How do you pack light? Laundry?

[McFins]

Hi all. Going to try to pack light for our next cruise (NE/Canada)as we will disembark in Quebec and will fly home.  Was thinking of using the laundry service onboard.  We are platinum so I believe we will get a free bag of laundry at some point during the cruise.  For those that have used the laundry service have you been satisfied?  I’m wondering how they keep track of your clothes as I imagine they put them in with the laundry of others.    Can you put some of your clothes in a lingerie bag or will they take them out of that bag when they wash them?   Do they come back folded nicely?  Finally, any light packing hacks you care to pass on would be much appreciated,  

Many thanks for sharing your experience. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[valleyvillage]

If you are both platinum you get two free bags of laundry.Just write your name, cabin and PLATINUM on the ticket. You can get a lot in those Haven bags. They press laundry tags into the clothing to keep them organized. They come back folded nicely in a wicker basket. 

[Travelling2Some]

45 minutes ago, McFins said:

Hi all. Going to try to pack light for our next cruise (NE/Canada)as we will disembark in Quebec and will fly home.  Was thinking of using the laundry service onboard.  We are platinum so I believe we will get a free bag of laundry at some point during the cruise.  For those that have used the laundry service have you been satisfied?  I’m wondering how they keep track of your clothes as I imagine they put them in with the laundry of others.    Can you put some of your clothes in a lingerie bag or will they take them out of that bag when they wash them?   Do they come back folded nicely?  Finally, any light packing hacks you care to pass on would be much appreciated,  

Many thanks for sharing your experience. 

 

 

We are light packers (carry-on only) and have always been happy with the laundry service on NCL.  You will get your stuff back folded and wrapped in tissue in a basket.  If there are two of you you EACH are entitled to a free bag of laundry.  If they don't give you two tickets for it just write "PLATINUM" on the bag and the itemized ticket.  They use little sticky tags to indicate what room the items go to.  No clue on the lingerie bag question.  On light packing:  We have traveled extensively only long land/sea trips and never bring more than carry-on. 

 

I pack leggings, sheer shirts with camisoles and/or paper thin thermal tops.  My husband packs light weight travel pants, the thinner type of polo shirts and paper thin thermal tops.  All of my travel clothes are mix and match in shades of blue and black.  (My husband does not care if his colors clash, lol.)  For outer wear we each bring a light fleece zip up jacket, a heavier zip up fleece and a rain shell.  If you put all of those on together you have the equivalent of a winter coat.  We also have down "puffer" jackets that compress to the size of a fist for truly cold weather. 

 

Wear your heavy fleece and heavier pair of shoes on the plane.  I don't know where you are flying home to but we have disembarked in Quebec several times and taken the Amtrak train called the Adirondack from Montreal back to NYC.  It is said to be one of the most scenic train rides.  Very relaxing and comfortable if you have the time.  We picked up a gourmet picnic and a bottle of wine before we boarded and really enjoyed it.

[Monica887]

I learned how to pack light when my cruise luggage was lost by the airline and I only had what I could grab in Walmart the morning of the trip. 

 

It was a cold weather trip. 2 t-shirts and a hoodie - wear the tshirts twice each, and the wash them before wearing them each twice again. One pair of hiking pants and one pair of jeans and alternate. One pair of sneakers and one pair of sandals/flip flops. We didn't dress for dinner in our situation, but two pairs of nice pants and a couple of tops will do.

 

Overall, plan to wear each thing twice, with one load of laundry mid week and hand washing as needed. 

[phillygwm]

1 hour ago, McFins said:

Hi all. Going to try to pack light for our next cruise (NE/Canada)as we will disembark in Quebec and will fly home.  Was thinking of using the laundry service onboard.  We are platinum so I believe we will get a free bag of laundry at some point during the cruise.  For those that have used the laundry service have you been satisfied?

I've used laundry services for as long as I've been Platinum (now Sapphire.)  I've always been pleased. I can get 4 days worth of clothes in a bag (solo traveler.)  I can travel without needing to check a bag, especially if I'm on a warm weather cruise where I'm not packing anything bulky.

 

Do people sometimes have problems?  Sure.  You have maybe a couple thousand people using laundry services, something is going to go wrong. I probably wouldn't send something especially delicate (or expensive) down, just out of an abundance of caution, but I predominantly wear polo shirts and Dockers so not an issue for me.

[Girr]

25 minutes ago, Travelling2Some said:

We are light packers (carry-on only) and have always been happy with the laundry service on NCL.  You will get your stuff back folded and wrapped in tissue in a basket.  If there are two of you you EACH are entitled to a free bag of laundry.  If they don't give you two tickets for it just write "PLATINUM" on the bag and the itemized ticket.  They use little sticky tags to indicate what room the items go to.  No clue on the lingerie bag question.  On light packing:  We have traveled extensively only long land/sea trips and never bring more than carry-on. 

 

I pack leggings, sheer shirts with camisoles and/or paper thin thermal tops.  My husband packs light weight travel pants, the thinner type of polo shirts and paper thin thermal tops.  All of my travel clothes are mix and match in shades of blue and black.  (My husband does not care if his colors clash, lol.)  For outer wear we each bring a light fleece zip up jacket, a heavier zip up fleece and a rain shell.  If you put all of those on together you have the equivalent of a winter coat.  We also have down "puffer" jackets that compress to the size of a fist for truly cold weather. 

 

Wear your heavy fleece and heavier pair of shoes on the plane.  I don't know where you are flying home to but we have disembarked in Quebec several times and taken the Amtrak train called the Adirondack from Montreal back to NYC.  It is said to be one of the most scenic train rides.  Very relaxing and comfortable if you have the time.  We picked up a gourmet picnic and a bottle of wine before we boarded and really enjoyed it.

This!  I also never pack directly to my suitcase - I lay it all out first and then start whittling it down.  In December I have a TA and will only take either leggings/skirts (a total of three) and three shirts (all color matching) and one dress plus a "fancy" shirt for dinner.  It doesn't sound like much for a twenty day trip, but it works.  The ships laundry has a 24-hour turnaround. 

For delicates I hand wash them out (I take a couple of laundry detergent sheets), as all laundry turned in goes into the large washers on-board.  

Then I never take full size toiletries, plus unless you absolutely have to have certain brands, I depend upon the ships shampoo, soap, etc.  If you do have certain brands bring bottles/tubes that are almost empty - then don't bring them home!  Rely upon the ship's blow dryer too.  

When you get home do an inventory as you unpack your suitcase to determine what, if anything, you never used.  (Then don't pack it next time!)  😄

[Travelling2Some]

8 minutes ago, phillygwm said:

I've used laundry services for as long as I've been Platinum (now Sapphire.)  I've always been pleased. I can get 4 days worth of clothes in a bag (solo traveler.)  I can travel without needing to check a bag, especially if I'm on a warm weather cruise where I'm not packing anything bulky.

 

Do people sometimes have problems?  Sure.  You have maybe a couple thousand people using laundry services, something is going to go wrong. I probably wouldn't send something especially delicate (or expensive) down, just out of an abundance of caution, but I predominantly wear polo shirts and Dockers so not an issue for me.

Totally agree.  We did once lose one sock, lol.  I did not bother to pursue it.  Happens all the time at home after all!  Only . . . oh for God's sake . . . please don't say "out of an abundance of caution".  I just never want to hear that darn phrase ever again!!!

[phillygwm]

10 minutes ago, Girr said:

Then I never take full size toiletries, plus unless you absolutely have to have certain brands, I depend upon the ships shampoo, soap, etc. 

I'm not super picky but the ship's soaps (except for Haven) are pretty low end.  I usually collect the shampoo/body wash bottles from when I'm travelling at a nice hotel.  Those work well and take up next to zero space.  Buying the travel size shaving cream and toothpaste also conserves space.

[Travelling2Some]

12 minutes ago, Girr said:

This!  I also never pack directly to my suitcase - I lay it all out first and then start whittling it down.  In December I have a TA and will only take either leggings/skirts (a total of three) and three shirts (all color matching) and one dress plus a "fancy" shirt for dinner.  It doesn't sound like much for a twenty day trip, but it works.  The ships laundry has a 24-hour turnaround. 

For delicates I hand wash them out (I take a couple of laundry detergent sheets), as all laundry turned in goes into the large washers on-board.  

Then I never take full size toiletries, plus unless you absolutely have to have certain brands, I depend upon the ships shampoo, soap, etc.  If you do have certain brands bring bottles/tubes that are almost empty - then don't bring them home!  Rely upon the ship's blow dryer too.  

When you get home do an inventory as you unpack your suitcase to determine what, if anything, you never used.  (Then don't pack it next time!)  😄

Ahh, a kindred spirit!  I've actually even stopped packing the dry laundry sheets recently since I realized that the provided shampoo works fine for sink washing.  I'm trying to get down to only bringing the one pair of shoes I wear on the plane but I have problem feet and a change every other day works better.  Plus I am afraid of having only one pair if they get wet. 

[Girr]

Yep, for shoes I have the pair I'm wearing and then one more packed.  But normally only one pair comes home (especially if I'm heading to Italy - where you must buy new shoes.🤪)

 

I can't attest to how true, but the individual who told me this story swore it was true.  It seems on a cruise he noticed his neighbor checking into the next-door cabin, and all he had was a draw string mesh bag.  As the cruise went on, he noticed it appeared his neighbor always had the same clothes on.  They had adjoining balconies, and one afternoon his curiosity finally won out, and he asked the guy about his "luggage".  The guy's travel plan consisted of taking the set of clothes he had on, and one identical set (plus travel size toiletries).  At the end of the day, he'd shower then take that day's dirty clothes, put them in the mesh bag and do a dunk wash in the bathtub.  Hang them up to dry and wear the clean set the next day!  During summer months his wardrobe consisted of tee shirts and shorts, and in winter long sleeve shirts and jeans.  His "luxury" item was a swimsuit!  Now this would be extreme packing!  😁

[mapleleaves]

Another lite packer here!  Whether I'm gone for 1 week or 3, I only take a 22" suitcase.

I've been very satisfied with the ship's laundry service. 

As for the lingerie bag question, I was surprised last yr on the Gem when my items were taken out of the bag and tagged individually, then returned to the bag!  That was a first.  Maybe they were concerned the bag would open during the wash/dry so they wanted to tag everything? I dunno. 

[Pitzel]

In addition to all of the answers above around what to bring (or not bring), my two cents is on how to pack:

Depending on the trip, we use packing cubes, travel vacuum storage bags, or both. If you roll your clothes tightly, you can get a ton in the packing cubes. Not only does this compress things in your luggage, it also makes it easy to unpack -- just unzip the cubes and set them on a shelf or in a drawer in your hotel room or stateroom.

The vacuum storage bags are good for eliminating bulk, since you can suck (or squeeze) out all of the air and really compress things down. This doesn't cut down on weight, though, since you can often fit more stuff in the same suitcase that way!

[CptBoatface]

Merino wool is your friend if you are ok with doing a bit of self laundry.  You can get at least 3 days of wear before needing a rinse.  Some folks can go longer, but 3 is my limit. Good for both cool and hot weather 

[HoosierShipmate]

Every time I travel, as I’m packing to depart I declare I’m packing less on my next trip.  I practically live in my swimsuit all week during the day, need 1-2 pairs of shorts and some shirts for dinner. Add underwear and I should have what I need.  Instead I end up packing like my wife and daughter, and have several swimsuits (need one maybe two), and for a week seven t-shirts, seven polo shirts, seven shorts, and some long pants.  And I wear about half of it hahaha. 

[tw0sugar5]

Same recommendation as some other people:

-Thin thermal tops

-Merino wool

-No jeans

 

 

[SomewhereGirl]

My last cruise I did carryon only for a 12-nighter.  Because of the flying, I bought larger size toiletries in the embarkation city.  Also, a huge zip lock back that stands up and can be filled up in the shower works well for smaller items instead of washing in the tiny cabin sink.

Counting on the free Platinum laundry in a few weeks.  Do people still tape the paper bag to prevent tearing when it's really stuffed?  

[Girr]

8 minutes ago, SomewhereGirl said:

Do people still tape the paper bag to prevent tearing when it's really stuffed?  

Yes, some do.  There's currently another thread on the subject.  Fortunately, we've never had that much "stuff" to wash.  

[RocketMan275]

13 hours ago, Pitzel said:

In addition to all of the answers above around what to bring (or not bring), my two cents is on how to pack:

Depending on the trip, we use packing cubes, travel vacuum storage bags, or both. If you roll your clothes tightly, you can get a ton in the packing cubes. Not only does this compress things in your luggage, it also makes it easy to unpack -- just unzip the cubes and set them on a shelf or in a drawer in your hotel room or stateroom.

Packing cubes are just another way to bring more stuff you won't need.

Edited August 26, 2023 by RocketMan275

[MsTabbyKats]

I pack really light....but to show variation, I wear different and unusual jewelry every day!

That way nobody notices "the same old t-shirt"...........

[McFins]

Really excellent tips here and I so much appreciate it!   Thanks so much to you all.  

 

[McFins]

15 hours ago, Travelling2Some said:

We are light packers (carry-on only) and have always been happy with the laundry service on NCL.  You will get your stuff back folded and wrapped in tissue in a basket.  If there are two of you you    EACH are entitled to a free bag of laundry.  If they don't give you two tickets for it just write "PLATINUM" on the bag and the itemized ticket.  They use little sticky tags to indicate what room the items go to.  No clue on the lingerie bag question.  On light packing:  We have traveled extensively only long land/sea trips and never bring more than carry-on. 

 

I pack leggings, sheer shirts with camisoles and/or paper thin thermal tops.  My husband packs light weight travel pants, the thinner type of polo shirts and paper thin thermal tops.  All of my travel clothes are mix and match in shades of blue and black.  (My husband does not care if his colors clash, lol.)  For outer wear we each bring a light fleece zip up jacket, a heavier zip up fleece and a rain shell.  If you put all of those on together you have the equivalent of a winter coat.  We also have down "puffer" jackets that compress to the size of a fist for truly cold weather. 

 

Wear your heavy fleece and heavier pair of shoes on the plane.  I don't know where you are flying home to but we have disembarked in Quebec several times and taken the Amtrak train called the Adirondack from Montreal back to NYC.  It is said to be one of the most scenic train rides.  Very relaxing and comfortable if you have the time.  We picked up a gourmet picnic and a bottle of wine before we boarded and really enjoyed it.

Yes DH and I are both platinum so its great to know we each get a bag.   I think leggings will work most days--excellent idea.   Love that you provided the full packing list, that really helps.   We had not considered the Amtrak train back to NY but now I'm thinking why not.    Thanks again.  

[fredflint]

I have used the large vacuum bags for bulkier items with good results.  Never an issue asking the cabin steward to suck the backs with the vacuum cleaner either.

[herbanrenewal]

Re: washing light weight items - every top and dress that I bring has been hand-wash tested. I wash clothes at home in the sink, wring out in a towel, and hang to dry. I have a couple plastic travel hangers to dry things. If it doesn't dry overnight and look perfect it doesn't make the cut for travel wardrobe. My slacks or jeans I send to laundry.

[SoloAlaska]

Less than 1/4 of my clothes would I send to laundry. None of my nicer items, none of my workout gear, none of my bras would ever go to commercial laundry. Basically only some of my tshirts and my jeans would I subject to high heat like that. 
 

I don’t pack ultralight partially because of all the work stuff I need to bring taking up room but I don’t pack a ton either.

 

Recently I discovered the 5-4-3-2-1 packing method and I am obsessed. When I picked the items I’ll be bringing on my 18 day trip I took the time to figure out how many outfits I can make and it was over 80. I’ll just hand wash as I go and have lots of options.

[NW Pacific]

Unless I should fall into a mud puddle, our clothes stay pretty clean with multiple Wearings.  No way would I  wash  jeans or slacks on a cruise unless  for some "disaster".   Can wear tops multiple times, so we only take carry on for a 7 to 10  day cruise.  Shoes are my problem, need walking ones plus daytime and evening wear, urgh, they do take up room.  Have used NCL laundry several times, only for underwear and a couple  t-shirts for hubby.  We shower daily so clothes just like at home we find do not need washing unless worn for many multiple times.  Use to want to have a different outfit everyday, now older and wiser just don't want the chance of loosing luggage (it is not fun) so we keep it with us both flying and getting onboard.  Roll clothes in laundry bags from the cleaners is my go to!