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Luggage ? - 36 night cruise - pay laundry only - thinking of 3 - 26" cases for two???


mouseterd1
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Hi all

I WANT to pack light, however, I'm an admitted packer! For this cruise it is seeming more and more like it will be 3 - 26" cases and a carry-on for two of us. [The plus is that Air New Zealand lets us check 2 free bags each.] We like formal night and usually eat nightly in the main dining room.

 

I guess my question is - for the longer cruises, are 3 - 26" cases too much? Have you and would you pack 3 for two people, or just get down to paring down like crazy and do without. We do like to dress and have nice things with us....and I can't decided about some items :halo: ?!?!? [ya, I know] But I'm still struggling thinking about 3 - 26" cases and where to put them empty....do 3 go under the bed?, or to there and one in closet space? The ship is Holland's Noordam.

 

Thanks in advance for your insight and wisdom from those who cruise longer passages.

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If you don't mind schlepping around 3 x 26" suitcases, go for it. On the other hand, pack for 7 days and use the big blue laundry bag every 5 days or so. You can cram a whole lot of pieces into those bags if you roll the clothes tightly, and they come back beautifully cleaned and pressed, ready to hang in your closet once more.

 

If you bring a pair of neutral slacks and a skirt, and a few different tops, you are set for dinners in the dining room. Dresses are nice, and there are many that are the no-wrinkle variety that you can wear a number of times on your 36 days on the ship. You can sweeten it up a bit for gala nights with something sparkly or dramatic, but that's up to you. Day wear will likely consist of slacks or capris and tops - with maybe a lightweight sweater or shirt, depending on the time of year. Gentlemen can usually get away with 2 pair of day pants and 1 pair of dress pants. T-shirts and golf shirts are the order of the day, and the dining room requires a "collared shirt" which means golf shirts are acceptable there as well. If he wishes to dress for gala night, it's easy to find the video on You Tube that shows how to fold a suit into a large zip-lock so it doesn't wrinkle. DH wears a sport jacket and black jeans for travel, and packs his suit jacket for gala nights. That way he can switch it up if he wants to wear a jacket with a golf shirt for dinner.

 

Remember: less is more.

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

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Just the thought of that much luggage makes my head spin :eek:. I don't even own a 26" suitcase.

 

I'm pretty cheap, but I still would prefer to pay for laundry than take that much. I would probably send out 2 loads during the voyage, plus some sink-washing in between for underwear and the like.

 

Mom and I have through the years really pared down our packing, and last summer did 5 weeks in Europe with a medium backpack each. Of course, for most of that we had a flat with laundry facilities, but I still could do a 36-day cruise with a backpack (I recently purchased this one, after my backpack died after said five-week trip: http://www.ebags.com/product/ebags/mother-lode-tls-weekender-convertible/143101). If I felt like indulging myself, I would possibly go with 1 24-inch suitcase. Carry-on in either case would be minimal (say the equivalent of a tote bag with a change of clothes and basic toiletries). And might I add that I always dress up for formal nights - I just make sure my formal wear can pack small (I have a dress that I could wear on formal night that I can literally scrunch up into a medium-sized ziploc bag, and it would emerge wrinkle-free and ready to go).

 

If you want some tips on packing light, check out the Cruise Fashion board - lots of great ideas.

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I'd pare it down, too. We did a month in NZ with one 26" suitcase and one carry on each. We only had to do laundry a couple of times. Dressing up for "formal night" is fine, but remember that it's fine to wear the same thing more than once or twice. Or 3-4. You are the only one who will remember what you wore last night or the night before.

 

Make a packing list and stick to it. Be ruthless about eliminating any clothing you'll only wear once or twice. It's possible to be very well dressed with only a limited wardrobe.

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Our experience....We just bring clothes that will fit in luggage for each one. Tops are at least twice as many as the slacks. We also try to fit in a couple of cardigans or vests to expand the available combinations for use. We arrange these sets on the closet and drawers, and those that are already for laundry are placed on the empty luggage under the bed.

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The Fashion and Beauty board has lots of good info on the packing light threads even if you're not packing too light

Basically, do laundry, Mix and Match- many tops go with many bottoms, layer clothes for warmth.

IIRC the Noordam does not have a passenger laundry. Either handwash (instructions online) or ship's laundry. Be careful of sending delicates to the ship laundry.

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I say pack and bring what you want! It's fun dressing up and how often do you get the chance to dress for dinner every night? I have certain cruise clothes and enjoy bringing them and having a selection. Take your suitcases. You will also have room to bring back souvenirs.

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We take longer cruises and always wind up taking four suitcases. They will all fit comfortably under the bed on Holland America ships.

Even though we qualify for unlimited free laundry I am cautious about what we send out. I would sooner pay airline fees for the extra bags than to have our clothes washed to death by cruise ship laundries.

Of course that means a mountain of laundry when I get home but that's OK.

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We never take more luggage than we can handle ourselves. With only 2 arms/hands, that means one large suitcase and one smaller carry-on, each on 4 rollers, one medium size shoulder bag for me (passports, medication, jewelry) and one small and very light backpack for my husband (shore excursions).

 

I hand wash the nicer tops and undies (bring a few plastic hangers) and have the rest washed by the ship's laundry. HAL has a great laundry bag offer.

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"Nobody ever says 'Next trip I think I'll pack more' - Rick Steves "

 

Take what you honestly think you want/need to have with you and what you don't mind schlepping. Yes, it can be done with less (far less most likely), but until the inconvenience of too much luggage outweighs the desire to take all that clothing, you will be happier at your own level of equilibrium.

 

Now, if what you are really asking is how to manage with less, there are many threads in the fashion forum or you can start by reading Rick's packing/laundry/travel list combined with the Vivienne Files wardrobe suggestions. But you have to want to do so.

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We take lots of luggage on long cruises (even when we do get free laundry). Personally, we just like to have a large choice of clothes for all kinds of weather. Unless there are other considerations (such as needing to pack light for lots of pre post cruise train travel) or major airline fees...we just do not see any reason to pack light. Three 26 inch cases shoud normally fit under the beds with no problem.

 

Hank

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It depends on your travel style as well. If you are going from the plane to a taxi to a hotel with people to help you with that luggage, and then to the ship, it's feasible. If you are going from the plane to a train into the city to a second story walk up apartment for a week before the cruise, it isn't going to work.

 

Personally, I am on trains and busses and in rented flats when I travel. That necessarily cuts down on the amount of clothing I pack.

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What/who is Vivienne Files? Like your quote from Rick Steves.

 

Roz

 

 

http://www.viviennefiles.com

An idea blog.

She shows how to put together capsule wardrobes. Very interesting the logic behind how to choose clothes.

When traveling we seem to gravitate towards a 'Whatever's Clean' wardrobe. Meaning everything goes with everything. Neutral tops and jackets with interesting shirts. Though I have shaped a Cruise wardrobe around a particular cardigan. http://www.theviviennefiles.com/2013/02/the-whatevers-clean-summer-wardrobe-6.html?m=1

 

Another blog that has helped me tremendously is

http://www.ladylighttravel.com. Interesting ideas as about minimizing all your non-clothes stuff.

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It depends on your travel style as well. If you are going from the plane to a taxi to a hotel with people to help you with that luggage' date=' and then to the ship, it's feasible. If you are going from the plane to a train into the city to a second story walk up apartment for a week before the cruise, it isn't going to work.

 

Personally, I am on trains and busses and in rented flats when I travel. That necessarily cuts down on the amount of clothing I pack.[/quote']

 

 

You have a very good point. Porters and bellmen are available wherever we go so it is seldom necessary to do the cart thing ourselves. If we had to lift and carry I think our trips would suddenly become shorter and our suitcases fewer.

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There is no one answer. It is personal. We are in the middle of a nine week trip that included a 15 day cruise. We travel with a 21 "carry on roller each. Fine for us but perhaps not for others.

 

Take as much as you wish and what you feel comfortable with.

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Thank you for the info, Sadie. I'd heard of capsule wardrobes but not in terms of a travel wardrobe. Will have to check out the links you provided.

 

The thing that always trips me up is the weather. You've got to be prepared for it all, but how much each of hot/cold and dry/wet do you bring always puzzles me.

 

I did a November European river cruise, and the advice on the River Cruising board was to bring woolen layers and lots of rain gear. I live in the SE, don't own wool clothing, so that was out. I'm glad I just cobbled something together based on what I already had, because I never wore the 2 fleece tops I packed and they took up a lot of space. It also never rained until the last morning when we were heading to the Munich airport.

 

Roz

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On a 36 nighter, doing laundry would be a MUST for me...I don't HAVE 36 days worth of clothes! I would research different ports, find out where there is a laundromat close by, and spend some of my time washing stuff! Letting the ship do it will be VERY expensive! I'd rather spend 2 hours, than all that money!

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On a 36 nighter, doing laundry would be a MUST for me...I don't HAVE 36 days worth of clothes! I would research different ports, find out where there is a laundromat close by, and spend some of my time washing stuff! Letting the ship do it will be VERY expensive! I'd rather spend 2 hours, than all that money!

 

 

Are you really suggesting using port visit time carrying dirty laundry off the ship, finding a laundromat, doing the wash, then carrying the clean laundry back to the ship before seeing anything in the port- or touring while carrying it with you?

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I've only had the ship do my laundry on HAL, but didn't think it was expensive at all, compared to the time and effort in finding a Laundromat and washing, drying, and folding the clothes and taking them back to the ship, assuming the port even had a place to do laundry.

 

CB, where do you come up with these ideas?

 

Roz

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On a 36 nighter, doing laundry would be a MUST for me...I don't HAVE 36 days worth of clothes! I would research different ports, find out where there is a laundromat close by, and spend some of my time washing stuff! Letting the ship do it will be VERY expensive! I'd rather spend 2 hours, than all that money!

 

 

Penny wise and pound foolish? Add up the costs of schlepping your dirty laundry in a taxi, doing that laundry, then schlepping it back. And then add in the value of the time you've lost on your port day. Then compare that to the cost of ship laundry (especially those "stuff a bag" deals) .

 

Time in Port (unless you have an overnight) is limited and has its own value. How many people want to spend it in a hot, noisy laundromat?

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  • 3 months later...

I can "make do" for a 7 or even 10 day cruise, but for longer I would want more options. It would be totally dependent on how often I have to handle my own luggage. If it were only going to be the cruise with no land portion before or after, I would somehow manage the extra luggage in order to have the extra stuff. I like my stuff.

 

I normally use a 24 inch and a smaller carry-on tote bag. But, for a 36 day cruise I can easily see taking a bigger suitcase, a bigger carry-on and then the tote bag. And that's just for myself.

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