luggage/packing for Jade in Med

[sk84fungirl]

OK, I've done some searching and just cannot find what I'm looking for. If you've cruised the Med for over 7 days, I am interesting in hearing from you. I am on the 12 day in April.

 

• How many pieces of luggage did you average per adult?
  
• Did all pieces store easily?
  
• How many laundry specials were offered?
  
• Is a coat recommended during the Spring? If so, what kind?
  

 

 

Thanks in advance!

[Duff Man]

We did a 12 day Med. The laundry special was around day 5 or 6. We had two suitcases plus wheeled garment bag. But we are overpackers (plus we did short pre and post cruises). DW brought 14 pairs of shoes. I am not kidding! :D

[Turtles06]

We did a 12-day Med cruise on the Jade a year ago January. Because it was winter, it was a bit more of a challenge packing wise, since we needed to have warm clothes as well as some springtime clothes (Egypt) and shorts and a bathing suit (for that hoped for warm day at sea, which we got!).

 

My partner and I each had one suitcase, and one carryon. (The carryons were not very large, and used mostly for our electronics and things we wanted to have with us on the plane, as well as some clean clothes.) We are overpackers, and could have survived fine with fewer "dressy" tops for dinner and "dressy" slacks. The interior public spaces of the ship were far warmer than I'd expected them to be (except for the Stardust theatre), and I was wishing I'd brought more short sleeve shirts along and fewer long sleeve ones. There was a laundry special at some point, but being the overpackers that we are, we never needed it.

 

I think we learned a good deal from that particular cruise about packing less.

 

Bringing one suitcase and one carryon each, we've never had a problem with storage on an NCL ship.

 

We had a fantastic trip, and I hope you have a great one too!

[Carnac767]

Our 12-day was in March and there were a couple of days we needed warm coats, particularly in Greece, where it was raining and cold the entire day. Your suitcases, even really big ones, store under your bed. There will be a pressing-only special on the day you embark and there will be at least one laundry special ($25.00 for one really big bag of laundry) during the cruise. We had one on the Jade Med cruise, but on the last Jewel 10-day we had two specials. Bring along a small bottle of detergent and you can some of your little things in the sink.

[Fishbait17]

Did 14 days in the Med with one suitcase each, 7 days with 1 case shared - we use rolling duffel bags. One of the main things you need to pay attention to is your airline's limits for luggage (and extra cost for more), ESPECIALLY if you are taking a connecting flight in Europe (European carrier have a much smaller luggage allowance on intraEurope hops) - note carry-on restrictions as well. Another is the extra cost for bags in taxis (they usually charge a per bag cost in addition to the fare). Limited luggage is preferred also if you are planning any extra time at your home port - you will need to carry it with you and extra or overweight luggage can be heavy, bulky and restrictive. Also, keep in mind you will likely be bringing back more than yu came with (souvenirs), so take that into account with weights. Luggage will store easily under your bed if it is not TOO large. Also, divide your clothes between two bags, in case one gets lost on the way, nobody will be completely out of clothes. Carry a single change in your carry-on.

 

Comfortable, layerable (it might be cold in the morning, and you can take off a long sleeved top later and have a short sleeved underneath) touring clothes are a must, so concentrate on these, remembering to keep your shoulders and knees covered for any church visits. I have one pair of very comfortable walking shoes that I have had for years for ports, and I bring these along with a pair of black loafers for evenings. I generally bring two pairs of black pants with a few mix and match tops/cardigans for these for evenings and nobody seems to notice. For a coat, I recommend a layerable jacket as well, as it covers almost any weather. I bring a lightweight waterproof/windproof hooded shell (with gloves and a headband stuffed in the pockets) and a warm fleece for underneath. That way whether it's cold or warm and rainy, I am covered. Be prepared for rain on your trip - the waterproof shell is much more convenient than an umbrella, especially going in and out of buildings. If you find you have heavy luggage no matter how much you try to cut back, just wear your heaviest clothes on the plane - it really helps. Go with minimum toiletries (for example, I bring no hair care except for a travel size bottle of conditioner to supplement what they have in the cabin). Our downfall is electronics (cameras, computer, etc) so we go extra extra light on everything else. Everything is travel size - and you can find a lot of it at Target (including tiny packets of detergent for rinsing undies in the sink).

 

Robin

[garycarla]

OK, I've done some searching and just cannot find what I'm looking for. If you've cruised the Med for over 7 days, I am interesting in hearing from you. I am on the 12 day in April.

 

• How many pieces of luggage did you average per adult?...

I have to chuckle at this one. You will find some that do the entire trip with just a carry on. You will also find some that take 3,4 or more bags. LOL!

[sk84fungirl]

We did a 12 day Med. The laundry special was around day 5 or 6. We had two suitcases plus wheeled garment bag. But we are overpackers (plus we did short pre and post cruises). DW brought 14 pairs of shoes. I am not kidding! :D

 

LOL at the 14 pairs of shoes!!!! (because that could be me...:p)

[sk84fungirl]

Did 14 days in the Med with one suitcase each, 7 days with 1 case shared - we use rolling duffel bags. One of the main things you need to pay attention to is your airline's limits for luggage (and extra cost for more), ESPECIALLY if you are taking a connecting flight in Europe (European carrier have a much smaller luggage allowance on intraEurope hops) - note carry-on restrictions as well. Another is the extra cost for bags in taxis (they usually charge a per bag cost in addition to the fare). Limited luggage is preferred also if you are planning any extra time at your home port - you will need to carry it with you and extra or overweight luggage can be heavy, bulky and restrictive. Also, keep in mind you will likely be bringing back more than yu came with (souvenirs), so take that into account with weights. Luggage will store easily under your bed if it is not TOO large. Also, divide your clothes between two bags, in case one gets lost on the way, nobody will be completely out of clothes. Carry a single change in your carry-on.

 

Comfortable, layerable (it might be cold in the morning, and you can take off a long sleeved top later and have a short sleeved underneath) touring clothes are a must, so concentrate on these, remembering to keep your shoulders and knees covered for any church visits. I have one pair of very comfortable walking shoes that I have had for years for ports, and I bring these along with a pair of black loafers for evenings. I generally bring two pairs of black pants with a few mix and match tops/cardigans for these for evenings and nobody seems to notice. For a coat, I recommend a layerable jacket as well, as it covers almost any weather. I bring a lightweight waterproof/windproof hooded shell (with gloves and a headband stuffed in the pockets) and a warm fleece for underneath. That way whether it's cold or warm and rainy, I am covered. Be prepared for rain on your trip - the waterproof shell is much more convenient than an umbrella, especially going in and out of buildings. If you find you have heavy luggage no matter how much you try to cut back, just wear your heaviest clothes on the plane - it really helps. Go with minimum toiletries (for example, I bring no hair care except for a travel size bottle of conditioner to supplement what they have in the cabin). Our downfall is electronics (cameras, computer, etc) so we go extra extra light on everything else. Everything is travel size - and you can find a lot of it at Target (including tiny packets of detergent for rinsing undies in the sink).

 

Robin

 

 

Cool, great info! Thanks

[Duff Man]

LOL at the 14 pairs of shoes!!!! (because that could be me...:p)

 

 

LOL! Of course I had no idea until I saw them laid out in the close of our AC suite. Like most guys I had the standard 3 pairs - tennis, dress and sandals! ;)

[sk84fungirl]

LOL! Of course I had no idea until I saw them laid out in the close of our AC suite. Like most guys I had the standard 3 pairs - tennis, dress and sandals! ;)

 

We're going to be gone 16 days including pre and post stay. I am going to do my best to CHECK one large suit case...:o

[aknz]

Beware large suitcases. they can easily go over weight. Better to take two smaller ones to split things up (with two people of course). We have even had problems with the smaller ones, luckily they saw we were flying international after our flight from NYC to LA or we would have been stung with excess baggage charges. (Who wouldn't shop in New York???);)

[t-and-t]

We did the 12 day Jade sailing in November/December, but we were gone for 17 days total. We had a suitcase and carry-on each, all of which fit nicely under the bed. There were two laundry specials on that sailing; one happened very early on, and a second at around day eight or nine. Hubby took advantage of the second one. I have skin sensitivities so instead of going with the laundry special for myself, I had brought along a small bottle of liquid detergent that I know doesn't bother me, and I washed a few things and hung them from the little clothesline in the tub. I had enough packed that I didn't have to wash too much at all - just a few pieces towards the end of the cruise.

 

I don't know about the weather in April, but even in late November/early December it wasn't terribly cold. I always had either a light sweater or a light fleece zip-up hoodie with me, and I never felt cold or uncomfortable. Some ports I didn't need a jacket at all. I still recommend bringing something light with you, though - there were a few instances where I was quite glad to have a sweater with me!

 

We loved the Jade, and I'm sure you will, too!

 

Tanya

[sk84fungirl]

Beware large suitcases. they can easily go over weight. Better to take two smaller ones to split things up (with two people of course). We have even had problems with the smaller ones, luckily they saw we were flying international after our flight from NYC to LA or we would have been stung with excess baggage charges. (Who wouldn't shop in New York???);)

 

Going to invest in a hand scale. I saw it at the Container Store and it allows your to weigh your luggage by attaching to handle...tee hee

 

Also going to take a carry-on to include the heavy and bulky items. We'll see how it all works out!

[Ocean Spirit]

Congrats on your upcoming cruise! We went in January and it was the best vacation that we have ever taken.

 

We are over-packers plus we are all BIG folks which equals lots of big clothes. Each one of us had 1 large suitcase and one 21" carry-on.

Your suitcases can fit under the bed and we had extra room in the closet.

 

We have a small hand held scale which came in very handy. Our large bags were around 42 pounds each but our friend case was over 50 pounds and so we rearranged things before we got to the airport. We flew Delta which allowed one free case for oversea flights.

 

Pay close attention to the size of your carry-on. We had no problem getting our carry-on's on the plane when leaving the US but coming back was a different story. Again our friends carry-on (21 or 22" case) that he had traveled with for sometime and never had a problem with, didn't fit in the metal box at the check-in at the Barcelona airport. He had it stuffed the case too full so it was too wide to fit. The real big problem was the wheels on the suitcase kept it from fitting into the box. We took out things and made his carry-on thinner but the wheels kept it from fitting in the container.

The only way we got it through was by luck, others people in line were angry about the delayed flight and the attendant had to deal with them and we were past through. I had read on message boards about another person who had problems with their carry-on in Barcelona before we left.

 

As for a coat. I took a lightweight nylon jacket with a light liner. It was prefect. On the cold days, I wore a velour jacket under the coat and was fine.

 

Don't miss the "Elements" show and the Crew's Talent show.... I wish I could take this cruise again!

[Clay Clayton]

DDP and I did Jade's first 12 Eastern Med Sailing in April/May 2008. We were gone a total of 16 days. We each had a medium sized rolling suitcase and shared a rollaboard and a knapsack. The knapsack had our items for the plane- lounge pants, ipods, camera, toiletry case. The rollaboard (which we did roll on board in case the checked luggage didn't make it) had our clothes for our two days in Athens pre-cruise and our first hours onboard. We split our cruise clothes between both of the medium sized rolling suitcases. That way if one of them went missing, we would still have at least half our clothes. By packing the rollaboard, we didn't have to go into our suitcases while we were in Athens. That same bag was used at the end of the trip for our hotel overnight in Instanbul before heading home. We took advantage of the laundry bag special mid way through the trip to wash underware and socks. Because we each split our clothes between two bags, we unpacked one bag when we boarded and then at the halfway point, unpacked the other. That way the closet wasn't too full. We had a sideways inside and had plenty of room for all our stuff and this was before we had learned of the importance of the over the door shoe holder for all that stuff that ends up on the counters. Attached below is my packing list. Mike's was similar.

EastMedPacking.pdf

[cabincop]

I've done Jade med for 7 days and I also took 12 pairs of shoes, you have to have shoes for each outfit different daytime shoes sandals casual on and on and on, lol I am a big overpacker and the casino turns into a shoe watching shoe with me. Enjoy your cruise you will love it

[sk84fungirl]

Don't you just love end of season sales...:D

 

Purchased many items for great prices today! All in the name of the Med...:p

[sk84fungirl]

The attached packing list has given me a great starting point. Although I am 60 days out, I've started my list. I can go through my things to see what I have and what I need to purchase.

 

Thanks!

[CMHExcursions]

Hi sk84fungirl, I'm huntercm from Columbia SC. I finally figured out how to get on this site.:D Still hoping things will calm down because I wanted to see the pyramids too. Thanks for sharing all of the information about the tours. So do we need dollars or euros???

[Ms belp]

I've done Jade med for 7 days and I also took 12 pairs of shoes, you have to have shoes for each outfit different daytime shoes sandals casual on and on and on, lol I am a big overpacker and the casino turns into a shoe watching shoe with me. Enjoy your cruise you will love it

 

LOL. I've worn one pair of sandals for over a year now. They are black and work with everything. Guess I have the depression era thing going on. Chico's travel pants work with everything. Light weight, comfortable, can be washed in the sink. You're good to go the next day. We always buy a new pack of undies at Target. They work since they are rolled up so tightly they take little space. A Chico's jacket and a sweater are good since it can be chilly on the ship. The tops are what I concentrate on.

[canpass]

OK, I've done some searching and just cannot find what I'm looking for. If you've cruised the Med for over 7 days, I am interesting in hearing from you. I am on the 12 day in April.

 

• How many pieces of luggage did you average per adult?
  
• Did all pieces store easily?
  
• How many laundry specials were offered?
  
• Is a coat recommended during the Spring? If so, what kind?
  

 

Thanks in advance!

 

We were on the Jade for 12 days in November. We each had one piece of luggage and managed to keep them under the 50 pound airline limit. We had one carry on bag. Everything stored under the bed. We took advantage of the laundry special and I think it was offered twice. We dressed in layers so that we did not need a heavy coat. Planning is the key.

[sk84fungirl]

We were on the Jade for 12 days in November. We each had one piece of luggage and managed to keep them under the 50 pound airline limit. We had one carry on bag. Everything stored under the bed. We took advantage of the laundry special and I think it was offered twice. We dressed in layers so that we did not need a heavy coat. Planning is the key.

 

 

My goal is one bag. Hope it works!

[sk84fungirl]

I have clothes everywhere! Wow, what a chore. I have to eliminate some of this stuff I have laid out on the bed. Will never get into one suitcase at this rate.