How crowded are the Magic laundry rooms?

[PrincessShmoo]

My husband did 3 loads a few days into our cruise as we had spent nearly a week traveling prior to the cruise. He went early in the morning. He had to use machines on both deck 6 and 7 but there was an indicator in the first laundry room as to how many machines were available on the other decks. Very helpful. Also, he bought 3 tokens for the washer and 3 for the dryer. Then he realized the dryer did not require tokens. So he was able to get 3 tokens refunded to out card. Saved $9!

The washer takes tokens?

 

[KDG]

The washer takes tokens?

The tokens were not physical coins, but credits loaded onto your key card, which were then “read” by the washer’s scanner. Sorry if that terminology was misleading.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

The tokens were not physical coins, but credits loaded onto your key card, which were then “read” by the washer’s scanner. Sorry if that terminology was misleading.

Well, then, the opposite question - the dryers didn't require credits?

Just curious, because all the ships, when I've been on them, did use the key card, but it just charged the cost to your onboard account. $2.00 to wash, $2.00 to dry.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I have had frustrating experiences with the laundry rooms. I've had machines that don't work properly, thus limiting the amount available. I hate when people put their wash in and then come 30 minutes after the cycle is over to empty them. My advice is to get there as early as possible in the morning. The Navigator App and the Wave phone will tell you when your load is finished, usually a few minutes early to give you time to get down there. I also set a timer on my phone. You purchase electronic machine tokens that are put on your KTTW card on the machine in the launderette. If you don't use them all, they will be refunded to you at the end of the cruise. You can also buy powdered detergent. Good luck!

 

[apathetic]

It is best to avoid at all costs. On the longer cruises, do your laundry early in the cruise because they become unbearable later. We did a 15 day and did laundry starting day 2 and by day 7 we had enough to last the cruise. People wait until they have no clothes, which starts about day 7, and then it becomes difficult and tense. People leave their stuff like they are home and it makes it worse. If you do laundry then tend to it so everyone else can do laundry. If I remember right, we did laundry last year and the DCL app told us when it was done. That was very handy for us, but not for those who still didn't care to tend to their laundry.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Well, then, the opposite question - the dryers didn't require credits?

Just curious, because all the ships, when I've been on them, did use the key card, but it just charged the cost to your onboard account. $2.00 to wash, $2.00 to dry.

Yes, use your key card to purchase wash and dry credits to activate the machines. On the Wonder for the WBPC cruise, they had increased to $3 per load to wash and $3 per load to dry. I also thought it had gone to $3 on the Fantasy when we did the Western Caribbean last November.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Yes, use your key card to purchase wash and dry credits to activate the machines. On the Wonder for the WBPC cruise, they had increased to $3 per load to wash and $3 per load to dry. I also thought it had gone to $3 on the Fantasy when we did the Western Caribbean last November.

Probably has. Haven't done a DCL cruise recently.

 

[AngelDisney]

Just in case you have ironing to do. The busiest time to iron your clothes is before dinner on formal and semi-formal nights. There was one time a dad was ironing for an hour all the clothing including jeans. I just wanted to iron two pieces for the night. I hope people can limit their amount of ironing during busy time.

 

[BartmanLA]

As many have said the earlier you rise the better I'm an early riser and on our 14 night WBPC this year on the Wonder, I got up around 6am and was able to get 4 load into washers on the Deck 7 laundry room, once I started I went up to get something to drink on deck, took a short walk around to get some fresh air and got back about 5 minutes before the washers were done. As has been stated the dryers seem to hold more than the washers so I was able redistribute the 4 washers into 3 dryers and get them done before 8am,

 

[lilsonicfan]

On our long cruise on the Magic, the laundry rooms did seem busy quite often, but the last day was the worst (obviously, lol) - DH witnessed what he said was nearly a fistfight, apparently there was a line of people waiting, when one person just walked in and tried to commandeer a machine. It didn't help that the machines broke down at some point on that last day so there were technicians in to fix them - and after they fixed them they made all of the machines free for the rest of the day which was nice. A lady who was waiting with me told me she usually sails P&O, a British line, and their laundry rooms are massive and roomy with many machines. That would be nice, but I at least appreciate that DCL lets you do your own laundry when many other lines don't now.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

On our long cruise on the Magic, the laundry rooms did seem busy quite often, but the last day was the worst (obviously, lol) - DH witnessed what he said was nearly a fistfight, apparently there was a line of people waiting, when one person just walked in and tried to commandeer a machine. It didn't help that the machines broke down at some point on that last day so there were technicians in to fix them - and after they fixed them they made all of the machines free for the rest of the day which was nice. A lady who was waiting with me told me she usually sails P&O, a British line, and their laundry rooms are massive and roomy with many machines. That would be nice, but I at least appreciate that DCL lets you do your own laundry when many other lines don't now.

The problem is on the Magic class ships, they were originally designed for short cruises in the Caribbean, and only have 3 laundry rooms. Where the Dream class has a laundry room on each stateroom deck.

That means that, when the Wonder and Magic do the longer cruises, you get a lot of people trying to use a small number of machines. And, as it is with people, if they can't get something done at the time they want it done, they get really angry.

 

[DCL_Wonder]

We've done other DCL cruises but never tried doing laundry on board. This time, we will need to. How hard will it be to get machines when we aren't in port? How much of a pain is it to do laundry on board? I don't want to pay to send it out.

On our 8-night Med cruise from Rome in June, the one's on our floor always seemed packed.

 

[monkeydawn]

What are the laundry room hours? Is 6 am the earliest?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

What are the laundry room hours? Is 6 am the earliest?

I've never seen laundry room hours posted. AFAIK, it 24/7. But, I have read reports of people who have room close to the laundry rooms complaining on some cruises and then the rooms would be locked at night. Doesn't happen often, but it happens.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

Laundry Wars is the best way to describe it. Sort of like Survivor-rise early, outlast, outwit... Last year's Alaska cruise was a wet one, so lots of folks doing laundry, plus the addition of packing stuff for lots of different conditions. Wonder- limited number of machines. This year's Eastern-avoid formal days-someone I swear was ironing every single thing they brought, while I had two pieces to touch up. Machines not working. Nothing but unhappy, frustrated faces-esp. Alaska. Next year we are on the Italy/Greece cruise on the Magic. Long cruise, not alot of machines, big baggage fees for those traveling by air. I already have anxiety about it. LOL

 

[shoes99]

What are the laundry room hours? Is 6 am the earliest?

24/7 as far as I have experienced. I have insomnia so one early morning put my laundry in at 5:30 am. I then went to get coffee and waited for the continental breakfast offerings counter service to open up. I was so early that the carpets in the hallways were still damp from overnight cleaning. Had my choice of machines.

 

[kiford]

I've gone in on formal night to iron my dress and there was a lineup of about 6 people waiting for a machine. I always bring enough clothes to not need to do laundry and will send out items if necessary. I have enough laundry to do at home - I'm not doing any on vacation!

 

[diznymom]

The closer you get to the end of the cruise, the busier the laundry rooms are.

 

[Coss]

The problem with the free dryer is that some people took advantage of it and spread their 1 washer load into 3 or 4 dryers, blocking everyone

 

[monkeydawn]

I've never seen laundry room hours posted. AFAIK, it 24/7. But, I have read reports of people who have room close to the laundry rooms complaining on some cruises and then the rooms would be locked at night. Doesn't happen often, but it happens.

24/7 as far as I have experienced. I have insomnia so one early morning put my laundry in at 5:30 am. I then went to get coffee and waited for the continental breakfast offerings counter service to open up. I was so early that the carpets in the hallways were still damp from overnight cleaning. Had my choice of machines.

Thank you both. I often have trouble sleeping past 4-5 am and when traveling I will usually leave the room so I dont wake whoever I am rooming with. Might as well be productive if this happens on the cruise!