The answer varies from ship to ship. Many ships offer self-service laundry facilities. Most have irons available for that quick touch-up. Some ships only offer the ship’s services for cleaning. Some of the larger ships offer dry-cleaning services. There is an additional charge for professional laundry and dry-cleaning services. Prices are in line with your home laundry services. Next day service is normal. We find for longer cruises, more than a week in length, that having laundry done onboard is much more convenient (and over-all less expensive) than bringing extra clothes.
Is motion-discomfort a
problem?
Not really. The most popular cruise areas sail some of the calmest waters in the world. In addition, stabilizers on newer ships, advance availability of accurate weather information, and development of effective preventative medications have, for the most part, eliminated the incidence of motion discomfort. However if you are concerned with motion sickness, there are over-the-counter medications that work well, or you may see your physician for prescription medication. Trust me, I used to suffer, but now I have no problem.
Cancellation
Policy (General information, will vary by cruise line.)
For most cruises and tours, a full refund (except for
amounts paid for travel insurance or cancellation waivers) will be made if
the cancellation occurs prior to the final payment date. Guests who
cancel, for any reason, after that date, including medical or family
reasons, are subject to the following per-person cancellation fees (unless
your third party insurance covers last minute cancellation protection):
- 75-46 days before commencing travel: an amount equal to deposit requirement;
- 45-16 days before commencing travel: 50% of gross fare;
- 15 days or less before commencing travel: 100% of gross fare.
This is only general guidance. Each cruise line has slightly different rules. Carefully read the cruise line’s brochure where this information will be explained in detail. Make sure your travel agent explains these restrictions and what your trip insurance allows. Your travel agency may impose it’s own cancellation fees.
Most cruise lines consider passenger name substitutions made to the reservation or changes of departure date as a cancellation and are unusually subject to stiff penalties or fees.
Deposits
and Final Payment
The per person,
cruise deposit requirements vary by cruise line. Your travel agent will
advise you of these costs. Deposits are generally due within 3 to 7 days
after the reservation date unless the cruise is sailing less than 30 from
your reservation date.
Payment by American Express, VISA, MasterCard or Discover Card are usually accepted. We recommend that all payments be made by credit card. A word of caution: Debit cards are not the same as credit cards. Debit cards always have a per day spending limit that varies from bank to bank. If you plan to make a final payment using a debit card it nearly always will be declined, even if there are sufficient funds to cover the transaction. Contact your bank before using a debit card to pay for your cruise.
