Packing for 2 weeks in Europe

[NewCruiserMPC]

This is our 3rd cruise, but first time ever in Europe.

 

We are scheduled to go on a 7 day Mediterranean Cruise in June (Barcelona to Rome). At the end of our cruise, we plan to spend an additonal 3 days in Rome, then 2 days in London before we head back home.

 

I'm having a hard time figuring out what size luggage to bring and how much to pack. I guess more so, what to pack. I want to have enough space to bring back small souvenirs, but dont want to have an additional carry on other than a backpack.

 

For those of you that are experienced, what did you find worked best for you? And what didnt?

[Sauer-kraut]

Rome will be pretty warm, so take light clothing. A windbreaker/rain jacket and a light cardigan will do. Make sure all your clothes will coordinate, so you can re-wear bottoms and change out tops and you'll be fine. Stick with one color scheme, black/khaki/navy blue for your neutrals and tops that will go with everything. I don't know what kind of formal nights your cruise line will have, but if you pack a black skirt it will do for semi and formal nights, again just switch out the tops OR wear the same outfit twice, no one really cares what you are wearing.

 

Don't pack a lot of shoes, a good pair of nice flat sandals will double duty as your dress pair and regular pair. A good pair of walking shoes and some flip flops as room slippers and pool wear should max out your footwear.

 

A swim coverup can double as a robe in hotels.

 

Good luck!! I've been packing for European trips that last 3-6 weeks and only use one suitcase 22" suitcase.

[crystalspin]

@ MPC

 

Pick the bag you want to handle. Remember there aren't always carts available, and even with a bag that has wheels -- surfaces aren't always suitable for rolling or "spinning". Pick a bag that when fully packed, you can carry (with your backpack also loaded) up a couple flights of stairs!

 

If you already have several suitcases you're trying to decide between, load them up with clothes straight out of your drawers and give it a try. If you're trying to decide what to buy, you might (1) ask friends to try the above with their bags, or (2) check out Goodwill for cheap suitcases of various dimensions. You can always donate them back! Our first 22" suitcases actually came from Goodwill and a charity yardsale and we used them on six or eight trips including a cruise to Alaska!

 

As I've gotten older, the weight I can carry up those stairs has decreased! Fortunately I have acquired a travel wardrobe that (generally) packs small and wears hard. Sauer-kraut gave good advice; although I have not travelled much in western Europe, reputation has it they are "dressier" so I will go with mostly black pants and solid tops (white is easy and "safe" as long as easy clean, but on upcoming eastern Mediterranean cruise, mine will be jeweltones cuz you don't have to abandon your own style after all).

 

Like SK, my husband and I have been travelling (cruises and land-based tours) with carry-on sized suitcases and a backpack or tote, for a number of years. The 20-22" hardshell 'spinners' have zip-out gussets so if souvenir shopping gets out of hand, we can pack them with things that can be replaced and check one or both on the way home, carrying only electronics, souvenirs, and my knitting!

 

That's just telling you MY routine NOW. When I started travelling with my husband, 25-or-so years ago, we EACH had a 29" pullman! If you can carry it (up stairs), no reason you shouldn't bring it.

 

As far as room for souvenirs, although this is hard not to do -- you do not have to start with your suitcase FULL. Pack a couple empty boxes, USPS Priority boxes work well being sturdy enough not to collapse when clothes push on them -- this keeps your clothes from smooshing together when the bag is upright, as well!

 

Finally, once you have decided on a size bag to take, there is a board here on CC that can help you generate ideas about WHAT to pack: Cruise Fashions & Beauty:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=182

 

Edited February 12, 2015 by crystalspin

[CruiserBruce]

We commonly do 20+ day cruises with one checked bag (not stuffed) and two carry ons. Note I take a tux, and wife takes a nice gown for cruises. We did a 15 day Italy land tour with two carry-on bags and two small, far from stuffed "daypacks". Just my personal opinion, but if you work on multiple matching combos- one pair of pants with 4 shirt combos, x2 pants, like white pants and blue pants, with matching shirts, you end up with MANY more combos that require very few shoes.

[griffy116]

We did almost this exact cruise last year. We carried a 22" and a rolling carry on instead of a back pack. I knew I wouldn't be able to carry mine up flights of stairs so we used a private car. You can go to your Meet and Mingle for your cruise and share the ride with another couple or even two other couples and it cuts down on the cost and makes it quite reasonable. There were five of us so we booked the car/van just for us. I packed only clothes that could do double duty. I wore a couple of my heavier items of clothing on the plane (jacket). I carried a pair of sandals that doubled for some of the tours and for casual nights in the MDR on the ship. I carried a pair of dressy flats for formal night or for casual nights. Flip flops for the beach and I wore my athletic shoes on the plane and for a couple of the tours. I carried as many items that were wrinkle free as possible (the ones specifically for travel that will roll into a lightweight ball), along with a travel size of Downey Wrinkle release. I used the wash 'n fold bag on the ship for undewear, t-shirts and a couple of shorts. Casual nights, I wore a top that could be worn the following day (or a subsequent day) for a tour or wore a tank top under a blouse that night and the tank top for touring ruins. I carried one of the silky bags that folds up into a square but unfolded so that I wasn't carrying several tiny bags when I bought small souvenirs. I carried one swimsuit on this cruise because the days at sea weren't back-to-back. My swimsuit cover-up was a light-weight t-shirt dress that could take me on a tour or get me into the dining room at lunch. I didn't carry pj's. I carried gym shorts and a t-shirt that could have been worn out, just in case. One pair of black dress pants with two thin, silky tops with some sparkle and my dressy flats took me through the formal nights. Two simple basic neutral pashminas bought on the ship served as souvenirs and got me through the cruise on chilly nights when I wore my sleeveless tops that went on an excursion the next day. Our hardside luggage was expandable and we left with it NOT expanded It came back expanded to cover the souvenirs. We carried a luggage scale (small), a first aid kit that included OTC meds such as cold meds, pepto bismol, advil, beneydryl in a small zip lock. Take the pills or gel caps. We also use the zip locks of all sizes to pack and we squeeze the air out of the non-wrinkle ones, snack size for jewelry and 2-1/2 gal for shoes and a complete outfit in my carry-on (t-shirt, shorts, undies). I carried three bras (2 nude, one black) and washed them out and hung them on the balcony (with a couple of clothes pins I carried) to dry (or you can hang it from the clothes line in the shower). I wash the swimsuit out in the sink, take a towel and tightly ROLL the water out and then hang it up the same way. I use two/three neutral colors (black/beige/white) that can be inter-changed and add a couple of colored tops that will go with any of the slacks, shorts/capris. Be sure you have appropriately dressed for a tour of some of the churches and the Vatican (capri or t-shirt dress and/or pashmina in that silk tote that goes over my shoulder. All five of us used the same strategy and we didn't have any problems and we were in CLEAN clothes. We did a night in New York pre-flight, two nights in Rome pre-cruise, a 7-day cruise and two nights post-cruise.

[Langley Cruisers]

Also remember that if you plan to visit the Vatican or other churches in Europe, men and women must have their knees and shoulders covered and no indiscreet or objectionable clothing is permitted. This may help you decide what to pack if you weren't going to take long pants; the ones that zip off into shorts are convenient. Perhaps a shawl to cover up in churches would be convenient if you were planning to go sleeveless the rest of the day.

 

Couple of suggestions. Have fun! :)

[Folk Singer]

This is our 3rd cruise, but first time ever in Europe.

 

We are scheduled to go on a 7 day Mediterranean Cruise in June (Barcelona to Rome). At the end of our cruise, we plan to spend an additonal 3 days in Rome, then 2 days in London before we head back home.

 

I'm having a hard time figuring out what size luggage to bring and how much to pack. I guess more so, what to pack. I want to have enough space to bring back small souvenirs, but dont want to have an additional carry on other than a backpack.

 

For those of you that are experienced, what did you find worked best for you? And what didnt?

 

 

Go on youtube and see how to pack for 60 days with a carry on really interesting.

[Folk Singer]

Rome will be pretty warm, so take light clothing. A windbreaker/rain jacket and a light cardigan will do. Make sure all your clothes will coordinate, so you can re-wear bottoms and change out tops and you'll be fine. Stick with one color scheme, black/khaki/navy blue for your neutrals and tops that will go with everything. I don't know what kind of formal nights your cruise line will have, but if you pack a black skirt it will do for semi and formal nights, again just switch out the tops OR wear the same outfit twice, no one really cares what you are wearing.

 

Don't pack a lot of shoes, a good pair of nice flat sandals will double duty as your dress pair and regular pair. A good pair of walking shoes and some flip flops as room slippers and pool wear should max out your footwear.

 

A swim coverup can double as a robe in hotels.

 

Good luck!! I've been packing for European trips that last 3-6 weeks and only use one suitcase 22" suitcase.

 

 

We do the same.