How to pack for a 15 day cruise?

We have many 7 day cruises, but I am unsure of how to pack for 15 days. 15 blouses? 4 dressy clothes & 11 evening clothes? Geesh! :) We are flying home, so am trying to keep the packing down to a minimum. Ideas, please!?!

When I've taken longer cruises, I've always taken the same amount of clothes, budgeting for laundry for those items than aren't ameniable to wearing more than once. I've found that a velvet skirt and different dressy tops can suffice for what goes for 'formal' nights these days. And since I always pack too much I seldom have much laundry except underthings and exercise wear (DH is a competitive bicycle racer and trains even during cruises and believe me that stuff needs to we laundered -- icky). With the airline restrictions on weight this might be your best alternative.

I too, have done many 7 day cruise and in 08 did a 9 day.

I am a overpacker too....but with all the airline rules, and I recently underwent back and knee surgery, so I packed very lightly for the 9 day cruise.

I love the travel clothing collection at Land's End and LL Bean and have invested in two different collection which I can mix and match, plus they are all washable. As for shoes, my workout shoes, a pair of Teva sandles, and one pair of dress shoes.

Hope this helps.

I use one large suitcase and one rolling lightweight carryon. Very manageable.

Linda LHC

I will be going on a 15-day cruise in November 09 and plan to pack the same as for a 7-day. I'm planning on using the laundry if needed, but taking stuff that can be washed out & dried quick in our cabin. It will be a warm weather cruise, which makes it easier.

Pack for a 7 day cruise in one suit case. For the cost of those 2nd checked bags ($25 each direction x 2 people) you can send out a stuffed bag of laundry every other day and still spend less. On a 14 day cruise, unless you’re doing back to backs you should only have 3 formal nights. Also buy yourselves some new underwear & night clothes to leave at home and pack you old stuff to throw out before you get off the ship to make room for you souvenirs in that one suite case.

Aunty Pat

Barefoot Windjammer - Phantom ‘81

K&D German Rhine Line ‘84

NCL - Norway ’85, Pride of America ’05, Southward ’87, Star ’97 & ‘05, Starward ’92, Sun ’02 & Windward ’93

RCC - Song of America ‘89

American Hawaiian - Independence ‘98

HAL - Volendam ’99, Noordam ’06, Oosterdam ’07 & ‘09, Statendam ’02 & ‘08, Prinsendam ’03 & ’06, Westerdam ’09 & Zuiderdam ’04, ’06 & ‘07

Carnival - Spirit ‘05

Celebrity – Summit ‘05

Cruise West - Yorktown Clipper ‘06

Princess - Golden Princess ‘07

A & K - East Queen ‘07

Cunard - QM2 ’08

I really like Travel Smith. Their clothes usually don't wrinkle either.

I buy a core outfit--top and pants, then buy lightweight gauzy jacket-types to cover.

Last year the color was black. I just mixed up the jackets and jewelry for 7 days, then wore the same on the second week.

I saved the luggage space for the formal dresses. We usually buy those photos so I wanted to have a different look.

That takes care of all the dinner clothes, so all I have left is shore or ship day clothes.

Works great.

Pat

I love the travel clothing collection at Land's End and LL Bean and have invested in two different collection which I can mix and match, plus they are all washable. As for shoes, my workout shoes, a pair of Teva sandles, and one pair of dress shoes.

Hope this helps.

 

I use one large suitcase and one rolling lightweight carryon. Very manageable.

Linda LHC

another thought, I am packing the travel knits by Chico's and Citiknits. they are slinky and can be mixed and matched and easily dressed up for dinner in a heart beat with accessories. I am also taking one pair of shoes from Lexees, simple slides that have interchangeable snap on straps to change their colors and looks, 1 pair of shoes with 6 different colors and looks and oh! they are comfortable. Just do a google seach for Lexees shoes. all of this can be zip lock bagged flat and friendly with a label telling me what is in each bag and tucked into the drawers. and no special washing needed! It also leaves alot of room in your suitcase for souveniers. Just a few of my ideas...:D

Thanks so much to all, for your ideas. I have written myself notes on some of the ideas that could pertain to me. Thanks again.

Pack for a 7 day cruise. Do laundry 1/2 way through and wear the same stuff for the next 7 days. :p

I've done several 30 day cruises. Most hand washed items will dry in a day or two on a hanger. Also or check if there is a self service laundry on your ship or give your laundry to the room steward. On formal nights, remember your table mates only see you from the waist up so just add a scarf or jewelry. You can ALWAYS buy t-shirts in port. Black goes with everything.

Don't stress the packing - enjoy the cruise.

I just wanted to comment to queenofdnile that I love your screen name. Very clever!

I too pack as for a 7 day trip and repeat clothes. Sometimes I am lucky and get through dinner with no spots, otherwise I use the laundry, self or ship, depending on the ship or laundry.

Okay, I now know what to do. Pack for a 7 day & laundry in between. Thanks for the many ideas. Our ship, the Maasdam, has a laundry room right on our deck, so that will be easy. I will put soap & softener in plastic disposable containers. Now for the decisions to make. (what to take & what not to take. :))

How many formal nights does a 15 day cruise usually have? On our ten day cruises there have been three.

I will put soap & softener in plastic disposable containers.

No need to pack soap/detergent. HAL furnishes an eco-friendly soap in the self-serve laundry. Bring dryer sheets, though.

Here's my packing list for my 10-day cruise on the Noordam, which begins next week:

RevNeal's Noordam 08 Packing List

1 Checked Rolling Upright 28-inch Suiter

Formal (3 formal Nights)

Tuxedo

Black Nehru Dinner Jacket

2 Formal Shirts, 1 clergy shirt

Black Bow Tie, cummerbund, and clerical vest

shirt studs, cufflinks

Dress Shoes

Casual Evening Clothing

1 Black sport jacket (wear on plane)

1 black polo shirt (wear on plane)

1 pair of nicer Dockers (wear on plane)

1 pair of Casual shoes (wear on plane)

3 silk shirts (Black, Blue, Black with Island motif)

1 blue button down shirt

1 Hawaiian shirt

1 pair of nice Dockers

Casual shoes (slip ons)

Daytime Wear (ship and shore)

4 daytime polo shirts (2 green, 1 blue, 1 black)

1 pair day-time slacks (older dockers)

1 pair of shorts

1 swimsuit

Workout wear and walking shoes (2 sets work-out shorts & t-shirts)

white socks

sandles

Other Clothing and Related Items

shorts and undershirts

Hanging Laundry bag

Shaving Kit (all bathroom articles)

Stuff

iPod and iPhone with charger

Laptop

Short, Multi-Plug Extension Cord

Prescriptions

Sun tan lotion

Tums

Sinus/headache/other minor pain medicines

HAL Maglight and Dam Rain Umbrella

Laptop

Digital camera(s) and assorted accessories

A couple of books to read

Travel Documents

Money (travelers checks/credit cards/cash)

In 19-inch rolling carry-on

Laptop and power cable

iPod and iPhone

Camera(S)

Books

Travel Documents

Money

Change of undearwear

Hey Rev, don't believe the OP will be wearing a tux, a Nehru dinner jacket, black bow tie, cummerbund, clerical vest, shirt studs, cufflinks, Hawaiian shirt, etc., etc., and most of all, unless my elevator is stuck in between floors again, a shaving kit:eek:

Here is another packing tip-Rent ahead, from the ship, men's formal shoes. If you are on the ship for a week or a month, I believe its all the same price. Bring several different colored bow ties to wear for fun and for diversity. Bring a black shirt along with your formal white one to wear with your tux. The black shirt can be worn off board as well.

If you are a female, pack a pair of casual jean- style black velvet pants, they can be worn off board as well as on board on those cold evenings. I bring two different colored thin knit shirts to be layered. Wear one color one day on the outside, the next day switch and then wear the other one on the outside. I also wear when the weather calls for it , a polar fleece vest, on top of that. Then a jacket. The vest and jacket of are made of a material that can be rolled up very small into a day pack.

The truth of the matter is..most cruisers are packing lighter and care more about you then your clothes!

Have fun!:)

Hey Rev, don't believe the OP will be wearing a tux, a Nehru dinner jacket, black bow tie, cummerbund, clerical vest, shirt studs, cufflinks, Hawaiian shirt, etc., etc., and most of all, unless my elevator is stuck in between floors again, a shaving kit:eek:

Hey Copper, the operative word was: "we" ...

We have many 7 day cruises, but I am unsure of how to pack for 15 days. 15 blouses? 4 dressy clothes & 11 evening clothes? Geesh! We are flying home, so am trying to keep the packing down to a minimum.

... according to the original post, the OP isn't going alone. Might not there be a male contained in that "we," hence the possible need for male-type items.

Besides, even if not, it's not as if I were necessarily addressing just the OP and her specific packing concerns. Quite a few people have already done that, and based upon her own latest prior post she had gotten the answer to her question. I was amplifying, for example, with what I pack ... with the side-assumption that it might help her if she had a male traveling companion (contained in the "we").

Oh ... and I'll have the elevator repair men sent to your precinct; the last time I checked many women DO shave ... as in their legs. :) Besides, I use "shaving kit" as code for all bathroom articles.

How many formal nights does a 15 day cruise usually have? On our ten day cruises there have been three.

Four.

LHC/Linda

PS Rev. you are right sir, we could be a pair but in these days who knows! A good male list is always acceptable. Thanks Good to see you on the board.

How many formal nights does a 15 day cruise usually have? On our ten day cruises there have been three.

15-day Hawaii cruises, round trip out of San Diego, will nominally have 4 formal nights -- 2 on the way to Paradise, and 2 on the way back to the mainland. The nights in and among the Hawaiian Islands are called "Hawaiian Casual," meaning Hawaiian shirts, Hawaiian muumuus, etc. You can always buy your Hawaiian gear at Hilo Hatties at your first stop (usually in Hilo) and thereby not have to pack it. However, if you already have a lot of that kind of thing you might not want to buy new.

A Man's Evening Wear for a Hawaiian Cruise:

3 Hawaiian shirts (for the nights in Hawaii and for a Casual Night or two in route.)

1 non-tropical theme casual night shirt (you'll once re-wear each way)

2 pair of slacks

1 Tuxedo, 1 white dinner jacket

2 formal dress shirts

1 or 2 Tie/cummerbund sets.

Dress shoes

Underwear for 8 days

Daytime clothing (2 pair of shorts, 2 t-shirts (buy one or two aboard ship) 2 polo shirts. 1 pair of pants).

With careful packing choices one can do a Hawaii cruise with what one packs for a 7-day Caribbean cruise with the addition an extra night's casual clothing (for 15 rather than just 14 nights) and a white dinner jacket to wear on the 2nd and 3rd Formal Nights (when you're the closest to Hawaii). The dinner jacket can pack with the Tuxedo in the upright bag's suiter along with the tux shirts; otherwise, everything should fit in side one bag.'

I have never managed to do this. I have always taken too much stuff ... enough to fill 2 bags; however, this would work.

PS Rev. you are right sir, we could be a pair but in these days who knows! A good male list is always acceptable. Thanks Good to see you on the board.

You're welcome ... and thank you.

.......................

Oh ... and I'll have the elevator repair men sent to your precinct; the last time I checked many women DO shave ... as in their legs. :) Besides, I use "shaving kit" as code for all bathroom articles.

Hey Rev, thanks but 'precincts' is a New York thang! Don't have 'em here in L.A. - And, oh yeah, I gave the child bride the hot tip about the 'shaving kit' for women:eek:

Hey Rev, thanks but 'precincts' is a New York thang! Don't have 'em here in L.A. - And, oh yeah, I gave the child bride the hot tip about the 'shaving kit' for women:eek:

So where should I send the elevator repair people??? :D

So where should I send the elevator repair people??? :D

The station