Following advice...overpacking

[Sue L]

As best I have figured from everyone's packing suggestion, it boils down to: (for gentlemen)

• Casual=Khakis & polo/golf shirt or dress shirt without tie
  
• Smart casual=Khakis/dress slacks with dress shirt and tie or khaki pants with a polo type shirt and maybe a sports jacket. You really won't see much difference with casual and smart casual especially on 7 day cruises.
  
• Formal=Business suit or Tux

Am I off base here, or is that a good definition of the dress codes?

[rclcruzer]

She is 22 and graduating college in May and starting her new job at Google in August.:D I have two in college and both are private schools, DD is 50,000 this year and DS is 40,000$ if it wasn't for them I would be cruising a LOT more.:D

WOW! Yep, I know about private school, yikes! We are most like likely going to be buying a condo in AZ, good investment, wanting to for some time since we are up there about 5 times a year anyway. (DH is ASU alum and his sis and hubby live there)....So a condo means a cruise every 2 years maybe????

Guess I won't be overpacking much at that point, I won't have any money to go out and buy new clothes!!!!!!!:(:D

One week from today and we are off on the Monarch and boy do we need this long weekend getaway...we can't wait! (just thought I would share my excitement!!) TTYL!

[senrab]

Thanks Sue L!

[cathykb]

I have been cured of overpacking via the following:

 

Last fall we took the Serenade to Alaska. We flew to Seattle (US Air did not weigh our bags - but two were definitely overweight) and took Amtrak from Seattle to Vancouver. Amtrak is the most strict about baggage weight. Our two bags were overweight by 10 and 7 pounds, and we were told we would need to liposuction them on the spot! So we had to take 17 pounds of "stuff" out of the bags (and they were reweighed until we got it down) and pack it into cardboard boxes for transport on the train. My DH was mortified! :o

 

Then when we got off the train, we had to manage the luggage...plus two boxes of "stuff". It was raining, so we hauled it all into the train station, restuffed the suitcases and disposed of the boxes. But I learned my lesson!

 

Cathy - former overpacker

[marle7]

I way overpacked on our first cruise by taking different shoes and dresses etc for formal night. Now, we use the onboard laundry, and I take 2 pairs of shorts (so I can wear one while the other is being laundered) 4 sleeveless tops, the usual underwear etc, and I wear the same gown for both formal nights. I make sure my other casual skirts will go with whatever shoes I'm wearing for formal night so I only have to take one pair of dress shoes. I pair of walking shoes for tours and one pair of flip flops for the pool/beach.

 

I never seem to be able to cut down on tools for my unruly hair though. The ships hair dryers don't do it for me, so I end up with a hair dryer, a curling iron and a flat iron, plus assorted styling products. :rolleyes:

[rclcruzer]

I way overpacked on our first cruise by taking different shoes and dresses etc for formal night. Now, we use the onboard laundry, and I take 2 pairs of shorts (so I can wear one while the other is being laundered) 4 sleeveless tops, the usual underwear etc, and I wear the same gown for both formal nights. I make sure my other casual skirts will go with whatever shoes I'm wearing for formal night so I only have to take one pair of dress shoes. I pair of walking shoes for tours and one pair of flip flops for the pool/beach.

 

I never seem to be able to cut down on tools for my unruly hair though. The ships hair dryers don't do it for me, so I end up with a hair dryer, a curling iron and a flat iron, plus assorted styling products. :rolleyes:

Yep...my grooming irons, and products/makeup etc..take up a bit of room as well ! :o

[Sue L]

Yep...my grooming irons, and products/makeup etc..take up a bit of room as well ! :o

 

 

this is when it is really nice to have short hair.;):p

[marle7]

this is when it is really nice to have short hair.;):p

 

It's not that my hair is so long, but it's rather curly. No, it's rather fuzzy actually. It takes work to make it look like something other than a frizzball for dinner. :D And when it's really short and curly? I look like a cue ball with fuzz.:)

[rclcruzer]

It's not that my hair is so long, but it's rather curly. No, it's rather fuzzy actually. It takes work to make it look like something other than a frizzball for dinner. :D And when it's really short and curly? I look like a cue ball with fuzz.:)

I just went from rather long straight dark blond flat ironed hair, to right at my collarbone layered and brown. Drastic change but I love it. Now I think I can cut down on some "irons" and such!! Unless my DD is traveling with us, then it's back to the flat iron ETC!!!

[jallison8378]

OP: "overpacking" is a relative term.

 

Are you the type who likes to wear a new outfit (or two, or three) every day of the cruise? Is it important that your shoes match your outfit and that your bag matches your shoes...etc. etc.? Do you use a lot of makeup and toiletries/grooming supplies? If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, pack everything you need/want and don't worry about "overpacking." I tried the minimalist approach on one cruise, and quickly realized that I enjoy my vacation more when I am not constantly thinking about the stuff I wish I had brought with me.

 

All you have to worry about is meeting the baggage weight limit for your airline. Other than that, I don't see why you have to limit yourself. I take all the stuff I want, and I usually wear/use everything I bring.

[ksmdcruisin]

I bet you all heard me today screaming with delight:D :D :D !

I checked my etickets for my flight...I live in Germany and will be flying with a friend to Florida on Tuesday, then stay with my parents in Florida and then we´re all going on the cruise together (we´ll be the four cruising newbies with our chins on the floor for the first few days of the cruise). Got off track...checked our etickets and we´re allowed TWO suitcases each weighing roughly 50lbs:D. Out came the second suitcase, stuff was redistributed and now I´m all set.

A third of the stuff I´m taking along are gifts anyways so, although I probably still have way tooooo much, I´m hoping I´ll be ok. I´m just one awful decision maker!

 

Thanks for the tips!

karen, who has 6 pair of shoes and just as many handbags...:rolleyes:

[Shanafan]

I tend to put 'outfits' together before we leave......shirt, shorts, undies, bra etc. Then I look at the outfits I picked out......narrow it down to the number of days we will be gone.....and bring an extra. I try to narrow it down by which I can wear the same pair of shoes with to cut down on shoes. I have to have my flip flops....I don't know how many pair I own.....but a ton! I usually throw a pair of capris or two in along with extra undies......but I find if I lay everything out as an outfit (I pack it this way too. Wouldn't want those black undies under the white shorts! :eek: )

 

Good luck to you!

[critterchick]

We took a trip to Europe in 2003, 7 nights on land in Italy and 7 nights on Splendour out of Barcelona. We did it with one carry-on size suitcase and one knapsack each. The suitcases were stuffed to the gills, so we had to check them. We gave our cabin steward a mound of laundry on the first night of the cruise, too, which saw us through the week. DH brought his tux and all the accessories. I had one formal night outfit that I wore both nights. We put a lot of our stuff in those bags that you squeeze all the air out of, too.

 

On our last 2 week trip, we had those 2 bags, plus another large bag, all stuffed to the gills. We wore most of the stuff, but it was just too much crap to deal with. Part of the problems is our addiction to electronics, including my laptop. My goal (and he's almost onboard with it) is to leave most of that stuff behind for our next cruise and use his cellphone, the ship's computers and Internet cafes as necessary to stay in touch. And I have to look at our pictures to see what we wore. And we'll have the laundry done again -I'd rather pay for that than pay the chiropractor when I get home.

[sue.young]

Hi rclcruzer and the other flipflopers,

 

Please be careful when up on deck, sometimes they are wet and you can slip and fall very easily in flipflops. This happened to our daughter on the first day for her wedding cruise. There was a slightly damp area and down she went.

 

Sue

[rclcruzer]

Hi rclcruzer and the other flipflopers,

 

Please be careful when up on deck, sometimes they are wet and you can slip and fall very easily in flipflops. This happened to our daughter on the first day for her wedding cruise. There was a slightly damp area and down she went.

 

Sue

Oh No, that's no fun! I am very careful ;)

[CruzinSuz]

I just have to say this is the most fun thread I've read in a long time. Thanks for the laughs....I'm going upstairs right now and deleting a few items from my luggage..we leave tomorrow for Ft. Lauderdale for the Radiance. I'm a seasoned cruiser, but this time, I decided to change my normal habits and change my clothing a little and in so doing I overpacked. It's nice to have everything with you, but the thing I hate is having to put it all back after the trip!!! I'm a big believer in the fewer pairs of shoes the better. I'm into wearing nice black pants/with lovely tops for regular evenings and then a long skirt/pant and different tops for formal nights and wear the same shoes..... I'm into my non tropical stage at the moment! Thanks again for all the info..............

[rclcruzer]

I just have to say this is the most fun thread I've read in a long time. Thanks for the laughs....I'm going upstairs right now and deleting a few items from my luggage..we leave tomorrow for Ft. Lauderdale for the Radiance. I'm a seasoned cruiser, but this time, I decided to change my normal habits and change my clothing a little and in so doing I overpacked. It's nice to have everything with you, but the thing I hate is having to put it all back after the trip!!! I'm a big believer in the fewer pairs of shoes the better. I'm into wearing nice black pants/with lovely tops for regular evenings and then a long skirt/pant and different tops for formal nights and wear the same shoes..... I'm into my non tropical stage at the moment! Thanks again for all the info..............

Have a great time. Hey, I just thought of a funny saying about trying to wear the same thing twice on a cruise (which I still have problems with!)

"while your cruising, try re-using!" LOL!!

Happy cruising :D

[CruzinSuz]

Hi rclcruzer and the other flipflopers,

 

Please be careful when up on deck, sometimes they are wet and you can slip and fall very easily in flipflops. This happened to our daughter on the first day for her wedding cruise. There was a slightly damp area and down she went.

 

Sue

 

Have a great time. Hey, I just thought of a funny saying about trying to wear the same thing twice on a cruise (which I still have problems with!)

"while your cruising, try re-using!" LOL!!

Happy cruising :D

 

Love it.....we're saving the waves!!!!!!

[rclcruzer]

Love it.....we're saving the waves!!!!!!

lol!

[Happy ks]

I am a reformed overpacker. It was hard at first to not have choices of clothing along...in all different colors and styles. But you get to the point where you realize the vacation is about the travel and the experience, not the clothing choices.

 

Then there are the "things" you feel you must have along but you discover that you really don't use the stuff and one by one those items fall off the packing list. I go through some of the packing lists on these boards and can cross off about 75% of the junk listed....pens, cups, maps, books, chargers (other than camera chargers), water wallets, extension cords, duct tape, nightlights, laptops, the list goes on and on.

 

After a few cruises, you realize that with the exception of your personal toiletries, a small first aid kit, camera and clothing absolutely everything you need is provided for you by the ship or hotel.

 

You don't have to forego style to pack light, you just have to pack the right pieces and be willing to wear the same choices several times. We take things that we can either wash out in the sink or send off to the laundry/dry cleaning service. We wear the same outfit to embark/disembark, the same outfit first and last nights dinners. The same pair of black pants 2 - 3 nights with different tops for me, shirt for him. Not only is is lighter and easier to manage while in transit, it's far easier to organize and repack at the end of the trip.

 

Take a travel wallet, leave all the junk at home that is not needed, you only need one credit card (per person, in case one is lost or stolen) and your photo ID as well as your passport, of course.

 

Don't worry about staying in touch while you're gone, catch up when you return home.

 

Leave at home every single piece of paper that is not crucial to travel, tear out the cruise ticket and leave the book at home, better yet, print out your set sail pass and leave the tickets at home. Type all your confirmation numbers onto one sheet of paper, use the backside to scan a copy of your passport or other important info...so you only have to carry on piece of paper instead of a folder full.

 

There are so many ways to cut the load and still have what you need to be comfortable and stylish. After a few trips of light packing you start to realize what a pleasure it is to be unencumbered. My journey to light packing has been aided by two significant people, one a travel companion of my BIL, she packs so light it's amazing, every piece she takes is reversible, every piece can be used for several completely different outfits. The other person is my Aunt, who packs extremely heavy yet uses only a fraction of what she hauls along on the trip.

 

We have an 18 day trip planned for later this year and I plan on taking one medium sized suitcase and one carry on. I'll pack for only one week and will probably be bored out of my mind with my clothing by the end of the trip but that's OK, it's what I prefer.

[rclcruzer]

I'm working on your philosophy, just may take awhile! More power to ya ;):D

[lulybellsea]

Sevearl years ago, a very dear friend offered to fly us to the cruise port. However, we could only take one small carry-on and a 22" suitcase. This forced me to pack, unpack, repack. Guess what - it worked beautifully and I didn't even send anything to the laundry. The trick was to pack really lightweight formal wear and wear the same thing both formal nights. This was a a cruise for a bunch of ladies. My husband is tall and I do not think he could possibility pack a suit plus running shoes in a 22" suitcase. If we were forced to pack light, we'd simply skip formal night which is something we'll probably do in the future. Taking carry-on luggage and not checking bags has become more and more appealing to us. My point is that it's possible to pack light when you have no other choice!

[ksmdcruisin]

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!! I forgot about laundry services! Me being an infamous dribbler, I packed extra tops, etc.. Well, guess I can toss a few of them, add one of those stain stick thingamabobs, and max out my credit card on laundry services.

 

Woke up this morning, eyed my now two suitcases and my first thought was I have enough stuff with me to open a second shop on the ship.

 

When I booked this cruise, I was sad that my husband couldn´t join me because he couldn´t get vacation. Well, have to say....thank goodness he´s not able...then I´d have to pack for two people and would have to arrange for a crane to take care of luggage at the port. I just hope my friend has an easier time than I do packing! She has the joy this weekend.

 

Thanks for the tips! This has been a fun thread.

 

karen

[Happy ks]

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!! I forgot about laundry services! Me being an infamous dribbler, I packed extra tops, etc.. Well, guess I can toss a few of them, add one of those stain stick thingamabobs, and max out my credit card on laundry services.

 

Woke up this morning, eyed my now two suitcases and my first thought was I have enough stuff with me to open a second shop on the ship.

 

When I booked this cruise, I was sad that my husband couldn´t join me because he couldn´t get vacation. Well, have to say....thank goodness he´s not able...then I´d have to pack for two people and would have to arrange for a crane to take care of luggage at the port. I just hope my friend has an easier time than I do packing! She has the joy this weekend.

 

Thanks for the tips! This has been a fun thread.

 

karen

 

We use laundry/dry cleaning services on every 7 night cruise we go on. The bill generally is around $20-30 for the two of us. More than what we pay to do laundry at home, but not an amount that will max out a credit card ;) .

 

I've seen those piles of luggage that need the crane and I've always wondered what the heck they have packed :eek:

 

I'm probably guilty of not paying very close attention, but I never see people I'd consider fashion mavens onboard cruise ships, just average everyday people.

[ksmdcruisin]

Bags are packed! I somehow managed to get everything for the cruise in ONE suitcase. You´d all be proud of me;). We´re off tomorrow morning and really looking forward to our first cruise.

 

Thanks for all the help!

 

Karen:)