I always over pack. How can I get everything I need without packing too much?
This question was answered on our Cruise IQ show on December 6, 2017.
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When packing for a cruise you likely be faced with decisions of what to bring based on your itinerary, formality onboard the ship, number of nights and what you plan to do ashore. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is packing at the last minute. Last minute packing inevitably leads to over packing, as you’ll have less time to think if you really need those third pair of shoes or backup hairdryer. If you start your packing process a week or two before your departure, you can systematically weed out or swap items as you get closer. Another suggestion is if you never wear a particular item at home, what makes you think you wear it on a cruise? Also, why you may wear and wash your clothes at home, try to get at least two wears from pants, shirts, skirts and dresses. Trust us no one will remember what you wore on previous days and evenings. Try to wear your bulkiest items on embarkation and debarkation days to save the space in your luggage. For example, jeans cannot be compacted too much and will take good amount of space. Tightly roll your clothes, even your evening dresses and jackets. This will not only save space, but it will help reduce wrinkles in your garments. Pack every square inch of your luggage and don’t forget those hiding places, like inside your shoes. Keep toiletries to a minimum and only use small travel sizes or use refillable travel bottles with your favorite soaps and lotions. With these simple steps, you can be on your way to cruising with less baggage, both literally and figuratively.