Packing Nightmares

[Stella1250]

Hi everyone. I am beginning to have nightmares about packing for our QV Baltic cruise in July. We live in New York, so must fly to Amsterdam, then onto Hamburg. I have already decided that we need three bags to check, and two carryons to hold all of the tuxedos and gowns and suits! We are in Queens Grill, so will be getting pretty dressed every night.

 

How does everyone deal with the packing issue for these cruises? The dressiest cruise we have taken was Norway on the Koningsdam two years ago. This time, we are staying in Hamburg for three days before and one day after the cruise. I also do not want to ship the luggage. AMEX will pay for my extra bag on the flight, so this will cost me a lot less. Thanks. Anita

[cruiseluvva]

We just pack what we need and want, and pay extra if necessary, but usually an upgraded seat allows plenty of allowance. I find using packing cubes enormously helpful in organising clothing.

[3rdGenCunarder]

My rule is not to have more bags than hands, although with the upright rollers, you can manage an extra bag (or two).

 

We always put tux, suits, gowns in a garment bag. For three weeks in Australia, we had two garment bags, plus two suitcases, and our carryons. It was the most we ever traveled with. I didn't want to ship a bag because I didn't want to "waste" the biz class allowance. By having the "posh frocks" in their own bag(s), I could just set the bag(s) aside until we got on the ship. Try to organize your three days in Hamburg in one bag and avoid opening and having to re-pack the other two.

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

4 minutes ago, cruiseluvva said:

We just pack what we need and want, and pay extra if necessary, but usually an upgraded seat allows plenty of allowance. I find using packing cubes enormously helpful in organising clothing.

 

I have a few or those, but mostly I use 2-gallon zip-top bags for packing, especially good for "smalls."

[Stella1250]

I have many packing cubes, and use the ziplocs for stuff that leaks. We have already upgraded our seats on the long haul flight, so that will be good. My biggest problem now is shoes. I want the pink ones for the pink dress, and the blue ones for the blue dresses etc. etc!  OMG, I am going to be in trouble!

[Bigmike911]

1 hour ago, Stella1250 said:

Hi everyone. I am beginning to have nightmares about packing for our QV Baltic cruise in July. We live in New York, so must fly to Amsterdam, then onto Hamburg. I have already decided that we need three bags to check, and two carryons to hold all of the tuxedos and gowns and suits! We are in Queens Grill, so will be getting pretty dressed every night.

 

How does everyone deal with the packing issue for these cruises? The dressiest cruise we have taken was Norway on the Koningsdam two years ago. This time, we are staying in Hamburg for three days before and one day after the cruise. I also do not want to ship the luggage. AMEX will pay for my extra bag on the flight, so this will cost me a lot less. Thanks. Anita

Anita, here are some suggestions for you. Others have offered some of them as well. I presume you have already made a list of what you are going to need every day and your packing will be from the list. Making a list, asking if you really need the item and if it can be reused will get you to the essentials. Have you considered the on board laundry and dry cleaning? That can lessen the need to pack a fresh item for every day especially the unmentionables. 

 

Next I would consider whether or not you need every item you plan to pack. How many Tuxedos and suits do you really need. One works fine for me. Some ladies like smart trouser sets and then wear different fun tops or scarves to change their look. Same with gents and their cummerbunds and ties. Think very carefully about the number of pairs of shoes you will need. If you are a man one pair for formal and one pair for casual, and plan on wearing one of them on the plane going over. Ladies I know are seriously challenged with shoes, but give it some thought. Packing cubes will save volume but not weight.

 

Finally, I would suggest you re-think the question of shipping a large bag with formal wear in it. While it is not cheap, neither is your sanity.

Edited February 22, 2019 by Bigmike911

[Stella1250]

I am normally an excellent packer. I never go anywhere with more than one suitcase each. It is just the dress clothes that are getting me. I have one large garment bag that acts like a suitcase. I can get all of our dress clothes, which are 1 tux, 3 suits and 3 gowns, plus multiple pairs of shoes into it. I am going to look into sending it to the ship. The rest will fit in our two regular suitcases.

[cruiseluvva]

We may be different from others, but having spent a considerable amount on our trip, we want to have exactly what we want to have - choice - and not necessarily what we need. So it is not uncommon for us to have six cases...or even more if boarding in Southampton. If I want shoes and bag to matches each dress, I take them. Sorry.

[wripro]

Stella 1250.

The most important thing you should pack is a different attitude. You talk about all the gowns and tuxedoes you plan on taking. There are many easier ways to dress for a formal night which don't entail all that nonsense. A tuxedo is a tuxedo is a tuxedo. You only need one, For the ladies something in a basic color that can be accessorized differently each time you wear it makes all the difference. And trust me no one will notice. Focus on the fun part of the cruise, the places you will see, the people you will meet, the food you will eat and stop worrying about what you will wear. jmo.

[Stella1250]

Well, I certainly don't agree. I want all of my dresses and matching shoes. I wore a uniform for work for many years, and now I want to have an opportunity to have fun with my wardrobe. Yes, a tux is a tux, but an evening gown is something to behold. Three gowns take up the room of perhaps one suit, as  they are thin and light. I think my attitude is perfectly fine thank you. All I need is to figure out how to get it all there, which I will certainly do. And, I do not consider any of this nonsense. I consider it all fun!

[3rdGenCunarder]

43 minutes ago, Stella1250 said:

Well, I certainly don't agree. I want all of my dresses and matching shoes. I wore a uniform for work for many years, and now I want to have an opportunity to have fun with my wardrobe. Yes, a tux is a tux, but an evening gown is something to behold. Three gowns take up the room of perhaps one suit, as  they are thin and light. I think my attitude is perfectly fine thank you. All I need is to figure out how to get it all there, which I will certainly do. And, I do not consider any of this nonsense. I consider it all fun!

 

AMEN!

 

Dressing up is part of the fun for me. For a long cruise, I do try to eliminate one-time-only shoes, and I will wear my LBD and LRD more than once, changing accessories. But a Formal night (oops, Gala) is worthy of a special outfit. 

 

[LadyL1]

If you are not travelling premium economy or above, whereby you can take 2 suit cases each, just pay to take at least one more case, and enjoy wearing all your lovely clothes! Part of the fun of being on a Cunard ship is the dressing up, as the places one can do so is diminishing by the year. People will notice your gowns and I am sure you will have great please wearing them! 

The Baltics cruises are lovely as is being in the Grills!

[Stella1250]

Oh, I can't wait. I love all of the fancies! I will take the black and silver shoes, the blue sparkly shoes ( I have three blue dresses ) and maybe the white for the short dresses. I guess that will have to do. Oh well. Of course, the matching bags as well. The men just don't understand! LOL

[cruiseluvva]

I completely agree. Wearing my nice shoes and dresses is part of the holiday.

[Bigmike911]

9 hours ago, Stella1250 said:

I am normally an excellent packer. I never go anywhere with more than one suitcase each. It is just the dress clothes that are getting me. I have one large garment bag that acts like a suitcase. I can get all of our dress clothes, which are 1 tux, 3 suits and 3 gowns, plus multiple pairs of shoes into it. I am going to look into sending it to the ship. The rest will fit in our two regular suitcases.

I am glad you are rethinking shipping your big bag. Bravo. That way you can be more flexible taking goods you really like. I send a 50 lb bag and that holds: tux, formal shirts, two pair of formal shoes, (yea, I like to put on the dog too), a suit, four pair of trousers, enough sox for the crossing and flight home. Additional shirts both dress and casual, cummerbunds and ties, sweaters and a jacket. It will hold a lot of clothes and it makes life so much easier not having to deal with it at the airport or to the ship. 

 

 

[Host Hattie]

13 hours ago, Stella1250 said:

Well, I certainly don't agree. I want all of my dresses and matching shoes. I wore a uniform for work for many years, and now I want to have an opportunity to have fun with my wardrobe. Yes, a tux is a tux, but an evening gown is something to behold. Three gowns take up the room of perhaps one suit, as  they are thin and light. I think my attitude is perfectly fine thank you. All I need is to figure out how to get it all there, which I will certainly do. And, I do not consider any of this nonsense. I consider it all fun!

Quite right ! Have a wonderful time and Good luck with the packing.

We took 3 cases on our last 10 day trip, sailed from Southampton and flew home from Barcelona.

[orvil]

After reading what you are planning to take aboard, if the Tuxedo plus three suits is for a gentlemen, I suggest that you eliminate two of the three suits.  In the Grills, most gentlemen will only need the single dark business suit with change of shirt and tie.  My DH wears his black dress shoes with his Tuxedo rather than hauling dress slippers.  I also only bring one neutral bag for evening wear.  If it doesn't match a particular outfit, I shove my lipstick, glasses and keycard in DH's pocket.  After all, he is my biggest accessory and I should put him to use.

 

We manage to get by with one rollaboard bag each, one small tote bag for me, and check one larger bag with formal wear and shoes.  Shoes are really the problem.  I carry one pair of black dress pumps and one pair of beige.  They go well enough with whatever I have dreamed up to wear.  I also use the packing cubes and ziplock bags for liquids. 

 

I just read about a lady on board one of the Regent Seven Seas ships on the World Cruise who booked an additional cabin adjacent to her suite for all of her bags and clothing.  This is always an option:)  Have a great time.   

[Bell Boy]

16 hours ago, Stella1250 said:

Oh, I can't wait. I love all of the fancies! I will take the black and silver shoes, the blue sparkly shoes ( I have three blue dresses ) and maybe the white for the short dresses. I guess that will have to do. Oh well. Of course, the matching bags as well. The men just don't understand! LOL

Hello Stella, I don't want to add anything more to your nightmare packing, 🤔 but I notice that you mentioned being on  HAL Koningsdam  ( the dressiest ship/cruise you'd been on ) 

I'm afraid to say, Q.Vic's dress code (and Cunard in general) are poles apart from what you may experienced on the Koningdam. I sailed on the 'maiden cruise' of the Koningsdam  24 days ( never again  ) by the second evening at sea I was completely overdressed, returned to my cabin, removed my jacket and tie .. and they were never to been seen again .  I'm a guy who usually travels on a 7 night crossing with at least two suitcases, including a suit carrier and sometimes that's not enough. 

 

Stella, if you love all the fancies, pack as much as you can, one can never be overdressed on a Cunard Queen . 😉 

[Stella1250]

I intend to. I have three long gowns and 6 short dresses. That should suffice for the 9 evenings. I will pack probably 6 or 7 pairs of shoes for me and 4 or 5 for my husband. One tux, three suits and all of the shirts and ties. All of this will fit into a rather large folding garment bag that almost looks like a suitcase when it is done. The rest of the casual wear and all of the unmentionables will be in two 25" roller bags. All of these will be checked. One backpack and one roller carryon fills out the luggage. This is what we took on the Koningsdam two years ago. I never changed out of my clothes in the evening. Our cruise was quite fancy. Perhaps because it was two years ago. I intend to have a grand time on the QV. Thanks.

[Windsurfboy]

I'm just packing my wetsuit, this will do for gala and casual nights, I  will say it's Welsh National dress

[wripro]

2 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

I'm just packing my wetsuit, this will do for gala and casual nights, I  will say it's Welsh National dress

Don't forget your bowtie or the people in this board will frown on you.

[KandMB]

Hi Stella, completely understand the packing dilemma, I had three formal gowns and then probably six smart casuals for a two week cruise, husband had a tuxedo, lounge suit and a jacket for the other nights. All the formal wear fitted into one garment carrier. Just  a thought about the shoes though - do you intend to dance?  I really didn't need all the shoes I took as we danced every night and I ended up wearing my ballroom shoes all the time as it was easier to have dinner in them than go back to the cabin to change. 

[Stella1250]

Unfortunately, there are 4 left feet in this family. We will probably watch all of the dancing, but I am sure we will not venture onto the floor. Most of my dress shoes take up very little room as they are heeled sandals which fit inside each other to pack. Luckily LOL

[Windsurfboy]

Follow our rule, my wife packs everything she needs, dresses , shoes etc etc etc, I get what ever space is left.

 

Men can manage with a minimum, just a tux, a jacket and some shirts, the less choice we have and we take the happier we are, 

[cruiseluvva]

31 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Follow our rule, my wife packs everything she needs, dresses , shoes etc etc etc, I get what ever space is left.

 

Men can manage with a minimum, just a tux, a jacket and some shirts, the less choice we have and we take the happier we are, 

What a reasonable man you are Windsurfboy.