When do you start packing for your cruise?

[sail7seas]

I also cross pack our bags. I would be unforgiving if DH had his suitcase and my was lost and I had nothing to wear. :D

 

I also have duplicates of products we use all the time. I don't take my makeup from the supply I use at home. I have separate makeup and toilet articles just for travel.

 

[Debe7ing]

How early is too early? We sail in 16 days and typically I'm packing the day before, but I'm crazy excited and want to get started!

 

We sail tomorrow (driving to port) and I have not even thought about it...no list, no packing done.

 

Got errands to run this morning to ensure everything is finished, and pack this afternoon.

 

I am to the point that we finally keep it simple (24th cruise) and it is a good thing because for the first 7 or so you would have though we were moving onboard for the rest of our life vs a 7 day trip.

 

4 shorts, 4 tops, 3 slacks, 4 blouses, 2 bathingsuit and coverup, walking shoes, sandels and flip-flops and toothbrush is about it now....and lots and lots of great reading material.

[agabbymama]

How early is too early? We sail in 16 days and typically I'm packing the day before, but I'm crazy excited and want to get started!

 

No such thing as too early. I usually start my list as soon as I've made my reservation.

 

This year for the 21 day Med trip, I started packing 2 months out, as I was worried about making the 44 lb weight limit for the airline. I hauled out my 30" upright suitcase and put everything in that I could think of, and the weight was 65 lbs. Now when you were allowed 70 lbs for International travel that would have been fine, but had to rethink what to take. Removed things, went to black, brown & beige as basic colors with tops to mix & match. Still weighed in at 55 lbs. Didn't know what I was going to do as I had removed all non-essentials.

 

Then one weekend my friend asked me to shop with her for a new SMALLER suitcase. We found a 25", but I didn't want to buy a new suitcase, so I came home, went into the closet and hauled out my very first suitcase, 26" Samsonite old style with wheels on the bottom that you pull behind you, not the modern uprights. Repacked in it, had to move a couple of items to the carry-on as well as my folder with all the port info (at 5 lbs of paper) but my suitcase now weighs 35 lbs and my carryon is at 20 lbs, so I still have my 55 lbs but just distributed differently. I took my formal wear back out of the suitcase, but everything else is still packed. I don't worry about wrinkles, as traveling from a suitcase, you will have wrinkles no matter what.

 

So I'm almost totally packed with still 5 weeks to go until the cruise. But I work, so weekends are my only free time, but I visit my daughter and granddaughter one weekend a month, my son another weekend per month, and my traveling companion another weekend per month. Then throw in the odd tea party, baby shower, etc. and my free time away from work is pretty busy too.

 

Don't worry what others do, if you feel like packing, do so, it's part of the fun and anticipation of the trip.:p

[Lowie]

for me it depends if the kids are coming and for how long we'll be away.,

for our first cruise i set out a large covered tote and attached my list to the lid. as items went in they were checked off the list and were not allowed to be taken out (like a roach motel, it goes in, not out!) my family and the friends we were sailing with teased me constantly about my box.... until the cruise when they were all impressed at the things i brought and THEY needed. funny though that no one in my family had a hair brush, so 7 of us shared one!

 

when my dh and i went away alone for a weekend cruise i used my list, scaled it down and packed the night before.

 

since we live in florida we don't have seasonal wardrobes. so my clothes cannot be set aside very early as i need them to wear. and because we can drive to the port i don't have to worry about airline restrictions so we pack everything we want!

[Senoj84]

About a week and a half before my cruise is when I start packing.