ChuckL88

We use packing cubes to keep everything organized it the suitcase. They also keep TSA from going through everything if they do open our suitcases. And they are easy to remove from the suitcase and place directly in the hotel room dresser for longer stays.

 

We fold or roll the clothes depending on the item. We bought some very lightweight cubes on Amazon for around $20 for a set of 4.

Thanks cruisin' along :)

Thanks!!

You're very welcome :)

Hi,

I can only endorse the majority of replies. I’ve done far more flights then cruises but as they say I wouldn’t leave home without them. We:

Fold fat as per commercial laundry and put as many items as possible in each so no wrinkles.

Having experienced airlines losing luggage on 2 different flights use different colours for husband and myself so half my luggage goes in my case and vice versa.

All adapters and spare batteries go into hand luggage in a small cube and medication in another small cube so they can easily be retrieved if airline decides your hand luggage has to go into the hole (not because it’s too big or heavy but other passengers take up too much space)

 

 

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Thanks for the reply Mrs. S

Love my packing cubes. Camping stores like anaconda sell them and often have specials.

 

I can't travel without packing cubes now.

 

 

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Thanks for the advice Esilef, don't even know where my closest anaconda is to be honest

My cubes I bought on eBay arrived today, 5 for $17. They look ok. Checked prices today for BigW cubes, $25 for 3, then checked Strandbags and they were also $25 for 3.

Hey again Lyn

Yes the Big W ones are a bit pricier then some on eBay and other online retailers but I know the brand so makes me more inclined to purchase them.

Ive had mine for years too starting at an Eagle Creek 'fold it' flat type packer and a cube that had zips on each side, one side for clean undies, one for dirty.

Since then Ive done the same as you, Katmandu sales. I also have one just for 'stuff' all those items like adaptors, charges, mini sewing & medical kit, anything small really you dont want floating around in your bag. I pack them on their side in my case not flat in the bottom of the case. I like Katmandu's shoe bags too.

Thanks for the advice reedy

The Kathmandu brand do sound good, what are there shoe bags like?

My mum hasn't used them but was asking me questions about mine on the last trip. The big w ones I saw were purple, her favourite colour so I might get her a set to see if she finds them useful.:D

Thanks again Nelie.

I hope your mum likes them, I want the red ones which is my favourite colour. Let me know if she likes them

Yeah exactly this.

 

It also helps to keep everyone's clothes organised. I can pull out a packing cell and know - ok this one is Miss 10's shirts and undies, and THIS one is Miss 5's shirts and undies. You don't end up digging in every pocket of every bag looking for one person's socks, or mixing clothes up etc. If you're travelling solo or just with a spouse maybe it's not such a big deal, but I find that travelling with 4 people, it's a real timesaver.

 

I also use them to pack handy stuff, like chargers, torch, camera memory cards etc will go in one. Then laundry supplies and travel mugs/plates etc go in another.

Thanks again Los

I was also thinking about using some small ones for electronics and also one as a first aid kit

Definitelydo!!

And you must try the sushi restaurant on board - if you like it. One of the better ones.

Also, bought my original (now packed away) packing cubes from Bagworld

https://www.bagworld.com.au/shop/search/?query=Packing+cubes

Must admit we do use the Eagle Creek folders a fair bit, they are very cool [emoji6]

 

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Thanks again porky

I'm not the hugest sushi fan but may try some on the ship, I am sorry to admit but I don't understand the fuss with these folders.

Chuck you now have three separate threads running on packing cubes. One would have been sufficient really.

 

 

 

 

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I wanted different perspectives perfectly Perth

Ive bought cheap eBay and ikea ones and they’ve all lasted several overseas trips that involve moving from place to place and therefore a lot more packing and unpacking than a cruise. Depends on how much you’re willing to spend but I’ve had no problem with those cheapies. They’ve done 3 Europe trips of about a month each

 

 

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Thanks Jess, I was considering buying the Kmart set when I was there on Tuesday but talked myself out of it still in my mind to try them and you are making that thought stronger now

I have used them and they were ok, Great for organization but didn't seem to save any room for me. Almost seemed to take up more space. On my last trip I tried compression bags, they are like a big ziplock bag, they worked great and I could tell they really saved space. I got them on Amazon https://amzn.to/2NFavd9

Thanks for the advice W2N

I don't believe that they packing cubes will save me any space necessarily just make the space used better

I have a set of the Rick Steves ones and absolutely love them. Mine are from 2005, so they may have changed slightly. They are still mesh looking on the website. Love seeing what is inside easy. This is my go-to set. At a glance I can easily tell whose clothes are in there, great for kids. I have lots of different brands and these are still my favorite.

Thanks for the response and advice Goaliegirl

I love my packing cubes! I have two different brands off amazon. About $20 per set. They keep everything so organized. When I travel with my kids and I in one suitcase, each kids gets 1 large cube. They are two so this is plenty of room. I bring use three medium ones. One for tops, one for bottoms, one for pjs and underwear. I have other bags for toiletries. Maybe one for electronics depending on the trip. They just make everything so organized. I have both rolled and folded in the cubes. I don't think there's a huge difference as to which fits more. Then as the trip wears in I reorganize the cubes. One for dirty laundry and one for clean. While I use them every time I travel, I found them the most useful when we travelled Europe. 6 hotels in 14 days. The cubes made the constant moving all your stuff to a new place so much easier.

 

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Thanks for the advice ilini, 6 hotels in 14 days in Europe now that sounds like an amazing and stressful holiday

I use them for my bags because it is easier to separate the kids clothes. I pack on large one with my clothes, one small one with my underwear and socks. Each kid gets one large one with all their clothes. Then they all go in one duffel bag. It makes it so much easier to find everything.

Sounds like they are very helpful momto2js

Thanks for the reply :)

I use 3 packing cubes. I took a class on packing and was told to think of them as 3 drawers.

 

1 large one (takes up half of the carry on) that holds clothes

1 smaller one (quarter size of the carry on) is the socks and underwear drawer

1 small one (quarter size) is the toiletries bag along with extra charging cables and vitamins/first aide.

 

Clothes are folded usually and not rolled. -personal preference.

I purchased them directly from the Rick Steves Travel Store. But they are also available online.

 

 

 

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Thanks for the advice SJ

I consider my suitcase a "cube" of sorts! Have never needed to separate things!

Interesting CB

I love the packing cubes. It’s especially helpful when you have multiple people’s things in one suitcase. Each kid had a cube with daytime wear. I had one with everyone’s swim wear, kids dinner wear, my dinner wear and dh did his own thing. Makes it easier to unpack. On the return, all the clean clothes left went in a cube and then partially worn things that didn’t fit in the laundry suitcase went in the other cubes. I rolled the clothes and put them in the cube.

Thanks for the advice Skippy very helpful

As adults we don't use packing cubes. We use a base color like black or navy to minimize pairs of shoes - usually one casual (such as flip flops), one dress, and gym shoes, with a possible 4th pair of water shoes depending on cruise. Everything we need for 2 weeks or more, can be done with a 22" carry on and backpack.

 

For kids, rather than packing cubes, many of us have used zip lock bags to pack complete outfits. I did one for day time and one for night. We always showered the kids before dinner.

Thanks for the advice A&J

,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

I have used these for 5 land trips,so in and out of them a lot and they are still going strong.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/5pcs-Waterproof-Travel-Clothes-Storage-Bags-Luggage-Organizer-Pouch-Packing-Cube/122799830234?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140106155344%26meid%3D1d9e668ff20f413f959fc4726a370e10%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D263864429638%26itm%3D122799830234&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

Thanks Elorac

They look good

Sorry, have never used them.

All good Lyn

Thanks for letting me know

Congrats on booking your first cruise! There is definitely a table big enough for all of you. If you do not go to the MDR, you do not have to inform them. There is likely to be a VERY long wait for a table of this size if you do not have a set seating time of either main or late dining. In that case it is reserved for you every night. It is very flexible, and half can eat somewhere if they want, or you can all eat together every night. There is no requirement to stick to whatever seating you are at.

 

I see you have some little ones in your party. Here's an article we just wrote that hopefully helps some, and below I included some stuff from a draft we are making for a sequel article that could apply to your situation. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask!!

 

http://thesmallworldfamily.com/2018/09/12/5-tips-for-cruising-with-kids

 

Stash Snacks in Your Room

 

Snacks will be your new best friend. Whenever you see a box of cereal, an apple, or a bag of chips, grab them so you always have snacks for hungry little ones. Some of these snacks can even be packed in your bag to take on excursions. Just beware that some countries do not allow produce to be brought off the ship into their country. This can be helpful on longer tours with your kids.

We went to Iceland when our son was 3. We took a long bus tour, and I swear Zack went through 5 boxes of cereal. It helped him stay calm and occupied him while the tour guide (who's name is Thor, I kid you not) spoke. Zack didn't bother any other passengers and the snacks made it a very pleasant tour for all involved.

Know Your Dining Options

 

Everyone knows that there is lots of food available on cruise ships! There are all different types of dining experiences from formal seating to poolside grills. Knowing what your food options are can help you make the most informed choice about what and where to eat. It can make a huge difference both on how stressful meal time is and as well as the timing of meals. Knowing where the fastest place on the ship is to grab a meal is will come in handy when you have a tour to meet.

Researching kids dining options will be helpful too! Some kids programs serve meals, or have services where they will meet you in the dining room so adults can finish their meal. Whatever type of meal you want, knowing your options will help you have a good cruise.

Thanks Kendall :)

I love the blog :)

The good thing about packing cubes is transferring them from suitcase to drawers. Unzip and this to go.

That is one of the many reasons I am interested in getting some Maxx

ChuckL88

You seem more than happy with the reasoning for your packing list, so go with it and enjoy your cruise [emoji106]

 

 

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Thanks Porky :)

I have packing cubes from Kathmandu although I did just lookup the big w ones and they do look nice would need to compare quality in person.

 

Packing cubes vs not is just like roll vs flat packing. Everyonehas their preference.

 

I’ve used packing cubes on several short trips an am lookingforward to using them on a longer trip next month.

Why I like them

They stop things flying around in suitcase if its not packedto the brim. Also good for softer bags like duffles. I find I can pack more inless space. Group things together like only formal wear or all warm weatherclothes if travelling with two different climates. Or sharing a suitcase with a partner or halfpacking in each if you worried about losing your case. Ive got a bunch ofdifferent sizes and colours. The ones I don’t end up using I often throw in oneor two empty one to separate my dirty clothes but also for anything extra I buy :)

Thanks for the reply Nelie

I am leaning towards the Big W brand as they seam like the best quality without a huge price tag.