A How-to Guide Part I: Laundry

So you've saved up enough money for your new life at sea, chosen your preferred cruise line, and starting to book some itineraries. But how do you ACTUALLY live your life at sea? Where do you wash your clothes? How do you get your mail? Is there good internet access? Do you take your passport? In this multipart series, we'll explore the ins and outs of living on a cruise ship!

Laundry

Every major cruise line provides laundry service in some form or another. We recommend you ask your steward what the options, cost, and timing are on the first day of your cruise. The easiest option is to send your load to the onboard laundry service which tends to include a professional wash and fold but it can come at a steep cost. Both Carnival and Disney have self-service laundry rooms which can greatly reduce the price tag. But if you're living on the cruise ship, we have some additional options for you.

Onboard laundry service

Every cruise line has an onboard laundry service which is completed by the next day but can be rushed for an extra fee. Royal Caribbean and Carnival both have an option to fill an entire bag for a flat rate, $34.99 and $15 respectively, which is a great option for small items like undergarments and socks. All the other cruise lines charge on a per item basis which can add up fast. We recommend you selectively choose which items you send out for your wallet's sake! Every cruise line runs specials on laundry service if they anticipate high capacity.

 

Self-service

Let's start with the good news: Crystal Cruises has complimentary self-service laundry. To our knowledge, the only other lines to offer it are Disney and Carnival. Disney charges $3 per wash and $3 per dry while Carnival charges $3.25 each. Be warned, the machines are typically smaller than what you are used to on land! Some cruisers are frugal enough and wash everything in their cabin sinks and showers and hanging to dry. Penny saved is a penny earned! This can save you some coin but comes with the unpleasantness of an even tinier room while everything hangs.

Find a local laundromat near your port

Most of our economical cruise itineraries include repeated routes. For example, check out this 49-night itinerary that leaves and arrives in Miami 11 times at an average cost of $35 as of this writing. Our recommendation for the ultra cost conscious consumer would be to a find a local laundromat near the port and spend some time taking care your essentials on port day. This is definitely the cheapest option available to cruisers but will take up your precious land time. So we recommend:

Find a local laundry service

We think finding a convenient local laundry service near the port is the best option for most back-to-backers. We recommend having two suitcases of clothing: one for the ship and one to send to the on-land laundry service. Every time you dock, you swap a bag and go on your way! Pricing will obviously vary on the establishment you find but it will make the process stress free. Additionally, ask if your laundry service can deliver your suitcase to the port when you dock. One cruiser we know even keeps a third suitcase in a second port!

Conclusion

We think this decision is a straight forward cost/benefit decision. The most convenient option is the most expensive and the least convenient option is the least expensive. Depending on the cruise line's facilities and your loyalty status, we believe the average back-to-back cruiser should find a local service and only use the onboard service when necessary.

Stay tuned as we continue to explore Adulting at Sea: A How-to Guide. In our next segment, we'll cover everything you need to know about sending and receiving postal mail.