Packing Light..Any Good Tips?

[WinterEscape]

I will soon be leaving on my first 10 day cruise. I have previously sailed on 7 day cruises. I always run into the problem of over packing. I have the illusion I need everything and then only wear half the clothing. I have decided this year I am ONLY taking one suitcase. I am a little concerned because I plan to pack less and go on a longer cruise. So, I thought I would ask if any of you have good tips for packing light while aboard a cruise ship. Right now, my suitcase won't close, so any help is greatly appreciated.

[terri23]

· take silk outfits that fold down to nothing

· take as many underwear as you will need (not cotton) - put them in gallon ziploc bags and squish the air out

· at least two bathing suits with one cover-up

· send key items (favorite tops / shorts / capris / gym clothes) to the laundry on board - prices are reasonable and service is quick (this worked great on our Jewel cruise!)

· limit the shoes to ones that do double duty! dress sandals that you can wear out at night and that will also work for non-formal dinners, casual / beach shoes (I have a pair of skechers fisherman sandals that are great), walking (touring) shoes that you can wear to the gym (I have new balance "country walkers" - not the most attractive but I can walk miles). wear the bulkiest shoes as you travel to the ship (so they don't take up valuable suitcase space).

· put your toiletries in a carry-on that will double as an excursion pack

· skip the jeans; they are heavy and bulky

if all else fails, buy a bigger suitcase

[Sue L]

I made all my evening wear with black in it so I only have to bring 1 pair dress black shoes and 1 pair casual black shoes and 1 evening bag is good for all nights. All my outfits are mix and match so that cuts down alot on the space in the suitcase. We are going on the 11 day version of the Panama cruise in March so I know what you are going through. Hubby is renting a tux on board so that he doesn't have to pack a suit and that saves a ton of space.

 

Hubby's casual outfits are all the same range of colors and a couple pairs of dockers and a variety of shirts takes care of his stuff but since the colors are all the same only one pair of casual shoes are needed. Hubby also loves to buy t-shirts at the different ports so he doesn't bring a lot of daytime shirts because we know he will buy them along the way.

 

Hope this helps.

[FunCruiser56]

check out this site http://www.onebag.com/ it goes into great detail about packing only one bag for your trip, how to pack it all sorts of great hints.

 

We went on the Brilliance 11 day last January and had 3 suitcases between 2 of us, too many clothes for sure! Lots went unworn, you can rewear clothing you wore at the start of the cruise daytime and nighttime and no one will ever notice, the laundry service is reasonable so make use of that too.

 

Have a wonderful trip!

 

Bev

[vickiw0318]

I just read an interview with Samantha Brown who, as we all know, travels a lot. One of her main tips was to stay within one color family - beige, black, blue - whatever.

 

I too found on my first cruise that I took too many clothes. I did find that I wore an item more than once - especially my casual clothes. I'd wear a shorts outfit to breakfast and then change into a bathing suit for the rest of the day. Having then just worn the shorts for an hour or so, I could put them on again. I didn't need a shorts outfit for each day. When I went to Alaska last summer and had airplane weight limits to deal with and needed to take some heavier sweaters, I decided that I'd just take 2-3 pairs of dressier slacks for dinners (since I'd just be wearing them for 1 1/2 hours) and change tops. (I decided my tablemates would just really see that part of me.) I have also decided I really don't need to pack a particular outfit for dinner on the first night since I may or may not have my luggage.

 

Anyway, I am getting a little better at cutting down!

[tkportersat]

I will soon be leaving on my first 10 day cruise. I have previously sailed on 7 day cruises. I always run into the problem of over packing. I have the illusion I need everything and then only wear half the clothing. I have decided this year I am ONLY taking one suitcase. I am a little concerned because I plan to pack less and go on a longer cruise. So, I thought I would ask if any of you have good tips for packing light while aboard a cruise ship. Right now, my suitcase won't close, so any help is greatly appreciated.

Good luck :) I have yet to figure this out and I am not sure I will ever get it - haha.

[WinterEscape]

Thank you for your tips.

 

I am female...which I think makes this more difficult. With that said, my husband complained about how I packed his suitcase on our last trip, so I told him he can pack this time. The last time he brought about three suitcases, and he says I pack too much!!

 

Have any of you used the laundry service on board? I am a little hesitant to do so because I have very sensitive skin and break out in hives easily. So much so that I always pack a flat sheet in case I am allergic to the sheets!! This has only been a problem on one cruise, but better safe than sorry as hives and heat make for an uncomfortable vacation. Do they offer hypo-allergenic detergent?

[terri23]

WE, I have sensitive skin and don't use hotel products (it only took one BAD experience - at a Ritz Carlton no less!) and sometimes get a light rash from hotel sheets. Nothing like the hives you describe. However, I didn't notice any fragrance on the laundered items and they did not irritate my skin at all. Happy Cruising!

[cb at sea]

A note about larger suitcases---don't forget that if you're flying, you can't have them weigh more than 50lbs each! Bigger is not always better! Weigh them before you leave home so you won't have to re-pack in the airport or pay an "overweight" fee!

[derf5585]

Packing lite

 

1. Go on a nude cruise

2. Just bring what you are going to throw out anyway. More room for sue-van-ears

3. Buy your clothes aboard then return them on the last day.

[winncove]

"One Bag"..Maybe I missed it but I think what was omitted was to place your shoes, soles against the sides of suitcase, around the perimeter of your bag. I saw this bundle wrap someplace last yr. but they omitted the soft "core" which I think was the flaw in my using it! Great ideas. Still think I'll have a problem for 7 days in one bag, even w/hanging bag for evening/formal clothes but will try! LOL! Thx for the reminder.

 

Thx for the Laugh of the Day Derf!

[Sandra*]

Roll all of your clothes instead of folding them. You get WAY more room that way and surprisingly enough, the clothes aren't that wrinkled when you unroll them. I went backpacking for 3 weeks with one backpack and this rolling technique saved me! I was able to bring a lot more clothes than if I had folded them instead.

 

Hope that helps!

[Sally Forth]

This is something I need to work on, too. I've been on two 14 day cruises and did okay. Someone told me that if you get over the idea that people actually notice what you wear and build laundry into your budget halfway through, it's easier to pack. On the shorter trips, though, it's hard to make decisions.

 

I am a big proponent of rolling stuff to make more room. I am also in the "take your old clothes on a holiday club" for stuff like undies, nighties, and tshirts. Undies go in the garbage, as do DH's running shirts for the first few days. Nighties and tshirts that are good enough to be donated are left behind. I usually just ask a cab driver, "Could you drop this off at a church for me?" I don't care what they do with them.

 

I do know that on one trip where I cut back too much on shoes, the beach sandals I had started to cut into my foot in a certain spot, and I was sorry I didn't have backups. I had to buy ugly, expensive flipflops.

 

Viv

[Inshape]

I would not go for the bigger suitcase since big use to be in but now with the 50pound restrictions or extra $$$$ you really need to pack wisely. I have found in 6 cruises i wear about half of what I pack. Then each cruise I try to cut back and I still do not wear it all. I do pack a pair of nice jeans to use for evening...since that cuts down on the amount of evening wear to bring. I do bring 2 formals in my garment bag. I also always bring my nice black dress pants. Besides that, just tops! The 3 swim suits and cover up. And the shoes have been cut drastically. I try to match the formal wear to use one pair of shoes and then my other nice sandals and then my sneakers and then beach sandals. I still like the idea of cutting down but I still need choices. I just do not bring 15 choices. And silk does pack well.

[kingsgirl]

Packing lite

 

1. Go on a nude cruise

2. Just bring what you are going to throw out anyway. More room for sue-van-ears

3. Buy your clothes aboard then return them on the last day.

 

 

:D :D :D

[murphyis1]

I once watched a Rick Steve's travel show regarding packing and traveling in general. His advice? Lay out all the clothes and shoes you think you need, then reduce by half. Lay out all the money you think you need, then double it!

 

I have tried this method on my last several cruises. The packing tip was great, but I found that I didn't need double the money. Maybe I'm not shopping enough?????

[cruisecookie]

A note about larger suitcases---don't forget that if you're flying, you can't have them weigh more than 50lbs each! Bigger is not always better! Weigh them before you leave home so you won't have to re-pack in the airport or pay an "overweight" fee!

 

Yes, I've had to do the "airport shuffle" -- standing at the check-in counter moving items from one suitcase to another so that all of our bags would meet the weight limit! But now I travel with this great little scale and it has really saved me! The link below is from the Magellan catalog, but I have found the same scale (50 lb.) at Walmart for only $4.99 in the fishing department -- they call it a fisherman's scale.

 

http://www.magellans.com/store/Packi...ersKT189?Args=