Getting free laundry is the holy grail of cruising! A lucky few who stay in the most expensive staterooms get it automatically, but there is another way to get the cruise lines to give your wardrobe some tender loving care.
What the small luxury lines offer
Typically the luxury lines offer more generous free laundry allowances. Silversea are among the most generous offering unlimited complimentary laundry (excluding dry cleaning and “press only”) to their Venetian Society guests who’ve sailed at least 100 days. Regent Seven Seas give unlimited free laundry to loyal guests who’ve sailed at least 200 days. Members of Seabourn’s Club can expect to receive one free bag of laundry after just 20 sailing days and unlimited complimentary laundry once they reach 250 days at sea.
Some big lines take a different approach
Cunard take a different approach. Rather than offering free laundry to loyal guests they give discounts. Members of their World Club who have taken at least 7 voyages or amassed 70 sailing days will get a 20% saving on dry cleaning and laundry services. Costa Cruises use the same approach, but they’re more generous offering a 20% discount on laundry after only 20 cruise days. P&O’s Peninsular Club gives a massive 50% discount on laundry for guests who’ve sailed at least 80 days and qualified for Baltic Status. Among the least generous is MSC’s Club where small laundry discounts are offer after your first cruise, but these only rise to a maximum of 30% for top-tier guests.
Getting free laundry on mid-price cruises
As we all know discounts are nice, but not as nice a free laundry! So which moderately priced cruise lines offer it? As we reported here, Norwegian Cruise Line offer their top-tier Latitudes guests one free bag of laundry per cruise. Celebrity Cruises will give Elite members of their Captain’s Club one free bag per cruise. You’ll reach Elite status after 100 sailing days in a Celebrity veranda stateroom. If Carnival is more your scene you’ll get real benefits – complimentary unlimited laundry after 200 sailing days! The same number of sailing days on Holland America will also earn you unlimited free laundry.
If getting free laundry is high on your cruising to-do list then start sailing! For the budget conscious cruiser we recommend Carnival’s loyalty program for great laundry benefits. If mid-priced cruises are what you’re looking for then Holland America offer the most generous laundry allowances. And for top-shelf cruising Silversea’s Venetian Society get our thumbs up for complimentary laundry!
About the Author: Jason Kerr
