Carry on baggage only?

Does anyone manage to pack using carry on only. I have only done 1 week cruises before and always had baggage allowance included in my flight. I always have too many clothes, but tend to take other stuff to cover every eventually or disaster! I now find myself on a two week cruise and no baggage allowance included with my flight. Suggestions?

Does anyone manage to pack using carry on only. I have only done 1 week cruises before and always had baggage allowance included in my flight. I always have too many clothes, but tend to take other stuff to cover every eventually or disaster! I now find myself on a two week cruise and no baggage allowance included with my flight. Suggestions?

Not us. Do what we do and pay the ripoff baggage fee. Consider it along with your airline cost part of the Cruise expense.

Many people who fly to cruises take a carry-on only. There are multiple threads giving packing tips for those who want to lighten the load. It's merely a choice of weighing the pros/cons of a doing two week cruise with only a carry-on (will you be paying for ship's laundry or doing laundry in the sink?) versus paying an airline fee (generally about $25 for the first checked bag).

I've done carryon many times - not a problem at all! Especially nowadays where we don't have to bring formalwear! Remember, in addition to the space in the carryon, you can also wear a lot of your pieces on the airplane including biggest/heaviest shoes, skirt or pants, top, sweater and jacket. Typically, I would pack 2 skirts, 1 pair pants, 5 tops, lightweight knit 2 sweaters, 1 lightweight jacket, 1 swimsuit, 1 night shirt, toiletries, water shoes, sandals and underwear for a Caribbean cruise. From that, I can make 15+ different outfits! I have the taxi stop on the way to the port at a drugstore and pick up:

shampoo

conditioner

antiperspirant

toothpaste

sunscreen

and any other liquid product I might need.

The biggest tip I can give you is to choose a neutral and a color - like black, tan, cream, navy or white for the base pieces (pants, skirts, dress, jacket, sweater) and colors for the tops, then mix and match.

Many people who fly to cruises take a carry-on only. There are multiple threads giving packing tips for those who want to lighten the load. It's merely a choice of weighing the pros/cons of a doing two week cruise with only a carry-on (will you be paying for ship's laundry or doing laundry in the sink?) versus paying an airline fee (generally about $25 for the first checked bag).

It has nothing to do with a measly $25 and everything to do with hauling that luggage around--often up stairs where there is no elevator in a flat or hotel or the subway, on and off trains and ferries, and cabs in many countries are small and simply can't carry an entire wardrobe, the kitchen sink, and uncle Stan's accordion, just in case.

I typically hand wash one or two items every day, takes about three minutes. Add that up over two weeks, and it's less than a quarter of the time spent waiting to check in and claim bags.

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As a previous poster said, it is a matter of mix and match (I toss out any top or pants that cannot go with three other pieces), small size toiletries (the ships have some, too), and a total of three pairs of shoes, including the ones you wear.

Was on a 16-day Baltic in July plus two days in Copenhagen first with a carry-on and a large "purse." I wore the heaviest stuff, limited jewelry and cosmetics but still took my cruise-ship emergency med kit. A few minutes for undies in the sink every few days, and that was it. It was a challenge, but worth the effort. Biggest challenge was leaving enough room to bring home SOME sort of gift for family members!

Oh, the cosmetics--forgot that! I, like most women, have a bag full of them, most of which never get used. I take a smaller bag and pack only what I will be using. I always start a new loose powder, blush, and mascara.

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It has nothing to do with a measly $25 and everything to do with hauling that luggage around--often up stairs where there is no elevator in a flat or hotel or the subway, on and off trains and ferries, and cabs in many countries are small and simply can't carry an entire wardrobe, the kitchen sink, and uncle Stan's accordion, just in case.

 

I typically hand wash one or two items every day, takes about three minutes. Add that up over two weeks, and it's less than a quarter of the time spent waiting to check in and claim bags.

 

 

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Well, then you have logically weighed the pros/cons of the totality of the circumstances and have come to the conclusion that is best for you. Others have happily come to a different conclusion. C'est la vie.

Buck --

We did a 26-day TransAtlantic and Mediterranean to Venice, with a carry-on case and a daypack, each. I did one sink-full of handwash every couple days, using 1/4-sheets of WashEZE. I washed things I now would send to the ship's laundry, like DH's cargo pants! Things that cannot stand hot-wash-hot-dry can be dry-cleaned on the ship for barely more than city DC prices.

We only do carry-on for any trip now. Sometimes you have to gate check, but at least you're relatively confident your luggage is on the same airplane with you that way!

We do not wear our heaviest/bulkiest shoes, but ones that slip off easily at security and in the seat (for long flights). Pack the hiking shoes full of socks! And I no longer insist that everything must go with everything else, but each "bottom" must have (at least) two tops -- then a jacket or sweater than goes over all.

It's worthwhile to note that we got to this point over 25+ years of international travel. I don't shame anyone who wants to bring a 24" (checked) suitcase for a week's cruise to Alaska! But it is important to me to be able to handle all of my luggage by myself, for early disembarkation and travel in general.

We have been traveling with carry on only since retiring past five years ago.. A 20 inch roller each plus on very small pouch for the ipad. We stopped bothering with formal nights well before that. They lost their appeal plus we were not about to pack those necessaries for a few hours on two or three evenings. We got tired of returning from trips only to discover that there were items that we never wore or seldom used.

We take the same carry on for a week or three months of land travel. Leaving in two weeks for a cruise plus 7 weeks independent travel in South and Central America. It will be carry on for both of us.

We do it because we need to be able to physically handle our bags on trains, buses, ferries, rentals,etc. It was difficult at first but now we would not have it any other way. It is so liberating. We shop for layered clothes that travel and wash easily. Two pair of shoes each. One pair on our feet, the other in the bag. This is not for everyone.

Where do you get the WashEze? I usually just use a dab of shampoo or shower gel. You are brave washing things like cargo pants. I send things like that out. I hand wash my underwear, silk knits, yoga duds, bathing suits, etc.

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Where do you get the WashEze? I usually just use a dab of shampoo or shower gel. You are brave washing things like cargo pants. I send things like that out. I hand wash my underwear, silk knits, yoga duds, bathing suits, etc.

 

 

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Go to WashEze webpage; they sell them right there.

I usually bring a small container of dark and of regular Woolite if I'm going to handwash.

What made it easier for us was starting with our 20" rollers and then filling them instead of starting with a pile of things that we wanted to take.

Our decision was not based on luggage fees. Indeed, we would be willing to pay a fee for carry on. It made our travel much easier. We found it to be a huge benefit the two or three times that we missed air connections and had to reschedule. Much easier when you do not have checked bags.

I've done carryon many times - not a problem at all! Especially nowadays where we don't have to bring formalwear! Remember, in addition to the space in the carryon, you can also wear a lot of your pieces on the airplane including biggest/heaviest shoes, skirt or pants, top, sweater and jacket. Typically, I would pack 2 skirts, 1 pair pants, 5 tops, lightweight knit 2 sweaters, 1 lightweight jacket, 1 swimsuit, 1 night shirt, toiletries, water shoes, sandals and underwear for a Caribbean cruise. From that, I can make 15+ different outfits! I have the taxi stop on the way to the port at a drugstore and pick up:

shampoo

conditioner

antiperspirant

toothpaste

sunscreen

and any other liquid product I might need.

 

The biggest tip I can give you is to choose a neutral and a color - like black, tan, cream, navy or white for the base pieces (pants, skirts, dress, jacket, sweater) and colors for the tops, then mix and match.

I like your ideas but not sure I could manage with 1 bathing suit for 2 weeks and I do like my sundresses, which I do double up for evening and day wear!

Where do you get the WashEze? I usually just use a dab of shampoo or shower gel. You are brave washing things like cargo pants. I send things like that out. I hand wash my underwear, silk knits, yoga duds, bathing suits, etc.

I found the WashEze on Amazon. I also use a pump of the shower gel for a single item or if the suds from a (quarter) sheet of WE doesn't last through the socks etc I am washing. On Holland America I suppose I could plan just to use that.

My hands no longer want to manipulate even thin nylon cargos! And if you're somewhere where it's humid, things don't dry promptly (!) -- sometimes it is worth it sending out.

I found the WashEze on Amazon. I also use a pump of the shower gel for a single item or if the suds from a (quarter) sheet of WE doesn't last through the socks etc I am washing. On Holland America I suppose I could plan just to use that.

 

My hands no longer want to manipulate even thin nylon cargos! And if you're somewhere where it's humid, things don't dry promptly (!) -- sometimes it is worth it sending out.

Yes, the drying is an issue. That's why you need more than one bathing suit, it never seems to dry overnight. The thin microfibre men's ones do, but mine don't! 😁

2 weeks would be difficult but I routinely pack for 1 week in a carry on. For 7 day warm weather cruise you need 3 pairs of shorts, 5 shirts, 1 sweatshirt, 1 pair pants, 1 bathing suit, 1 nice outfit, 1 pair sneakers, 1 pair sandals, underwear/socks, and a small bag of travel size toiletries. You wear the jeans, sweatshirt, and a shirt on the plane along w your sneakers. Everything else should fit easily in a carryon. If you bring workout type shirts you can also wash those and the underwear in the sink easily for multiple wears, just hang in bathroom to dry.

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2 weeks would be difficult but I routinely pack for 1 week in a carry on. For 7 day warm weather cruise you need 3 pairs of shorts, 5 shirts, 1 sweatshirt, 1 pair pants, 1 bathing suit, 1 nice outfit, 1 pair sneakers, 1 pair sandals, underwear/socks, and a small bag of travel size toiletries. You wear the jeans, sweatshirt, and a shirt on the plane along w your sneakers. Everything else should fit easily in a carryon. If you bring workout type shirts you can also wash those and the underwear in the sink easily for multiple wears, just hang in bathroom to dry.

 

 

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I can't imagine bringing something bulky like a sweatshirt--or wearing jeans--to a warm weather climate.

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Can you travel with only carry on luggage? The answer is obviously yes, given all the previous replies. We have done several land trips of 2-3 weeks in Europe where we were hopping to several places and using trains. I can't imagine hauling large suitcases in those circumstances. And as long as you are OK with the necessity of doing laundry one, or several, times during your cruise, then you should be fine. Even the liquids restrictions of carry on aren't a big deal. If you need to, it's usually easy to stop at a drug store in your embarkation city to pick up a few necessities.

Having said that, for cruises, we would pay the additional checked luggage fee. I'm not hauling that suitcase all over the place- only from the airport to the taxi, and then from the taxi to the cruise pier. I can pack enough for the cruise so that I only need to rinse out a few undies and bathing suits. And I don't have to worry that the ships laundry will ruin my clothing. For me, the additional cost (less than dinner in one specialty restaurant) is worth it.

I can't imagine bringing something bulky like a sweatshirt--or wearing jeans--to a warm weather climate.

 

 

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I applaud the poster's foresight. Although I would wear those on the plane, not pack them. We were on one cruise out of PC that was positively chilly on the first and last day, and the heavier clothes (which we needed for our return to the frozen North ) came in very handy.

I applaud the poster's foresight. Although I would wear those on the plane, not pack them. We were on one cruise out of PC that was positively chilly on the first and last day, and the heavier clothes (which we needed for our return to the frozen North ) came in very handy.

Long pants in cotton twill are just as warm and take half the space. There are plenty of fabrics that are as warm as a sweatshirt and a lot lighter and lower volume--merino wool is a good start.

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I did say to wear the jeans and sweatshirt, so it adds no bulk to the luggage. yes, when leaving from Florida, it definitely gets cool enough outside at night for me to want a sweatshirt or long pants, and in the A/C on the boat I'm always in a sweatshirt when I'm inside. Usually shorts and t-shirt for outside and bring the sweatshirt for when I go inside.

I can pack a rolling carry-on, a large laptop computer bag with a small computer, and my CPAP machine. I can cram a lot of stuff on me and in the bags. I can strap/or one or both bags to the carry-on. I also tend to pack some items to throw away.

I have done this on several trips. Then trimmed things down and just take a tablet. No computers anymore.

Yes on the merino wool. I always have a merino cardigan on my packing (or wearing) list. If I was going on a trip with extremely varied climates, I would pack light and medium weight trousers and silk long underwear bottoms, and probably the top too. That said, if you live in a hoodie or sweatshirt and jeans, like my mom does -- no reason not to take them. There IS room in a carry-on-sized suitcase for quite a lot; you just have to make your choices.

And yes on technology. My Samsung Note3 "phablet" has taken the place of computer (for email and more), Kindle, alarm clock, and camera. It does eat up batteries when used so constantly, but extra batteries and a couple chargers (plus a short non-surge-protected multi-outlet cord) take up way less room than the things it replaces.

We use 19" backpacks whether we fly or drive to port. It has less to do with baggage fees but moreso lower risk of loss and just being quicker in general. Its quicker to get around, in an out of airports, taxis, shuttles etc. Packing and unpacking are also simpler and quicker. We switched over to carry on only a few years ago and haven't looked back once. That includes trips of up to 2+ weeks with full snorkel gear along. Previous posters have shared some great advice ! We use Ebags TLS Motherlode Convertible Junior.