Are we crazy...thinking of only bringing carry on bags to Europe!

[cl.klink]

On 7/27/2022 at 3:16 PM, Cruising7in2017 said:

Are we crazy? Anybody else only doing only carry on for European cruise (7 night cruise plus 2 before and 3 after)?

I have had so many friends that have lost luggage this summer traveling or it arrives 10 days late!

I think everything we can fit everything in our carry on if we a launder our sundresses/bring steamer, since it is like 95 degrees in most of our ports, all of the clothes are light. We are a family of 5 (kids clothes are smaller too). Think it is doable? We are traveling 1st class, I am not sure if that helps, 1 roller carry on and personal item (backpack w/electronics/books/empty water bottle)? Has anyone else done this or had bad luck with luggage this summer. 

TIA

 

I've done a one bag carry on as my only bags for 20 years now, including several trips to Europe, 7 to the Middle East, and every cruise I've ever done (a few of which were for two weeks). 

 

Check out one bag dot com

 

- Joel

[the penguins]

12 hours ago, HappyCamper49 said:

I do not think steamers are allowed onboard.  You might want to read the list of unapproved items.  I guess they want their laundry service to get the money instead of you steaming your own items.

A safety issue but you are correct steamers are banned.

[Random Cruizer]

That's what I'm doing and more--a backpack that can go under the seat.  Buying a couple of pairs of pants and shirts in Amsterdam before the cruise seems like a good plan!  I arrive 6 am the day before, so plenty of time to shop.

[jgmorgan]

18 hours ago, ldtr said:

To us a Rick Steve's recommendation is a sure indicator of a location overwhelmed with tourists and in many cases not the same as when he made the recommendation.

That hasn't been our experience but I don't question yours.  One of the best things about Steves' guides is some really good advice about skipping lines and avoiding the most crowded times at popular sites.  We have found them to be spot-on.  As you point out, if I understand correctly, the recommended locations more likely to be overwhelmed are the smaller restaurants and hotels, but those recommendations are usually very solid if they aren't too crowded at the time we get there.

 

As we get older and have a chance to revisit places, we enjoy visiting sites that don't make the priority lists in Rick Steves guides (or the others mass market guides).  But on that first trip, we want to see the sites we grew up looking at and dreaming about while wearing out the pages of our 1952 set of World Book Encyclopedias.😂 

[D C]

We've done 3 week land tours in Europe = 1 carry-on per person

The big enabler is laundry access.

[D C]

19 hours ago, ldtr said:

Have done a lot of travel my view of Rick Steve's advice is a bit different.  His recommendations very quickly become the mass gathering spots of US tourists, even if they were not when he made the recommendation.  To us a Rick Steve's recommendation is a sure indicator of a location overwhelmed with tourists and in many cases not the same as when he made the recommendation. Too many just buy his guide book and follow it exclusively.  We mostly use it to identify hotels and restaurants to avoid.

 

I have done trips covering multiple zones (Mountains, vs ocean vs desert, etc extending longer than 30 days using a carry on and a small backpack.  There are many types of clothing that is quick drying and if you need to can be washed out in a sink and dry overnight.  Even so had plenty of different clothes for different weather and different venues.

The one Rick Steves recommended hotel we stayed at was the worst place we stayed in a trip involving ~8 different hotels and B&Bs.  He's not on my list for travel recommendations any longer. Wasn't busy though  🙂

[PaperSniper4]

On 7/27/2022 at 3:16 PM, Cruising7in2017 said:

Are we crazy? Anybody else only doing only carry on for European cruise (7 night cruise plus 2 before and 3 after)?

I have had so many friends that have lost luggage this summer traveling or it arrives 10 days late!

I think everything we can fit everything in our carry on if we a launder our sundresses/bring steamer, since it is like 95 degrees in most of our ports, all of the clothes are light. We are a family of 5 (kids clothes are smaller too). Think it is doable? We are traveling 1st class, I am not sure if that helps, 1 roller carry on and personal item (backpack w/electronics/books/empty water bottle)? Has anyone else done this or had bad luck with luggage this summer. 

TIA

No not crazy if you can manage it. But my wife would consider divorce before she's submit to a requirement to only take a carry on!🙄 For a 7+ day cruise/trip she needs at least one medium checked bag and the largest carry on she can find, plus a backpack/sling bag.....again, the largest she can find. Me, I could probably have all I need in a backpack.....if not for my meds, music player, binoculars, tablet, trip folder..... The older I get the less clothes I need and the more of everything else! 😉

 

 Doug

[TeeRick]

Crazy is as crazy does.😃

[bEwAbG]

I have done carry-on only for a few multi-week land trips.  I budget money to have the hotel do laundry or find a wash/fold type place.  The main advantage to keeping it light is that you don't have to lug big suitcases around everywhere, which is a pain to do, especially if you're using a rail pass and walking from train stations to hotels.

 

I was very skeptical the first time I did this.  It was two of us, and we started laying out clothes in a spare bedroom in the days leading up to the final packing day.  We soon had enough to fill two large suitcases but had to pare it back to fit in the two carry-ons (plus small backpacks for personal items) we were planning to take instead.  Some judicious editing and planning made it possible and now I start every trip planning to take as little as possible.  It doesn't work in every situation, but it can for a lot of them.

[ROYALBOY]

My husband could not use a carry-on for an overnight stay🧳🧳🧳🧳🧳

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

We learned our lesson, traveling to Copenhagen from EWR several years ago…. For a 24 day cruise. Luggage lost! Had meds with us. 
We went to a department store and purchased all the essentials. Arrived at ship…no luggage. Husbands luggage showed up next day. Mine never did. The ship provided us free laundry. Sent clothes to be done every other day. At dinner, I wore my black travel pants with my husbands dressshirt as a cover up. No one ever commented about our attire. Most knew what happened. 
We managed and learned to travel light on planes. Carry ons and backpacks only. 
Fortunately, we we live in florida. So when we cruise now, no flying. But, we have learned to pack less. 
sheila

[TheHawk1]

5 hours ago, ROYALBOY said:

My husband could not use a carry-on for an overnight stay🧳🧳🧳🧳🧳

Finally someone who made some sense on this thread.  I was beginning to tire of all the one-upmanship about who can travel with the least clothing.  Not for me, thanks.

[mauimary]

We did it!  We just got off of the Beyond this am after a 9 day cruise and a previous 1.5 week land trip.  We never have done this before but decided after we found out what it was going to involve trying to check luggage and standing in four hours worth of lines coming from Schipol Airport in Amsterdam to Barcelona. Check in lines for luggage we’re huge and long.    After seeing so many huge piles of luggage waiting to find and catch up to owners it really makes one think about these things. Lots of people are missing luggage. 

  We made it work with very careful coordinating of outfits and some very simple dress clothes for the dining room.  We did send out laundry and washed a few things by hand.  We even ended up with a few things we didn’t wear.  DH for the first time did not take a sports coat.  Only two prs of shoes for myself.  The nice part is we had all our stuff and we had plenty of clothes.   It was fast to be able to just walk off and not wait to collect luggage.   It can work if you really want it to!!!

[CynthiaP]

4 hours ago, mauimary said:

We did it!  We just got off of the Beyond this am after a 9 day cruise and a previous 1.5 week land trip.  We never have done this before but decided after we found out what it was going to involve trying to check luggage and standing in four hours worth of lines coming from Schipol Airport in Amsterdam to Barcelona. Check in lines for luggage we’re huge and long.    After seeing so many huge piles of luggage waiting to find and catch up to owners it really makes one think about these things. Lots of people are missing luggage. 

  We made it work with very careful coordinating of outfits and some very simple dress clothes for the dining room.  We did send out laundry and washed a few things by hand.  We even ended up with a few things we didn’t wear.  DH for the first time did not take a sports coat.  Only two prs of shoes for myself.  The nice part is we had all our stuff and we had plenty of clothes.   It was fast to be able to just walk off and not wait to collect luggage.   It can work if you really want it to!!!

We're Schiphol survivors, too! We returned home last week from an Apex Baltic cruise that sailed out of Amsterdam. When we arrived In Amsterdam and walked through baggage claim (with our carryons and backpacks) it was shocking to see luggage lining the walls about 6-7 bags high all the way around. When we departed at Schiphol you almost couldn't get into the terminal there were so many people waiting to go through check-in. We had our boarding passes on our phones, so we only needed to find the opening to security (priority access which cut down on time) and then passport control. It only took us 1:15 to get to the gate.

 

A downside to traveling light is that the plane was parked away from the terminal, so we deplaned and boarded via a staircase. Robert takes the two carryons and I take the two backpacks and in a minute or so we're on board. It's good exercise!

 

Traveling with too much luggage is hard, traveling light is hard, pick your hard.

[DCPIV]

On 7/28/2022 at 1:46 PM, ldtr said:

To us a Rick Steve's recommendation is a sure indicator of a location overwhelmed with tourists and in many cases not the same as when he made the recommendation. Too many just buy his guide book and follow it exclusively. 

 

It's been that way for a long time. I remember talking about that with someone who had just returned from a trip a little more than 20 years ago. I'll never forget his comment. "How can you call it 'Europe through the Back Door' when everywhere you go is packed with Americans holding Rick Steves books???"

[Sabbycat]

On 7/27/2022 at 4:46 PM, jelayne said:

FYI for the OP Celebrity does not allow steamers on board, it will be confiscated and returned at the end of the cruise.

 

 

We have a 17 N trip ( 12 cruise) and are trying to figure out how to just do carry on. Where we hit issues is with liquids ( shampoo, conditioner, gel, body lotion, mouth wash, perfume, hair spray, face cleanser & cream, suntan lotion). With no checked luggage where do you pack these?  

The second issue is shoes, DHs size 14 take up a lot of space & weight even when we pack socks & undies in them.  We both wear our walking shoes to fly and take a pair of dress shoes for evenings and a pair of sandals. I can figure out the clothing but tge toiletries and shoes have me stumped.

 

 This exactly. We are gone for 20 days. I usually pack a full suite case. Trying to figure out how to pack a lot less for our October in Europe - Like almost all carry on.

[cangelmd]

On 7/27/2022 at 3:16 PM, Cruising7in2017 said:

Are we crazy? Anybody else only doing only carry on for European cruise (7 night cruise plus 2 before and 3 after)?

I have had so many friends that have lost luggage this summer traveling or it arrives 10 days late!

I think everything we can fit everything in our carry on if we a launder our sundresses/bring steamer, since it is like 95 degrees in most of our ports, all of the clothes are light. We are a family of 5 (kids clothes are smaller too). Think it is doable? We are traveling 1st class, I am not sure if that helps, 1 roller carry on and personal item (backpack w/electronics/books/empty water bottle)? Has anyone else done this or had bad luck with luggage this summer. 

TIA

Yeah, you’re crazy from my POV… I take less every trip, but can’t make the jump to carryons. Clothes are too big, too many shoes and too many toiletries. I will say though, we sail from Rome in late October, if airports are still as bad as they are now, I will seriously consider trying to make it work. Buy all my toiletries in Italy.

[NutsAboutGolf]

Bring check in luggage, don't put anything irreplaceable in it...If it somehow gets lost, shopping spree!!!

[carolina_yankee]

Gary Bembridge, the Tips for Travellers guy on YouTube, said in his weekly Q&A yesterday that his goal is to carry-on for this next cruise because of the airline/airport issues. I think he’s flying from England to the States.

 

It just struck me as interesting that more people are giving it a try. We’re certainly going to try for our next cruise, November on the Apex, flying to FLL from EWR. I’m not worried about losing luggage on that one, so we’re doing it as a challenge to see if we can pull it off for future travel. 

[Surfguyxxx]

9 hours ago, carolina_yankee said:

Gary Bembridge, the Tips for Travellers guy on YouTube, said in his weekly Q&A yesterday that his goal is to carry-on for this next cruise because of the airline/airport issues. I think he’s flying from England to the States.

 

It just struck me as interesting that more people are giving it a try. We’re certainly going to try for our next cruise, November on the Apex, flying to FLL from EWR. I’m not worried about losing luggage on that one, so we’re doing it as a challenge to see if we can pull it off for future travel. 

That's exactly how I feel; it's a challenge.  I'm on a cruise in 5 days leaving from Miami.  Yes I live in Florida and yes we're driving down and have loads of room.  But.....I'm taking just a carryon to see if I can do it.  Gone are the days of tux's and tux shoes and I'm constantly bringing home unused clothes I thought I'd wear.  The challenge is on!!!

[vwlmember]

On 7/28/2022 at 12:34 PM, Virginia100 said:

Sorry, it does. I’ve been a whole host of flights where all I do is stand and watch the massive amount of overhead bin suitcases being unloaded, many by passengers that can barely lift them and slowly tug them off the plane. I’ve been flying for 45 years snd I remember when the overheads just had briefcases and purses and deplaning took 10 minutes max. Now it’s a joke.

Back then you did not have to pay extra fees for seat selection, food, a blanket, a pillow, a headset, checked or carry-on luggage. Now your ticket cost is increased anywhere from $5-150 for these items. Add to this the fact that quality of service has dropped off significantly since that time as well. It's no wonder people are trying to get away with anything they can to save money, the same way the airlines are trying to get away with charging you for anything they can to make money. If they could charge you to use the restrooms, they would.

[TeeRick]

Do people take only carry-ons on Nudist cruises?😎

[D C]

3 hours ago, TeeRick said:

Do people take only carry-ons on Nudist cruises?😎

No need.  The allowed 'personal item' covers all you need. 

[JuliaMS]

On 7/30/2022 at 10:05 AM, CynthiaP said:

Traveling with too much luggage is hard, traveling light is hard, pick your hard.

Best statment on the thread.

[Lena11033]

19 hours ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

Bring check in luggage, don't put anything irreplaceable in it...If it somehow gets lost, shopping spree!!!

This is what I am doing, one of my carry ons I have my work laptop and clothes I'd be upset to loose. My other has my camera, all my cables, medications etc in there. Suitcase has extra clothes and a dress for the evening chic but nothing I can't replace. 
I was going to do carry on only but they are starting to check the carry on weight etc and trying to get people to check them so I figured if I could get a week's worth of tops/shorts/under wear and a dress in I can just wash it if need be. Just won't be dressed 'as nice' for dinner but I'll have something.

 

If I have to go clothes shopping in Rome, it won't be the end of the world 😉