The Mystery of Missing Laundry Rooms on Carnival’s Largest Cruise Ships

Some cruisers prefer to return home with clean clothes, while others are content with a bag full of dirty garments at the end of their vacation. Although cruise lines typically offer laundry services for a fee, self-service laundry facilities are often absent, especially on larger ships, which paradoxically could use these services more due to longer sailings and higher guest capacities.

Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, addressed a guest’s query about the lack of laundry rooms on their largest ships, the Excel-class vessels—Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee. Each of these ships can accommodate 5,282 guests at double occupancy and up to 6,500 when fully booked.

The guest, puzzled by this design choice, noted, “On 7-day cruises, I like to do laundry instead of packing a lot of extra clothes.” Heald explained that the sheer number of guests on these ships made it impractical to include laundry facilities. For instance, if just 1% of the passengers wished to do laundry, it would mean up to 650 guests needing to use limited washers and dryers, which usually don’t exceed a dozen appliances in total. The timing of laundry usage—when guests are likely to be either exploring port destinations or enjoying onboard activities—would further complicate the logistics.

Moreover, Carnival has had its share of issues with laundry and unattended clothes in the past, leading to complaints and possible conflicts among guests.

While self-service laundry rooms could alleviate some issues, their space could otherwise be allocated for more staterooms, which are more lucrative for the cruise line. Carnival’s business model prioritizes stateroom occupancy over laundry services.

For those who need laundry done while onboard, Carnival offers a wash-and-fold service available in staterooms, allowing guests to fill provided bags with clothes to be laundered and returned the next day. However, guests have raised concerns about the size of the bags and their associated costs.

As Carnival continues to expand its fleet with even larger ships, such as the upcoming Project Ace vessels, it appears likely that the absence of self-service laundry facilities will persist, leaving cruisers to pack accordingly.

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