Fly to a 12 Day itinerary with no checked bags?

[ldubs]

On 9/6/2023 at 2:56 AM, CDNPolar said:

For carry on only, I pack "non-memorable" but fashionable shirts and I have one style with 8 colours.  You might think that I wore that colour before and you might be right, but I don't care anyway.  These also wash, ring out and dry in 4 hours in the bathroom.  We travel only non-formal ships, and if we ever do go on a ship with a formal night we will eat at the buffet that night.

 

The problem with an upcoming trip that I am most definitely going carry on is that this is on EVA Air and they are apparently very strict with both the exact measurements of your carry on but also the weight.  They apparently weigh all carry on bags at the ticket counter and they can be a max of 15lbs or 7kg.  If over then they force it to be checked.  

 

My lightest carry on bag is already 6lbs empty.  That means only 9lbs of clothing and other stuff.

 

Now, you can have one personal item, that again, they are strict with size, but their site does not state a weight limit for this item...  I wonder if I can get away with more weight in the personal item as long as it conforms to the measurements?

 

I read many comments of people boarding aircraft with overstuffed carry on bags and I watch them as they fail at stuffing them into the overhead.  I also watch people that have multiple bags - not just the carry on and personal item - and they get through, but then I get picked out of line and told that I need to check my carry on.

 

There is no reason to the rules right now and you can randomly get through or randomly get stopped.

 

More and more I am seeing non-American and non-Canadian airlines however taking a firm stand on carry on size and weight.

 

On 9/7/2023 at 11:28 AM, holakat said:

Hi CdnPolar. My husband and I do the same thing. We have travelled for 6 weeks, hand luggage only.  Too bad if you see the same outfit 10 times in 6 weeks...one pair of hiking shoes wear on the plane and comfortable crocs, although not fashionable, for the ship. 

 

If weight is the biggest issue, you could put heavier items in your knapsack, then once through "screening" while you check in and they tag your bag okay for cabin, when you get to gate area, do a swap around and repack.  We have done this before with success.

 

I understand the convenience of doing a carry-on only.  I still question if that outweighs the need do hand laundry, wear clothes multiple times, or the need to come up with schemes to trick the airline into allowing oversized stuff.   Unless extensive land travel is involved or cost is a big issue, it seems a checked bag is just more convenient all around.  

[holakat]

3 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

 

I understand the convenience of doing a carry-on only.  I still question if that outweighs the need do hand laundry, wear clothes multiple times, or the need to come up with schemes to trick the airline into allowing oversized stuff.   Unless extensive land travel is involved or cost is a big issue, it seems a checked bag is just more convenient all around.  

Personally I like to get to a destination knowing that all my clothing etc have also arrived.  It also saves time standing at luggage carousels, which can be upwards of an hour depending on airport and time of day.  I have a scrubba wash bag to hand wash some laundry.  if you happen to see me over a 3 or 4 week period in the same outfit a few times - oh well I don’t have a problem with that and it’s clean so don’t see the issue, but I also don’t have the need to only wear something once and change clothes 3 times a day.  Sometimes we are asked to check bag at the gate, but at least then it is gate checked and waiting when I deplane.  To each his own.  

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, ldubs said:

 

 

I understand the convenience of doing a carry-on only.  I still question if that outweighs the need do hand laundry, wear clothes multiple times, or the need to come up with schemes to trick the airline into allowing oversized stuff.   Unless extensive land travel is involved or cost is a big issue, it seems a checked bag is just more convenient all around.  

 

We are doing our first land based tour where we are 1 night, 3 nights, 2 nights, etc., for a 15 day period.  Although there are busses, there are also 4 internal flights before we leave for good to go home.  This is Cambodia and Vietnam.  We have purchased very specific clothing for this trip that we can wash and dry in the hotel room in a matter of hours that does not wrinkle and drys in about 4-6 hours.  This will allow us to do a small carryon and backpack that meets the personal item measurements and this will be all we need and then we don't have to lug bigger pieces around and stand in waiting for our bags.

[ldubs]

23 minutes ago, holakat said:

Personally I like to get to a destination knowing that all my clothing etc have also arrived.  It also saves time standing at luggage carousels, which can be upwards of an hour depending on airport and time of day.  I have a scrubba wash bag to hand wash some laundry.  if you happen to see me over a 3 or 4 week period in the same outfit a few times - oh well I don’t have a problem with that and it’s clean so don’t see the issue, but I also don’t have the need to only wear something once and change clothes 3 times a day.  Sometimes we are asked to check bag at the gate, but at least then it is gate checked and waiting when I deplane.  To each his own.  

 

I likely won't notice what you are wearing so no worries there.  I am just saying I view checking a bag for longer trips as more convenient.   Of course, if one is overly concerned about lost luggage, removing that stress, whether warranted or not, would be preferable.  

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, holakat said:

  Sometimes we are asked to check bag at the gate, but at least then it is gate checked and waiting when I deplane.  To each his own.  

 

This does not happen on flights that I am on - either international or domestic - where you check at the gate?  You wait for your bag at the luggage carousel with everyone else??? 

[ldubs]

2 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

 

We are doing our first land based tour where we are 1 night, 3 nights, 2 nights, etc., for a 15 day period.  Although there are busses, there are also 4 internal flights before we leave for good to go home.  This is Cambodia and Vietnam.  We have purchased very specific clothing for this trip that we can wash and dry in the hotel room in a matter of hours that does not wrinkle and drys in about 4-6 hours.  This will allow us to do a small carryon and backpack that meets the personal item measurements and this will be all we need and then we don't have to lug bigger pieces around and stand in waiting for our bags.

 

There is definitely an advantage to traveling with small bags when bouncing around on a land trip.  

[holakat]

4 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

 

This does not happen on flights that I am on - either international or domestic - where you check at the gate?  You wait for your bag at the luggage carousel with everyone else??? 

depends on size of plane and airline.

[crystalspin]

On 10/27/2023 at 1:14 PM, CDNPolar said:

This does not happen on flights that I am on - either international or domestic - where you check at the gate?  You wait for your bag at the luggage carousel with everyone else??? 

As @holakat said, it depends. I've seen people have to surrender larger "carry ons" on the gangway which would be claimed at Baggage; I have had to give my own large knapsack to a flight attendant when it wouldn't fit under the seat (thinking she would put it somewhere in the cabin, only to have to claim it on the carousel with the latch of my laptop broken); and here in the hinterlands of the US, we check and claim plane-side quite regularly, even carryon-sized bags.

 

ETA: oh yeah, I forgot to mention where the check-in people circulate in the waiting area and select people with larger carryons to "check" their bags to their final destination before making it to the gangway. I guess it's a game not to have to pay the check-bag fee. Of course, these will be claimed at Baggage.

 

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by crystalspin

[Hezu]

On 10/27/2023 at 8:55 PM, ldubs said:

I also have not seen folks with several carryon bags.  As you say, the issue is the over large bags and personal items that are nothing more than an additional piece of luggage.   I wager that if airlines were diligent about checking carryon size/weight, half wouldn't make it.  I wish they would do that.   

I have feeling that outside USA (or North America in general?) airlines are more stringent in enforcing carryon luggage regulations (size, weight and number of items). And that applies especially on budget airlines that may even ask for a extra fee if you want place your carryon luggage in the overhead compartment and obviously they also charge for any checked luggage and if it is determined that your hand luggage must be checked, the fees at the airport are more expensive than what you would have paid if you purchased that in advance.

[navybankerteacher]

Of course it is nice to not have to spend time at the carousel waiting for your bag - but how much time during those 12 days will you spend washing and rewashing the limited amount you can bring in your carry-on only?  And, any cost of checking a bag is minuscule compared with the cost of the 12 day itinerary - the point of which is to have a good time.

[navybankerteacher]

On 10/27/2023 at 2:11 PM, holakat said:

Personally I like to get to a destination knowing that all my clothing etc have also arrived.  It also saves time standing at luggage carousels, which can be upwards of an hour depending on airport and time of day.  I have a scrubba wash bag to hand wash some laundry.  if you happen to see me over a 3 or 4 week period in the same outfit a few times - oh well I don’t have a problem with that and it’s clean so don’t see the issue, but I also don’t have the need to only wear something once and change clothes 3 times a day.  Sometimes we are asked to check bag at the gate, but at least then it is gate checked and waiting when I deplane.  To each his own.  

“ …a 3 or 4 week period…” is a fair length of time to live out of a carry-on.  Of course it CAN be done - spending a lot of time and effort in the self serve laundry - or over the bathroom sink.  But, I cruise for a good time rather than to muck about like that.  Even if you did have to spend an hour at the carousel, how would that compare with how much extra time over that 3 or 4 weeks would you spend washing your one or two changes of clothes?

[MacMadame]

On 10/29/2023 at 8:33 PM, navybankerteacher said:

“ …a 3 or 4 week period…” is a fair length of time to live out of a carry-on.  Of course it CAN be done - spending a lot of time and effort in the self serve laundry - or over the bathroom sink.  But, I cruise for a good time rather than to muck about like that.  Even if you did have to spend an hour at the carousel, how would that compare with how much extra time over that 3 or 4 weeks would you spend washing your one or two changes of clothes?

I don't have enough clothes to last 3-4 weeks without doing some laundry.

[Hlitner]

Love this topic and we see several sides.  DW and I do a lot of international travel/cruising and it is common for us to be on trips for up to two months.  We have met folks that can take long trips with just a single carry-on bag and they are very happy with their MO.  They talk about doing laundry, washing-out clothes in their sinks (on a daily basis) etc.  We, on the other hand, are somewhat heavy packers.  On most trips we travel with two of the largest (allowed) suitcases, both filled to 45-50 pounds.  We also both carry carry-on backpacks that are too darn heavy.  The logistics to having that much luggage, for our independent travel, is part of the planning process (i.e. how to handle our luggage).

 

That being said,  on a 2 month trip we will have a few miserable moments when DW and I are dealing with our luggage.  But we find that a much better option then spending our time washing out clothes, spending time in laundromats, etc.  On cruises, we do send out laundry but have enough clothes where this is done at a minimum.  We also enjoy having plenty of clothing options, and having adequate stuff to handle the various climates (some of our trips can take us from the tropics to the arctic on the same trip).

 

DW and I have become comfortable with the concept that we are paying a lot of money, per day, to be on our trips, and we do not want to spend hours dealing with wash!  A few years ago I helped a cruiser (here on CC) who needed detailed directions on how to find and access a laundromat in Civitavecchia (the city for Rome).   They planned to spend their day, when docked in that port, dealing with their laundry.  The ship did not have a passenger laundry facility (all too common these days) and they did not want to pay to have the ship launder their clothes.  So they gave up a day in Rome so they could do their wash.  Really?  Assuming that trip was costing them at least $500 per day, that was an expensive laundry bill.

 

On our cruises, when some folks are in their cabins washing-out clothes, we are relaxing in a lounge with a drink.  The choice is yours.

 

Hank

[SoloAlaska]

On 1/2/2024 at 10:35 AM, Hlitner said:

Love this topic and we see several sides.  DW and I do a lot of international travel/cruising and it is common for us to be on trips for up to two months.  We have met folks that can take long trips with just a single carry-on bag and they are very happy with their MO.  They talk about doing laundry, washing-out clothes in their sinks (on a daily basis) etc.  We, on the other hand, are somewhat heavy packers.  On most trips we travel with two of the largest (allowed) suitcases, both filled to 45-50 pounds.  We also both carry carry-on backpacks that are too darn heavy.  The logistics to having that much luggage, for our independent travel, is part of the planning process (i.e. how to handle our luggage).

 

That being said,  on a 2 month trip we will have a few miserable moments when DW and I are dealing with our luggage.  But we find that a much better option then spending our time washing out clothes, spending time in laundromats, etc.  On cruises, we do send out laundry but have enough clothes where this is done at a minimum.  We also enjoy having plenty of clothing options, and having adequate stuff to handle the various climates (some of our trips can take us from the tropics to the arctic on the same trip).

 

DW and I have become comfortable with the concept that we are paying a lot of money, per day, to be on our trips, and we do not want to spend hours dealing with wash!  A few years ago I helped a cruiser (here on CC) who needed detailed directions on how to find and access a laundromat in Civitavecchia (the city for Rome).   They planned to spend their day, when docked in that port, dealing with their laundry.  The ship did not have a passenger laundry facility (all too common these days) and they did not want to pay to have the ship launder their clothes.  So they gave up a day in Rome so they could do their wash.  Really?  Assuming that trip was costing them at least $500 per day, that was an expensive laundry bill.

 

On our cruises, when some folks are in their cabins washing-out clothes, we are relaxing in a lounge with a drink.  The choice is yours.

 

Hank

Spending time washing clothes really is only 2-3 minutes. I run the sink while I get undressed for my shower, put clothes in the sink while I am in the shower. When I get out of the shower I squeeze out the clothes and roll them in a towel and hang them to dry. It doesn’t have to take much time at all. 
 

There are things I don’t bother washing by hand like jeans etc but I don’t mind paying to send those out. On my 20 day trip I sent one small bag of laundry out.

 

My next trip I’m going carry on only and can’t wait but it’s not for everyone or every trip. Spending time at a laundromat during vacation is such a waste.

[ldubs]

On 1/1/2024 at 11:56 PM, MacMadame said:

I don't have enough clothes to last 3-4 weeks without doing some laundry.

 

I can't stay at home for 3 or 4 weeks without doing laundry!  😀