Fly cruise packing crisis!

[Doughty3]

How do people manage packing for a 2 week Med cruise with a hold luggage limit of 20kg and a minuscule cabin bag limit of 5 kg??

That's our allowance according to P&O on Jet2 flying from Bournemouth.

Are cabin bags weighed?

Any suggestions ASAP please as we're flying next Wednesday.

[Presto2]

How do people manage packing for a 2 week Med cruise with a hold luggage limit of 20kg and a minuscule cabin bag limit of 5 kg??

That's our allowance according to P&O on Jet2 flying from Bournemouth.

Are cabin bags weighed?

Any suggestions ASAP please as we're flying next Wednesday.

 

Just check with Jet2 as when we asked at their desk at Manchester their airline offer 22 kgs and 10kgs hand luggage. Check out their web site.

 

We were booked on a Jet2 flight with Inghams that said 20kg but when we asked at the Jet2 desk they said 22kgs and that was a charter flight as well

 

May be worth asking Jet2 direct.

 

Nothing ventured.

[Host Sharon]

I feel your pain but I managed a four-week fly cruise to South America & Antarctica with the same limit! This was my first fly cruise.

 

Put out all the shoes you want to take, and half them at least. Honestly no one will notice if you wear the same evening outfit twice or take separates and mix and match them. You don't need hairdryers etc. Wash smalls and dry overnight in your cabin bathroom and travel in a coat with lots of pockets in which to pack small items.

 

It can be done. 20kg is heavier than you think and that is per person.

Edited September 15, 2015 by Host Sharon

[ljd48]

I had the same problem on our 2 week fly/cruise this year. We usually sail from Southampton so amount of luggage is not an issue but I always take too much and come home with clothes I've never worn.

I laid out all the clothes I wanted to take then then took away the ones I probably wouldn't wear. Same with shoes.

I was amazed that my case only weighed 18.5kgs and my husbands 16kgs.

We bought the lightest cabin luggage cases we could find and filled them to the max. 5 kgs. My husband put his evening suit and shoes etc. in his and I put all my evening dresses and shoes in mine.

[kruzseeka]

Last time we flew from Bournemouth they did weigh the hand luggage. They were in error when they challenged the lady ahead of me at check in whose cabin luggage weighed in over 5kg and she had to shuffle things from her hand to hold luggage. In fact she was on a fly/cruise with a 7kg hand luggage allowance.

 

I pointed it out to them when it was my turn although I had less than 5kg but I felt they should be applying the correct allowance. They wouldn't accept it insisting the allowance was 5Kg (the allowance for non-cruise passengers). It actually didn't matter to me but as a matter of principle I wrote an email to the airport on our return quoting the airline's allowance for fly/cruises and got a very off-hand response which did not acknowledge their mistake! So I certainly wouldn't take over weight hand luggage - of course you could be lucky and find they aren't bothering but I wouldn't take the risk.

[davecttr]

I am booked on a world cruise segment next February aboard Aurora, Sydney to Singapore with 28 nights plus travel time. How much to pack? How many cases etc etc. The flights are with Malaysia airlines changing at Kuala Lumpur. I reckon crafty use of the onboard laundry will restrict additional clothing over a 14 nighter pack to basically 6 more shirts and an additional suit.

 

The weight limits are 7Kg cabin and 30Kg checked with 2 cases allowed for the checked luggage. The airline site gives max dimensions for the carry on and guess what!, my carry on is too big :( Each checked case has an overall size limit of 158cm, height plus width plus depth and again I find large suitcases are either exactly 158cm or larger. I would not risk a 158cm case so it looks like 2 cases plus a small backpack for the essentials is the solution :confused:

 

ps - do i need a dinner jacket plus suit? There are 8 formal nights and i don't fancy wearing the same suit 8 times without cleaning.

[loobs40]

We go to the Caribbean with P&O and our cases have been getting lighter and lighter each year. Swimming costumes, summer dresses and a couple of nice outfits. Anything I forget or need I buy out there at the markets. The thing i struggle with weightwise is the number of paperbacks i want to take!

[jaceyar]

We go to the Caribbean with P&O and our cases have been getting lighter and lighter each year. Swimming costumes, summer dresses and a couple of nice outfits. Anything I forget or need I buy out there at the markets. The thing i struggle with weightwise is the number of paperbacks i want to take!

That's exactly why Kindles are so fantastic!

[storeman]

That's exactly why Kindles are so fantastic!

 

Thats what my wife says as well upload fav books

then again when you have finished your books you can donate them to ships Library more space and weight carry more duty free home :cool:

[steadsy]

How do people manage packing for a 2 week Med cruise with a hold luggage limit of 20kg and a minuscule cabin bag limit of 5 kg??

That's our allowance according to P&O on Jet2 flying from Bournemouth.

Are cabin bags weighed?

Any suggestions ASAP please as we're flying next Wednesday.

 

Do what my wife does ..... use half of my allowance, filling the rest of my case with her stuff ;);) Pictures show our 'his n hers' toilet bags on a recent cruise to give an idea.

[rickpo]

Like it!

 

Rick.

[Holly24]

Hi,

It's easy with a little cleaver packing.

For example on Carib fly cruises the lovely scarf pashmina to keep warm doubles as a sarong. In stead of traveling in jeans and a tunic style top I wear jeans and a cap sleeve sundress. You don't need a swimsuit and matching sarong for every day, mix and match two pieces and a small bottle of hand wash, stuff dries very quickly.

You don't need different outfits for every evening, no one will notice if you wear a dress twice, their all doing the same, and chances are if anyone is a Mrs bucket your never going to see them again anyway.

Mix and match accessories shoes and bags, and I agree about kindles and kindle apps for iPads, I can now read anything I want without lugging loads of books with me. In stead of expensive waterproof and heavy covers for them a re sealable sandwich bag works just as well.

Put out everything you think you want to take, then take away half, put that with essentials in you case, if you have spare weight then look at the remaining.

Remember to have fun, and you will never be far from a shop if you have forgotten something.

H

[mummsie]

How do people manage packing for a 2 week Med cruise with a hold luggage limit of 20kg and a minuscule cabin bag limit of 5 kg??

That's our allowance according to P&O on Jet2 flying from Bournemouth.

Are cabin bags weighed?

Any suggestions ASAP please as we're flying next Wednesday.

 

Our suitcase fully loaded on the way home from a 4 week European holiday is never more than 17 kilos. It just won't fit any more.

 

I usually try to keep to about 11-12 on the way out and with bits that you buy it adds a few kilos on the way home.

 

I pair of shoes for evening. 1 pair of walking shoes that I wear and maybe one extra pair of walking shoes in case it rains. 4 pr of underwear and socks (just wash every day). 2 pair of pants and about 4 shirts that get rinsed out. 1 evening outfit that can be worn twice if necessary. I find the heaviest things are all the toiletries. I don't take shampoo or conditioner but its the creams and moisturisers and medical bits and pieces that weigh the most.

 

Its very easy to stick to the limits. Just really think - do I really need to take wear that. :) Mummsie

[Holly24]

Hi,

Don't forget if flying, the best tip is to buy toiletries at the airport and put in hand luggage after it has been weighed. I saved tonnes of room and weight doing that on my last trip. Bottles of shampoo, conditioner, suntan lotion etc weigh a fair bit and most airports have a boots these days.

H

[annieuk]

We've been on more than ten fly cruises to the Caribbean and have managed to cope with the 23kg hold weight. Others have already given ideas that we follow. Chargers in pockets, my husbands black dress shoes that are not only heavy but take up such a large space in the case go in his hand luggage - he doesn't need as many bits and pieces as I do! You won't need half the clothes you think you will. I will wear the same outfit more than once - on casual evenings - and I mix and match which works well. I don't have evening dresses but long evening skirts, dressy trousers, camisole tops and then evening jackets which again I can mix and match. You can certainly buy toiletries from Boots once you have cleared Security if you wish, I tend to decant shampoo etc. into smaller bottles and take them, plus small sizes of deodorant etc.

 

We have found on the last couple of cruises that sometimes check in want to weigh your hand luggage, or at the least to see it so it's not worth having it overweight. You can now buy extra weight allowance if you wish on both Thomson and Thomas Cook - details are on the P&O website, you can't do it until just before you travel. We did this last time and it certainly made things easier.

[whoops]

One option would be to leave all formal outfits behind. Shoes and other items weigh a tonne. It's simply not worth the bother for the two formal nights on offer in a 2 week cruise.

[bee-ess]

How do people manage packing for a 2 week Med cruise with a hold luggage limit of 20kg and a minuscule cabin bag limit of 5 kg??

That's our allowance according to P&O on Jet2 flying from Bournemouth.

Are cabin bags weighed?

Any suggestions ASAP please as we're flying next Wednesday.

 

You need one of these

http://whenonearth.net/wear-luggage-rufus-roo-big-travel-jacket/

[dgs1956]

One option would be to leave all formal outfits behind. Shoes and other items weigh a tonne. It's simply not worth the bother for the two formal nights on offer in a 2 week cruise.

 

There are 4 formal nights and it is worth the bother. If not then why not go the whole hog and just take a change of underwear and a toothbrush?

[Doughty3]

Thank you for all the helpful replies.

Love that jacket bee-ess!

[daiB]

Thank you for all the helpful replies.

 

Love that jacket bee-ess!

 

 

Just to add in another factor. The baggage handling company will take your bags to the ship for you nod of course bring it back the cost is about £120 return + VAT. Clearly this gives you a 50% increase in what you can take. Perhaps a little expensive but does the job.

[BrianI]

Dai,

 

This topic is about baggage for Mediterranean ports departures. As far as I am aware the Baggage Handling Company only operate to UK ports, the cost of which is £36 including VAT per bag each way.

Useful for people living in Scotland who fly to Southampton but no good if you are flying to Venice.

http://www.thebaggagehandlingcompany.com/index.html

Brian

[natross1110]

I know it's a little sad but I take a small amount if washing tablets and I wash a load once a week. Despite what people think it doesn't take long and I don't sit about in there. That way I never hit the allowance and leaves more room for other items. I also find I'm a creature of habit and wear the same items day in and out so only pack for 7 days! I take two evening dresses and one pair of evening shoes, 2 pairs of sandals, shorts and t shirts and day dresses, bikinis x 4 and my gym kit. Never take a hair dryer etc. I struggle to hit 16 kg for two weeks. I suppose my point is if you're willing you can pack wisely and save yourself a lot of bother. It also helps to have a third case with a child as they're clothes hardly weigh anything.

For Caribbean I wear on the plane leggings, jumper and sneakers and brave the cold for a few minutes without a coat and my hand luggage contains shorts, t shirt and sandals. Who wants to be in their winter clothes when they land lugging their coat about!

Edited September 15, 2015 by natross1110

[jaceyar]

I know it's a little sad but I take a small amount if washing tablets and I wash a load once a week. Despite what people think it doesn't take long and I don't sit about in there. That way I never hit the allowance and leaves more room for other items. I also find I'm a creature of habit and wear the same items day in and out so only pack for 7 days! I take two evening dresses and one pair of evening shoes, 2 pairs of sandals, shorts and t shirts and day dresses, bikinis x 4 and my gym kit. Never take a hair dryer etc. I struggle to hit 16 kg for two weeks. I suppose my point is if you're willing you can pack wisely and save yourself a lot of bother. It also helps to have a third case with a child as they're clothes hardly weigh anything.

For Caribbean I wear on the plane leggings, jumper and sneakers and brave the cold for a few minutes without a coat and my hand luggage contains shorts, t shirt and sandals. Who wants to be in their winter clothes when they land lugging their coat about!

Get some Disolve washing sheets - they weigh nothing, £1.99 from Savers/Morrisons.

 

Sent from my XT1039 using Tapatalk

[indiana123]

I think you are off tomorrow... so have a great cruise.... whether or not you decide to wash some bits. I wouldn't notice if you wore something twice, so I doubt anyone else would.

 

Whatever you do... just have a great time. Of course none of us are at all jealous.:)