Smart Casual Royal Caribbean in the Med

[Reina del Mar]

I am a notorious over packer.

 

Our luggage allowance for next cruise is not good..varies according to travel agent from 15kg, 20kg to 23 kg.

Won't actually know till we get boarding pass ten days before sailing. (Don't ask..am totally stressed!!!!)

 

 Will be taking formal wear for formal evenings...want a family photo in tuxes and evening dresses..anyway, what about the other evenings? We have ports almost every day and although we will shower and change, not sure what we'll need. Any suggestions please ?

 

Many thanks.

[shipgeeks]

If it were me, I would be packing several lightweight jersey dresses, plus linen and/or jersey pants that I can pair with nice tops.  Husband would have non-wrinkle lightweight trousers and several dress shirts.  He wears a sportcoat on the plane.

Have you tried doing a mock packing on the bathroom scale?  We pack quite heavy, compared to some, yet our suitcases never go much over 40 lbs.  (However, we don't take laptops, big cameras, selfie sticks, kettles, mattress pads, wine, hairdryer/curler/straightener, so maybe we are an anomaly!)  You might be pleasantly surprised.

[awhfy]

Look into renting a tux on board, they’re not that expensive & carting a tux is heavy with all the accoutrements. One gown, easy

[Reina del Mar]

19 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

If it were me, I would be packing several lightweight jersey dresses, plus linen and/or jersey pants that I can pair with nice tops.  Husband would have non-wrinkle lightweight trousers and several dress shirts.  He wears a sportcoat on the plane.

Have you tried doing a mock packing on the bathroom scale?  We pack quite heavy, compared to some, yet our suitcases never go much over 40 lbs.  (However, we don't take laptops, big cameras, selfie sticks, kettles, mattress pads, wine, hairdryer/curler/straightener, so maybe we are an anomaly!)  You might be pleasantly surprised.

Thanks for suggestions. 

Mock packing doesn't work for me.. just end up packing more and more.

 

In my mind, if I can close the case, I can take it. Just back from Australia/Asia cruise, where the limit was 30kg (Emirates),,, Guess who came in at 29.5kg on the return journey ? But that was 5 weeks.with laundry facilities. 

 

I need to sort myself out and just take 7 day and 7 evening outfits,

Not good with shoes either ! 7 I can cut down to about 7 pairs including flip flops.

 

I know I should but not good at cutting down !

 

Thanks again.

[ger_77]

If you're wondering about the luggage allowance, don't wait until you get your boarding passes, head over to the airline website - it will tell you clearly how much you are allowed.  If you can do mix/match, you can get away with a lot less clothing and room for other things - like souvenirs, or clothing you pick up in ports!  7 pair of shoes is a little excessive for me; I bring a pair of walking shoes, beach sandals, and dress heels.

 

Smooth Sailing! 🙂 🙂🙂

[Reina del Mar]

Thanks everyone. It's only a week's cruise so I am sure I don't need much. Not that keen on buying souvenirs in Europe...been there, done that and have the T shirts!

 

Husband wouldn't rent Tux/ accessoroies...likes his own.  He is much better than me at packing lightly..

 

Now, the shoes...I have had a shoe addiction since I was 4 years of  age. Was sent some bronze patent shoes from USA in the early sixties..unlike anything you could get in this country. Remember having to draw round feet for family to take with them.  Unable to pass a shoes shop without buying something since.

 

I'll take one pair high black patent formal shoes, goldy wedges and black wedges for smart casual evenings, gold flip flops and black flip flops ( foot glove/Birkenstock type),flat metallic sandals and either flat shoes or trainers to travel. Not sure how to cut this down.  How do you manage with three pairs?

 

Luggage allowance on Airline's website depends on how flights have been booked. We made mistake of taking RC package, so RC get info ten days before travel. When I spoke to RC they told me 20 kg, when agent spoke to them, in front of me, they said 23kg, another agent in TA office said 15kg, so who actually knows? I did ask for something in writing but that's when they said it would be on boarding pass... Will never book a package like this again..it has been very stressful!

 

Will consider few dresses and linen trousers with tops.

 

Thanks for your help.

[awhfy]

17 hours ago, ger_77 said:

If you're wondering about the luggage allowance, don't wait until you get your boarding passes, head over to the airline website - it will tell you clearly how much you are allowed.  If you can do mix/match, you can get away with a lot less clothing and room for other things - like souvenirs, or clothing you pick up in ports!  7 pair of shoes is a little excessive for me; I bring a pair of walking shoes, beach sandals, and dress heels.

 

Smooth Sailing! 🙂 🙂🙂

This font is very difficult to read, albeit very pretty

[awhfy]

Reina, lots of shoes for 7 nights!  Try to do evenings with one pair (at most 2). One pair of flips to go with everything, why the flat metallic sandals?  Wear the trainers on flight & eliminate the flat shoes (or exchange them for the wedges). 

[ger_77]

3 minutes ago, awhfy said:

This font is very difficult to read, albeit very pretty

You're the second person to mention that in 24 hours.  It's the Comis Sans MS font I've been using for years on CC.  Apparently it comes through fine on a PC or laptop, but on tablets and phones, it's very hard to read.   I'm changing over to the standard Arial now.  Thanks for letting me know.

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

[Reina del Mar]

41 minutes ago, awhfy said:

Reina, lots of shoes for 7 nights!  Try to do evenings with one pair (at most 2). One pair of flips to go with everything, why the flat metallic sandals?  Wear the trainers on flight & eliminate the flat shoes (or exchange them for the wedges). 

Good thinking.

I have managed to get my head around losing one pair of wedges., (black ones)

The flat metallic sandals are for walking in port maybe I don't need them if I wear trainers to go ashore ?

 

So am now on five

high patent formal shoes

goldy rafia wedges

black flip flops

gold flip flops

trainers or flats or walking sandals

 

Does that sound reasonable ?

[Cru1s1ng2009]

1 hour ago, Reina del Mar said:

Good thinking.

I have managed to get my head around losing one pair of wedges., (black ones)

The flat metallic sandals are for walking in port maybe I don't need them if I wear trainers to go ashore ?

 

So am now on five

high patent formal shoes

goldy rafia wedges

black flip flops

gold flip flops

trainers or flats or walking sandals

 

Does that sound reasonable ?

very reasonable. So glad I am an hour from port. My DD and I pack an entire suitcase of just shoes.

[Sailor_Sally]

I would eliminate one pair of flip flops . I find it more important to have an extra walking shoe when doing a port intensive cruise .

[2BACRUISER]

You generally find cheapo airlines like sleazy jet, ryan air etc you will only have 15kg + 5kg hand luggage.

The likes of Tui, Thomas Cook et al its 20kg hold and 7kg hand (they generally only do 23kg luggage and 7kg hand for their own passengers land based hols whilst their own cruises get 20kg hold and 10kg hand)

I go tomorrow and have manged to get down to 4 pairs, Sketchers to travel in and walking ports, flat strappy sandals colour matched to several day wear outfits, flip flops for onboard/pool and a pair of low sparkly black wedges for night which can be interchanged with other sandals for evening.

My biggest problem has been the weather in the Med at the moment which is very changeable, dull, showers and approx 16c so i have had to have a major rethink and plan layers and add in a pakamac!

hth

[Reina del Mar]

49 minutes ago, 2BACRUISER said:

You generally find cheapo airlines like sleazy jet, ryan air etc you will only have 15kg + 5kg hand luggage.

The likes of Tui, Thomas Cook et al its 20kg hold and 7kg hand (they generally only do 23kg luggage and 7kg hand for their own passengers land based hols whilst their own cruises get 20kg hold and 10kg hand)

I go tomorrow and have manged to get down to 4 pairs, Sketchers to travel in and walking ports, flat strappy sandals colour matched to several day wear outfits, flip flops for onboard/pool and a pair of low sparkly black wedges for night which can be interchanged with other sandals for evening.

My biggest problem has been the weather in the Med at the moment which is very changeable, dull, showers and approx 16c so i have had to have a major rethink and plan layers and add in a pakamac!

hth

I think four pairs would be a step too far for me !  

The weather on accuweather (they do months in advance) isn't looking too good for our dates either. Maybe need to find a cardigan or two. I did get a pakamac in Marks when I had a voucher coming to date. I might take a thin mac though and stuff the pockets with reading book, chargers and purse which always seems heavy. Think I am going to need to stamp feet and get something in writing, regarding the luggage allowance. Never again will I book anything where travel agent has control !

 

All the best for safe travels and a lovely cruise. Please come back and tell us how it goes.