Minimalist Math(-ish): fewest outfits for 7-day cruise with 2-day laundry turnaround

[TheAccidentalCruiser]

Planning for a 7-day Alaska cruise on HAL, which offers an unlimited laundry package with a 2-day turn-around; and I've been trying to figure out just how few outfits I can get away with taking. ("Sundress," "Monokini," and "Twinset" are what I'm calling my outfits for Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, not what they actually consist of.)

 

 

Sunday (Embarkation day): Let's say I wear a "Sundress" on Sunday.

 

 

Monday: Monday I wear a "Monokini."

Sunday's "Sundress" goes out in the laundry.

 

 

Tuesday: Tuesday I wear a "Twinset."

Monday's "Monokini" goes out in the laundry.

Sunday's "Sundress" comes back from the laundry.

 

 

Wednesday: Wednesday I wear the freshly laundered "Sundress" from Sunday.

Tuesday's "Twinset" goes out in the laundry.

Monday's "Monokini" comes back from the laundry.

 

 

 

Thursday: Thursday I wear the freshly laundered "Monokini" from Monday.

Sunday-&-Wednesday's "Sundress" goes out in the laundry.

Tuesday's "Twinset" comes back from the laundry.

 

 

Friday: Friday I wear the freshly laundered "Twinset" from Tuesday.

Monday-&-Thursday's "Monokini" goes out in the laundry.

Sunday-&-Wednesday's "Sundress" comes back from the laundry.

 

 

 

Saturday: Saturday I wear my freshly laundered "Sundress" from Sunday & Wednesday.

Tuesday-&-Friday's "Twinset" does not go out, but gets packed away as dirty laundry for me to wash at home.

Monday-&-Thursday's "Monokini" comes back from the laundry.

 

 

 

Sunday (Debarkation Day): Sunday I wear my freshly laundered "Monokini" from Monday & Thursday

Sunday-Wednesday-Saturday's "Sundress" was packed away last night, along with

Tuesday-&-Friday's "Twinset," as dirty laundry for me to wash my darned self at home.

 

 

 

 

Just to be clear, I will not be taking a sundress, monokini, or even a twinset on my early-May Alaska cruise. For "Sundress" read: purple long-sleeved shirt, grey slacks, black cardigan, colorful scarf. For "Monokini" and "Twinset," just re-assign colors more or less at random.

 

 

 

I will also be taking an almost-fancy outfit (dressy purple sweater, grey skirt) for Gala night, plus two sets of moderately presentable loungewear for sleeping and for emergency back-up.

[VennDiagram]

Don't count on the 48-hour turn around. On our last cruise one load of laundry took much longer to come back. As well, sometimes a piece of your laundry gets lost and has to be tracked down, which can take 12+ hours. (This has happened to me twice.) So .... maybe plan another outfit?? OR make sure everything is mix and match??

[SadieN]

A Whatever's Clean wardrobe would work great.

http://www.theviviennefiles.com/2013/02/13-81-or-whatevers-clean-summer-wardrobe.html?m=1

 

As Venn said be prepared for laundry to be late or even go missing.

 

Another laundry issue is that ship's laundry is notoriously hard on clothing. Wash and dry on hot.

 

Another thread

Alaska Minimalism

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2453808

[TheAccidentalCruiser]

Thanks, Venn. I do have back-up in that my "almost dressy" Gala Night pieces could be subbed into everyday wear (worst is that I could wind up wearing my dressy designer sweater with blue jeans), and I'll have a couple pieces of night/lounge/workout wear that could be subbed in as well.

 

Sadie, thanks also. The "whatever's clean" idea is sort of what I'm going for here, but I had to work through the outfits and days to see if could get away with 6 core pieces (for three separate combos) instead of 13. I'll be sharing a quad with three other people, so space is at a super-premium.

 

Have heard very mixed reviews about ship's laundry, some bad, some good. I'm figuring I'll pay my money and take my chances. (And keep delicate and/or hard to replace things like the dressy designer sweater well out of the ship's laundry stream.)

 

Thanks for the link (er, maybe this would have been better posted there...)

[VennDiagram]

Have heard very mixed reviews about ship's laundry, some bad, some good. I'm figuring I'll pay my money and take my chances. (And keep delicate and/or hard to replace things like the dressy designer sweater well out of the ship's laundry stream.)

 

I've been pleased with the HAL laundry service. You are right -- I don't send anything expensive or rare ;) Everything comes back pressed. I love that! :)

[SadieN]

T.....

Sadie, thanks also. The "whatever's clean" idea is sort of what I'm going for here, but I had to work through the outfits and days to see if could get away with 6 core pieces (for three separate combos) instead of 13. I'll be sharing a quad with three other people, so space is at a super-premium.

 

 

Thanks for the link (er, maybe this would have been better posted there...)

 

 

You're welcome.

 

Somewhere on the Vivienne Files is exactly what you're trying to do -- three complete outfits that blend in together.

 

Which ship? The cabin walls are metal. We use hooks and clips for some things (jackets, papers, hats etc). Oh, bathroom walls have issues with magnets.

[TheAccidentalCruiser]

You're welcome.

 

Somewhere on the Vivienne Files is exactly what you're trying to do -- three complete outfits that blend in together.

 

Which ship? The cabin walls are metal. We use hooks and clips for some things (jackets, papers, hats etc). Oh, bathroom walls have issues with magnets.

Right - I think my plan would be Vivienne's if she were doing purple & gray with black instead of white & beige with black. (And when I add in my dressy outfit, a couple of short sleeved shirts in case it get warm, and a cardigan or two, I do get 13. :cool: )

 

The Oosterdam, May 7 to Alaska. I am planning on using lots of magnets, so thanks for the tip about the bathrooms!

[MrsPete]

I think you're cutting it a little close to the bone here. I think you need a little more. For example, you've allotted yourself only a bathing suit (at least I think that's what a monokini is) for Monday's clothing. You need some "real clothes" to wear to meals and you need a cover-up to go with the bathing suit.

 

 

My thoughts:

 

 

- Echoing other posters, I have also found that the 2-day turn around isn't always 2-days. If you're going to pack super-light, I'd bring things that will wash out well in the sink. It only takes a few minutes.

 

- I would not send a bathing suit to the ship's laundry. They're too fragile.

 

- I tend to wear multiple outfits each day, but I don't wash them all in between wears. For example, I might wear a shorts outfit to breakfast ... then hang it up when I put on a bathing suit ... then I'd wear a nice sundress for dinner. I'd have no problem wearing the same shorts outfit off the ship the next day for an island stop ... and I'd wash the bathing suit and hang it to dry. I might wear the sundress to lunch the next day, and I wouldn't wash it in between.

 

- I think the "everything must match" concept is over-rated. Instead, I tend to pack in "groups of three". A group might be a pink skirt, a white top, and a pink print top; the pink skirt gets worn twice ... but the shirts make it look different. A three-piece group seems to work just right: by the time the two shirts have been worn, the skirt is ready for the dirty clothes anyway. Your second group-of-three can be a completely different color scheme ... no need for it to match the pink-and-white set.

 

- Minimize shoes. They eat up so much more space than clothes. A pair of simple white or tan daytime sandals will match pretty much everything you wear during the day. Choose your dinner dresses so they match the same one pair of dressy shoes. You'll probably also need a pair of water shoes or flip-flops.

- Don't neglect one hat for sun protection.

 

 

We're about to do a 2-week back-to-back, and I am taking exactly 30 pieces of clothing (includes bathing suits and work-out clothes, but not underwear).

[Hoyaheel]

Just to be clear, I will not be taking a sundress, monokini, or even a twinset on my early-May Alaska cruise. For "Sundress" read: purple long-sleeved shirt, grey slacks, black cardigan, colorful scarf. For "Monokini" and "Twinset," just re-assign colors more or less at random.

 

you've allotted yourself only a bathing suit (at least I think that's what a monokini is) for Monday's clothing. You need some "real clothes" to wear to meals and you need a cover-up to go with the bathing suit.

 

You didn't read her original post carefully enough. She doesn't mean an actual monokini - she was just trying to use shorthand to mean "the outfit for MONday".

[shipgeeks]

OP, I'm not sure why you feel that you will even need to use the laundry.

Ships are very clean. Outfits that at home I could wear once, are still clean at the end of a cruise. The only time I've ever gotten something dirty was when I spilled my coffee on my sweater, and the time I did sweaty Zumba almost every day of a 16-night cruise.

I pack lots of underwear, so I have more than enough without having to hand wash.

My daytime clothes, tops and bottoms, are usually somewhat mix and match. For Alaska, jeans and other bottoms pretty much go with all your tops/sweaters/fleece, right?

When I take something off, I hang it up to air out. Things are rarely so dirty that I couldn't wear them again, perhaps in another way, a few days later.

Personally, I do take a different outfit for each evening of a cruise, because I like to dress up. However, when we went to Spain for a month, I did just fine with two skirts, two slacks, a dress, three sweaters, and lots of underwear.

Laundry is something that will happen when I get home.

[TheAccidentalCruiser]

I think you're cutting it a little close to the bone here. I think you need a little more. For example, you've allotted yourself only a bathing suit (at least I think that's what a monokini is) for Monday's clothing. You need some "real clothes" to wear to meals and you need a cover-up to go with the bathing suit.

Thanks so much for your concern, which I found very sweet. However, Hoyaheel was right in saying that I won't really be wearing the one-piece swimsuit known as a Monokini, but that "Monokini" was the name I used to keep track of the outfit I was planning for Monday.

 

 

My initial post was confusing, for which I apologize. I was confused while writing it; and, while writing it helped me to resolve most of my confusion, I'm not sure reading it has the same effect on others. :confused: :o

[TheAccidentalCruiser]

The (hopefully) Un-Confusing Post:

 

Okay so, I’m not really going to be wearing a Monokini on Monday. It would probably help if I told you what I am planning to wear. (If this doesn’t sound like what I’d want for the Caribbean, that’s because I’m going to Alaska. ;) )

 

Sunday’s isn't-a-Sundress: berry-purple long-sleeved shirt, black slacks, grey cardigan, blue paisley scarf, low-heel dressy grey suede booties.

 

Monday’s non-Monokini: grey-blue long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, grey cardigan, purple ombre scarf, black sneakers.

 

Tuesday’s not-a-Twinset: black long-sleeved shirt, grey slacks, berry-purple fleece vest, blue ombre scarf, hiking boots (with grey rain jacket & black rain hat for Juneau shore excursion).

 

Almost-Dressy Gala Night Outfit: dressy lavender-purple designer sweater, grey skirt, low-heel dressy grey suede booties.

 

Lounge/Sleep/Emergency Back-Up Wear: two dressy-ish short-sleeve blue tee shirts, blue fine-gauge sweater, two pair black velour pants.

 

Outerwear Not Already Mentioned: Long Purple Fleece Jacket (doubles as shortie bathrobe), 2 pair fleece gloves, warm knit snow hat.

 

Twenty-seven pieces by my count. Twenty-eight if my old (one-piece but definitely not a monokini) swimsuit still fits and I decide I want to bring it.

 

Haven’t figured out how to do less than three pairs of shoes: hiking boots are needed for shore excursions; the dressy suede booties are a compromise between Gala Night & rest-of-the-cruise functionality; and the sneakers are needed because 1) they aren’t boots, and 2) they have elastic speed laces and can double as slippers.

 

It’s not that I think everything has to match, it’s more that (outside the realm of scarves) I am a very boring dresser. The dressy gray skirt mentioned is one of very print garments I own; and almost everything is blue, grey, purple or black (there is some high-hot-summer-beachwear stuff that’s a little more exciting, but it’s not coming to Alaska).

 

I may not need to wash everything every day, but I don’t want to be stuck not being able to. Alaska is a muddy place, and I’m very bad about staying on the paved parts of paths. Neither am I so graceful that dining room accidents are all that unlikely. :rolleyes:

 

And while I could wash things out in the bathroom sink, and probably will wind up doing a few, that’s not really how I want to spend my fun vacation time. I’m also tall enough that working at bathroom-counter height tends to make my back hurt. Plus, I’ll be in a quad with three other ladies of a certain age, and expect demand for the bathroom to be pretty high.

 

I guess the question I was really trying answer in with first post was "If I do wind up with two days' worth of outfits in the laundry at any given time, how can I arrange it so that I will have at least 1 clean shirt and 1 pair of pants that I can wear?"

 

 

No one wants to wind up out in the Northeast Pacific Ocean on a boat with a few thousand of their newly-made closest friends, sitting in their cabin staring at five clean shirts while realizing that all their pants and skirts are in the custody of the laundry staff. :cool:

 

 

Thanks again for all your interest and responses.

[Lois R]

4 people in the cabin?:eek:.....are you packing so few items because of that or are you just a low maintenance packer?

 

I have been to Alaska multiple times and never needed any kind of boots. Did fine with a walking shoe/sneaker.

[TheAccidentalCruiser]

4 people in the cabin?:eek:.....are you packing so few items because of that or are you just a low maintenance packer?

 

I have been to Alaska multiple times and never needed any kind of boots. Did fine with a walking shoe/sneaker.

I generally prefer to travel light (I think the last time I checked a bag on an airline was for 2 weeks on business in London); but yes, I am trying to minimize what I bring into the 200 sf I will be sharing with 3 other people, as well as minimizing whatever fuss and bother I can reasonably anticipate.

 

I do want the hiking boots though, even if I may not strictly need them. I tend to want to go places where it's muddy or rocky or the footing may be bad, and it's always better if my shoes are up to that sort of thing. :)

 

 

There are also a lot of non-clothing items I intend to bring - top of the list being my own coffee, French press, and stainless steel thermos - that will take up suitcase & cabin space.

[waterbug123]

I think your overall concept is good, but a couple thoughts:

If I'm out all day on an excursion, especially one that involves hiking or similar, I really prefer to be able to come back and change for dinner. Without pictures, it's hard to envision outfits that are suitable for hiking AND going to dinner, so depending on the actual pieces, I'd consider maybe one other outfit that is strictly for evenings...something that mixes and matches with your 'gala' pieces so you can get a few different outfits out of that combo. And/or..... also make sure your assorted shoes work with all of your bottoms. That way you have more options for combining things for either daytime or evening in case something doesn't come back from the laundry on time. Maybe this is already the case (all bottoms work with all shoes) but again- it's hard to tell exactly how dressy or how casual your various pieces are. "Gray slacks" could mean super casual, cargo style gray trekking pants or it could mean dressy, tailored garbardine trousers, LOL.

[TheCalicoCat]

I really prefer to be able to come back and change for dinner. Without pictures, it's hard to envision outfits that are suitable for hiking AND going to dinner.

 

This is exactly why I keep asking about packing...

 

I add to the scenario work-out clothes.

 

If I wake up go to the gym in gym clothes, those clothes will not be worn again until they are laundered.

 

I then will change into an outfit (probably nice enough for non-"gala" night dinner in the MDR.) for a sea day. This outfit will probably include long t-shirt & a sweatshirt. I concede that these may be able to be worn more than once.

 

For a port day, I plan on sweating/mud/rain - I will not be comfortable with wearing those clothes again prior to having them laundered. & Then changing for dinner.

 

Shoes - casual, workout, & hiking

 

Over all I like the sundress/monokini/twinset plan. (I kind of have that as my base plan.)

[waterbug123]

I then will change into an outfit (probably nice enough for non-"gala" night dinner in the MDR.) for a sea day. This outfit will probably include long t-shirt & a sweatshirt. I concede that these may be able to be worn more than once.

 

For a port day, I plan on sweating/mud/rain - I will not be comfortable with wearing those clothes again prior to having them laundered. & Then changing for dinner.

 

I think you could still minimize what you pack. 2-3 pair jeans or trekking pants. Depending on conditions during excursions you may or may not be able to wear them more than once before laundering, but if the pair you wear on day 1 get dirty, you still have 2 days of clothes while they're sent to the laundry. Given that you may well have a day or two of excursions that involve no rain or mud, and a sea day or two thrown in, you probably won't need to sent pants to the laundry every single day, so 2-3 should be fine. Add 4 or 5 t-shirts for daytime and launder as needed. Two interchangeable sweaters or fleece vests and an all-weather jacket should give you plenty of layers for Alaska and you likely wouldn't need to launder any of that. One pair of good walking shoes/hiking boots for excursions, and maybe some simple slip-ons or sneakers for sea days, and/or port days that don't require hiking or involve mud and rain. We did no hiking on our Alaska cruise and only had 1 day of rain, so my low-heeled clogs were fine.

 

For evening, two basic black bottoms, ex. 1 pair of pants and 1 maxi skirt. Unless you spill a glass of wine or a plate of pasta in your lap, you shouldn't need to launder these if they're only worn in the evenings. Add 2 tops that go with either, and you already have 4 outfits to rotate, and you could change the look further with jewelry or a wrap to get more outfits. Then again, no one will care if they see the same top 3 times. Perhaps add a 3rd super dressy top for formal night, or one maxi dress just to really change things up. One pair of ballet flats or dressy sandals that go with all bottoms/dresses that you pack for evening.

 

All of the above is still pretty minimal, considering how many people go on a 1 week cruise with a huge suitcase plus a carry on suitcase plus a garment bag plus a tote bag, LOL. And one of your daytime outfits could be worn on travel day, so less to actually pack. As for workout stuff, I take 2 sets and rinse in the sink and hang dry. It literally takes 3 minutes to rinse and hang my stuff and workout fabrics dry very quickly, so I don't find this to be a burden at all.

[TheAccidentalCruiser]

I think your overall concept is good, but a couple thoughts:

If I'm out all day on an excursion, especially one that involves hiking or similar, I really prefer to be able to come back and change for dinner. Without pictures, it's hard to envision outfits that are suitable for hiking AND going to dinner, so depending on the actual pieces, I'd consider maybe one other outfit that is strictly for evenings...something that mixes and matches with your 'gala' pieces so you can get a few different outfits out of that combo. And/or..... also make sure your assorted shoes work with all of your bottoms. That way you have more options for combining things for either daytime or evening in case something doesn't come back from the laundry on time. Maybe this is already the case (all bottoms work with all shoes) but again- it's hard to tell exactly how dressy or how casual your various pieces are. "Gray slacks" could mean super casual, cargo style gray trekking pants or it could mean dressy, tailored garbardine trousers, LOL.

Thanks. I'm thinking that probably what I will do on excursion days is change into the next day's outfit and try not to drop a plate of pasta in my lap. :)

 

Except that won't work if the next day's things aren't back from the laundry yet. Hmmm...

....Yeah, you guys are right: I think I'd better add a third pair of slacks, just to have some wiggle room (and pasta-dropping insurance ).

 

I could wish they were tailored gabardine trousers. :) My budget runs more to Land's End chinos, and these are what I'll be taking: http://www.landsend.com/products/womens-mid-rise-chino-trouser-pants/id_302509?sku_0=::AG8. Colors are black, steel gray, & the freshly-added warm khaki.

 

(FWIW, a lot of my stuff is from LE. Long-sleeved tee shirts are a vee-necked verion of these: http://www.landsend.com/products/womens-shaped-layering-scoopneck-t-shirt/id_302534?sku_0=::FEB in black, navy, and a rich berry color which seems to no longer be available. Short sleeved tees are both similar to http://www.landsend.com/products/womens-shaped-layering-scoopneck-t-shirt/id_306955?sku_0=::Y6M in a two different shades of heathered navy. Fleece vest is this: http://www.landsend.com/products/womens-100-everyday-fleece-vest/id_296742?sku_0=::VXL in that "rich berry" color, and jeans are: http://www.landsend.com/products/womens-mid-rise-boot-cut-jeans/id_302515_57?sku_0=::Y8K in "heritage indigo wash.")

 

Everything does work with everything else, with the exception of the Gala Night fancy skirt and the hiking boots. ;)

[TheAccidentalCruiser]

Over all I like the sundress/monokini/twinset plan. (I kind of have that as my base plan.)

Thanks. ;) It sounds like you & I have very similar philosophies.

[TheAccidentalCruiser]

All of the above is still pretty minimal, considering how many people go on a 1 week cruise with a huge suitcase plus a carry on suitcase plus a garment bag plus a tote bag, LOL.

I may still be taking about that much on board. Right now I'm thinking huge suitcase plus tote bag plus daypack, and am hoping I won't need the carry-on suitcase.

 

If it were just the clothing, I probably wouldn't need either suitcase, but there's all that other stuff:

- French press, coffee, & thermos for hot water

- binoculars

- camera

- extra photo memory card

- 2 OTD shoe organizers

- sea bands

- power strip

- spare batteries (AA)

- duct tape

- post-its

- zip-locs

- superglue

- bungee cords

- first aid kit....

 

... And the list goes on. I have got to stop reading "Cruise Must-Have Packing Lists," or the weight of my luggage may sink the ship. ;)

[SadieN]

About the extra stuff....

Since you're traveling with others, divide that stuff up.

 

Don't need to bring everything in those lists. Really think things thru. Do you really need the coffee making equipment? Why two shoe holders?

 

Power strip cannot have surge protection. It's a fire hazard onboard.

 

Another blog to read thru, lots of good info

ladylighttravel.com.

[cruzisme]

Agree with Sadie. Divide the extras up among 4 people. One person brings the duct tape and extension cord, another the post it notes and shoe organizer. You can bring the other shoe organizer etc. One night light for all. Expect the other 3 people might be washing items out too. There is not that much space in the shower for wet clothing etc. Layers is the way to go. Good luck packing. Enjoy the cruise.

[MrsPete]

My initial post was confusing, for which I apologize. I was confused while writing it; and, while writing it helped me to resolve most of my confusion, I'm not sure reading it has the same effect on others. :confused: :o

Yes, it did confuse me!

 

 

I do want the hiking boots though, even if I may not strictly need them. I tend to want to go places where it's muddy or rocky or the footing may be bad, and it's always better if my shoes are up to that sort of thing. :)

I can see that you'd want hiking boots for Alaskan excursions, but I wouldn't count on wearing them on board at all.

 

 

... If I wake up go to the gym in gym clothes, those clothes will not be worn again until they are laundered ...

 

For a port day, I plan on sweating/mud/rain - I will not be comfortable with wearing those clothes again prior to having them laundered. & Then changing for dinner.

I don't mind wearing work-out clothes more than once ... yes, they're stinky when you put them on, but they become sweaty /stinky within minutes anyway, so what's the big deal? If I refused to re-wear workout clothes onboard, I'd bring my oldest, worn-out stuff and consider it "disposable" rather than send it to be washed.

 

 

As for port days, yes, I agree: Once an outfit's been worn on an excursion (or even just disembarking and walking around a bit), it's "done" until it can be laundered. So the obvious plan is, wear that outfit FIRST on the ship for "light duty", say, wear it to breakfast ... then hang it up again so its SECOND wear can be the shore day.

 

 

I may still be taking about that much on board. Right now I'm thinking huge suitcase plus tote bag plus daypack, and am hoping I won't need the carry-on suitcase.

 

If it were just the clothing, I probably wouldn't need either suitcase, but there's all that other stuff:

- French press, coffee, & thermos for hot water

- binoculars

- camera

- extra photo memory card

- 2 OTD shoe organizers

- sea bands

- power strip

- spare batteries (AA)

- duct tape

- post-its

- zip-locs

- superglue

- bungee cords

- first aid kit....

 

... And the list goes on. I have got to stop reading "Cruise Must-Have Packing Lists," or the weight of my luggage may sink the ship. ;)

Yes, stop reading those lists! For someone who's trying to pack lightly, you're adding a great deal of stuff. From this list, I'd bring the camera (but not extra SD cards, which are apt to be lost -- you can now buy a 64G card for less than $20, and it'll hold thousands of pictures), extra batteries for the camera, and a travel first aid kit. You can get coffee on board, and I don't see the point in the rest ... except perhaps the sea bands; since I don't suffer from seasickness, I'm kind of oblivious to that.

[collegegirl92]

That is such a smart idea! I always overpack because I'm afraid I'll need this or that and it is a pain.