Cruisin' and the Laundry

[doriemg]

We just took the Disney 7 day Northern European cruise back in early July. We had a 3 day stop in Iceland beforehand so we only packed 5 days’ worth of clean clothes because we figured we’d do laundry the first night of the cruise. We thought surely no one else would be doing laundry on the first night. Boy, were we wrong. The laundry room was packed and it stayed that way for the rest of the cruise. We had to fight for a washing machine and then fight for a dryer. We have a 21 year old son who likes to stay up into the wee hours of the night so we were almost considering having him do the laundry while everyone else was asleep . When we took our Alaskan cruise in 2013 we had no problems doing laundry. Always plenty of washers and dryers available.

I was wondering what other’s experiences have been on any of the cruise ships going to any of the destinations. I’m trying to figure out if that’s the way it is now on all the ships or if it was because of location of the cruise??? I’m wondering if Disney needs to add more laundry rooms or at least increase the number of washers and dryers.

 

[Chirple]

We would start our laundry after midnight. We rarely encountered an empty laundry room, but we also didn't have long waits at that hour. My husband is a night owl, and I would catch a few winks while the wash and dry cycles were running.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We just took the Disney 7 day Northern European cruise back in early July. We had a 3 day stop in Iceland beforehand so we only packed 5 days’ worth of clean clothes because we figured we’d do laundry the first night of the cruise. We thought surely no one else would be doing laundry on the first night. Boy, were we wrong. The laundry room was packed and it stayed that way for the rest of the cruise. We had to fight for a washing machine and then fight for a dryer. We have a 21 year old son who likes to stay up into the wee hours of the night so we were almost considering having him do the laundry while everyone else was asleep . When we took our Alaskan cruise in 2013 we had no problems doing laundry. Always plenty of washers and dryers available.

I was wondering what other’s experiences have been on any of the cruise ships going to any of the destinations. I’m trying to figure out if that’s the way it is now on all the ships or if it was because of location of the cruise??? I’m wondering if Disney needs to add more laundry rooms or at least increase the number of washers and dryers.

I've found that the first couple of days (particularly during the daytime/evening hours) of any long cruise, or one that has a good B2B option, are very busy in the laundry room. There are often many people who have extended their trips by a pre-cruise visit to the country they are embarking in.

Also, formal/semi-formal days are busy - all day. Sea days, too.

I've found that hitting the laundry when we get up (and we're early risers, even on a cruise) around 6:30-7:00 isn't as busy. As well as late night (after the last show). Another tip - put a load in before going to dinner, check what time you have to be back to switch it to the dryer, and head down there between courses to make the washer/dryer switch and to remove your dry clothes (let your server know you're going to step out around XX time and they will time the courses to fit your schedule). Of course, this works best if your stateroom isn't far from the laundry room, and the MDR you are in that evening is also close to the laundry room (on the same end of the ship).

While they did build the Dream class ships with more laundry rooms than the Magic class ones, I doubt that they will add any more to any of the ships.

 

[lorimay]

I find early mornings to be the best time to get a machine with no problem. When I am finishing up is when it starts getting busier around 8-9am.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I was shocked with how busy the laundry room was on our recent 4-night Dream cruise. We were in FL doing other things for the 4 days before our cruise and weren't flying home for a couple days after disembarking so I figured we could just throw a couple loads in while on the cruise to cut down on what we packed.

There is a big problem with people who put a load in and then don't return when it's done. I've had this problem on more than one cruise. On deck 8, there were just 2 washers. This past cruise, one washer had a load in it that was complete when I walked in. I put one of my loads in the second washer. That same load of laundry was still sitting in the second washer when my one load was done, washed, dried and folded. I could have removed the other load and used the washer, but I feel weird about that. Instead, I just did one load of laundry that day.

I didn't realize that not all the laundry rooms have the same number of washers and dryers. On a tip from our stateroom host, I gave up trying the deck 8 laundry room which was closest to our stateroom. Instead I went to the one 4 decks down (deck 5). Deck 5 had had twice the number of machines as Deck 8 and I easily found an open machine there to do my second load.

 

[AquaDame]

I wonder if we could petition to have them add a laundry portion to the app like they have for the park resorts..!

 

[doriemg]

I wonder if we could petition to have them add a laundry portion to the app like they have for the park resorts..!

I love that idea! How about making the laundry room Fast Pass only.

 

[tiggger1]

This is why Im hoping to do all my laundry at the hotel before we leave for the cruise!

 

[Drusilla99]

There was lots of people in the laundry room on the on the first day on the wonder to Alaska last month. We drove to Vancouver from LA and needed some things washed and didn't realize the pan pacific didn't have a laundry room, so I didn't gave a choice. On the last day of the cruise there was a line, so I didn't do that since I knew for sure our Canadian hotel the next night would have a laundry room.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I was shocked with how busy the laundry room was on our recent 4-night Dream cruise. We were in FL doing other things for the 4 days before our cruise and weren't flying home for a couple days after disembarking so I figured we could just throw a couple loads in while on the cruise to cut down on what we packed.

There is a big problem with people who put a load in and then don't return when it's done. I've had this problem on more than one cruise. On deck 8, there were just 2 washers. This past cruise, one washer had a load in it that was complete when I walked in. I put one of my loads in the second washer. That same load of laundry was still sitting in the second washer when my one load was done, washed, dried and folded. I could have removed the other load and used the washer, but I feel weird about that. Instead, I just did one load of laundry that day.

I didn't realize that not all the laundry rooms have the same number of washers and dryers. On a tip from our stateroom host, I gave up trying the deck 8 laundry room which was closest to our stateroom. Instead I went to the one 4 decks down (deck 5). Deck 5 had had twice the number of machines as Deck 8 and I easily found an open machine there to do my second load.

Well, if you had removed the items from the washer, you wouldn't be the first person who's done so. I've often seen unclaimed loads (wet & dry) just sitting on the folding table in the laundry room waiting for whoever felt that they didn't need to be considerate of others and remove their stuff in a timely manner. I did take a picture on our last cruise of a load of wet laundry waiting the the laundry room. Can't get to it right now, but I'll post it later.

 

[MPS516]

90 % of all the laundry users are cordial, polite neighbors. There are those who rarely think of others and think their clothes are in a machine so they own that machine. Their loads are done and no one is anywhere around sometimes for the entire time you are in the laundry. I applaud the people who wait 15 minutes and remove them, I want to be that guy. I was able to side with a woman who had removed a load when the owner did return and begin to verbally assail her, by stating the load was finished before I got there 30 minutes ago. She picked up her wet clothes and angrily marched off. The remaining people in the laundry room all commented about how rude it is to leave your laundry in a washer after it has finished.

So, original question, we find that watching the laundry each time we pass it gives us a good idea when to head down. As far as first night, I find whenever sailing out of PC or any European port they are very busy first night since so many people extend their trips with a pre-cruise land portion.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

I've done laundry on a port day with no problem, but on the WBPC next year I'll be laundering on sea days. I'll just try to zig when everyone else zags...or I'll wash our unmentionables myself as one load and send the other clothes off to be laundered.

 

[michellekcm]

I've found the European cruises tend to have more people in the laundry just because most people have luggage restrictions with the flights to get to/from Europe. I've never had as much issues on the Caribbean cruises.

Of course, we're always doing laundry at some stage on a cruise because we come from Australia and therefore always have the luggage restriction issues. Depending on where we've been before the cruise we often do laundry on embarkation day, where it's generally (but not always) quieter.

 

[Amunet]

I know we will doing laundry for our EBPC in a few weeks with 4 nights at WDW after.

So port days would be the best to wash?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I know we will doing laundry for our EBPC in a few weeks with 4 nights at WDW after.

So port days would be the best to wash?

Typically, yes. Especially in the morning.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

I was on a Magic European B2B last summer. We actually didn't book the 2nd cruise until we were onboard! We were having so much fun, we booked the very last stateroom available for the next cruise. That meant, of course, I had to do laundry. Holy cow! The laundry room was ALWAYS crowded and people were getting up in arms over people not getting their laundry out in a timely manner, who was there first to get a machine, etc. Literally, verbal fights were breaking out. I felt SO bad for the people who had the stateroom directly across from the laundry room. They must have been miserable. One day I went in to find a woman looking desperately for her laundry. Apparently someone had taken an entire load of her laundry! I learned quickly that if I put a load in, I would arrive about 5 minutes prior to the cycle ending and then stand in line for a dryer, then come back about 5 minutes before that was done so my laundry wouldn't walk and I wouldn't get involved in an altercation!! We are cruising in a few weeks and I will be doing laundry again, however, this time, I'm paying DCL to do it! It will cost a TON more, but I can't deal with the laundry wars again!!

 

[Agent 86]

On the Wonder in June 2016, the laundry on Deck 2 always seemed to be busy, but it wasn't too bad. I did ... maybe three loads over the course of our trip and I think I only had to wait for a washing machine once.

 

[ADC2016]

Tks for the tips of laundry!!!!

 

[Carrie in AZ]

Busy laundry room on Deck 2 Wonder during both of our cruises. The flow in and out leading up to Formal Night was crazy busy with a line waiting to use the irons. I was surprised by this since I had never cruised before.

My frustration with the multi-generational family who loaded at least a dozen pairs of their muddy shoes into the washers and broke some as a result (Jamaica: maybe Dunns Falls?) and did not return to remove the shoes in a timely manner is well documented here. Truly unbelievable was that huge pile of shoes.

I didn't give it a second thought to remove clothes from the washers and dryers when the owners did not return in time. When there is a wait for machines on a vacation cruise ship, courtesy dictates that you have your body back in that room ready to manage your load when the cycle concludes.

 

[Gilland18]

On the 2012 EBPC the arguing in the laundry on deck 2 got so bad that they posted a crew member to stay there and make people behave.