How many outfits? Shoes?

Ok - I've never been on a 7 day cruise before. I figured I'd need 2 outfits a day (14 outfits); plus a couple of swimsuits and exercise outfits. I thought about taking around 10 pairs of shoes +/-. I was thinking about shipping a box down to someone who lives in Florida that can drive it over to the ship for me.

My fellow cruisers say that's too much. How am I supposed to pack??? I already did the shopping! :confused:

Okay here's the deal. You are way way way over packed. You will need a couple of bathing suits for onboard, a cuople pairs of shorts and assorted tops for the entire day including exercising. You may want to bring a couple extra t-shirts if you plan on sweating through the cruise. Then at night it will depend on just how dressed up you want to go for dinner. On my last cruise I brought 3 shirts and 2 dresses. Only one pair of dress shoes. Pick a pair that will match everything or is a good neutral. A pair of sneakers and flip flops during the day. 10 pairs of shoes will take up the entire closet. Remember you can always wear something twice if you only wore it for an hour or 2 Plus in the Caribbean the dress code onshore is comfortable casual. Just don't forget the sun lotion, sunglasses and maybe a hat. I always bring toiletries that can be thrown out when the cruise is over. Takes up less room in the suitcase when coming home. I only used one suitcase and a carry-on. Just remember to enjoy yourself. :D

I hope you are joking about all the clothes and shoes you mentioned. After 15+ cruises, here is what I pack for a 7 day cruise (I am female):

4 pairs of shorts

7 tops (nice enough to pair with slacks for informal/casual nights)

1 sparkly top (worn both formal nights)

1 pair black dress slacks (to wear with sparkly top) or other nights in dining room

2 pairs of cotton slacks that coordinated with the 7 tops

1 bathing suit and cover up

sun hat

1 pair black sandals comnfortable enough to walk in and wear on formal night)

1 pair flip flops

another pair of sandals

A light jacket (can be cool in the evenings in the ship or on deck)

I leave all my jewelry (including my wedding ring) at home except for a watch- I don't want to worry about losing any of it.

I (female) typically overpack. But I get better each cruise!

I go heavy on the dinner/night outfits and light on the day

1 or 2 formals (I have brought 1 once and wore it two nights w/shoes for formal nights)

1 pair black crop pants w/2 different tops for "casual" nights

3 sleeveless dresses for other dinners

3 bathing suits (it depends on the mood) + assorted coverups

casual shorts w/t-shirts (either v-neck or sleeveless) for around-the-ship and/or in port. Probably 2-3 pairs of shorts + 4-5 tops

One year I brought an outfit for every single day and wore 2 shirts because we lived in bathing suits

Shoes? Yea, I'm good w/your 10 pairs. Shoes.are.important.

is drive a box of shoes over to a "friend" and watch them cruise away on a beautiful ship !! :D :D :D

Sorry..lol...couldnt resist :)

My first cruise i did the same as you, purses & shoes all matched, now things have changed, i lay out everything that i THINK i might need, put 1/2 of it back from where it came and bring the rest. If you "run out" of anything while on board you can have it laundered, the prices are really quite good and anything that you send out today will be back to you tomorrow. Save yourself the shipping charges for a box of shoes, try to color co-ordinate what you've got and go with it. Enjoy being treated like a queen & don't stress about packing and carrying a ton of extra stuff.

Bon voyage.

I should clarify that - the driver is also going on the cruise. She's the only one that doesn't have to fly b/c she lives in Jacksonville.

:D Hee hee, I have never cruised on RC but I just had to post! You sound just like me on my frist cruise, except I took 14 prs of shoes! Did I wear it all? YOU BET! Did I need it all? NO. Everyone here so far has given you great advice, but I would like to go the other way and say... that bring what you want, if 14 outfits is what you need to bring, to calm your nerves about what to wear, then so be it. By the end of your cruise, you'll have a pretty good idea of what you should have brought, and what you missed, ( believe me, even with all those clothes you will miss something) then if you ever go again, you'll know exactly what to expect.

I prefer to live and learn the hard way, rather be over packed than under, but the advice others here are giving is really good and practical too.

that's better then :D

If you plan on spending alot of time at the pool, you won't really need many "daytime" clothes! You'll be in your bathing suit 90% of the time.! Unless you're a real slob, you can wear the shorts and shirts at least twice!

Try to bring shoes that will go with several different items! And remember, you don't know any of these people, so there's no need to impress! Pack what makes you feel good, and weigh your luggage if you are going on a plane to get to port!

Shoes....lots of shoes! 10 pairs of flops for me, minimum...you need your dinner flops, daytime flops, walking flops, pool flops....and several colors. And then some dinner shoes as well as a pair of converse slip ons for me. I need lots of choices!

Shoes....lots of shoes! 10 pairs of flops for me, minimum...you need your dinner flops, daytime flops, walking flops, pool flops....and several colors. And then some dinner shoes as well as a pair of converse slip ons for me. I need lots of choices!

LOL exactly! I'm the same way. Green & yellow Reef flops, and then brown Reef flops (for formal night). :D

I don't even OWN 10 pairs of shoes. :D

I am completely aligned with everyone saying you will be in your bathing suit 90% of the time!

I overpacked for my first cruise - and guess what? Overpacked for my 2nd cruise, so much so that I was charged $25 at the airport for exceeding the weight limit :rolleyes:

It's ridiculous I know, but it's like this weird compulsion for me to want at least 2 choices of outfits everyday!

I am going on my first back to back in February and have promised myself and DH ( the poor sod that has to schlep the bags!) that I will NOT over pack!

Trust me - you will not wear 50% of what you bring if you stick to your current packing list!

Last cruise I had 14 pair of shoes plus the pair I had on! Now, I only live 45 minutes from the port, so I took my biggest suitcase! I have to say that the only thing you do not need is a purse 'cause you don't need to be carrying it around the ship. If you need anything, just go back to your room to get it.

I'm the type that has to have options getting dressed, so I had to take more than two formal dresses, more than 3 work out outfits, more than 2 swim suits, etc...... Yes, I always overpack! I went to California 2 weeks ago and overpacked but was happy 'cause I had choices. Just stay under the 50 pound limit for the airlines and send your shoes to Jacksonville!:D

Have a great time on your cruise!

LOL exactly! I'm the same way. Green & yellow Reef flops, and then brown Reef flops (for formal night). :D

 

I don't even OWN 10 pairs of shoes. :D

Yeah, but you are not a gay man. Straight men don't have this problem!:D

Yeah, but you are not a gay man. Straight men don't have this problem!:D

Never in my life have I been accused of being a str8 man...:)

I don't have lots of shoes, but I do have nice ones. :)

Never in my life have I been accused of being a str8 man...:)

I don't have lots of shoes, but I do have nice ones. :)

I give up....Sorry. I just assumed you were a straight man. I have this sort of flip flop obsession...its out of control

Here's how I pack.

Put everything you want to take with you on the bed.

Now put 1/2 of it back.

check to make sure you have plently of under things and put them aside,

set aside 1 outfit for everyday (make sure you have a mixture of shorts and pants)

put your formal aside

put your swim suit aside

now put everything else BACK in your closet.

I am literally Laughing out Loud over this particular thread!!:D :D No one needs 10 pairs of shoes on a cruise, they are the biggest space waster ever!:)

I am literally Laughing out Loud over this particular thread!!:D :D No one needs 10 pairs of shoes on a cruise, they are the biggest space waster ever!:)

I agree, and everytime I say that I do not need to bring that many. But I always end up bringing that many. I have already bought 5 new pairs for my Oct cruise. I think it is a sickness!

Well, I bring alot more than most of you. I just don't want to run out. I bring 7 shorts, 2 gym type and 5 regular as well as 5 crops pants and approx 10 shirts to mix and match. Then 5 skirt/top/sundress combos and 2 formal night outfits. 3 swim suits, can't stand to put on a wet suit. shoes are another thing. One gym/sneaker type shoe, one casual sandal, one neutral short healed sandal and one dressy sandal. All neutral to go with everything. I do bring home some clean clothes but not much. They are right about the shipboard laundry. They are great but I can't really be bothered. I do have my traveling clothes done the first day so I wear the same thing home as when I left.

Bring everything you want, It's better than stressing out. I use my suitcases as a hamper. I just slide them under the bed after I put everything away and then as I wear something it goes back in the suitcase and I'm 3/4 packed at the end of the cruise.

:eek: 10 pairs of shoes? If I did that, it would probably take my whole suitcase and the weight limit also! :D Being crazy about shoes, it is not easy to leave most of my precious ones home, but I just have to. I bring sneakers for the gym, sporty sandals to wear on shore, flip flops for pool and casual daytime and nice dressy shoes to fit my formal and other evening wear. That was enough last time.

And three bathing suits, as I hate getting into a wet one and they take a long time to dry. A few tops for evening with a pair of capris or skirt, an easygoing dress or two for daytime activities, a casual dress for eveningwear and then of course the formal wear (probably two dresses). That's it. Hope it will be enough, last time I way overpacked with clothes! Had like four different skirts, at least ten different tops, two capris, two shorts, one pair of jeans, three dresses for evening, two dresses for daytime, two formal dresses.. Certainly there wasn't enough time to use all of them! :D

Several Bathing Suits....and a cover up. That's what you wear on most days.....

Depends on your excursion. Shopping: a sundress or shorts

Waterbased: bathing suit and coverup.

One pair of flip flops.

Now pack you night outfits....and PLEASE don't ask what to wear to the dining room:eek: :eek:

(sundresses....slacks - of any material:D and two formal night outfits)

dressy sandals

Do I do this??? Well...not really.... But that's all I wear.

Forget the purses that match. Last time I did that I forgot to use them.

Ok - I've never been on a 7 day cruise before. I figured I'd need 2 outfits a day (14 outfits); plus a couple of swimsuits and exercise outfits. I thought about taking around 10 pairs of shoes +/-. I was thinking about shipping a box down to someone who lives in Florida that can drive it over to the ship for me.

 

My fellow cruisers say that's too much. How am I supposed to pack??? I already did the shopping! :confused:

TOOOOO much! We were just on a 9 day cruise last month and if I had to do it again...:rolleyes: ...I'd pack less. I would have taken 1 formal outfit no one remembers or cares (there were 2 formal nights) and more mix and match night time casual clothes instead of 1 for each night. Bring more daytime tops than bottoms-again mix and match. Will you have a balcony?? Bring a small $1 store clothesline. 10 pairs of shoes?? Why???? Sneakers (wear them because they are the biggest shoes) sandles, night shoes and beach shoes. EXTRA underwear because you end up taking a shower at strange times of the day and...

I had 12 machines of wash when we (the 4 of us) got home.

enjoy!

I know how reasonable all this sounds and try to take everyone's advice. Last cruise I did several pairs each black and white pants with tops that could go either way for evening. (We had 2 nights in South Beach, so I did some extras). Of course, I wanted a fancy dress for 1 evening and took special shoes for that. Our cruise had only 1 sea day, so I did shorts/skirts with a top over my swimsuit for those days. I found I liked this better for the ship's sea day because it could take you all over the ship not just at the pool. Some areas can be cold we you go back in ie: the Windjammer for lunch and snacks and then more snacks. I really take too many swimsuits but I like to have several 1 pc and 2 pc suits. You never know when too many buffets and dinners and drinks and the the warmer climate will make a 1 pc you best friend. Same with shoes and pants. I always save the slightly bigger ones for the END of the cruise.