Packing Just a Carry On Bag for Alaska?

[theloo]

News article today said US airlines ate going to start cracking down on over sized over filled carryon luggage now too. Also they are considering charging for them as well. Figures :(

 

Do you know whose rules apply when you fly on partner airlines? I booked through United where my original flight included the outbound flight with AirCanada & the return with United. Due to a change in schedule my outbound is still with AirCanada, but the return is with partner AlaskaAir. Will my baggage restrictions be goverened by the actual airline I fly or also United?

[mcgratru]

3 pairs of snowpants?? Have you cruised Alaska before? I am canadian and i don't even own snowpants? Can't imagine i would need them on the cruise unless dog sledding.

[frugaltravel]

I just returned from a two week trip to Europe with just a carry on and personal item. Did laundry once. Even had a DSLR and one lens with me It can be done.

 

Re: luggage allowance - within N. America the allowance for the entire trip is based on the allowance of the airline operating the first flight.

Edited April 5, 2014 by frugaltravel

[whatcruiseisnext]

We are someof the worlds lightest packers. We have done te Caribben many times wth just carry ons and the allowed personal item. Sometimes we check one bag if we are bringing our snorkel gear. We did a three week trip....12 days of which were a cruise.....to Europe last summer with only one checked bag between us and a carry on for each of us. We are doing Alaska with the family this July and have to check a bag only because the family wants to do formal nights. We used to do all the foraml nights on a cruise but usually we bow out now. Without doing formal nights, it is definitely doable.

[Summerl30]

I've found a few dresses that can be folded up small that are still appropriate for formal nights (not my fav dresses, but to pack light I'll take them), but not sure if dh will have enough space for a suit if we don't bring a big suitcase. We'll see. Technically we can pack up to 1 suitcase each with no penalty on all but one of our flights. So we will just see.

 

 

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[PNW Traveler]

I always travel with just a carry-on and a small travel shoulder/crossbody bag. My carry-on weighs 6 lb. empty and meets European airlines standard which is smaller than the 22 inch expandable bags. It has good wheels and multiple outside zip pockets. On my last cruise to Europe (Nov-Dec) my bag weighed 19 lb. total when I left home and 22 lb. when I returned. We were gone for 3 weeks including a week in London pre-cruise.

I don't wear or pack jeans. They are heavy. I coordinate around the basic color black and vary with lightweight scarves (silk is lightweight and warm) and very few small pieces of costume jewelry that fit into a tiny bag.

I have invested in clothing that travels well and can be washed out in a hotel or cruise ship sink - clothing that looks "business casual" nice and is not styled for hiking. Ex Officio makes some great tops for both men and women. LL Bean and Ex Officio offer travel worthy jackets and pants. Consider high tech synthetic fabrics that are lightweight and don't wrinkle. The newer fabrics are comfortable and beat cotton for travel. Weigh your shoes before you decide they are suitable for travel. I take one pair for walking and a lightweight pair for dress. Skirts can mix with tops and take up less room than a dress. Layer a lightweight quality fleece or primaloft vest under a rain jacket and you will be warm and dry. DH has a lightweight travel blazer that is crushable microfiber - works if we choose the dining room for formal night. We don't take "formal" clothes per se - just too much weight. His size 13 shoes would take up most of his carry-on!

BTW - we both are camera addicts, so the small totes have our favorite small size camera gear and kindles.

[varoo]

For Americans, one tip for packing light on an Alaska cruise is to check out where the post offices close to the piers are located.

 

You can get a flat rate box to send back anything you buy along the way, and anything heavy that you don't want to schlep back yourself.

(Maybe someone else will know if they offer something equivalent for international packages.)

 

Also, some of the Alaska stores provide free shipping of products you buy from them.

 

 

Using the ship's laundry service enables us to pack light.

Apparently some people enjoy spending vacation time doing their own laundry, but I am not one of them.

 

It seems that each person develops his/her own packing method.

I bought packing cubes when I first heard about them as they seemed like a great idea.

It turned out that they took up too much room in the suitcase and I could not fit in as many clothes with the packing cubes.

 

So I stopped using them and went back to my old method of packing with clear plastic bags.

 

The same with the over-the-door shoe bag, which also seemed like a good idea. I bought one, used it once and found it unnecessary.

Some people love them.

 

An advantage to a forum like this is being able to look over all the various suggestions from different people, and then figuring out what works best for you.

 

[shiner6]

We usually pack a "pop up" laundry holder. Helps corrale dirty clothes and is light weight. A small one folds compactly and takes up very little space in a carryon

 

 

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Edited April 17, 2014 by shiner6

[roperswifeme]

"Kudos" to those that can...I'm not one of you and never will be.

 

I actually don't care for those that drag their over-stuffed carryons and cram them into the luggage bins above my head, moving my small bag out of their way....Sorry for the rant but this is happening more and more lately. :(

 

Unfortunately yes this is happening, the prices for checked luggage is so high now that most feel they would rather pack carry on.

[fleckle]

My own father was one of those who used to check all his bags and carry on only the bare minimum

 

He always complained about frequent flyers like us who carry on as much as possible and could not understand why we travel this way.

 

But he himself flew only a few times each year and the airlines had not yet lost or misrouted or delayed his checked luggage.

 

That was until the trip when his checked luggage didn't show up at baggage claim.

Then the light bulb went on and ever after that he joined the ranks of the rest of us who rely on our carry-on bags.

 

Even if it should me cost me twice as much to carry on a bag as to check it, I would still carry on as much as possible every time.

 

Edited April 20, 2014 by fleckle

[klgrock]

A toboggan is also a knit cap. I chuckled when I first read it since I hadn't heard that term in a while.

[fabrikhore]

I'm working on my packing list....

 

I'm flying into Vancouver a day early, 7 day northbound cruise, a full day in anchorage before flying home....

 

Can I get away with just a carry on bag?

I wish I could - I am travelling with my elderly Mom at the end of May and my list keeps growing.

[skibyrd]

We are likely to do this to Alaska also. Managed this with a 3 week trip to Europe - did check one of the carry on size bags to get some liquids in. Never did do laundry. The packing video was what we lived by and it worked great. We had free checked bags but the one bag we checked between 4 of us was delayed a full day. You need to do a lot of planning and perhaps new clothes - lighter and more packable, and it is possible without stuffing it so large it does not fit in overhead!!

[varoo]

I wish I could - I am travelling with my elderly Mom at the end of May and my list keeps growing.

For most elderly passengers, the greatest addition to their carry-on luggage will be large quantities of medications, and often a cane or walker.

 

You can carry those right on the airplane with you in addition to the standard allowance for carry-on items.

They may ask you to gate check a walker if there isn't room in the cabin for it.

 

But when bringing aboard large quantities of medications in addition to the regular carry-on allowance, you are expected to declare them up front as you enter the security area.

 

Then place them in a bin to pass through the x-ray machine so that you do not give the impression that you are trying to conceal anything.

 

We have done this many times when going through airport security with elderly passengers, or even younger ones who required extra medication, and have never had a problem, even with liquids in large containers.

 

The same applies when carrying formula in bottles or jars for infants.

 

They wave us right on through and rarely even stop the conveyer belt to examine them closely.

But the important thing is to declare it up front so it does not look like you are trying to get away with anything.

I would carry the prescriptions for such medications as well, even though nobody has ever yet asked us for them, even for international flights.

 

Edited April 21, 2014 by varoo

[travel281]

If it has not already been suggested, roll your clothes and pack them in the bag. You can get more clothes in the bag if you roll them and do not fold them. Your carry on should be fine.

[Kittybork]

"Kudos" to those that can...I'm not one of you and never will be.

 

I actually don't care for those that drag their over-stuffed carryons and cram them into the luggage bins above my head, moving my small bag out of their way....Sorry for the rant but this is happening more and more lately. :(

 

 

I agree. Carry ons take up too much time and space. Those people should pay not those who pack a suitcase and put it where it should be: cargo.