Carry on

[lovedisney123]

Anyone ever cruise using only a carry on size suitcase. I am hoping to be able to start flying with only a carryon after my college aged kids are no loner traveling with DH and I.

We do not have a good carry on suitcase yet, so any links to a good one would be great also.

We tend to only do the shorter cruises. So is it possible to do this? At the moment it seems impossible, but I would love to make this happen in our future.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Anyone ever cruise using only a carry on size suitcase. I am hoping to be able to start flying with only a carryon after my college aged kids are no loner traveling with DH and I.

We do not have a good carry on suitcase yet, so any links to a good one would be great also.

We tend to only do the shorter cruises. So is it possible to do this? At the moment it seems impossible, but I would love to make this happen in our future.

Yes, there are people who travel with only a carry on bag. We aren't in that group

 

[krissy2803]

My DH and I took a five night and we used one carry on, plus a backpack each. If it had been a seven night or longer I don't know if we could have pulled it off.

We rolled all the clothes into packing cubes. Black flats for dinner outfits packed and bulky sneakers worn for travel so they would not use space in the bags.

I had to get creative with my outfits. Only packed one pair of jeans(wore the other ones) one pair of black slacks with different blouses for dinners.

So yes..it can be done.

 

[lovedisney123]

Glad to hear it can be done. I really want to figure out how to do that for all our future travels. I like the challenge. Lol.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Glad to hear it can be done. I really want to figure out how to do that for all our future travels. I like the challenge. Lol.

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/packing-light/packing-smart

http://www.independenttraveler.com/...rry-on-challenge-how-to-pack-light-every-time

 

[lovedisney123]

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/packing-light/packing-smart

http://www.independenttraveler.com/...rry-on-challenge-how-to-pack-light-every-time

Thanks! Those are great!

I love the idea of having less 'stuff'

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

My DH and I took a five night and we used one carry on, plus a backpack each. If it had been a seven night or longer I don't know if we could have pulled it off.

We rolled all the clothes into packing cubes. Black flats for dinner outfits packed and bulky sneakers worn for travel so they would not use space in the bags.

I had to get creative with my outfits. Only packed one pair of jeans(wore the other ones) one pair of black slacks with different blouses for dinners.

So yes..it can be done.

Will you PLEASE show my wife how to do this???? We recently got back from a 4 night on the Wonder and she took 8 pairs of shoes, plus the pair she wore.

To the OP, I can't recommend highly enough TravelPro luggage. It's expensive but great stuff.

 

[lovedisney123]

To the OP, I can't recommend highly enough TravelPro luggage. It's expensive but great stuff.

Thanks! I will look at them more tomorrow, but just glancing at their website they look really nice!

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Thanks! I will look at them more tomorrow, but just glancing at their website they look really nice!

I only purchase them when on clearance or when Macy's has them on sale for 40-50% off.

 

[Aby]

My hubby and I travel carry on only - I carry the Osprey Porter 46 and he carries the Farpoint 40, both of which are within most airlines guidelines. We use Eagle Creek Spectre packing cubes which help maximize space, and we really try to only bring what we really need, planning for at least one laundry run. It helps that I'm not really into shoes or fashion, so its all about practicality. We each also carry another smaller bag as our personal item, and we usually pack a cloth duffle bag that we could put extra stuff in and check on the way home (when we're not so worried about lost luggage). We are still perfecting our technique, but we're getting better with every trip!

Aby

 

[lovedisney123]

I only purchase them when on clearance or when Macy's has them on sale for 40-50% off.

Oh I will have to start watching. DH hasn't quite bought into this idea totally, but he is slowly coming around to the idea. I am just waiting for our college aged kids to move out, take all the stuff they want, and then I am downsizing all of our 'stuff' in this house. I really do not enjoy having a lot of stuff.

 

[jdb in AZ]

On our 15-day Hawaiian cruise, a couple at our dinner table traveled with only carry-ons and they managed to look great every night.

DH and I don't pack 8 prs of shoes, but we do enjoy a change of clothes now and then. We're learning to get along with less. Right after I invested(!) in a Tumi garment bag for DH, he figured out he can get by with a large suit case and not take the additional garment bag. As we're getting "up there" in years, DH just doesn't want to deal with all the luggage we used to think was essential. Plus we're traveling more casual these days and don't need as many dress-up clothes.

 

[lovedisney123]

I just went to Macy's and looked and it looks like a nice carryon! Thanks! I am bookmarking it for the future. We are not quite 'there yet'. But this is part of my 'empty nest' plans for new adventures. It may become a Christmas gift for all of us!

 

[lovedisney123]

Well it helps that I am someone who does not care about make up or jewelry. And I am fine with black slacks and different tops each nights. We like the 4 night cruise the best, so we just have to manage enough for that. We have also done laundry on the ship. I prefer not to, but it isn't too bad.

My DH has been gone this weekend, and I have been clearing out some things in our junk room and just got back from a run to Goodwill. This downsizing/'minimalist' stuff is going to happen slowly But I see it in our future! I love hearing how others have been able to do this!

Any other stories or articles please post! Thanks!

 

[lovedisney123]

On our 15-day Hawaiian cruise, a couple at our dinner table traveled with only carry-ons and they managed to look great every night.

Did they do the black slacks with multiple tops? I think I could handle that. With one pair of gold earrings and a gold necklace. It would seem hard to have multiple dresses, although a few years ago I picked up three reversible dresses to take when we went on a 7 night cruise. They are long but with tank type straps, and you turn them inside out and they have a different material so looks like a new dress. But they are maxi dresses, and I wear a small sweater with them, so they still take up a bit of room.

Has anyone seen something like that in a more knee length dress? I would love the link if you have. After buying those three, I have never found something like that again.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Did they do the black slacks with multiple tops? I think I could handle that. With one pair of gold earrings and a gold necklace. It would seem hard to have multiple dresses, although a few years ago I picked up three reversible dresses to take when we went on a 7 night cruise. They are long but with tank type straps, and you turn them inside out and they have a different material so looks like a new dress. But they are maxi dresses, and I wear a small sweater with them, so they still take up a bit of room.

Has anyone seen something like that in a more knee length dress? I would love the link if you have. After buying those three, I have never found something like that again.

They mixed and matched separates. The wife had a couple of different scarves she used for accessories, and they weren't too proud to wear the same outfits more than once.

 

[southerngirl528]

eBags is a great source for sales on good luggage of all brands and packing accessories. I also love the Eagle Creek Spectre compression packing cubes but I do not roll my clothes to go in them, I very carefully fold mine. I once did a 12 day trip to Europe with only a carry-on bag for each of us and one more small shared bag. This trip included a business meeting one day that needed very nice clothes we would not have worn any touring day.

LOVE Rick Steves and his books/DVD's! Great suggestions Shmoo! My burning question is how to deal with the doggoned liquids that we women have to have??? Hair spray, shampoo & conditioner, styling/blow dry creams, makeup, cleansers, toner, moisturizers, tanning lotions, and on and on and ON! Can't carry those things on…. so for the time being I am still always checking at least a small bag…..

 

[bumbershoot]

My burning question is how to deal with the doggoned liquids that we women have to have??? Hair spray, shampoo & conditioner, styling/blow dry creams, makeup, cleansers, toner, moisturizers, tanning lotions, and on and on and ON! Can't carry those things on….

(if you're just talking about "can't carry those things on" to the cruise, yes you can...but of course if you're trying to use a small bag you can't have all your clothes plus full-sized bottles of shampoo etc. I'm using flying terms, with 311 baggie mentioned, but I know you aren't necessarily talking about flying...but then maybe you are! so regardless of if you're talking about flying and/or trying to go carryon-only for the cruise itself, those are the terms I'm using.)

Decant those liquids. 3.4 oz (100 mL) is a surprisingly large amount of liquid, when you really look at it. I have a 1oz spray bottle of hairspray that does me just fine for a cruise. DCL has nice (IMO) H2O products, so if your hair likes those, just use that shampoo and conditioner. If it doesn't, buy two 100 mL bottles from a travel sectino of the store (my faves are at Safeway, a grocery store, but I've seen decent empty, marked-as-holding-100mL, bottles at Target) and decant your fave. Same with my hair goop. Do you realy have that many liquid makeup containers? Check the oz of them. Depending on how many people are traveling with you and how much they use their 311 baggies, you can take space in theirs. Since DH and DS don't use many liquids, I put any leftover of mine and many decanted sunscreen bottles into "theirs". If you're traveling with younger girls, or just other girls/women who don't use as many liquids as you do, use space in their baggies.

Will you PLEASE show my wife how to do this???? We recently got back from a 4 night on the Wonder and she took 8 pairs of shoes, plus the pair she wore.

Shoes...I try to pick dresses (for dinner) that can coordinate with one or two pairs of nice shoes. Since many of our trips go along with a running race, I've got two pairs of running shoes with me as well, plus flipflops. So I'm not light on the shoes, but I'm not carrying a ton of shoes.

 

[Luvzmy3boys]

Yes. We do carry on only- one for each of us, including 3 boys ages 5 to 9. Have done it for fantasy 7 night Caribbean and 7 night Alaska cruises. With 2 days in Orlando and Vancouver before both cruises. The Caribbean was much easier to pack for since warm weather clothes are much more compact. We love our travel pro max lite 3 spinners. Bought them on Amazon on sale. Very light and wheels r sturdy. I limited myself to workout shoes which I wear on the plane, flip flops, wedges, and nice sandals for carribbean and try to coordinate outfits as to mix/match. We don't go all out on formal nights but I did wear maxi dresses since they travel well and don't take up much room. I will confess that I did end up packing my snorkel in youngest DS's suitcase. I watched a lot of YouTube videos on how to travel carry on only to get ideas. This is the only way we travel these days. Kids know they are limited in size/quantity of souvenirs they can take home too. Also agree with the travel size liquid containers. I also put the sunscreen in kids suitcases.

 

[lovedisney123]

Yes. We do carry on only- one for each of us, including 3 boys ages 5 to 9. Have done it for fantasy 7 night Caribbean and 7 night Alaska cruises. With 2 days in Orlando and Vancouver before both cruises. The Caribbean was much easier to pack for since warm weather clothes are much more compact. We love our travel pro max lite 3 spinners. Bought them on Amazon on sale. Very light and wheels r sturdy. I limited myself to workout shoes which I wear on the plane, flip flops, wedges, and nice sandals for carribbean and try to coordinate outfits as to mix/match. We don't go all out on formal nights but I did wear maxi dresses since they travel well and don't take up much room. I will confess that I did end up packing my snorkel in youngest DS's suitcase. I watched a lot of YouTube videos on how to travel carry on only to get ideas. This is the only way we travel these days. Kids know they are limited in size/quantity of souvenirs they can take home too. Also agree with the travel size liquid containers. I also put the sunscreen in kids suitcases.

I just found these on Amazon. So cute! And I love that there are 4 colors. We could get get one and have different color! I am still hesitating with my daughters though. But with them graduating college in May it seems like these may make good Christmas gifts.