Packing for Europe

[rlkubi]

We are going to be in Europe for almost a month and I'm stressing on packing. We are going to Europe and shipping one big piece of luggage with cruise items to our hotel in Athens. But we will be traveling in Europe for 2 weeks and don't want to carry a lot. Would like to only bring 2 small carryon size suitcases for that but I don't think I can do it. We are traveling on smaller airlines and the carryons can only weight 22 pounds .

 

Any suggestions?

Edited May 19, 2016 by rlkubi

[griffy116]

We were gone for 12 days including overnight in NY pre-cruise, 2 nights in Rome pre-cruise, 7-night cruise, one night in Rome post cruise and one night in NY, post cruise. We each carried one small carry-on bag and one large checked bag and had more than enough clothes. For flight, I wore capri plants and sleeveless top (June) along with a lightweight jacket and sandals. I carried a tote bag for my purse and had a small cross-body purse inside the tote for the flight. I always carry a pair of socks,which I wear while in my seat on the flight. I carried capris, light weight slacks, t-shirts, casual tops, 2 pair of walking sandals,1 pair of dressy flats, one pair of dress slacks and 1 lace top and one sparkly top (formal nights), 2 swimsuits, one cover-up, 3 pair of walking shorts, 2 pair of athletic shorts, a couple of crops pants, underwear, hair dryer, cosmetics, OTC meds, prescription meds, cell-phone and charger, black evening bag, silky totebag that zips into a tiny cube, extra socks, casual dress that will roll into a small bag and come out without wrinkles, 1 lightweight sweater, 2 pashminas, a small umbrella. With the charges for luggage, we decided to use the ship's laundry services (Royal doesn't have self-service laundry). I used the "bag for one price" service (can't remember the name) and I also sent a couple of pieces to the regular laundry during the cruise, which meant I was replenished with fresh clothes halfway through the trip. I did wash out a couple of bras in the sink with the "mystery dispenser" stuff and hung them in the shower to dry. I also used the tip about packing clothing that could be mixed and matched. I used blacks, beige and whites with some colorful t-shirts and casual shirts to mix it up that could go with either. I had brown and black sandals and black dress shoes that could also be worn with casual slacks and tops and formal night. You could substitute athletic shoes for the sandals, but I liked the walking sandals better...just personal taste.We never ran out of clean clothes to wear and never had to pay beyond the initial bag for the domestic flights. The one bag was free on the international flight so no extra luggage fees at all if we had flown directly to Europe. We never felt restricted and I didn't have to do any laundry during the trip, and we were able to manage our luggage. Everything did double duty. I slept in the athletic shorts and a t-shirt, which when washed could be used on one of the tours in a very HOT port. My swimsuit cover-up was a thin t-shirt dress. When washed, it could be worn on a tour. Use the ships laundry services. Much better than overpacking and lugging the luggage or paying add'l luggage fees. We've done his twice now for Med cruises and love it. We even use the laundry services when we will be in the Caribbean. I love it.

[rlkubi]

That sounds awesome! Again we will be traveling for 2 weeks before getting on the cruise. Once on cruise we have free laundry so not a problem. The smaller air carriers have a weight limit on carryons which is difficult.

[SadieN]

Packing Light Rules

 

Pack for a few days and repeat.

 

Mix and match clothes

 

Limit shoes

 

Wash your clothes. Learn how to hand wash. Shampoo and conditioner can be used to wash clothes.

 

Take only enough lotions and potions. Limit you beauty routine. Buy beauty supplies on your travels.

 

Use a light weight non rolling case/backpack. (Many rolling carry ons are 7 pounds empty.) Ebags has lots to choose from. Or choose a lightweight roller. IT has a two wheeled bag that is very light. We got ours at TJMaxx.

 

Look at The Vivienne Files and Lady Light Travel.

 

Here's a very long thread about four weeks in Europe

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1687293

 

 

 

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Edited May 19, 2016 by SadieN

[Hoyaheel]

As I mentioned in the other thread, there have been many people here who've done this in the past and posted about their experiences. See if any of these threads help:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1687293&highlight=europe

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1035485&highlight=carry-on

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1825344&highlight=carry-on

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2201263&highlight=carry-on

[SadieN]

Another thing---

Decide if you're doing formal night. If so, how dressy are you going to get. Some will simply avoid the MDR on formal night.

Which line?

A simple black skirt and top can create a 'dress'. Men can wear khakis with or without a jacket. If bringing a jacket, wear it on the plane.

 

 

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Edited May 19, 2016 by SadieN

[cruisemom42]

To get around some of the issues of the carry-on weight, be sure to wear your heaviest clothes/shoes on the plane, including any jackets.

 

Some people swear by the vests and jackets that have a multitude of pockets into which you can tuck many things that would otherwise have to be packed in your bag -- Scottevest (google it) is one example. Obviously this would only work for non-liquids and allowable items.

[Hoyaheel]

Decide if you're doing formal night. If so, how dressy are you going to get.

 

Considering they plan to ship a bag just for the cruise, I don't think that's a big consideration.

 

(personally, I'd just sail with what I have - that's what we did when we did the 12 day Black Sea a few years ago)

[SadieN]

Considering they plan to ship a bag just for the cruise, I don't think that's a big consideration.

 

 

 

(personally, I'd just sail with what I have - that's what we did when we did the 12 day Black Sea a few years ago)

 

 

Maybe wishful thing on my part that the shipping would be forgotten. :)

 

Here's a link for inspiration. I pack light but not this light.

http://www.bigredkitchen.com/2012/01/the-almost-no-bag-challenge-how-to-live-out-of-one-bag-for-21-days-in-europe/

 

 

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[slidergirl]

Just because you want to take a legal carryon-size bag, it does not mean that you must carry on the bag! I travel with just a legal size carryon and my daypack. Many times, I will check the 22"-er just to not have worry about the overhead storage wars ( if there is space for my daypack, I'll put it up, but if not, no biggie to shove under the seat if I must).

[waterbug123]

traveling in Europe for 2 weeks....only bring 2 small carryon size suitcases.... 22 pounds .

 

Any suggestions?

 

Yes:

Limit your color palette. Everything must coordinate with everything else so you can mix and match.

 

Take things in wash and wear fabrics you can rinse in sink and hang to dry. Tide makes 1-use sink washing packets that come 3 to a packet (look in the travel toiletry section at Bed Bath and Beyond)

 

Limit yourself to 2 pair of shoes. Wear the heavier pair on flight day, pack the other pair.

 

Take only the toiletries that absolutely essential. Ex. you don't need separate moisturizers for day and night, even if you use different ones at home. You can by choosing one of them for a couple of weeks.

 

Don't bother to pack any just-in-case OTC meds. I assure you that you can find anything you might need at a pharmacy in Europe. People over there get headaches, diarrhea, allergies, indigestion and colds too!

 

 

That sounds awesome! Again we will be traveling for 2 weeks before getting on the cruise. Once on cruise we have free laundry so not a problem. The smaller air carriers have a weight limit on carryons which is difficult.

 

This might be my biggest suggestion: Don't stress over paying for laundry pre-cruise. If you have a things you want to pack that won't work well for sink washing and hanging dry, find a laundromat and do a load of laundry. I have friends who recently returned from a month in Europe and they did laundry every few days. They would simply ask at their hotel for the nearest laundromat. I think they even said the machines there dispense the detergent automatically so they didn't even have to figure out how to buy any. They said it was well worth the few bucks they paid in order to be able to travel with just carry-on size suitcases and backpacks. They also said it didn't take that much time. They usually found a laundromat that was near a bar or cafe; they'd put the laundry in and go have breakfast or lunch or drink coffee and read a book, whatever.

[spudicusrex]

Yes:

Limit your color palette. Everything must coordinate with everything else so you can mix and match.

 

Take things in wash and wear fabrics you can rinse in sink and hang to dry. Tide makes 1-use sink washing packets that come 3 to a packet (look in the travel toiletry section at Bed Bath and Beyond)

 

Limit yourself to 2 pair of shoes. Wear the heavier pair on flight day, pack the other pair.

 

Take only the toiletries that absolutely essential. Ex. you don't need separate moisturizers for day and night, even if you use different ones at home. You can by choosing one of them for a couple of weeks.

 

Don't bother to pack any just-in-case OTC meds. I assure you that you can find anything you might need at a pharmacy in Europe. People over there get headaches, diarrhea, allergies, indigestion and colds too!

 

This. 100%. I was able to pack for a 10 night trip around Europe in the winter using these techniques. I picked three colors and made sure every top went with 1) every other top (for layering purposes), and 2) every bottom.

 

I also now have a fun story about buying cold medicine in a pharmacy in Berlin with nothing but my 9th grade german and a lot of hand gestures :)

[waterbug123]

 

I also now have a fun story about buying cold medicine in a pharmacy in Berlin with nothing but my 9th grade german and a lot of hand gestures :)

 

LOL, that was me, buying cold medicine in an airport in Mexico, doing exaggerated sniffling and gesturing blowing my nose while saying "ah choo." I have also purchased clear medi-tape (for a blister) in the Caribbean, allergy medicine in Italy, Immodium in Mexico etc. Unless one will be completely off the beaten path, hiking and camping in the back country, there is no need to take one's entire medicine cabinet with them for "just in case" purposes.

 

(Obviously if you have Rx meds or OTC meds that you take every day, that's different.)

[Hoyaheel]

Do note items that are OTC at home but might not be where you are traveling. For instance - Immodium (loperamide) is not OTC in Jamaica, as I found out a few years back :eek:

 

(of course, the opposite can be true as well)

[slidergirl]

Do note items that are OTC at home but might not be where you are traveling. For instance - Immodium (loperamide) is not OTC in Jamaica, as I found out a few years back :eek:

 

(of course, the opposite can be true as well)

 

Ah, the wonderful Tylenol #3s, the cough syrup with codeine, 400mg Advils…and in Egypt the antibiotic that helps make "Mummy Tummy" tolerable if you fall to it.

 

I have had good success finding what I need at foreign pharmacies when I've had the need.

[SadieN]

DD couldn't find Benedryl or its equivalent in Marrakesh. No idea what she reacted to. We now take more than enough of everything.

 

Figure out what is bought where. In Italy there are Red Cross and Green Cross pharmacies, they sell different things.

 

 

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[NatalieWood]

Re wearing and mixing and matching sounds good for winter, but in summer? I'm heading to Italy and Greece in July for 14 days (12 night cruise) and am not sure I'd be able to wear much more than once. I'm picturing very hot days and lots of sweating. We are planning to stuff a bag for laundry service and wash out some things in the sink, but...

[SadieN]

Re wearing and mixing and matching sounds good for winter, but in summer? I'm heading to Italy and Greece in July for 14 days (12 night cruise) and am not sure I'd be able to wear much more than once. I'm picturing very hot days and lots of sweating. We are planning to stuff a bag for laundry service and wash out some things in the sink, but...

 

 

Wash every night.

Can use Febreeze or a DIY equivalent.

 

 

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[spudicusrex]

NatalieWood -

 

Fair enough. I do pack this way in summer as well, I just rely more on active/performance type clothes so that I can wash them easily in a hotel or ship's sink and they dry very quickly.

 

That said, I'm always cold so I layer even in the summer. I just looked back at my last summer vacation pictures and I'm wearing a cardigan or long-sleeved shirt in every picture. LOL.

[NorthernLite]

When it comes to shoes make sure your day time walking shoes are well worn in and ready to go. Then make sure to take one pair of somewhat bigger flats or sandals for evening as your feet are going to swell during the day. Head to a Woolworth's type store once you are in country and buy a small bottle of something like Woolite and some deodorizing foot powder. When your day shoes come off open them as far as possible to air and dry. When you come back from dinner or right before bed, sprinkle a light amount of powder in your day shoes. Shake them out well in the morning and continue to march. Yes, you can literally run marathons regularly but walk all day in that heat and even at 24 my feet swelled for the first time during a very warm May in Paris. No blisters just needed to lay down for 8 hours for the fluids in the body to go back where they belonged.

 

Definitely invest in some breathable tech fabric panties that will dry overnight. I have also found that smooth knit pima cotton polos and T's dry much faster than the pique or mesh knit cotton. Yes, I have washed them in the sink and if you can roll them in a towel to squeeze out excess water they should be dry by morning if hung up. Otherwise it may be afternoon before they dry. Lands End is doing some new stuff so if you check their clearance area online you can find some steals in this department. I love my navy, white and black 3/4 and short sleeve pima polos. They come through hand washing without a wrinkle and pack very well. A shell and cardigan would work well on hot days when you are planning trips where you may need your arms covered like cathedrals, mosques and monasteries.

[NorthernLite]

Just checked Lands End and the older decent weight items you have to put "Clearance" in the search box to get to now. The sale items are recent failures.

[Hoyaheel]

Ah, the wonderful Tylenol #3s, the cough syrup with codeine, 400mg Advils…and in Egypt the antibiotic that helps make "Mummy Tummy" tolerable if you fall to it.

 

Humex, my favorite French cough medicine! (not codeine but whatever it is isn't sold in the US at all:p) I have my list of things to buy when I go to France. Now trying to figure out if I can get retin-A over the counter in Portugal or Singapore (fall trips:p)

 

For summer/hot weather travel, I still pack light and mix and match and just do laundry overnight in the sink. We'll have 20+ days in Asia in Nov/Dec so I'm trying to figure that all out now:D I have things like a black dress from Columbia that's almost (but not quite) a swimsuit material - dries very quickly (and actually, Lands End has a TON of clothing options that are swimsuit/rash guard material this year - pants, skirts, tunics, dresses) But since we'll be in cities I'm keeping my palette more neutral. Well, black. Khaki & white would get dirty too quickly....

Edited May 21, 2016 by Hoyaheel

[waterbug123]

Re wearing and mixing and matching sounds good for winter, but in summer? I'm heading to Italy and Greece in July for 14 days (12 night cruise) and am not sure I'd be able to wear much more than once. I'm picturing very hot days and lots of sweating. We are planning to stuff a bag for laundry service and wash out some things in the sink, but...

 

Still no reason to pack 14 separate outfits for a 14 day trip. (or 28 outfits if you're planning a different (i.e. dressier) outfit in the evenings for dinner.:eek:

 

You've answered your own dilemma though: Take things, as I suggested previously, that you wash in the sink, or simply plan on doing laundry either by sending it out (onboard) or finding a laundromat (on land).

 

Many people seem to get way too hung up on the cost of having laundry done, but given the total cost of a 10+ day trip to Europe/cruise, it's pretty insignificant, and much easier IMO than having to shlep extra bags or larger/heavier bags around, particularly for a land-based trip that may involve stairs, trains, etc.

[PandaBear62]

I tend to be someone who always carries a few OTC meds. Not because you can't purchase them, but if you need something at 9 at night, you don't want to have to go out! I have a small zippered pouch, about the size of a travel Kleenex pack. It's not gusseted. I sometimes buy single OTC meds from minimus, but more typically put a couple of pills into a very small ziplock bag (the kind that are about 1"x2"). I write what it is and the expiration with permanent ink marker. Typically I include Excedrin or equivalent, Aleve (for dh), a couple of tums and a flu and cold medicine. Basically a days worth (6 pills). I't seems I've always used something from the pouch and was glad I had it. Now, if someone is really sick, this won't cover it. But it will get you through the first night.

[waterbug123]

I tend to be someone who always carries a few OTC meds. Not because you can't purchase them, but if you need something at 9 at night, you don't want to have to go out!

 

I do similarly, but like you, it's just a tiny container with a few pills. However, I have heard some people describe the variety and quantity of OTC meds they bring and there are definitely some people who take way too much (IMHO). Often it's clear that they are under the erroneous impression that they won't be able to find such things anywhere outside the US.