How to Pack?

[katti michele]

I'll be heading out on the Conquest for my first cruise in a mere 8 days, so the anxiety is kicking in overtime! I'm trying to get all my ducks in a row and figuring out how the best way to pack all of the things I think I need, haha. So far I have 3 gallon-sized ziplocks and labeled them Medicine, Toiletries, and Underwear and stuffed them. Is this a smart idea? How do y'all pack all your belongings? I'm concerned about my formal wear and other wrinkle-worthy clothing in my luggage.

[cb at sea]

Since I totally unpack once on the ship, I don't separate everything to that extent! Any "leak-prone" liquids go in the zip-loc....that's all. Everything else just goes in the suitcase!

We use 2 suitcases...crossed pack with something for each of us in the bag....(we fly) in case a bag goes missing.

Formalwear goes in the bag last....they are on hangers, in dry-cleaning or plastic bags....folded only as much as to get them in the suitcase. Last in, first out....no wrinkles so far!

Hubby's shoes are big and heavy...we limit those, and stuff them with socks, or underwear or other non-wrinkle caring stuff (Swimsuits....who cares if there's a wrinkle...get wet, and they're fine!)

I do make-up and toiletries in their own bag (carry-on, after the flight!), so I have that stuff when I need/want it....along with meds, and valuables....jewelry, etc.....that stuff stays with me!

[SadieN]

Depending on where we are going and what we are packing will decide how we pack. We use a combination of packing cubes, packing folders, ziplocks, compression bags and plain old bundling.

The most important thing to remember is to fill in all those nooks and crannies. It's amazing what can be stuffed into shoes and the channels formed by the handles of wheeled luggage.

 

I look at packing as the original Tetris game. :D

 

onebag.com is a great resource for learning how to pack, even if you take more than one bag.

[OneStrangeGuy]

Pack the ducks near the zip-locked underwear, and maybe they'll grab the bag for you when the ship sinks!:rolleyes:

[KATHY@HOME]

Just back from a trip with 8 family from port Canaveral. They placed my sisters suitcase on the wrong ship and she will not see it till she returns home. Carnival had 2 ships in port and off hers went to the wrong ship, pretty weird as we all were on the same shuttle. My advice is pack a little something in your carry on and put a few things in your other family's luggage. I have had the airline misplace my luggage too so I always carry on some of my clothing. Don't listen to the low ranking idiot that tells you no formal attire, no entrance into formal night dinning, higher ranking department heads will tell you you are welcome anywhere in the ship if they lost your luggage. As the cruise director told her grab your robe provided in the cabin and go have some fun. We pooled all our clothes, she bought a few items and the trip was salvaged after some tearful time worrying about everything. No trip ins. But carnival will give you a few $ towards clothes when they put you clothes on the wrong ship.

[Daisyloo]

Definitely recommend the cross packing approach. Half of all my stuff goes in husbands case, and half his in mine. At least we will have half of our stuff if one case goes missing.

[t60]

Definitely recommend the cross packing approach. Half of all my stuff goes in husbands case, and half his in mine. At least we will have half of our stuff if one case goes missing.

 

Agree, we always cross pack, but also add a change of clothes in our hand luggage as you can´t guarantee your case will be one of the first to arrive at your cabin

 

Sandy in Spain

[Lois R]

Hi, gallon sized bags? Sounds really big to me. I don't use plastic

bags to pack. My clothing goes in and the toiltetries? I have a small

toiletry bag for those items and a small makeup bag for those......

The only plastic I use? Drycleaner bags but they are specifically

used to prevent wrinkles. I don't put my undergarments in plastic.

They all go around the edge of the suitcase....they are the first

items I put in and the clothing all goes next...as for the formal stuff?

That is where the drycleaner bags come in...layering my clothes and

the formal items go in last.

 

Oh, both my toiletries and makeup go in my carry on bag with me

and not in my checked bag.

[Ehpride]

I actually love packing. It's like a game. First, I put in shoes. Then I start rolling my casual clothes and fit them in. Underwear goes wherever it fits. In shoes and little spaces is perfect. Toiletries in bottles that leak go in a baggie. I lay my non-rollable clothes (mostly formal dresses in dry cleaner bags) on top. I really only have to dig through things for the first couple days. Once I'm the ship, I put everything away. I may have to do a quick repack before going to the ship but that's no big deal.

[Suitcasefull]

Cross-packing definitely! If you're alone, at least put a couple of days' clothing in your carry-on in case other is lost. Double-bag any liquids. We also have an evening and morning plastic bag for things we only use then so less stuff out on counter at once. Have put all underwear in plastic bags since TSA began pawing things. When unpacking just throw my bags in one drawer, DH's in another. Rolling works great. We take few things that wrinkle but the dry cleaner bag trick is super advice. You'll learn what works for you as you cruise more. Enjoy!

[Happy ks]

Really great tips so far. I'll add that when you cross pack, don't forget to put the right type of shoes in the bag you pack the clothing. You don't want to end up with heels and shorts/bathing suits or formal wear and athletic shoes or flip flops.

 

The best packing advice I can give you is to not pack too loose or too tight, that's when the worst wrinkles occur. Too tight will compress the clothing into wrinkles, too loose and the clothing shifts around and settles into wrinkles. You want everything to fit snugly, but not so that tight you have to force the zipper to close. Then you start getting overweight bags and broken zippers, different packing problems ;)

 

I use a combination, folding, rolling, garment bag, ziploc baggies, fill all the nooks and crannies.

[djhatz]

Cross packing is a great idea! My adult son once lost his luggage on the flight to the cruise port; the bag finally caught up with him on our very last port of call. He is 6'8" tall so needless to say, he couldn't find anything that fit him in the onboard shops or even ashore. Cross packing would have really come in handy!

[Shak]

When DW and I started traveling we went on a company trip to Spain. We connected in JFK but this airport experienced some heavy rain and we were delayed long enough to miss our connecting flight. The airline put us on a flight that left shortly after arrived but while we made it to Spain our luggage didn't. It took 2 days for it to catch up to us. What I learned from this experience is to have enough clothing in our carry on luggage and carry on bag for a few days. I carry both.

 

 

DW and I have different packing styles and packing time tables to make cross packing work for us. She is a bundler and I use cubes, tubes, and folders. She likes to pack late and I like to pack early. I guess if either she or I did all the packing cross packing would make more sense.

 

I am not suggesting not to cross pack but only that we don't. In our case cross packing would have been worthless anyways but I am sure there are cases that only one person luggage ends up missing. We both carry enough clothing in our carryon now that our cruise would not be ruined by lost luggage.

 

Shak

[Jan_In_Maine]

Love everyone's ideas. I use ziplock 2 1/2 gal and packing folders (my new bust friend) and dry cleaner bags. Never have had a problem with wrinkles.

 

My carry on's all have clothes for one or two days and essentials --- we always cross pack. A few years ago we went to San Juan and American Airlines sent one suitcase to Shanghi. Took almost a whole week to get it back. Jan

[Kilnwood]

Since I totally unpack once on the ship, I don't separate everything to that extent! Any "leak-prone" liquids go in the zip-loc....that's all. Everything else just goes in the suitcase!

We use 2 suitcases...crossed pack with something for each of us in the bag....(we fly) in case a bag goes missing.

Formalwear goes in the bag last....they are on hangers, in dry-cleaning or plastic bags....folded only as much as to get them in the suitcase. Last in, first out....no wrinkles so far!

Hubby's shoes are big and heavy...we limit those, and stuff them with socks, or underwear or other non-wrinkle caring stuff (Swimsuits....who cares if there's a wrinkle...get wet, and they're fine!)

I do make-up and toiletries in their own bag (carry-on, after the flight!), so I have that stuff when I need/want it....along with meds, and valuables....jewelry, etc.....that stuff stays with me!

 

BBM

 

Great advice that I follow too, and I've never had any wrinkles either!

 

HAPPY CRUISING!!

[MrsToad]

Just back from a trip with 8 family from port Canaveral. They placed my sisters suitcase on the wrong ship and she will not see it till she returns home.

 

OMG! I thought I was immune to lost luggage since I don't fly. Apparently not. This would absolutely, positively ruin the cruise for me. After reading this, I'll be the one pulling around all my luggage with me until our cabin is ready.

 

I actually love packing. It's like a game. First, I put in shoes. Then I start rolling my casual clothes and fit them in.

 

I also love packing! I love packing anything ... suitcases, cars, grocery bags! I hated when stores switched from paper to plastic and it was no longer possible to organize items in the bags. After holidays, I won't let anyone else help pack up decorations because I love doing it so much.

 

Last weekend, I went to the beach and tried rolling my clothes. I had never tried it before and it sounded very logical. Unfortunately, everything came out big time wrinkled. :( I may have done it wrong somehow.

[tizzylizz]

We have never cross packed before, but, I think we will for our cruise....after my luggage was sent to another country recently & wasn't returned until my week long vacation was over. :/

 

Now, it actually wasn't too big of a deal since I was just going to visit family for the week...but, if it was my cruise I would of been upset! So cross packing sounds like a good idea.

 

Just bought one of those packing envelopes I learned about here on cc....mainly because my husband travels a lot and thought it would help him. Just used it the first time for a short trip and he liked it. I bought it at TJMaxx...think for $19.