Packing stresses, ugh!

[going to see the world]

I hate hate hate packing. I can never get it where I have what I need. Even when I bring a million things, it's never what I want. I don't get it.

[askimdog]

I stress about many things on vacation but packing has never been one. We prefer 7 day cruises, but becasue of airlines we need to pack light, will not pay for luggage. So, the wife and I pack a roller suitcase that fits in the overhead and a small bookbag/backpack each. We don't do formal, so besides shorts we each pack only 1 pair on longpants, and besides the shoes we wear, we only pack a second pair. So light and quick packing is our motto. She packs over a whole day to get it right, I literally pack a couple hours before we head to the airport.

[waiting4acruise]

We drive to the port as well, we did do a "trial run" to see how many and which suitcases will fit, my oldest just thinks we cant get all our stuff in them, I was fine until he started to freak me out LOL

I think oldest son is messing with you.:D

[K&P Luv2Cruise]

Have you thought about the "air" bags. you pack your stuff in them, then get all the air out and it actually decreases the size by 1/2 !!. You can get these bags in dollar stores or at Solutions stores.

 

By the way...if your son feels there isn't going to be that much room, suggest he take the smaller bag and pack less !! ;)

 

Good luck with your packing, and have a fantastic cruise.

[AngAndBoys]

Have you thought about maybe getting a luggage rack for your car? I don't think they're terribly expensive and I think you can rent one.

 

I usually pack an entire suitcase of bathroom items/sunscreen/etc...just for a START. And I'm not even a girly-girl!

[CRUISE4JANE]

Well I am a girly girly and all I can say is :eek: OMG look at all the suitcases. :rolleyes:. I feel for for you trying to get everything in your trunk.

[LauraR411]

I am in the same boat. We are during about 20 days in Europe before se get on th Breeze in July. I am also trying for one bag, but a checked how will you only do a carry on.

[sushigirl53]

My DH isn't big on formal nights on a cruise, but will do it, although grudgingly. So, one issue we have is that his suit/dinner jacket and dress shoes are so big, bulky and heavy and take up alot of room in the suitcase...and add alot of weight...all for something he will only wear once or twice the while week. :eek:

 

We do have a soft-sided fold-up bag that we usually take to use as an additional bag coming home if we need the extra space. We just have to remember that we carry all of our luggage off ourselves on debarkation day, so we have to make sure that we can manage all of the luggage ourselves. :rolleyes:

[sushigirl53]

Oh, yeah...forgot to mention that we also bring our own snorkel gear, too. :D

[ccruisequeen]

Try jersey and other non wrinkle fabrics. Mix and match pants and shirts so you get twice as many outfits. Use accessories to switch up.

 

Don't impress don't stress! You'll never see these people again!

[LynnTTT]

We're on the transatlantic Breeze leaving Barcelona on Nov 6 for a 15 day trip to Miami. But first we leave the US on October 7 to go on a 15 day tour of Turkey. Then we fly to Madrid for a week and then 3 days in barcelona. And it all has to go into one "luggable" suitcase and a carry on for seven weeks away from home!.

We did this before and I know it can be done. But for a week cruise, you only need to mix and match a few outfits. Pick your favorite colors (mine are black and turquoise) and go with a few solid color shorts, slacks and skirt and pair with multi color tops. For formal nites, I use a long black skirt and two dressy tops. Two bathing suits, one long T-Shirt as a cover up. Pack a dressy sweater for the cold dining rooms.

In all honesty, everyone over-packs and frankly, no one is really looking at you that much. Comfortable shoes are the basics of life anyway!

[lbow2006]

Not so much stressing but necessary extreme planning. We are taking an 11 night TA followed by 3 - 4 week land tour of Europe with a Eurail Pass. We will take 1 carry-on & a back pack each and do laundry several times along the way. I am struggling with finding the best multi-purpose items that work for both cruise & land tour. Fortunately I have some time to sort it out!:)

 

This sounds fantastic! I hope you have a great time! :)

[bluenoser2]

Last year our family of 5 did a cruise on the Dream - 7 day - because of the baggage fees, and because the last cruise DH and I went on, MY large suitcase was lost (returned eventually) we didn't give anyone the choice of having more than the biggest carryon they could get away with. With planning, and good packing/squishing we did it and it was great! We didn't have to worry about lost luggage, all our flights were booked full so they took our bags for us anyway so we didn't have to mash them into overhead bins, and we just loaded up on drinks, hair product and anything that we couldn't put in the max allowable liquid (like sunscreen) when we got to Florida, and threw out what we didn't use before we returned. It was a lot cheaper than paying for the luggage, and we found we didn't miss having more clothes/choices. We still did formal nights, just did them minimally!

[Twibbs]

Last year our family of 5 did a cruise on the Dream - 7 day - because of the baggage fees, and because the last cruise DH and I went on, MY large suitcase was lost (returned eventually) we didn't give anyone the choice of having more than the biggest carryon they could get away with. With planning, and good packing/squishing we did it and it was great! We didn't have to worry about lost luggage, all our flights were booked full so they took our bags for us anyway so we didn't have to mash them into overhead bins, and we just loaded up on drinks, hair product and anything that we couldn't put in the max allowable liquid (like sunscreen) when we got to Florida, and threw out what we didn't use before we returned. It was a lot cheaper than paying for the luggage, and we found we didn't miss having more clothes/choices. We still did formal nights, just did them minimally!

 

This is what we did last December. Mom's friend never got her suitcase back after it was lost while they were flying to their European cruise! We did, however, check a bag n the way back as you can't carry on much rum otherwise. It was so nice not having to worry about what to do with the bags when we just wanted to get dinner without swinging by the hotel first.

[JenzyKY]

Do you really need so much stuff? My last cruise almost all of my regular clothes were clean still as a bathing suit and coverup is what I wear most of the time except for dinner.

[KCCruisin']

I have to say that packing isn't the highlight of any trip, for me. The worst is when I have to fly to a port and because of the airlines, you have to be meticulous about what you pack. I'm leaving out of Texas to Boston to board the Glory to Saint John, so with their being a difference in temps in Texas, I'm trying to pack for both climates:rolleyes: