How in the World can you put everything into 1 suitcase???

[SEA SOUNDS]

I am already thinking about how I am going to cut back and just bring 1 suitcase each. It is just myself and DH traveling and we usually each have a suitcase (under 50 lbs), a carry on, garment bag and a laptop carry case.

 

I really do not know how I can go with less. I think maybe this year I will forego the dressy nights and just eat buffet those nights. And shoes-----------------------oh my what am I gonna do?

 

What do you bring on your cruise? Have you or will you forget the dress up nights? It is hard to fold an evening gown and stick it into your suitcase, or even that little black dress????? An all those shoes......

 

Help!

 

SEA SOUNDS

[mzloolue]

Last cruise I brought a pair of black dress pants, some dressy black sandals and several semi-dressy tops.

 

You know, those dress them up dress them down sort of things.

 

I also have a skirt and top that are that "traveling fabric".

They drape well, but you can wad them up in a ball and they'll be alright.

[JenniGail]

While I wouldn't say I overpack, I certainly can't do just one suitcase unless it's only a 3 day short trip. We do one large case each for DH and I, and then a large duffel for all of our shoes together. Round it out with our garment bag, because we love getting all dressed up for formal nights. So, we end up with 4 total. When we bring our 3 kids we usually end up with 7 or 8 bags total between the 5 of us for a week long cruise...:D

[dnice1979]

Last cruise I brought a pair of black dress pants, some dressy black sandals and several semi-dressy tops.

 

You know, those dress them up dress them down sort of things.

 

I also have a skirt and top that are that "traveling fabric".

They drape well, but you can wad them up in a ball and they'll be alright.

 

I am trying to figure out that same exact thing. I have decided to one dress (formal) because I will be celebrating my college gradaution. Two skirts, two paris of capris. ansd about seven shirts. I am onlt bringing a pair of sneakers one pair of flip flops and one pair of dress shoes.

 

I am going to make one enough

[Jolimont]

I'm facing the same dillema right now. The 3 of us are trying to go with 2 large suitcases and one garment bag because that's what fits into our little French car trunk. We'll see if it can be done, I have serious doubts. For shoes I'm taking 3 pairs: one pair of dressy sandals, one for getting wet, one for jogging. That's not much, is it? But if we each do the same that's 9-10 pairs of shoes!!! Scary stuff...

[big_duck]

Leave the laptop case at home and substitute a carry-on sized suitcase, or a tri-fold garment bag that meets carry-on size limits.

[Hondu]

I taking one pair black slacks for dinner and simply adding a jacket for formal night. Two polos alternating for casual dinner. Two pairs of short, alternating daily and 5 tees for day time wear.

[mzloolue]

My sneakers are my "biggest" shoes, so I wore them on and off.

 

And I roll all my casual clothes.

They take up much less space and don't wrinkle as much.

[mzloolue]

I am trying to figure out that same exact thing. I have decided to one dress (formal) because I will be celebrating my college gradaution. Two skirts, two paris of capris. ansd about seven shirts. I am onlt bringing a pair of sneakers one pair of flip flops and one pair of dress shoes.

 

I am going to make one enough

 

Congratulations on graduating.

 

It is an accomplishment and a big deal.:)

[denisey]

We took a 2 week Transaltantic cruise and then spent a week in Italy. So we really didn't want to have to drag loads of luggage through Italy (on the trains). We did it with a carryon each.

 

For formal night, I had a long, black skirt and a couple of fancy blouses. I also took a couple of less fancy tops an wore it non formal nights. Everything else was mix and match. I also just took 3 pairs of shoes, sandals, walking shoes and dress sandals. Hubby took 2 pairs. We wore the bulkiest pair on the plane.

 

I will admit we "cheated" and rented a tux for hubby, complete with tux shoes. He did take a travel fabric sports coat for the supper club and fancy dinners in Italy. He wore that on the plane.

 

I think the biggest space saver for us was all the "stuff." So no bungee cords, duct tape, over the door hangers...We took small, travel sized toiletries, and bought more when we needed them.

 

I laid everything out, and then ruthlessly eliminated things.

 

My starting point was Rick Steves packing list. (ricksteves dot com). It wasn't meant for cruises, but it is a good starting point.

 

I should mention, that prior to this cruise, we took 4 suitcases and 2 carryones per cruise.

 

Best wishes!

[MississippiMom]

I'm facing the same dillema right now. The 3 of us are trying to go with 2 large suitcases and one garment bag because that's what fits into our little French car trunk. We'll see if it can be done, I have serious doubts. For shoes I'm taking 3 pairs: one pair of dressy sandals, one for getting wet, one for jogging. That's not much, is it? But if we each do the same that's 9-10 pairs of shoes!!! Scary stuff...

 

There was a time in my life when I also would have wondered "how" in the world we could pack so little, but if you have to do it, you just do it.

 

We got back last week from a five-night cruise. To save on airfare for five, we drove our Toyota Prius to the 15-hour away port. That car does not have much storage space at all! We packed five people's clothes and shoes in two large suitcases, and used two beach bags as the carry-ons with swim suits, cover-ups, flip-flops (and/or water shoes), sunscreen, and our two younger children's sleep toys. (That way we could hang out at the pool while waiting on our luggage to arrive at the cabins.)

 

I know that I was on vacation, but due to the limited space for luggage, I did laundry on board the ship. (I took my own detergent, fabric softener and quarters.) I was quite surprised at how busy the laundrette was, including people ironing clothes. I suspect that many people were limiting the number of items they packed.

 

I made everyone wear their bulkiest items on our drive to/from the ship. That meant that we all had our sneakers on and capris or heavy cargo shorts. We also made sure to pack items that mixed and matched, which was a HUGE help. (It did mean that our six year old only wore items in pink for five days straight, but, hey, it is her favorite color, so she didn't complain.)

 

For packing on the way back, we left our little girls' sand buckets, because they were from The Dollar Tree, so we could, easily, purchase them, again. And, I wish that I would have left our sandy water shoes, but I just wasn't thinking clearly about that. (Now they are on our back deck, smelly nasty, and I'm pretty sure that I'm just going to trash them and buy some more as soon as they start marking them down for the end of the season.) We packed one suitcase full of clean clothes and another full of dirty clothes and shoes. We didn't have to worry about the weight, since we weren't flying, but I did read on another thread to weigh your bags in the ship's gym.

[Pegs222]

And that is why I have three suitcases and my laptop case. My DH also has three suitcases. We are lucky that we do not have to pay for them.

[cusyl]

The more I travel, the less I take. I only use one medium suitcase and a carry on with meds and valuables. I still end up with at least one outfit that I don't wear.

[winddawn]

DH and I have decided to forego formal nights from now on and will not be taking formal clothes on our cruises.

 

And don't forget, all airlines are not created equally; "LUV means bags fly free." Fly Southwest whenever you can and you won't be paying to check those bags as long as they're under 50 lbs. :-)

[seattlejen]

woolite packets + quick dry cotton :) wash the stuff you wear all the time in the sink & let dry overnight. Leave the heavy toilities at home and pick some up when you get there. Second the rick steves list. Pick basic colors, black does it every time, and bring things that can mix and match.

 

If you are serious about bringing the weight down, try REI for some great travel clothes. People think of it as outdoors/hiking gear, but they carry wonderful light weight travel clothes (ex officio is a brand I love for travel).

 

And if you really need something you forgot, chances are you can get it wherever you are going :) Good luck, once you figure out packing light, you will never go back!

[Wennfred]

I am already thinking about how I am going to cut back and just bring 1 suitcase each. It is just myself and DH traveling and we usually each have a suitcase (under 50 lbs), a carry on, garment bag and a laptop carry case.

 

I really do not know how I can go with less. I think maybe this year I will forego the dressy nights and just eat buffet those nights. And shoes-----------------------oh my what am I gonna do?

 

What do you bring on your cruise? Have you or will you forget the dress up nights? It is hard to fold an evening gown and stick it into your suitcase, or even that little black dress????? An all those shoes......

 

Help!

 

SEA SOUNDS

 

If we are flying, we buy our tolietries once we get there since we fly in a day or 2 ahead. Wendys uses lots shampoo and conditioner so she gets the Costco size bottles, yes they wiegh alot. As for clothing most people over pack big time. I bring 4 polo shirts and a few t-shirts and will recycle them again on another date and remember you will probably buy t-shirts etc once there. As for shoes, just the tennis shoes I wear when I board and my dress shoes in the luggage.

 

For those that travel alot, make a note of all of the extra clothing you used and didn't use and put that paper in the front pocket of your luggage for next time and from there you can start cutting back. Its easier when you write it down.

 

Lastly since we are now Platinum cruisers we now cut our clothing down by 75 percent since we get free laundry. That really helps.

 

I taking one pair black slacks for dinner and simply adding a jacket for formal night. Two polos alternating for casual dinner. Two pairs of short, alternating daily and 5 tees for day time wear.

 

 

Thats pretty much what I do.

 

 

Fred

[sdirector77]

It just came to me, we could all wear formal wear on the plane and elimate the garmet bag, wouldn't that be a hoot........

[denisey]

If you are serious about bringing the weight down, try REI for some great travel clothes. People think of it as outdoors/hiking gear, but they carry wonderful light weight travel clothes (ex officio is a brand I love for travel).

 

I practically live at the ex officio stores in Bellevue and Seattle! Love their clearance racks) There is also one at SeaTac, but it is after you go through security.

[denisey]

It just came to me, we could all wear formal wear on the plane and elimate the garmet bag, wouldn't that be a hoot........

 

Our joke is that I make hubby wear his tux over his swimsuit, then put his toothbrush and sandals in his pockets, and he is good to go!

[G'ma]

 

My starting point was Rick Steves packing list. (ricksteves dot com). It wasn't meant for cruises, but it is a good starting point.

 

 

Best wishes!

 

Rick Steves is my hero. I actually took one of his trips back in the late 80's - to Italy. GREAT time. He was the tour leader. He really, really packs that way...and he does it under 21 pounds too.....DANG.

 

I'm not that good....but, no matter where I'm going or how long I'm staying, if it doesn't fit into a 22" roll-on-board and a small carryon.....it's not going with me. And, for cruising, I have kept the weight about 30-35 pounds-no need for any sweaters or sweatshirts, etc.......

[seattlejen]

I practically live at the ex officio stores in Bellevue and Seattle! Love their clearance racks) There is also one at SeaTac, but it is after you go through security.

 

Too funny, I used to live a block from the Belltown one and had never gone, then discovered the stuff at a REI sale and LOVE it, can't wait to bring my lightweight, quick-drying, super pockets, SPF, roll sleeve shirt to Europe this summer. It is the perfect shirt for a long excursion day :)

[Wennfred]

Guys, have your wife pack her luggage and when she is done, go in and pull out 50% of everything. :D Porter 150 and I do not want to strain our backs on the first day of our cruises.

 

 

 

Fred

[zqvol]

You think maybe there is a reason Carnival relaxed the dress codes a bit?

[candigirl41]

I was going to mention the relaxed dress code too. You only need dockers and a polo shirt or shirt and tie. Women only need nice dressy pants or sundress with maybe a little sweater to dress it up and you are good to go.

 

Candi

[Kurbanfan]

You think maybe there is a reason Carnival relaxed the dress codes a bit?

 

Yep........