Laundry Service for back to back cruise

[Skierbri10]

I am taking a back to back cruise both 8 night cruises.  If you were in this situation and wanted to do laundry only once would you choose to do the laundry towards the end of the first cruise or at the beginning of the second? 

[ckruetze]

Never been on a B2B but I would do it as soon as you have enough dirty laundry.

[twangster]

It depends.  What are you laundering?  How much clean laundry do you have to live on while dirty laundry is out being cleaned?

I get some free laundry courtesy of my status with Crown and Anchor (CAS).  That includes socks, t-shirts, underwear, shorts.  The free laundry doesn't include things like long pants and dress shirts.   The two category of items are handled differently. 

I tend to utilize the free service with 3 days remaining since it can take 2 days for the free laundry to be returned. I like one day of safety buffer.  Then on cruise #2 it's time for more free laundry earlier in the cruise.  That gets me through for the items that are free.

The paid laundry is usually next day service but there often is no break for multiple items so no advantage to waiting and gathering a bunch of stuff like with free CAS laundry items. 

If I bring 3 pairs of long pants I can have one in the laundry while two are in my possession.  By the time one comes back, it's time to send another out.  I sometimes only wear long pants at night to dinner then I put shorts back on after dinner, so I can wear them a second time on another night unless it's been a hot and sweaty sort of night, then no second use.  Consequently paid items have a different cycle compared to those items I get for free through my CAS perks.

[Skierbri10]

56 minutes ago, twangster said:

It depends.  What are you laundering?  How much clean laundry do you have to live on while dirty laundry is out being cleaned?

I get some free laundry courtesy of my status with Crown and Anchor (CAS).  That includes socks, t-shirts, underwear, shorts.  The free laundry doesn't include things like long pants and dress shirts.   The two category of items are handled differently. 

I tend to utilize the free service with 3 days remaining since it can take 2 days for the free laundry to be returned. I like one day of safety buffer.  Then on cruise #2 it's time for more free laundry earlier in the cruise.  That gets me through for the items that are free.

The paid laundry is usually next day service but there often is no break for multiple items so no advantage to waiting and gathering a bunch of stuff like with free CAS laundry items. 

If I bring 3 pairs of long pants I can have one in the laundry while two are in my possession.  By the time one comes back, it's time to send another out.  I sometimes only wear long pants at night to dinner then I put shorts back on after dinner, so I can wear them a second time on another night unless it's been a hot and sweaty sort of night, then no second use.  Consequently paid items have a different cycle compared to those items I get for free through my CAS perks.

Thanks. I will launder only underwear and socks.  I will have enough to get through the first cruise, so I think doing the service early in the second will be better.  Also, once I get done with first cruise I will be able to get $5 off a bag if they let me.  I can bring one extra set of each to get through the launder day if I have to.  

[Eamon]

17 minutes ago, Skierbri10 said:

Thanks. I will launder only underwear and socks.  I will have enough to get through the first cruise, so I think doing the service early in the second will be better.  Also, once I get done with first cruise I will be able to get $5 off a bag if they let me.  I can bring one extra set of each to get through the launder day if I have to.  

I believe it takes a few weeks after a cruise for any status updates to occur to your C&A.  If that is what you are referring to.  But I could be wrong 

[Skierbri10]

21 minutes ago, Eamon said:

I believe it takes a few weeks after a cruise for any status updates to occur to your C&A.  If that is what you are referring to.  But I could be wrong 

That is true but if you go to the C&A ambassador you can usually have them give you the status for the back to back sailing.

[Riley]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

It depends.  What are you laundering?  How much clean laundry do you have to live on while dirty laundry is out being cleaned?

I get some free laundry courtesy of my status with Crown and Anchor (CAS).  That includes socks, t-shirts, underwear, shorts.  The free laundry doesn't include things like long pants and dress shirts.   The two category of items are handled differently. 

I tend to utilize the free service with 3 days remaining since it can take 2 days for the free laundry to be returned. I like one day of safety buffer.  Then on cruise #2 it's time for more free laundry earlier in the cruise.  That gets me through for the items that are free.

The paid laundry is usually next day service but there often is no break for multiple items so no advantage to waiting and gathering a bunch of stuff like with free CAS laundry items. 

If I bring 3 pairs of long pants I can have one in the laundry while two are in my possession.  By the time one comes back, it's time to send another out.  I sometimes only wear long pants at night to dinner then I put shorts back on after dinner, so I can wear them a second time on another night unless it's been a hot and sweaty sort of night, then no second use.  Consequently paid items have a different cycle compared to those items I get for free through my CAS perks.

I wouldn't trust the RC Laundry service with dress shirts, but you can absolutely send long pants (as well as jeans) in as part of the C&A freebie. I know they don't list them on the sheet so I just write in "pants, 1 pair" (or whatever) in the blank space.  Never had a problem or received pushback. 

[WAAAYTOOO]

Maybe we’ve just been lucky but we have included every kind of clothing item in our complimentary Wash&Fold laundry service and have neither been denied nor charged.  Basically, if it fits into the bag, it goes.  I send Dans Docker khaki pants all the time.  I have heard plenty of warnings about clothing being ruined in the ships laundry but never had any issues whatsoever.

Regarding timing, it is best to consult with your room attendant.  Some attendants have allowed us to send out a bag on day 5 (of a 7 night sailing) but on SY, we were told that we could send out no later than day 4.  On our recent B3B on OA, we sent out a bag on day 1 of the third leg which was laundry worn during leg 2….my point being, you might consider waiting until the beginning of leg 2 to send out the laundry, giving you the most time to get it back.

[twangster]

32 minutes ago, Riley said:

I wouldn't trust the RC Laundry service with dress shirts, but you can absolutely send long pants (as well as jeans) in as part of the C&A freebie. I know they don't list them on the sheet so I just write in "pants, 1 pair" (or whatever) in the blank space.  Never had a problem or received pushback. 

I was charged for jeans this past summer.  

[BrianB]

I bring enough to get me through the first week and into the next. Then I usually send it out on day two. But, I only send out enough to get me through the rest of the second week. I always like doing my laundry when I get home…all of it. Even things laundered onboard but not used.

Sometimes I may send out some things near the end of week one. I may also include some button down shirts. Then, on day one of the second week, I’ll send them out for pressing.

[Riley]

16 hours ago, twangster said:

I was charged for jeans this past summer.  

Oh DUDE that is unfortunate. Sofry to hear.

[bhee]

Okay then, what about a 14 night that I am going on thru the Panama Canal. As Diamond Plus, do you still only get one free wash and fold or two?

[Ampurp85]

2 hours ago, bhee said:

Okay then, what about a 14 night that I am going on thru the Panama Canal. As Diamond Plus, do you still only get one free wash and fold or two?

Since each cruise is a separate reservation no matter the length, I would imagine it's only 1 free wash.

[Montemy2419]

We have just got off the ship and went to the laundromat at the port.  I prefer to wash my own laundry as I use non-scented laundry detergent and some items I dry slightly while others not at all.  The one we like in Port Canaveral is so close and it's staffed with several employees.

https://capelaundryfl.com/

[CruiseGus]

I also do long pants no problem (about 6 times so far)

Personally I've ever only lost one pair of men's underwear and that pair was due to  be lost soon any way

Again I never send expensive dress or delicate, mostly cotton t-shirts gym shorts, khakis shorts and long, underwear, socks 

Great benifit for my b2b2b cruises 

[Ditchdoc]

Depends on the length of the cruise(s) and how much you packed.

I'd have the bag ready to pick up two days before turn around day so it comes back the day before turn around day.

I would generally plan to just have small clothes done, underwear, T shirts, socks, etc. Roll them tightly and carefully pack the paper sack you get. A couple can easily get a weeks worth in the bag and probably have a bit of room left over for anything you feel safe washing.

If you hang your nicer clothes, only wear them for a couple hours for dinner, change and rehang them, you can get at least two wearings out of them if not more. For a longer cruise, 3 or 4 tops and 2 bottoms should do. Shoes take a lot of space, don't get too crazy with them. A dark pair walking/tennis shoes, even nice sandals can sub for evening wear. I know most women will bring what they gotta bring

Reserve proper shorts for after dinner wear and shore excursions. Light weight gym clothes are great to hang out in on sea days, slip on for the morning coffee run/ breakfast or an alternate to hanging out in a swim suit all day and you can wear them to the gym. These same light weight gym clothes can also fit well in the laundry bag if needed.

 

 

[MaryCS62]

On 3/27/2023 at 5:09 PM, WAAAYTOOO said:

Maybe we’ve just been lucky but we have included every kind of clothing item in our complimentary Wash&Fold laundry service and have neither been denied nor charged.  Basically, if it fits into the bag, it goes.  I send Dans Docker khaki pants all the time.  I have heard plenty of warnings about clothing being ruined in the ships laundry but never had any issues whatsoever.

Regarding timing, it is best to consult with your room attendant.  Some attendants have allowed us to send out a bag on day 5 (of a 7 night sailing) but on SY, we were told that we could send out no later than day 4.  On our recent B3B on OA, we sent out a bag on day 1 of the third leg which was laundry worn during leg 2….my point being, you might consider waiting until the beginning of leg 2 to send out the laundry, giving you the most time to get it back.

Curious - is it per person, or per stateroom (the perk)?  DH & I are currently Platinum, but during the first leg of the B2B (9 days/7 days, so 16 total with DD who is only Gold still) we will turn Emerald, which doesn't really matter for the laundry discount purposes - both give you $5 off the bag - and we are mostly interested in the socks/underwear/tshirt option.  If we both qualified, then we could potentially do 2 bags cruise 1, and 2 bags cruise 2 - is that correct?

[WAAAYTOOO]

3 minutes ago, MaryCS62 said:

Curious - is it per person, or per stateroom (the perk)?

This perk is per person - at least, for now.  It's one of the most important and valuable D+ perks, IMO.