How much is too much? Packing

[BethRatliff]

Ok, This is our first cruise and these people (friends and family) are laughing at me. It will be my husband and myself on a 3 night cruise with a precruise stay in Canaveral for one night. We have one garment bag and one medium suitcase with all of our clothes. We each have a carry on with a change of clothes and makeup, docs, meds, toiletries in them. The suitcase is stuffed to capacity and I still have to cram sneakers for both of us in there. SO for two people how many suitcase do you generally have? Thanks 7 days to go!!!

[cmason]

we had a large suitcase, a small rollaboard and a carry-on each, and at check in, I figured we were underpacked! Some folks had two huge suitcases, and smaller rollaboards each, plus carry-ons. Since I carry our snorkel gear too, I don't worry about it, as long as it meets airline limits.

 

You will likely find you don't need half of it, but if you want to feel safe, bring it, it won't hurt. You just have to worry about carrying it and you do have to find space to fit it all in your cabin, so there are limits! LOL!

 

...left until Navigator of the Seas 11/13/04

 

[rockyhou]

My policy is to take as much as I can carry. Being a clothes horse I always want to take more options just in case. But when it gets to the point that I cannot compfortable carry my luggage myself then it's time to reduce!

 

Michael

 

Soverign of the Seas Nov 99

Majesty of the Seas Apr 00, Nov OO

Enchangement of the Seas Sep 00, Oct 02

Rhaposdy of the Seas Jun 01

Elation Oct 01

Zuiderdam Apr 03

Radiance of the Seas Jun 03

Voyager Nov 03

Mariner Apr 04

 

[BethRatliff]

Thanks for the advice. I have a fold up gym bag in the medium case to bring trinkets home in. I just hate to be out there and need something and have to pay some outrageous price for it so I am trying to think of everything.

[emeraldcity]

Borrow suitcases, if need be ... but do not underpack.

 

Keep in mind that one of your pieces of luggage could fail to arrive at the destination airport. I always ask myself if I could do the cruise on what is in the other 3.

 

Sovereign of the Seas (2/88)

Nordic Prince (2/92)

Sovereign of the Seas (2/93)

Voyager of the Seas (7/02)

Splendour of the Seas (4/04)

[Adventure Girl]

Pack, Pack and Pack...you can never have too many options while traveling. My motto is take all that you can carry....and if you can't carry it, hire a porter to do it for you!

 

Kimberly

Monarch of the Seas 4/02

Disney Wonder 11/02

Adventure of the Seas 10/03, 3/04

 

"Girl's Getaway" on Mariner of the Seas 11/7/04 !!

 

 

[VickiVSN]

Okay, somebody has to be the voice of dissent. Beth said 3 day cruise. At absolute most you would need three sets shorts/t-shirts, 3 evening outits, and 3 swimsuits. Is having a choice of everything you own a luxury worth hauling around extra bags? If yes, go for it. I am not one to judge. But we kept our 3 day down to one garmet bag shared, and a gym bag a piece. The nice thing was we never had to check anything. It was a completely managable amount to drag on the ship ourselves. I do think it is ALWAYS a good idea to pack a collaspible bag for those extras you pick up along the way.

 

Vicki

Check out my guide for first time cruisers http://www.vsn.org/cruise

 

Radiance 6/2002

Radiance 10/2002

Brilliance 11/2003

[/b]

LEGEND OF THE SEAS - September 26, 2004

Visit our Roll Call HERE

 

 

Cruise Europe 2005 (CC Group Cruise)- June 5, 2005 on the Brilliance

Visit our Roll Call HERE

[Florida Beach]

Remember to leave the kitchen sink at home, it's a little too heavy and will set off the alarm

 

Seriously, for a 3 days cruise I would only need a travel size roll-away, but what do I know. Wear your sneakers, pack the smaller shoes to save space.

 

Have a great trip

 

March 28, 2004 - Mariner of the Seas

[redjoan]

Another consideration is the 50 lb. weight limit on planes. Those large suitcases we all have weigh well over 50 lbs when I pack!

[BethRatliff]

Great idea about the sneakers. They are huge.

[FnyFACEnAL]

Three day cruises have only one formal night and probably half of the passengers are not in formal clothes.

[kitty1]

Take as little as possible... I took alot of stuff and didn't wear half of it. You need shorts, tee shirts and bathing suit for the ports. Then you get back on the ship and dress for dinner. Whatever you wear for dinner you wear for the rest of the night.

 

Mix and match outfits so you can reuse pants or skirts. I wore the same dress for both formal nights, as did many people.

 

There is a 50lb limit on the airplane or you have to pay extra. We flew out of Boston and they enforced that.... On the way home from San Juan they did not. We had to buy another bag on the ship to check for the stuff we bought.

 

I never wore 1/2 the clothes I took with me. Next time I will pack a lot lighter.

[MouseMan]

Pack 1/2 the clothes, twice the money!!!!!!!

 

Rhapsody of the Seas "97"

GRAND Princess "98"

DIAMOND PRINCESS 11/06/04

 

"AND AWAY WE GO"

 

Proverbs 3:5

<')))><

 

Roll Call Diamond 11/06/04 click here

 

[SaylorGirl]

Pack light! It is a pain to lug all of that around and to unpack and repack. We take one "carry on" size each and I carry a large tote bag purse. We never have to check luggage at the airport and we can take it on and off the ship. I can do this even on a 7 day sailing and still have clothes for formal night. Space bags are a great invention.

[trabucocruiser]

If you ask 12 people how many clothes to take you will get 12 different answers. Take what YOU think you will need. After your first cruise you will know. Remember, they do have laundry services.

[FinelyCruising]

I alway overpack no matter where I go. If I am sure someone can take my bags for me, it's not problem how much I bring.

[jhaasz]

I travel for a living and wear suits to meetings. I always pack an extra outfit - "just in case". However, when traveling with my husband, I start with a plan and then end up throwing everything in the suitcase - why not? - here's there to help lug it! : )

 

Seriously, I have done a 3-night cruise. We brought a large suitcase (okay, it was a 29") and a rolling carry-on. But, I was able to put all of the souvenirs in the luggage I brought (extra room). And, remember, the large suitcase held clothes for both of us.

 

8/27/2004 - Voyager of the Seas

 'til our 10th cruise!!

 

7/11/2004 - Voyager of the Seas (Cruise #10!)

August 2003 - Carnival Legend

July 2003 - Carnival Victory

August 2002 - Grand Princess

July 2002 - Carnival Triumph

August 2001 - RCI Explorer of the Seas

August 2000 - RCI Enchantment of the Seas

July 1999 - Carnival Triumph

July 1998 - Carnival Ecstasy

July 1997 - Carnival Ecstasy

[gene624]

I always pack too much but forget some things I end up needing -- like a sewing kit or mouthwash. Once I even forgot my pj's, OK I slept in my under wear.

Gene in Birmingham

[Nancyquilts]

And most of the ship shops sell rolling luggage, just in case.

[BethRatliff]

Thanks for the advice. We have one garment bag and a medium suitcase to check and we each have a small carry on. I can't fit another thing in there so I hope my DH doesn't need to bring "just one more thing"!!! We will actually be a little lighter when we get on the ship. We are going over tomorrow and leaving the car so we will have one outfit out of the bag and on us and one in the car. Sailing on Friday!!!

[mconthehighseas]

I check Cruise Diva's packing list, even when I am not on a cruise. She lists all the things you don't want to forget (shower cap, dental floss), and don't want to pay high prices in the ship's store or on an island to replace. I also thought her clothes packing list was right on. I used it for our cruise, and I got to wear almost everything I packed.

 

 

Counting down to the Rhapsody OTS - 12/05/04

[sandhillwings]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> SO for two people how many suitcase do you generally have? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I guess it depends upon the length of the trip and the width of the cruisers...

[bambam]

Beth,

As stated earlier, you will get 12 different answers. We way-overpacked for our first cruise, and had one-heckofatime packing for the trip home - with all the "gifts" we bought. What we found was a bathing suit with pockets served well on the ships and the excursions, a couple of shirts, pants, and a suit did the trick. Interchangeables for the ladies did the trick for Pebbles.

 

Here is the biggest tip we learned after the first cruise: Take your medium suitcase and pack it INTO a large suitcase (or your medium carr-on INTO a larger carryon). Then you will have two suitcases for the trip home.

 

Relax, be flexible - and enjoy!! Don't forget the film....

 

BAMnJAM

Carnival Imagingation '96

RCC Majesty '98

Sun Princess '00

NCL Star '04

 

Cruisin's not just an adventure, it's an Attitude!!

Proud member (x2) of the PPS - yeah!!