Just a carry-on...how??

[slm517]

People with one carryon each have decided not to take very much stuff. If they are flying, they are down to minimal liquids to meet the 3-1-1 rules. They either do laundry or just reware stuff.

 

This is not necessarily true. I typically travel carry-on only and I NEVER do laundry, ALWAYS dress up for dinner, and I NEVER wear clothing twice (except bathing suits, I usually only pack 2-3).

 

I travel carry-on only because while I have never had an airline lose my luggage, as 6'1" female, the though of having to purchase clothing in another country is simply too scary to imagine.

[riffatsea]

I have not checked a suitcase on a plane for years and years now! I don't do laundry either and I DO dress up for elegant night! I have lots of little slinky dresses that pack easily. We do not wear the same clothing day after day either! We often find that after 10 days or so we still have things we haven't worn.

We take one rolling carryon + a backpack or my large tote. The key is color coordinating so you don't need a lot of shoes which take up tons of room.

Mostly the clothing /shoes goes into the carryon and the cosmetics/jewelry,sundries etc. goes into the backpack.

It CAN be done!

[Bestbubba]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice and clever tips....I'm still not convinced I could do this but I am going to try with just one checked bag and two carry-ons when we fly to Sydney next March.....British Airways are very particular about the size of carry-ons, they measure them in a nasty little metal cage when you check-in....no bulging side pockets allowed:rolleyes:

 

Sue

[agabbymama]

We did a carry-on only for my week in Maui (myself, daughter & granddaughter). Going was fine, even had a little extra room in the bags. Returning home with our purchases was another thing altogether. We ended up mailing a box home and everything was still stuffed into those bags. Fortunately we also had good sized totes (as purses) for some of the overflow. That was a warm climate (shorts, t-shirts, flip-flop) type vacation.

 

When we did our Med cruise there is no way we could do 21 days out of a carry-on (nor do I want to). We had a 25" suitcase and a 20" carry-on. We were limited to 44 lbs in the checked bag and 11 lbs in the carry-on. We made it, but again the return trip home was indeed fun. We were leaving worn clothes in the hotels, throwing out old underwear, and all the travel guide books I had purchased at $100 were left in the last hotel in Venice. No way I'm doing laundry or dishes on a VACATION!!! Everytime I've tried to do laundry in the sink, IT NEVER DRIES.

 

We each travel the way we feel most comfortable.

[Bookish Angel]

We take clothes than can be washed in the self-service laundry, don't take much in the way of electronics or non-essentials.

 

One hour out of 10 days to do laundry is a a small price to pay in order to travel light and to not have to worry about lost luggage.

[g-didi]

I first saw this article about carryon only http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/05/06/business/businessspecial/20100506-pack-ss.html

 

I decided to give it a try and it is now my preferred way to travel. I usually pack less than the lady demonstrates - wear a pair of jeans on the plane with my heaviest sweater and clunkiest shoes. A lot of jersey dresses and nylon-y type pants etc do roll up really small. Summer cotton dresses work out well for me too.

 

I have found it quite easy to get by for a week with a carryon. Yes I do wash my delicates by hand in the sink and they dry overnight - I dont consider this any extra work as I do this at home too and takes no time at all. Nothing else requires washing - I have enough to get by for the week.

 

I especially love arriving at the airport - I wait for the people to rush off the plane in a crazy rush to be first and then saunter by them while they wait at the carousel for their things.

[wldflr]

DH and I did a week cruise with just a carry-on each back in Aug. 2000 when we did a Barefoot Windjammer cruise (they're not around anymore in the Caribbean, bummer!). That cruise line specifically told its passengers not to check luggage with the airlines cause if your suitcase didn't make it to the island where you boarded, it would not catch up with the ship at all.

 

The cruise itself was very casual, as you can guess, wearing shorts, t-shirts, swimsuits and sandals all week. No formal nights - shorts/t-shirts were ok in the tiny dining room. Small ship with only 165 passengers but we got to see islands the big ships can't visit.

 

So I suppose if you want to go on the big ships and be mostly casual all week...it can be done. Rent a tux or dress if nec. from the ship.

[mizLORInj]

While I don't do this, my friend does, and we make sure we're on a ship that has a launderette to be able to wash clothes.

[MrsPete]

Packing in a carry-on really isn't hard:

 

A rolling carry-on isn't all that small; most are 21-24" and have a zipper that opens up to give you an extra 3" or so of space. So you can pack two "stacks" of clothes side-by-side in that. That's easily a pair of shorts and a shirt for every day of a 7-day cruise . . . plus undies, nightgowns, and 2-3 bathing suits, 2 cover-ups, and a pair of flip-flops and a second pair of sandals. That's without skimping on a single thing.

 

If you're going to dress for dinner, you can still manage to stick to one carry-on by planning to re-wear the shorts. Renting formal wear onboard is a good plan too -- and probably doesn't cost any more than bringing extra bags on the plane.

 

In addition to the rolling carry-on, I bring a tote bag (which doubles as an island bag), and that contains my toiletries, a couple screw-top sodas, my Kindle, and my cameras.

 

The biggest single thing you can do to cut down on bag size is to bring fewer shoes. Extra shirts or swimsuits don't take up much space. The same cannot be said of shoes. And do you really notice other people's shoes? Wear your bulkiest shoes as you board.

 

Of course, being a small person helps. And while my suitcase is easy, my husband's isn't. I can't do anything about the size of his huge dress shoes and his suit jacket.

 

The real key is NOT bringing along a bunch of stuff you don't need.

[cantw8togo]

As an aside, some people have carry-on luggage which is huge and puffed and does not fit in the overhead bins. They let them take it. Not fair to those who like their carry-ons in the overhead bins.

 

I make sure that it fits into one of those luggage sizers. As well, different airlines have different size requirements, especially if you are travelling on a different country's airline. If I have picked up some souvenirs and it won't fit in the suitcase without unzipping the expander, then I plan on checking the suitcase. It is not such a big deal to check bags on the way home since it's not as crucial if it gets lost. Not having your luggage at the start on your holiday is a much bigger crisis and is not a great way to start off a relaxing holiday.

 

Give it a try! You won't be sorry!!msk1

 

As a reformed overpacker, I agree that it can be done and the peace of mind is liberating. If there is anything that you have forgotten, you can buy either before you board or on the ship. You don't need to bring a ton of just in case items. This was my main concern and it turned out that I really didn't need a lot of the things that I was literally dragging around.

 

The key is to plan out what you are going to wear each day or at least enough outfits for each day and be sure to mix and match. Accessories can change up an outfit and pashmina type shawls take hardly any room at all and are handy in the MDR if it is cool. I don't wash out undies as I figure that they take up so little room and I can find room in the outer pockets. Socks usually get stuffed into shoes to help keep their shape. I travel in a pair of runners and pack a pair of sandals and a pair of heels. I also take one or two dressier items to wear in the MDR.

 

When packing a rolling carry on suitcase, I make sure that I level out the lumpy bottom. I fold shirts or pants so that they fit snuggly into this area.

 

This way of packing didn't come naturally to me at first and it took a trip or two to pare down enough to fit into two carry ons. Don't go cold turkey. Perhaps you could try paring down to one less suitcase or at least a smaller suitcase for your next trip and take a note of what you really didn't use. Once you realize that you really don't need a lot of the stuff you have been taking, you won't look back.

[Niele da Kine]

We usually cruise out of our climate zone and don't have any clothing warm enough for spring in Alaska anyway so we just take a carry on. We go a couple of days early to enjoy the port city before the cruise and to hit the thrift shops to get all the warm weather wear we need for the cruise. After the cruise we give the extra clothes back to the thrift shop and it's cheaper to buy and use the thrift shop clothes for a week than to check luggage. Our island has very limited clothing sources so buying what we need there works best for us.

 

Other folks don't pay that much attention to what you're wearing anyway. Get something that you feel good in and go for that.

[luckybecky]

I've also been working hard to learn to pack light and have been making some progress. I love, love, love being able to walk out of the airport straight from the plane, without having to go through baggage claim and watch that conveyor belt, praying that my bag will show up!

 

My husband and I each bought a suitcase that is exactly the size you need for carryon. It has a zipper which allows it to expand a couple of inches if you need the extra space, but which will put it over the allowable size. Nice to have this flexibility. But the best thing about these suitcases is that they do NOT have wheels.

 

Every suitcase that has wheels has an infrastructure for the handle and wheel mechanism that takes away from your packing space. Our suitcases are the same size as a carry-on rolling bag, but have considerably more actual packing space available. Instead of wheels, we have shoulder straps that allow us to carry our suitcases like a backpack.

 

I love it! I can easily navigate stairs, escalators, curbs, cobblestones, sand, potholes, or any other surface. While others are heaving their suitcases over obstacles, I am gliding along with my suitcase on my back. If interested, google the "mother lode weekender."

 

It's true that I wouldn't want to climb Mt. Everest with this weight on my back, but so far this way of packing has been wonderful for me. We also use many of the other tips mentioned here: lightweight synthetic clothes, washing items as we go along, etc.

 

Good luck!

 

Becky

[sparky-elpaso]

As far as I'm concerned a 22" - 24" bag isn't a carry-on. If it can't fit wheels-in on the 2 seat side of an aircraft it should be checked because it's taking up the room of 2 bags if it has to go in sideways. Which may mean that there's not room for my much smaller bag. I'd like to see the airlines go back to only allowing the smaller bags. When I bought our carry-ons (several years ago) I checked all the airlines requirements and used the smaller of the measurements for our bags.

[riffatsea]

I agree that anything over 22" is NOT a carryon bag!

IF I am flying my rolling bag is now down to a 20" one.

IF we are driving to the port then I use my 22" bag.

BTW these measurements are supposed to include the wheels.

[cruisemom42]

My husband and I each bought a suitcase that is exactly the size you need for carryon. It has a zipper which allows it to expand a couple of inches if you need the extra space, but which will put it over the allowable size. Nice to have this flexibility. But the best thing about these suitcases is that they do NOT have wheels.

 

Every suitcase that has wheels has an infrastructure for the handle and wheel mechanism that takes away from your packing space. Our suitcases are the same size as a carry-on rolling bag, but have considerably more actual packing space available. Instead of wheels, we have shoulder straps that allow us to carry our suitcases like a backpack.

 

I love it! I can easily navigate stairs, escalators, curbs, cobblestones, sand, potholes, or any other surface. While others are heaving their suitcases over obstacles, I am gliding along with my suitcase on my back. If interested, google the "mother lode weekender."

 

Becky

 

Thanks so much for posting this. :) I often travel solo in Europe, using trains, etc to get around and I have been looking for a good bag like this. I bought one last fall that was a backpack-type bag like this one, but I made the mistake of thinking I should get one with wheels. Wrong! Like you said, the gear for the wheels and handle take up a lot of space and add a lot of weight as well. This looks perfect for me (and it is about $100 cheaper than the one I returned).

[luckybecky]

Thanks so much for posting this. :) I often travel solo in Europe, using trains, etc to get around and I have been looking for a good bag like this. I bought one last fall that was a backpack-type bag like this one, but I made the mistake of thinking I should get one with wheels. Wrong! Like you said, the gear for the wheels and handle take up a lot of space and add a lot of weight as well. This looks perfect for me (and it is about $100 cheaper than the one I returned).

 

Great! I'm glad it looks like something that will work for you. I've been very happy with it and it has good reviews from others. It is true that you need the right gear if you are really committed to packing as light as possible.

 

Becky

[javinn]

I have done:

a two week South American cruise

a two week Mediterranean cruise

a two week safari and

a one week transatlantic cruise preceded by a one week land trip

 

Brava ,ukbecky! We are Senior Citizens and have traveled with only one carry-on roller bag each and a day pack for:

1 month in Great Britain x2, one month in Italy going on x3.( the 1st four trips by plane and this time cruising over and flying back) . ,and 4 Carribean cruises, 1 Alaskan cruise all with NCL. We have never dressed as if we were going to a Denny's....Now THAT option we would never pick for our travel.

Your list is accurate and clever. (I picked up a few tricks) Microfiber fabrics have made packing lighter and much more efficient. I use a lot of slinky and admit that I sometimes do overpack which leaves some things unworn,but I like options. My husband is a practical, tidy and economical packer. We are not afraid to wash underwear in the sinks and take clothes with us that dry quickly and pack lightly. We are about to embark on a Transatlantic Cruise for 13 days this spring, followed by two more weeks in Italy. We plan to do the "bag of wash " on the ship and then mix and match as you do while in Barcelona and in Italy. We have never received disapproving looks or felt out of place. For my husband , one nice shirt that washes and dries well is sufficient and for me a black slinky top, a shrug or scarf and some nice but not necessarily expensive jewelry has allowed us to eat anywhere on a cruise ship or in Italy or GB or the US for that matter. This way of travel IS freeing and certainly takes the worry out of lost luggage and the hassle at the luggage claim.

I feel really sorry for people who are standing in long luggage check -in lines or waiting at baggage claim. Cutting back on packing and not checking luggage is actually kind of challenging and does not mean you are not clean or well dressed