Packing List - question for the guys

[preciousme123]

I understand wanting to look nice and dress up but a tux or a complete suit is really not necessary and will make packing more difficult. Slacks and a nice jacket will be much easier(IMO)

Other than that don't you think he could pack his own clothing for a vacation??:shorts, swim suit underwear shaving stuff shoes for dress/athletic shoes/sandals and that's it. What else would he need and why can't he figure this out for himself? He is not a baby or a child.

 

I helped my husband pack when we went on our cruise a couple weeks ago. I also pack his lunch while I'm packing mine everyday.

 

In return he washes my car, clears the snow off my car in the winter & helps with cooking & cleaning.

 

Helping the ones you love is what makes the world go around ;)

[Anyislandwilldo]

Avril,

 

This may help. Hopefully the attachment shows up. There is much advice on these boards about packing half of what you think you need and bring twice as much money. We've narrowed it down over the years and still end up with clothes we don't wear. We pack 3 pairs of shorts, tops, 3 nights clothing in the MDR and elegant night attire. We do laundry half way through the cruise. Another tip I may offer is pack half of your clothes and half of his clothes in one suitcase. In the event one suitcase gets lost, you both will have clothes. Womens sandals can fit comfortable inside men's dress shoes.

 

Happy Sailings!

Travel packing checklist.xls

[momonthego17]

I believe this is no longer an option on Carnival ships - I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong.

 

 

You don't rent formal wear through Carnival. Go online to cruiselineformal dot com, select your cruiseline, select men's apparel and there are suits, tuxes and accessories. Classic black tux is $87 , black and white (2 jackets) tux is $120, casual suit $95. This charge is for the whole cruise, not per day. Comes with a shirt, tie, cummerbund. Download the measurement page. Get your man's measurements (don't have him just tell you, measure him!) or you could measure his pants and shirt he wears to work and use that. Place your order with all of your info (cabin number, etc) and the order will be waiting for your pick up, usually at Cherry On Top on the ship.

 

We have done this for a number of cruises and it's worked out great!

 

Have a great cruise!

Edited April 24, 2015 by momonthego17

[riffatsea]

I suppose some men like help and some like my husband are very independent and would resent being told what to pack unless he asked a question about it. IF the guy has ever gone on a vacation to a warm climate(assuming Caribbean or Mexico cruise) then I'd imagine he'd have an idea of what to pack.

A sports jacket could be worn onto a plane over jeans if one didn't want to actually pack it. Not sure you'd do that with a suit jacket?

Of course everyone is entitled to dress as they please for elegant night or at any other time. That is precisely why we love Carnival!

[arpie05]

I pack for my 19 year old male son and since you're platinum you will have wash and fold service. I know my son goes through a lot of workout clothes so your BF won't need as much due to laundry.

 

One pair dress slacks for both nights. One white button color dress shirts and two ties. (May not have room in suitcase for jacket. If he's a big guy his clothes take up more room. And luggage weight limit. The airline we are flying has 40 lbs - this trip we're taking two bags but not worth another $25 for a third bad for dress coat)

 

One pair black shoes approp for dress pants and shorts.

 

running shoes

 

my son could wear 5 tshirts in one day. 2-3 just during workouts and playing basketball. when he goes to the gym he goes through 3 at home (two come home dripping and one dry to drive home in)

 

So it just depends on BF. Is he going to get up and run? Is he a lay by the pool guy? Is he going to go shoot hoops?

 

How many days are you on the Sunshine? How many days do you cruise depends on how many bags of laundry and you can always wash a load of shirts if you need. Pay attention to what he goes through on a weekend - and 2016 is a ways off - you plenty of time to figure out. Don't forget to buy travel insurance. Even if from a 3rd party and not Carnival.

[rockraiders]

My husband is a very light packer. Usually on day 2 of our vacation he will ask "When are you doing the laundry?" My reply is always the same. Not doing laundry. I'm on VACATION.

[Avril]

Thanks again everyone, this is great and super helpful!! When I get back from my mini trip on Wednesday, I'm going to go through all this and make into a proper, easy to read list. You guys and girls rock!! :D

 

How many days are you on the Sunshine? How many days do you cruise depends on how many bags of laundry and you can always wash a load of shirts if you need. Pay attention to what he goes through on a weekend - and 2016 is a ways off - you plenty of time to figure out. Don't forget to buy travel insurance. Even if from a 3rd party and not Carnival.

 

We'll be on Sunshine for 8 days, 4 of those are at sea!! :D How does the Platinum laundry service work? Never used it before. Do I have to ask at Guest Services and/or my Cabin Steward for a bag or something and then do I have to drop it of somewhere? Thanks for all your help!! :D

[scrantsj]

1 t-shirt/day

1 pair Underwear/day

+1 extra

1 pair socks/day

+1 extra

1 collared shirt/port day

+1 extra

1 pair khakis

2 pair shorts

1 swim trunks

Sandals (or flip flops)

Toiletry kit (or shave kit)

Small First aid kit (bandaids, advil, etc)

chargers

Ipad

Book (if your a reader)

2 hats (1 baseball, 1 full brim)

 

/on my 4 day cruise, I had everything packed in a carry-on bag. Still left the ship with clean clothes

[SadieN]

My husband is a very light packer. Usually on day 2 of our vacation he will ask "When are you doing the laundry?" My reply is always the same. Not doing laundry. I'm on VACATION.

 

 

We pack for a week. Plan on laundry for longer trips.

[guxu]

As long as I have 1 set of clean clothes per day, I am good.

[ScottsSweetie]

Thanks again everyone, this is great and super helpful!! When I get back from my mini trip on Wednesday, I'm going to go through all this and make into a proper, easy to read list. You guys and girls rock!! :D

 

 

 

We'll be on Sunshine for 8 days, 4 of those are at sea!! :D How does the Platinum laundry service work? Never used it before. Do I have to ask at Guest Services and/or my Cabin Steward for a bag or something and then do I have to drop it of somewhere? Thanks for all your help!! :D

 

There is a specific bag and/or form - do not use the one in your drawer for regular laundry. (I did this once before - ended up having to fill out a different form). Ask your steward for it. Simply fill the bag and leave it on your bed for your steward. If it is in before a certain time in the morning it will be returned that same evening. If not, it will be the next day.

[rtap23]

DH is on the other side of things.

 

Two pair Dockers

7 'Hawaiian' or Guayaberas shirts

Leather walking shoes

sandals (maybe)

Trunks

Underwear

 

Many guys will wear Dockers, dress shirt and either a tie or jacket for Cruise Elegant nights.

 

I also love my Guayaberas

[BenjiRodney]

2-3 Pairs of Khakis

1 Suit with 2 shirts for Formal Nights

2-3 Pair of Jeans

Shorts for each day

Shirts for each day (usually take an extra in case I spill something on one)

Belt

Socks

Underwear

Swim trunks

Tennis Shoes/Flip Flops/Dress Shoes

[jsglow]

Lots of good lists here. Most time I modestly over pack. Still working on that.

 

My contribution to this thread will be to describe the time I was compelled to pack for both myself and my wife. :eek: You see I surprised her at work with a cruise she had no idea was happening. All her work people were in on it and an afternoon meeting was staged company wide for the sole purpose of springing the announcement. I literally walked into the conference room, plunked down her suitcase, and said 'Honey, we've got to leave for the airport in 10 minutes!'

 

Packing wasn't the hardest part as her female colleagues gave me the necessary pointers. Rather, hiding the money and expenditures for many weeks beforehand proved almost impossible but I did pull it off. Even our kids (14 & 12 at the time) participated as they were flying to grandma's at the same time as we were beginning our journey to Saint Maarten and thus participated in the conference room celebration.

[prophet0621]

Depends on the length of sailing, but for a 7 day sailing typically:

 

4 pairs of dress pants, including at least 1 black pair

3 pairs of 'formal' shoes (including 1 black pair)

At least 1 jacket

8 collared shirts (long and short sleeved)

7 polo shirts

4 t shirts

3 pairs of formal shorts

3 pairs of swim shorts

7 pairs of black socks

4 pairs of white socks for trainers

3 pairs of trainers

1 pair water shoes

2 pairs of gym shorts and associated t shirts

2 belts

2 pairs of underwear per day

Sun hat

Flip flops

 

Mmm, this is the start of my packing list for our 2 cruises starting in 11 days time! :D

 

Holy crap! I thought my girlfriend packs a lot. :D

[momonthego17]

Lots of good lists here. Most time I modestly over pack. Still working on that.

 

My contribution to this thread will be to describe the time I was compelled to pack for both myself and my wife. :eek: You see I surprised her at work with a cruise she had no idea was happening. All her work people were in on it and an afternoon meeting was staged company wide for the sole purpose of springing the announcement. I literally walked into the conference room, plunked down her suitcase, and said 'Honey, we've got to leave for the airport in 10 minutes!'

 

Packing wasn't the hardest part as her female colleagues gave me the necessary pointers. Rather, hiding the money and expenditures for many weeks beforehand proved almost impossible but I did pull it off. Even our kids (14 & 12 at the time) participated as they were flying to grandma's at the same time as we were beginning our journey to Saint Maarten and thus participated in the conference room celebration.

Nice!!!:D

[prophet0621]

My packing is stereotypical guy packing, especially on vacation. Whatever I can fit in my backpack is what I'm prepared to take, do keep in mind it's not a small school kid backpack, this thing carries my IT tools and at least 2 laptops at work. I could probably fit my girlfriends 8 year old son in it if I squished him hard enough to get the zipper closed, otherwise he can just poke his big head out.

 

If I can't fit it in that backpack I don't need it and it's not going. It's only a week and vacation clothes don't take up much room. Thin, ugly, comfortable tropical shirts don't require much space, neither do those shorts with pockets, socks, boxers, and hygiene stuff.

 

Now my girlfriend, being far more practical than I, will pack a bunch of excess stuff she thinks we will need and make me lug around another heavy bag. Admittedly, some of those excess things come in handy but are not essential.

 

I will wear the button down shirts tucked in, a belt, and nice pants (that's as formal as I get) on elegant/formal night, long enough to eat because she wants to go to the MDR, then as soon as possible I'm back in comfortable vacation clothes. The first year she requested I wear a tie and then let me take it off because I was tugging at it all night trying to get it away from my neck. Does anyone else have that problem? Anything around your neck will drive you absolutely crazy?

 

To me, the vacation is to relax, a break from the everyday things we deal with the rest of the year so for that week, I don't need and more importantly, I don't want, much.

[prophet0621]

It's not just the ladies who like to have options!:D However, on reflection this current list is for B2B cruises, 12 days in total and 3 days in Florida.

 

Ah, that does change things a bit, I mistakenly thought that was the packing list for 7 days. No offense by my other post and "holy crap!" comment, I'm often accused of packing far too little and have very few options :D

[simplelife]

Depends on the length of sailing, but for a 7 day sailing typically:

 

4 pairs of dress pants, including at least 1 black pair

3 pairs of 'formal' shoes (including 1 black pair)

At least 1 jacket

8 collared shirts (long and short sleeved)

7 polo shirts

4 t shirts

3 pairs of formal shorts

3 pairs of swim shorts

7 pairs of black socks

4 pairs of white socks for trainers

3 pairs of trainers

1 pair water shoes

2 pairs of gym shorts and associated t shirts

2 belts

2 pairs of underwear per day

Sun hat

Flip flops

 

Mmm, this is the start of my packing list for our 2 cruises starting in 11 days time! :D

This is WAY more than my DH brings.

Why 3 pairs of sneakers? 1 is enough

Why 3 pairs of dress shoes? 1 is enough

Only 1 pair of dress pants is needed for the elegant nights.

Jacket not needed - usually brings 1 dress shirt and tie per formal night

2 or three pairs "dress" shorts.

A polo shirt for each non formal night

A couple of pairs casual shorts

Several T shirts

A couple of bathing suits

I agree with bringing plenty of underwear and socks

Toiletries

Water shoes are a good idea

DH brings birks also

He wears the sneakers or birks in MDR on "regular" nights

[peteukmcr]

This is WAY more than my DH brings.

Why 3 pairs of sneakers? 1 is enough

Why 3 pairs of dress shoes? 1 is enough

Only 1 pair of dress pants is needed for the elegant nights.

Jacket not needed - usually brings 1 dress shirt and tie per formal night

2 or three pairs "dress" shorts.

A polo shirt for each non formal night

A couple of pairs casual shorts

Several T shirts

A couple of bathing suits

I agree with bringing plenty of underwear and socks

Toiletries

Water shoes are a good idea

DH brings birks also

He wears the sneakers or birks in MDR on "regular" nights

Wow, I never thought I'd get criticised for my choices of footwear. My choice, my vacation, that's why. No way I'll wear 1 pair of sneakers for the 16 days I'll be away from home. And I have several pairs of dress shoes to match the dress pants I wear. Won't you match your footwear? I never wear sneakers or heaven forbid sandals to the MDR. But that's my choice.

 

Anyway I'm not justifying my packing, but I don't like being told what I'm carrying is wrong thank you.

 

Just typical, try and be helpful and you get told off. You carry what what you want and I'll bring mine ok?

[T. Advisor King]

On what to pack "clothes wise", as the OP asked, my answer would be "the same thing I pack for any other vacation". I'm not sure why I would pack different clothes for a cruise than for a regular vacation in a location with the same climate.

 

I suppose the only difference is having to have proper clothes to wear for dinner, but there must be hundreds of threads on what is ok/not ok, or required/not required in the MDR.

 

I found it interesting that although the OP's request clearly specified she was asking only about clothes, many posters felt the need to provide an entire packing list, including non-clothes items.

 

I thought the one poster who said she packed "three socks" for her husband was funny. Was one a spare, or are they from identical pairs, so he wears #1 and #2 on day one, #2 and #3 on day two, and #3 and #1 on day three, etc.?

 

As an aside, I will mention that the part of packing relating to clothes, in my estimation, takes about one quarter to one third of the total packing time. All the "other stuff" (electronics, chargers, cameras) takes at least twice as long as the clothes. I'll sometimes spend as long looking for one thing (e.g., spare camera battery) as I will packing half my clothes. That is never an issue with packing clothes. I go to the t-shirt shelf and pick however many I want. I never need to run around the house looking for t-shirts. Looking for a particular USB cable sometimes takes a while.

[keishashadow]

I helped my husband pack when we went on our cruise a couple weeks ago. I also pack his lunch while I'm packing mine everyday.

 

In return he washes my car, clears the snow off my car in the winter & helps with cooking & cleaning.

 

Helping the ones you love is what makes the world go around ;)

 

:D and we all have our strengths in a happy union.

 

 

My husband is a very light packer. Usually on day 2 of our vacation he will ask "When are you doing the laundry?" My reply is always the same. Not doing laundry. I'm on VACATION.

 

which is why I do the packing but run the 'outfits' past him that I pull from his closet.

 

OP

 

First cruise I forgot to pack a dress belt for DH lol. it's the one thing he now sets out each trip.

 

consider cross packing your & BF's stuff, JIK a bag goes missing & cut down on 'stuff' consolidate whatever toiletries & supplies you can share.

Edited April 25, 2015 by keishashadow

[SirGoose29445]

I am 33 and usually bring the following (keep in mind I don't fly and don't mind bring the entire house and my wife is always thinking ahead about the pictures):

 

2-3 pair of tan shorts

2-3 polo's

7-10 pair of underwear

2 pair of socks

5-6 pair swim trunks

1 suit

4 pair of dress pants

4 dress shirts

three ties

2 pair dress sock

4 pair of normal socks

5-10 t-shirts (including undershirts)

3 tank tops (don't go to the buffet shirtless, regardless of how good you look)

4 pair gym shorts

1 pair Tennis shoes

1 pair dress shoes (depending on color of dress pants/suit, maybe two)

3-4 pair of flip flops

1 pair of sperrys (in case the maitre-d is a stickler about flip flops on the nights I don't dress up)

Whatever toiletries he uses sans soap and shampoo (I use what is on the boat)

Flippers, goggles and a snorkel (don't like renting and prefer my own)

Backpack (to carry stuff on and off the ship)

 

What I could realistically bring would be just seven pair of swim shorts and slim down on everything else as I find myself getting up in the morning, putting on a pair, getting breakfast and hanging out on the decks until dinner time. The only time I wear the casual stuff is when it is raining.

[cajunfla]

....and usually bring the following (keep in mind I don't fly and don't bring the entire house ...

 

 

a few pair of underwear

2 pair of socks

5-6 pair swim trunks

 

5-10 t-shirts (including undershirts)

3 tank tops (don't go to the buffet shirtless, regardless of how good you look)

4 pair gym shorts

2 pair Tennis shoes

 

3-4 pair of flip flops

I don't dress up

soap and shampoo (I use what is on the boat)

Fins, goggles and a snorkel (don't like renting and prefer my own)

Backpack (to carry stuff on and off the ship)

 

What I could realistically bring would be just seven pair of swim shorts and slim down on everything else as I find myself getting up in the morning, putting on a pair, getting breakfast and hanging out on the decks until dinner time. The only time I wear the casual stuff is when it is raining.

 

 

Pretty much same, but I edited down for my tastes. I'm retired, hate wearing long pants, don't own a white shirt, and only wear sport coats or suits and neck ties to weddings and funerals. Thanks goodness I never had to wear any of that for work.

[sjn911]

Lots of good lists here. Most time I modestly over pack. Still working on that.

 

My contribution to this thread will be to describe the time I was compelled to pack for both myself and my wife. :eek: You see I surprised her at work with a cruise she had no idea was happening. All her work people were in on it and an afternoon meeting was staged company wide for the sole purpose of springing the announcement. I literally walked into the conference room, plunked down her suitcase, and said 'Honey, we've got to leave for the airport in 10 minutes!'

 

Packing wasn't the hardest part as her female colleagues gave me the necessary pointers. Rather, hiding the money and expenditures for many weeks beforehand proved almost impossible but I did pull it off. Even our kids (14 & 12 at the time) participated as they were flying to grandma's at the same time as we were beginning our journey to Saint Maarten and thus participated in the conference room celebration.

 

Soooo coool....Well did the girlfriends pack? or what did you take for her...and only this far if already answered..forget it. This is many a woman's dream to have the guy pack it right, handle all details and whisk her away..and this includes work issues being clear...oh my heavens..were there any at home proju8cts you had to slyly put on hold...lol...Sarah