April 14th crossing--what to pack??

[southseas]

Hi all, we are booked for the Barbados-Lisbon transatlantic crossing on April 14th and I am trying to figure out what type of clothing to pack. This is our 3rd Windstar cruise so we understand about 'casual elegance,' style-wise, but we aren't sure what sort of weather to expect. Obviously, it will be fairly warm at the start of the cruise, but it is a bit difficult to figure out what weather we can expect during the at-seas days. For instance, will we need jackets heavier than a windbreaker? I am thinking we'll need to pack layerable clothing, but the jackets and shoes we need to take are harder to determine. Does anyone have experience with the Spring crossing? If so could you please share your packing strategies? We have a few days post cruise in Lisbon, and I can figure out from weather.com what to pack for there but it's the part between Barbados and Lisbon that has me baffled. Any help would be much appreciated!

[parislady40]

Hi Southseas. I did the same crossing last year. The sea was very kind to us for the most part. We had wonderful sun for at least the first week, and also into week two. Sun-bathing was at an all time high. I was amazed that it remained good weather for so long, and the captain said it was a great crossing. When it did start to change, it got fairly cool fast, and only required a light jacket. Layering is good, and yes, you may possibly need a warmer jacket if you plan on spending time on deck, which all of us did. For evenings, you need warmer clothes if you are going to the Compass Rose after dinner. I had a few cashmere tops that offered warmth without taking up a lot of space. Shoe-wise, you can get away with very little, as you probably only need ordinary everyday shoes, with good traction for the decks. The crossing was very different from any of the previous Windstar cruises we had taken before. It was very relaxed from sun-up to sun-down. You will meet so many cruisers that have taken this cruise countless times. Be sure to take several books to read, as there is not a lot to do. Activities include a puzzle club of sorts, a ship-building contest, a photography class/contest, napkin folding, vegetable carving, trivia, minature golfing to name a few, scattered throughout the 14 days. When we arrived in Lisbon, it was warm. Make sure you are awake when passing under the bridge in Lisbon. It is awesome! I probably didn't answer your question directly. I will be doing the transatlantic this year, but on a larger ship where there is much more to do. I am sure we will both have a good time.

[southseas]

Your post was very helpful, and I think what I am going to do is figure out some kind of jacket I can take that can do double-duty as a warmer wrap when I need one on the ship and is still nice enough to wear with dressier clothes when we are in Lisbon (we are staying a few days there.) Goodness, this may mean I will be 'forced' to go SHOPPING! :D We are planning to take several books and some board games, plus we are traveling with another couple we've cruised with before, so I don't think we'll get bored. And if all else fails, I am a champion napper when given the opportunity. ;) My husband and I are really looking forward to not having to keep an eye on the clock and to just relaxing without feeling guilty about other things we should be doing. We always enjoy meeting new people when we cruise, which is one of the reasons we prefer the smaller ships. Thanks also for the tip about passing under the bridge in Lisbon, and enjoy your upcoming crossing! :) :)

[hybrn8]

When we crossed on the Surf in 4/05, the only time I really got cold was on the decks at night (DUH). Sometimes the restaurants and lounge were chilly because of the AC so plan accordingly. There is no self-service laundry but suggest using excellent ship laundry as it's not too pricey and you don't have to take too much stuff. (Or, do as I do and take disposo-clothes - I leave stuff on the ship (motels, hotels, etc.) that were going to thrift shop anyway.) Everyone seemed to dress a bit nicer for dinner but folks were always presentable, no matter the time of day. We had a blast eating, napping, playing trivia, and doing zip! No phones, faxes, meetings, emails, or drama - was super!

[southseas]

" We had a blast eating, napping, playing trivia, and doing zip! No phones, faxes, meetings, emails, or drama - was super!"

 

Sounds PERFECT to me! :D Real, extended downtime is a luxury these days, unfortunately. One of the best parts will be no phones or email to answer. (And I hear you about the drama! ) We aren't even telling anyone how to reach us aboard ship except the petsitter and a family contact in case of emergency.

 

That's a good idea about the disposo-clothes. Mostly we just donate old clothes to some charity or another--never thought about taking them on a one-way trip but will keep that in mind for the future. I will definitely plan on taking warmer clothes for evenings on the deck because I am looking forward to doing some stargazing. We live in the Atlanta area and unfortunately even in the suburbs there is so much light you don't have a clear view of the stars. Being a small town girl originally I really miss that.

 

Thanks for your helpful reply. :)