Wrinkled clothes?

[debbie p]

Have a cruise planned and am wondering how everyone handles the wrinkled clothes issue? My understanding is we can't bring travel irons.

Thanks

[H2Otstr]

AAA sells a small can of wrinkle release. It works pretty well. Be sure to hang your clothes right away. Travel Smith sells a lot of clothes that do not look wrinkled & are comfortable.

[relevart]

Don't take linen, it really wrinkles. Take natural fabrics, not polyester etc. If they are wrinkled you can usually get the wrinkles out by hanging them in the bathroom while taking a shower. The steam does wonders. Also since river cruises are informal cotton knits work very well and don't wrinkle if packed carefully.

[letsgo39]

I was wondering the same thing.

 

Does anyone know if you can bring a clothes steamer?

[steamboats]

Hi,

 

Check with your cruise company first. Some of them do have irons and iron boards in the cabins. So why carry something with you which you don´t have to carry! Anyway if you´re carrying an iron or clothes steamer with you you also need a converter (if it´s not dual voltage)...

 

DH is using the shower for his suit. Turn on the hot water for some time until the bathroom is steamy and then hang your stuff into the shower (of course turn off the water before you hang in your clothes :D ). Works quite well.

 

The other advice is pack clothes which don´t wrinkle!

 

steamboats

[Nelsipete]

Be sure to hang your clothes right away.

 

Will there be enough hangers to hang them all? I doubt it. Do you bring hangers from home?

 

Also, what about clean clothes? I can see swishing out underwear in the sink, but I don't see hand washing pants, etc. For a 7-day cruise do you take seven outfits? Or do you wear the same jeans and sweatshirts over? Dh and I really need advice on this point.

[steamboats]

Nelsipete,

 

For a 7 day cruise I´d pack two pairs of jeans (just in case one is getting really dirty). For dinner I´d pack one or two skirts (or maybe some dark slacks). And of course I´d pack T-shirts / polos one for each day and some fitting tops for dinner (nobody will remember that you wore top 1 on Monday and Thursday!) and maybe a nicer top or two for the not so formal formal dinners. If you´re cruising in the summer time one sweater (or a light knit jacket) might be enough, maybe two for spring and fall.

 

On our Deilmann cruise we did have enough hangers. For all those clothes I only need two hangers for the skirts anyway. T-shirts, sweaters, underwear and socks don´t need hangers and jeans won´t need them either. As Deilmann´s formal nights are a bit more formal DH needed a suit and two shirts. That´s another 4 hangers.

 

steamboats

[katybird]

Chico's has a nice "Travelers" line.

Ask for more angers if you need them. I would not bother packing them.

[Carhut]

Will there be enough hangers to hang them all? I doubt it. Do you bring hangers from home?

 

Also, what about clean clothes? I can see swishing out underwear in the sink, but I don't see hand washing pants, etc. For a 7-day cruise do you take seven outfits? Or do you wear the same jeans and sweatshirts over? Dh and I really need advice on this point.

 

On my recent cruise on the Debussy, we had 8 hangers in the closet for the two of us. I did bring 4 extra ones along and was glad that I did. I hung 2 and 3 items on each hanger.

My clothes didn't get very wrinkled. When shopping I look for things that would travel well. We hung our clothes as soon as we arrived. My trip was 16 days and I didn't pack an outfit for every day. Some things got worn more than once. I just tried to mix different tops with different pants.

[cruisingmimi]

I found this method to work very well to keep things wrinkle free. Go to Wal Mart, Target, etc. and buy a box or 2 of 2 1/2 gal zippie bags. They also come in larger sizes now but I like the 2 1/2 gal size. It is the perfect size for golf shirts, etc. I pack all the underwear in one pkg, pants, shirts, etc. I put the bag on the floor, put the clothes into the bag, close it almost all the way (I leave about an inch open), then kneel on it til all the air is expelled. It will become very flat, then close the bag the rest of the way.

 

This worked great and when I unpacked our luggage everything was wrinkle free. Unless, of course, you have linen clothing which will wrinkle.

 

With all the airline restrictions, etc. it is more sanitary packing this way. If they open your bags, everything will be protected by the zippie bags, especially the underwear!

 

When we get back home, if the bags are still useable I put them in the suitcases and they are ready to use the next time.

 

Downy makes a wrinkle release fabric spray also. Don't know if it works.

 

Hope this helps. I was skeptical til I tried it. It also makes the suitcases less bulky packing this way.

 

Good luck.

 

P.S. You may like the larger sizes for slacks, dresses, etc. It is trial and error to find out what works best.

[cindiedee]

I have used Downey Wrinkle Releaser on the last 3 cruises (and have a big bottle packed for our cruise leaving tomorrow) - I have even used it on DH's tux - it doesn't work immediately so I hang stuff on hangers all over the room and spray away - on really deep creases, I spray more than once but it works wonderfully! But others have not had the same luck - I wouldn't use it on silk, satin or anything like that but it works great and costs very little - certainly a lot less than sending everything out to be pressed.

[AliceS]

I leave my things on the plastic hangers when I pack and leave the cleaner plastic on them. Just take them out of the suitcase and hang them up. I pitch the hangers instead of bringing them back home. I like the plastic pants hangers for my slacks and skirts, too.

 

The Chico Travelers line is super for travel. It is a little heavy to pack, but I roll those up and they're good to go. I mix and match and wear them again and again. I like a nice pair of jeans for touring, too.

[land lover]

I use the ziplocks. when we do a land tour..but what a hassel for my husband's xtra lg shirts...so now on all cruises and some land tours all of his shirts and any items that wrinkle are kept on their hangers (wire from cleaners), and placed on the garment hook with tissue paper in between. Talk about easy unpacking.

 

Also my hint is to take clothes that you are tired of and leave them behind, I leave a note for housekeeping saying they may do what they want with them. On our last river cruise in China our cabin attendant was very excited to get our left over clothing...For that trip since I knew it would be hot I purchased several inexpensive tops with the intent of leaving them behind. In fact one of the ladies in our group asked if she could have one of them... because it would match something she purchased.:)

[land lover]

HI Alice.

What have you been up to ?

Our roll call is still going come visit us sometime.

[land lover]

Just curious how do you pack the pineapple cover up:D

[jgnova]

I rebelled against ironing some years ago. (DH sends his shirts out -- they come back folded, so that's easy for him to pack.) I don't even know where the iron might be (it's somewhere in the house). I use the hang-in-the-bathroom method all the time. I also have a large spray bottle of Downy Wrinkle Release that I transfer into a smaller spray bottle (from one I bought earlier) and if the wrinkles seem like the kind that won't come out with the morning shower steam, I spray and hand-flatten or tug the night before. Wrinkle Release needs time to dry, so don't do it just before you need to wear something. I think there are little spray cans -- maybe AAA was where I saw them? -- of this stuff, which you could use and discard and make room for more goodies to bring home. :rolleyes:

S