Carry-ons and sunscreen

[MicheMommy]

For our cruise in June, I'd like to stick with just carry-on luggage instead of checking bags at the airport. The thing that's been bugging me lately, though, is how do we pack enough sunscreen?! I'm very fair skinned (okay, okay...more like pastey white), and burn like nobody's business, so we're going to be needing a LOT. For those of you that have only travelled with carry-on luggage, what did you do?

Thanks!

[Langley Cruisers]

You have only a few options.

 

- Remembering that all liquids must fit into the 1 quart baggie when going through security, you can put your sunscreen into smaller, 3 oz. or less bottles. I would not choose this option, as I need my baggie for other items like cosmetics, my own shampoo, toothpaste, and lotions. They say one baggie per person and I assume your husband will have his own bag filled with his items?

 

- You can buy sunscreen when you arrive at your destination/embarkation city.

 

- Purchase sunscreen onboard ship, but you will absolutely pay a premium price for it.

 

I think that's it, really.

[cherylandtk]

I can only think of one other alternative; there are a couple of stick/solid sunscreens on the market, if the brand is not critical to you you could try one of those. They are similar to stick deoderants, do not have to go in the quart Baggie and are not limited in size.

[newbiecruiser09]

We use the sticks for faces but it would be hard to use it all over IMHO. I would find a WalMart or such when you land at your departure port and buy it there. We did this last cruise but we came in the day before and had time to shop.

[cb at sea]

Check a bag.....you can carry unlimited amounts of liquids in CHECKED bags. There is no way to carry-on enough sunscreen for an entire cruise.

 

On the ship, there are no "liquid" restrictions. You can carry on GALLONS of liquids, unless it's alcohol!

 

Just pack 1 checked bag for the plane and put ALL of your liquids in it....not a big deal!

[spunkyhungry]

Check a bag.....you can carry unlimited amounts of liquids in CHECKED bags. There is no way to carry-on enough sunscreen for an entire cruise.

 

On the ship, there are no "liquid" restrictions. You can carry on GALLONS of liquids, unless it's alcohol!

 

Just pack 1 checked bag for the plane and put ALL of your liquids in it....not a big deal!

 

I agree. Sunscreen is really expensive on the ship. You'll go through a lot of it, considering your time at ports and hanging out at the pool. I think for 2 of us we brought 3-4 bottles of sunscreen on our last cruise and used it all up.

[fleckle]

For our cruise in June, I'd like to stick with just carry-on luggage instead of checking bags at the airport. The thing that's been bugging me lately, though, is how do we pack enough sunscreen?! I'm very fair skinned (okay, okay...more like pastey white), and burn like nobody's business, so we're going to be needing a LOT. For those of you that have only travelled with carry-on luggage, what did you do?

Thanks!

We each carry on a 3 ounce tube of sunscreen. If concerned, you can pick up more sunscreen in an airport store after you clear security, or after you land.

 

We like to fly into the embarkation port at least a day before our cruise, so we usually hit a store there to stock up on whatever we need. Or else we do it at the first port of call.

 

As a back-up, they usually have sunscreen for sale on the ship as well, although it may not be the kind you want.

 

One way to look at it, if you don't want to be bothered with checking luggage and are flying on an airline that charges to check bags, you can buy a lot of sunscreen with the money you save by not checking any bags.

[MicheMommy]

Thanks all! I don't know why I didn't think about just buying it when we land, but that's probably what we'll end up doing. We're scheduled to get in before 6am the day of embarkation, so we'll each have a 3 ounce bottle in our bags and then if we get in early enough to stop at a store, we'll do that and if for some reason we don't, maybe we'll see what we can find in the first port.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I would vote for making sure you get into your embarkation city at least a day before and go shopping for whatever you didn't/couldn't take on your flight. Try to get enough for your sea days plus a supply just in case your first port gets cancelled. You'll pay a premium if you have to buy it onboard.

[MicheMommy]

Can't fly in the day before, hence the reason we're doing the redeye, which is already booked.

[cantw8togo]

We almost always travel with carry on only, and we take enough sunscreen to last a couple of days and stop off at a store when we get to the embarkation port. We also stock up on snacks to have in the cabin (a bag of chips is also very expensive on board) and anything else that we have inveribly forgotten.

 

Just remember that if you have sunscreen left over, you can't take containers larger than 3 oz home on the plane, even if that is the quantity of the product inside. You can decant it into the container that you brought down or leave it behind for your cabin steward.

 

It is still worth it to just take carry on luggage; you just have to plan ahead a bit more.

[Bonnie J.]

My husband does not like to be in the sun so we always find spots on the ship that are in the shade. I like the sun and tan so I'm in the sun and he is nearby in the shade. He always takes his hat when we go ashore because you never know if you can find shade. We rent umbrellas at beaches and in ports walk on the shadey side of the streets.