traveling mama Posted July 8, 2011 #26 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I always want to see the Crew Car that also travels w/ Mr. Steves!!! I do not think he films his shows w/ just the clothes in that little back pack!!! As for me......I liked the days of Steamer Trunks....sent ahead and waiting in your cabin when you boarded!!! Ahhh!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammieK Posted July 8, 2011 #27 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I always assure my husband that I need every single item that is in the suitcase and on the last day, I change my clothes as many times as necessary to wear everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TERRIER1 Posted July 8, 2011 #28 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I saw Rick Steves at a NY Travel show and he stated that if you take one of his tours you are limited to one bag and a certain size at that. His tours are all landed and you have to schlep them around so it makes sense. As for the What If's: I am petrified that the airline will lose the luggage. I pack light with one 26" suitcase per person and that was for 3 weeks. However, I mix my clothes in with my husbands so if they only "misplace" one bag we have a shot at still having clothes for both of us. I also pack essentials into a backpack that we carry on and that includes electronics, meds, toothbrush, clean socks and undies. The other tote bag is filled with my reading stuff. I also bring bubble wrap with me to wrap glass items that I buy and take home in my luggage such as balsamic vinegars, capers, etc. I wrap these items in the dirty clothes and put the in the suitcase. Nothing has broke to date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr'aunt Posted July 8, 2011 Author #29 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I always assure my husband that I need every single item that is in the suitcase and on the last day, I change my clothes as many times as necessary to wear everything. :D Now that's what I call a solution to the "what if" problem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palmetto Lady Posted July 8, 2011 #30 Share Posted July 8, 2011 In adddition to one checked bag each, we always bring one 22' carryon each. I've mentioned on a prior thread about friends who traveled to Asia. Their luggage was missing for several days. She is tall and slim and had to buy men's clothes. He husband is average height, but stocky and he could find nothing. Lesson learned!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtamchay Posted July 8, 2011 #31 Share Posted July 8, 2011 I can relate to the lost luggage. In 2007 we were part of a larger group of 35 from USA to Cortona ,Italy for a wedding. our flight was delayed going into JFK...that was the start of the lost luggage. We finally reached our destination 36 hours delayed and no luggage. Our private driver gave the instructions to the local people in Pisa reagrding where to send the luggage once recovered. On the 5th day, after the wedding and before the reception...voila the luggage appeared. In the meantime my husband, who resembled most of the other males at the event had plenty of wardrobe to choose from...not so much for me...I augmented my basic black travel outfit with scarves etc and pretended not to be my normal High Maintenance self...we did purchase some underwear and did the wash as needed. We learned alot about packing from that point forward...coss pack and always pack an extra outfit in your carryon...I am already worrying about lost luggage for the upcoming O cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Knitter Posted July 8, 2011 #32 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Gr'aunt - loved your post. I am packing challenged.Some of you might remember Arthur Frommer's mantra -- pack whatever you think you will need and then take out half! I have never been able to do that. And I always have clothes with me that I do not wear. Plus I need an extra bags for purchases. And I am Diamond Medallion on Delta so baggage and weight limit doesn't apply. Delta is an enabler for me. On our upcoming Baltic cruise we are packing a little lighter than usual but only because we will be 4 adults in a car on a driving trip through the Cotswolds post cruise. Since my friend is also packing challenged, if we do not pack light the bags won't fit in the car (or the husbands will walk)! My biggest challenge is yet to come -- African Safari in January. They sent us the luggage we must take -- a VERY SMALL duffel -- you take enough clothes for three days and then get them laundered. Now that is a stressor for me. On our recent O cruise there was an older couple who only had one or two changes of clothes with them (or they owned 10 of the same shirt and shorts). We noticed them and we admired their freedom. We bet they only had small carry ons. Alas, that will never be me. Laraine, I will let you know how that works for me since I have a similiar small duffel for my Safari before our cruise in November. Thank goodness for Luggage Forward. Thanks to StanandJim for the info. I would be up the creek without the paddle. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShopperfiendTO Posted July 8, 2011 #33 Share Posted July 8, 2011 Thank you everyone for a few good chuckles. I am a packing alert for our next Oceania cruise to South America. I know I need warmer clothes for around the tip, but it will be hot in Chile, Buenos Aires, and Rio de Janeiro, so I keep wondering how I am going to pack. I am going to take my hiking boots with me as we are doing several private tours that they state is over uneven ground. Guess what I am wearing on the plane? Since I will be leaving during our winter, this end will be okay with the hiking boots, the problem will be landing in Santiago. We are going to take the layered look with us. We have to fly through Toronto both ways, so we will be able to have our heavier coats as carry ons as we will be wearing them. That solves part of the luggage problem, now for the rest............... Unless you are actually stopping over in Toronto and leaving the airport, I don't know what impact the weather in Toronto has on your packing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr'aunt Posted July 8, 2011 Author #34 Share Posted July 8, 2011 ...because all these stories about lost luggage have me chomping at the bit to go repack! At the very least, I might have to do some cross-packing. I don't know why I didn't do it initially. Duh. The bags are sitting in the hall, looking so stately, as they await the big day. They've been weighed...they've been measured. And now I'm gonna go rifle through them and mess up the whole system:( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted July 9, 2011 #35 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Do cross-pack. More than 30 years ago I was traveling to Madrid with my then husband. We had two bags - his and hers. Only "his" came off the conveyor belt. Even since then, I have cross-packed. (We did get the other bag 24 hours later but the stress was pretty ugly). Lesson learned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelglobetrotter Posted July 9, 2011 #36 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I have always cross packed and luckily none of our luggage has ever been lost. We also do land tours, and I got tired of all the packing and unpacking for both of us, but I finally saw the light, and now pack for land tours using my bag 1 and bag 2 concept. I actually have one yellow tie on one bag and two yellow ties on the other, with bag 1 being for the first half of the trip and bag 2 for the remainder, and I only have to deal with 1 bag at a time. Of course this isn't necessary for a cruise, but the cross packing idea still works well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no fuss travel Posted July 9, 2011 #37 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Unless you are actually stopping over in Toronto and leaving the airport, I don't know what impact the weather in Toronto has on your packing? It is that short walk from the plane to the terminal and vice versa. I always get cold and if the wind is blowing at the airport in Vancouver, I get cold there as well. I am one of those people who is always cold on a plane, so I will use the coat as a blanket.:eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammieK Posted July 9, 2011 #38 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Another good tip when crosspacking - make sure that all the accessories that go with the outfits are also crosspacked. I ususally divide our clothes into 2 or 3 groups with matching shoes, etc. If hubby is bringing black and brown, I make sure that the appropriate socks, shirts, etc. are in with the right color. It also makes it easier to unpack when we arrive. He also uses a reversible belt when we travel. The less I pack for him, the more room I have for me and my shoes!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolphinmar Posted July 9, 2011 #39 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I cross-pack, as well. It drives my husband crazy but since he doesn't really pack for himself, I tell him not to get so uptight about the whole thing. :) I lay out all of the outfits on the bed and then do my best to divvy things up between bags, making sure I have accessories also paired up correctly. I even have a spreadsheet checklist that I use. Did I mention that I am a project manager professionally? Packing to go home is MUCH easier. At that point I don't care if a bag is delayed... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted July 9, 2011 #40 Share Posted July 9, 2011 I even have a spreadsheet checklist that I use. A spreadsheet?? Now we're talking intervention! LOLOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RetiredFL Posted July 9, 2011 #41 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Whats wrong with a spreadsheet???? We have a computerized packing list which we use for all cruises. It lists everything we need from toiletries to medications to clothes and which goes into the suitcase or carry on. Have never forgotten anything yet. As we put things in we check them off the list. Been doing it for 20 years!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted July 9, 2011 #42 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Whats wrong with a spreadsheet???? Nothing really. I use a computerized packing list too. I just thought a spreadsheet was, well, a bit over the top. I imagined adding up the shoes on one column etc. LOL Anything that helps is good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dolphinmar Posted July 9, 2011 #43 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Now you've got me thinking! (Never a good thing...) ;) I could do a whole analysis on how many pairs of shoes vs length of cruise vs destinations (ports). The sky's the limit! Honestly, I just like to plan and make lists. Been doing it since I was 8. I remember reading a passage in "The Great Gatsby" - something about a list of "to do's" that a young Gatsby had written in the inside cover of a book, I think. It struck home with me way back then and I've never forgotten it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacheco18 Posted July 9, 2011 #44 Share Posted July 9, 2011 Now you've got me thinking! (Never a good thing...) ;) I could do a whole analysis on how many pairs of shoes vs length of cruise vs destinations (ports). The sky's the limit! I bet there's an algorithm for that -- or an app! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queenk2 Posted July 9, 2011 #45 Share Posted July 9, 2011 A few years ago, my husbnad and I packed for a cruise to Greece and Turkey that originated in Venice. Of course, my bag was lost...sob..I did go out and have fum buying enough for a few days..well, the luggage did not arrive in time for the cruise, however that was just a small problem as the TA had booked us for the wrong week on the cruise and we were stuck in Venice with no reservations.Off we went to San Marco square, booked a trip to Isreal and sent the bill to the agent! We had a great time, but we hardly needed formal clothes or the many shoes and pocketbooks that ere packed. I sent some of the things home and visited a gap- like store in Isreal to buy some shorts! Karen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr'aunt Posted July 10, 2011 Author #46 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Now THAT is a story! I gotta know how it ended. Did the TA pay the bill for your unexpected bonus trip to Israel? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queenk2 Posted July 10, 2011 #47 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Yes he did..it was his error...and by the way, he was eventually indicted for fraud. Needless to say, I gave up looking for the ultimate bargain! Karen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruising grandma Posted July 13, 2011 #48 Share Posted July 13, 2011 I began cross packing after my husband's luggage was delayed getting to us in Barcelona precruise years ago. Also, that same cruise, an entire cart of luggage went into the water as the crew was loading it. Some received their ruined items, others never received any of theirs. Four years ago, I found the site, www.onebag.com and have bundle wrapped ever since. We just returned last night from a fabulous 13 nights Mediterranean cruise with a pre cruise hotel and post cruise hotel. I packed two 26" bags and two 22" carryons. My husband also carried a nice sized back pack(which he used for our shore excursions). In my carryon, I pack most of my shoes and several changes of clothes for my husband and me, including swimwear and coverups, shorts, casual night, semi formal and formal(he rented the tux and shoes, freeing up more space). In his carryon is all the camera equipment, my hair and makeup items, his toiletry bag, his extra shoes and all documents. We sclepped all the luggage on the trains from Rome airport to Civitavecchia and walked on to our precruise hotel. Next morning, we walked with luggage to the ship's shuttle. We hired a shuttle service for four (2 cc friends)to the Rome airport after the cruise. For our 22 hour layover in Amsterdam, we had a hotel within walking distance of the airport post cruise. I would probably do the same thing again...only hassle was the stairs at the train station in Civitavecchia. I will cut back on shoes for our upcoming Bermuda cruise, as a couple of pairs were worn only once in the two weeks. My husband will take his formal wear, but this is just a week cruise with a couple of precruise nights in hotels. We won't need nearly as many clothes, but will carry the same amount of luggage(just for the "what if one bag doesn't make it?". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biotech Posted July 13, 2011 #49 Share Posted July 13, 2011 Three years ago on a trip to Egypt and Jordan, we were warned that the inter Egypt and flights to Jordan would only allow us to have one checked and one carryon bag. Since we were going to be gone for 3 weeks, that meant I would finally have to re-think the way I pack. We were allowed 2 checked bags on the international flights from Canada but the idea of leaving one bag in Cairo for when we returned there was not appealing. So here is what I've done to keep within the weight regualtions and still not feel like a bag lady. - most of my wardrobe is by Tilley. Made in Canada and very washable. Even pants with elastic and socks dry very quickly. - I splurged and bought some new light weight luggage by Briggs and Riley. I use a 29" rolling duffle and their cabin bag and I love them:-) - I keep the shoes to minimum and wear the heaviest ones on the plane. - I only take a very small amount of accessories. I'm not a a fashionista by any means and restrict it to few decent pieces of costume jewellery that can be worn with various outfits. - mix amd match of course, old t-shirts for night wear that I can throw out as I go, and remeber that while I like to opportunity to dress up a little for things I will likely never see any of the the people on the cruise again;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winnipegosis Posted July 13, 2011 #50 Share Posted July 13, 2011 The airline lost my "awkward items" bag flying to Manaus for an Amazon River cruise. As we were flying on the cruise line ticket, I was well taken care of. Immediately issued toiletries and a $200 credit. Biggest problem was standing there in full evening attire wearing white Nikes! Ship came through again by loaning me a pair of dress shoes. Not much chance of purchasing clothes in Amazon river ports though. Pursers office chased that bag all over Brazil trying to get it delivered ahead to one of our stops. After a week, the woman I was dealing with threw up her hands in frustration a suggested I just have the bag sent home. I agreed and she arranged free telephone calls to our housesitter to be sure she would be there on delivery day and another call the next day to make sure the bag had arrived. Considering that the purser spoke portugese and still had problems locating and routing the bag, I am glad I had not flown independently as I would have been on my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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