Got Dirty Clothes?: 6 Cruise Ship Laundry Tips

As unfortunate as it may be, laundry is likely the only sign of reality to ever rear its ugly head during a cruise vacation otherwise filled with escape. Thankfully, there are ways to reduce the pains associated with dirty clothes, and we've complied some suggestions to consider here.

Pack Enough Clothes for the Duration

The simplest solution to not dealing with laundry in any capacity during your cruise is to pack enough clean clothes for the entire length of the sailing. Of course, this may be easier said than done as airline baggage weight limits restrict how much you can bring along without astronomical added fees. This can be done simply enough for a weeklong or shorter cruise but those longer or ones requiring additional formal wear make it a tad tougher.

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Choose a Cabin with Included Service

If you require laundry to be done onboard but would rather not tend to it yourself, the best approach would be to choose a cabin category that features free laundry service as an included amenity. This is more common of suites like the Penthouse Junior Suite and above on Viking Ocean Cruises. In fact, Viking and Oceania Cruises are even addressing the aforementioned cruise length issue by providing free laundry to guests aboard their world cruises -regardless of stateroom selection.

Buy a Package

Of course, dirty clothes can also always be sent out during the cruise to have the ship launder them for you, but a la carte prices can be expensive. In those situations, you might consider an unlimited package wherein a daily rate is paid to be able to send out laundry ad infinitum. Holland America Line is one such company to offer this option.

Wait for a Special

If you can wait your laundry out to later in the cruise, specials sometimes become available along the lines of a single price for a bag of laundry-however many clothes you can fit within a bag will be cleaned for a flat cost. Celebrity Cruises, for one, has run such specials in the past.

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Take the Paid or Included Self-Service Route

If all else fails, many cruise lines offer self-service laundry facilities to do it yourself. To save some money, consider which brands offer laundromats for free and which charge extra for the machines and detergent. Carnival Cruise Line, for instance, charges for both while Cunard Line is entirely free.

Be Mindful of Laundromat High Times

If you are going to use a laundromat, keep busy times in mind, especially if the facilities are free and consequently more frequented. They tend to be bustling right at opening and most on sea days. If you can stay onboard during a port call, the machines will be easier to get to. Meanwhile, please be mindful of other passengers too and don't leave machines unattended for extended periods of time, thus requiring other guests to remove your laundry for you.

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