your power strip is also a surge protector.  So they confiscate everything.

I contacted Royal Caribbean via Twitter asking about a similar Amazon “cruise ship approved” power strip and was told they were NOT allowed. I do understand from others on this blog that multI USB plug strips are allowed.

@Selestyl OMG! I'm so glad it all worked out perfectly for your special day! The photo's are amazing and y'all look super happy! You look so beautiful and your bouquet is to die for gorgeous.  Thanks for getting back to me on your big day and congrats to the both! All my best...MOB Cruising Kitty!

I used to be too cheap to send anything to the laundry but now I stuff that bag as full as I can and send it off.  I usually wash out swimsuits and maybe panties in the sink but that is it.  I love that ziplock idea for washing these.  Unless we are doing b2b or a hotel stay after the cruise we don't even send the bag out. 
We don't go on condo vacations because I don't want to do all the work myself and don't find them much cheaper than cruises or all-inclusive vacations.  Vacation to me means no laundry, no dishes and no cooking.

My wife and I are doing a back-to-back on the Symphony in late September/early October and will be gladly using the $35 laundry service to keep us looking great and feeling fresh. Considering we'll likely drop about $4 grand total for the two weeks, the $35 bucks for clean clothes is nothing while we celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary. ?

This ziplock trick is GENIUS. I am totally going to pack a few bags with detergent already in them. Thanks for the idea!
Also, I haven't used ship laundry services yet, but to me, it seems a nominal amount for the service you get. I do laundry EVERY day at home (I have 4 kids) - I don't want to do it on vacation! (which I totally do when we travel anywhere other than cruises - but that's not the point! If I could pay someone to do my laundry I would!)

Before I started cruising with RC i did some Carnival cruises.  On one of the ships I used the  laundry room.  Standing there watching my clothes I said to myself " what in the hell am i doing?"  Here i am saving a few bucks doing my own laundry.  Like most people,  I dont like doing laundry at home.  So that ended that.  Take the padlock off your wallet and let the cruise ship do it.  YOUR ON VACATION!!

As many others have mentioned, if it's items I feel like I'll wear again, I do laundry in the stateroom.  Quick, easy and does a fairly decent job.  If it's things like workout clothes that I just can't get cleaned in the sink or a shirt that needs pressing I'll send it out.  Again, in the whole cost of a cruise a few dollars for laundry/dry cleaning is minor.  I agree OP must have cruise lines mixed up because I never recall seeing self-service facilities anywhere onboard.

My opinion is this: I'm on vacation! I have absolutely no desire to do laundry!
That said, I knew that I needed to do a little during our 7-night sailing. I just put the clothes in a gallon bag with a little detergent, washed it in the shower, and hung it to dry in the stateroom. (Utilizing the clip hooks from the dollar store, on the magnetic walls.) Quick and easy and basically free.

My favorite go-to for anything is...."its just a way for corporations to make money." It always makes me laugh because...duh the bottom line is to always be black. Cruises are often the most cost efficient way to vacation. A home that takes you places full of cheerful, mostly, neighbors. No one like dirty clothes, especially if it sours the awesome job your steward does multiple time to your room by funking it up. I plan a discretionary budget into my spending for vacations no matter what I choose. That way if I have to shell out $35 to clean my unmentionables I am not breaking the bank. It is a vacation so you shouldn't be doing what you regularly do..like laundry...boo.

@Stan the Man 2 welcome to the message boards!
I think you might have your cruise lines mixed up.  We all would like to pick the best features that appeal to us from various cruise lines and have one cruise line offer them all but unfortunately it doesn't work that way.  
When I switched to Royal a few years back I accepted that Royal doesn't have self service laundry.  I've managed through it just fine including some 12, 13 and 16 night cruises.  As I've climbed higher in the Crown and Anchor Society loyalty program I've received discounted and even some free laundry services.  
Hopefully you can work past this difference and still enjoy your cruise.
Cheers!

I worked for a long time at the ground level in hospitality and retail;  I’m now in management and these kind of complaints are so tiresome.  No one wants to hear you rant and rave about one thing (which is why I agree with Matt’s analysis of most short amateur reviews of anything online-they’re useless).  If you’re a loyal customer who has a valid point and if you bring it up in an email or in person on the cruise in a respectable way I’m 1000% sure management would find a way to comp you something, literally anything, some kind of credit, a drink or specialty dining coupon, a discount on the laundry service, anything to stop the complaining and try to send you away happy.
Cruise ships have huge commercial laundry facilities that they’re already paying to operate everyday that run at a scale much more efficiently than any set of personal household size machines on upper decks that obviously weren’t getting used enough to justify taking up space that could be used to sell cabins and/or compensate for the headache of people complaining that they weren’t on the right floor, complaints about other guests hogging the machines and leaving their laundry about, theft, messes, breakdown/repairs...and on and on.  Most hotels don’t have self laundry anymore for the same reasons.

In roughly twenty years I have never seen do it your self on RCL. Other lines yes but not on any of the RCL cruises I have been on... Could you have it mixed up?
 

Really?! Aren't you on vacation? Stuff as much as the plastic laundry bag will hold for a flat rate price and it all comes back clean and folded for you. That's a deal in my book.  I'm not bring laundry detergent...sitting with my clothes....guarding then against walking away...etc.  Get the picture? It's a Win Win in my book! I love this service and use it every cruise.

Really?! Aren't you on vacation? Stuff as much as the plastic laundry bag will hold for a flat rate price and it all comes back clean and folded for you. That's a deal in my book.  I'm not bring laundry detergent...sitting with my clothes....guarding then against walking away...etc.  Get the picture? It's a Win Win in my book! I love this service and use it every cruise.

To each their own, but personally I feel it's too much to ask them to unpack for me. 

Just remember....your carry on is going to go through an x-ray scan. Some delicate and personal items stick out like a sore thumb. If you see the belt stop and reverse direction and security starts to gather around the screen.........

We are going to keep our “delicates and personal items” in a small carry on and only have them unpack our main clothes that will be hung up in the wardrobe. 

Is this a joke?  My mouth is still hanging open!  If it is true I'm not sure the wife would want some stranger fondling her undies but then again she might like it.  This is good for a chuckle!

Personally, I’d never want some random stranger to unpack and put my stuff away.  I could see if it were your own personal butler at home who does that stuff for you all the time and knows how and where you like things, but I can’t see how a stranger putting your stuff where they think is good would be convenient.  I’d be going crazy after trying to figure out where everything was.
 

Exactly !

“Good morning Reyno,  can you tell me where I might find my underpants?”
 

While I wouldn't do it...I can't fault you.  Just don't pack anything too 'adult' or it might be embarrassing if they put it in the wrong drawer ?

Got to take advantage of the benefits of a $23,000 cruise lol