Packing Tips - From a man's perspective

[1313steve]

I read posts all the time about what to pack, how much to take, and what not to forget. Most of them seem to be from a lady’s perspective, so I thought I’d write a post from my male perspective.

 

We were recently on the Celebrity Reflection (7 days, Eastern Caribbean), and I’ve cruised about half a dozen other times, so I do have a reasonable amount of experience. All cruises have been to the Caribbean, so I can’t really offer much perspective about what to take to Alaska, the Med, or Europe.

 

As a bit of background, I typically dress business casual for work (slacks and polo or open collar button down shirt). I wear a sport coat/shirt/tie combo some days, too. I own two tuxes because I do attend the occasional black tie event and I just would rather own a tux than rent. I own two because for some reason, clothing tends to shrink if it sits in the closet for too long, so one is a little too snug!!  LOL

 

I believe in respecting the cruise lines recommended dress codes and would rather be overdressed than underdressed in any situation.

 

So here’s my packing list from our recent trip, and I’ve also noted what I actually wore.

 

Shaving kit with the essentials…. Travel size toothpaste, hair spray and hair gel, cheap electric toothbrush, deodorant, hair brush. Disposable razor, Small quantity of Tylenol and 10 days worth of prescription medication (7 day cruise, but wanted to have extra just in case). I’m fine using the ships shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, etc. No need to bring those along. We also had two bottles of sunscreen that we shared.

 

Tuxedo (jacket, pants, shirt, bow tie, cummerbund. – Although there were two formal nights, we planned to eat in a specialty restaurant one formal night, and the attire for those isn’t formal on any night. On formal nights, about 5% of the guys had tuxes, and another 20% had suits or sport coats with ties. Many of the rest had jackets with open collar shirts, and some just had slacks and a polo or button down.

 

Slacks – In addition to the tux pants, I took a pair of nice khakis, and two pair of black slacks. I wore the khakis and one pair of the black pants.

Sport coat – I took a black sport coat that I intended to wear to dinner most nights. I wore it one night, but could have (and should have) just left it at home.

 

Shirts – I took five button down long sleeve shirts, four Tommy Bahama shirts, three polo shirts, and three T-shirts. I wore one of the long sleeve shirts (with the sport coat) and two of the Tommy Bahama shirts, all of the polo and T shirts.

 

Tie – I brought a tie, just in case I wanted to wear it with a sport coat one night. I never wore it.

 

Shorts – I took four pair of shorts (and had another pair on when we boarded). I wore two pair.

 

Bathing suits - took two and wore them both.

 

Baseball cap - great to have on excursions.

 

Shoes – black dress, brown dress, crocs, flip flops, and I wore Sperry Topsiders on board. I wore everything but the brown dress shoes (opting for the Topsiders with my khakis).

 

I also brought enough underwear, a T-shirt to sleep in, and socks. In my case, it was one pair of socks because I hate to wear socks, but I thought I’d wear a pair with my tux!! 

 

Dinner attire was typically slacks and a Tommy Bahama or Golf shirt. We ate in either the main dining room or a specialty restaurant every night. If I wasn’t pool side or on an excursion (we did snorkeling and boating), I had on shirts and a golf/polo shirt. I’m not one of those who roams the ship all day in a bathing suit and a t-shirt.

 

Everything I brought fit easily into a larger (27”) rolling suitcase. All my dress shirts, slacks, sport coat and tux, were each left on hangers and packed in individual plastic dry cleaner bags and folded neatly into my suitcase. Doing this prevents 95% of the wrinkles and avoids the need to have items pressed or worn looking wrinkled. Having most of my clothes on hangers makes unpacking really easy, too. Don't be worried about wearing the same thing more than once (assuming it's clean). Nobody will care, and most likely nobody will even notice.

 

 

If you’re putting your bags out the last night before departure. Here’s a tip…….. pack everything except what you’ll be wearing in the morning and what (if anything) you’ll be sleeping in. Go ahead and pack your shaving kit, too, but leave out the products you’ll need in the morning. When you get dressed in the morning, just throw away what’s left of the travel size stuff. I even throw away my toothbrush. My girlfriend does the same, except for her cosmetics.

 

When we walk off the ship, all we have is a very small carry-on with her cosmetics, whatever we wore the night before, reading glasses, and our electronics and paperwork.

 

I hope this helps! Enjoy your cruise!!

Edited April 30, 2014 by 1313steve

[cb at sea]

You had on 2 pair of shorts and 2 bathing suits? Wow!

[iheartbda]

OP, very nice to see something from a male's perspective. Good job.:)

[wassup4565]

OP, thanks, forwarded it to my man. He is a stranger in a strange land with this men's clothing business. He was a prof, and his students didn't care what he wore, as long as he taught them well and helped them toward their future.

[wassup4565]

Yep, he replied to me, he thinks you are bringing too much stuff.

 

I just hope he brings a few shirts that somewhat match up with his pants and shorts. But you know what - he's my cutie-patootie after all these years. Do I really care about what he's wearing? Nah. The clothes don't make the man.

[1313steve]

Yep, he replied to me, he thinks you are bringing too much stuff.

 

I just hope he brings a few shirts that somewhat match up with his pants and shorts. But you know what - he's my cutie-patootie after all these years. Do I really care about what he's wearing? Nah. The clothes don't make the man.

 

No doubt I brought too much, but as long as it fit in one suitcase and came in under the 50 lb. airline limit (it was 48.9), I didn't mind bringing it.

 

I subscribe to the ZZ Top school of fashion........"'Cause every girl crazy 'bout a sharp dressed man" :D

[tgmg00a]

Thanks for the list from a male viewpoint. I am off to Alaska in a bit over a month but your basic principals apply. Will need less swim ware and a few sweaters and such but need to fit this into what I get wheel with me. We are leaving our house in East Bay and using public transit to reach San Fran. So I can't pull my normal White Knight and bring everything under the sun.

 

My DW can't wait to see how I do.

[griffy116]

Yep, he replied to me, he thinks you are bringing too much stuff.

 

I just hope he brings a few shirts that somewhat match up with his pants and shorts. But you know what - he's my cutie-patootie after all these years. Do I really care about what he's wearing? Nah. The clothes don't make the man.

 

Totally agree. We've been on 16 cruises, 17 coming up in June and our men would stage a revolt. Black suit and 2 shirts and ties. Black dress shoes and socks; two swimsuits, 2 pair of pants, 3 golf shirts, interchangeable with the slacks; 5 pair of cargo shorts, two pair of the silky gym shorts, 8 pair of boxer briefs, 7 t-shirts and shaving supplies, along with flip flops for the pool and topsiders for casual dinner nights. If necessary, we send a few things to the laundry. No biggie. We also hope for semi-matching, but if they don't, they just don't. They usually buy a t-shirt at a port or on the ship anyway.

[klfrodo]

want to avoid a spat?

 

I pack my clothes, she packs her clothes.

If something is forgotten,,, oh well. That's on the individual. No finger pointing or blame.

[Elvisfans]

I read posts all the time about what to pack, how much to take, and what not to forget. Most of them seem to be from a lady’s perspective, so I thought I’d write a post from my male perspective.

 

We were recently on the Celebrity Reflection (7 days, Eastern Caribbean), and I’ve cruised about half a dozen other times, so I do have a reasonable amount of experience. All cruises have been to the Caribbean, so I can’t really offer much perspective about what to take to Alaska, the Med, or Europe.

 

As a bit of background, I typically dress business casual for work (slacks and polo or open collar button down shirt). I wear a sport coat/shirt/tie combo some days, too. I own two tuxes because I do attend the occasional black tie event and I just would rather own a tux than rent. I own two because for some reason, clothing tends to shrink if it sits in the closet for too long, so one is a little too snug!!  LOL

 

I believe in respecting the cruise lines recommended dress codes and would rather be overdressed than underdressed in any situation.

 

So here’s my packing list from our recent trip, and I’ve also noted what I actually wore.

 

Shaving kit with the essentials…. Travel size toothpaste, hair spray and hair gel, cheap electric toothbrush, deodorant, hair brush. Disposable razor, Small quantity of Tylenol and 10 days worth of prescription medication (7 day cruise, but wanted to have extra just in case). I’m fine using the ships shampoo, conditioner, soap, lotion, etc. No need to bring those along. We also had two bottles of sunscreen that we shared.

 

Tuxedo (jacket, pants, shirt, bow tie, cummerbund. – Although there were two formal nights, we planned to eat in a specialty restaurant one formal night, and the attire for those isn’t formal on any night. On formal nights, about 5% of the guys had tuxes, and another 20% had suits or sport coats with ties. Many of the rest had jackets with open collar shirts, and some just had slacks and a polo or button down.

 

Slacks – In addition to the tux pants, I took a pair of nice khakis, and two pair of black slacks. I wore the khakis and one pair of the black pants.

Sport coat – I took a black sport coat that I intended to wear to dinner most nights. I wore it one night, but could have (and should have) just left it at home.

 

Shirts – I took five button down long sleeve shirts, four Tommy Bahama shirts, three polo shirts, and three T-shirts. I wore one of the long sleeve shirts (with the sport coat) and two of the Tommy Bahama shirts, all of the polo and T shirts.

 

Tie – I brought a tie, just in case I wanted to wear it with a sport coat one night. I never wore it.

 

Shorts – I took four pair of shorts (and had another pair on when we boarded). I wore two pair.

 

Bathing suits - took two and wore them both.

 

Baseball cap - great to have on excursions.

 

Shoes – black dress, brown dress, crocs, flip flops, and I wore Sperry Topsiders on board. I wore everything but the brown dress shoes (opting for the Topsiders with my khakis).

 

I also brought enough underwear, a T-shirt to sleep in, and socks. In my case, it was one pair of socks because I hate to wear socks, but I thought I’d wear a pair with my tux!! 

 

Dinner attire was typically slacks and a Tommy Bahama or Golf shirt. We ate in either the main dining room or a specialty restaurant every night. If I wasn’t pool side or on an excursion (we did snorkeling and boating), I had on shirts and a golf/polo shirt. I’m not one of those who roams the ship all day in a bathing suit and a t-shirt.

 

Everything I brought fit easily into a larger (27”) rolling suitcase. All my dress shirts, slacks, sport coat and tux, were each left on hangers and packed in individual plastic dry cleaner bags and folded neatly into my suitcase. Doing this prevents 95% of the wrinkles and avoids the need to have items pressed or worn looking wrinkled. Having most of my clothes on hangers makes unpacking really easy, too. Don't be worried about wearing the same thing more than once (assuming it's clean). Nobody will care, and most likely nobody will even notice.

 

 

If you’re putting your bags out the last night before departure. Here’s a tip…….. pack everything except what you’ll be wearing in the morning and what (if anything) you’ll be sleeping in. Go ahead and pack your shaving kit, too, but leave out the products you’ll need in the morning. When you get dressed in the morning, just throw away what’s left of the travel size stuff. I even throw away my toothbrush. My girlfriend does the same, except for her cosmetics.

 

When we walk off the ship, all we have is a very small carry-on with her cosmetics, whatever we wore the night before, reading glasses, and our electronics and paperwork.

 

I hope this helps! Enjoy your cruise!!

 

Thanks for the post, we're leaving in 2 weeks and I've been losing sleep over what to pack.

Steve

[Jacs]

My other half is such a light packer, on our last cruise which was a 19 night South Pacific with 3 days in Hawaii pre cruise he packed the following: 2 x shorts, 1 x swimming trunks, 2 x pair black slacks, 2 x long sleeve shirts 1 x jacket, 2 x ties, 2 x Hawaiian shirts & 3 x polo shirts plus socks and jocks. Shoes were black dress, flip flops and runners. This is his standard packing list for no matter how long we go away for, he just wears everything a few more times for long trips or we do a wash :D

[JimAOk1945]

want to avoid a spat?

 

I pack my clothes, she packs her clothes.

If something is forgotten,,, oh well. That's on the individual. No finger pointing or blame.

We do this as well.

[Calgon1]

Excellent advice. Thanks.