If you are considering a cruise with Virgin Voyages you might be wondering about the types of laundry services that they offer onboard.
I’ve just returned from a Virgin Voyages cruise and the information in this post is based on information collected on board in 2021.
Do Virgin Voyages Have a Self-Serve Laundry?
Virgin Voyages do not have a free-to-use laundry on any of their ships. They provide laundry services for a charge which can be purchased on board.
Virgin have one of the simplest pricing structures when it comes to onboard laundry.
How Much Does Laundry Cost on a Virgin Voyages Cruise?
On a Virgin Voyages cruise, it costs $4 to have a basic item of clothing such as a sweater or skirt ironed. To wash and fold basic laundry items costs $5 and to have a basic laundry item washed then ironed costs $6. Premium items such as suits cost extra.
Virgin also have laundry packages available to purchase.
The table below was created using data from Virgin Voyages cruise ship Scarlet Lady. The prices of laundry (and all things on cruise ships) change regularly.
Washing and Ironing/Pressing Services:
| Press Only | Wash and Fold | Wash and Press | |
| Pants (Trousers) | $4 | $5 | $6 |
| Tops | $4 | $5 | $6 |
| Sweaters | $4 | $5 | $6 |
| Shorts | $4 | $5 | $6 |
| Dresses | $4 | $5 | $6 |
| Skirts | $4 | $5 | $6 |
| PJ’s | $4 | $5 | $6 |
| T-Shirts | $4 | $5 | $6 |
| Underwear/Swimwear/Socks | $4 | $5 | $6 |
Press Only: This is where the cruise line will iron/press the clothing item without washing it first. Many people use this if they want to remove the creases from a shirt.
Wash and Fold: The wash and fold option means that the clothes are washed but not pressed/ironed. They are returned to the guest folded.
Wash and Press: This option means that the clothing item is washed then pressed/ironed.
Dry Cleaning Services:
In addition to washing and ironing/pressing clothing Virgin also offer a dry cleaning service called Eco clean.
| Eco Clean | |
| Suit | $7 |
| Jacket | $7 |
| Pants (Trousers) | $7 |
| Tops | $7 |
| Sweaters | $7 |
| Shorts | $7 |
| Dresses | $7 |
| Skirts | $7 |
Laundry Delivery Options
Regular Delivery – Regular delivery includes the return of your clothing items by 5.30 pm the day after they were taken to the laundry.
Same Day Express – Same day express delivery returns your items of clothing by 5.30 pm the same day if picked. up before 11 am.
| Pick up and Return Time | Cost | |
| Regular Delivery | Returned by 5.30 pm the day after collection | $0 |
| Same Day Express | Returned by 5.30 pm on the same day (picked up before 11 am) | $20 |
Laundry Deals Available With Virgin Voyages :
Virgin Voyages offer a ‘by the bag’ promotion. This often works out much cheaper than paying per item as you can fit as many items as possible into the bag.
I’ve used this option before on other cruise lines and have managed to fit in far more items than the cost of the laundry if I was to be paying per item.
Wash and Fold – Bag Deal
Cost: $30 – Includes regular delivery
Possibly the most popular option for guests wanting to have laundry done onboard is to pay for the $30 ‘wash and fold’ bag deal. This basically means that the cruise line will wash as many pieces of clothing as you can fit in the bag.
The bag is quite large but is usually breakable so make sure you organize your clothing well.
As it costs $5 per item to have an item of clothing washed and folded as long as you are planning on having more than 6 items laundered it would make financial sense to pay for the bag rather than by the item.
Express Wash and Fold – Bag Deal
Cost: $50 – Includes express delivery
The express wash and fold option is the same as the regular wash and fold option but the delivery is faster.
Note: There is no by-the-bag deal that includes ironing/pressing.
How do You Use The Pay Per Item Laundry with Virgin Voyages?
If you aren’t doing the full bag promotion you must fill out the laundry sheet with the quantity of each item.
You’ll also need to add your cabin number, name, and pick-up date.
Your cabin steward will then take the bag from your room and return it afterward.
The bag can be left in the room for the next time the cabin steward cleans the room if there is no time pressure. If it’s important the laundry goes to the laundry room as soon as possible contact your cabin steward (using the tablet in the room or by pressing the make-up room button).
Virgin Voyage Laundry Terms:
“Silk, flannel trousers, woolens and other items that are difficult to clean are accepted for laundering only at the owners risk.”
Virgin Voyages
Virgin also say that they are not responsible for any shrinkage, fastness of colors, zippers, buttons or ordinary wear and tear.
Free Alternatives to Cruise Line Laundry Services
If at all possible I do try to avoid paying for laundry when I cruise.
When I cruise I usually pack a little bottle of travel wash to my clothes in the cabin sink. My favorite travel wash only costs a few dollars and always works well. My recommendations can be found on Amazon here: UK Link, US Link.
I use the travel wash to wash things like t-shirts and socks in the cabin sink. It’s easy to do and almost free!
How to Use Travel Wash:
Using travel wash is really easy and doesn’t take long at all. Start by filling the sink with warm water then add a very small amount of the travel wash.
Move your clothes around in the wash and then put them to the side. I like to wash all clothes in the same bubbly water before moving on to rinse them off. Rinsing some clothes in the sink can be a bit tricky but rinsing them in the shower is always a good option.
Once you’ve washed your clothes try to ring out as much of the water as possible so that they can dry faster.
There is usually a line for hanging your clothes in the shower so I do this. Cruise lines do try to dissuade guests from hanging clothes on their balconies to dry because they can blow away and become a danger.
Can You Bring an Iron on a Cruise?
As a general rule, irons can’t be bought on a cruise. Irons are banned by the majority of cruise lines because they pose a safety risk. Irons bought onboard by guests will be confiscated and returned at the end of the cruise.
All luggage is scanned on cruise ships to look for things like alcohol or dangerous items.
How to ‘Iron’ Your Clothes Without Using an Iron
Use gravity to drop out the creases
There is not a lot more annoying than carefully picking out your outfit and realizing that you look like you need a good iron! Keeping clothes wrinkle-free when they’ve been packed into a suitcase is quite a challenge.
To get rid of the worst of the wrinkles I like to have a shower and then hang the clothes in the bathroom.
This can be tricky if the coat hangers in your closet are attached to the closet but generally speaking it’s usually quite easy to take out a coat hanger and hang your clothes on the inside of the bathroom door.
The creases mostly drop out as the bathroom dries. It isn’t perfect but it is a lot better than just wearing your freshly creased clothes!
If you are worried about wrinkles in your clothes it may be worth buying wrinkle release spray. It works similarly to the steamy shower idea: UK Link, US Link.
By spraying this onto your clothes before having a shower and leaving the creases to drop you can maximize the effect.
Note: Many cruise lines have also banned portable steamers.
Is It Worth Paying For Laundry on a Virgin Voyages Cruise?
If you are going to wash more than 6 or so items I’d recommend that you use for the fill a bag promotion as it’s much better value. If you do only want to wash 1 or 2 items it could be worth just doing this on a pay-as-you-go basis.
If you are only wanting to wash a few t-shirts, maybe some gym clothes, socks, etc I’d strongly recommend that you do your own laundry in the cabin sink. It’s cheap and easy!
| 1-6 Items | 6+ Items | |
| Laundy Recommendation | Hand Wash or Pay as You Go | Fill a Bag Deal |
I had a great cruise with Virgin Voyages but it wasn’t what I expected at all.
To find out more about my cruise, including my reviews of the ship, food, entertainment, and cabin, check out this post next:
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