I am pretty sure that many people opt to pack huge suitcases full of “stuff” for a 5 – 7 day vacation. Then they have to pay luggage fees at the airport, and lug around a huge suitcase, a carry on, and possibly a smaller bag.
What if I told you that you could fit most of your belongings in a carry on and skip the luggage fees at the airport? I am not talking about a weekend getaway. I am talking about possibly a week of outfits.
Before you start packing anything you need a Checklist (http://cruises.about.com/cs/cruiseplanning/a/packinglist.htm)
Also, you have to be willing to wear an item more than once, and possibly do laundry sometime throughout your trip. It really isn’t as bad as it sounds.
Here is a sample of how I would pack my bag:
Day 1: (Embarkation) -Shorts and a top with sneakers, and for dinner a simple sundress with sandals
Day 2: (At Sea) jean shorts and tank top with flip flops, and swimsuit underneath. Formal Dinner – Black little dress with black high heels and accessorize nicely with jewelry, scarves and belts.
Day 3: (At Sea) Sun dress with bathing suit underneath with flip flops. Dinner – Simple white sundress with the same sandals from Day 1.
Day 4: (Port Canaveral) Possibly the same shorts from Day 1 with a different top and sneakers. Don’t forget to bring your bathing suit if you plan on going swimming. Dinner – Same black dress from Day 2 with different accessories and possibly different shoes. (Trust me no one will know the difference).
Day 5: (Nassau) Jean shorts from Day 2 and a tank top or cover up with bathing suit underneath. Formal Dinner – Cocktail dress with heels.
Day 6: (Freeport) Extra pair of shorts and top. Dinner Sundress from Day 1 or Day 3 with different accessories.
Day 7: (Day at Sea) Shorts or cover up dress with bathing suit. Dinner – Sun dress from Day 1 or Day 3.
4 pair of shorts, 6 tops or cover ups, 3 bathing suits, 2 Formal Dresses, 4 Sun dresses. 1 pair of sneakers, 1 pair of flip flops, 1 pair of sandals, 1 pair of heels and underclothes. Don’t forget your incidentals. Many professional packers are against packing more than 2 pair of shoes, but I’m not and it is guaranteed to work.
Tips for Fitting the Items in Your Luggage:
Roll your clothing instead of folding. Rolling works well with pants, shorts and skirts.
When folding double up on items. For example instead of folding one pair of pants at a time fold them together simultaneously
Add tissue paper. This will help prevent wrinkles.
I would advise not to carry a huge purse. A fanny pack or cross strap purse would suffice. I recommend putting all essentials (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap etc.) in a personal backpack. However, remember most of the time the cruise lines supply these items.
Follow this link for more info on how to pack for men, women and children: http://cruisediva.com/pack_it.htm
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