Packing Question

[terri1020]

I'm SURE this question has been asked, but I am too lazy to go back and find the posts. We are sailing on our first 14 night cruise in October. Since we are flying home our luggage will be limited. NCL has done away with their free self-serve laundry areas and are charging per item to launder them for you. How do we pack for two weeks? What do you absolutely have to take? Since formal is optional on NCL, we are dressing up but NOT formally. (DH will wear a sport jacket and I will wear dress slacks and fancy top)

 

Packing lists for LIMITED packing for a two week cruise would be greately appreciated!

 

Thanks!

Terri

[JanineM]

I'm SURE this question has been asked, but I am too lazy to go back and find the posts. We are sailing on our first 14 night cruise in October. Since we are flying home our luggage will be limited. NCL has done away with their free self-serve laundry areas and are charging per item to launder them for you. How do we pack for two weeks? What do you absolutely have to take? Since formal is optional on NCL, we are dressing up but NOT formally. (DH will wear a sport jacket and I will wear dress slacks and fancy top)

 

Packing lists for LIMITED packing for a two week cruise would be greately appreciated!

 

Thanks!

Terri

 

Please just do a search. There are dozens of threads on this!

[luvscruising2007]

Include in your budget the laundry expense. Plan to wear some of your clothes more than once. Make sure everything you bring can mix and match. Cut back on your shoes.

We have used the laundry on RCL and have been very pleased. I use it just so I have less to wash when I get home.

[tomko2]

We did a 12 cruise in August 2007 plus 6 nights in Rome; one suitcase each and one carry-on each. As suggested above; mix and match is key. We also used the RCL laundry service primarily because some of our clothes became dusty and gritty after an excursion. Since the laundry service worked so well, we plan to cut down on our packing for this year - 12 night cruise + 2 nights in Barcelona and 2 nights in Mainz, Germany. For evenings, I packed a long lightweight black dress which I paired with three different tops; black dress pants with 5 tops; a lightweight skirt with 2 tops, formal (wore twice). Since I change after dinner, my dress pants stayed in great shape the entire trip. My DH packed his tux and three shirts; two pair of dress pants, one jacket and a number of shirts for evening wear.

One very important thing is to get the lightest suitcase you can find.

Kathy:)

[rubytue]

I'm SURE this question has been asked, but I am too lazy to go back and find the posts.

At least you were honest :rolleyes: Though search function works pretty well

 

Anyway, budget an extra $20 to $60 for the $20 laundry bag special that is run at least once a week on NCL. You pay $20, they give you a bag, and everything you can fit in the bag is washed for you.

 

Other things - don't limit yourself to one wearing per piece of clothing (undies and sock can be an exception). I see people complaining they have to pack for at least two outfits a day, so for a week cruise, that is 14 outfits. Wear pants 2-3 times, try to get two wears out of a shirt, especially if you just wear it to dinner or for a couple of hour.

 

And for two weeks, just add the baggage fees to the cost of your trip or fly an airline that doesn't charge them (Southwest is one).

[ocnlvr3]

I stick with a certain color scheme and mix and match. Also in the warmer climates you usually don't need a ton of clothes.

Good luck most people always overpack:D

 

 

 

Andrea

[uppitycats]

I'm SURE this question has been asked, but I am too lazy to go back and find the posts. We are sailing on our first 14 night cruise in October. Since we are flying home our luggage will be limited. NCL has done away with their free self-serve laundry areas and are charging per item to launder them for you. How do we pack for two weeks? What do you absolutely have to take? Since formal is optional on NCL, we are dressing up but NOT formally. (DH will wear a sport jacket and I will wear dress slacks and fancy top)

 

Packing lists for LIMITED packing for a two week cruise would be greately appreciated!

 

Thanks!

Terri

 

An old "packing trick" I learned..maybe even from this forum, years ago:

 

Lay out all the clothes you think you'll need. Put half of them back into the closet, and pack the rest. Lay out all the money you think you'll need. Add 50% more, and pack that. :)

 

As everyone has said, "layers". And don't worry about wearing things more than once. People really won't notice that you're wearing the same shirt. (unless of course you've spilt something on it!) People really won't notice that your shoes don't match your outfit.

 

NCL is not only "charging per item" for clothes (although they will still do that, and it's nice if you have a particularly fussy or fancy outfit that you're concerned about.) Otherwise -- given the length of your cruise -- they'll likely have two laundry specials, where you stuff everything into a paper bag (which they provide...you might want to take a roll of duct tape, as the bag tears..) and for $20 or $25 (differs on some ships) they'll launder, fold, iron (if appropriate), hang (if appropriate) and bring it back to you, usually by 6 p.m. the next day.

 

We did that twice on our recent 10 day cruise, and were quite satisfied with the results.

[Caribbean Sunsets]

I find that it isn't so much the clothes but all the other necessary items that quickly bring you to the weight allowance. Instead of bringing new/full bottles of personal care items, bring half used ones (toothpaste, shaving cream, hair care products, sunscreen, etc). If you are arriving a day or two precruise, maybe purchase a few items locally. Also, some people use shampoos, conditioners and lotions provided by the cruise line and don't need to pack those items either.

[cruiserbryce]

shoes and pants are typically items we over pack on...my wife is really bad and I have had it happen on ocassion where we pack shoes that never get worn...and take too many pairs of shorts or jeans...that is valueble space taken up on a cruise of that length

[rubytue]

my wife is really bad and I have had it happen on ocassion where we pack shoes that never get worn...and take too many pairs of shorts or jeans...that is valueble space taken up on a cruise of that length

:eek: You can never have too many shoes. In fact, my whole reason for saving space with clothes is to pack more shoes ;)

 

These are my sandals for a week in Sedona, AZ.

 

Plus I had dress shoes and hiking shoes. Although, I did most of my hiking in sandals, see:

 

I'll probably limit myself to only three of these for the cruise. Do Bikenstocks count as flip-flops?

[mstrc1]

I find that it isn't so much the clothes but all the other necessary items that quickly bring you to the weight allowance. Instead of bringing new/full bottles of personal care items, bring half used ones (toothpaste, shaving cream, hair care products, sunscreen, etc). If you are arriving a day or two precruise, maybe purchase a few items locally. Also, some people use shampoos, conditioners and lotions provided by the cruise line and don't need to pack those items either.

 

This is a very good point and suggestion and I never thought of packing this way. Thanks for the tip.

[Happy ks]

The only problem I have with putting clothes out, then taking half away is: which half and what do you decide to leave at home? A well planned out, smaller wardrobe makes for a well dressed passenger. Think quality, not quantity.

 

Pack for only one week at the most. Even less if you can manage to mix and match well. I also plan my wardrobe from the shoes up, that way I bring no more than 5 pair (I can't seem to cut it back more)

 

! pair each:

formal nights

casual nights

walking sandals (usually worn onto the plane)

sneakers for walking laps

one pair rubber flip flops for the pool

 

I pack basic black pants and wear those on casual nights, I take 2-3 tops to mix and match. I pack cocktail length dresses for formal nights, but you say you won't bother with those evenings, so you could cut back even more on the shoes. Maybe take one other color pants and a couple tops to go with those.

 

Three pair shorts, two tops for each of those shorts. One beach cover up, more bathing suits if you are going on a warm weather cruise, at least three. I like to take at least one sun dress along and a pareo (that can be used for so many different things).

 

Our toiletry kit stays packed all the time, we find we need the same things whether we are gone one night or a week. No one can plan this for you, you have to go through your routine and take what you need. Toiletries are available in travel sizes, or you can buy travel sized bottles to fill. If you think you cannot go the whole time with a travel size, buy 2 or 3 of the product and discard as it is used. A 3 oz. bottle of shampoo should be more than enough for 2 weeks, I think many people overuse products, but that's another story. Don't ever pack full sized bottles, even if they are half empty, too much space taken up and the possibility of spillage in a checked bag (on an airplane) is dramatically higher since air space expands in the non-air compressed baggage hold.

 

I buy cosmetics when there are giveaways, then tuck the sample sizes into our toiletry bag.

 

I have also replenished along the way. Cruise ships don't have the best brands to offer and the prices are quite high, but most cities around the world have toiletries for purchase. I still have some Italian toothpaste we picked up in Venice last October, it's been kind of a fun souvenir.

 

Before you leave home, color, cut, manicure, pedicure, wax eyebrows...anything that can cut back on implements you would otherwise pack.

 

A small first aid kit is an essential. Just the basics, a small sampling of typical OTC meds, antibiotic ointment, a few bandaids.

[Happy ks]

One thing I always mention here....do not go by anyone elses lists (even mine), there can be so many things on them you really don't need. Don't take anything along that will be provided by the cruise line (toiletries and first aid excepted).

 

If you didn't think of it yourself and you have to ask what it is used for, there's not much possibility that you need that item.

[Luckyroot]

LOL I'm sitting here laughing because when I saw the topic of this thread, I said "Oh I gotta read that one!" then saw who started the thread. :D

 

We are travelling with Terri1020 and her DH and I just said this to her yesterday that I'm worried about packing!

 

Thanks Ter!

[terri1020]

HAHA Ruth, I thought I'd post this, get some great suggestions (which I did) and put your mind at ease since it is YOU that has anxiety about packing for two weeks in one suitcase!

[dustyroad]

This is a very good point and suggestion and I never thought of packing this way. Thanks for the tip.

 

yes, great tip. especially about using what is in the cabin already. i am going to try the '' rolling method '' this next cruise. i saw samantha browns suitcase that she was packing for her 1st cruise and it looked like she had alot of things in her bag that were rolled. i am going to try to get away with one carry-on this time. please wish me luck :D.

[Luckyroot]

Luckily we are sailing out of our home port, but have to fly home (Repositioning cruise) so our carry on stuff isn't as limited as our take home stuff.

 

I plan on putting all the one way items into a sturdy box to be delivered to the room. These will be items that aren't coming home with me - case of water, travel size toiletries, smuggled booze, door decorations, Halloween stuff (we sail 10/30) etc. - The box comes in handy as an impromptu cooler (lined with a black plastic garbage bag that I also bring) or laundry hamper and can be tossed at the end of the cruise.