should I bring my 31 inch suitcase?

[Mum2Mercury]

3 hours ago, clo said:

At home and traveling that isn't something we use 🙂

 

Also many, many years ago I played a little game with myself and tried to remember what other people in my office had worn to work the day before. Couldn't do it. So I could, if I wanted, wear the same thing to cruise dining with impunity. And my travel clothes are almost all solid colored, especially shorts and pants and the occasional skirt. 

Interesting game.  I just tried to remember what everyone wore at school yesterday -- I'm retired, but I substitute teacher.  I can't remember a single person, and we ALL wear school colors /spirit wear on Fridays, so I had a bit of a head-start! 

 

Wait -- on the way out the door I said something to the new Assistant Principal, who was wearing a suit and tie.  I told him he looked entirely too snazzy for a Friday, and he laughingly said he's still too new to "dress down".  I only remember him because he stood out (in a good way).  

 

You're right that if you wear simple, neutral things, people don't remember /realize you're wearing the same thing. 

 

I messed up on one recent cruise:  I brought a tee-shirt that my department members gave me when I retired -- it's a graphic tee with a funny saying.  In elevators, etc., people noted that shirt, commented on that shirt.  I only wore it once because I realized it was memorable!  

[clo]

5 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

Wait -- on the way out the door I said something to the new Assistant Principal, who was wearing a suit and tie.  I told him he looked entirely too snazzy for a Friday, and he laughingly said he's still too new to "dress down".  I only remember him because he stood out (in a good way).  

 

Do you remember the color of his shirt or tie?!?!?  🙂

 

[Mum2Mercury]

1 hour ago, clo said:

Do you remember the color of his shirt or tie?!?!?  🙂

 

Dark suit, but I can't say if it was black, blue or gray.  

Tie color -- not a clue.  

Yeah, you're right.  I can't be specific.  

[sanger727]

Obviously no one but you can determine if this bag is too large for you to handle.  But, make sure you consider all of your methods of transportation.  The flight is relatively easy - just have to be able to lift the bag onto the scale and check in and off of the baggage carousel.  But you you taking any trains?  Those require a lot more maneuvering of your bags. Also keep in mind how much walking you will do.  Will you stay in a local hotel?  Plenty of small hotels in Europe don't have elevators. Just all factors to consider.

[Mum2Mercury]

9 hours ago, sanger727 said:

Obviously no one but you can determine if this bag is too large for you to handle.  But, make sure you consider all of your methods of transportation.  The flight is relatively easy - just have to be able to lift the bag onto the scale and check in and off of the baggage carousel.  But you you taking any trains?  Those require a lot more maneuvering of your bags. Also keep in mind how much walking you will do.  Will you stay in a local hotel?  Plenty of small hotels in Europe don't have elevators. Just all factors to consider.

Good point -- can you manage your suitcase up a staircase?  Even if you're just driving, can you lift it in /out of your trunk?  

 

Here's a bad story.  My husband and I were leaving the ship, and we were behind an elderly woman and her middle-aged daughter.  Both were rolling one of those giant steam-trunk sized suitcases + a medium suitcase + probably each had a purse.  The elderly woman was slow-but-fine as we left the ship.  Then we had to go down an escalator.  The daughter went first, then the elderly woman got on, balancing her suitcases as the escalator moved.  My husband was pushing me, "Go, go -- there's a line behind us".  But I refused, saying I felt unsure of the elderly woman, and I wouldn't get on until she was at the bottom.  Sure enough, mid-way down, SHE FELL.  Fell over top of her luggage.  Of course the escalator kept moving, and her daughter saw her mother was in trouble but couldn't get to her.  The only thing we could do was wait and not "pile up" on top of her.  People at the bottom helped her up and pulled her suitcases away.  She was bleeding.  They soooooo should've waited in the line for the elevator. 

 

Yes, especially if you're not young or if you have any mobility issues, think through every stage of moving your suitcase.  

[Nebr.cruiser]

On 8/29/2024 at 4:08 PM, Irishgirl1012 said:

My bags linear dimension are within range of 62.   Still just want to know if anyone else finds this size too big for a small woman of 73 to carry

I'm 79 and pretty healthy and in decent shape.  I'm 5'3" and 130 lbs. I would never bring that big a bag--just too hard to handle and, at least for me, really not necessary.  For longer trips I normally bring a 24-25" bag and a smaller carryon--about 15".  That's plenty to move around for me. 

 

I can get everything I need in the 25" bag and spent 6 weeks in Australia/New Zealand, cruises and land tours last year with those two bags.   Yes, of course I have to do laundry or send it out every 10 days or so, but much better than being dragged down by super-sized bags.  If I absolutely had too, I could get by with a 21" carryon and the smaller one.  

 

Also, I'm small too, and even stuffed the 25" weighs about 45 lbs.  I am sure if a 31" bag was full it would probably weigh more.  Which may mean extra fees.

 

[GeezerCouple]

10 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

The daughter went first, then the elderly woman got on, balancing her suitcases as the escalator moved.  My husband was pushing me, "Go, go -- there's a line behind us".  But I refused, saying I felt unsure of the elderly woman, and I wouldn't get on until she was at the bottom.  Sure enough, mid-way down, SHE FELL.  Fell over top of her luggage.  Of course the escalator kept moving, and her daughter saw her mother was in trouble but couldn't get to her. 

 

Oh my!!!

(A private fear come to life, but not with huge luggage.)

 

You certainly made the right decision!

Thank you for being so observant *and* thoughtful!

 

GC

[PoppyVelvet]

I hope it’s ok to ask, what aspect does 31” refer to? We don’t name suitcases by measurement here, just small, medium etc. and of course we use metric so I have no visual of what 31” might be although it should be around 75 - 80 cm I think so I’m thinking it’s the height?

[Essiesmom]

79cm, the largest dimension of the case.  EM

[d9704011]

1 hour ago, PoppyVelvet said:

I hope it’s ok to ask, what aspect does 31” refer to? We don’t name suitcases by measurement here, just small, medium etc. and of course we use metric so I have no visual of what 31” might be although it should be around 75 - 80 cm I think so I’m thinking it’s the height?

31 inches is about 78 cm.  Doesn't really matter whether it's L, W or H; just largest dimension.  Usually, airlines identify a single maximum dimension and the maximum of the sum of all three diminsions (a measure of the volume).

[ldubs]

3 hours ago, PoppyVelvet said:

I hope it’s ok to ask, what aspect does 31” refer to? We don’t name suitcases by measurement here, just small, medium etc. and of course we use metric so I have no visual of what 31” might be although it should be around 75 - 80 cm I think so I’m thinking it’s the height?

 

I would call 31" a large or maybe extra large.  

[donaldsc]

On 8/31/2024 at 3:40 PM, clo said:

At home and traveling that isn't something we use 🙂

 

Also many, many years ago I played a little game with myself and tried to remember what other people in my office had worn to work the day before. Couldn't do it. So I could, if I wanted, wear the same thing to cruise dining with impunity. And my travel clothes are almost all solid colored, especially shorts and pants and the occasional skirt. 

There was an Australian news presenter who wore the same suit on the air for a year just to make a point and nobody ever noticed it.  He did it to show that his female fellow presenter was sometimes judged harshly by some viewers for her attire or makeup while nobody ever noticed what he wore.  Check out this story - https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-30069564.

 

DON

[sanger727]

On 9/1/2024 at 9:37 AM, Mum2Mercury said:

Good point -- can you manage your suitcase up a staircase?  Even if you're just driving, can you lift it in /out of your trunk?  

 

Here's a bad story.  My husband and I were leaving the ship, and we were behind an elderly woman and her middle-aged daughter.  Both were rolling one of those giant steam-trunk sized suitcases + a medium suitcase + probably each had a purse.  The elderly woman was slow-but-fine as we left the ship.  Then we had to go down an escalator.  The daughter went first, then the elderly woman got on, balancing her suitcases as the escalator moved.  My husband was pushing me, "Go, go -- there's a line behind us".  But I refused, saying I felt unsure of the elderly woman, and I wouldn't get on until she was at the bottom.  Sure enough, mid-way down, SHE FELL.  Fell over top of her luggage.  Of course the escalator kept moving, and her daughter saw her mother was in trouble but couldn't get to her.  The only thing we could do was wait and not "pile up" on top of her.  People at the bottom helped her up and pulled her suitcases away.  She was bleeding.  They soooooo should've waited in the line for the elevator. 

 

Yes, especially if you're not young or if you have any mobility issues, think through every stage of moving your suitcase.  

 

I've been on several cruises where there is an employee at the top of escalator. They won't let you take it unless you have 1 hand free for the railing. I guess this is why.

[clo]

20 minutes ago, donaldsc said:

There was an Australian news presenter who wore the same suit on the air for a year just to make a point and nobody ever noticed it.  He did it to show that his female fellow presenter was sometimes judged harshly by some viewers for her attire or makeup while nobody ever noticed what he wore.  Check out this story - https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-30069564.

 

DON

That's great. Thanks for sharing. I do wonder sometimes why the women aren't more low key. We have a favorite evening local news show. The main women is always low-key. Not suits but not wild and crazy dresses or hair. I was in sales at one point and read that people should pay attention to what you're saying, not how you look.

But I love that story and that man 🙂

[Mum2Mercury]

On 9/1/2024 at 4:44 PM, Nebr.cruiser said:

I'm 79 and pretty healthy and in decent shape.  I'm 5'3" and 130 lbs. I would never bring that big a bag--just too hard to handle and, at least for me, really not necessary.  For longer trips I normally bring a 24-25" bag and a smaller carryon--about 15".  That's plenty to move around for me. 

 

I can get everything I need in the 25" bag and spent 6 weeks in Australia/New Zealand, cruises and land tours last year with those two bags.   Yes, of course I have to do laundry or send it out every 10 days or so, but much better than being dragged down by super-sized bags.  If I absolutely had too, I could get by with a 21" carryon and the smaller one.  

 

Also, I'm small too, and even stuffed the 25" weighs about 45 lbs.  I am sure if a 31" bag was full it would probably weigh more.  Which may mean extra fees.

 

Agree completely.  

5 hours ago, sanger727 said:

I've been on several cruises where there is an employee at the top of escalator. They won't let you take it unless you have 1 hand free for the railing. I guess this is why.

I've seen that too -- and I've seen them force some people towards the elevator line.  That would've stopped the accident I saw.  

[Mary229]

If we are simply going on a cruise (we only sail long cruises of 3 to 6 weeks) we each bring a 26 inch case and each a qualifying carryon backpack. The pack frees our hands so we can easily stroll with our luggage.  If we need a lot of cold weather and hiking gear we will bring a third suitcase which he seems to manage well otherwise the two suitcases not only hold our clothing but allow us to bring art supplies, books and other foolishness.  If we are traveling also by land we pare it down to one large 28 inch for both of us plus our backpacks.

 

We are now considering splurging and paying for luggage handling services in certain circumstances 

[Airbear232]

On 8/29/2024 at 12:57 PM, Irishgirl1012 said:

Going on a 9 day cruise to Spain and Portugal.  Unfortunately Air Canada only allows one bag and one carry on, otherwise $100!  My sister told me her travel agent said never to bring the xlarge suitcase as it is too heavy to carry.  Has anyone used their big one before?  I usually travel with my 26 . 

We usually travel with large TravelPro cases.  They are big but roll.  You mention your sister warning you about “heavy”, so the question is what are you able to manage comfortably?  Also, large suitcases are more awkward to move and store.  On a regular flight you have a 50 lb allowance and for business class it’s 70 lbs.  If you’re fine with that, then take what you like.  Regardless, have a great trip.