Have you changed the way you pack?

[Ombud]

Personally this summer (& Heathrow) taught me that I don't need as much as I thought I would. Granted I was only in UK 2 nights before the cruise & I might feel differently if I was land based for a week beforehand (like November 2023 & April 2024) but for a regular trip I'm starting to pack light. 

 

Thank you to the April 2022 Pacific Northwest Cruise roll call members who gifted me my new favorite suitcase!! An awesome 17"

[avonlady6390]

I keep telling myself to pack lighter but somehow my suitcase is always stuffed to the gills I always bring back a few items I don't end up wearing I just got back from a cruise so I Promise myself I won't over pack next trip.

[Rick&Jeannie]

Over the few years that we have been concentrating on travelling, we have definitely learned to trim down on what we *really* need to take...and leave the rest at home.  But the BIGGEST thing we've learned...and most valuable, is to always be prepared with a "go-bag" backpack.  We missed a connecting flight in Paris just before the pandemic.  Air France had to foot the bill and put us up for the night.  BUT...we had NO luggage since it was held for the next connecting flight.  Nice as it *should* have been to "get a free night in Paris", we were not happy campers...because that's basically what we were doing in that hotel..."camping out" in clothes that we'd been in for almost 24 hours.  We had our phones and even the charge cords but did not have our travel power adapters.  All of our normal travel accessories were packed away in our "hostage" luggage!

 

We have two special checklists that we now go through for every trip; one for our actual trip and one for the go-bag.  It has now "saved" us twice.

[riffatsea]

We have always been light packers

I have not checked a bag for at least,10 years!

The carry on suitcase has each of  our clothing

Then we have a backpack or tote bag with meds

electronics etc

 

 

[c-boy]

usually have a lengthy  land based trip tied in with the cruise so it's  the steamer trunk style 

[1965]

22 minutes ago, riffatsea said:

We have always been light packers

I have not checked a bag for at least,10 years!

The carry on suitcase has each of  our clothing

Then we have a backpack or tote bag with meds

electronics etc

 

 

Same for us. We haven't checked a bag in several years, even on a 28 day cruise. 😊

[cr8tiv1]

One day...one day...

 

Even when I pack to go to Hawaii....and ALL of my clothes are there and I could take just a toothbrush...I end up with two 26" suitcases, my CPAP, my carry on...and food for the flight over.  Sigh.

 

How do you guys do it?  Do you hire out your services?  

 

I may have done it once or twice in my travel life time.  

[mom says]

After decades of international land travel, cruising is a breeze, and is usually when I pack heavier. Have never had a checked bag lost, only delayed by a day or 2. Not a problem since we fly in a few days early. We have free checked bags, but also bring a carry on with all documents,  meds, electronics (and accessories), and a change of clothes.

[PescadoAmarillo]

I learned when we went around the world in 2018 (not all on a cruise) how little I could by with, and it’s remarkably little. Multiple climates, no laundry facilities…the secret is layers and quick drying fabrics. Toiletries are what mess me up, especially if I’m going to be gone for months. For a few weeks, I can even leave a lot of them behind. 

[cruzin4us]

I now only pack 2 pairs of shoes.....sandals and tennis shoes.  Less clothes are packed because we don't dress to the 9's anymore for formal nights.   Our medicine chest has increased out of worry in case of quarantine (and now we tote along covid tests).    I now store all the meds/toiletries in a shoe holder which never gets unpacked.    Lastly, I pack our dresses/blouses/shirts on hangers, it's easier than folding and rehanging.    

 

[cr8tiv1]

25 minutes ago, cruzin4us said:

I now only pack 2 pairs of shoes.....sandals and tennis shoes.  Less clothes are packed because we don't dress to the 9's anymore for formal nights.   Our medicine chest has increased out of worry in case of quarantine (and now we tote along covid tests).    I now store all the meds/toiletries in a shoe holder which never gets unpacked.    Lastly, I pack our dresses/blouses/shirts on hangers, it's easier than folding and rehanging.    

 

Just curious since I pack much of the same "incidentals"...are you able to do this with just a carry on?  

[AZjohn]

Nope, we still overpack every trip.

it’s really the wife who overpacks, never me (lol….sarcastic humor) 🙂

 

[SiliconCruiser]

No more tuxedos and accompanying jewelry, not more cocktail dresses and jewelry.  Will most likely be considering less clothes and just using the on-board laundry (can't trust the free laundry.)  Am really considering a couple of 22" bags for a few b2b2b cruises.  The cost of a few laundry tokens may be worthwhile.  And we are even throwing around the idea of using public transit to get home after the cruise, with the lightened luggage load.  (We'll be able to get home in plenty of daylight ...)

 

 

[Ombud]

2 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

How do you guys do it? 

Wear jeans / top / sweater on plane. Pack 2-3 pants, skirt, 4 tops, 1 dressy top, underwear, sandals. Pack 3 colors (next trip is white & blue cutoffs, mint green capris, jean skirt, 2 tank tops, 2 long sleeve tops, 1 chiffon top) Toiletries fit in 1 qt bag. Food fits in purse. Fly in day or two before. Buy wine embarkation day. Then use laundry services onboard

[LACruiser88]

The below are bags for 4 adults for 8 day land trip and then 37 days on the Regal.  The DW wants what she wants!  😄

[cr8tiv1]

46 minutes ago, LACruiser88 said:

The below are bags for 4 adults for 8 day land trip and then 37 days on the Regal.  The DW wants what she wants!  😄

Thanks for making me feel normal. I’m am “slightly” less than that.  

[PacnGoNow]

3 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

The below are bags for 4 adults for 8 day land trip and then 37 days on the Regal.  The DW wants what she wants!  😄

Wow!  Just wow!

How many suitcases is that?

We scaled down years ago, with the limits on trains and buses in Europe. And weight limit on International flights.

 

We do a carryon size each and a flight bag each. No matter how long the trip is.

 

 

[Ombud]

4 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

The below are bags for 4 adults for 8 day land trip and then 37 days on the Regal.  The DW wants what she wants!  😄

I couldn't fill 1/4 that if I packed everything I own!! (Saw 2 rows of suitcases)

[LACruiser88]

1 hour ago, PacnGoNow said:

Wow!  Just wow!

How many suitcases is that?

We scaled down years ago, with the limits on trains and buses in Europe. And weight limit on International flights.

 

We do a carryon size each and a flight bag each. No matter how long the trip is.

 

 

We always fly business class for international flights, they allow 2 bags each at 32 kilos each.

 

We would never try to take a train or bus with our luggage.  😄

[SargassoPirate]

9 hours ago, c-boy said:

usually have a lengthy  land based trip tied in with the cruise so it's  the steamer trunk style 

When we do that, we often try to schedule the land travel first and pack lightly for that trip - with a lot of quick dry travel clothes that do a lot of double duty/mix-and-match.

 

Then we have a bag of "cruise only" gear shipped to the ship.

 

Over the years we have also pared down the packing list by paying attention to things we packed but never used.

[LACruiser88]

1 hour ago, Ombud said:

I couldn't fill 1/4 that if I packed everything I own!! (Saw 2 rows of suitcases)

You should see my DW's closet at home.  She could open a clothing boutique!  And don't even get me started about her bags and shoes!

[SomewhereGirl]

My recent 12-night cruise on Emerald out of Southampton was my longest cruise ever and first solo international trip.  Normally I would cross-pack if I was traveling with someone.  This trip I wanted to eliminate the chance of something going wrong so I packed carryon only (roller suitcase and a tote for under the airplane seat).  It was tight.  I didn't pack large liquids of course.  As soon as I arrived at the hotel in Southampton I walked to a nearby Boots for toiletries (conditioner, toothpaste, etc).  The leftovers were left in the cabin for disposal.  No gym clothes/shoes for this trip.  No formal wear.  I even packed a small foam pillow that squished down pretty good.  First trip I ever did self-laundry.

 

It's all in the planning.

[buckeye7]

We are in the carry-on only camp. I actually find it freeing to have less stuff in the cabin and land hotels. I plan well ahead and practice packing the suitcase in advance to see what fits and how heavy it is. Then I have time to adjust and re-think. To me, it’s part of the adventure and fun in planning. 

[RNRcruisers]

I tried to do carry-on for our 10 day London trip but failed and ended up checking a bag. The toiletries are the hardest part for me (that quart bag is small!) but also the uncertain weather just made it too hard to fit it all in. For a cruise, I want to pack what I want and not be limited 😀 I do keep it to one checked though.

[FLConnie]

6 hours ago, LACruiser88 said:

The below are bags for 4 adults for 8 day land trip and then 37 days on the Regal.  The DW wants what she wants!  😄

Looks about like us!  See you on board the TA!