Backpack for Alaskan Landtour

[Muscovites]

Has anyone been successful in finding a backpack or rucksack within the size 17" x 14" x 4"? Princess say we need a bag no bigger than this for our landtour. Anyone any suggestions where we could get something this size or smaller - I have scoured all websites I can think of and everything I look at seems bigger. Many thanks for any suggestions.

 

Isobel.

[cruiserdru]

Isobel,

 

I am assuming that you are looking for a bag for under the seat on the bus and/or train for the items you need access to during the day and know you will have a larger bag 'under' the bus that you will have at the hotel each night.

 

That said, have you looked at the Eagle Creek Nelly Small Day Pack? It is 15x10x3.

 

or the Eagle Creek Travel Bug Backpack at 9.5x12.5x4?

 

or the Eagle Creek Travel Bug Mini at 9.5x15x4.5? Don't know why this one is called the mini when it is bigger that the previous one.

 

You can search the names online to find them and prices. A lot of places may also have 10-20% discount on the regular prices.

 

If you are not familiar with the brand, they have a lifetime guarantee and they will repair damage for free and replace if necessary. I just ordered one of their larger bags and got 20% off. Two different online places were offering the discount.

[Loonbeam]

In reality, a standard college backpack will fit under most seats. There are a few seats that have smaller spaces due to equipment boxes, etc which is why they have to post a max size. I used my regular photo backpack with no issues to carry most of our stuff and if we hit a smaller one, my wife's purse went there.

[mytime53]

I'll second the idea to look at Eagle Creek...we haven't looked at their backpacks, but we have their luggage and a few other products, and love it! Remember a backpack squishes, so it can be larger than those dimensions...just don't stuff it to the max. I've had a difficult time finding a good travel day pack. They make some packs with so many compartments now that you can't find anything...plus it adds weight (my 2nd big complaint about many day packs). Think about what you want to carry in it and then go to the largest sporting goods stores you can find; check out every pack. Try more than one store, as they often carry different brands. If you are using this strictly to carry stuff on transportation, and not hiking around with it, something like a beach bag (one that zips up) might fill the bill. That's what I frequently use in our travels, as long as DH has a backpack along.

[Muscovites]

Thanks for all your helpful responses. I have found a site offering Eagle Creek products in the UK, so I'll look at those and get something there. Should have asked everyone here for their help before I spent days looking for something the right size! Thanks again.

 

Isobel.

[Muscovites]

Isobel,

 

Hi Cruiserdru - that is exactly what we wanted the backpack for - and we will have our luggage underneath the transportation for delivery at night. Thanks so much for all the detail on the Eagle Creek backpacks - that is so, so useful. Thanks too for realising exactly what we needed it for. Its hard sometimes to explain concisely what you need and why.

 

Thanks again. Take care.

 

Isobel.

[BRANDEE]

Thanks for all your helpful responses. I have found a site offering Eagle Creek products in the UK, so I'll look at those and get something there. Should have asked everyone here for their help before I spent days looking for something the right size! Thanks again.

 

Isobel.

 

Hi Isobel,

 

Loved Princess' land tour!

 

I used a tote bag ,with a zipper, close to the size of the Eagle Creek day pack.

 

The bus was a glass observation tour bus, so no overhead storage. Your bag had to fit under the seat or stay in your lap.

 

The train is also an observation car. There was no under the seat storage, so the bag is at your feet for the ride. On our observation car we sat at a table of four with a bench seat for two on each side. Not too much room under the table. That is when we realized why a size limit was given. Have fun!!

Edited April 16, 2014 by BRANDEE

[Pam in CA]

I used a Kipling rolling backpack. In the UK, you can search Amazon for either Eagle Creek or Kipling, or another brand.

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kipling%20rolling%20backpack&sprefix=kipling+ro%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Akipling%20rolling%20backpack

[cruiserdru]

Isobel,

 

Hi Cruiserdru - that is exactly what we wanted the backpack for - and we will have our luggage underneath the transportation for delivery at night. Thanks so much for all the detail on the Eagle Creek backpacks - that is so, so useful. Thanks too for realising exactly what we needed it for. Its hard sometimes to explain concisely what you need and why.

 

Thanks again. Take care.

 

Isobel.

 

Isobel,

 

Look at my countdown (assume you can see it) - I am on a landtour on 6/10 and sail on the Crown on 6/14. :)

[hoosier_done_it]

Hi Isobel,

 

Loved Princess' land tour!

 

I used a tote bag ,with a zipper, close to the size of the Eagle Creek day pack.

 

The bus was a glass observation tour bus, so no overhead storage. Your bag had to fit under the seat or stay in your lap.

 

The train is also an observation car. There was no under the seat storage, so the bag is at your feet for the ride. On our observation car we sat at a table of four with a bench seat for two on each side. Not too much room under the table. That is when we realized why a size limit was given. Have fun!!

 

Has anyone had any luck (good or bad) with using a small/medium backpack and just not jamming it full? An example would be http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/79241?feat=1098-GN2&page=l-l-bean-continental-rucksack which just happens to be what I own and I'm hoping to take to Alaska in June.

[birdiebill]

We just used a small tote of the correct size. It fit under the motorcoach seat and under the train car seat. We take it on all our cruises for our passports, iPad, camera, boarding pass, prescription meds and other documents. Works well, but you can't carry it on your back.

[geoherb]

Has anyone had any luck (good or bad) with using a small/medium backpack and just not jamming it full? An example would be http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/79241?feat=1098-GN2&page=l-l-bean-continental-rucksack which just happens to be what I own and I'm hoping to take to Alaska in June.

That's about the size I used on our land tour. It fit fine. I used it for my water bottle and snacks, binoculars, and camera. The tightest fit we had was on the bus on the tour into Denali, but even then it fit.

[Muscovites]

 

Isobel,

 

Look at my countdown (assume you can see it) - I am on a landtour on 6/10 and sail on the Crown on 6/14. :)

 

Sorry - I hadn't noticed it but see it now. We're doing it the other way round, the cruise on 10 May and then the landtour on 17 May, so we're away a wee bit before you. Really looking forward to it as you must be too. Enjoy it when it comes!

 

Isobel.

[Roadpossum]

I too had seen the size requirements for the land tour carry-ons. I'll be taking a smaller laptop and will have it in a backpack that I can fit under my seat. My concern is that i will also have a CPAP along that is in it's own case that is larger than the prescribed size (it's 6-7" tall). Since I really don't want to take a chance in it being lost by letting it be put in with the luggage, I'll need to keep it with me. Does anyone know if Princess offers any option for dealing with oversize bags?

 

Thanks, Curt