Ladies HELP

[SoloAlaska]

37 minutes ago, Anita Latte said:

When we cruised Alaska we spent 4 nights on land after disembarking in Seward. We love backpacking and couldn’t imagine going to Alaska without spending any time in the wilderness, but I didn’t want to deal with potential inclement weather and a tent situation so we rented a public use cabin. It was about a mile hike to the cabin and we still needed to pack everything but a tent. So yes, on our cruise we had our backpacking backpacks, sleeping bags and mats, stove, etc. I wanted to share two things with you…

 

First, I recommend this duffle for packing your backpack:

 

https://www.macys.com/shop/product/samsonite-tote-a-ton-33-duffel-bag?ID=5278945&pla_country=US&CAGPSPN=pla&trackingid=509x1056791391&m_sc=sem&m_sb=Google&m_tp=PLA&m_ac=Google_SH_PLA_Luggage&m_ag=Samsonite&m_cn=GS_Luggage_PLA_Restructure_Medium&m_pi=go_cmp-16822925664_adg-143915194228_ad-592106319796_pla-2088878630857_dev-m_ext-_prd-43202439346USA&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD-Tw4IGetxCSTn-hcYT16qxYKGYS&gclid=CjwKCAiA6byqBhAWEiwAnGCA4P3Y_D6GPKzfyoRwbVutYZE5NsqZuO2g0V2RN3CRXxiwakTYvgCp2RoCTVAQAvD_BwE

 

We didn’t want to expose our backpacks to the rigor of airline travel…also, we often have things strapped to the outside, like hiking poles…also, I was concerned that something packed away too deep in a pack would look suspicious and so I didn’t want to fully pack the packs so it would be easier for security to locate whatever. These duffels worked great. We’ve used them several times and they have held up…using them also to help move my son overseas for college (we packed them with linens, pillows, blankets, towels, etc.). Worried about some reviews I’d read about the zippers opening, we did use tiny s-clip type caribiner-like fasteners to keep the separating zipper pulls together.

 

Also, we had purchased a wood burning stove for cooking as dealing with stove fuel was problematic for our trip. (Our then backpacking stove used a refillable white fuel canister). It worked well enough.
 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0125U36Q2?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

More recently, DH and I got this stove:

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NNMF70U?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
 

which is fantastic if you can acquire the fuel for it wherever you are going. It’s the tiniest thing and yet was stable enough for our pots.

You weren’t asking for input but I just thought I’d share…it’s a great goal you have…

 

Thanks. I have big duffle bags from cabelas I bought on sale a while back that I use the same way. They hold up so well during airline travel. 
 

I travel with an international refillable stove but the issue of traveling with empty canisters is something I’m looking into. I could always buy a canister in country however which is an option. The one thing is with your husbands new stove the canisters can’t be purchased in some countries. I forgot about the wood burning stove option, back to doing more research.

 

im currently making my own baffled down camping quilt. It’s ultralight weight and I can use it as I travel as a blanket as well. No more bulky sleeping bags.

[mrgabriel]

On 9/15/2023 at 10:03 AM, nannaBcruisin said:

I’m the one you see coming on board with 4 suitcases 🤦🏽‍♀️ How do you condense? How much of what do you bring? I’ve seen women with only one carry on please tell me how you do it. 

 

👋 Carry-on only person here. Biggest accomplishment so far was 18 days in a carry-on.

 

I was able to start packing less when I changed my thought process and stopped thinking that I had to wear something different every day and evening. I am part of the Instagram generation and yeah, it would be fun to post a zillion pictures of me wearing something different every day but I got over that when I realised that no one cares what I wear!

 

I used to pack a minimum of 8 outfits for each day and evening. Now I plan to wear everything at least twice, if not three times. We use the ship's laundry on day 3 or 4. If we're travelling for more than a week, I pack for a week and there might be things that I wear 4 or 5 times over the course of the holiday.

 

I have a large wardrobe and a lot of things that I love and want to wear but it was just exhausting to pack everything, sort out accessories, haul stuff around, find space in the cabin, and then wait at airports for bags. 

[Anita Latte]

6 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

Thanks. I have big duffle bags from cabelas I bought on sale a while back that I use the same way. They hold up so well during airline travel. 
 

I travel with an international refillable stove but the issue of traveling with empty canisters is something I’m looking into. I could always buy a canister in country however which is an option. The one thing is with your husbands new stove the canisters can’t be purchased in some countries. I forgot about the wood burning stove option, back to doing more research.

 

im currently making my own baffled down camping quilt. It’s ultralight weight and I can use it as I travel as a blanket as well. No more bulky sleeping bags.

We’ve been looking into sleeping quilts in lieu of sleeping bags. Here in our warm weather we were able to just use down blankets…it’s not a rumpl blanket but a similar and less expensive brand. We’d need heavier ones for colder weather…and it’s something I’d like to get but man they ARE expensive. Did you purchase a pattern? Did you make up your own?

 

When we researched the whole stove situation…it was quite clear that there could be no residue of fuel in the canister…which wouldn’t be as much of an issue on the outbound side with a fresh canister but calculating the fuel and the purchase and usage and then cleaning and disposing etc etc. We looked into rentals but that was cumbersome for just a couple nights…but that’s something that might work too. The wood burning stove did work well enough but it’s not nearly as compact.

[SoloAlaska]

2 hours ago, Anita Latte said:

We’ve been looking into sleeping quilts in lieu of sleeping bags. Here in our warm weather we were able to just use down blankets…it’s not a rumpl blanket but a similar and less expensive brand. We’d need heavier ones for colder weather…and it’s something I’d like to get but man they ARE expensive. Did you purchase a pattern? Did you make up your own?

 

When we researched the whole stove situation…it was quite clear that there could be no residue of fuel in the canister…which wouldn’t be as much of an issue on the outbound side with a fresh canister but calculating the fuel and the purchase and usage and then cleaning and disposing etc etc. We looked into rentals but that was cumbersome for just a couple nights…but that’s something that might work too. The wood burning stove did work well enough but it’s not nearly as compact.

I’m creating my own based on Zenbivy and would be equivalent to one rated for 45 Fahrenheit with a total weight of less than 2lb. That’s my go to temp for 3 season camping. I’m looking at many weeks of camping over a 3 month period so buying a fuel bottle could make sense but now I’m considering a biolite stove from your suggestion. With everything else being so ultralight I don’t mind a little more space for my stove.

[aungrl]

22 hours ago, Keksie said:

No.  Just the one child.  Lol.  The wedding was last Friday in my back yard.  I think I need a month of just knitting to recover.  Lol

 

What a pretty setting, and such a good-looking couple!  Thanks for posting.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 9/15/2023 at 12:03 PM, nannaBcruisin said:

I’m the one you see coming on board with 4 suitcases 🤦🏽‍♀️ How do you condense? How much of what do you bring? I’ve seen women with only one carry on please tell me how you do it. 

Ideas for condensing /bringing less: 

- Start with your shoes, as they are the biggest space hogs.  I always bring one pair of tennis shoes (little white Keds or Vans that work with shorts or with a tee-dress) and brown walking sandals.  Depending upon what I'm wearing for dinner, I might bring a pair of wedges.  If we are visiting a rocky beach or are planning a water-based shore excursion, I'll bring my water shoes.  

- Do not start packing by laying out things you like.  That'll result in a big pile of things that may or may not fit your actual needs.  

- Instead, make a list of what you will really need on the cruise.  

- What I actually do:  Make grid /calendar and list your anticipated activities for each day of the cruise.  Then write in what you'll need to wear each of those days.  For example, for an At-Sea Day I'd probably start out in a swimsuit /cover up ... then around noon I'd change to a casual shorts (or casual dress) outfit for lunch, an afternoon movie, trivia or similar ... and I'd wear a casual dress for dinner /keep that on for after-dinner activities.  For an island day, I'd probably plan shorts + a top I'd already worn around the ship for a couple hours (they're going to get hot and sweaty ashore, so why start with something fresh?) ... then after returning to the ship I'd shower and change into a casual tee-dress or (if it's late enough) go straight to my dinner outfit.  

- Plan to wear things more than once.  For example, in the above example, I'd only wear the items a couple hours each.  So I'd hang them in the closet and re-wear them.  Experience tells me that whatever I wear to board the ship tends to get sweaty -- it's a one-time use item.  On the other hand, things I wear mid-day for inside activities are perfectly acceptable for a second use.  I always assume a dinner outfit can be worn twice.  

- I usually bring a button-down chambray shirt.  I'm never cold at dinner or in the theater, but I sometimes need a light layer if we watch a Movie Under the Stars.  

- Fold your clothes Marie Kondo-style.  So much will fit into a small suitcase!  Start by placing your small clothes (socks, underwear) in the bottom of your suitcase, as they'll fit "between" the indents created by the handle, then add a layer of "folded squares".  

- Skip most of the "must haves" from Pinterest.  The over-the-door shoe holder just makes the clutter you shouldn't have brought with you more visible.  Don't bring a pop-up hamper; instead, place your suitcase in the bottom of your closet and use it for a hamper -- throw in a few dryer sheets.  

- Look at everything you really need and consider how you could make it smaller.  Count out any medicines into small ziplocks (buy them at any pharmacy).  Bring a bit of foundation make-up in a contact case, bring your oldest eye make-up and throw it away at the end of the trip.  Choose a carry-on tote (or backpack) that'll double as a beach bag on the islands.  Consider a Kindle (or Kindle app on your phone) instead of actual books.  

- We're close enough to drive, so we always pack our cruise suitcases ... and then a shared tote bag for the night-before hotel.  The night-before hotel bag contains night clothes, toiletries, and whatever we plan to wear for embarkation.  We transfer toiletries over to the cruise suitcases, then we leave the tote bag in the car.  No point in bringing dirty clothes on the ship.  Of course, if you fly, this isn't a choice for you.  

- Read up on the 5-4-3-2-1 packing method.  

- After you return from your cruise, as you unpack, take note of what you actually wore.  Make a list so you'll be better prepared for future cruises.  

On 11/8/2023 at 4:53 PM, Canukvic said:

Audition your clothes in the months before the cruise.wear each item for a day. How does it feel, look, any pulling, any rips, anything about it that isn’t perfect, it fails the audition.

Good idea.  A friend of mine went on a short mid-winter cruise, and -- without much thought -- she threw in one swimsuit.  Onboard she put it on and heard that awful creaky-breaking sound that elastic makes when it's old /brittle.  Uh-oh.  It was a tankini type suit, so the bottom half kept threatening to fall off.  To complicate things, they did a dolphin swim on this cruise and ... well, you see where this is going.  

Trying on everything will save you from such a fate.  It'll also force you to realize that your dinner blouse is missing a button or your skirt's hem needs tacking up.  

On 11/8/2023 at 4:53 PM, Canukvic said:

pick two colours. Black and beige, pink and black, blue and yellow. Whatever appeals to you.

Disagree.  No point in trying to make the whole week into a 1-2 color event.  Instead, think of your clothing choices as "pods".  Example:  

Pink pod -- pink shorts + white top, pink print top 

Gray skirt pod -- gray maxi skirt + graphic tee, chambray shirt to be worn knotted at the waist 

White jeans for dinner pod  -- white jeans + blue floral top, baby blue striped top, yellow lace top 

You get the idea.  Start with "a bottom" + add 2-3 tops to match.  No need for everything in the suitcase to match because once the pink shorts have been worn twice (with each of the two tops), they're done anyway.  Why bother to try to match them to all the other items?  

On 11/8/2023 at 4:53 PM, Canukvic said:

One to wear on the plane, one packed. Add yoga pants, very useful.

Yes, do consider what you'll wear for travel.  If you're flying, yoga pants make sense.  Perhaps plan to wear the same thing back home again.  Or at least repeat the pants for the trip home.  

On 11/8/2023 at 4:53 PM, Canukvic said:

Nobody cares what you look like. Nobody notices you are wearing the same stuff every day.

So true, so true.  

People definitely won't remember if you wear typical nice "resort wear".  I'm thinking white shorts + a pink & white pink top.  A blue ombre tee dress with little white Keds.  Plaid shorts with a sleeveless button-down top.  These things are nice but not memorable.  On the other hand, tee-shirts with funny statements people will remember -- avoid them.  

On 11/9/2023 at 7:50 AM, awhfy said:

I do bring at least 10 tops (I spill)

Point being, knew thyself.  

On 11/10/2023 at 12:10 PM, Keksie said:

This is a shawl I made for my new daughter in law.  It was a momento for the wedding. 

I can imagine 2 skeins of knitting lace weight tencel but getting so much use out of it makes it worth  it.

Lovely.  I wish I had that talent! 

 

On 11/10/2023 at 12:10 PM, Keksie said:

 

 

Edited November 12, 2023 by Mum2Mercury

[SoloAlaska]

14 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Count out any medicines into small ziplocks.  

 

 

If your traveling internationally I would advise against counting out meds in a ziplock. Most countries require meds to be in original packaging when crossing borders especially. Since bulky bottles take up so much room I try to find versions I can buy in boxes with blister pack packaging.

 

I’ll bring however many sheets of a given OTC medication I need and leave the boxes at home. For me this always includes 1-2 sheets of muscle relaxers (in Canada they are OTC), 1 sheet of Sudafed, 1 sheet of Benadryl, 2 sheets of allergy meds, 1-2 sheets of seasickness meds, a travel bottle of Tylenol and a travel bottle of Advil, and some individually wrapped chewable tums. If I need more Tylenol or Advil they are easy to find pretty much anywhere in the world so I don’t need to pack more than a day or two supply but the muscle relaxant isn’t so easy so I pack a weeks worth.

 

Condense the space without violating any international laws. If for some reason you get stopped by the police the last thing you want is a bag full of pills to come out of your purse, that’s a scenario I will happily try to avoid.

[Mum2Mercury]

3 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

If your traveling internationally I would advise against counting out meds in a ziplock. Most countries require meds to be in original packaging when crossing borders especially. Since bulky bottles take up so much room I try to find versions I can buy in boxes with blister pack packaging.

 

I’ll bring however many sheets of a given OTC medication I need and leave the boxes at home. For me this always includes 1-2 sheets of muscle relaxers (in Canada they are OTC), 1 sheet of Sudafed, 1 sheet of Benadryl, 2 sheets of allergy meds, 1-2 sheets of seasickness meds, a travel bottle of Tylenol and a travel bottle of Advil, and some individually wrapped chewable tums. If I need more Tylenol or Advil they are easy to find pretty much anywhere in the world so I don’t need to pack more than a day or two supply but the muscle relaxant isn’t so easy so I pack a weeks worth.

 

Condense the space without violating any international laws. If for some reason you get stopped by the police the last thing you want is a bag full of pills to come out of your purse, that’s a scenario I will happily try to avoid.

The scenario you describe is possible, but quite unlikely -- especially if, like us, you don't have to fly.  It's up to each cruiser to decide how concerned they are about this topic.  

[cruisemom42]

On 9/15/2023 at 12:03 PM, nannaBcruisin said:

I’m the one you see coming on board with 4 suitcases 🤦🏽‍♀️ How do you condense? How much of what do you bring? I’ve seen women with only one carry on please tell me how you do it. 

 

The hard truth is that there is no way to fit as much into a carry on as into four suitcases. You have to be committed to the idea of traveling light and willing to live with the trade-offs. Packing smarter will help you fit a FEW more things into a bag, but it will only take you so far.

 

I don't try to be a super-minimal packer, but I do try to get the right balance between choice and convenience. I like to have appropriate clothing for  the occasions of the trip and I like to have a few choices. I don't need to bring my whole closet. (Although I'm sometimes sad to leave a favorite item at home, I try to be relentless about only bringing things that I can wear more than once.)

 

The advantages are being able to manage my own bag on any kind of transportation, needing less time to pack and unpack, and -- since I've already done the hard editing -- easier to figure out what to wear. 

 

I keep shoes and jewelry minimal, take small sizes of most toiletries, and don't make most of those "extra" items you find on lists like a pop-up hamper, over-the-door organizer, or flameless candles (???). I mostly take one medium suitcase (24") and one small carry-on item (not one of the suitcase kind, but a small one that can fit underneath a seat in a pinch).

 

As I said, the biggest thing is really being committed to it. If it's going to make you miserable not to have "things", then don't beat yourself up about not packing light.

 

If you do really want to try to cut down, just do the work and edit before you go. Think about what you've taken on past cruises/trips and what you never wore or didn't need. Those are the easiest things to cut out. Then you can try to whittle down further from there. 

[SoloAlaska]

2 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

The scenario you describe is possible, but quite unlikely -- especially if, like us, you don't have to fly.  It's up to each cruiser to decide how concerned they are about this topic.  

Absolutely which is why I prefaced if your traveling internationally. If your not brining said bag of meds into a foreign country then it isn’t really an issue. In your scenario if it’s just normal OTC from within the US and departing from the US I wouldn’t worry. Since I don’t have interest in cruising in the Caribbean all my cruises I will fly through international borders to get to and be subject to customs inspections.

 

agree there are two ways you can reduce bulk in carrying OTC medications and we each presented one. Based on individual travel habits people have options of what works for them.

 

One thing I will note is carry your prescriptions in properly labelled packaging no matter where you are. I asked my pharmacists to make me a smaller bottle just for travel amounts so I don’t have an oversized bottle to pack. I’ve been carrying a schedule 2 prescription for most of my life and if I don’t have it in the proper bottle I could very well be accused of a crime and be arrested. I wouldn’t be convicted of a in the end but it sure would put a damper on my vacation if I was put in handcuffs.

[kluv2cruz]

6 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

The advantages are being able to manage my own bag on any kind of transportation, needing less time to pack and unpack, and -- since I've already done the hard editing -- easier to figure out what to wear. 

Bam! That’s it, isn’t it?

[Harry Lake]

On 11/8/2023 at 1:53 PM, Canukvic said:

Nobody notices you are wearing the same stuff every day.

I actually did a test on that decades ago when I worked in the corporate world. I tried to remember what anyone had worn to work the previous day. Nope. Not a single one.

[mrgabriel]

41 minutes ago, Harry Lake said:

I actually did a test on that decades ago when I worked in the corporate world. I tried to remember what anyone had worn to work the previous day. Nope. Not a single one.

 

There are some people who have done a one-dress hundred day wardrobe. They wear the same dress every day for 100 days. They can add accessories, change up shoes, etc., but they all come away with the knowledge that no one even notices what you wear every day.

 

And as I always say, if they notice, do you care? I certainly don't. 

[Mum2Mercury]

13 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

Absolutely which is why I prefaced if your traveling internationally. If your not brining said bag of meds into a foreign country then it isn’t really an issue. In your scenario if it’s just normal OTC from within the US and departing from the US I wouldn’t worry. Since I don’t have interest in cruising in the Caribbean all my cruises I will fly through international borders to get to and be subject to customs inspections.

 

agree there are two ways you can reduce bulk in carrying OTC medications and we each presented one. Based on individual travel habits people have options of what works for them.

 

One thing I will note is carry your prescriptions in properly labelled packaging no matter where you are. I asked my pharmacists to make me a smaller bottle just for travel amounts so I don’t have an oversized bottle to pack. I’ve been carrying a schedule 2 prescription for most of my life and if I don’t have it in the proper bottle I could very well be accused of a crime and be arrested. I wouldn’t be convicted of a in the end but it sure would put a damper on my vacation if I was put in handcuffs.

My mother, who is 80 and takes a couple medicines + vitamins, gets all her medicines from CVS.  They do this cool thing where they give them to her "on a roll" with a sealed baggie for AM and a sealed baggie for PM.  The meds are labeled and have her name on them.  She says it was something of a pain to start /get everything coordinated -- that is, meds all refilled at the same time, etc.  But she loves it, and it's quite convenient for travel.  I can't remember the name of the program.

[Canukvic]

On 11/11/2023 at 2:00 PM, mrgabriel said:

 

 

I used to pack a minimum of 8 outfits for each day and evening.

 

 

I was amazed at this 8 outfits a day. Five minutes to run down to your cabin. 10 minutes to change, fix your hair, hang up the previous outfit, five minutes to run on to the next ship event. That’s 20 minutes devoted to changing, and done 8 times a day. That’s 2 1/2 hours a day spent on changing clothes. Wow.

[mrgabriel]

2 hours ago, Canukvic said:

I was amazed at this 8 outfits a day. Five minutes to run down to your cabin. 10 minutes to change, fix your hair, hang up the previous outfit, five minutes to run on to the next ship event. That’s 20 minutes devoted to changing, and done 8 times a day. That’s 2 1/2 hours a day spent on changing clothes. Wow.

Hahaha. The danger of posting while watching football. 
 

Eight daytime outfits

Eight evening outfits

[slidergirl]

13 hours ago, mrgabriel said:

 

There are some people who have done a one-dress hundred day wardrobe. They wear the same dress every day for 100 days. They can add accessories, change up shoes, etc., but they all come away with the knowledge that no one even notices what you wear every day.

 

And as I always say, if they notice, do you care? I certainly don't. 

I was sent to help out at a sister hotel for a month.  It was a beach resort at the start of their summer season.  I packed some of my everyday Ts and tanks to wear double-duty:  wear under my suit jacket for work, then as my off-work attire for hanging out.  I hand washed them and let them dry in the bathroom.  No one noticed and no one cared.  All my stuff - work suits and play stuff and I was still under 35lbs in one bag.  

[Canukvic]

1 hour ago, mrgabriel said:

Hahaha. The danger of posting while watching football. 
 

Eight daytime outfits

Eight evening outfits

Still a lot, I think. I wore the same outfit to the dining room every night for 14 days and sat with the same people. Some of them were doing the same. All I had to do was not slop my soup.

[SoloAlaska]

With 5 tops, 4 bottoms, 4 layers, 3 dresses/jumpsuits, 3 shoes, 2 bags I am able to make over 70 outfits. I made a visual chart of all the outfits using pictures of my pieces. 

[mrgabriel]

57 minutes ago, Canukvic said:

Still a lot, I think. I wore the same outfit to the dining room every night for 14 days and sat with the same people. Some of them were doing the same. All I had to do was not slop my soup.

 

Yes. As I said in my post, that's how I USED to pack. I now travel with just a carry-on and plan to wear everything at least twice if not three times. 

 

[shipgeeks]

6 hours ago, Canukvic said:

I was amazed at this 8 outfits a day. Five minutes to run down to your cabin. 10 minutes to change, fix your hair, hang up the previous outfit, five minutes to run on to the next ship event. That’s 20 minutes devoted to changing, and done 8 times a day. That’s 2 1/2 hours a day spent on changing clothes. Wow.

Well, I for one was not overly shocked (and I know now it was a misprint).  I go back to my cabin a number of times per day anyway, and if the weather has changed a bit, or I'm going to be doing something different, or changing from indoors to outdoors, it's so easy to slip on a different top or whatever.

I can do Europe with just perhaps three fully interchangeable tops and bottoms, but doing that on a cruise would take away a lot of the fun.  I enjoy going to breakfast in a long-sleeve top because MDR is chilly, changing into short sleeves, with sunglasses, to walk the Promenade Deck.....later dressing for the evening......

[Harry Lake]

17 hours ago, mrgabriel said:

but they all come away with the knowledge that no one even notices what you wear every day.

Back when we did the occasional forma night on a cruise, I have a long black skirt and a matching tunic top. One time with my mother's very big and bold rhinestones and another time with an equally big and bold scarf. I still hold onto those things just in case.

[Harry Lake]

2 hours ago, mrgabriel said:

 

Yes. As I said in my post, that's how I USED to pack. I now travel with just a carry-on and plan to wear everything at least twice if not three times. 

 

One thing that helps us is when we're in our cabin, we change into what we jokingly call "lounge wear." Drawstring pants and an oversize tee. Gives us lots more wearings of the 'dress up' clothes.

[Mum2Mercury]

3 hours ago, SoloAlaska said:

With 5 tops, 4 bottoms, 4 layers, 3 dresses/jumpsuits, 3 shoes, 2 bags I am able to make over 70 outfits. I made a visual chart of all the outfits using pictures of my pieces. 

That's very much like the 5-4-3-2-1 packing method.  It works.  

[Harry Lake]

2 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

That's very much like the 5-4-3-2-1 packing method.  It works.  

I could be gone for the rest off my life with a fraction of that. Whew.