How to pack minimally?

Thank you!
We asked for lids for the kids on the Dream in November and told there weren’t any. And I never saw any. I thought they were available by request but it seems they have been phased out altogether.

I wished I’d had more of those lid covers. I had one in my diaper bag along with a cup for the youngest. Ended up using the cover for MDS and lugging s bag with cup around for YDS. Will get 2-3 of these for them next time.
 
Does DCL give away eyepatches or is it just bandanas?
Generally just bandannas but once or twice we’ve gotten some eyepatches.

I’m not saying we won’t take other stuff. But I’m going to pack smaller or less stuff. We nearly filled a carryon size suitcase full of it last trip!
 
We asked for lids for the kids on the Dream in November and told there weren’t any. And I never saw any. I thought they were available by request but it seems they have been phased out altogether.

I wished I’d had more of those lid covers. I had one in my diaper bag along with a cup for the youngest. Ended up using the cover for MDS and lugging s bag with cup around for YDS. Will get 2-3 of these for them next time.

This was our experience. Even for our 1 year old. We only had two spills over the cruise but I did find it frustrating.
 
Google “capsule wardrobe” - did a 9 day trip to Scotland with a single carryon and never felt like I didn’t have enough options!
 


I’d love to know if you are able to fit it all in 1 suitcase/person.

Carry on suitcase? Maybe. But we can probably fit that in two suitcases for 5 people (we typically travel with 2 LL Rolling Duffle and use packing cubes) that we will drop off at the port. Then everyone will hand carry a backpack, and I will have a rolling carry-on suitcase.
 
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What do you wear for dinners? What about on semi/formal night?

For dinners I wear one of several North Face convertible pants and one of several collared tech shirts I've packed. For semi/formal nights years ago I was lucky to find a packable/foldable London Fog black blazer which I combine with black dress pants and a white short sleeve Patagonia shirt. With packing light I am forced to do laundry once or twice depending on the length of my land/cruise vacation.
 
@HuskyGal here is a pic of what I said I would pack. It all fit in a carry on suitcase plus I threw in a sun hat (I didn’t pack my pajamas/undies, but there is enough space). I didn’t pack anything in my tote bag, which would carry any toiletries/electronics/overflow. I also didn’t spend a lot of time to see if my outfits match, it was more about the quantity/volume of what I would pack. Plus if each of my kids got their own suitcase, they would have extra space where I could pack more toiletries/sunscreen, etc, since their clothes are smaller.

it broke down to:
- (1) embarkation outfit- shorts & top, flip flop (can be worn to the pool/beach)
- (4) casual outfits- 3 shorts, 3 tops, 1 casual cotton dress
- (4) evening outfits- 2 capris, 2 tops, 1 pirate outfit (tank & shorts), 1 maxi dress (for formal night)
- (3) swimsuits + (2) cover-ups
- (1) cardigan
- (2) shoes- dressy sandal, active sandal
- I also threw in my sun hat
- not packed: undies/pajamas, but that could be packed in the outer front pocket, which was empty
 

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Time of year and WHERE you are cruising makes a difference. And I'm a guy so that's a HUGE difference.

Generally speaking I wear shorts and a polo shirt during the day - except for times by the pool, on the beach or in the ocean.

RE: Shirts
I used to have a shirt for "daytime" and another one for "nighttime". Well I have gotten pretty good at planning and putting on a clean polo for dinner and then wearing it the next day (or day after) Still only wearing it ONE day, it's just that its fresh in the evening, and not quite as fresh the next time. No one notices or cares that I wore the same shirt twice. Usually we go to dinner, go to the show, go to the adults area at night, so i am NOT pitting out my shirt in the evening. So that helped me cut down the number of shirts by at least 40%. Formal and semi formal nights along with Palo dinner create some bumps in this plan - but you can work around those. I usually bring 2 swim suits but only one tee shirt (cover up).

RE: Slacks
For 7 night cruise I usually bring 3 slacks ... because we usually have a Palo brunch in there so I only wear them 3 times (so there is 1 extra just in case) ... and usually only at meals ... as I will change back into shorts after dinner. If we KNOW that we won't be dining in Palo, then I can get by with only 2 slacks - but that makes me a little nervous.

RE: Shoes
1 Dress, 1 Tennis Shoes (sneakers / trainers), 1 Athletic Sandal. If there's room a pair of flip flops (aka th... wait I'm old). I say if there's room because I've got big stinkin' feet, I mean they are YUGE / Bigly!!

RE: Other (personal items)
This comes down to personal preference and the When and Where you are sailing. Caribbean in July / August - yea, double or triple up every day :crazy2:

NOTE: the Dining Rooms are downright cold year round - so ladies you will need a shawl for a cover up or a light sweater.

RE: When and Where makes a difference
Caribbean & Med - Summer months (including mid May through September) - you will get pitted (I wanted to change after every time day or night that I went outside)!! But you will probably be spending more time by the pool, out on deck, on the beach or in the ocean.
Alaska: Layers - long sleeve shirts, wind breakers, hoodie and a jacket. Earlier and later in the year - the jacket should be heavier and several water resistant items
Northern Europe: More like Alaska, but without the heavier coat (unless you are going to Norway-I assume you might need it, Stockholm / Helsinki / St. Pete not so much)

Pro Tip: 2 weeks before your cruise call DCL and get the schedule of "theme nights": Casual, Formal, Pirates, etc and work on planning out how to "double up" your tops
Pro Tip: Check the DAILY weather up until you leave to help determine what to take / what to leave home

Last year we were on the cruise from NYC to Quebec but were in NYC for about a week before the cruise. We checked the weather and packed accordingly. "Unfortunately" the weather was clearer (YEA!!!) but about 10 degrees colder (boo hiss) and if we wished we had some warmer coats.

HAVE FUN and good Luck with your Luggage Reduction Process
 
Honestly... The way to pare things down is just to recognize that you need less stuff.

Last cruise was 11 days southern caribbean, 4 people, one who still needed pullups at night, and we still only had 3 full sized suitcases.

Shoes: wore my comfortable sandels. Packed: one pair of flip flops, one pair of dressy sandals.
Kids: wore tennis shoes, packed one pair of flip flops each

Dresses: one nicer sundress that I wore for formal night and palo.
one other nice sundress

We had a bunch of beach days, so I just wore a bathing suit all day, then changed into fresh clothes for dinner and the show.
I wore a top and skirt to dinner most night, and then could re-wear the tops around the ship the next day.
Definitely re-wore skirts a few times.
We had one excursion that WASN'T a beach and I knew I'd be sweaty. That day I wore a slightly less fresh top, knowing that it would be sweaty instantly.

The kids are harder, just because my little one can't rewear clothes yet.
 
Thank you for sharing. I’m going to ditch the pirate costumes. I’m so annoyed at myself for wasting money and space on those darn things. Oh well. Possibly ditching mugs for us parents. Do they provide lids for the disposable cups on the ship?
You have them for this trip find a way . Maybe with all this help you can down size the clothes.

I wear my capris or shorts a few days at home why not on the trip. Kids the same way if they don't get anything on them. Like people said you can always wash.
 
Honestly... The way to pare things down is just to recognize that you need less stuff.

Last cruise was 11 days southern caribbean, 4 people, one who still needed pullups at night, and we still only had 3 full sized suitcases.

Shoes: wore my comfortable sandels. Packed: one pair of flip flops, one pair of dressy sandals.
Kids: wore tennis shoes, packed one pair of flip flops each

Dresses: one nicer sundress that I wore for formal night and palo.
one other nice sundress

We had a bunch of beach days, so I just wore a bathing suit all day, then changed into fresh clothes for dinner and the show.
I wore a top and skirt to dinner most night, and then could re-wear the tops around the ship the next day.
Definitely re-wore skirts a few times.
We had one excursion that WASN'T a beach and I knew I'd be sweaty. That day I wore a slightly less fresh top, knowing that it would be sweaty instantly.

The kids are harder, just because my little one can't rewear clothes yet.
Thank you for explaining everything. So your kids wore sneakers to dinner?
 
You have them for this trip find a way . Maybe with all this help you can down size the clothes.

I wear my capris or shorts a few days at home why not on the trip. Kids the same way if they don't get anything on them. Like people said you can always wash.
Thank you. Packing tonight so will see what all fits. I’ll plan to Kids’ suitcases are the little ones. We need sneakers for our Disneyland days and we will wear those on travel days. We have booster seats too.
@HuskyGal here is a pic of what I said I would pack. It all fit in a carry on suitcase plus I threw in a sun hat (I didn’t pack my pajamas/undies, but there is enough space). I didn’t pack anything in my tote bag, which would carry any toiletries/electronics/overflow. I also didn’t spend a lot of time to see if my outfits match, it was more about the quantity/volume of what I would pack. Plus if each of my kids got their own suitcase, they would have extra space where I could pack more toiletries/sunscreen, etc, since their clothes are smaller.

it broke down to:
- (1) embarkation outfit- shorts & top, flip flop (can be worn to the pool/beach)
- (4) casual outfits- 3 shorts, 3 tops, 1 casual cotton dress
- (4) evening outfits- 2 capris, 2 tops, 1 pirate outfit (tank & shorts), 1 maxi dress (for formal night)
- (3) swimsuits + (2) cover-ups
- (1) cardigan
- (2) shoes- dressy sandal, active sandal
- I also threw in my sun hat
- not packed: undies/pajamas, but that could be packed in the outer front pocket, which was empty
Thank you! This is very helpful.
 
Time of year and WHERE you are cruising makes a difference. And I'm a guy so that's a HUGE difference.

Generally speaking I wear shorts and a polo shirt during the day - except for times by the pool, on the beach or in the ocean.

RE: Shirts
I used to have a shirt for "daytime" and another one for "nighttime". Well I have gotten pretty good at planning and putting on a clean polo for dinner and then wearing it the next day (or day after) Still only wearing it ONE day, it's just that its fresh in the evening, and not quite as fresh the next time. No one notices or cares that I wore the same shirt twice. Usually we go to dinner, go to the show, go to the adults area at night, so i am NOT pitting out my shirt in the evening. So that helped me cut down the number of shirts by at least 40%. Formal and semi formal nights along with Palo dinner create some bumps in this plan - but you can work around those. I usually bring 2 swim suits but only one tee shirt (cover up).

RE: Slacks
For 7 night cruise I usually bring 3 slacks ... because we usually have a Palo brunch in there so I only wear them 3 times (so there is 1 extra just in case) ... and usually only at meals ... as I will change back into shorts after dinner. If we KNOW that we won't be dining in Palo, then I can get by with only 2 slacks - but that makes me a little nervous.

RE: Shoes
1 Dress, 1 Tennis Shoes (sneakers / trainers), 1 Athletic Sandal. If there's room a pair of flip flops (aka th... wait I'm old). I say if there's room because I've got big stinkin' feet, I mean they are YUGE / Bigly!!

RE: Other (personal items)
This comes down to personal preference and the When and Where you are sailing. Caribbean in July / August - yea, double or triple up every day :crazy2:

NOTE: the Dining Rooms are downright cold year round - so ladies you will need a shawl for a cover up or a light sweater.

RE: When and Where makes a difference
Caribbean & Med - Summer months (including mid May through September) - you will get pitted (I wanted to change after every time day or night that I went outside)!! But you will probably be spending more time by the pool, out on deck, on the beach or in the ocean.
Alaska: Layers - long sleeve shirts, wind breakers, hoodie and a jacket. Earlier and later in the year - the jacket should be heavier and several water resistant items
Northern Europe: More like Alaska, but without the heavier coat (unless you are going to Norway-I assume you might need it, Stockholm / Helsinki / St. Pete not so much)

Pro Tip: 2 weeks before your cruise call DCL and get the schedule of "theme nights": Casual, Formal, Pirates, etc and work on planning out how to "double up" your tops
Pro Tip: Check the DAILY weather up until you leave to help determine what to take / what to leave home

Last year we were on the cruise from NYC to Quebec but were in NYC for about a week before the cruise. We checked the weather and packed accordingly. "Unfortunately" the weather was clearer (YEA!!!) but about 10 degrees colder (boo hiss) and if we wished we had some warmer coats.

HAVE FUN and good Luck with your Luggage Reduction Process
Thank you so much! This is so helpful.
And yes, it’s very much luggage reduction!
 
Pick a simple color scheme for your clothes so every thing mixes and matches. I usually go with black and white with one accent color. Your "dressy" clothes don't have to be that dressy. I usually bring a plain black cotton dress that I can wear day or night and dress it up with a sparkly costume necklace to make it "formal." Bring 3 pairs of shoes max: dressy (I have sparkly flats that I love), sandals, tennis shoes.


100% THIS
I like this. Thank you.
 
Thank you for explaining everything. So your kids wore sneakers to dinner?

Yep. Even though they dress up relatively regularly we haven’t invested in dress shoes for them.

Last month they wore black chuck’s with nice black suits to their grandfathers funeral.
 
Yep. Even though they dress up relatively regularly we haven’t invested in dress shoes for them.

Last month they wore black chuck’s with nice black suits to their grandfathers funeral.
That sounds really nice the suits with converse. I don’t think I’ll bring dress shoes for my DS. He’d refuse to wear them anyway.
 
One thing I have had to sacrifice on is shoes. I love shoes; I don't even know how many pairs I own so it is really a sacrifice for me. Depending on what I'm packing for, I will travel in a good pair of walking shoes which I will use pretty much everywhere. I do have water shoes but they fortunately take little room. In general, on a cruise, I may walk around in those if I'm going to be spending a lot of time by the pool and around the upper deck. I will bring low-heeled/flat dressy sandals that are nice enough to pair with dressy pants/khakis/casual wear so that I can wear them both on deck and around the ship and for dinner. If I'm bringing dressy, I will bring a pair of shoes for that. But if there is a semi-formal as well as formal and/or we're going to be going to Remy's or Palo, I will intentionally match the dresses to one pair of shoes and only ever bring a maximum of two dresses which I will wear more than once and I try to bring ones that are lightweight material or not too bulky. I used to bring different shoes to match each outfit but no longer. It's just too much to pack. I no longer go to the gym on board ship so I don't need to bring my gym shoes - they take up a lot of space. I just either do some workout routines in the room which don't require being at a gym or equipment, assume that I will not do as much as I normally do, and substitute port tours that have a lot of walking to make sure I at least get some exercise. If your walking shoes aren't too far from a gym shoe (i.e., you don't need specialized weightlifting or running shoes), you can use those instead.

The other thing is to mix and match. Don't assume that you'll need a totally new outfit every day. Dinner isn't that long so you can wear the same things mixed up for several days without needing to do a lot of laundry or having something completely new every day. I always travel in jeans and a sweater/fleece/warmer jacket and light rain jacket. This way you will have them available but not packed in the suitcase as they always take up a lot of room. Also just pack fewer clothes than you think you'll need. We usually just don't end up wearing as much as we thought so every cruise is a little lighter in the packing. If I absolutely had to, I could do laundry or send it out so I keep that in mind.
 
One thing I have had to sacrifice on is shoes. I love shoes; I don't even know how many pairs I own so it is really a sacrifice for me. Depending on what I'm packing for, I will travel in a good pair of walking shoes which I will use pretty much everywhere. I do have water shoes but they fortunately take little room. In general, on a cruise, I may walk around in those if I'm going to be spending a lot of time by the pool and around the upper deck. I will bring low-heeled/flat dressy sandals that are nice enough to pair with dressy pants/khakis/casual wear so that I can wear them both on deck and around the ship and for dinner. If I'm bringing dressy, I will bring a pair of shoes for that. But if there is a semi-formal as well as formal and/or we're going to be going to Remy's or Palo, I will intentionally match the dresses to one pair of shoes and only ever bring a maximum of two dresses which I will wear more than once and I try to bring ones that are lightweight material or not too bulky. I used to bring different shoes to match each outfit but no longer. It's just too much to pack. I no longer go to the gym on board ship so I don't need to bring my gym shoes - they take up a lot of space. I just either do some workout routines in the room which don't require being at a gym or equipment, assume that I will not do as much as I normally do, and substitute port tours that have a lot of walking to make sure I at least get some exercise. If your walking shoes aren't too far from a gym shoe (i.e., you don't need specialized weightlifting or running shoes), you can use those instead.

The other thing is to mix and match. Don't assume that you'll need a totally new outfit every day. Dinner isn't that long so you can wear the same things mixed up for several days without needing to do a lot of laundry or having something completely new every day. I always travel in jeans and a sweater/fleece/warmer jacket and light rain jacket. This way you will have them available but not packed in the suitcase as they always take up a lot of room. Also just pack fewer clothes than you think you'll need. We usually just don't end up wearing as much as we thought so every cruise is a little lighter in the packing. If I absolutely had to, I could do laundry or send it out so I keep that in mind.
Thank you for this. I’m pretty minimalist with my clothing but was so pressured by people talking about dressing up for dinner. I’m ditching the heels and wearing flats with a nice dress for semi formal night. Thats going to be weird but I’m sure my feet will be glad. My dd though really wants to bring all kinds of shoes to match her outfits!
 
Thank you for this. I’m pretty minimalist with my clothing but was so pressured by people talking about dressing up for dinner. I’m ditching the heels and wearing flats with a nice dress for semi formal night. Thats going to be weird but I’m sure my feet will be glad. My dd though really wants to bring all kinds of shoes to match her outfits!

Make DD carry her own bag. That may have her reconsider.

FWIW, absolutely no reason flats cannot be dressy.
 
Make DD carry her own bag. That may have her reconsider.

FWIW, absolutely no reason flats cannot be dressy.
Yes, she does pull her own suitcase. It’s small, kid size.
Sigh, yes, I need to keep telling myself that.
 

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