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a laundry option would be great

Wan

Recent discussions about back to back trips got me thinking (again) about laundry. It has always been challenging for me to pack for trips longer than 10 days. I hate to spend time doing laundry while traveling when there is always so much to see, and laundromats are not always conveniently located. Wouldn't it be nice if Tauck could make a deal with at least one hotel per trip, especially on longer itineraries, where you could just hand over a sack of clothes for laundering for a reasonable price? We had this option available on recent cruises and it was great.
I would suggest that if you also feel this is a good idea, please mention it to Tauck on your next comment card or the next time you call in. It's probably unrealistic to think that anything will happen, but we can try!

Comments

British

Until recently we always managed quite long trips without having to do any laundry, maybe a few pieces of underwear. These days, we do get the odd bit of laundry done. We have collected very lightweight clothing that we keep for trips. We can easily pack over two weeks worth of underwear and unless it’s a very humid place, can wear outer things more than once. If people are concerned that others might notice wearing the same clothing, then one idea is to keep wearing black every day which I first noticed on our India tour. I wore colorful clothes, after all it was India!
It’s the Tauck insistence for ‘resort casual’ and jackets that mean you pack things you may only wear for a couple of hours each evening. And… expensive hotels mean expensive laundry!
We have traveled with people on three week tours more and more often that just take carry on and they look just as put together as anyone else.

Claudia Sails

We've done back to back tours or added days post tour that were long enough we needed more than the odd item laundered. Sometimes that meant booking a less expensive hotel that had guest laundry facilities or a per bag service. We've also found services - self serve or per bag - by using Google maps, the Nearby button starting from our hotel. Literally walked a few blocks from the Savoy once to a laundromat between tours. I keep hoping to find one near a bar or restaurant so we can enjoy our time waiting for cycles to finish. I can suggest a good chain apartment hotel company that usually has guest laundry facilities if anyone wants it. The 4/5 star hotel "just pay the overpriced laundry bill" people need not reply.

OurTravels34

I have also done laundry between back to back trips. I also look up the closest laundry facility and print it out on Google Maps where I can walk from the hotel we're staying. My husband and I do the laundry together (why not). When we were in Marseille, France my husband had to demonstrate to others walking in, how to use the machines. Some foreign washers and dryers can be challenging. I just sit and read a book. We've done this a handful of times. The last time was when we were traveling a month.

MikeHenderson

The cruise lines are starting to use laundry as a "benefit". Regent gives free unlimited laundry, at least in the cabin level we stay in. Silversea gave some laundry but I don't remember how much. I don't think it was unlimited.

Rather than go to a laundrymat, we've occasionally found a place that will do the laundry and fold it for you. And you can usually get it back in the same day. Bit more expensive than a laundrymat (a LOT cheaper than a hotel) but it frees up your time, allowing you do some some sightseeing.

[It would be nice if Tauck let us know of a laundry place close to the hotels we stay in.]

British

Tauck is a high end company, I guess they expect their clients to have no problem paying for laundry at hotel chains like the Four Seasons that Tauck guests appear to like staying in.

Wan

I've used the suggestions above and yes, have also built travel itineraries around laundry! I remember the little laundry shop in Sydney right near the hotel for the Grand Australia NZ tour that did such a marvelous same day service. Unfortunately that type of service is very difficult to find. (I have yet to find one in Italy, where I like to travel.)

The Tauck small ship tours with Windstar feature an option for a sack of laundry for something like $50. This is a Windstar option, not Tauck. I am hoping Tauck can work out this kind of deal at hotels they use.

If enough of us are interested, who knows, they may consider it. Doesn't hurt to ask. Thanks.

Goddess

And not everyone does laundry while on tour.

BKMD

As a TD once said to us, "it's cheaper to buy new clothes than to do laundry."

cdolohanty

We recently were on Vietnam/Cambodia/Thailand and then flew to The Essence of Japan. We asked our Tour Director about laundry and he personally used WashDrop, in Bangkok They picked it up at the hotel bell desk and returned it there. Very reasonable and helpful as we were traveling for 30 days. We have found the Tour Director to be your best source for laundry options.

British

You mean he does your laundry😀
Sorry, just joking

mikes

Several years ago we had a two-night stay at a hotel that had limited experience with English-speaking tourists. I took a pair of pants down to the desk and asked if they would be returned for sure the next day latest. The clerk asked if I wanted dry clean because that had to be sent out and I said no, wash only. When we returned from the day's sightseeing I was pleased to see they had already been finished and hung in the closet. Until I realized that they were still sopping wet! Back at the desk, the clerk said "well, you said wash only."

Joke's on me...

MikeHenderson

That's a funny story. Talk about taking things literally....

MikeHenderson

Here's a story about a man traveling to Paris, quite a number of years ago. He was staying in a lower budget hotel.

When he went to take a shower, both faucets were marked with "C". He turned one on and the water was very hot - he had to jump out of the shower. So, with a towel wrapped around him, he went to the desk and complained.

"I turned the shower on with the faucet marked "C" and it almost scalded me!"

The desk clerk drew himself us and said haughtily, “Monsieur, this is FRANCE. This is PARIS. We speak French here and the word for hot is ‘Chaud’.”

A bit embarrassed, the guy just said, “Oh, sorry” and turned to go back to his room.

But suddenly, he turned back to the man at the desk.

“Okay, hot is Chaud. What’s the other “C” mean?

The desk clerk just smiled and said, “Cold”.

BSP51

We sometimes travel with Uniworld if they have a particular itinerary that we can’t get with Tauck. The Venice lagoon for example. They allow one (stuffed) bag per person for returning guests. It’s a great perk. Of course they don’t offer the G.O.T. or the other many perks of traveling with Tauck.

MikeHenderson

Uniworld was bought by Apollo Global Management, an investment company, in 2024. I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who sails on a Uniworld cruise what their opinion is of Uniworld now, compared to back when the family owned it.

Ken from Vegas

Another tour company (A&K) includes the "traveling valet" service in their tours. It provides for one bag of laundry in the middle of a tour. I haven't traveled with them, and I would be interested in hearing anyone's experience with this. I have no doubt that even though it's included in the price, it is costing a fair amount.

Goddess

Exactly; like the Gift of Time - we're paying for it in the total cost of the trips.
I have traveled with the tour company you mentioned. I had no issues with the service. But, I also figure it's all calculated into the price of the tours. That is another not inexpensive tour company.

OurTravels34

Yes, you’re all correct. You better believe it’s factored into the price of the tour with A&K. Compare tours, compare itineraries, compare days touring. I mean, who wouldn’t want the best price for a trip. I realize it all depends on everyone’s priorities.

BSP51

We did the Uniworld Venice cruise last September. The cruise itself was interesting and different from our other Uniworld and Tauck river cruises. We had not used Uniworld for about 8 years but this itinerary interested us. However, we did not consider them to be on par with Tauck any longer. The boat was redone in 2021 but the love seat couches in the lounge were beyond shabby. When we pointed this out to the cruise director she didn’t seem very concerned and said they would probably take care of it in the off season.

Tauck, although a little more expensive, offers an overall better experience and value for everything included.

kfnknfzk

It is nice to see you back on the forum, BSP51.

BSP51

Thanks Kfnknfzk. Happy to be back. We are doing Romantic Capitals Prague to Paris next year. Hope you are well.

Karen R Brown

We’ve done laundry on both of our back to back trips. We did Spain and Northern Spain back to back and both trips started in Barcelona and the second trips first day was exactly the same day as the first so we skipped it and dropped laundry off at a 2 or 3 hour wash/dry/fold place. If you leave laundry be sure you’ve kept track of/counted the pieces you’ve left.

We also did laundry between Naples/Capri/Amalfi and Switzerland Crown Jewel back to backs. Found a credit card laundermat that was walking distance from our hotel in Lausanne since we had time between arriving late morning and the welcome dinner.

Just saying it’s possible to do, but you have to be resourceful and plan ahead. Use Google to find locations and read reviews. And lastly, no one besides you remembers what you wore.

Wan

Thanks for everyone's great suggestions/reminders for how to get laundry done while traveling.

Once again, I'm hoping to get Tauck to arrange an option with their hotels for a reasonable price on a sack of laundry, that would be totally optional and certainly not built into the cost of the trip. Again, likely unrealistic, but if you like the idea of this convenience please mention it to Tauck.

Happy summer!