Help! 11 day Journey cruise dilemma!

I am leaving Friday morning for an 11 day cruise, plus 1 extra day, and I can't get my luggage under 50 pounds! I'm not a small lady, and I can not wear tiny clothes, like shorts and tank tops. I have 8 evening sundresses or dressier Capri sets, 3 dressier outfits for formal nights, and 12 daytime Capri pants and tops for daywear. Throw in the shoes, and other garments, and I'm still at 64 pounds, even though I've taken out some things. My carry on bag is stuffed also. I'm solo this time, so I can't throw stuff in DH bag. How can I scale down, and still have enough to wear? I don't wear the shorter length dresses. Since I love to eat in the main dining room, I like to dress nicely in the evenings. Help! :) I may be "INCHARGE" of how I handle my life setbacks, but I'm sure a mess with this packing thing!

Look at your capri sets and see if there is anything you can eliminate by wearing the same pair of bottoms with a different top. Also try to coordinate outfits utilizing the same piece a few times. HTH

If you are going solo, who cares about so many outfits. I dress down now that I go solo. People on board could care less.

Pack half and do laundry on one of the sea days. I think a wash and dry with a thing of soap is $6 with the self-service. On my Alaska cruise I had 11 total days with a stay in Seattle and I just did laundry on board twice(once on the last day so I had no dirty clothes when I got home). I also had to pack lots of heavy clothes (jeans, sweatshirts, etc...) since it was a cold weather cruise, and I was at 42 pounds for a bag, with no carry on.

Also ditch a formal night outfit. There's only two, not three.

Take Tide pods and do laundry if you need to. Put your heavy jewelry or shoes in your carry on. I would leave some outfits at home - you can wear a pair of pants twice.

They also have laundry specials, where you can stuff a bag full (we get a lot in!) usually on a port day mid-cruise. If you don't want to sit in a laundry room waiting for your stuff, or worry about someone taking it, your cabin steward will take it in the morning, and it will be returned that night wonderfully folded! Great for stuff you don't mind being washed in hot water - don't put anything in that you will worry about shrinking, fading, etc.

Take two bags?

Thank You so much for your replies. I have unpacked that bag, and will see what I can double up on. I am platinum, so I can have 3 bags laundered. I have to be careful what I send them, because they use very hot water.

theriac... I will take your advice and remove one of the formal outfits. There are 2 cruise elegant nights, and 1 formal night on he Journey cruises. I will just wear one of them twice!

GweninTX... I have moved my jewelry and some shoes to my carry on. Thanks

Crookedhalo...I'm going to see which sets can be mixed. Thanks

RuthlessBoss...Thank You also. I am used to changing my clothes twice on a cruise. Once during the day, and I don't want to wear those dirty clothes to dinner, so again for dinner. It has nothing to do with who cares. I am the same way when at home. If we go out in the evening, I will shower and re-dress again.

P4all... I will send my laundry. Thanks much.

Jh2360.... I have my large bag and my carry on. My DH is lifting it for me to weigh. I am not able to take 2 large bags I wish. Lol. Thanks.

I appreciate all of your replies. Once I re-do, I will come back with my final weight.:D

That's why I always have to do a test pack. Lol.

Hi,

Packing queen here! Usually the heaviest things in the bag are your shoes. Try to color coordinate your clothing so that you have fewer shoes to take! On my last cruise I had only 1 pair for evening that went with every outfit.

I understand changing for dinner but on non elegant nights can you wear your dinner outfit the next day during the day since you only wore it for a couple of hours the previous evening? There is always the option to do laundry but I've been on 10 day cruises with just carryon ,changed for dinner every night and didn't need laundry until I got home.

Good luck!

I am leaving Friday morning for an 11 day cruise, plus 1 extra day, and I can't get my luggage under 50 pounds! I'm not a small lady, and I can not wear tiny clothes, like shorts and tank tops. I have 8 evening sundresses or dressier Capri sets, 3 dressier outfits for formal nights, and 12 daytime Capri pants and tops for daywear. Throw in the shoes, and other garments, and I'm still at 64 pounds, even though I've taken out some things. My carry on bag is stuffed also. I'm solo this time, so I can't throw stuff in DH bag. How can I scale down, and still have enough to wear? I don't wear the shorter length dresses. Since I love to eat in the main dining room, I like to dress nicely in the evenings. Help! :) I may be "INCHARGE" of how I handle my life setbacks, but I'm sure a mess with this packing thing!

I always appreciate fresh shirts, but my bottoms do double duty, especially my casual stuff if I'm spending a lot of time in my swimsuit. I wear them at least twice on a cruise (unless something really gets dirty, which is rare). Take a close look at the capris and see if any of those could do double (or triple) duty. I also opt for skirts, so that I can just change up the tops.

I feel your pain on having larger clothes ... they aren't light!

Hi,

Packing queen here! Usually the heaviest things in the bag are your shoes. Try to color coordinate your clothing so that you have fewer shoes to take! On my last cruise I had only 1 pair for evening that went with every outfit.

I understand changing for dinner but on non elegant nights can you wear your dinner outfit the next day during the day since you only wore it for a couple of hours the previous evening? There is always the option to do laundry but I've been on 10 day cruises with just carryon ,changed for dinner every night and didn't need laundry until I got home.

Good luck!

I like your way of thinking. Thanks so much. I will wear the sundress again in the daytime. I do have just 1 pair of dress shoes packed, so that's good.

Wait...there are 3 nights for dressing up on a Journey's cruise? I'm going to Hawaii on a Journey's cruise. Will I need 3 dresses? Or more?

There is a Formal Captains cocktail party on the 80s day, as well as the 2 Cruise Elegant nights. It's going to be fun. I did decide to wear one twice. :)

I always appreciate fresh shirts, but my bottoms do double duty, especially my casual stuff if I'm spending a lot of time in my swimsuit. I wear them at least twice on a cruise (unless something really gets dirty, which is rare). Take a close look at the capris and see if any of those could do double (or triple) duty. I also opt for skirts, so that I can just change up the tops.

 

I feel your pain on having larger clothes ... they aren't light!

Swimsuits are another thing I don't wear, darn it! :) I'm looking how to switch up capris. I'm going to look at a skirt as well. Thanks.

If you're close to the weight limit, see if there's something like a sweater that you can wear. Also wear your heaviest shoes.

I agree with the capris. Each capri should be able to be worn twice which would cut them in half.

Pat

Thank You all again for your help! After moving things around in my carry on, I was able to add more things. I doubled up on some of them. I will wear the sundresses in the evening, and during the day also. I took out quite a few things. This will teach me to stop depending on DH luggage for my overages. :D

Last weigh in was 51 pounds, so I will move a pair of shoes. Everything else is in there. Whew! Also, the reason I have to pack so early is because we are driving south to relatives Tuesday for Thanksgiving! Now I have to pack a small bag for that! :eek: :)

There is no reason to take that many cloths........in 36 cruises I've never noticed if someone wore something twice.

I'm going on a B2B in February and I have to fly this time, but I will still only take the cloths I would take on a 7 day cruise.

Even though I'm Diamond and have free laundry, I prefer to do my own when needed.

If you're close to the weight limit, see if there's something like a sweater that you can wear. Also wear your heaviest shoes.

Thanks much! I did pull out a sweater to wear on the plane.

Thank You all again for your help! After moving things around in my carry on, I was able to add more things. I doubled up on some of them. I will wear the sundresses in the evening, and during the day also. I took out quite a few things. This will teach me to stop depending on DH luggage for my overages. :D

 

Last weigh in was 51 pounds, so I will move a pair of shoes. Everything else is in there. Whew! Also, the reason I have to pack so early is because we are driving south to relatives Tuesday for Thanksgiving! Now I have to pack a small bag for that! :eek: :)

For Elegant or Formal nights, I take a pair of black silky palazzo pants (wide leg & flowing) with 3 different fancy tops.

We now do only B2B cruises so I have 14 days total. I wear my capris a couple of times & do a load of laundry th beginning of the 2nd week - capri, socks, nightgown. I wear my sleevless "silky-like" tops once during the 1st week & once during the 2nd week. I don't send my tops to the laundry. Fortunately, I don't perspire so my tops don't feel dirty the 2nd time I wear them.

There is no reason to take that many cloths........in 36 cruises I've never noticed if someone wore something twice.

 

I'm going on a B2B in February and I have to fly this time, but I will still only take the cloths I would take on a 7 day cruise.

 

Even though I'm Diamond and have free laundry, I prefer to do my own when needed.

Really? But you will still need more than 7 changes of clothes, right? I also don't notice what others wear twice either. But I do love watching the outfits people wear, especially on elegant night! I love it!

Just to be helpful. NEVER pack Jewelry in a checked bag. It will be out of your sight for extended periods of time. All Jewelry and All medications should always be in your carryon. Particularly if you ever want to see them again.

Just to be helpful. NEVER pack Jewelry in a checked bag. It will be out of your sight for extended periods of time. All Jewelry and All medications should always be in your carryon. Particularly if you ever want to see them again.

Thanks! Since I don't bring anything except costume jewelry, I'm thinking it will be just fine in my carry on that I will stow in the overhead bin.

My meds are to save my life, so they are in my purse always when I travel. Thanks for the reminder! :)

For Elegant or Formal nights, I take a pair of black silky palazzo pants (wide leg & flowing) with 3 different fancy tops.

 

We now do only B2B cruises so I have 14 days total. I wear my capris a couple of times & do a load of laundry th beginning of the 2nd week - capri, socks, nightgown. I wear my sleevless "silky-like" tops once during the 1st week & once during the 2nd week. I don't send my tops to the laundry. Fortunately, I don't perspire so my tops don't feel dirty the 2nd time I wear them.

Thanks for the info. There are a lot of B2B cruisers on this board, so it is so .helpful to hear your advice. Maybe I will add another dressy top in my carry on to wear with my black plants!

I'm a larger gal too and I've done 7-day cruises with only a 40-lb bag and did an 11-day with a 50lb limit and I think my bag was a 45lbs.

I always plan for my shorts/capri's will be worn twice if not three times. T-shirts/shirts I try to wear twice but that depends on how hot it is. I bring upwards of 3-4 swimsuits. I usually bring sundresses for evening and dress them up with different jewelry for different nights.

Take a look at what is in your bathroom kit - if you can bring sample sizes that's better. Or stop at a local store before boarding ship and buy what you need. That can cut down on weight too.

Even with as little as I pack I usually realize I didn't wear a few things. Pack less, enjoy more. :)

I'm a larger gal too and I've done 7-day cruises with only a 40-lb bag and did an 11-day with a 50lb limit and I think my bag was a 45lbs.

 

I always plan for my shorts/capri's will be worn twice if not three times. T-shirts/shirts I try to wear twice but that depends on how hot it is. I bring upwards of 3-4 swimsuits. I usually bring sundresses for evening and dress them up with different jewelry for different nights.

 

Take a look at what is in your bathroom kit - if you can bring sample sizes that's better. Or stop at a local store before boarding ship and buy what you need. That can cut down on weight too.

 

Even with as little as I pack I usually realize I didn't wear a few things. Pack less, enjoy more. :)

Thank You. I like your suggestion to switch jewelry with the sun dresses! :)