Majesty 4 Nights--Can I Do It With Just Carry Ons?

[bluegirlum]

We are going on the 4 Night Majesty in December, with a night in Miami the night before the cruise. BF wants to just take carry ons. I can do this for a weekend, but 5 nights? Help! I have a carry on size roller, but what should I bring as my second bag? I don't want to be one of those people who brings their house as a carry on, but I want to make sure I have everything. We aren't going to do any excursions, and probably will just walk around in Key West and Nassau, so I don't think I need anything special.

 

Thoughts?? Thanks!

[tiamar]

We are going on the 4 Night Majesty in December, with a night in Miami the night before the cruise. BF wants to just take carry ons. I can do this for a weekend, but 5 nights?

 

You can absolutely do it with carry ons as we did it in May without a problem. Bring your rolling bag and a big carry over the shoulder bag or better yet, have your BF make room for some of your stuff in his bag. :)

[Happy ks]

It's easy, pack lightweight clothing, wear black slacks with different tops, use the laundry and disembark wearing the same clothing you embarked in. You can do that for first and last nights dining as well.I also cut back on undies and bras and wash a couple out in the sink on the 2nd day of the cruies.

 

Limit your toiletries to just enough to get you by, take only a small first aid kit and limit the extras that really aren't needed.

 

Most important, dress from the shoes up, not the other way around.

[silentbob007]

Swapable clothes that make different outfits is the key. :)

[sentner]

We too, are going on the 4 night, but in Feb instead of December. I plan to take just carry ons as well and we plan to arrive the day before AND spend the weekend afterwards, leaving on the Sunday after disembarkation.

 

Fortunately though, we are staying at my mom's so I can do laundry after we get off the ship, but I definitely think its doable. I plan on taking a bunch of sundress or day dress type things that can work for day or night, so that I'm not taking 2 sets of clothes for every day.

[Mark_K]

We are going on the 4 Night Majesty in December, with a night in Miami the night before the cruise. BF wants to just take carry ons. I can do this for a weekend, but 5 nights? Help! I have a carry on size roller, but what should I bring as my second bag? I don't want to be one of those people who brings their house as a carry on, but I want to make sure I have everything. We aren't going to do any excursions, and probably will just walk around in Key West and Nassau, so I don't think I need anything special.

 

Thoughts?? Thanks!

Yes, it can be done easily, whether you can do it depends on you.

[Retired LEO]

We are going on the 4 Night Majesty in December, with a night in Miami the night before the cruise. BF wants to just take carry ons. I can do this for a weekend, but 5 nights? Help! I have a carry on size roller, but what should I bring as my second bag? I don't want to be one of those people who brings their house as a carry on, but I want to make sure I have everything. We aren't going to do any excursions, and probably will just walk around in Key West and Nassau, so I don't think I need anything special.

 

Thoughts?? Thanks!

 

Unless you are planning to board after 1:00 why not check the bags in? This way you're not lugging them around the ship until your cabin is ready.

You can do the self disembark. Just grab your bags and be in the first group off.

[bluegirlum]

Unless you are planning to board after 1:00 why not check the bags in? This way you're not lugging them around the ship until your cabin is ready.

You can do the self disembark. Just grab your bags and be in the first group off.

 

Sorry--I meant carrying on the plane. We have to fly in to Miami and actually are on separate flights, so I don't have my usual bag carrier. :) We will check the bags once we get to the ship.

[cb at sea]

It's the toiletries (at least, for me!) that gets you! I need my shampoo, conditioner, lotion, make-up (and that's not just 1 item!!!), electric curlers, comb, brush, suntan lotion, perfume, deoderant, jewelry cleaner....the list can go on! And then, the shoes....I wouldn't even ATTEMPT to "carry on" everything I need to have a happy vacation!

[amybeth4]

WOW, CB...I can't imagine packing as much stuff as you pack for a week!!

 

Anyway, OP...you can EASILY do this, and I have, to avoid airline fees.

 

I wore the same shoes every night for dinner. My "formal" dress was a little black dress...takes up very little room. Two pairs of shorts. Three daytime shirts. Same clothes for embarkation as debarkation. One skirt which I rewore and one pair of pants, both for dinner. Three tops for the evening.

 

A 3-oz bottle of conditioner, two 3-oz bottles of sunscreen. Minimal amounts of makeup. No perfume. Flip flops and sandals. And on the plane I wore sneakers.

 

Bathing suits barely take up room.

 

Still had room for my white noise machine and extension cord.

 

Granted I desperately missed having choices, but I made those choices when I packed. I REALLY missed my shoes, so on my last cruise I DID end up spending the $20 each way and checking my bag so I could bring about five pairs of shoes for my seven nights. ;)

 

But it's only four nights...you'll survive! :)

[Driftwoodgal]

Yes, you can!! We recently cruised the Majesty and had friends that had everything in a carry on for their 5 nights.

 

I wish we just had a carry on when we got off the ship at the beginning of November. We waited for our luggage longer on this cruise than we ever have on any other. We were Diamond members with number 2 tags on disembarkment. We found our luggage 35 minutes after it was supposed to be off two carousels over. We werent' the only people that had a problem. We were very glad that we weren't on a flight out, but staying in Florida for the next few days.

 

If you have carry ons you can get off the ship with your luggage and be on your merry way without waiting!! I found the four night cruise a little less formal than our longer cruises. We were packing for 13 nights and got everything into two medium suitcases and a carry on......oops the computer bag too.

[bluegirlum]

WOW, CB...I can't imagine packing as much stuff as you pack for a week!!

 

Anyway, OP...you can EASILY do this, and I have, to avoid airline fees.

 

I wore the same shoes every night for dinner. My "formal" dress was a little black dress...takes up very little room. Two pairs of shorts. Three daytime shirts. Same clothes for embarkation as debarkation. One skirt which I rewore and one pair of pants, both for dinner. Three tops for the evening.

 

A 3-oz bottle of conditioner, two 3-oz bottles of sunscreen. Minimal amounts of makeup. No perfume. Flip flops and sandals. And on the plane I wore sneakers.

 

Bathing suits barely take up room.

 

Still had room for my white noise machine and extension cord.

 

Granted I desperately missed having choices, but I made those choices when I packed. I REALLY missed my shoes, so on my last cruise I DID end up spending the $20 each way and checking my bag so I could bring about five pairs of shoes for my seven nights. ;)

 

But it's only four nights...you'll survive! :)

 

Yeah, it's really the conditioner and sunscreen that I care about. Is that wrong? I can just buy that in Miami the night we get there though. I can let my curls dry naturally, and go without my fancy hair and sun stuff for the week. Plus I'll wear my "heavy" stuff on the plane. I know I always bring way too much stuff anyway. Besides, that's $25 each of us can spend on fun stuff. That's good incentive.

 

BTW, what did you decide? ;) I've been busy the past few days and haven't been able to keep up!

[amybeth4]

Yeah, it's really the conditioner and sunscreen that I care about. Is that wrong? I can just buy that in Miami the night we get there though. I can let my curls dry naturally, and go without my fancy hair and sun stuff for the week. Plus I'll wear my "heavy" stuff on the plane. I know I always bring way too much stuff anyway. Besides, that's $25 each of us can spend on fun stuff. That's good incentive.

 

BTW, what did you decide? ;) I've been busy the past few days and haven't been able to keep up!

 

Too funny. I answered this thread without even looking at the name of the person who started it, haha. I have wiry, horrible curly hair so I put my gel in two airplane-sized containers so I have enough. For me it's 100% all about the gel, conditioner and sunscreen. I couldn't let my hair dry naturally or I'd have a ridiculous afro. Need the super-strength gel.

 

What I did in Feb was jam a quart-sized bag with what I figured would be enough stuff (I actually did a B2B and still managed with a carry-on for SEVEN nights on the Maj) and then put that quart bag into a GALLON bag and in the gallon bag I put EXTRA sunscreen, conditioner and gel. I figured if I got busted by TSA I'd just toss the gallon bag and the extras. The woman at security actually opened my big shoulder bag (you need one of those too...like a big tote) because my bracelets DINGED and she saw the gallon/quart combo and just pushed it aside.

 

When I cruised with Denise last week, I couldn't believe what she brought. Foot cream. Foot scraper. Fiber powder. Body wash. Facial wash. Body lotion...SOOOO many toiletries. I didn't say anything but every day thought, "You couldn't live without all this gunk for ONE week??" lol

 

Of course I left stuff off my list but you get the idea. Any my shoulder bag was pretty stuffed. I just didn't want to deal with the liquids and lack of shoes on this last go around. Besides I've noticed, at least with American, they've gotten VERY VERY VERY strict with the size of your bag. At the gate in Feb they actually told me my bag wouldn't fit. I almost got hysterical because of all the cutting down I did with the clothes, the shoes and the liquids. My outer pouches did me in so I moved EVERYTHING from the pouches into my tote bag and JAMMED the suitcase into the size-thingy and it just made it. But again last week I saw them being REALLY strict with sizes because now EVERYONE does carry on and those overheads are PACKED.

 

Anyhoo, I'm pretty much at 95% that I'm not going. It's just too much. I could swing the Explorer for $685 for nine nights because of no flying but I have to find someone to go with me and that's not happening. It's only $925 to go alone in a Promenade room no less, but for that money I'd rather fly and B2B the Nav...extra cruise credit and no loss of days for having to cruise in the freakin' cold. :)

[bluegirlum]

Too funny. I answered this thread without even looking at the name of the person who started it, haha. I have wiry, horrible curly hair so I put my gel in two airplane-sized containers so I have enough. For me it's 100% all about the gel, conditioner and sunscreen. I couldn't let my hair dry naturally or I'd have a ridiculous afro. Need the super-strength gel.

 

What I did in Feb was jam a quart-sized bag with what I figured would be enough stuff (I actually did a B2B and still managed with a carry-on for SEVEN nights on the Maj) and then put that quart bag into a GALLON bag and in the gallon bag I put EXTRA sunscreen, conditioner and gel. I figured if I got busted by TSA I'd just toss the gallon bag and the extras. The woman at security actually opened my big shoulder bag (you need one of those too...like a big tote) because my bracelets DINGED and she saw the gallon/quart combo and just pushed it aside.

 

When I cruised with Denise last week, I couldn't believe what she brought. Foot cream. Foot scraper. Fiber powder. Body wash. Facial wash. Body lotion...SOOOO many toiletries. I didn't say anything but every day thought, "You couldn't live without all this gunk for ONE week??" lol

 

Of course I left stuff off my list but you get the idea. Any my shoulder bag was pretty stuffed. I just didn't want to deal with the liquids and lack of shoes on this last go around. Besides I've noticed, at least with American, they've gotten VERY VERY VERY strict with the size of your bag. At the gate in Feb they actually told me my bag wouldn't fit. I almost got hysterical because of all the cutting down I did with the clothes, the shoes and the liquids. My outer pouches did me in so I moved EVERYTHING from the pouches into my tote bag and JAMMED the suitcase into the size-thingy and it just made it. But again last week I saw them being REALLY strict with sizes because now EVERYONE does carry on and those overheads are PACKED.

 

Anyhoo, I'm pretty much at 95% that I'm not going. It's just too much. I could swing the Explorer for $685 for nine nights because of no flying but I have to find someone to go with me and that's not happening. It's only $925 to go alone in a Promenade room no less, but for that money I'd rather fly and B2B the Nav...extra cruise credit and no loss of days for having to cruise in the freakin' cold. :)

 

 

Thanks for the tips. I will try the gallon bag thing.

 

Did you fly out of LGA? They made me check a bag that I had carried on with no problem from Madison on the way there. I was soooo mad and caused a scene--I never cause scenes, since I'm a midwesterner, but I couldn't believe it! I almost missed my plane b/c I had to check it.

 

Sorry you're not going to get to go. Maybe you'll find a better one to go on later on!

[amybeth4]

Thanks for the tips. I will try the gallon bag thing.

 

Did you fly out of LGA? They made me check a bag that I had carried on with no problem from Madison on the way there. I was soooo mad and caused a scene--I never cause scenes, since I'm a midwesterner, but I couldn't believe it! I almost missed my plane b/c I had to check it.

 

Sorry you're not going to get to go. Maybe you'll find a better one to go on later on!

 

Yep, I flew out of LGA. Bastids. I started to make a semi-scene because I PURPOSELY took THAT bag because I MEASURED it with a freakin' tape measure and it was like an inch under the limit. I was almost in tears! :)

[bluegirlum]

Yep, I flew out of LGA. Bastids. I started to make a semi-scene because I PURPOSELY took THAT bag because I MEASURED it with a freakin' tape measure and it was like an inch under the limit. I was almost in tears! :)

 

Right. Me too! Mine was a garment bag, and I was assured that it was fine. I really am trying to like NYC, as the BF is a NY'er, but that did not help. They were so mean! It's just frustrating that it's so inconsistent, so that's why I'm concerned I guess.

[amybeth4]

You hit the nail on the head. It's pure inconsistency. Denise got stopped at MIA for having a regular-sized tube of toothpaste and they took it from her. My sister flew home from Cancun tonight and didn't get stopped. She also had three duty-free bottles of alcohol in her checked bag, three in her husband's bag, and FOUR that she carried onto the plane in plastic bags. The customs guy said, "Welcome home...having a party?"

 

Me? They would've stopped and told me I was only allowed two duty-free bottles, lol.

[Rala]

I just finished describing on another thread how Dh and I just did our 7 night on Liberty with only a carry-on and personal item each. A 4 night should be easily done. I basically did what Amybeth describes above. You really can do just fine without all that "stuff" !!!

 

P.S. The other thread I mentioned is titled "How have you lightened the load". Lots of helpful tips there.

[kc320]

I will be doing 4nts on the Majesty & 1 nt precruise in April & I REFUSE to pay to check a bag.. will be taking mix-match clothes for dinner..and 1pair black sandles to match them all..sunscreen is going to be my biggest challenge..I hate the thought of spending $$ on those tiny little bottles.. I may start saving small shampoo bottles & just fill those from my big bottle of sunscreen..

[tiggerman101]

I am on the 4 day Majesty on December 19th and will only use a carry on. I only used one for my 4 day Imagination cruise last August so I know I can do it. It was pretty easy actually, I wore Khaki pants and my brown shoes with a polo onto the ship (and off). That was my first nights dinner clothes. Other then that it was just three swim trunks, three polos, a few T shirts and underwear. My only other shoes were sandals. I just use the travel sized containers for my conditioner, etc.

 

I don't really care about paying the fee, I just don't want to deal with the baggage claim, etc. This way it makes it so easy to just get in and out of the airport and off the ship. Just pack smart and it will be easy.