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The Elegant (but lightweight) Pack List for a Cruise

Packing light is challenging for an elegant cruise. What you bring on a cruise depends a great deal of the kind of ship it is casual or elegant and your plans for "fine dining". With today's newest and very stingent 50 pound weight limit for bags on airlines, packing well for a vacation became just a bit harder. If you are sailing a ship with all the elegant evenings, this takes special forethought on your part. Even though they say that its two formal evenings, three "informal" and two "casual"...you are sitting in such elegant surroundings and eating a wonderful 5 course meal (with incredible service)...you will want to look your best every evening ! Consider that this will be like a fabulous dinner party every night ! One more great things about cruise ships is that you unpack once. Once something is in your closet onboard--you are set. But now that your suitcase can only contain 50 pounds, or you pay a surcharge, you must really think this through ahead of time.

Here are some of my thoughts...
Most ships provide robes, beach towels (both on deck and if you are going ashore to the beach) and hair dryers...all depending on your level of accommodation. Check on this for your particular cruise...and if they are provided then leave these items at home.....that's half a suitcase right there !

Ladies----If you are planning on "fine dining"-----Think thru 7 wonderful evenings of dinners and cocktails beforehand. Think Black !! Black or cream flowy pants or skirts topped with several different jackets, dressy dinner jackets, big satiny tops...if you pack separates you will have so much more mileage. Bring several evenings handbags...a nice selection of jewelry...several different pair of dressy shoes..several bright colored Pashmina-type shawls are PERFECT. This will give you lots of color over your basics and different little accessories to mix and match. These little things that do not take up much room but will make allllllllll the difference. Remember...half the beauty of cruising is that you have these elegant evenings. On a recent cruise, I brought 2 jackets with me --one Black flowy elegant one that worked well with black accessories and flowy black pants for elegant evenings and one Coral one (for a punch of color over basic bottoms) and wore my Navy Blue Blazer on the plane with me. In addition to dinner, we had lunch in the nice dining room three times, breakfast there twice and High Tea one afternoon. All worked over basic bottoms. (I love to wear my Navy Double Breasted Blazer over cream or white pants--I always feel so nautical !) For casual clothes, you will want fun things...some wrap skirts...bathing suit (or two !) and cover ups (bright sarongs are great), flip-flops & fitness workout clothes (be sure to bring a pair of sneakers for the workout room and to wear for shore trips). Cruises can be so romantic and you will feel so pampered, be sure to bring along a soft and silky robe and negligee as well. Now stand back. Carefully look at what you have...and then possibly edit yet again. For the lightest wardrobe...take only black basics, a cream or white pant, and lots of accessories. The online shopping shows sell a great number of those nice knit wardrobe sets that really look great and are really elegant. Order a Black Jacket and Pant and long skirt. They roll up and you can accessorize them like crazy ! Be sure you have some sort of Jewelry Roll for jewelry. I do not wear all that much jewelry at home but when you are dressing for dinner every night on a cruise, its the bracelets and necklaces that I have collected in our travels that I reach for. For shoes I bring one pair of little gold flats that are elegant and a pair of Black "Slides" heels...that work with everything including being fine for elegant evenings in addition to the flip-flops and sneakers. I also have a pair of black flat sandals with little straps on them. They do not take up any room, are comfortable and work with everything from casual to elegant.

Kids------Remember no shorts in the nice dining rooms ! I have found that kids really love these nice evenings and dressing up. Be sure they bring some nice pants, dress shoes, dresses, a Navy Blazer for boys as the elegant dinners are really a great experience for them. Where else can they have 5 courses of anything they want ?? Shrimp cocktails and lobster always a hit. Teenage boy still hungry ?? What else would he like ? Another lobster tail ? (Take lots of pictures-this can be great family time !) I also feel that this has been a wonderful opportunity to expose our kids to Fine Dining.

Men---Quite Easy ! (Of course !) Tuxedo -optional...but very nice for the formal evenings. (Certain ships it is not optional) Dark Suits also work on some ships.You may consider bringing two tuxedo shirts or two different sets of Tuxedo Stud Sets for variety. Navy or basic blazer and dress pants...dress and sport shirts...several neckties...dress shoes...khaki pants....knit shirts...basic shorts...workout clothes...casual shoes...sneakers...flip-flops....bathing suit....golf clothes if golfing ashore. Hawaiian type shirt for fun ! A short sleeve linen solid sport shirt with a collar is lightweight and perfect for casual evenings.So much depends on the kind of cruise ship you are sailing. (By the way, Golf shoes as well as golf equipment can be rented.) For longer or very elegant cruises, I highly recommend a White Dinner Jacket, as there is simply nothing more dashing. (On a recent 21 day Seabourn Mediterranean cruise, my clients had 6 Formal nights ! You need something other than one black tuxedo for all of this !)

You can check two bags with the airlines and carry-on one more. With the new weight rules of a 50 pound limit, people are finding that carrying two of the mid-size suitcase is a better choice than one giant one. I carry-on a garment bag (full of my dress clothes) and a very full large purse. Bring some sort of granola bars or snacks, bottled water, your meds, and reading material with you on the plane...airport and runway delays are all too common and food is no longer served onboard as it once was. Also, I always carry-on my bathing suit and sarong and some of my evening clothing in the hanging bag with me. If my luggage is lost, I will still have something to wear to dinner and can go to the pool ! (I do not find replacing a bathing suit at all easy ! There are nightmare stories of luggage lost and people sailing with the clothes on their back only.)

Other Good Basic tips...

Buy on collapsible, fold-up carryon bag. We have one at the bottom of our suitcase constantly--never take it out----and cannot tell you how many times its service has been enlisted for new purchases. My husband and I each have one and both were used on our last cruise.
Pack a pad of Post-It notes to leave messages for your cabin steward (you will get to know him !), family, and shipboard friends.
Have a supply of one-dollar bills handy for tipping airport skycaps and porters at the pier.
Don't pack photo film in checked luggage as new airport screening equipment could ruin it. Put it in your carry-on instead. Bring plenty of film and Batteries (even if you don't think you need batteries ! )
One of my traveler friends told me about putting a rubber band around wallets in your back pocket will inhibit pickpockets. Some "ports of call" have large pick-pocket communities....unfortunately.
Toss a few empty plastic bags into your suitcase. You may need them later to pack dirty or damp clothes.
Walkie-Talkies are great for families sailing. Great way to communicate and stay in touch ! (Particularly important if you are traveling with teenagers !)
Tuck fabric softener sheets between garments as you pack to keep clothing fresh during travels.
Bring your own travel alarm clock most staterooms do not have them. Be sure to wear a watch on a cruise as well. Your daily schedule will become a well-worn piece of paper that is with you at all times.....chock full of great lectures, classes, events, parties, floor shows, Casino Events...etc.etc. Bring your own way to keep track of the time.
A night light is great for inside cabins, particularly. They are DARK.
This idea is for anyone who lives in a colder climate and is traveling in winter to a warm weather cruise. When you put your summer wardrobe away for the winter, set aside the casual outfits, sandals, swimwear, and sleepwear you want to wear on your cruise and store them in the suitcase you plan to use. You'll be at least half packed and won't be hunting down an outfit or a pair of shoes later. You will also free up some drawer and/or closet space at the same time. Hang your evening clothes in a separate area of your closet and pack them when you're ready to leave for your trip.
Pre-address stick-on labels for postcards to the folks back home & you won't have to carry along a bulky address book. Don't forget email addresses !! All ships today are "connected" and you may want to fire off a quick note to family and friends....maybe even forward photos to them....from the ship.
All those elegant and lovely Five-course meals at night need a bottle of wine ! Did you know that you can carry on your own wine and will simply have to pay a $10 or $15 corkage fee (plus tip) ? When you consider that you already own many of these bottles and that the normal price onboard starts at $40....you are ahead of the game by packing and bringing your own. Simply divide them up.....wrapped in a plastic grocery bag.....amidst soft clothing. I have done this often and have not had one break yet. But check on this ahead of travelling....some cruise lines no longer offer this option and many have made recent changes.
Make two copies of your passport, driver's license, and credit cards before leaving home-in addition to your Cruise Documents, and Trip Travel Insurance. Leave one set of copies in a safe place on your ship. If the ship's purser holds your passport (which is sometimes the case, to expedite clearing the ship in foreign ports), carry the passport copy ashore with you. Leave the other copies with a friend or family member at home.
Binoculars ---lightweight, small ones...particularly for Alaska, Hawaii, Europe.
A compact umbrella. I now carry one that is tiny--6" long--in a little carrying case.
Your own insulated water bottle with carrying strap. Another great item to have in your tote to carry ashore. I fill with some on that non-stop ice cold water my Cabin Steward keeps constantly refreshing.
A hanging Toiletries kit for the tiny bathroom. Limited counter space is always a problem so making good use of vertical space is a good idea. I cannot tell you how valuble this item is in those small bathrooms ! It is found space.
Print cards with your name, address, phone number, & email address to share with new friends. Having your cards handy sure beats hunting for pens & scribbling on scraps of paper to swap addresses. Fun, inexpensive, colorful cards can be ordered online from a company called www.vistaprint.com. (Allow plenty of time to order and receive these !)
Leave any paperback novels you've finished for the crew library. You'll have more room in your suitcase and crew members will have fresh reading material--they will really appreciate this !
Don't forget to pack and USE your sunscreen. Why take the chance of a nasty sunburn ruining a great cruise vacation? Protect your skin from injury and aging. Throw in something for Sunburn too. People have a way of overdoing on vacation.
Check the balance of your on-board account before the end of your cruise. Straighten out any discrepancies immediately (check your balance a couple of times during your cruise) and avoid a long line at the Purser's Desk that last morning after your final bill arrives. Actually, try to do the final late in the afternoon of the last night...try to beat the rush ! Many ships now have the ability to do this on the tv monitor in your stateroom. It is really quite easy and avoids those long lines.
Don't you all look gorgeous in your formal attire? Have a family portrait taken to preserve the memory. There's no obligation to purchase any photos you don't care for.
Don't forget work out clothes. They say you can gain 2 pounds a day on a cruise ship from all the fabulous food ! "You come on as a passenger and leave as cargo." Bring your sneakers and get ready to sweat a little at a class or in the exercise room. Relax afterwards in their wonderful saunas and steam rooms. The onboard steam rooms are one of my absolute favorite things to do.
and my all time favorite...(depending on what type of trip, ship, elegance level etc etc)....bring t-shirts you might want to work out in, sleep in, tour in that you will wear and leave behind as they are dirty. This will give you room in your suitcase for your wonderful purchases made while traveling, a little more room in a drawer at home for your new purchases once you return. This is a VERY important tip if you are trying to pack light. Let's say you are planning to sail the Mediterranean this summer for 10 days. You are flying over 4 days early to do some touring...maybe flying into Paris but then sailing out of Rome. Packing "disposable clothing" for those 4 days is really a great idea.