Carry-on Packing Lesson

[ger_77]

Okay folks, I've learned my lesson - not just from these valuable boards, but from personal experience. We just returned from a "Black Sea & Beyond" cruise of the Mediterranean. I've read where people pack an extra outfit in their carry-on in case their luggage is lost en route. Of course, that wouldn't happen to me ... oh, how wrong I was!!!

We arrived in Athens to find that our luggage didn't quite make the last connection in Frankfurt. We (my DH and I) boarded the ship with the clothing we travelled in, our personal toiletries, meds., and nothing more. We didn't receive our luggage until Istanbul, 3 days later! I did our undies in the sink and dried them with the hair dryer and retractable clothes line in the shower. Fortunately, we found out on the 2nd day that the ship would do complimentary laundry, so we sent out clothes out that night and were able to take our first shore excursion in clean clothes. Of course as luck would have it, they lost my husband's socks, but the manager of the Front Office was kind enough to lend him a pair until our luggage arrived.

From this point on we will both carry a complete change of clothes in each of our carry-ons without fail. That way we will never be caught in that predicament again.

Smooth sailing all!!! :) :) :)

[PiperMcB]

Wow! Sorry this happened to you, but it is a valuable reminder to us all. I'm definitely rethinking my carryon arrangements!

[Cya@Sea]

I too never have carried clothes in my carry-on, after reading your experience. I have decided it might be a good idea.

[cruise-forever]

Thank you, I am alwayrs afraid that I will pack too much. My friend and I have a silly saying, " The paranoid will survive". This proves that it pays to plan ahead. I am glad that you did get your luggage though. Hope the rest of your trip was wonderful.

[Tiiiigergirl]

You know we've never lost our luggage (knock wood) but we always carry a change of clothes with us. The exception was when the plane we were on had too many mechanical problems and we ended requesting that the airline put us up for the night and fly us out the next day as we were exhausted. We knew exactly where our luggage was, sitting in the airport of our home town : ) but it still didn't do us any good. However, straggling home in dirty clothes was certainly not a catastrophe. I'm so sorry that happened!

[hajekfam]

We always pack a change of clothes plus a swimsuit apiece in our carryon. And our luggage is always cross packed - a little of each in each suitcase - in case one bag doesn't make it. We lay everything we want to pack on the guest room bed stacked by tupe of clothing and person and put the suitcases on the floor. We then divide each stack by the number of suitcases and pack the smaller stack in each one. I even divide the shoes between the bags - my dressy pair in one bag, and my regular heels in another (can wear on formal night in a pinch), gym shoes in one bag and other comfortable shoes in another. At least that way I can make do if one of the bags doesn't make it.

[Katlan]

[quote name='ger_77']From this point on we will both carry a complete change of clothes in each of our carry-ons without fail. That way we will never be caught in that predicament again.[/QUOTE]
This is also great advice for the return trip too.

[font=Calisto MT][font=Verdana][size=2][color=black]After spending a week in St. Thomas all our stuff was packed tightly in our checked luggage. The only things in our carry-ons (other than meds and valuables) were the souvenirs. As luck would have it, we had major problems even getting our direct flight out of St. Thomas and then an unscheduled stop in San Juan. Because of mechanical difficulties, we spent 36 hrs in HOT San Juan without luggage - dressed for the cold snow storm we were headed for in NY. :eek: American put us up overnight, but we still needed some things - thank goodness we found a Marshall's. We will never do that again! Even if we have a scheduled direct flight.:rolleyes: [/color][/size][/font]
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[CruzinTamela]

[font=Book Antiqua][size=3]Thanks for sharing! I will definitely be taking a change of clothes in my carry-on this time![/size][/font]

[Seaya39]

I've learned my lessons regarding packing the hard ways - more than once.

On our 2 week Galaxy cruise, I carefully packed carry ons, checked and garment bags (well, way over packed, but that's another topic). Everything made it to San Juan - except one garment bag. It of course had all my husband's short sleeve button down shirts and long pants in it! We didn't get it for a week. He had to buy clothes in Aruba - expensive.

You'd think I would have learned the lesson already as we spent a week in Mazatlan without bags of any kind for the first 2 days...

But of course the very first panic attack happened on my honeymoon. My garment bag with nicer clothes didn't arrive until the next day...

I've now learned to pack as much as possible into carry on's - I don't care how heavy they are. I use packing boards and vacuum bags to cram as much in as possible. I was able to pack for 2 weeks in Hawaii last year in just carry on's. I can also do it without too many wrinkles. Our next cruise is in November and I intend to get everything except formal wear into the carry on's. Then I'll just cross my fingers that THAT garment bag will make it to San Diego on the same plane we are on!!

Beth