Fed Up of doing your Weekly Chores?

It’s like being on a hamster’s wheel isn’t it, week in week out, the same old household chores need doing don’t they. Washing, ironing, cleaning, tidying. On and on it goes and just when you think you’re on top of it all the laundry basket is full again, the dust has mounted and you start all over again. One of my pet hates is changing the beds even though there is just one of my son’s left at home and myself so I only have two to do these days, nevertheless it is still a chore I dislike, I trudge up the stairs to set about it muttering and grumbling under my breath about it, as though the world is about to end, on a weekly basis. As if the stripping and remaking of said beds isn’t enough they then have to be washed and then ironed. Oh the misery, although I do love getting into a nice fresh bed. Well let me tell you, never again will I complain, well maybe not for a while anyway! Have I had my eyes opened on my recent cruise on Emerald Princess!

While on board I did a ‘behind the scenes’ tour which is something I have done several times before although I have never seen the ships laundry department, until now that is. Oh my life I think my jaw was gaping! Never in all my born days have I seen so much laundry! I simply cannot begin to tell you how much there was – sheets, duvet covers, pillowcases, napkins, cabin towels, pool towels, not to mention staff uniforms, hundreds of them, and passengers laundry – yes, passengers laundry! We were only on a 3 night cruise, take it home and do it yourself for goodness sake! The volume of laundry processed daily on a cruise ship is absolutely massive.

The area itself is immaculately clean and as you can imagine it is very hot down there. That said, all the staff are immaculately turned out in their regulation shorts and t-shirts, even name badges. There is a very regimented system to ensure that every item is processed to a very high standard, labelling being an important feature to ensure that clothing is returned to its owner be it passenger or staff. And yes, they do have machinery to help them in their work. They are not reliant on an iron and ironing board like your truly! Shirts and jackets fit over a sort of dressmakers dummy which at the press of a button sort of puffs up and heats up all at the same time, very clever but still very labour intensive for the operator.

Sheets are stretched, while still wet, across a massive machine which takes them through a process which dries them, irons them and folds them all at the same time then stacks them into a neat pile. This machine still requires two operatives to position the sheet correctly before the process begins though. Another type of machine deal with pressing trousers although again, as with shirts and jackets, each item is individually handled on to the press by a staff member.

All the staff were smiling and happy despite the heat, and were so obviously very proud of the job that they did, and rightly so! Never again will I complain about laundering just two sets of bedding once a week I promise. The amount of laundry that these guys process on a daily basis is enormous – and they are still smiling! Their cheerful disposition was a joy to see and their humor shone through in a little display they had made which must have been from unclaimed items.

Next time you are on a cruise take a moment to think of all these ‘behind the scenes’ staff who work so hard to ensure that you can enjoy a happy, relaxed and carefree holiday, I know I will!

All in all a great time was had on Emerald Princess, even the sun shone for us, but I’ll tell you all about it another time.

Happy Cruising Folks!