Luggage comments...

[John1519]

What does everyone do for luggage for the cruise? How many do you pack? Are there any "must have" gadgets?

 

We are adopting a "carry on" only policy. There will be 6 of us traveling to Alaska. I had thought that we would each have a carry and and we would check 1 bag with liquids and other extras. (my DH has a Cpap and a planter fascitis boot that take up space) however my go to large suitcase has a huge tear in it right on the corner. I can't see it making it through the airport. So I thought I'd ask what others do. Since we leave in 4 days I am kinda stuck. My DH did say while in Seattle we can get a new Rick Steve's bag. :).

 

 

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[paul929207]

We go on longer cruises, so we usually check 3 or 4 bags between us. My wife usually carries a large purse with meds and such. I carry my laptop.

[calliopecruiser]

I have absolutely no desire to travel for more than a day or two with carry on only - I've done a week-long trip, but I didn't like it and I won't do it again unless space or time truly requires it. Certainly for an Alaskan cruise where whether is variable and might get cold (cold-weather clothes are bulkier than swimsuits and sundresses), I'd want to pack a larger bag.

 

My last 2 week trip (10 day cruise and 4 days on land), I took a large rolling duffel bag and a small knapsack as a carry-on, for me alone (traveling solo). I also did 2 small loads of laundry on the ship, mostly underwear and t-shirts.

 

(I switched from a suitcase to a rolling duffel bag, and much prefer it.)

[RockeyBullwinkle]

I'm guessing 6 = 3 couples. I see no reason you couldn't pull it off with a carry-on each plus your personal bag. you will be much happier.

[NMLady]

What does everyone do for luggage for the cruise? How many do you pack? Are there any "must have" gadgets?

 

We are adopting a "carry on" only policy. There will be 6 of us traveling to Alaska. I had thought that we would each have a carry and and we would check 1 bag with liquids and other extras. (my DH has a Cpap and a planter fascitis boot that take up space) however my go to large suitcase has a huge tear in it right on the corner. I can't see it making it through the airport. So I thought I'd ask what others do. Since we leave in 4 days I am kinda stuck. My DH did say while in Seattle we can get a new Rick Steve's bag. :).

 

 

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For Alaska's warm clothes it will be a real challenge to pack in just a carryon, especially if you also have to pack the plantar fasciitis boot, or do you plan to carry it separately as a medical device? Remember you will also be carrying your warm jacket and probably a purse too. that is a lot to handle imo. Do you not live near a store where you can buy a suitcase? We always take one checked bag each plus our carryon. I hope you are also taking binoculars and a camera.

In your husband's CPAP case, include an extension cord and power strip.

You will need sunscreen, even in Alaska, and the 3 oz carryon amount each will probably not be enough. I guess you can buy it in Seattle though.

[JaneBP]

Do take a power pack strip. If you want more 'stuff-it space) then pack a clear over the door shoe bag for the little things. Then leave it on the ship when you disembark. Makes room for keepsakes.

[mn_isla_girl]

however my go to large suitcase has a huge tear in it right on the corner. I can't see it making it through the airport.

 

Duct tape :D

 

I did 2 weeks in Costa Rica with a small rolling duffel and a day pack but the warmest piece of clothing I had was t-shirt. You don't want to spend the whole trip feeling like you are doing without.

[Keith1010]

Remember for Alaska you need to take clothing to layer yourself and for all types of weather.

 

Keith

[KirkNC]

Our rule is one checked bag and one carry on per person. We have been gone as long as a month and it works fine.

[KirkNC]

Do take a power pack strip. If you want more 'stuff-it space) then pack a clear over the door shoe bag for the little things. Then leave it on the ship when you disembark. Makes room for keepsakes.

 

We always take one, with three of us, each with iPhones, iPads and cameras, it is the only way to get everything charged. We just put it in an outside pocket of our checked luggage.

[navybankerteacher]

Alaska requires more clothes ---- just one sweater and one waterproof windbreaker, plus gloves and some woolen cap will almost fill up a carry-on. While it is possible to do with just a carry-on for the Caribbean (although why so limit yourself even for that) it just won't work for Alaska - especially if you are also talking medical devices

[Scrapnana]

Stores always have a sale on luggage. Find a lightweight large one, for six people you will need it.

[griffy116]

I'm guessing 6 = 3 couples. I see no reason you couldn't pull it off with a carry-on each plus your personal bag. you will be much happier.

 

I might be able to get by with a carry on bag for the caribbean, but Alaska, with layered clothes and sweaters, heavy shoes....plus equipment??? No way!

[RunnerGirl26.2]

I like to check my medium or large bag and carry on tote bag/purse. I don't think I could go a week with just a carry on, especially to colder climate.

 

Some airlines allow you to board earlier than the masses if you are not using the overhead bins. Carrying a tote that fits under the seat allows me to use this small perk. Also keep in mind you may end up having to gate check those carry-ons if the flight full and the overhead bins fill up.

 

You can wear your heftiest waterproof shoe while traveling to save space and carry your shell/waterproof jacket. You could pack a small duffle bag in your suitcase and purchase extra layers in Seattle or in Ketchikan. Pack and check the duffle for the trip home.

[delily]

My rule is no more than one carry-on between the two of us. I know that sounds strange since most people do the opposite and try to take everything in carry-ons. I do take a purse and DH and I have one small carry on for the stuff we don't dare put in our checked luggage. But we would rather check our suitcases (one each) and then walk around airports and on and off planes for the rest of the day HANDS FREE instead of carrying bags down tiny plane aisles and then worrying about stuffing them into too little overhead bin space or, even worse, placing a bag under the seat where it will take up all of my foot space so that I can't stretch out my legs for the entire flight.

[Shmoo here]

Our rule is one checked bag and one carry on per person. We have been gone as long as a month and it works fine.

 

That's what DH & I do. One checked, one carryon each. This combo has worked for all our cruises, whether it was for 7 nights or 24 nights. As well as a 19 night cruise/tour in Alaska.

[navybankerteacher]

Somehow being able to cruise for a week or more with just carry-on bags seems to be a point of pride for a lot of people. While each person can save $50 (unless they fly Jet Blue, or have a credit card which give a free checked bag) by not checking; there are costs (some monetary) which they pay. If they do not pay for ship's laundry, or the few dollars for laundromat, they either have to spend a fair amount of time washing their underwear, socks, etc. or just stay increasingly grubby. They also do without things they might enjoy such as cameras, or the luxury of a couple changes of clothes, or different shoes for active excursions, comfortable travel, casual shipboard wear etc.

 

It's meant to be a vacation, after all. ---- not a demonstration of Spartan living. I feel they are missing the point of the entire exercise, but more power to them if that sort of scrimping strikes them as an achievement.

[Treven]

I certainly couldn't go on a cruise of any appreciable length with just a carry on. I manage with a big rolling duffel, a carry on, plus my laptop bag which I have stuffed with additional things, meds etc, and my camera bag.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The shortest cruise we will take is 14 days -- just because of all the hassle of flying.

We have to do pre-cruise hotels -- at the airport and the embarkation port. We also have to do post-cruise hotels -- at th disembarkation port and at our airport hotel before we drive home.

So we are usually gone about 20 days.

We take 4 suitcases and 2 carry-ons.

[jjtimes2]

For us it completely depends on the type of vacation. If we're flying, then DH insists on 1 bag each (usually a large backpack) and 1 carry-on each. We can manage a month easy out of our backpacks. But, we live within driving distance of 4 ports, so if we're cruising, we're driving and then all bets are off! Last cruise was 5-nights and we had 2 suitcases, a large backpack, and a garment bag, plus one carry-on each. To be fair, it was Christmas and one suitcase had just decorations, gifts, and wine (HAL has no limits on bottled wine). Next cruise is 7 nights and I have a feeling it will be at least 4 bags :eek:

[Twickenham]

Last time MamaTwick and I cruised - a 10-day Med cruise with a week pre-cruise in Italy - we each took a small rolling suitcase and a fairly large backpack (the idea being we checked the suitcases, with our cruise clothing, at a train station while we toured Italy with just the backpacks). In addition, we each had a medium-sized purse, and I had my camera bag.

 

We both decided we each could do the same trip with the backpack alone.

 

I feel they are missing the point of the entire exercise

 

The point of the exercise is to travel and experience new places, not to drag the totality of one's earthly possessions around the world. And yes, I do dress for dinner, and bring a relatively large camera to record it all.

[monkeyluis]

What does everyone do for luggage for the cruise? How many do you pack? Are there any "must have" gadgets?

 

We are adopting a "carry on" only policy. There will be 6 of us traveling to Alaska. I had thought that we would each have a carry and and we would check 1 bag with liquids and other extras. (my DH has a Cpap and a planter fascitis boot that take up space) however my go to large suitcase has a huge tear in it right on the corner. I can't see it making it through the airport. So I thought I'd ask what others do. Since we leave in 4 days I am kinda stuck. My DH did say while in Seattle we can get a new Rick Steve's bag. :).

 

 

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Rick Steve's bags are nice. We only use carry on also. I have a Tom bihn aeronaut. My wife has an ebags rolling duffel. My kids have high sierra rolling backpacks.

 

As far as gadgets. Well, we take ad iPhones & kindles. I bought a 4 port USB plug so that I only have one charger. I also bought I 3 in 1 USB cable that I can charge all my devices with, but only have one cable.

 

I don't understand how people take anything bigger than a carry on. But, too each his own.

[monkeyluis]

Alaska requires more clothes ---- just one sweater and one waterproof windbreaker, plus gloves and some woolen cap will almost fill up a carry-on. While it is possible to do with just a carry-on for the Caribbean (although why so limit yourself even for that) it just won't work for Alaska - especially if you are also talking medical devices

 

I got a weeks worth of clothes, 2 jackets & shoes plus toiletries in just a carry on for my alaska cruise next week.

[trainfan]

We do one carry-on bag for 10 days or less. More than 10 days its one carry-on plus one medium suitcase. That has done us for a ten week trip that took us from the tropics of Australia returning back home to Canada for a trip across the country in winter. The challenge is that Alaska will be cool and maybe wet. The advantage we have is living in a climate that gets cold so our cold gear is very light and very compact (also expensive but we use it regularly in winter). We use light-weight inner jackets that are used in mountain climbing and can be compressed very small. Same with our outer rain shells. Our undergarments and socks are designed to wick moisture away. We did backpack camping for many years so learned to travel light. We carry no electronics except a small camera - which may not work for people who need to remain connected to family or business by phone or email. If you haven't had experience traveling light think carefully. Alaska, with its variation in weather, is a tricky one to start with.

[slidergirl]

Duct tape up that bag to get you to Seattle. Then, either do the Rick Steves thing or go to the flagship REI store and peruse the offerings there.

If you want to not have to have the bulk of a sweater or fleece, look into the down or alternative fill "sweaters" and lightweight jackets by Patagonia and REI. They weigh nothing, take up less space than a pair of pants, and are plenty warm. One of those and a waterproof shell will work fantastically well. My Patagonia down sweater (It actually zips all the way down) and my one shell got me through my entire winter here in Utah last winter. And, it was my go-to jacket when the temps are between 30 and 50F...

I'm a 22-24" carrier, depending on the trip, along with my daypack (the purse goes in there). I don't mind spending an additional 15 minutes at night washing out some things. It's not a big deal. And, I take everything I want to take, including the camera, iPad or Macbook, headphones, power strip, clothes, shoes, etc. I'm not trying to prove how Spartan I can go, but I pack for what I can carry myself in airports, on trains, up stairs. And, I never look increasingly sloppy or unkempt ;) If you're just cruising, chances are you don't have to think about some of those issues and you can bring what you want. But if your cruise involves Rome, Venice, or train travel to get to/from your cruise, it's definitely something to think about.