packing question

[wdelesky]

Okay you got me thinking and i have a packing question: has anyone ever tried to use the vaccum sealed bags to make more room in their suitcases? I would like to but i am worried when we repack i don't have a vaccum to reseal? LOL do i ask our room attendant? Also we would like to purchase the alcohol on our trip because it is so cheap but we have to fly home from Miami to Newark - is the alcohol allowed on the plane and how do you pack it? Any help?

[redlef]

Okay you got me thinking and i have a packing question: has anyone ever tried to use the vaccum sealed bags to make more room in their suitcases? I would like to but i am worried when we repack i don't have a vaccum to reseal? LOL do i ask our room attendant? Also we would like to purchase the alcohol on our trip because it is so cheap but we have to fly home from Miami to Newark - is the alcohol allowed on the plane and how do you pack it? Any help?

 

They make some vacuum type bags that have a one-way seal; when you roll the bag up, or press it down, the air comes out the seal and the bag stays condensed. I've used these, but I don't think they really save that much room in a suitcase.

 

Alcohol needs to be in your packed luggage, you can't carry it on. I've only brought it home once, and realized what a pain it is to transport compared to the $10 or $15 you save on the bottle. I put in a zip lock bag, than wrap in a towel. If it breaks, which I've heard anecdotes about on cruise critics, you'll have smelly clothes.

[wa3hr]

We use the bags that you roll to force the air out. They're available on-line. We use them mainly on the way home to pack all of our dirty clothes and make them very easy to pack.

[Lucille Bluth]

Okay you got me thinking and i have a packing question: has anyone ever tried to use the vaccum sealed bags to make more room in their suitcases? I would like to but i am worried when we repack i don't have a vaccum to reseal? LOL do i ask our room attendant? Also we would like to purchase the alcohol on our trip because it is so cheap but we have to fly home from Miami to Newark - is the alcohol allowed on the plane and how do you pack it? Any help?

 

 

I have used something similar to the vacuum sealed bags that does not require a vacuum. Basically it is a huge ziploc bag with a special seal. and you manually push the air out. The only thing I use them for beach towels because they tend to wrinkle everything. I wish I could find one and tell you the name, but they are packed away somewhere!

 

You can take alcohol on the plane in your checked luggage- not your carry on. Be careful how you pack the alcohol. Even if you buy it from a place that says it is already packed for the plane, beware. DH put some rum in his luggage last cruise and it broke before we even got to the airport. All his clothes smelled like rum!

[KayAnnie]

I have used both types of vaccuum seal bags, the kind you roll and the kind you actually have to vaccuum. Our room attendent happened to be around when I was packing and graciously helped me with his vaccuum, but the roll up ones work just as well.

[SadieN]

For clothes we use the rolling bags. They reduce bulk not weight. Was able to get to two fluffy jackets into the front of a carryon with the compression bags.

Just be warned that they make a loud 'whoopie cushion' noise when rolled/sat upon.:p

 

We have use Bottle Armour with great success for liquor. They are good for all breakable things. They also make a rectangalur bag out of the same heavy duty bubblewrap. My bottles of wine and meloncello from Italy all arrrived safely home. I pack very tightly and the liquor was in the middle.

 

http://www.magellans.com/store/Packing_Aids___Wine_Carriers

[LBumb]

i now only buy alcohol that i cannot buy in my hometown. hassle is not worth the savings.

[TheCalicoCat]

I used one on a land tour & it was sketchy as to whether or not we were going to be able to vacuum it for the trip home - they had a non-hose vacuum. Luckily they also had a hose vacuum elsewhere...

 

In a hiking type store, I got a similar bag where you squish the air out...

[Froufie]

We use the bags that you roll to force the air out. They're available on-line. We use them mainly on the way home to pack all of our dirty clothes and make them very easy to pack.

 

Same here - use the ones that do not require a vacuum - found that using them on the way out caused wrinkled/crushed clothing....but great for stuffing with dirty laundry for the trip home!

[semichigan]

We always buy the bubble wrap-type bags from the on-board liquor store. They work perfectly - I just pack them in the middle of my suit case - nothing has broken yet!

[Rosefloater]

The roll up bags are called Travel Bags. They are hard to find but I've seen them at Walmart, Target and Bed Bath & Beyond. When looking at the picture on the box the bags come in, the vacuum bags will have a black seal in the middle of the bag, and the Travel one's won't. They work best if they are rolled on a hard surface. Just remember - they save room, but not weight.

[bingo3]

I have packed liqour and wine in my checked baggage in those paperboard type wine containers you can buy for a few dollars, with much success. You need to tape the lid down though. If there's room, I have also stuffed some bubble wrap down in there, just to be safe. I have never had one break or come out of the container and I have done this several times. It does take up some space in the checked baggage though. You can pack other stuff in the container for the flight to the ship though. If there weren't so many baggage fee's, I'd save one suitcase just for this purpose! Wine/liqour from other places makes a nice gift. Can't afford much now with all the baggage fees.

deb

[VAMommy]

I bought duty free liquior & packed it in my checked-bags with no issues. I brought 2 extra pool towels from home because I knew I would be purchasing alcohol. I wrapped the bottles in the towels, packed them in the middle of my bag (ensuring clothes were surrounding them) and was fine.

 

Happy Cruising!

[aris3133]

My husband and I use something similar to these

 

http://www.bagsandluggage.co.uk/p/841428/bag-packers-tidy-case-luggage-packing-cubes-set-of-3-.html

 

You would be amazed how, even though they don't condense in the same way that vacuum bags do, they make packing SO much easier

[bingo3]

I bought duty free liquior & packed it in my checked-bags with no issues. I brought 2 extra pool towels from home because I knew I would be purchasing alcohol. I wrapped the bottles in the towels, packed them in the middle of my bag (ensuring clothes were surrounding them) and was fine.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

My son did that and unfortunately, when he got home, it had busted and all clothes were wet with rum!

[Cruzin 1025]

I use Space Saver Travel bags whenever I travel. In addition to saving space, they will protect your clothes if something leaks in your bag.

 

For alcohol you buy in port, I use bubble wrap and then put the bottle and bubble wrap in a plastic bag (like a grocery bag or small trash bag) for extra protection. Then put it between layers of clothes so it's in the middle of the suitcase. Knock on wood have never had anything break, but we have had shampoo or other toiletries leak at times and having clothes in vacuum bags saved us from having to do laundry onboard.

[MissRabbit]

ditto to everything above :)

 

Man those bags sure were deceivingly heavy lol. Don't forget to weight your bags before you go cause you've now filled all that extra room with stuff!

 

We use one large vacuum bag in one suitcase and 2 medium ones in the other.

 

As for liquor...bubble wrap is the only way to go, for me anyway.

[carmenincalgary]

I find I overpack if I use the vacuum bags - I can fit in so much more than my 50 lbs. that's allowed on the plane!

[Froufie]

I find I overpack if I use the vacuum bags - I can fit in so much more than my 50 lbs. that's allowed on the plane!

 

Same here - it's deceiving on how much you can fit into that big suitcase :D (yes I travel with a digital portable luggage scale - and I definitely NEED IT as I usually have to 'repack creatively' on my way home so I meet the weight limits!:eek:)

[Lake Erie Sailor]

I just use the 2 gallon size Ziplock bags. They are cheaper, you don't need a vacuum and you can squeeze most of the air out of those bags. Just seal them most of the way and then work the air out of them. works great and then I use them for my dirty clothes on the cruise ship and presto:D most of my packing is done at the end of the cruise.

[Love to cruise7]

I also use the 2 gallon Ziplock bags. I like to pack most of my clothes in them. I don't want my bag searched and have my clean clothes touched with those nasty gloves you do not know what they have touched:eek: Also they are great if you have little ones. You can pack outfits by the bag and they just chose the bags. I have seen posts where they put outfits down to the bows for little girls a lot easier then searching at the last minute for that favorite bow with minutes to spare:eek:

[oldrailfan]

This kinda goes to the "driving vs. flying" question... if I drive to the port I have plenty of room for my luggage, a way to carry liquor home, and no groping me or manhandling of my clothes. I do use the rollup bags for dirty/wet laundry, not to save space but just to isolate them from the clean stuff.

 

JMHO