SoloAlaska

My luggage doesn’t really get put away for a good portion of the year. I can’t pack way ahead since there’s always something coming up. 3 weeks out I started looking at what clothing I’ll actually be taking though but that’s to know if I need to go shopping. I’m loosing a bunch of weight so every trip I need to replace a few items which are just too big now

When I was in high school I worked at a store that sold exoficcio and the sales pitch was that you can wear them for 7 days before needing to wash them. I can’t remember what made them special but I have Capilene underwear from Patagonia and they have an anti odour technology that mechanically kills bacteria that is amazing. I literally have worn my workout tank two days in a row and you would never have known. An old upholsterer once taught me baby wipes were the solution to everything, I love all those old school secrets.

No it’s less than double occupancy. If your cruise on an itinerary without a supplement then it’s cheaper to get a regular cabin than a dedicated solo cabin.

Exactly me too. I like getting changed before dinner most evenings. For me that’s 25 items including shoes, accessories, and outerwear and I’ve got tons of options. I’m going on a 16 days cruise in just over 2 weeks. However I am sure as I’m packing a few extra items will make it into my bag 🤦🏼‍♀️. I’ll try to remember to take a photo of every outfit and make a collage of my one suitcase wardrobe.

I’ve had friends travel with 5 items packed. It’s like the 100 days of wearing the same dress challenge. You don’t “need” much. As I said I can’t do it personally especially since those ultralight wardrobes usually feature wool fabrics to which I am very allergic.

No irons but I have been known to use a flat iron (for hair) on a stubborn hem of a linen top once. I use Flatter which is wrinkle release spray and adore it. The scents are also great for refreshing clothing.

She’s probably on a charter.

Some travel insurance plans cover missed connections for times like these. I might have to use that soon if my flight is cancelled due to the potential volcanic activity in Iceland. My insurance will pay for a new flight (minus any refunds) if you miss your flight.

You can go with a lot less but I think it’s a happy middle ground that most people can embrace. I wish I could do the personal item only trip but it doesn’t work for me.

Exactly I’m a huge fan of it. As long as everything coordinates there are so many options.

The water on ship is better than what I have at home or at my office.

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.

For cruises that book out way in advance I think booking solo balcony from the beginning is a smart choice. If RCL had this option for my 2025 cruise I would have considered it. NCL is definitely positioning itself as the cruise line for solo travel which is why I’m trying it for the first time in a few weeks. If it fits me then I will probably be cruising 2-6 times a year with them for the years to come. I have 50 years of cruising left so that’s a lot of cruises.

Do airline still do “direct” flights? I haven’t seen those since I was a kid.

I would say depends on the airport but considering I’ve been on many flights leaving ohare that were delayed I personally would not have taken that chance in February. how’s your travel insurance? Will it cover you if the flight is delayed and you miss the ship? my upcoming flight has a connection in Iceland which very well might get cancelled at the last second due to the impending volcanic eruption. I am checking with my insurance company to make sure they’ll cover a last minute flight change to another airline since the rules are different for EU airlines. My insurance plan has missed connections coverage. If you don’t have that type of coverage maybe you could look into it for this trip.

I pay about 150$ plus tip USD but I’m there for 3 hours and only get my hair done every 3 months. Keep in mind I get charged more because I have ridiculously thick hair. I alternate between getting balayage with a toner and cut and a perm and cut. But it works out in the end because day to day my hair is very low maintenance.

But the cart has wheels and there should be a steward nearby that can move it if needed. Unfortunately not so with dishes. In my opinion it should be hallway but that they get cleared more often.

The problem with dishes in the hallway is accessibility. Dishes on both sides make it hard or even impossible for wheelchairs, scooters, and strollers to get through the hallway.

The one place I care if they like me better is at the bar 😆 that way I get quicker service and more drinks.

My insulated bottle keeps ice for 3 days. If I really needed ice available in my room all the time I would bring it.

This is so subjective to each person and their personal beliefs when it comes to tipping above and beyond. One person might say $40 and another may say $500. what do you tip housekeeping at hotels?

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.

It could be an issue with a specific condition where one province won’t cover it for another. I’ve actually temporarily lived in other provinces and never had issues and never had a bill. I’ve used a GP to ER without any issues in other provinces. My father ended up with shingles in another province and same thing, no issue at all. Now if your friends are from Quebec that could explain why they may be having issues.

We aren’t covered outside of Canada but basically the provinces have to fight it out to get the money from each other if you need care outside your province. The problem is when people in one province want to get care in another by choice. This happens in place like my home town which borders two provinces. One has decent care the other has longer wait times etc so people from one try to take advantage of their other, think of it as you should be using in network or pay out of pocket (the network is our province). Agree you don’t nearly as much when traveling outside the US. It also depends on your risk for health concerns and also risk due to activity. 10M is overkill but 100k wouldn’t be enough for a search and rescue extraction, medical care, and a medical flight home but that’s because I do things like multi day hiking in remote areas. I like having 500k in coverage personally but that’s from figuring out what I would need for my risk profile if something catastrophic happens.

I’m younger and I’m in Canada. Just think if anyone has a major medical issue in the US and are there for over a month needing highly specialized care before they can be safe to transfer back to Canada by private medical flight… what would the cost be? Because the US has some of the highest healthcare costs in the world anyone who travels there really needs more coverage than traveling pretty much anywhere else.