How are you packing light for your Oceania cruise?

[bornfreenowexpensive]

We are doing a 10 day Med. cruise in the summer, plus a few days on each end, in warm climate. How to pack light, yet have a warm wrap for plane and air-conditioned dining rooms? What are men and women wearing for dinner these days?

 

Last summer we did a month in Alaska with carryon luggage only, so it can be done.

[LHT28]

I take a cardigan for the dining room

DH just wears short sleeve shirts ..or on some nights will wear his blazer.

[Ms Understood]

I have a great pashmina that I take on the plane, on the balcony and to the dining room. All purpose!

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Helen

[lyndenfa]

Oh, the cashmere blankets in the conceirge/above are so wonderful for both inside and outside the cabin. I don't think we will have that on the maiden voyage as we don't have a conceirge for that but i will miss it. (we have a verandah though).

To save space we try to bring wrinkle free and wear same 2 pair slacks to dinner (i mean we switch, not wear 2 at a time!!!) that way if one needs cleaning/laundering, the other is available.

[A Knitter]

See Bruin Steve's list. I am still laughing.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=977577&highlight=

[GrammieK]

I still try to take the kitchen sink along with me. My husband is always complaining about my knack to overpack.... After all these years, you would think he would just go along (or that I would learn to pack lightly).

[CruseKrazy]

We plan to walk the Camino trail in Spain after Regatta docks in Barcelona in April. As we are backpacking it, we plan on bringing only 10% of our bodyweight including the backpack.

 

Our bodyweights shall remain a secret! ;)

[dougt1957]

We are taking a 12 day with 3 days prior in Paris, and 1 day post in Venice in May and plan to use the laundry service several times to avoid too much luggage. I figure it makes more sense to pay for clean clothes a couple of times during the cruise instead of extra luggage fees.

[winegirl]

We'll be gone from home 18 days on our cruise, including pre and post cruise days. We've been paring down what we take for years. Here's what I've done recently:

!. Purchased a second Delsey Helium bag which is the lightest I could find. Why use your weight allotment for the suitcase? Bought in bright blue, easier to spot on the carousel. We each have our own Delsey bag plus a smaller rollaboard, 19 inches or so.

2. I don't carry a purse in addition to the rollaboard. Anything I need on the flight, medications, plus several changes of clothes go into the rollaboard. My husband and I cross pack so in the event we have to depend on one rollaboard, we'll at least have a change of clothes and some underwear, our camera and essentials. I try to minimize the items going into the quart size TSA examined bag.

3. I bring along as much wrinkle resistant clothing as possible, and roll the garments, stacking them into the bags. I use Zip lock bags as "compression" bags to increase the space in the luggage.

4. I wear my bulkiest set of shoes on the plane, will take flip flops to use as slippers and around the pool and one pair of black shoes for evening.

5. No need to take robes, I believe these are provided in our cabins. Use the robe for a cover up if you are out of space.

6. Take a light sweater, light rain jacket, and a pashmina, all of which can be rolled.

7. One purse or tote for daytime touring. A small evening handbag if room, but not essential.

8. Do not take anything provided by the ship--hairdryers, shampoo, etc.

9. I leave my expensive jewelry home. Take costume, CZ only. A few scarves can dress up most outfits and they roll into nothing.

10. I check our airline's international dimension and weight restrictions and weigh all our pieces before we go. We've never paid an overweight/oversize baggage fee. European airports can be very strict in enforcing the limits that Americans are used to skirting.

 

I find that by bringing stuff that does double duty, can be rolled into the suitcase and does not require ironing, that I enjoy the trip rather than worrying about my "stuff." I only wish my husband could pack as lightly. He likes to drag along multiple pairs of clunky men's shoes that take up a lot of space. And what is it about taking 3 or 4 belts? Can't one belt hold up the pants? I guess that's why he's "the little Prince." He packs for every eventuality and then drags all the stuff home again, unused.

[merryecho]

CruseKrazy- what a coincidence- I am considering walking the camino before my Barcelona departure for Egypt next October. Where do you plan to start your walk?

[karljoesen]

I think we just take any that give you comfortable and tidy. Just that is useful.

[merryecho]

One of my favorite travel secrets is a clothing line called Babette- I think their website is babettesf.com. Her clothes are made of a lightweight pre-wrinkled fabric that you can stuff in a sack or throw in a washer and it always looks great. The designs are modern and flattering. Only problem is it is hard to find- I used to go to San Francisco to the mother shop for it, but they put in a store here in Portland a couple of years ago. It is expensive, but classic, so doesn't go out of style.

[SunDapple]

I'm with you WineGirl, we too cross pack and only use one suitcase per person with a small carry-on each. My DH carries an old, and I mean really old, laptop computer as his carry on, and I use a Vera Bradley Miller bag in which I carry essentials for the two of us.

We will be going, hopefully, (since the earthquake we wonder how much there will be to see in Chile) on the Insignia around Cape Horn next February, and I am at a loss as to how to pack for what will essentially be two seasons, summer in Santiago and Buenos Aires, and cold weather on the rest of the cruise in Patagonia and around the Horn. Boots and sandals? Fleece hoodie and lightweight tank tops? It bogles my mind. Definitely our winter wind jackets, and my trusty cashmere pashmina, the rest is a toss up.

[sable1]

A couple of years ago we went cruising from Ushuaia to Tahiti. Was able to pack in one smallish checked bag and a computer bag as my carry on with essentials. Took some things that I left on the ship so I wouldn't have to cart them home. Parka was provided for Antarctica and the ship also had rain boots to borrow. It was a challenge to figure everything out, but it was kind of fun too. Just didn't take too many clothes, washed out things in the sink as needed.

Good luck and enjoy your cruise.

Joanne

[hondorner]

We managed in Genoa with one small checked bag for the two of us. It was only 4 days, but there were almost as many outfits needed as for a 10 day cruise. I wore my sport coat on the plane. Betsy also had her Oceania tote and I had a computer case with laptop, power strip, phone and camera chargers, cameras, etc.

 

We were encouraged enough that we are going to attempt our 24 day cruise and 3 days after in Rome with just a carry-on roller and a personal tote for each of us. We have a good assortment of wrinkle-resistant clothes we can roll and tuck, and we always manage to find one more little corner or nook where we can stick something. I may switch from the computer bag to a small duffel bag that can serve as my personal item, and squeeze a little more into that.

 

We're taking the train from Civitavecchia to Rome, and then on to the airport a couple of days later, so we want as little luggage as possible.

[sj cruiser]

I've met more than 1 person whose suitcase was lost in transit so I limit myself to what I can carry on. If I can't carry it, I don't bring it.

 

I try to use only one roll-on and one small backpack (for my computer and my 3-1-1 ziplock bag). One key is to limit the number of shoes you bring. I bring 1 pair of shoes for evening wear, 1 pair of tennis shoes and 1 pair of sandals.

 

It's also easier to pack light when you cruise with Oceania. You don't have to worry about bringing all those formal wear so my suitcase will be lighter than if I were cruising with other lines. I try to choose the thinnest shirts, shorts and pants that mix and match. Of course, if I have to pack for more than 1 season, then it's more challenging.:rolleyes:

[CruseKrazy]

CruseKrazy- what a coincidence- I am considering walking the camino before my Barcelona departure for Egypt next October. Where do you plan to start your walk?

 

Hi merryecho. Glad to see we are not the only bi-polar like people combining an Oceania cruise with a Camino pilgrimmage.

 

We plan to walk as much of it as we can in 28 days, leaving from Pamplona in early April. I like what you are planning - walk first, then be pampered on O. What are your plans?

 

Buen Camino!

 

Dave

[potterhill]

The Camino is on our bucket list but it had never ocurred to me to combine it with a cruise. What a great idea.

 

We also want to do a backpacking trip around Europe where we just take our rolling backpacks and travel by train whenever and wherever we feel like going. That might be fun to combine with a TA and and the airfare would then be covered. i wonder if there is a limit on how far in advance one can travel on a deviation.

 

Mo

[merryecho]

Crusecrazy- I am waiting until my daughter decides which college she will start in the fall, which will tell me when she starts school, and how much time I have to make the trip. But to be on the safe side I am thinking of starting in Burgos- which will probably mean taking a train from Pamplona. I think 2 weeks of walking is about as pious as I plan to get.

[volleyballmom87]

If I can't carry it, I don't bring it.

 

One key is to limit the number of shoes you bring. I bring 1 pair of shoes for evening wear, 1 pair of tennis shoes and 1 pair of sandals.

 

That alone would fill a carry-on for my DH. He has enormous feet and his shoes fill up his suitcase. I tease him about packing more than the women in his house. (he doesn't take it very well).

[sj cruiser]

You can still do it. Stuff his shoes with underwear, socks, any other small items. Wear the bulkiest shoes and you're left with just 2 pairs of shoes.