One month in Europe, 12 night cruise, all from a carryon? Am I crazy?

[hansolosmom]

My family and I are going to Europe for 3 weeks, both a mix of land and sea. We are staying in apartments that have a washer and of course the ship has laundry. I am planning on buying one of these bags for each of us:

 

http://www.redoxx.com/Airline-Carry-on-Luggage/Air-Boss/91018/100/Product

 

We will have a lot of train travel so I only want a carry on each. The tips on this post are fantastic.

 

Thanks!

 

Don't know the ages of your family. Acouple years ago we did the Baltic's (my boys were 12 & 14) and are doing the Med this year. One of my sons' vivid memory is of having to move luggage & we only had 4 roller bags & a carry on each. (There were 4 of us, so everybody rolled their bag). It was something he mentioned to me about this trip. They'll both be carrying their LL Bean backpacks which can fit a ton in them and its something they're used to carrying at school. I think it'll work better for us this time around.

 

I reread this & thought you mean a carry-on along with a bag. If you only want a carry on, I have a Samantha Brown rolling suitcase from HSN which I love. She travels for a living, so a lot of thought went into her bags. I know people scoff at them & buying from a shopping channel, but I think it's. a great suitcase.

Edited May 11, 2013 by hansolosmom

[sweetpea222]

Love the look of those bags, but they are a bit pricey for me unfortunately!

 

I am still looking for my carry on bag, at 53 days to go. Have my wardrobe pretty much figured out and hanging in the closet, but I really need the bag so I can do some practice packing and make sure I can fit everything I need in there.

 

Maybe I will buy myself something this weekend as my Mother's Day gift :rolleyes:

 

I'm pretty happy with my clothing choices at this point. It helps that I've lost 12 lbs. Things fit better and I feel better wearing them! Still would like to lose 3 more but I'm also exercising more so things fit better no matter what the scale says.

 

I'll detail what I'm taking soon, to give others an idea of what I can fit and how it will all work. I find threads like this invaluable to getting ready to go for such a long time. Thanks to everyone who continues to post ideas and links, it's great! :D

[slidergirl]

sweetpea: I don't know where you are in Canada. See if there is a Mountain Equipment Coop (aka MEC) store near you. See if any of the bags they have there meet your needs. Yeah, they are an outdoor store, but they have some pretty good things there.

[sweetpea222]

I love MEC! We used to shop at the store on Broadway when we lived in Van. We're up in the Okanagan now unfortunately, so unless they have free shipping it might not be very cost effective to have a bag shipped up here. But I will definitely look. I love doing research online :D

[slidergirl]

I love MEC! We used to shop at the store on Broadway when we lived in Van. We're up in the Okanagan now unfortunately, so unless they have free shipping it might not be very cost effective to have a bag shipped up here. But I will definitely look. I love doing research online :D

 

Lucky you! I visited the Okanagan once a few years ago, coming and going between Calgary and Vancouver. A beautiful area and some really good wines!

 

For Canada, unless there is a Canada-specific Patagonia site, you can look at it on unluggage.com - I think that one is Canada-centric. Otherwise, go to patagonia.com. Good luck with the hunt!

[sweetpea222]

Yup, we are in the heart of wine region. We also make some great ciders here! :D

 

Thanks for the tips. I need to find my bag soon so I can do some practice packing. I am a bit of an organizer freak. My family thinks I am nuts but when the trip goes smoothly from beginning to end, they are thanking me.

[Osnab]

 

I will never travel any other way than this again!

 

Ducklite:

I want to thank you for posting this. I have the worst time packing everything in a carry-on, but I so yearn to! I imagine you were plenty sick of black and white by the time you got back home, but it is worth it to have control of your possessions at all times, and it's quick and easy!

 

Thanks again.

Felicia

[nathuhbelle]

Firm believer here in carry-on only. My normal strategy is to put everything that I "think" I need in my backpack (30 L-ish...easily fits under my seat on the plane on a small commuter jet if need be); then I remove close to half of it and make sure that what remains can be used in 2-3 different outfits and coordinates with the minimal shoes that I pack (typically walking sandals/Chacos, ballet flats, and Vibram 5 fingers for the gym). Voila, half full backpack with plenty of space to bring loads of souvenirs home.

 

Seriously though, I've never missed anything that I removed from my backpack. Scarves and different jewelry are also your friends when you want to change up an outfit drastically. For example, I might wear the same solid color maxi dress with some flashy jewelry and then with a scarf.

[Osnab]

Firm believer here in carry-on only. My normal strategy is to put everything that I "think" I need in my backpack (30 L-ish...easily fits under my seat on the plane on a small commuter jet if need be); then I remove close to half of it and make sure that what remains can be used in 2-3 different outfits and coordinates with the minimal shoes that I pack (typically walking sandals/Chacos, ballet flats, and Vibram 5 fingers for the gym). Voila, half full backpack with plenty of space to bring loads of souvenirs home.

 

Seriously though, I've never missed anything that I removed from my backpack. Scarves and different jewelry are also your friends when you want to change up an outfit drastically. For example, I might wear the same solid color maxi dress with some flashy jewelry and then with a scarf.

 

Well, one problem for me is I'm overweight, so my clothes take a bit more room than they should. :(

Felicia

[slidergirl]

Well, one problem for me is I'm overweight, so my clothes take a bit more room than they should. :(

Felicia

 

Your size shouldn't be a limiting factor. It wasn't for me. I used to be a 2X girl and I still traveled in a carryon. A few extra inches of fabric won't make a big difference. Think of the opposite sex - a man has to deal with those "big shoes" when packing. My now-ex is 6'5" and a size 12 shoe. He manages to pack for week-long business or pleasure trips in a carryon... The big factor in packing is your personal preferences. No washing, no reuse of clothes, wearing multiple outfits in a day, multiple pairs of shoes and sandals, don't lend themselves to packing in a carryon. We all have different comfort levels of what we wear and do on a trip; those figure into our packing/luggage choices, too.

[loma linda ca a & j]

Your size shouldn't be a limiting factor. It wasn't for me. I used to be a 2X girl and I still traveled in a carryon. A few extra inches of fabric won't make a big difference. Think of the opposite sex - a man has to deal with those "big shoes" when packing. My now-ex is 6'5" and a size 12 shoe. He manages to pack for week-long business or pleasure trips in a carryon... The big factor in packing is your personal preferences. No washing, no reuse of clothes, wearing multiple outfits in a day, multiple pairs of shoes and sandals, don't lend themselves to packing in a carryon. We all have different comfort levels of what we wear and do on a trip; those figure into our packing/luggage choices, too.

don't ever travel on air new zealand - their carry on bag can weigh

no more than 15 lbs (not 50) & a few others are 22 lbs !!:eek:

Edited July 27, 2013 by loma linda ca a & j

[SadieN]

don't ever travel on air new zealand - their carry on bag can weigh

no more than 15 lbs (not 50) & a few others are 22 lbs !!:eek:

 

 

And they do mean ONE bag! No personal bag.

 

But something like one of these can help;)

http://www.magellans.com/women-s-voyager-jacket

http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/Penny_Coat.shtml

[loma linda ca a & j]

And they do mean ONE bag! No personal bag.

 

But something like one of these can help;)

http://www.magellans.com/women-s-voyager-jacket

http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/Penny_Coat.shtml

we could not use our nice roll on carry ons cuz they weigh 8 pounds empty so we each had a flight bag/satchel + the following

 

your vest/jackets made me chuckle cuz my poor jim had his vest

loaded w/ all kinds of stuff plus they did not weigh

my big red leather "purse" which must weighed about 40 lbs !!!:eek:

 

plus jim's cpap machine so they did allow those 2 personal bags;)

this is besides our 49 lb check ins - only allowed 1 each

 

however cuz i bought so many books from each castle cathedral church museum + souvenirs, before our flight home, had to buy another suitcase which cost us at check in us $155 cuz i could not access a computer before the flight

another absolute reason i would NEVER EVER book air new zealand again !!! :(

[Osnab]

Your size shouldn't be a limiting factor. It wasn't for me. I used to be a 2X girl and I still traveled in a carryon. A few extra inches of fabric won't make a big difference. Think of the opposite sex - a man has to deal with those "big shoes" when packing. My now-ex is 6'5" and a size 12 shoe. He manages to pack for week-long business or pleasure trips in a carryon... The big factor in packing is your personal preferences. No washing, no reuse of clothes, wearing multiple outfits in a day, multiple pairs of shoes and sandals, don't lend themselves to packing in a carryon. We all have different comfort levels of what we wear and do on a trip; those figure into our packing/luggage choices, too.

 

Ok, good to know. Here is what I'm planning on taking on my upcoming trip to Eastern Europe in Oct. (clothes-wise) It will be chilly.

 

Will wear black pants, black sleeveless top and black jacket on the plane. Carrying gray pants and blue pants. Tops seem to be where I go overboard. Planning on a yellow blouse, a blue top, green top, white t-shirt style top, and scarves. Also a blue jean jacket. There's no formal night (it's a river cruise). Thinking I can wear the tops under or over the black sleeveless top and the white t-shirt top under the other blouses.

 

Also, one casual pair of black shoes and shorts and real t-shirt for working out. And bathing suit.

 

Seems already to be full bag!!! Do you have any suggestions?

Felicia

[57redbird]

I recently spent 21 days in Europe (14 on a cruise) with a roll aboard and a tote, so I think I can offer some great practical advice.

 

First, settle on one neutral. For me it was black.

 

Everything you bring must match at least two other things, or it stays home.

 

Rely on your small, easy to pack accessories for your color.

 

Remember that you aren't going to the North Pole, they do sell things in Europe.

 

Here's what I took...

 

BOTTOMS

 

One pair of tan cotton crop (not capri!) slacks

 

One pair of black cotton crop (not capri!) slacks

 

FYI, these are the pants, I live in them--have six pair that range from six to 12 years old and still look new. As long as you take them out of the dryer right away, the most they need is a little Downy Wrinkle Release.

 

 

Two "broomstick" skirts, one solid black, one black & white patterned

 

One black knit skirt like this

 

 

One pair of black stretch crepe knit pants

 

One pair black shorts

 

One Pair tan shorts

 

TOPS

 

One white cotton fitted tee (not an undershirt, but a nice fitted womens t shirt)

 

One white cotton blouse with black embroidered design

 

One white cotton tank with an embroidered/beaded embellishment

 

One black cotton fitted tee (not an undershirt, but a nice fitted womens t shirt)

 

One fuscia cotton fitted tee (not an undershirt, but a nice fitted womens t shirt) Wore on plane

 

One black knit tank top with a beaded embellishment

 

One black silk knit ballerina necked tee

very similar to this

 

 

One long sleeved black silk knit top similar to the one just above

 

One black & white polka-dot sleeveless dressy top

 

One very lightweight open weave white hooded fine gauge linen knit sweater

 

One black cotton open weave sweater (wore on plane)

 

SHOES

 

One pair of hybrid athletic style sandal with closed toe

 

One pair of black and bronze Clark's thong style sandals that are comfortable for me to walk in all day (Verified several times prior to cruise!)

 

One pair of black and blinged dressier style flat sandals

These weren't them but not too far off

 

 

One other pair of completely flat sandals that I couldn't bear to not take with me but didn't really need. ;) I did wear them around the ship during the day, but the Clarkes would have worked just as well.

 

ACCESSORIES

 

Three "statement" necklaces and a diamond solitaire

 

One chunky bracelet

 

Half a dozen pair of earrings that ranged from simple studs to larger dangles

 

Two colorful scarves (one was a large silk square that folded into nothing and was useful to cover shoulders/head when going into churches/temples--I acquired two more while in Europe ;) )

 

One foldable straw sunhat (an absolute necessity!)

 

Sunglasses

 

Three pair below the ankle length socks to wear on the plane and with the athletic sandals (I tried them a few times at home before I left and realized the bottoms gave me hot spots, so as dorky as it looked, I went with the socks)

 

Four bras--two tan, one white, one black--one was on me on the plane

 

Four pair of panties, all tan--one was on me on the plane

 

Two cotton cami style tops to wear to bed

 

One small crossbody bag

 

One bathing suit

 

Large pashmina--used as blanket on plane and wrap several times when it was chilly in the dining room, on deck in the evening, and even on the overcast/rainy day we spent in Venice where there was a chill in the air.

 

One pair black yoga pants (wore on plane)

 

That was it for clothing. Really and seriously. I hand washed bras and silk knits as I wore them and drip dried. The rest I sent out for laundering as needed. The skirts were as cool as the shorts, but when went to Pompeii and the Acropolis I was glad that I had shorts just for ease of movement over very uneven ground.

 

OTHER

 

Makeup bag (mine isn't overloaded with "what if stuff" but rather has only the things I use every week)

 

3-1-1 bag which included: Sample packet of Shampoo and conditioner to get me through the first day, small bottle of makeup remover, small tube of face cream, small tube of handcream, 2 ounce bottle of body oil (I used the last drops on our last day), travel size hair cream, travel size hairspray, 2 ounce face wash (was more than enough), 3 ounce bottle of Downy Wrinkle Release, .25 ounce spray freshener from Yankee Candle, 2 ounce SPF 15 sunscreen I got as a sample

 

Other toiletries: Q-Tips (I like the real deal and they take no packing space), deodorant,

hairbrush, razor, nail clippers, tweezers, mini shower pouf

 

Prescription medications in original bottles

 

Small Zip Lock with packets of Immodium, Zantac, Advil, 3 days of DayQuil/NyQuil caplets, Neosporin gel packets and a few BandAids of varying sizes.

 

Mini umbrella

 

Camera and charger and memory cards

 

iPhone and charger

 

Netbook--never used and wouldn't take again, I used the iPhone daily though

 

Magazines which were given to others or recycled as I read them

 

When I got to Europe I bought a larger can of hairspray, and we ultimately needed to buy some cold medication and cough drops for my husband. I found the soap, shampoo, conditioner, bath gel, and hand cream provided by our hotels and the cruise to be of high quality, so I used them. My husband likes a certain brand of soap and brought a bar with him, but he used the supplied shampoo and hand cream.

 

I also bought a blouse I liked, a Murano glass necklace and earring set, and a couple more scarves, but they were all very lightweight and took no room to pack on the way home.

 

I packed in a 20" (wheels to handle) Tumi roll on and a duffel style tote by Kipling (half of the tote was filled with the large, professional model DSLR that I brought). I also took my neck pillow which I did use on the plane. I hung it off the strap on the tote when in transport.

 

When choosing souvenirs we were very careful to choose very small, lightweight, non-fragile items.

 

We didn't have formal nights, if we did I would have brought a long black silk skirt and a dressy top, I could have fit it in.

 

Please ask if you have any questions, I hope this helps.

 

Edited to add:

 

Two other things I brought were a handful of Ziplocks in varying sizes. I can't remember what we used them for, but we definitely used some of them. They are a staple in my suitcase. I also brought my aluminum water bottle. I ditched the plastic a couple of years ago and never looked back. Particularly in Rome the water is clean, fresh pure. I filled my bottle in my hotel or on the ship each morning. Needed to refill at the ruins in Rome and the Acropolis, but the water fountains at both were safe. The water in Greece was OK but not as pure and amazing as the water in Rome.

 

I will never travel any other way than this again!

 

WOW!!!! thanks for this, I'm keeping it for future reference....I try to coordinate my clothes but always end up with a couple of outfits I don't wear...same with shoes.

[caribe traveller]

This isn't Danskin, but I think the idea is the same.

http://www.thechickonthego.com/?utm_expid=41955477-0

 

Use this promo code to get the items for $99. NINETYNINE.

 

Although this price might keep you from trying them!

[Karysa]

Twenty pair of underwear is a lot of packing space. I don't think I own that many pair of underwear! And like I said, I do yoga, no gym or special clothing needed.

 

My hairstyle needs nothing but a blow dryer to maintain whether I'm home or away, even for formal situations.

 

That really depends on the type of underwear. A weeks worth of mine take less room than one pair of men's boxer briefs.;)

[ducklite]

That really depends on the type of underwear. A weeks worth of mine take less room than one pair of men's boxer briefs.;)

 

 

Mine as well, but I still wouldn't haul along more than I needed.

 

My next longer trip is two weeks. I spend three days in LA, then a day in Tahiti before boarding my week long cruise, then another day/night in Tahiti, then two more days in LA before coming home. LA might be tricky, as it could be quite cool in Santa Monica and WeHo and quite warm in Riverside where I need to wear true business casual with close-toed shoes for a meeting. (Thank goodness for ballet flats which look great with ankle pants and pack practically flat!). I'll also want jeans for two social occasions in LA.

 

I will also need a dress for my vow renewal in Tahiti, rash guard shorts and shirts, yoga clothes, shorts and tanks, two bathing suits, and elegant casual for dinner each night.

 

It will be quite a challenge, but I am confident that I will pull it off in one bag plus a tote though.

 

 

 

 

 

Autocorrect responsible for most typos...

[Viv0828]

We go to Europe each summer for 2 to 3 months with a carry on and a backpack. We stay in apartments so we have a washer. We bring mostly all polyester and nylon clothes - no ironing and takes up little space. We also like zip off pants that you can get at any sporting goods store. Be careful of Lufthansa airlines as they weigh all carry ons and maximum weight allowed is 8 kilos or about 18 pounds. We just got new IT (international traveller) luggage that weigh under 4 pounds each. In California, Marshall's and TJ Maxx carry it cheaply.

Enjoy the pleasure of not being weighed down!

[loma linda ca a & j]

We go to Europe each summer for 2 to 3 months with a carry on and a backpack. We stay in apartments so we have a washer. We bring mostly all polyester and nylon clothes - no ironing and takes up little space. We also like zip off pants that you can get at any sporting goods store. Be careful of Lufthansa airlines as they weigh all carry ons and maximum weight allowed is 8 kilos or about 18 pounds. We just got new IT (international traveller) luggage that weigh under 4 pounds each. In California, Marshall's and TJ Maxx carry it cheaply.

Enjoy the pleasure of not being weighed down!

also do NOT choose air new zealand if you are

only using carry on as you only get 15 pounds for 1 carryon !!!

so even if the luggage weighed 4 pounds,

who in the world can travel w/ only 11 pounds ?:eek:

we had 2 check ins weighing 48 each :D

[SadieN]

We go to Europe each summer for 2 to 3 months with a carry on and a backpack. We stay in apartments so we have a washer. We bring mostly all polyester and nylon clothes - no ironing and takes up little space. We also like zip off pants that you can get at any sporting goods store. Be careful of Lufthansa airlines as they weigh all carry ons and maximum weight allowed is 8 kilos or about 18 pounds. We just got new IT (international traveller) luggage that weigh under 4 pounds each. In California, Marshall's and TJ Maxx carry it cheaply.

Enjoy the pleasure of not being weighed down!

 

DD has flown Lufthansa LAX-FCO many times. They weigh her rollaboard but never her purse. That's a good thing.:p

 

The IT four wheel bags might have problem with height. The one we have that measures 22.5", floor to top of the handle. Just a touch too large for the cheaper European airlines.

[mizdez1]

I found this thread via ducklite's profile, & WOW what a great thread full of awesome information! DH and I are taking 2 1/2 weeks in Europe at the end of April, including a weeklong cruise (London 2 days, Paris 2 days, Rome 2 days, cruise for a week, Venice 2 days, home) & I am usually a horribly heavy packer... a few days back home in Montana to visit family usually yields an overly stuffed duffle or a full size suitcase! DH has made it clear that we are doing carry-on only so it is easier to get around in the days before and after the cruise, which is totally understandable. I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who posted in this original thread, & I welcome any new tips!

[SadieN]

I found this thread via ducklite's profile, & WOW what a great thread full of awesome information! DH and I are taking 2 1/2 weeks in Europe at the end of April, including a weeklong cruise (London 2 days, Paris 2 days, Rome 2 days, cruise for a week, Venice 2 days, home) & I am usually a horribly heavy packer... a few days back home in Montana to visit family usually yields an overly stuffed duffle or a full size suitcase! DH has made it clear that we are doing carry-on only so it is easier to get around in the days before and after the cruise, which is totally understandable. I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who posted in this original thread, & I welcome any new tips!

 

There are some new blogposts on

http://ladylighttravel.com/

also check out her links.

 

How minimal do you want to go?

Pack for a week, wash twice onboard (beginning and end of cruise)

Conversely you can wash every night. If something is still damp, rehang it at your next destination.

Good trick is to hang your 'smalls' on the radiator. But know that some cities they will already be turned off. (Apartments in Rome are required to have heat on only Nov 15-March 15, whether they are needed or not. Only breakfast time and dinner time.)

[ducklite]

I think they're calling them crinkle skirts now. I'm in the broomstick generation too, but have never worn one myself. They look great for travel because the start wrinkled. (I'm just not a skirt wearer.) Travelsmith has a couple styles:

 

 

 

I remember my Mom wearing them and she'd put a rubber band at the top and the bottom and one in the middle before putting it in the suitcase. I guess it kept it tightly bound to keep the crinkles right.

 

I took two with me to Europe. They are easy to wash and wear, and cool. BUT, they take up a lot of room in the suitcase. I probably wouldn't pack them again.

[mousey]

I took several of these to Europe years ago. I would twist them as tight as I could and then I would tie them in a knot! Worked great!:D I too knew them as "broomstick" skirts!;) I loved that they were lightweight and so easy to wear. I paired them with tanks or t-shirts and when it was cool, I wore a lightweight jeans jacket over them. I still wear that look occasionally but now I wear lightweight maxi skirts instead. My "broomsticks" were mid-calf.

Edited March 13, 2014 by mousey