any suggestions on cutting back on the clothes packed?

[AnnMorin]

But that is ok with me.. I will not do laundry on vacation.. I keep one big suitcase as our "hamper"and dump the dirty stuff in it each day. you are allowed plenty of luggage so why even worry about it? I think we brink three carry ons, one real big one one medium and a garment bag and that is enough for three people for seven days

 

[hilltopfamily]

I had to pack for 5 of us this summer for our 2 week trip, hey--that's a lot of luggage!!!!

Greatest thing I learned about was the zip-lock bags. Amazing how much space you gain when you squeeze out all the air from the clothing. As hard as it was to believe, DH & I ended up with extra space! I will use this tip for ever more when I travel.

 

[KathyTX]

Originally posted by CRB#33
Kathy, how much does a load cost to send out, if you don't mind my asking?

(BTW-congrats on your wish loss! That's fantastic!!! You can be so proud!)

Thanks

Actually, the last cruise was on another cruise line- Holland America. And the cleaning was included with our room. (We had a suite, which cost us *less* than a Cat 6 would have cost us on Disney. I don't think we'd ever be able to afford a suite on DCL. Although that sure would be living!)

It's been over a year since our last DCL cruise, but it seems like the DCL laundry prices were pretty comparable to our local dry cleaner's rates. I'm sure there's someone here on the Cruise boards who will know the rates...

(edited to add this)
I found this link, dated 1/2003, which outlines dry-cleaning and laundry prices. For laundry service, shirts are $3.00, pants $3.50, and short pants $2.50. Dry cleaning is a bit more.

And thanks for the kind words- it feels pretty good to be the right size again!

 

[justmestace]

I'm not sure about the cost of laundry on the ship, but last year at the Polynesian, just before our cruise, I sent out 3-4 days' worth of clothing for all 4 of us, including t-shirts, socks & undies, and the bill was $80. I wasn't expecting it to be so high, but it was worth every penny. I, too, refuse to do laundry while on vacation, and we had to have the clothes for 6 nights at the World, and a 3 night cruise. The treat of having someone else do my laundry was far better to me than a spa treatment!!

My advice, take each & every piece that you think you'll need. I make a list before hand of each day, and what each of us will wear. Some items, like pants & shorts, can be interchangeable. (NO....not UNDERshorts!). Take the list with you to refer to, especially so that one of the kids doesn't wear something that was to be saved for "good". It only costs a few dollars to get help with your luggage, and better to have what you want than to be sorry you didn't bring something.
I do agree with the shoe "limit". We wear our tennies, have a pair of dressy shoes/sandals, and our "water" shoes. I always like to have slippers on in the room, but on these trips I let my flip-flops do double duty.
Don't stress it....make a list!

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by jgalecpa
SHOES are often one of the most overpacked items on a trip.

They take up a lot of space, and in truth you really don't need a different pair for each evening.

That is always my big space-taker. I completely agree!

IMGTD -- I would suggest reusing clothing items and bringing items that can be mixed and matched -- especially dinner clothes. There's always the laundry room in case you absolutely need to wash something.

 

[CRenze]

HMMM, so you're tellin' me that I'm not gonna need the Navy shoes for my semi formal, the black for my formal, my brown sandals, my white sandals, my sneakers and my aqua shoes? But will need to pack only black shoes (for both semi and formal), aqua shoes and wear my sneakers. WOW!! I'm already imagining what else I can pack in their place.

Thanks for the tip! I now know that I would have packed way too many pairs of shoes and wasted alot of precious space.

Cindy

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by CRenze
WOW!! I'm already imagining what else I can pack in their place. Cindy

You won't want to pack anything in their place...you'll need room for your purchases!

 

[goodstarr]

Packmates (the space saver bags) really give you more room in suitcases. Just like the commercial that "shrinks" a pillow down flat, packmates compress your clothes so that you can take as much as you need and still only need one suitcase. I take extra bags with me and pack all my dirty things together which makes it easier to do laundry when I get home (I also put wet things-like water shoes or still damp bathing suits in them since they are waterproof and odorless). You would be amazed at the space difference (I'm talking about 2/3 more room in your suitcase) Sorry, but I hate to be "without" on vacation and I hate to do laundry.

 

[wildabouttheworld]

We have, on all our Disney vacations, done the same thing. We pack light and include one scoop of laundry detergent in a bagy. Some time during our trip, when it is convenient, I leave DD and DH at the pool and do a load of laundry. It great for everyone. Less packing, less stress, light luggage, and fresh clean clothes halfway through the trip.
Another tip, we stuff our backback full of snacks and juice and water. When the trip is over, that pack is empty so we have room to fill it with goodies from our trip.

 

[jgalecpa]

Everyone will need one daytime and one dinner outfit per day, plus swimwear, plus toiletries, plus shoes. If you don't take much beyond that, then that's my definition of "pared down" already.

True, But you don't need:

A different pair of shorts for every day. I pack one pair for two days, plus one more.

Shoes: Refer to my previous post.

Slacks & Shirts: These are things you COULD reduce and rewear later, but might want to have one or two sent out to be cleaned. Especially slacks for guys.

Toiletries: Pack travel size items only. Go to target and buy empty vials to use if your item does not come in travel size.

Things I ALWAYS bring:
Lots of empty ziplock bags. An empty duffel bag for all my purchases. I put the dirty laundry in this for the flight back and pack the goodies I purchased in the hard luggage.

Last year I went to Europe for 24 days and took one of those small roll-on suitcases that fit in the overhead bin. Enough clothes for -5- days. Sent the stuff out to laundered than started the rotation again. On the 7 day you would only have to have cleaned 1-2 days items. Just build it into the budget.

The cruise is too short to have ANYONE spending 2-4 hrs in a laundry.


I also always plan on wearing the same outfit down as back. E.g. jeans, heavy shirt, etc. and change once I get on the ship.

I always try to pack as a minimalist. Since I am responsible for carrying the luggage for me and DW and two DD's.

Jim

 

[plutojudy]

Maybe shoes are the most over packed item but comfortable shoes are very important. I did not bring my Keds last time and really needed them when my feet hurt. I will take less clothes to bring more shoes. Having a variety of comfy shoes is important to me.

 

[jgalecpa]

Dear Plutojudy:

but comfortable shoes are very important

I agree 100%....so this is the pair I wear as my travel pair, down and back.

Jim

 

[Dreamer04]

These are great suggestions. I have somthing I would like to add. IMGTD, this is a trip you have been looking forward to for a long time. Bring anything you want.

That said, I personally plan on reducing the amount of shoes I pack. I love the idea of black dressy sandals, my trusty Keds and water shoes.

My khakis, shorts and two dressy sundresses and tshirts will be fine. One bathing suit and a cover-up.

On my first cruise, not DCL, I was more concerned about what people saw than how I felt. Not anymore.

 

[jgalecpa]

Dreamer04:


Well said. I couldn't agree more.

Jim

 

[mcnuss]

I way overpacked for our 7 day last year, even though we had just one suitcase per person, it was too much!

I brought too many pairs of shorts considering the excursions we had planned which really only required a bathing suit and a cover-up or water shorts. I also brought far too many pairs of shoes for all of us. It was ridiculous. I had shoes for every possible scenario, when in fact, we wore our Tevas 90% of the time.

Next time for clothing I'll bring:

Same shoes for EVERY night dinner (and I will plan my outfits around shoes instead of the other way around )
Tevas
Nicer sandals for walking around the ship

For DD & me: 3 pairs of nice shorts, 2 pairs of water shorts, 2 bathing suits, cover up, 3 t-shirt type tops, 3 nicer shirts/tops, 2 pair capris, 1 skirt or dress, formal wear, toiletries and underthings.

For DH, same thing, only substitute capris for Dockers and skirt or dress for dress slacks.

I'll have 1 carry-on size case for cameras, snorkel equipment, etc...

We were just at WDW and I tried this out (less the formal wear), and it all fit into our rolling duffel no problem. I also brought my 15" rollie for books & magazines for the trip down, which were left behind to make room for purchases. I never missed my extra shoes or outfits. And I did not need to do laundry, although I did since we had it in the condo and I did not have dirty laundry to contend with once I got home. Now that's a nice feeling...

 

[plutojudy]

 

[hydster]

*need spell check*

When we have gone on cruises with the kids we take one large suitcase for their stuff (have 3 kids need room) and 1 large suitcase for mine and hubbies stuff and then a carryon (1 for hubby and I and 1 for kids) and a garment bag (for a 7 day cruise) and we have done just fine. The kids carryon has either been a backpack for them filled with plane activities and a bathing suit and a nice outfit (in ziploc bags since our kids are still somewhat small) and our carryon has had meds, bathing suits and the tickets and confirmation stuff or one giant size carry on for all of us *just depends on what we might need*
We pack the kids clothes for each day in a gallon size ziploc bag and put everything they will need for each day (usually minus a pair of denim shorts which they can rewear alot..they dont show dirt) and put underwear, socks, shirt whatever and label them with a name, zip it almost all the way roll it up and then finish zipping it the rest of the way. For hubby and I we pack underwear and socks in ziploc bags and clothes in those packmate things and bring a big bottle of downy wrinkle releaser. We even bring our pillows in the pack mate in the luggage and can usually get by for 9-15 days that way in 1 suitcase. We also bring a pop up hamper for all the dirty clothes that folds away really small and it has 2 sides on it..one for colors one for whites. When we get undressed at night we seperate them into the 2 piles and then on the way home we pack the kids suitcase with all the whites and usually all the collectibles we bought and our suitcase with all the colors and it has worked out great for us!!! I wouldnt worry too much about bringing more than 2-3 pairs of shorts (and a diff t-shirt to go with them each day since they pack down small) and then 1 dressy outfit for formal night and 1-2 pair of nice pants with different nice shirts you can mix and match for the rest of the nights. I have worn my dress multiple times and dont really care since no one remembers me and I wouldnt care if they did. If you are going with 1 lg and 1 med suitcase along with a carryon I would say you are doing fine on space! Just my opinion though!

Heidi

 

[abitjaded]

I think a Disney Cruise is your big chance to take it all, everything you might want that DCL or the airlines allow. Depending on your transportation arrangements you will not be doing much luggage moving yourself. Hire a Skycap, pay the guys at the port, tip like crazy and let them schlep it. I CAN pack very light, we made it across France for two weeks with two small rolling suitcases, good since DH blew his back and I carried it all. And we just did a bicycle weekend in the cold mountains out of one medium suitcase for five people, easy without the baggies trick, just fold the clothes INTO the suitcase, tuck underwear in the corners. But on the cruise we brought a lot and used it all. It was fun to dress up and change clothes for each occasion. And we still did laundry and did not have a clean stitch left by the last day. But I do cut back on shoes, though I must admit the Teva's were pretty stinky after two weeks of cruise, beach and WDW.

Carla

 

[CRSNDSNY]

IMGTD: Did you find any of the advice here helpful?

After two cruises, I thought I had the packing thing down to a science for #3 this December, but I learned a few things from you all. Thanks!

 

[lsmac]

I have to say that I have gotten some great ideas from this thread! Thank you everyone. I do have one question though, so at the risk of sounding stooo-pid... What are "packmates" and where do you find them? I thought I had all the nifty little gadgets for travel, but since we usually travel via RV, I don't worry as much about packing light, now for cruising, I have to go the other way...

Thanks!
Lisa