How long before you Sail, do you start packing.....Any tips on how to make it easy....

[Victoria2]

2 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

I don't have those sort of nails. An emery board suffices.

I don't have 'those' kind of nails either but without going into gory details, the damage wrought by a luggage trolley on a big toe nail [open toed sandals]  has ensured Superglue goes with us on all holidays. 🙂

[ExArkie]

For us, the trip always starts before the sail date. Our time in the UK prior to a TA back to New York varies from a week or so to more than a month. I had a contract for a while to teach short courses (less than a semester) at a couple of places in the UK. We'd pack one of our suitcases (formal clothes, mostly, with a few other shipboard clothing items) a month or two before the sail date - depending on the timing of the trip - and send it via the luggage forwarding service, a.k.a. White Star, to meet us at the ship. The rest of the trip's packing would occur the day before we left home, which could still be a month before the sail date.

 

We have become familiar with the QM2 laundry rooms.

 

[frankp01]

2 hours ago, neeuqdrazil said:

I start making lists weeks (read, months) before the trip, but usually start actually putting things in bags up to a week prior to departure,

Here, too. During the December crossing, I had the lists for the July Halifax and January Panama Canal trips started. That way I could refine them based on the trip underway. Since we pretty much don't use the large rolling cases for other than the QM2, we can start packing as soon as one trip ends. Especially non-wrinkleable things, like passport / ginger capsules / formal shoes and accessories / etc.

[2BACRUISER]

4 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

 

We actually have a rail on wheels (like they have in shops), that we assemble in one of the spare bedrooms. If anything gets hung on the rail, then it doesn't get worn before the trip.

 

The actual packing is always done the day before we leave home.

Ditto I'd be lost without my packing rail. I also have a pre gather on the spare room wardrobe doors to check for mix and matching colour schemes. This photo shows casual attire jade, black and gold theme. 

[2BACRUISER]

4 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

Duplicate 

 

Edited June 7, 2022 by 2BACRUISER
Duplicate

[lissie]

I've had lists since summer here ie Jan. We are travelling for 4 months - all of it warm to hot weather (except for San Francisco) - we have a total of 52 days on land and 56 at sea.  

 

The most important packing to me is the light weight clothes for  Europe - which need to fit in carry on only bags.  Its now impossible to buy summer clothes in NZ - so if I was missing anything it would be too late to do anything about it. 

 

I made my partner try on stuff around Mach - and he bought some clothes in sales around March.  

 

I need to do some sewing over the next few weeks for formal wear. 

 

The actual packing normally is a few days prior 

[BklynBoy8]

Thank you all for your Kind Advice and Suggestions.

 

There is always another way of doing things and different approach someone else uses.

 

Will take much into consideration in the next 3 months and 2 weeks.

 

 

[techteach]

I am loving this thread and hope it keeps going. I love planning what I will wear for any trip and start grouping and hanging with accessories months in advance. I have now purchased too many formals for our December TA. Decisions, decisions…

[lissie]

7 minutes ago, techteach said:

I am loving this thread and hope it keeps going. I love planning what I will wear for any trip and start grouping and hanging with accessories months in advance. I have now purchased too many formals for our December TA. Decisions, decisions…

 

Haha  I've developed some sort of weird cruise/travel -associated anxiety disorder characterised by weeks of excitement of our up coming plans which involves  actual trip planning, flights, hotels, and tours and then I would get depressed and assume that covid would never go away, and can't believe any of it will happen.  We've had our July cruise booked since Oct 2020 (I think) - partly funded from a cancelled cruise that year. I've planned and had to cancel 2 other overseas trips too. 

 

 But  having now been out of the country and got Covid and I'm feeling far more optimistic and my partner will at least consider what he's taking and which tours we should do.  

 

So officially in pre-trip excitement mode - we fly out 5 weeks today - and defo counting 

[BklynBoy8]

32 minutes ago, techteach said:

I am loving this thread and hope it keeps going. I love planning what I will wear for any trip and start grouping and hanging with accessories months in advance. I have now purchased too many formals for our December TA. Decisions, decisions…

 

Hi Tech,

That is why I started the thread since it started conversation at home on what to take, clothing, personal so it won't be too much taken which is what we wind up doing. We have to really make this a proper packing.

 

I too am going for a New Tux for September. 

[Lakesregion]

For a world cruise I usually begin planning the day after I book. That gives me around 18 months to get all eight suitcases of items ready. packing is done twice. Once about a week out to make sure all fits or do I need to find another case. Then the final packing is the day before leaving for NYC. In the past I always planned to spend several days in the city before embarking but since NYC has become more dangerous to casually walk around then Kiev, I will arrive the day before, stay in a hotel very near the terminal in Red Hook and not venture forth until time to board.

[Tonopah]

I take long skirts and palazzzo pants, then six tops to mix and match for evenings. During the day I go complete comfort. We’re going to Norway in November and we are from Florida, so we will have extra heavy clothes for the daytime. We get all of our clothes in one large suitcase plus a garment bag for Mister’s shoes and tux. I’m not a shoe person but for our 21 days there will be 1 pair (yes, only one pair) black dress shoes, one pair dance shoes, one pair trainers, one pair sandals/flip flops (for spa pool days), and one pair of hiking boots for our shore days. Of course the requisite night/under things. I’m hoping there will be slippers on board.🤞

 

Yes, we pack only one large suitcase but we still plan to use Luggage Forward because we hate schlepping luggage. 

[lissie]

1 hour ago, Lakesregion said:

For a world cruise I usually begin planning the day after I book. That gives me around 18 months to get all eight suitcases of items ready. packing is done twice. Once about a week out to make sure all fits or do I need to find another case. Then the final packing is the day before leaving for NYC. In the past I always planned to spend several days in the city before embarking but since NYC has become more dangerous to casually walk around then Kiev, I will arrive the day before, stay in a hotel very near the terminal in Red Hook and not venture forth until time to board.

 I assume you travel in grills - I can't imagine even fitting even 2 full suitcases worth of clothes in a Britannia cabin 

 

Why do you pack twice? Surely  these are not clothes you use in real life? 

Edited June 8, 2022 by lissie

[lissie]

53 minutes ago, Tonopah said:

I take long skirts and palazzzo pants, then six tops to mix and match for evenings. During the day I go complete comfort. We’re going to Norway in November and we are from Florida, so we will have extra heavy clothes for the daytime. We get all of our clothes in one large suitcase plus a garment bag for Mister’s shoes and tux. I’m not a shoe person but for our 21 days there will be 1 pair (yes, only one pair) black dress shoes, one pair dance shoes, one pair trainers, one pair sandals/flip flops (for spa pool days), and one pair of hiking boots for our shore days. Of course the requisite night/under things. I’m hoping there will be slippers on board.🤞

 

Yes, we pack only one large suitcase but we still plan to use Luggage Forward because we hate schlepping luggage. 

I have dance shoes which double as dress shoes otherwise our list is similar. And yes one large checked bag and another which I can carry on in the USA but out of NZ it will be too heavy and I'll check it. 

 

There are slippers on board - and dressing gowns. 

[D&N]

We started planning around October 2018 for the double crossing we are on now. It should of course have been in 2020 but something unexpected happened.

In some ways we were happy to start again as my wife lost nearly a third of her body weight between March 2021 and May 2022.

On 19 December 2021 we photographed my wife wearing 67 of the dresses in the wardrobe. We then went through that and picked out best 14. We then photographed the best of the separates and picked 3 that were better than some of the dresses and substituted them. We also went through any new garments and assessed if they were better. Some of those were substituted for separates. We also snapped accessories with most of the garments and chose what would go with each and ordered up anything online that we felt was missing.

I'm regretting not having packed a basic tool kit. The wardrobes are too short for about 5 garments and there are no hooks on the wall either side of the TV. I've improvised with the curtain rail and hooks!

I'm not a fan of management speak but one phrase rings true to me: "Fail to plan; Plan to fail"

We're happy that we're getting the benefits of that planning now. We're unlikely to do this again for various reasons and it's important we capture everything on camera.

By the way; the jazz trio we're listening to in the Chart Room are superb.

[LibertyBella]

My one-week cruise is less than three weeks away, and I brought the suitcases down two days ago.  I have already made a list of which formal dresses I will take, and tried them all on to ensure a good fit.  I also compared different shoes to complete the look.  I am trying to match the two formal theme nights, which in a way I do not like, but I will try to comply.  I have a rack to hang all the outfits I have chosen from my closets in preparation for packing.

 

I will need a different outfit every day for day time and a different dress for dinner.  As this Cunard cruise is not in a tropical environment, I am not taking some of my more warm-weather outfits, although I always pack at least two swimsuits.

Husband will have it much easier--just the tuxedo and a few suits/jackets/ties, although again weather conditions will influence his suit and jacket choice (all white suits and seersucker in tropical areas).

 

I will start packing within the next few days and he will do it one or two nights before we depart.  I also have to select accessories (jewelry, handbags, etc.) and some reading materials.  I like to have my suitcase finished one to two days before departure, and he tries to finish at least the night before.

 

We really do like dressing up so this experience is very fun for us!  For this upcoming cruise we are driving to New York, so we are not quite as pressured with ensuring the airline luggage number and weight limits, etc. The fact that this cruise is only one week is also a bit easier. Although I would love to go on some fantastic longer trips, because we have a house full of pets, we never leave for more than two weeks at a time.

 

[Victoria2]

@D&N

Kudos for your wife in the weight loss stakes. She must be very proud of herself, as you obviously are, of her. 🙂

I seriously am at the opposite end of the packing stakes for both land and sea holidays. I never plan. I look at my clothes, pick out the ones I want to take and  they get packed. I take a few pairs of evening trousers in both black and white, and tops which can be mixed and matched. Add a couple of long dresses and sorted for the evening, 

On a longer cruise, say a month or more, I just take more of the same but max. three long evening dresses. I'm not keen on dresses and don't have any day ones. My formal wear often consist of black, beautiful tops and trousers and I wear them in preference to dresses. I used to take what I would term  ball dresses  but ditched those years ago when I saw they were too much for formal evenings onboard and anyway, they were a pain to pack!

 

As long as we all feel good in our choices, it doesn't matter if things were minutely planned weeks prior, or grabbed out of the wardrobe and thrown in a suitcase the day before.

[exlondoner]

8 hours ago, lissie said:

 

Haha  I've developed some sort of weird cruise/travel -associated anxiety disorder characterised by weeks of excitement of our up coming plans which involves  actual trip planning, flights, hotels, and tours and then I would get depressed and assume that covid would never go away, and can't believe any of it will happen.  We've had our July cruise booked since Oct 2020 (I think) - partly funded from a cancelled cruise that year. I've planned and had to cancel 2 other overseas trips too. 

 

 But  having now been out of the country and got Covid and I'm feeling far more optimistic and my partner will at least consider what he's taking and which tours we should do.  

 

So officially in pre-trip excitement mode - we fly out 5 weeks today - and defo counting 

 

Aside from the packing, the plannning of paperwork and admin for your mega trip must have occupied hours.

[exlondoner]

5 hours ago, D&N said:

We started planning around October 2018 for the double crossing we are on now. It should of course have been in 2020 but something unexpected happened.

In some ways we were happy to start again as my wife lost nearly a third of her body weight between March 2021 and May 2022.

On 19 December 2021 we photographed my wife wearing 67 of the dresses in the wardrobe. We then went through that and picked out best 14. We then photographed the best of the separates and picked 3 that were better than some of the dresses and substituted them. We also went through any new garments and assessed if they were better. Some of those were substituted for separates. We also snapped accessories with most of the garments and chose what would go with each and ordered up anything online that we felt was missing.

I'm regretting not having packed a basic tool kit. The wardrobes are too short for about 5 garments and there are no hooks on the wall either side of the TV. I've improvised with the curtain rail and hooks!

I'm not a fan of management speak but one phrase rings true to me: "Fail to plan; Plan to fail"

We're happy that we're getting the benefits of that planning now. We're unlikely to do this again for various reasons and it's important we capture everything on camera.

By the way; the jazz trio we're listening to in the Chart Room are superb.

 

Magnetic hooks will attach to the magnetic walls, another time.

[exlondoner]

7 hours ago, Lakesregion said:

For a world cruise I usually begin planning the day after I book. That gives me around 18 months to get all eight suitcases of items ready. packing is done twice. Once about a week out to make sure all fits or do I need to find another case. Then the final packing is the day before leaving for NYC. In the past I always planned to spend several days in the city before embarking but since NYC has become more dangerous to casually walk around then Kiev, I will arrive the day before, stay in a hotel very near the terminal in Red Hook and not venture forth until time to board.

 

I think that, if I packed all the clothes I own, I could only fill three suitcases. Eight is astonishing. 😀

[Lakesregion]

8 hours ago, lissie said:

 I assume you travel in grills - I can't imagine even fitting even 2 full suitcases worth of clothes in a Britannia cabin 

 

Why do you pack twice? Surely  these are not clothes you use in real life? 

We are in an inside cabin and yes I wear these closes every day. I live the life not just on vacation.

[Lakesregion]

2 hours ago, exlondoner said:

 

I think that, if I packed all the clothes I own, I could only fill three suitcases. Eight is astonishing. 😀

the sailing is 123 days, so one does require a number of different pairs of trousers, shirts, sweaters, jackets etc. Other wise life gets boring. And I am not brining my entire closet. There will be plenty left behind

[lissie]

3 hours ago, exlondoner said:

 

Aside from the packing, the plannning of paperwork and admin for your mega trip must have occupied hours.

I don't plan everything. I never plan restaurants - except for one  - my partner's 70th.  I've had to do a silly amount of forward booking for the first 10 days because Hawaii and SF book out of things so hotels were booked months ago and I just booked the Arizona Memorial 8 weeks in advance, booked tours etc. For Europe I've booked the internal flights and the first stop's hotel. And one shore excursions which was a must do for us. 

[exlondoner]

2 minutes ago, lissie said:

I don't plan everything. I never plan restaurants - except for one  - my partner's 70th.  I've had to do a silly amount of forward booking for the first 10 days because Hawaii and SF book out of things so hotels were booked months ago and I just booked the Arizona Memorial 8 weeks in advance, booked tours etc. For Europe I've booked the internal flights and the first stop's hotel. And one shore excursions which was a must do for us. 

 

I was thinking as well of passport/visa stuff and Covid hurdles.

[lissie]

32 minutes ago, Lakesregion said:

We are in an inside cabin and yes I wear these closes every day. I live the life not just on vacation.

Seriously where do you put it? We have one bag between the 2 of us plus carry on's and last time we didn't jam pack the wardrobe but used all the shelf/drawer space. Where would you even put 8 suitcases - ours was put behind the couch by the steward - no room under the bed - but even if there was... We are doing 2 cruises total 56 days - and we're taking less than we did for our first cruise as we need to drop down to  one bag each for Europe - carry on size