Tips for Managing Laundry on a Cruise

There are a few reasons one may need tips for managing laundry on a cruise. A minimalist may want to take less luggage and travel light. A large family may need to wash while on a cruise so they don’t have too many suitcases. At the same time, long cruises may require one to wash clothes to recycle outfits they wear.

With the incredibly large ships on the high seas today, one could take a 14-day or longer cruise. When kids play hard, their clothes soil fast. As a parent myself, I know it’s hard to keep up with the laundry and all the dirty clothes.

I’ve done laundry on a cruise before. It really was a smooth process, and I learned tips for managing laundry on a cruise.

In this article, we will discuss what to take on a cruise to do laundry, the laundry options, and laundry tips and tricks for a smooth cruise. Let’s embark on the journey of laundry while cruising together.

Preparing for Your Cruise

Before you set sail, be prepared with these Tips for Managing Laundry on a Cruise. It all starts with packing smart.

Packing Smart

You are on vacation and plan to have a blast, so the last thing you want to do is laundry three times a week. Packing smart will help minimize how often laundry needs to be done. Tips for managing laundry on a cruise may include packing enough items to last a week. Then, you will only need to take time out from fun times once every five to seven days.

Along with the clothes packed, try to choose items that are wrinkle-resistant. These materials may be worn a couple of times and still look fresh.

Oh and make sure to take a mesh laundry bag to slip all the dirty clothes into. When it is time to do laundry, you can just grab the bag, and away you go.

Laundry Essentials to Bring

Each laundry facility probably has laundry detergent and softener sheets, but bringing your own will save time and money. No need to find the proper change to use in the dispenser machines. These are just a few items that will come in handy.

1. Travel-sized detergent for handwashing clothes.
2. A stain remover pen to treat stains on the go.
3. A small box of fabric softener sheets
4. A small size bag of laundry pods

You won’t need many of these items; small bags will do.

Onboard Laundry Options

Managing Laundry on a Cruise provides different options to fit many needs.

Self Laundry Facilities

Many cruise ships have laundry rooms, and although they are small, they do come with washers, dryers, and ironing boards. Before you set sail, check with the cruise and particular ship to see what they offer.

Full-Service Laundry

Or you can have the ship do laundry for you. They charge a fee for the service, but for some, the convenience wins. Usually, in your stateroom, there will be a slip and a laundry bag. Just fill out the form, put your clothes in the laundry bag, and follow the directions where to leave the bag. Be sure to check how long the turnaround time is so you are not left without your much-needed clothing.

In-Cabin Laundry

One of the Tips for managing laundry on a cruise is to do it yourself in your room. It will take a bit longer to dry, but you can hand wash small items in the sink and hang them to dry. When doing this, make sure the sip doesn’t have rules for where you can hang clothing, like on the deck or not.

Laundry Tips and Tricks

Here are some additional Tips for Managing Laundry on a Cruise to make your laundry go smoother. Laundry is not really an enjoyable task, but there are things you can do to organize it better.

Planning Laundry Days

If you love going into port and doing exursions, you may want to plan laundry days on your days at sea. However, these may be the busiest days for washers and dryers. If this is your choice, one of our tips for managing laundry on a cruise is to do it very early in the morning or late at night.

Now, if you are a stay-on-the-ship sort of person at ports of call, these are really good days with less traffic to do laundry. Most people are out and about and don’t go to the laundry room when the ship is docked.

Quick Fixes for Laundry

We all know that accidents happen. My husband inevitably spills something on his shirt at dinner. A stain remover pen will help to remove these stains. After you use the pen, you can spot-clean the area in your cabin sink.

More tips for managing laundry on a cruise include ironing. If you love to participate in formal nights and have a special dress to wear but it is wrinkled, try this tip: Hang it in the bathroom while you shower. This will steam out most of the big wrinkles.

Keeping Your Laundry Organized

Staying organized is probably the most important of our tips for managing laundry on a cruise.

Sorting and Storing Laundry

When you first board your ship, designate an area in your stateroom for dirty clothes. I always stand a suitcase upright and put all my dirty clothes in it. Store all clean clothes in the closet or drawers. This will prevent extra time sorting through all the clothes on laundry day.

Packing Your Laundry for the Trip Home

The second best of our tips for managing laundry on a cruise is to make life easier when you get home. Packing cubes are excellent for sorting clean and dirty clothes for the trip home. I use different cube colors, one color for dirty and one for clean. Then, when I get home, I just dump the dirty clothes in a basket to wash.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tips for Managing Laundry on a Cruise

We understand that doing laundry on a cruise can raise some common questions. In this FAQ section, we will address three of the most frequently asked questions that may arise when looking at tips for managing laundry on a cruise.

Is it better to do laundry during port days or sea days?

Doing laundry during port days is usually less busy. However, if you plan to spend the entire day exploring the port, consider scheduling your laundry for sea days, early in the morning or later at night.

Are there restrictions on hanging clothes to dry in my cabin?

I was recently on a Carnival cruise that had restrictions for hanging clothing on the deck. However, the cruise before that on Princess did not have restrictions. It is best to check the rules on the cruise line you will sail with, just to be on the safe side.

Conclusion

I hope these tips for managing laundry on a cruise help. Remember to bring some laundry supplies with you and plan your laundry day for your vacation.