I KNOW I am WAY overpacked!!

[chadsjewel]

I love packing!! And I am a notorious overpacker. I will probably try to restrain myself to packing 2 weeks before the cruise.

For our 7 day Mex Riviera cruise (FIRST TIMERS!!)I plan on taking:

2 formal dresses,1 more casual dress,1 dressy pants and top,1 heels,1 tennies,2 flip flops,1 Birkenstocks or other sandals, 2-3 sundresses, 8-10 tops incl. tanks and a hoodie, 5 capris, 2 shorts, 2 swimsuits/coverups, 1 pants. My hubby will pack half that. We will have a large suitcase and a small rolling one plus a backpack and carryon between us.

Too much? Probably but thats ok!

[kew1031]

Be interesting to discuss..good bags on rollers people have found in the affordable sturdy range..anyone find one that weighed under 10 lbs..should I start a new thread???:confused:[/quote]


I weighed both of my large bags; well, one of them is actually my daughter's. My old expandable bag weighs 13 lbs. empty. Her bigger, much newer, much more expensive Calvin Kein bag weighs 14 lbs. empty.

I took the Calvin Klein on our 5 day cruise last year. It was great. I had outfits for dinner each night, tank tops and shorts for excursion days, extra shirts for when food/drink gets spilled, etc. (My shirt fronts are spill magnets) 2 prs sandals, 2 prs flipflops, wore my athletic shoes when we boarded. All of my clothes went in that bag, plus a couple of extra beach towels and even my pillow(yes, I take my own pillow wherever I go) I had a zippered tote for the toiletries, makeup, hair stuff, mine and his.
The man had a smaller suitcase, fewer clothes, fewer shoes.
We had other smaller bags, one with just our Halloween costumes.(we left on 10/31) one with bottled water and sodas. one with stuff we wound up not needing.
So, this cruise, we don't need costumes, don't need the miscellaneous stuff bag, will take a case of bottled water, leave off the sodas. Should be my large bag, his large bag, 2 carryons, plus the water, which I will have in a rolling duffle or strapped to a wheeled cart of some sort. Oh yeah, this cruise is a 7 day. I will have to have extra clothes. I don't want to have to do laundry on the ship.
I did wear everything I took with me, and actually could have used some t-shirts with sleeves. See the post about "take a sweater". I did have some light jackets/shirts to wear over tank tops, but wished I had at least one top with longer sleeves. Hot and humid on the decks, but freezing inside.
We drive to port, (Galveston and N.O.) don't have to deal with airline limits and charges.

[Nanaimobound]

I have finally learned not to overpack!
I never used even half of my clothes, and even tended to wear only a couple of different pairs of shoes.
But hey if you get it all into one bag that isn't too heavy (important if you are flying), then great!
I got tired of lugging home all the stuff I never wore,!

[Nanaimobound]

[quote name='chadsjewel']I love packing!! And I am a notorious overpacker. I will probably try to restrain myself to packing 2 weeks before the cruise.

For our 7 day Mex Riviera cruise (FIRST TIMERS!!)I plan on taking:

2 formal dresses,1 more casual dress,1 dressy pants and top,1 heels,1 tennies,2 flip flops,1 Birkenstocks or other sandals, 2-3 sundresses, 8-10 tops incl. tanks and a hoodie, 5 capris, 2 shorts, 2 swimsuits/coverups, 1 pants. My hubby will pack half that. We will have a large suitcase and a small rolling one plus a backpack and carryon between us.

Too much? Probably but thats ok![/QUOTE]

For Mexican Riviera don't forget one pair of warm ups or jeans to go with your hoodie! You will need them for the return, it is a cold crossing back to Long beach. I was so glad I had brought those along!

[Don Haynes]

George Clooney in the film Up in the Air said it all...

You only need to pack clothes for two days, plus what you are wearing... As you mix and match you can get four to six days from your three days of clothing... Use the ship's laundry/cleaner service mid week... This service doesn't cost much if you don't have a lot to clean... Not nearly as much as what you will spend on drinks... Be cheap at home, not while you are on a vacation cruise...

There is no need to lift and struggle with 50 or more pounds of baggage... You should be able to fit all your clothes in a rolling carry on bag... You should be able to lift that carry on bag yourself to the airline luggage bins without breaking your back... No one else will...

Don't pack your entire closet... Watch the packing light video below in my signature...

[sweetlouise]

I have to mention something funny about the 50# limit on the luggage. We were at the airport bright and early (our flight left at 6am, so was there at 4:30am ugh). We're weighing the bags. There are 4 of us (2 adults, DD 17, DS 15). We each had a bag plus we had a garment bag for our formal wear and hanging stuff. Anyhow, we are at the desk checking our luggage in and DD's suitcase goes up on the scale and it reads 73#. The airline person says Oh this one is over on weight that will be an additional charge. Our eyes bug and we're like what the heck did you pack????? It was only then that another airline rep standing next to the lady checking us in said "oh sorry, my foot was on the scale". hahaha. She had put it up there to rest and didn't even realize she was stepping on it. WE all laughed.

 

I was surprised that my heavy heavy duffel (without wheels!!!) was still only 41 pounds (it felt like 100!). I could have packed 9 more pounds of stuff LOL.

[cherbear4000]

With every cruise I pack less and less. DH and I are down to 1 checked bag and one carry on each!!!!

[hoop4321]

i agree with the light jacket or sweater....a lot of women wear a cardigan and some have dressed them up cute for the dining room with a skirt. Packing is so personal...i love these threads:) I'm so glad i am not alone lol.

[ava_girl_123]

I hope you take pictures of your cabin and post them with you having a drink out on your extended balcony

 

 

Yes, the AFT balcony that I somehow have convinced myself I will not like because I think it may be to much "motion movement" back there from the waves.. And me a DH.. Lol..:p

 

But yes, I take TONS of pics but have a problem. :eek: Main computer downstairs is infested with viruses and is shot, but that is the only one in the house that my camera will hook up to. The computer I am on now is my sons Netbook and we can not put my camera CD that is needed into this Netbook in order to upload pictures..:(

SSSooooo, I am trying to figure out what to do regarding the many pictures I plan on taking. AND I need to figure out how to post pics on this board as for the life of me, I can not figure out how to...

 

This thread is so fun to me.

Your excitement and this exact process is so much what we packers/travelers/cruisers do..this is so cute..I am 50 and have made it to the next...slightly better pared down level..but I do not know if enough of me wants to get any better for before mentioned reasons...

 

I shoud tell you my trip after Hawaii was a 4 day escorting 2 seniors cruise on Paradise..which is what made me fall in love with Carnival and the fun folks philosophy. I was gone 6 nights as I had a night on each end..knew I would need for arrival from here and a rest at the end. Technically I could/should have pared down form Hawaii..less events..more inside assistance in ship..did I...oh no..same 40 pounds in 10 pound roller bag!!:)

 

I am trying to cut it down.. DH thinks I am nuts. I may untilize the laundry room more then I wanted to..:( We'll see.. Vacation, I do not want to do laundry..

[sjn911]

Yes, the AFT balcony that I somehow have convinced myself I will not like because I think it may be to much "motion movement" back there from the waves.. And me a DH.. Lol..:p

 

But yes, I take TONS of pics but have a problem. :eek: Main computer downstairs is infested with viruses and is shot, but that is the only one in the house that my camera will hook up to. The computer I am on now is my sons Netbook and we can not put my camera CD that is needed into this Netbook in order to upload pictures..:(

SSSooooo, I am trying to figure out what to do regarding the many pictures I plan on taking. AND I need to figure out how to post pics on this board as for the life of me, I can not figure out how to...

 

 

 

I am trying to cut it down.. DH thinks I am nuts. I may untilize the laundry room more then I wanted to..:( We'll see.. Vacation, I do not want to do laundry..

 

Heavens yes..no laundry..hey if it fits in your case..you drive..no worries...and I need to learn photos too..but no rush..hate computer stuff..but fell in love with here so it will eventually help me with that...:).

[cruzsearcher]

On the computer thing...

I don't know for sure but most newer computers are plug and play..You don't need the disk that came with the camera in most cases. In other words, try just plugging in your camera's USB cable to a USB port with the camera also attached to the netbook, wait a few mins and let Windows recognize it.

 

The other option is to remove the memory card from the camera and put it directly into the computer if there's an appropriate slot for it. You can then pull your pictures onto the netbook's hard drive and do what you need to do.

 

Third, the memory card can also be put into any number of kiosks at Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, or other place and you can print your pictures from the kiosk directly.

 

Finally, if you really want the software for your camera, go to the manufacturer's website and dowload it to the other computer directly from the internet.

 

Hope this helps. Give it a dry run or two before you leave. You WILL somehow be able to get the pics you take on the camera off .

 

:-)

[cruzsearcher]

i agree with the light jacket or sweater....a lot of women wear a cardigan and some have dressed them up cute for the dining room with a skirt. Packing is so personal...i love these threads:) I'm so glad i am not alone lol.

 

I am currently sitting in Mobile, AL...the humidity must be 900%, as opposed to the 800% I left in Indiana...

 

And I have a lightweight hoodie on in the hotel. I'm glad I brought it more for inside than outside.

[letsgo39]

There a lot of difference between "suggests" and a "limitation".

 

Two 50 lb suitcases pp is a lot of luggage.I've traveled to Europe 7 times and never needed more than 1 large suitcase and 1 carryon for a 3 week trip.

[ava_girl_123]

On the computer thing...

I don't know for sure but most newer computers are plug and play..You don't need the disk that came with the camera in most cases. In other words, try just plugging in your camera's USB cable to a USB port with the camera also attached to the netbook, wait a few mins and let Windows recognize it.

 

The other option is to remove the memory card from the camera and put it directly into the computer if there's an appropriate slot for it. You can then pull your pictures onto the netbook's hard drive and do what you need to do.

 

Third, the memory card can also be put into any number of kiosks at Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, or other place and you can print your pictures from the kiosk directly.

 

Finally, if you really want the software for your camera, go to the manufacturer's website and dowload it to the other computer directly from the internet.

 

Hope this helps. Give it a dry run or two before you leave. You WILL somehow be able to get the pics you take on the camera off .

 

:-)

 

 

WoW! Thank you so much! I will try all of that on the NetBook and see what happens!

[bythehex]

I can't help myself... Sugar Pie Honey Bunch- ;)

 

I have about 10 nice tops.. 10 casual tops... 6 pairs shorts... 3 capris...5 pairs heels/sandals ...1 pair flip flops..2 dresses formal night, 2 sundresses.. 3 bathing suits.. 2 bathing suit cover ups (Or what I like to call- My A** don't look as good as it use to so I am gonna cover it up) Lol :D

 

I HAVE TO TAKE IT ALL.. I can not cut it down.. :p:p It all fits so nice into my suitcase.. We do not have to fly, so... Oh well..I will take it all..:p

 

Yes you ARE way overpacked. We all have different philosophies here about packing, but just keep this in mind as far as casual clothes go - you can ALWAYS buy a Tshirt on the ship or at a port if you need one. I often underpack when it comes to that just so I have an excuse to buy one! Hey, a girl's gotta shop, right? :D

 

You'll learn as time goes on to pare down the amount of items you bring. Regardless of whether you're flying or not, remember that you have to repack all that stuff in order to go home again! And leave some room for souvenirs!

 

- Sharon -

[janetlm]

I flew to my last 5 day cruise with a rolling carry on (38 pounds) and a purse. I did major mix and match. I brought home some small souvenirs. I DID NOT do laundry!!:)

[CorvetteLady]

Two 50 lb suitcases pp is a lot of luggage.I've traveled to Europe 7 times and never needed more than 1 large suitcase and 1 carryon for a 3 week trip.

 

But everyone isn't you!! I think it's great if you can travel like that but going to Europe is different from going on a cruise. We took the same 3 suitcases to Alaska for 2 weeks that we take on a 7 day cruise. We didn't dress for dinner in Alaska, didn't sweat and need fresh clothes after an excursion. It all depends on what you are planning to do on vacation.