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How will you change how you pack?


summer slope
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1 hour ago, summer slope said:

 Also I pack a lot of books because I like the feel instead of a kindle. 

 

I like books too -- but if you're serious about packing lighter, using a Kindle instead of taking books with you can really cut down on both space and weight. Not much is heavier than books!

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For the past several years we've been traveling to the ports on a discount airline with limited carry-on size (one for each of us) and one paid checked bag of 40 lbs or less - which we shared. Coming off a 10 day cruise the customs agent asked if this was all the luggage we had.... This included a laptop, snorkel gear and several paperbacks, as well a limited items purchased on the way - and formal dinner wear, complete with shoes for each of us.

 

Think we will continue with the limited luggage, but will include wipes and masks and maybe some laundry soap that could be used in the cabin.

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13 hours ago, HokiePoq said:

Is this what you had shipped prior to the cruise or everything?    Not good.   Hope it won't be too long before they can dock and ship it.

We drove to the port (as did many people) and had planned on driving home so we took a bit of luggage, plus the cruise was 128 days.  We did not ship any luggage beforehand.  When we were suddenly asked to disembark (with two days warning), one item of concern for almost everyone was luggage.  In our case, given the chaotic nature surrounding our departure, the less luggage we had to take the better.  Plus given HAL's pitiful reimbursement ($2,500 which had to cover everything from flights to the $59/pp they charged us to transfer us to the airport), we did not want to spend hundreds of dollars taking luggage with us.  At the time we were told the ship would be back in FLL in April and they would ship our luggage.  Before we left the ship, they charged us for our luggage shipment ($500 but no worries, that generous reimbursement would cover that....NOT).  Of course plans change and the ship never made it to FLL.  It is now afloat off of the Philippines with everyone's luggage.  Their latest plan is that they are putting everyones luggage in containers (at some yet to be named Asian port) and shipping it back to the US for further distribution home.  Right now it is 50/50 that our luggage will arrive before our refund.....

Edited by KirkNC
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4 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

Kirk, how did you get your car back home.  Did you fly to MIA or FLL?

 

Roy

 

I wouldn't think he'd drive and park his own car at the port for 128 days, so probably a rental car he dropped off.  We've done that before.  

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During muster drill, I always cringe when they state that we should not take any luggage with us in case of emergency. Wait a sec! If I take my meds with me, I will need luggage! This getting old stuff sux!

Jim

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3 hours ago, KirkNC said:

Right now it is 50/50 that our luggage will arrive before our refund.....

 

That would be funny if it wasn’t so probably accurate. 🙄😇

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We started to seriously cut back years ago when we boarded a 10 winter vacation Caribbean cruise plus some post cruise travel  in Florida.   We each had a 25" suitcase, plus a carry on and a suit bag between us.  All this for a vacation in the sun in the midst of a cold winter.  Away from a very busy work and home schedule.   Not only that, on the first formal night as we were about to change DW suggested that we skip formal night in the MDR.

 

 When we returned home and unpacked we took note of all the items we never or seldom used/wore.  Plus all the just in case rubbish that we had never used over multiple cruises.  That was the start of it for us.  We decided to stop being luggage mules and gradually migrated to much less luggage and much longer trips.

Edited by iancal
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5 hours ago, KirkNC said:

We drove to the port (as did many people) and had planned on driving home so we took a bit of luggage, plus the cruise was 128 days.  We did not ship any luggage beforehand.  When we were suddenly asked to disembark (with two days warning), one item of concern for almost everyone was luggage.  In our case, given the chaotic nature surrounding our departure, the less luggage we had to take the better.  Plus given HAL's pitiful reimbursement ($2,500 which had to cover everything from flights to the $59/pp they charged us to transfer us to the airport), we did not want to spend hundreds of dollars taking luggage with us.  At the time we were told the ship would be back in FLL in April and they would ship our luggage.  Before we left the ship, they charged us for our luggage shipment ($500 but no worries, that generous reimbursement would cover that....NOT).  Of course plans change and the ship never made it to FLL.  It is now afloat off of the Philippines with everyone's luggage.  Their latest plan is that they are putting everyones luggage in containers (at some yet to be named Asian port) and shipping it back to the US for further distribution home.  Right now it is 50/50 that our luggage will arrive before our refund.....

$500 for luggage shipment?  Was that a fixed price for anyone shipping luggage? Seems cheaper to take it on the plane

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These days there are a number of very nice clothes designed for travel.  Light weight, low volume, hand washable, quickly drying.

 

Have easily done 30 days plus land trips with a carry on and a small back pack (primarily for camera and tablet)

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Not only that, first rate travel clothing is  obtainable in many retail outlets and online.  It might not be tagged as such but one only has to search for the right material and the right quality.  They are not confined to travel specialty stores.  We have yet to buy any clothing from a travel specialty store.  No problem finding it elsewhere.

Edited by iancal
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8 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Kirk, how did you get your car back home.  Did you fly to MIA or FLL?

 

Roy

We did a one way rental and intended doing the same on the return.   We flew back from Australia via Dallas to our home in Raleigh.  48 hours of fun. 😎😜🥺

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Just now, KirkNC said:

We did a one way rental and intended doing the same on the return.   We flew back from Australia via Dallas to our home in Raleigh.  48 hours of fun. 😎😜🥺

After returning from Fremantle from QM2 I can sympathize. 

 

Roy

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4 hours ago, npcl said:

$500 for luggage shipment?  Was that a fixed price for anyone shipping luggage? Seems cheaper to take it on the plane

No it was per piece.  You have to understand the chaos at the time.  Flights were being canceled every  ten minutes.  Imagine trying to book your own flights on HAL’s blazing fast internet only to get an email one hour later that the flight had been cancelled.  We actually flew home on our third booked flight.  We just did carry on for the flexibility which worked out as we were able to shave twelve hours off of our schedule by taking earlier flights plus dropped one connection.  Could not have done all that with checked luggage.

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4 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

After returning from Fremantle from QM2 I can sympathize. 

 

Roy

Fun stuff as you know.  We barely made it out as New Zealand closed down the next day and Australia did a few days later.

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We always get the laundry package so my husband only takes 4 dress shirts for dinner and a few pairs of pants. I cannot wear the same dress twice so I do take one for every night if it’s up to 11 nights. Otherwise I wear some again. I have learned to limit my shoes which is good. And we only take 2 22” and 1 29” with all our stuff which is pretty good! We do carry on our own snorkel gear bags but let the baggage handlers take care of the rest. We always travel with our own wipes and things so that will continue even more so due to this virus. Nothing gets put away until we sanitize everything even the toilet! 
 

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On 5/18/2020 at 9:55 AM, iancal said:

We started to seriously cut back years ago when we boarded a 10 winter vacation Caribbean cruise plus some post cruise travel  in Florida.  ..

 

 

I’d love to have a 10 winter vacation, and I’m ready to start NOW!

 

(okay, I really do understand what you meant- 10 week, right?)

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59 minutes ago, TiogaCruiser said:

I’d love to have a 10 winter vacation, and I’m ready to start NOW!

 

(okay, I really do understand what you meant- 10 week, right?)

Alas 10 day cruise plus a week post.   Working stiff at that time.  Three weeks on a cruise ship is my absolute max!

Edited by iancal
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