how long in advance do you pack

[slidergirl]

I have no "specialty" clothes for a cruise.   I have seasonal stuff, sure, but it's what I wear everyday at home.   Especially now with the job I have, it's casual all day, everyday.  

 

I'm a classic procrastinator.  I know how long it takes to get to the airport parking lot.  I have to have everything packed up T-5 minutes before departure.  I just can't pack ahead - I keep thinking about what I want to wear and it changes almost hourly.  So, it's just best that I wait.   If it's not clean, oh well, pack something else.  I go low-key.  Doesn't matter how long my vacation is taking.  Plus I have a mantra of "you can get it there" and it hasn't let me down yet!  

[evandbob]

10 hours ago, clo said:

I'd likely take the same amount for two weeks or four months.

We do the same, whether it's a 7, 10 14 day or longer cruise.  We even went to Tahiti and her islands to stay in overwater bungalows for 2 weeks and a different, 7 week land trip to Australia, New Zealand and the Cook Islands with the same minimal luggage.

[c-boy]

I have yet to unpack for a cruise in 2020. I just hope that when the time comes to cruise again, I'll fit in the clothes I packed. 

[clo]

7 minutes ago, c-boy said:

I have yet to unpack for a cruise in 2020. I just hope that when the time comes to cruise again, I'll fit in the clothes I packed. 

Wrinkles?

[c-boy]

6 minutes ago, clo said:

Wrinkles?

me or my clothes ?

[clo]

13 minutes ago, c-boy said:

me or my clothes ?

LOL. I thought of that but didn't change it. The clothes. And I've long since realized that our masks cover a lot of the other kind.

[George C]

I normally pack day or two before wife is a early riser and normally packs the day we leave.

[iancal]

We pack the same for one week, eight weeks, or more.  20" carry on roller each.  8-9KG.  The only exception to that is prescription medicine.   This in itself makes packing a breeze.

 

One difference might be that a cruise for us is typically part of an extended independent land trip.  We might not even buy a cruise until mid way, or at the end, of a land based trip.

 

I do not have or need a list.  DW will sometimes have a list of things that she must remember to pack vs a complete packing list.

Edited February 6, 2021 by iancal

[c-boy]

34 minutes ago, clo said:

LOL. I thought of that but didn't change it. The clothes. And I've long since realized that our masks cover a lot of the other kind.

aww , two words and one thought. 

 

  Steamer trunk and a butler. My thought is this. The unintended effect, I will have gained so much weight, my clothes will fit like those skinny jeans do.  😄

[lenquixote66]

22 hours ago, luckyinpa said:

ive seen more than one person say they pack months in advance. so i'm curious what you pack?

 

maybe people have 2 sets of clothing, 2 sets of toiletries etc etc but i dont 🙂 

We generally begin to pack the night before or day of.

[pris993]

I have some things I only use when traveling, when I unpack and do laundry, I set aside things I will use next trip.  

[Heidi13]

14 hours ago, clo said:

I'd likely take the same amount for two weeks or four months.

 

In general, yes we pack about 10-14 days of clothes for a 4-month cruise. However, on longer cruises you may experience more extremes of weather, so may require heavy jackets and/or rain gear, as well as hot weather clothes.

 

We also have more consummables and medications for 4 months, which helps to create space in the cases for the stuff you purchase.

[iancal]

When we return home and unpack we take note of any items that we did not use or items that we seldom used. 

 

We eliminate them and/or replace them with clothing or items that we wished we had packed.

 

We only travel with easy care fabrics.    But....after about six or seven weeks DW is tired of wearing the same clothes.   Me....not so much.

[clo]

3 hours ago, iancal said:

But....after about six or seven weeks DW is tired of wearing the same clothes. 

I'm guessing that over 95% of ALL my clothes are solid colors and almost everything goes with everything else so I never get tired of them.

[iancal]

Same with DW but she still gets tired of them.  

 

I don't get tired of my blue shorts, my blue dockers, or my four shirts.

[Mary229]

I keep a closet for travel clothing and a basket for travel gadgets and toiletries.    I pack at least a week early so I can cull.   

[clo]

48 minutes ago, iancal said:

I don't get tired of my blue shorts, my blue dockers, or my four shirts.

Nor do I.

[cruisingguy007]

It's like that Disney commercial, I'm usually "too excited to sleep"..lol. Toss all my stuff in a suitcase right before catching a few zzz's for the long drive to the cruise port (pack and roll). The Mrs. is the few days before, check and recheck type. Thank goodness too, she's saved my bacon by packing things I've forgotten on many a vacations. Can't wait to be packing for the next cruise, it usually seems a bit of a chore but I will welcome it with enthusiasm the nest time to be sure.  

[ldubs]

14 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

We generally begin to pack the night before or day of.

 

Mrs Ldubs a week before.  Me, it is the night before.  For folks who pack earlier, I wonder how many times they change things up before they actually depart.  

[BoozinCroozin]

My parents use to have 2 cruise bags packed all the time. This was in the 90s when they lived in FL. If there was space available on a cruise ship, they would get called the day of to sail. Those deals don't exist any more. For me, the night before. We do go through a list of stuff we will need to get the weekend before, but that is all. 

[BoozinCroozin]

My parents use to have 2 cruise bags packed all the time. This was in the 90s when they lived in FL. If there was space available on a cruise ship, they would get called the day of to sail. Those deals don't exist any more. For me, the night before. We do go through a list of stuff we will need to get the weekend before, but that is all. 

[sydbarrett]

On 2/5/2021 at 6:00 PM, clo said:

So you're 'vacation clothes' aren't worn any other times? I find that quite unusual. If I like something well enough to buy it I don't want to wear it just once a year.

We've been pretty much locked down since March so yes. Normally I would save the special clothes for vacation but then wear them in summer after. My lounge wardrobe has grown extensively since covid, however 😅

Edited February 7, 2021 by sydbarrett

[bob brown]

Packing.   Packing?   What packing?

When I see my ship arriving in port via the port webcam, I

1. Take down a suitcase and open it

2. Open my closet

3. Open my dresser drawer's

4  Dump contents of 2 and 3 into 1, and

bada bing, bada bong, I'm 'packed'....🤣

 

This did not apply when I did my ATW cruise....😉

[cruisemom42]

22 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

In general, yes we pack about 10-14 days of clothes for a 4-month cruise. However, on longer cruises you may experience more extremes of weather, so may require heavy jackets and/or rain gear, as well as hot weather clothes.

 

We also have more consummables and medications for 4 months, which helps to create space in the cases for the stuff you purchase.

 

I have heard some stories of what some people pack for world cruises -- sounds like you are more reasonable. (Some have said they take four suitcases plus per person!)

[cruisemom42]

8 hours ago, BoozinCroozin said:

My parents use to have 2 cruise bags packed all the time. This was in the 90s when they lived in FL. If there was space available on a cruise ship, they would get called the day of to sail. Those deals don't exist any more. 

 

My grandparents used to do that. Sometimes, if it was summer, they'd bring me along.