Let’s talk dirty – dirty clothes, that is. Some cruisers don’t mind bringing home a bag full of dirty clothes at the end of their cruise vacation. Others prefer to wash their clothes onboard the ship and travel home without needing to do chores immediately.

Cruise lines typically offer laundry services for a fee, though some ships do have self-service laundry rooms for guests to use themselves.

Larger ships, however, are more likely to be missing those self-service facilities. At the same time, those larger ships are also more likely to offer longer sailings, just when guests need to pack more attire and a laundry room might be most welcome to cut down on luggage.

But why the disparity? Larger ships, fewer laundry rooms? One guest contacted Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, John Heald, for an answer.

“Why did Carnival decide not to put laundry rooms on the excel class ships? On 7-day cruises I like to do laundry instead of packing a lot of extra clothes,” the guest asked.

While I personally wouldn’t relish the idea of taking even just an hour or two for laundry on a cruise, the guest does make a good point about luggage space. But it is exactly space – more specifically, the ship’s capacity – as to why Carnival does not offer self-service laundry rooms on its largest cruise ships.

“We did not put these self service laundry on the ships simply because of the amount of people who were there,” explained Heald.

Carnival’s three Excel-class ships – Mardi Gras, Carnival Celebration, and Carnival Jubilee – can each welcome 5,282 guests at double occupancy, or up to 6,500 passengers when fully booked.

If just one out of every 100 guests wanted to do a single load of laundry, this would mean 520-650 guests using self-serve laundry facilities on every sailing.

Onboard laundry rooms are typically smaller, offering no more than a dozen washers and dryers (six of each) in each facility – and often far fewer.

If there were five such laundry rooms onboard, this would mean no more than 30 washers and 30 dryers, each of which would need to be used at least 17 times per sailing for all interested guests to do their laundry.

Now, factor in timing. Most guests won’t want to do laundry in the middle of the night, or during a time when they would be in port exploring a new destination.

Carnival Cruise Line has already had controversies with laundry rooms and unattended clothes, which can cause tension between passengers or result in lost items, guest services complaints, or even uncomfortable confrontations.

One solution might be larger or more numerous laundry rooms, but that would usurp space that would otherwise be used for additional staterooms. Carnival Cruise Line is a business, after all, and makes more revenue from selling a stateroom than from a few loads of laundry.

Why Not Pay for Laundry Service?

Guests do always have the option of using the wash-and-fold service offered by the cruise line. Bags are provided in every stateroom or are available upon request from cabin attendants.

Travelers simply put their dirty clothes in the bag (all items must fit), fill in the appropriate instructions if necessary, and it will be carefully laundered and returned the next day.

Read Also: Cruise Ship Laundry – What You Need to Know

The same traveler also noted to Heald that the service might not always be the best, however, depending on how much laundry a guest wants to have washed.

“The laundry bags you provide are small for $15,” they said.

It’s true that $15 for a relatively small bag that can only hold a few items may seem pricey. And if you want to wash a pair of jeans, that might be all that could fit into the bag! Guests can always use multiple bags for all their laundry needs.

Heald insists that the cost is an “exceptional value” and of course many guests do take advantage of it.

Given that the Excel class ships do not feature laundry rooms due to the overall ship size and generous capacity, it is a fair bet that the upcoming even larger Project Ace ships will also lack the self-service feature.

Carnival cruise guests will want to pack accordingly! Just don’t try to bring along your own washing machine (yes, it has already been tried!).

There are many delicious treats onboard a Carnival cruise ship, and one of the most popular is the never-ending sweetness of self-serve ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Want a cone by the pool? No problem. How about a dish as a second dessert? You got it. Craft your own float with a glass of soda? Go wild. Add some ice cream to your hot chocolate? That’s my personal favorite.

The reason you can do all these fun things – and more! – with ice cream is because the machines are self-service. This lets every guest be as simple or creative as they wish, but it does lead to other issues.

One concerned guest reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s Brand Ambassador, with a potential solution to a common ice cream problem.

“We love cruising with Carnival. Just got off the Celebration this past Sunday and it was the best most spectacular vacation we’ve had,” the guest said. “I only have one question or maybe suggestion. Would it be possible if a crew member served the ice cream?”

At this time, the various Swirls ice cream stations onboard Carnival cruise ships are strictly self-serve and open until midnight (availability hours at different stations may vary).

I enjoy the perfect formation of a smooth cone, tapering as I go to ensure maximum ice cream for minimum mess as it begins to melt. I’ve had lots of practice on plenty of Carnival cruises! Not everyone is equally skilled at dishing up their own cones, however.

“I understand it’s not easy for the crew as they already have enough on their plates, but oh my god the mess these kids and adults as well make at the stations is just awful,” the guest explained. “Makes more work for the crew that have to clean. It’s so sad to see how wasteful people are with food.”

It’s true, I’ve seen my fair share of ice cream machines on the Lido deck with melting piles of soggy soft serve dripping onto the floor, with broken cones or other detritus nearby.

While Carnival crew members work diligently to clean the area, it only takes one unsteady hand to create a new mess just minutes later.

Heald has noted, however, that Carnival Cruise Line will not be changing their offering of soft serve anytime soon.

“It’s been like this for well as long as I’ve been here so almost 40 years. There are busy times of busy parts of the year when we have lots of children, and some of those children are so excited to be able to serve their own ice cream sometimes yes there is a mess,” he acknowledged. “But the crew are constantly cleaning it up.”

Of course, if guests notice an extremely messy ice cream spill, they can always alert a nearby crew member and it will be promptly attended to.

Self-Serve Ice Cream Is an Experience

Some other cruise lines do indeed have crew members staffing their ice cream stations, serving up cones or dishes to guests. This can create long lines, however, and there is less personalization available for cone size or any other variations a traveler might want to try.

Dishing up one’s own ice cream is simply part of the fun experience aboard a Fun Ship.

“I don’t want us to take away the excitement of this not just for the little kids, but the big kids like us,” Heald said.

Read Also: How Not to Overeat on a Cruise Ship – And Why It Matters

There is a fair bit of nostalgia for guests to dish up their own soft serve cone of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, or a combo twist, no matter what their age.

Whether it’s remembering a long-ago summer job or just the sweet taste of a favorite youthful treat, there’s something special about crafting your own cone on a cruise ship.

Carnival Cruise Line’s upcoming Excel-class ships – which are currently under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany – will be more innovative than ever before. But sometimes, progress means saying goodbye to previously loved amenities to make room for bigger and better.

One key change that is coming to the next two Excel-class ships – named Carnival Festivale and Carnival Tropicale – is that the Family Harbor lounge and staterooms will no longer be available.

Currently, this area is featured onboard the Vista-class ships (Carnival Vista, Carnival Panorama, and Carnival Horizon) and the first three Excel-class vessels (Carnival Celebration, Mardi Gras, and Carnival Jubilee).

The lounge in particular is well-liked because it provides a more kid-friendly atmosphere for families – featuring an exclusive breakfast spot and family-centric activities like video games, movies to watch, and board games.

However, this option will be traded in for more connecting staterooms that can better accommodate vacationing families.

“Carnival sails more families than any other cruise line, welcoming one million children per year; and to better serve those families, Carnival Festivale will feature 1,000 interconnecting rooms, nearly 70% more than on the first three Excel ships,” Carnival President Christine Duffy revealed during a recent press event.

“The expansion of the interconnecting rooms is in lieu of the Family Harbor staterooms on the existing Excel ships,” she continued.

Her statements were focused on Carnival Festivale, likely because this ship will debut first in spring of 2027. However, this update also applies to Carnival Tropicale, which will enter service a year later in the spring of 2028.

Connecting cabins are often ideal for families because they offer a bit more space, privacy, and the convenience of an extra bathroom – and usually at a more affordable price. They are also a good option for parents who would like their own room while still staying close to their kids.

This also helps families adhere to Carnival’s policy regarding kids staying alone in staterooms, which states that “guests 14 years of age or younger must be booked with a relative or guardian (25 years of age or older) in the same cabin or a connecting cabin.”

Families Already Miss the Harbor Lounge

While families can still take advantage of the Harbour Lounge on other Carnival cruise ships, many were sad to see that it won’t be onboard the new-builds.

“Going to miss the Family Harbor lounge on the newer ships,” one cruiser posted on Reddit. “I know the newer ships will have more connected rooms, which is great, but I am still sad to see the FH concept being abandoned.”

As many in the comments section agreed, the Harbor Lounge offered unparalleled convenience – with some expressing appreciation for the top notch customer service from the crew members who work there.

“Waking up early with the kids and only have to walk down the hall to get breakfast was amazing. They also have an espresso machine where I can make all sorts of coffees that are much better than what they have at the buffet upstairs,” the cruise fan continued.

“Anytime we didn’t know what to do on the ship, we would swing by there and the kids would be entertained. We would play a board game or they could watch a movie. There were snacks and desserts,” she added.

Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Cabins and Suites: What Are the Options?

But while it’s valid to feel disappointment when changes are made, Carnival really is trying to enhance the experience for families through these strategic decisions.

While many details about the new ships are still forthcoming, Carnival did already announce that the new additions will revamp all of the youth spaces onboard.

“Carnival Festivale will also introduce a dedicated space for Carnival’s Turtles program which is for children six months to two years, and more experiences for them on the open decks. Overall spaces for Carnival’s youth programs will also be enhanced to support additional programming,” Duffy’s announcement said.

Additionally, the BOLT Ultimate Sea Coaster that can be found on the existing Excel-class vessels will be replaced by a new offering, called Sunsation Point, that will feature an expanded water park and other outdoor family-friendly fun that spans across three decks.