Packing 101

[Mparis184]

I usually select the Anytime Dining and never have the same tablemates. I really don't care of someone sees me in the same clothes every day! I travel with one pair if basic black Travelers pants from Chico's that have multi-uses and bring chiffon tops. I can fit 10 or more of them in one plastic zip lock bag if I want to pack that many and they weigh nothing. Packing is easy if you know what to buy for your travels.

 

Marion

[Ma Bell]

You want to have 4 bags to carry when you travel, I don't. You travel the way you want to, I'll travel the way I want to. I have simply tried to point out that a person can plan their attire in such a way that they can have plenty to wear without needing to take 4 bags. I would imagine there are people out there who would like to pack less but haven't realized it's possible; maybe now they do.

Could I carry a rollaboard in each hand and something over each shoulder? Of course I could, but I don't find it enjoyable. It's a bit of a pain to get in and out of hotel room doors/cabin doors when you don't have a free hand (especially in Europe where you often need to find a key slot in the dark to turn the lights on), you can't use the escalator if you self disembark a ship (which we do), getting in and out of elevators can be interesting unless I'm by myself and there is no one anyone else in it, likewise turning the corner in narrow corridors when pulling two separate rollaboards.... I have done it before and don't care to do it again....all the stopping to open a door, stopping to shift luggage to get around a corner or to get turned around in an elevator etc.

As I said, I'm simply pointing out that it's possible to travel for a month without having to take a ton of luggage, not trying to convince you to do it, but you continue to argue with me, so I'm sure you'll now tell me how you've never had to haul your stuff through a narrow European hallway, or up the steps in a boutique European hotel that didn't have an elevator, blah blah blah. But if one travels enough, one tends to learn that situations like that are not uncommon, and to do whatever is possible to make them easier. Having done it both ways, I've become a firm believer in one rollaboard, and one purse or tote bag. YMMV

 

As for whether I "just leave them there" after hanging a hand washed item to dry, what else would you expect me do? Not sure I understand exactly what you're getting at. :confused:

I hang things up, and when they're dry I either wear them again, or leave them for a day or two or three until I do wear them again, or pack them along with my other things if we're moving on to the next phase of our trip.

 

I couldn't agree more, to each his own. I was just having a little fun with you. You said you could wash and hang your things to dry in the time it would take to call the bellman so it made it sound like you would be leaving with your wet clothing. As far as learning if one travels enough, I think I've probably traveled the world more than most have. We all have our choices as to how we do things and how much trouble we think they are.

[Caribbean Chris]

Anybody ever taken the train from Rome to Civitavecchia?

 

Unless things have changed, no porters. No lifts. Train passengers get off up at the track and must personally haul their luggage up plenty of stairs to street level to walk or taxi the short distance to the port entrance.

 

Like others, we enjoy trains and travel very light on our long European travels + transatlantics. I'm of the "black pants, different tops" school. No problem, right?

 

Except for those two women also bag-tagged for our ship wringing their hands at the base of the stairs with their pile of heavy bags. So "Mr Nice Guy", my spouse who needed a hip replacement back then, bailed them out by hauling all their luggage up to street level. They barely thanked him. They did look lovely on formal night.

[girljerk]

Ma Bell,

 

I totally agree with you. How much a person packs is definitely up to them. My DH and I, tend to have two checked bags, a carryon and a personal item. I can also handle all my own luggage. I really don't care what people think about my clothes, I dress for me. I have a different dress for each evening. My job requires me to where steel toed boots and tennis shoes. I don't often get to dress up so when I do, I take full advantage of it. Being able to dress up is one of my favorite parts of the trip. My husband also likes that part of the trip (me dressing up for him)!:D

 

I also carry a first aid kit along with my other packed items, which, my DH used to scoff at until he had need of it. There is a really awesome free customizable travelers check list at www dot travelschecklist dot com, If anyone is interested. It is printable and I customize it for each trip.

Edited January 30, 2015 by girljerk

[Adidas4fun]

You want to have 4 bags to carry when you travel, I don't. You travel the way you want to, I'll travel the way I want to. I have simply tried to point out that a person can plan their attire in such a way that they can have plenty to wear without needing to take 4 bags. I would imagine there are people out there who would like to pack less but haven't realized it's possible; maybe now they do.

Could I carry a rollaboard in each hand and something over each shoulder? Of course I could, but I don't find it enjoyable. It's a bit of a pain to get in and out of hotel room doors/cabin doors when you don't have a free hand (especially in Europe where you often need to find a key slot in the dark to turn the lights on), you can't use the escalator if you self disembark a ship (which we do), getting in and out of elevators can be interesting unless I'm by myself and there is no one anyone else in it, likewise turning the corner in narrow corridors when pulling two separate rollaboards.... I have done it before and don't care to do it again....all the stopping to open a door, stopping to shift luggage to get around a corner or to get turned around in an elevator etc.

As I said, I'm simply pointing out that it's possible to travel for a month without having to take a ton of luggage, not trying to convince you to do it, but you continue to argue with me, so I'm sure you'll now tell me how you've never had to haul your stuff through a narrow European hallway, or up the steps in a boutique European hotel that didn't have an elevator, blah blah blah. But if one travels enough, one tends to learn that situations like that are not uncommon, and to do whatever is possible to make them easier. Having done it both ways, I've become a firm believer in one rollaboard, and one purse or tote bag. YMMV

 

As for whether I "just leave them there" after hanging a hand washed item to dry, what else would you expect me do? Not sure I understand exactly what you're getting at. :confused:

I hang things up, and when they're dry I either wear them again, or leave them for a day or two or three until I do wear them again, or pack them along with my other things if we're moving on to the next phase of our trip.

I have three wheeled suitcases that string together with a luggage strap to form a train easily wheeled with a sinlge hand and my carry on goes over my shoulder so I still have a free hand.

 

And if you really want to travel your way why the long post?

[Sean602]

Thank you. I agree. We also like to get dressed for dinner and then NOT change right after dinner. Makes the cruise special.

[jveevers]

Anybody ever taken the train from Rome to Civitavecchia?

 

Unless things have changed, no porters. No lifts. Train passengers get off up at the track and must personally haul their luggage up plenty of stairs to street level to walk or taxi the short distance to the port entrance.

 

Like others, we enjoy trains and travel very light on our long European travels + transatlantics. I'm of the "black pants, different tops" school. No problem, right?

 

Except for those two women also bag-tagged for our ship wringing their hands at the base of the stairs with their pile of heavy bags. So "Mr Nice Guy", my spouse who needed a hip replacement back then, bailed them out by hauling all their luggage up to street level. They barely thanked him. They did look lovely on formal night.

Yes that train station at Civitavecchia is a killer. If you are unfortunate to arrive at the far platform you have to 1.. Drag bags down to the subway 2. Drag bags through the subway under the trackss 3. Haul bags bag up probably 40 steps back to ground level 4. Drag bags around 400 metres to Port entrance. 5. Wait until your designated bus takes you to the Ship.

[CathyCruises]

Yes that train station at Civitavecchia is a killer. If you are unfortunate to arrive at the far platform you have to 1.. Drag bags down to the subway 2. Drag bags through the subway under the trackss 3. Haul bags bag up probably 40 steps back to ground level 4. Drag bags around 400 metres to Port entrance. 5. Wait until your designated bus takes you to the Ship.

 

It's worse than that now, because due to construction they have eliminated the normal port entrance and moved it farther away from the train station. There is theoretically a bus which will take you from the train station to the drop off point where you can then reload your luggage onto a second bus to get to your ship. Hopefully this construction will be done soon.

 

This is exactly illustrates the point I was trying to make earlier about packing light. If I can't manage my luggage up-and-down those staircases and on and off of the trains, then I am taking too much. I may be deceiving myself, but I think I look presentable every day and more importantly every evening aboard ship without having to bring my entire wardrobe. But I know that for some people, a cruise is a way to be able to wear a lot of their special clothes that they may not have an opportunity to wear while at home.

Edited February 1, 2015 by CathyCruises

[Ma Bell]

Simple solution, don't take the train in Civitavecchia. Get a group together and a nice man will drive you right to the ship and it won't cost any more than the train.

[CathyCruises]

Simple solution, don't take the train in Civitavecchia. Get a group together and a nice man will drive you right to the ship and it won't cost any more than the train.

 

Well, that's not QUITE true. The train is 5€, the least I've ever paid for a shared van ride is 25€. But we've taken the train from Venice to Zurich, from Zurich to Barcelona, from Rome to Lyons, from Paris to London, etc. it's always a hassle to manage the luggage no matter what.

 

We will just have to agree to disagree on this one, I am happy with how I pack and dress, and I'm sure you are too.

[ClaudiaB]

I've not read all the responses but my strategy is bring as many Chico's Travelers clothes as I can. I wear one black pair of Travelers slacks probably 2/3 of the nights. I only have them on for a few hours so I can wear them for half the cruise, then wash in the sink and wear again the next day. My tops are lightweight and I typically choose a general color scheme. Mix match the day wear tops with evening and with scarves and jewelry it can be totally different.

I wear one pair of black "nice" flats every evening. Occasionally I might wear a "day" cute sandal to dinner. My first cruise I brought shoes that only went with one outfit. Don't do that!

Where I always struggle to pare down is the sandals and casual shoes. I'm doing better, though. I like to limit myself to 7 pieces of footwear including what I wear on the plane.

People honestly aren't keeping a scorecard on who wears what. If I wear a particular cute top on night one, I'll wear it again night 11. No one knows or cares. Some day tops I can can wear under a little jacket at night.

We also get free laundry with the elite perk and we take full advantage of that.

[Mparis184]

Claudia - you and I went to the same packing school. I only bring one pair of flats and two pairs of lightweight sandals, I don't need anything else. I roll up all my clothes and pack them in large zip lock bags that I purchase in the supermarket. I don't know what I would do without my Chico's Travelers clothes.

 

Marion

[ginabab]

I've discovered laundry services

Clothes come and go from our room every day One less suitcase and a lighter wheelie

For two of us, abt $100 for 2 weeks and things return pressed and on hangers [emoji56] and no big deal washing and sorting on our return

Happy

[Chazteach1]

Anybody ever taken the train from Rome to Civitavecchia?

 

 

 

Unless things have changed, no porters. No lifts. Train passengers get off up at the track and must personally haul their luggage up plenty of stairs to street level to walk or taxi the short distance to the port entrance.

 

 

 

Like others, we enjoy trains and travel very light on our long European travels + transatlantics. I'm of the "black pants, different tops" school. No problem, right?

 

 

 

Except for those two women also bag-tagged for our ship wringing their hands at the base of the stairs with their pile of heavy bags. So "Mr Nice Guy", my spouse who needed a hip replacement back then, bailed them out by hauling all their luggage up to street level. They barely thanked him. They did look lovely on formal night.

 

 

Fly to Rome, but stay in civitiveccia .we stayed 2 miles from port I a lovely hotel, San Giorgio! They will take you to port on a bus, porters help with bags!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app - My next cruise - Equinox - B2B 6/2014

[waterbug123]

Anybody ever taken the train from Rome to Civitavecchia?

 

Unless things have changed, no porters. No lifts. Train passengers get off up at the track and must personally haul their luggage up plenty of stairs to street level to walk or taxi the short distance to the port entrance.

 

Like others, we enjoy trains and travel very light on our long European travels + transatlantics. I'm of the "black pants, different tops" school. No problem, right?

 

Can't speak to the Citivecchia/Rome train, but we recently traveled by train from Rome to Florence, and then Florence to Venice. One must carry their own luggage on and off the train, going up/down steps to board/disembark. It's narrow, and at times there was limited space to stow luggage while keeping it in site during the ride. We saw a lot of people struggling with multiple suitcases!

 

 

And if you really want to travel your way why the long post?

 

ROFL, wasn't aware there was a limit on length of reply. I was simply trying to explain my point, not just for the benefit of the person I was responding to but for others who may read threads to gain information. Ex. There is likely someone reading the thread who has cruised a lot and never had an issue with multiple bags (porter takes them curbside to load on the ship, they don't self disembark so get a porter to help them get bags on the carousel, through customs and into a cab etc.) But maybe that person has never thought about the potential obstacles of continuing the journey with a land-based component in Europe for example, where issues like narrow corridors, hotels without elevators etc. might come into play. Perhaps I have given them food for thought on things they never realized or considered, as they pack for a cruise/land trip. You are welcome to hit the ignore button if you don't care to read my posts or find them too long. :rolleyes:

[Mparis184]

Thanks for your reply and helpful information like yours is never too long.

 

You can always spot Americans in Europe, they are the ones with all the luggage. The Europeans all have small carry-ons. Now you know why, too many steps in their terminals and no elevators in the older hotels.

 

To each their own, I am from the packing light group and don't mind traveling like a local.

 

Marion

[Ma Bell]

I have relatives that are Europeans and they don't have only small carry-ons. I've seen lot of people that you can tell are Americans but it has nothing to do with their luggage. The locals are usually the ones that look well dressed and not wearing their easily packed travel clothing. On a cruise the Europeans are also usually looking more dressed up than many Americans.

Edited February 2, 2015 by Ma Bell

[baldercash]

I have relatives that are Europeans and they don't have only small carry-ons. I've seen lot of people that you can tell are Americans but it has nothing to do with their luggage. The locals are usually the ones that look well dressed and not wearing their easily packed travel clothing. On a cruise the Europeans are also usually looking more dressed up than many Americans.

 

When in Europe the men wearing ball caps and Hawaiian shirts, seniors in running shoes or white / beige walking shoes and those dressed for an African Safari and carrying hiking poles while in Paris, Rome... are usually North Americans.

The old guys who shouldn't be in the Speedo suits around the pools are the Europeans.