12 suitcases and more....!?

[sunshineocean13]

Has anyone had experience using one of the over the door shoe holders on a cruise? I'm concerned they will damage the closet door and/or not let the door close completely. When I look at reviews on Amazon, many people love them (in their own home), while others show pictures of damage or state the door doesn't close with it on. I'd love to try one, but with packing space so precious, I hate to bring something unless I'm quite sure it will work. Thoughts?

[travelwell]

I have the same question about the over the door shoe holder. I would want the door to be able to shut completely with out any damage. I would love to see a photo of what worked for people.

[2552phxcrzr]

On 9/12/2019 at 8:41 PM, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I read in another thread somewhere here about people taking those flocked hangers that come in sets of 10, that you can buy at Costco and some dollar stores, and using them in the closets instead of the bulky wooden ones provided by most cruise lines.  Anybody done this kind of thing?  Is this overkill?  My husband would almost certainly think so, but those wooden hangers, as nice as they are, have gotten in my way even on short cruises.

 

Definitely going to have some kind of hanging shoe thingy.

We've done it ... bought them from Costco at our embarkation port and asked the steward to remove all the wooden ones.  They work much better than the wire ones they provide on the ship when you ask for extra hangers ... things don't slip off them.

[2552phxcrzr]

23 minutes ago, travelwell said:

I have the same question about the over the door shoe holder. I would want the door to be able to shut completely with out any damage. I would love to see a photo of what worked for people.

 

12 hours ago, sunshineocean13 said:

Has anyone had experience using one of the over the door shoe holders on a cruise? I'm concerned they will damage the closet door and/or not let the door close completely. When I look at reviews on Amazon, many people love them (in their own home), while others show pictures of damage or state the door doesn't close with it on. I'd love to try one, but with packing space so precious, I hate to bring something unless I'm quite sure it will work. Thoughts?

 

We use them on all of our long cruises ... sometimes on the back of the cabin door, sometimes on the exterior of the bathroom door ... and once on the wall using heavy duty magnetic hooks.  Have never had any problems with the doors not closing properly and have never damaged any of the doors we've used them on.

[wishIweretravelling]

2 hours ago, travelwell said:

I have the same question about the over the door shoe holder. I would want the door to be able to shut completely with out any damage. I would love to see a photo of what worked for people.

 

It's going to depend largely on the ship, so you may want to ask about this on the forum for the cruise line in question. On Regent, the holder fit nicely on the outside of the closet door, since they provide walk-in closets. We chose the outside because hanging it inside got in the way of something (I forget what).   On Crystal, which has sliding closet doors and therefore wouldn't take a hanging anything, an over-door did not fit on the bathroom door or entry door and allow it to close properly. So, instead, we found an under-bed shoe holder with 16 compartments and kept it under the sofa in the room (as we were storing suitcases with our clothes for the cold climates that would come toward the end of the cruise under the bed).

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 9/17/2019 at 6:28 AM, h2so4 said:

We've done it ... bought them from Costco at our embarkation port and asked the steward to remove all the wooden ones.  They work much better than the wire ones they provide on the ship when you ask for extra hangers ... things don't slip off them.

Thanks for the encouragement. A couple of sets of ten?

[Go-Bucks!]

On 9/16/2019 at 6:05 PM, sunshineocean13 said:

Has anyone had experience using one of the over the door shoe holders on a cruise? I'm concerned they will damage the closet door and/or not let the door close completely. When I look at reviews on Amazon, many people love them (in their own home), while others show pictures of damage or state the door doesn't close with it on. I'd love to try one, but with packing space so precious, I hate to bring something unless I'm quite sure it will work. Thoughts?

 

I just discussed this in the post before yours.

 

My over-the-door-shoe-holder has 26 compartments where I kept my shoes. It was wonderful! It freed up space on the closet floor where I kept my laundry bag. I hooked it on the inside of the closet door so it couldn't be seen. I brought it home since I plan to take it on my next cruise. 

[2552phxcrzr]

4 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Thanks for the encouragement. A couple of sets of ten?

 

If my recollection is accurate, it was a box of 30.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Here's the type of shoe holder I was talking about earlier.  Not sure I want to have something hanging over the closet door, especially if it has to be on the outside (I'm talking Regent Mariner here):

 

https://www.amazon.com/mDesign-Soft-Fabric-Closet-Organizer/dp/B06XMYPTHT/ref=sr_1_52?keywords=closet+shoe+holder&qid=1568829774&sr=8-52

 

And we're not really shoe people.  I'll be hard-pressed to convince David to bring more than two pairs with him.  I like my evening sandals,  a pair of evening flats, my walking shoes, sports sandals and flip flops but no heels for me, and my evening sandals are changeable (switchflops.)  Oh, and water shoes, but they don't really count.

Edited September 18, 2019 by Wendy The Wanderer

[Go-Bucks!]

On 9/18/2019 at 2:07 PM, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

https://www.amazon.com/mDesign-Soft-Fabric-Closet-Organizer/dp/B06XMYPTHT/ref=sr_1_52?keywords=closet+shoe+holder&qid=1568829774&sr=8-52

 

And we're not really shoe people. 

 

I like this one, but it would have taken up too much closet space. Even using skinny wire hangers, my roommates' and my clothes took up the whole closet! No one could see my shoe hanger...the closet door was able to shut.

 

[Wendy The Wanderer]

11 hours ago, Go-Bucks! said:

o one could see my shoe hanger...the closet door was able to shut.

I hear you. I'm just thinking we'd have to hang it outside.  We had an accessible cabin on Mariner, which didn't have a walk in,  but trying to visualize the closets on Voyager and Navigator, I think there might be something behind the door that prevents hanging it inside.

[wishIweretravelling]

11 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I hear you. I'm just thinking we'd have to hang it outside.  We had an accessible cabin on Mariner, which didn't have a walk in,  but trying to visualize the closets on Voyager and Navigator, I think there might be something behind the door that prevents hanging it inside.

 

There is something that prevents hanging inside, but I can't recall what it was. That's why we kept ours on the outside. We didn't use the kind that hang on a rod because,  after they took  all those drawers out of the sitting area in Navigator, they tried to make up for it by putting another, small, dresser in the closet directly under some of the rod space. We did use the space between the rod and dresser by putting a small hanging shelf piece there and using that for more "drawer" space. It all worked out. 

[Go-Bucks!]

On 9/20/2019 at 9:14 AM, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I think there might be something behind the door that prevents hanging it inside.

 

That's too bad. Some people hang their shoes inside the bathroom on the door. 

[2552phxcrzr]

On 9/21/2019 at 3:27 AM, wishIweretravelling said:

 

There is something that prevents hanging inside, but I can't recall what it was. That's why we kept ours on the outside. We didn't use the kind that hang on a rod because,  after they took  all those drawers out of the sitting area in Navigator, they tried to make up for it by putting another, small, dresser in the closet directly under some of the rod space. We did use the space between the rod and dresser by putting a small hanging shelf piece there and using that for more "drawer" space. It all worked out. 

Usually there are hooks or similar on the inside of the bathroom door to hang robes and towels.  We have not found that hanging the shoe holder on the outside of the bathroom door or the  inside back of the cabin door takes up too much room, but then we most often use these holders as a catch all for eye glasses, belts, and other small stuff that we want to grab and go.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

13 hours ago, Go-Bucks! said:

 

That's too bad. Some people hang their shoes inside the bathroom on the door. 

 

Yeah, possible, although that may well be where I hang my cosmetic bag (which is so very full of all the little things like to have at hand.)  It's also where we like to hang those huge big robes they provide (I'm thinking of bringing a very light, perhaps silk one since I really don't like those heavy ones.)  Nice to have such problems, eh?

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Well I asked someone over on the Regent board about the closet in the standard suite, and was told that there's nothing preventing something being hung on the inside.  So that's great to know.  Perhaps the walk-ins in the larger suites are the same.

[Capalaba]

On 1/21/2018 at 2:13 AM, 2552phxcrzr said:

 

We were in a regular veranda cabin ... quite small actually as we were on a former R ship. We had 8 bags for 180 days ... but considerable amount of space in those bags was taken up by plastic drawers and folding cubes to organize ourselves, consumables such as toiletries and meds, etc. The plastic drawers were donated to the crew at the end of the cruise and we returned with 6 bags ... could have been 5 except we decided to spread things out so the bags would be well under the luggage restrictions for airlines. With what we brought we managed to use every nook and cranny effectively ... kept the really heavy cold weather and our raingear in a suitcase under the bed and pulled them out when needed. Excess toiletries were also in a bag under the bed.

 

Here’s a post I did with pictures of how we used the available space effectively: http://2totravelrtw180.blogspot.com/2017/02/day-27-crossing-south-pacific.html.

 

Should we do another long-term cruise, I wouldn’t take the multi-hanger things ... everything else proved very useful.

I have read that story of the lady with the 12 bags - amazing.

You deserve a medal for 8.

This is probably a stupid question but hey I have to ask! Which airline do you use that allows 8 bags???? and more importantly how do you handle getting them all from one place to another e.g. to/from airport, to/from hotels and ship. Must be a nightmare.

[Heidi13]

9 hours ago, Capalaba said:

I have read that story of the lady with the 12 bags - amazing.

You deserve a medal for 8.

This is probably a stupid question but hey I have to ask! Which airline do you use that allows 8 bags???? and more importantly how do you handle getting them all from one place to another e.g. to/from airport, to/from hotels and ship. Must be a nightmare.

 

When completing a WC with a premium/luxury Line, many offer complimentary baggage shipping of 1 or 2 bags per person. Flying Business or First with BA, the baggage allowance is 3 bags pp in the hold and our cruise line pays Luggage Forward to ship 1 bag each.

 

While we would never require 8 bags, it is possible. We ship 2 and take 2 with us, for a total of 4.

[2552phxcrzr]

Error

 

Edited February 2, 2021 by 2552phxcrzr

[2552phxcrzr]

11 hours ago, Capalaba said:

I have read that story of the lady with the 12 bags - amazing.

You deserve a medal for 8.

This is probably a stupid question but hey I have to ask! Which airline do you use that allows 8 bags???? and more importantly how do you handle getting them all from one place to another e.g. to/from airport, to/from hotels and ship. Must be a nightmare.

  

Oceania gave us free luggage shipment for two bags each which accounted for 4 of the 8 bags.  We flew United First in each direction, which gave us another 2 bags each.  On the way back, we used the O shipping allotment for two of the six bags, so had just two of them with us on the plane.

 

From the hotel to ship, we gave Oceania the four bags we had with us (the world cruisers were all staying at the same hotel, included in the cruise fare).  They put them on a truck with everyone else's bags and delivered them to our cabins.  The shipped bags were in the cabin already.  So, all we had with us were carry on bags when we embarked.

[rkacruiser]

16 hours ago, Capalaba said:

more importantly how do you handle getting them all from one place to another e.g. to/from airport, to/from hotels and ship. Must be a nightmare.

 

I fully admit that I over-packed for my world cruise.  When I sailed, we were allowed free luggage shipping to/from Fort Lauderdale for a particular number of bags/boxes.  (Really don't recall the actual number allowed, but I shipped two large hard sided suitcases and one large box containing 113 days worth of books/travel guides, toiletries, and over the counter type supplies.  I don't recall paying anything for doing so; must have been within my allowance.)  I took with me on the plane two large soft sided bags plus an over the shoulder bag and an additional carry-on which was one of the cruise line's shopping bags that I had from a previous cruise.  

 

The bags shipped were picked up at home and returned at home.  All I had to do when I returned to Port Everglades was to identify the stuff to be shipped and the Porters took it to the DHL truck.  The rest of my baggage:  routine handling as one would do when one flies anywhere.  Really wasn't a pain at all.

 

The "pain" was getting all of the stuff together and packed!  

[Etta1213]

In what areas did you over-pack? What would you do differently if you repeated the very same cruise?

[rkacruiser]

16 hours ago, Etta1213 said:

In what areas did you over-pack? What would you do differently if you repeated the very same cruise?

 

I would take less of all of the categories of clothing.  I did not have complimentary laundry at that time and hated to waste time sitting in a ship's laundry room doing small batches of clothes.  After previous cruises, I had learned the number and type of shoes that I would require.  (I learned that if I wore black shoes with brown/tan slacks, so what?  If someone didn't approve of my attire, that's their problem.)

 

I over calculated the amount of toiletries and over the counter type of medicines that I might require.  (The excess was particularly with eye drops and deodorant.  I returned home with enough that I didn't need to purchase more for 3-4 months.)  

 

The "free luggage delivery" perk stimulated my over-packing.  Plus, my thinking had been greatly influenced by my Mother as she packed for our family trips:  If you think you might need it and it could be difficult to find, take it!  

[Porky55]

On 2/2/2021 at 2:44 PM, Capalaba said:

I have read that story of the lady with the 12 bags - amazing.

You deserve a medal for 8.

This is probably a stupid question but hey I have to ask! Which airline do you use that allows 8 bags???? and more importantly how do you handle getting them all from one place to another e.g. to/from airport, to/from hotels and ship. Must be a nightmare.

The ability to take 12 bags (or 8) seems to be unique to places like the US, where the cruise line will ship a certain amount of your luggage to the ship for you (at cost?) and probably in the UK with Cunard or P&O.

For in Aus you would have to contact the Australian cruise office and find out what their luggage shipping policy is for a WC I guess. No doubt it can be done and if you’ve booked the whole 108 days on the WC it’s actually a good idea to find out. Wouldn't need to be a case either, could be a packing carton maybe? Get rid of the shoes, umbrellas, coats, over door shoe hangers and extra toiletries etc.

 

Let us know if you do manage to find out - on our WC22 Roll Call if you can. I’m sure there will be lots of interest in this subject. 👍

 

We are only doing the 55days from Dover to Syd so we are going with 4 cases only - a checked bag & carry-on each.

 

Rose.

Edited February 8, 2021 by Porky55

[Heidi13]

7 hours ago, Porky55 said:

The ability to take 12 bags (or 8) seems to be unique to places like the US, where the cruise line will ship a certain amount of your luggage to the ship for you (at cost?) and probably in the UK with Cunard or P&O.

For in Aus you would have to contact the Australian cruise office and find out what their luggage shipping policy is for a WC I guess. No doubt it can be done and if you’ve booked the whole 108 days on the WC it’s actually a good idea to find out. Wouldn't need to be a case either, could be a packing carton maybe? Get rid of the shoes, umbrellas, coats, over door shoe hangers and extra toiletries etc.

 

Let us know if you do manage to find out - on our WC22 Roll Call if you can. I’m sure there will be lots of interest in this subject. 👍

 

We are only doing the 55days from Dover to Syd so we are going with 4 cases only - a checked bag & carry-on each.

 

Rose.

 

Sounds like you are doing the 2nd half of the Princess R/T Sydney WC. In 2015, we did the entire R/T on Sea Princess and complimentary luggage shipping, or even a negotiated discount was not a service provided by Princess.

 

The included luggage shipping is normally associated with the Premium/Luxury Lines - Viking, Oceania, Regent, etc.

 

You could ask the cruise line that if you contracted with Luggage Forward, or one of the other vendors, would the ship accept the delivery and send the bag to your cabin.