Transatlantic wardrobe

[vapple]

Gong on a NCL TA in April.  First one.  Have always been on cruises where I usually know what the weather will be.  Traveling across the Atlantic, from Miami to Barcelona,  with many sea days, not sure what type of clothing to pack.  I assume that the best advice would be layering...right??  Spain and Portugal the end of April should be in the 60's.

Any help from veteran travelers would be appreciated.

 

Thanks to all!

[DRS/NC]

Yep, as usual, it's LAYERING -- warm to cool, cool to warm.  Include a light jacket or 2 for windy days at sea & a water resistant wind breaker for rainy days (land or sea).  And always take comfortable, sturdy walking shoes.  I always take a swim suit too.

ENJOY!

[crystalspin]

Sailed from FLL to BCN to VCE (Venice) this is my entire packing:

Wearing to Florida:

 

I did laundry in the sink; I would restrict this to "smalls" now. For larger garments that you do not trust to the ship's laundry -- use the "dry clean" option. It is a little more than laundry, but not much more than land-side dry cleaning.

 

Teal and coral are "my" colors: substitute yours.

[Brownie54]

Nice choices!

Where did you get the black cardigan and the yellow rain coat?

[ducklite]

2 hours ago, Brownie54 said:

Nice choices!

Where did you get the black cardigan and the yellow rain coat?

Can't speak for the person you asked, but there are similar black cardigans by a number of brands for very reasonable prices at Kohls.  I have at least two of them in different lengths.

[Lois R]

Hi Crystal, I really do admire you for the minimal amount of clothing for such a lengthy cruise....I am also going

on my first TA crossing in April....and then doing another cruise after it. I am bringing way more than that with me.

Question, so you just alternate those 3 pair pants for the entire cruise? (along with the skirt?)

[Sailor_Sally]

I was on a transatlantic in April 2017 to Barcelona . It was colder than I thought it would be so I needed an extra casual sweater . I took some exercise clothes they were perfect for casual boat days . I wish I had packed more . In Portugal and Barcelona I wore jeans and a light jacket or leggings and a long sweater .In Barcelona it would start out chilly and gradually warm up.I would pack less dressy clothes and more just casual clothes and a few things that can go either way . I took one 22" suitcase packed to the gills . I also sent out laundry a few times .

[vapple]

Thank you, everyone. Some really good suggestions.  Helps so much to have people with knowledge and the willingness to share. 👍😊

[crystalspin]

17 hours ago, Brownie54 said:

Nice choices!

Where did you get the black cardigan and the yellow rain coat?

Black cardie -- just something off eBay! it was lighter for shipboard or if/when warmer (the teal cardie was merino wool). I buy about one a year, but I just snagged a Magellan's Sun Protection Wrap in black, which seems a funny color to wear out in the sun, but a great color for travel/cruising!

MY yellow raincoat was I believe a clearance color of LLBean's H2OFF raincoats. It's still going strong. As is my husband's navy one (they don't seem to make/call the men's H2OFF any more...). Oh and they really do keep you dry, even in tropical rain that goes right through GoreTex.

https://www.llbean.com/llb/search/?freeText=H2OFF&init=1

 

Only the pictures with 'people' in them are my actual clothes, the rest are scrapbook items from Polyvore (RIP).

[crystalspin]

14 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi Crystal, I really do admire you for the minimal amount of clothing for such a lengthy cruise....I am also going

on my first TA crossing in April....and then doing another cruise after it. I am bringing way more than that with me.

Question, so you just alternate those 3 pair pants for the entire cruise? (along with the skirt?)

Answer: yes I did and I washed them out in the sink as needed. The trousers were three different weights, very light (green), medium (coral), and Travelsmith ottoman-knit in black. I just pulled out the black pants, -- discovered they don't stay up... I was chuffed thinking I'd lost weight but realized the elastic panel had gone blewy in the drawer, boohoo.

 

After wearing the skirt to get to the port, I mainly wore it on Gala nights. With a few more cruises under my belt (first TA was in spring 2015), I would probably take something more versatile, culottes or skinny leggings that don't bag at the knees. (ETA: I had just discovered color in 2015, after decades of wearing earthtones and black.)

 

It's definitely possible to pack TOO minimally. We flew to Barcelona with Norwegian air: 10kg for carryon AND personal item. By the time we got on RCI for TA -- I was out of clean clothes! Ship's laundry by the piece was pricy, and RC limits what you can put in their laundry by the bag to undershirts and smaller. I bought several tee-shirts from the sale bins; that was cheaper than laundering my own clothes! (I no longer try to wash everything in the sink!)

 

We flew to Ecuador for the Galapagos with REALLY tiny suitcases -- just the shoes on our feet -- and on the ramp off the plane, the heel fell off my ankle boot! Fortunately we had afternoon "free time" and the hotel was down the street from an indoor mall!

Edited January 10, 2020 by crystalspin

[Sailor_Sally]

My transatlantic was on RCL and their laundry service was great . We sent shorts , t shirts ,pj's ,a few regular shirts and underwear . It came back folded and wrinkle free .

[Anita Latte]

I've done one TA...RCCL Allure of the Seas...April 2015...Fort Lauderdale to Barcelona. The weather was much cooler than I had expected. I had done a Caribbean cruise earlier that month and had packed more in keeping with what I had packed on that cruise...I didn't have enough cooler weather clothing. I could have used another over layer at the least.

 

While everyone was casual during the day, that TA was the most dressed up evening ship that I have cruised on. There were so many Europeans on board...way more than other cruises I had been on previously...and they dressed up in the evenings. I wouldn't call it formal or even fancy...I lived in the suburbs at the time, so I might call it more urban, more "going out" type clothing. Stylish for sure. It made me wish that I had packed for the evenings a bit more...I had more sundresses, etc., and while I didn't feel out of place...I definitely felt like I could have had more fun with my evening wardrobe...it was definitely a step above what I had typically experienced in the Caribbean. (FWIW, my cruising has been limited to Caribbean and Alaska and that one TA so far...)

[Lois R]

GREAT THREAD....I am also taking my first TA crossing in April!!!  Going from Ft. Lauderdale to

Barcelona but am even going longer than this one..….will be flying from Barcelona to Lisbon and

then taking a river cruise on the Douro.   I will be seeking help from you wonderful gals on my wardrobe

too.

[Lois R]

4 hours ago, Lois R said:

GREAT THREAD....I am also taking my first TA crossing in April!!!  Going from Ft. Lauderdale to

Barcelona but am even going longer than this one..….will be flying from Barcelona to Lisbon and

then taking a river cruise on the Douro.   I will be seeking help from you wonderful gals on my wardrobe

too.

I missed my own earlier post...….but I still love this thread.  My biggest thing is going from an ocean to a river cruise.

The river cruise is much more casual...…not that it is a big issue LOL...…..I will figure it out.

[crdtrnr]

Don't be afraid to re wear an outfit.  Mont TA's are 11-14 nights. I wore most of my items 2x. (tops) and wore the bottoms multiple times.  I did hand wash my underwear and pj's.

I ended up not wearing a few items (2 sweaters - for cool weather)..Best bet is to layer.

The packable puffy jackets are the best.

[Anita Latte]

I just got back from a 7-night sailing on Harmony...and I have the eastbound Harmony TA in April 2021 booked. I'm writing here almost to remind myself later when I look at this thread again...evening clothing is really only worn for like 4 hours. Granted...you eat dinner in the evening clothing...so, care with food is somewhat necessary...but the way that we spent our evenings on the ship...relaxing and actually going to bed at a "normal" time and getting good sleep...I want to do that again on the TA...so definitely, I can plan on re-wearing clothing that is destined for evening wear multiple times.

 

Also...our itinerary started off with two Sea Days in a row...and instead of the last day being a Sea Day...the last day was the private beach day...so we had 3 full sea days on the cruise. Comfortable casual clothing was the ideal. And swim suits. MANY swim suits. The hot tubs were a big draw...and we visited them daily in the afternoon/ early evenings. The suits didn't dry well in the confines of the cabin...so it was good to have the 3 suits that I brought...and rotate the suits so that I didn't have to put on a damp suit. It's one thing if there is time to lounge after hot tub time, but we basically left the hot tub to get ready for dinner every day...so my suits were usually still quite wet/damp. I had two different cover ups and those would usually dry quickly. 

 

I would recommend this...have something that is easy to put on in the morning...especially if you aren't exactly sure what you want to do that day. Something that lets you get dressed so you can get your coffee and some breakfast while you figure out what you feel like doing. If you are more settled, then you can go straight into what makes sense for the day...but if you are thinking about easing into the day and then maybe hitting up the pools/hot tubs/thermal suite/spa...well, you might want an easy casual dress (literally, I could think of this as a "public night gown")...something that might be more comfortable for breaking fast than swimwear...and then be able to go back to your stateroom to dress more appropriately for the day's decided upon activity. And who cares if that is what people see you wearing at breakfast for several days? Since the TAs can be cooler...especially in the morning before the day warms up...bring a hoodie to wear over a plain dress...the outer wear might feel less awkward to be seen in multiple times...

 

Please excuse my wording...I'm kind of writing this post like a letter to myself LOL

[Lois R]

Hi Anita,  I sailed last month for 7 nights to the Caribbean as well. And I am going on a 16 night crossing in April.

Your post is interesting reading but as for "many swim suits",  I have 2 and will probably only bring one with me.

(Not a big pool person or a hot tub person).

 

Hope you had a good cruise.

 

[Anita Latte]

We did have a good cruise. We got a couple's thermal suite pass so we also went to use the sauna, steam room and heated loungers every day. We will likely do that again...which was another reason I was in a swim suit every day. But you're right...if you aren't doing any water activities...no need for the suits. However, if you do...then the lack of drying can be an incentive to have several.

 

I hope you have a great 16-night crossing! Very nice. I've been telling DH ever since my first (and only so far) TA in 2015 that TA cruises are one of the true vacations in this world. You can literally do whatever you want (that's possible on the ship) and cut ties with virtually every responsibility you have in life. He got a taste of that on our cruise and is totally on board and excited for our TA next year in a whole new way because he has a clue. LOL.

[crystalspin]

Someone posted a link to a cruise 'magazine' article where the 'journalist' went on his first cruise to see what the hoohoo was about. His analysis was "it was like being forced to do nothing".

 

We move from late breakfast, to the observation deck, where we progress from espresso drinks to boat drinks to wine, and an early dinner.

 

We don't swim or do hot tubs, and I have packed swimsuits a number of times to have them go unused. After our first TA I stopped packing them (carryon only, means every square inch or ounce counts)... but I'm thinking of packing one each for 28-days in the South Pacific, if only to wear under loose clothes JUST IN CASE! also we don't have to fly so some of the restrictions are relaxed.

 

I do like your notes to yourself, Anita! We just got our 30-day reminder on the 28-day cruise, and I am using Google Keep to update packing thoughts.

[Anita Latte]

What is a boat drink?

 

28-day cruise!! Fabulous.

 

We usually travel with a carry on only, when we are doing our usual travel. Alaska was special because we went camping after the cruise...so we had backpacks, sleeping bags, etc., and so we had to check bags there. Our last international trip (I haven't had many), but our last one was to move DS to London for college...and we checked bags there because, moving to London, ...but did carry on only on the way home. I want to be prepared to have light baggage on our TA because we will be staying in Barcelona post cruise...I don't want to have big luggage to deal with there...that and I prefer to take just what I need, no excess.

 

Have you made another pictorial for your 28-day travel wardrobe? I'd be interested in seeing that.

[Lois R]

I would guess a boat drink is something cool and by the pool....pina coloda, Mudslide, etc...

[Anita Latte]

My guess too but I just wanted to KNOW.

[lindsay0526]

Yes- layers! It sounds like you’ll need more of the cooler weather stuff than the warmer weather stuff, so that’s what I would focus on packing.

 

I’m guessing a transatlantic trip is roughly 2 weeks. I would just plan to have one laundry day in the middle of my trip. I don’t like to wash laundry in a sink, so I’d been seeking out the self-service laundry one day.

 

Have a great trip!

 

 

[pacruise804]

5 hours ago, Anita Latte said:

What is a boat drink?

 

 

It's what the boys in the band ordered 😉 (Jimmy Buffet, sorry I couldn't help myself)  Here is a more serious post I found:

 

Is there anything better than boat drinks? Cold, refreshing, probably a little too sweet for any sort of endurance drinking…They’re typically rum based, usually full of crushed ice and if you’re drinking them, you better be wearing Sperry Docksiders.

 

I also read they are typically sweet rum based drinks that can be prepared on a boat.  Makes me think of rum punch on catamaran cruises.

 

OP - sorry for the drift.  I haven't taken a T/A yet but we considered one this year and I would have done layers 🙂 

[crystalspin]

7 hours ago, Anita Latte said:

What is a boat drink?

 

28-day cruise!! Fabulous.

 

... I want to be prepared to have light baggage on our TA because we will be staying in Barcelona post cruise...I don't want to have big luggage to deal with there...that and I prefer to take just what I need, no excess.

 

Have you made another pictorial for your 28-day travel wardrobe? I'd be interested in seeing that.

Boat drink (I probably did get the term from Jimmy Buffet!) -- anything that can be ordered "frozen"! as deduced above. HAL has one called PainKiller that is like a cross between a Pina Colada and eggnog -- well at least it has a garnish of nutmeg. When we're trying to keep low-carb, we usually have "Captain [Morgan] on a Diet [Coke]" but I've been playing with frozen or not, substitutes for boat drinks... have some pretty good alternatives for home, made with coconut cream, Bai enhanced water, and Sprite Zero (and lime)! But, what can be ordered from the bar -- maybe Rum and Sprite Zero, with a shot of coconut mixer (may be hyper-sweet, IDK yet) and a shake of nutmeg? 

 

As far as further pictorials, Polyvore ceasing-to-be sorta took the fun out of it. But I guess too many of us used it for the pics and not as a catalog, to keep it going. I make an exhaustive list, though, that I'd be happy to post! When I get it sorted!

 

The two-composite wardrobe above was for a 26-day TA+Mediterranean with a day of travel at each end -- but the weather and activities completely different than the So.Pacific!