My clothes weigh too much...

[DavidOH]

We are leaving on Friday for the 7 day Eastern Cruise. I was began packing for myself yesterday( the wife has had her and the kids packed for weeks) and I couldn't believe how quickly the weight of the clothes add up.

I have 2 suitcases that are 3/4 full and weight about 45lbs. With a 50lb limit I don't want to push it. I was hoping to get away with as few suitcases as possible but I guess that isn't going to work.

Oh well. I guess it's the prive we pay for traveling to paradise.

 

[232271]

yes, i understand we are bringing more suitcases than we want.
We are making one a carry on, so we dont have to check so many.

there really isnt much advice to give as you cannot leave to much at home for a 7 day cruise.

so i can say I hope you have a really good trip!!

 

[daisy112878]

I don't know if this helps but for people who have first class tickets with delta you get a 75lb weight limit. We found this out when we went to tampa over new years. My dad gave us tickets to see our college play in the bowl game. So we put all our clothes in one suitcase and they almost charged us.

For Sept we're going to have to take two suitcases and a hanging bag. And then I guess weigh them before we go to make sure they are under 50lbs. Also we're both have carry-ons. I remember when they use to not even care how much your suitcase weighed.

 

[westjones]

There is laundry on board (but it isn't fun doing laundry on the ship). That is an option, and when we sail on the 7 night, I do always plan to do laundry once during the week (on the 3 and 4 nights, I don't have to).

Shoes are heavy, see if there are too many shoes and if you can take some out.

BTW, if you do decide to do laundry, try to bring some quarters with you and some dryer sheets. When we were on the ship, they only had Downy (no dryer sheets). That may have changed, and maybe someone else can tell you for sure.

DJ

 

[webray]

Take your favorite clothing items and send them out to be washed, definately cheaper than paying the extra poundage costs at the airport.

Everyone on this board will tell you, pack and then take 1/2 of it out. They are correct. You will spend most of your day in swimsuit/tshirt and flipflops.
Whatever casual outfits you wear in the port, your dinner attire. Try two pair of pants with shirts to match everything, that will cut down on shoes needed.

 

[jrabbit]

I'll second the suggestion to cut down on shoes. I do. But then again my feet are huge and my shoes weigh a ton. So I wear my heaviest shoes (sneakers / tennis shoes) on the plane and pack my sandals (both pair) in the checked luggage. I've decided that my "nice" sandals are OK for me to wear to dinner (yes, even the formal and semi formal ones ). My sandals weigh a lot less than my dress shoes and take up a lot less room. And I only take 2 pairs of slacks, two dress shirts and the rest are polo shirts.

One of the "tricks / techniques" that I use to cut down on the number of shirts needed (this will really only work for the guys - sorry ladies) is that I double up. I used to take a shirt for the day and another one for the evening. By doubling up I wear a "day" shirt on embarkation day (and then that one is done for). I'll change into a polo shirt for dinner and that night. I will then wear it the next day or let it air out for another day and then wear it the next one (and grab a clean day shirt) (and yes, this means that you will have some dirty shirts hanging up in the closet). So I can get a "night" and a "day" out of a shirt. This doesn't work after the Formal, Semi Formal and tropical ... er... I mean Pirates nights), but you can get rid of about 4 "day" shirts this way. This does not work as well in July, August, September when it's blasted humid out!!

 

[DavidOH]

I appreciate the advice. We will survive by adding more suitcases. It is especially difficult when you start out with a suitcase that weighs 20lbs.

I don't dare suggest to my wife that we pack less or do laundry.

Again thanks for the advice.

 

[crisi]

Take your favorite clothing items and send them out to be washed, definately cheaper than paying the extra poundage costs at the airport.

Everyone on this board will tell you, pack and then take 1/2 of it out. They are correct. You will spend most of your day in swimsuit/tshirt and flipflops.
Whatever casual outfits you wear in the port, your dinner attire. Try two pair of pants with shirts to match everything, that will cut down on shoes needed.

I didn't do this...I packed "conservatively" - planned on wearing shorts twice, the same pants for dinner, etc. And I really wish I'd had more clothes! Now, I went for a four day cruise and packed myself and two children and most of my husband in one suitcase.

I didn't wear my swimsuit all day - most days I wore shorts and a shirt, swimsuit for a brief period, then changed back. I did need more than one swimsuit, since putting on a wet suit is horrible!

 

[kmiles]

We are leaving on Friday for the 7 day Eastern Cruise. I was began packing for myself yesterday...

Why the rush? You have plenty of time!

I generally wait until, oh, say, 8:00 PM the night before the cruise to find the suitcases.


One bit of advice on packing for the cruise: You can never have too many light-weight, plain white, pocket (or pocketless) t-shirts! They go with anything, are wearable for everything except perhaps dinner, and don't weigh much in the suitcase.

Have a great cruise!

 

[taeja71]

I suggest getting those space bags and then some. It won't help w/ the weight, but it will definately help w/ capacity in the luggage. I got my bags at Target for $10.00 (included one suitcase size, one carry one size, and one smaller size I think). Get the bags that you can roll the air out instead of using a vaccum. Good luck packing, you have plenty of time to weed through what you want to take. Ditto on cutting back on the shoes if you can. I think I took one pair of sandals, 1 pr. dress shoes, and my tennis shoes.

DavidOH wrote:

I appreciate the advice. We will survive by adding more suitcases. It is especially difficult when you start out with a suitcase that weighs 20lbs.

Run out to Walmart and buy a lighter suitcase preferably one that can expand.

 

[wdwstar]

we flew spirit at christmas, 70lbs limit. after putting several items in df suitecase the night before when we checked in i had stuck dd & my jackets in my suitcase when spirit weighed the suitcase it was 72 lbs and i said "just a minute" and pulled or 2 light weight jackets out and we were right on 70lbs.

i dont know what i would have done if it was only 45lbs i was aloud to take. hmmm i better check AA and see what their weight limit is....

 

[spoon2003]

HI DavidOH

We're on the same cruise

I forgot about airline weight limit!!!! I was just feeling pretty smug about myself packing my family of 4 into 2 suitcases and 2 rolling duffel bags

Guess I'll have to weight the suitcases tonight and make sure they are not overweight. Another item for the to-do list!

Sue

 

[LAMPSKIES]

We packed almost all of our shoes in one suitcase and clothes in the others...theshoes seem to be the weight....only bad thing is if they lose that piece of luggage the only shoes you have are the ones you are wearing....

 

[tvguy]

Take stuff out. We took everything we needed for 4 in 2 suitcases and a small carryon for each. Both suitcases were 48 lbs, and these are heavy Delsey hardsided suitcases.
Mind you, my kids aren't small, so they had adult sized clothes, and DS at the time was wearing size 13 shoes.....(he's in size 14 now).

Heck, my mom went to Europe for 3 weeks with just a carryon, so I was overpacked by her standards!!!

 

[jordgubben]

I don't know how much help this will be but I'll try.

We have a 30in suitcase and it has been decided that I'm too good of a packer to pack it - I can fit in too much. Let me tell you, it only takes one time having to repack in the check-in area of MCO to change you for life (20lbs over thank you very much. good thing I had a small tote bag "just in case" that we were able to throw all the jeans in - because jeans weigh a TON - and carry on instead of paying the crazy overweight price).

Now I pack the bulkier items in the big suitcase because if I packed it tighted we'd be over in now time. Also, leave the jeans home. Especially if you are going during the warm months (the nightmare above was in December). They weigh a ton. Either that or, if you are only planning on everyone bringing one pair of jeans, wear them and pack the lighter stuff.

And definitely, make sure that you have some kind of collaspsable bag with you in case you need it for extra storage or weight capacity. Getting one of those is generally much cheaper than the overage charges (even if you do end up schlepping 6 pairs of jeans through MCO while waiting for your flight ).

 

[Mickeyhugger]

If it was me (I'm not in the majority here), I'd pay the overweight baggage charges. I took a different shirt and pair of shorts for every day, and wore them. Took about five pairs of shoes for dinners and wore each pair. Seven different outfits, (different outfit each night). DH was the only one who didn't wear all seven pairs of shorts he brought. DD also brought a different outfit for dinner each night, as well as shorts/t-shirts each day. We also brought two swimsuits. We don't do laundry while cruising, cause it takes up too much time. Many here say take out half, and you've still packed too much, I've never agreed. I packed way too little on our first cruise, and often wished I'd packed more. ('Oh, I won't really need that.') WRONG!

 

[aprilgail2]

Last cruise I had my bag at right around 70 pounds which is the airlines limit (Jet Blue). This cruise I am packing way less, I didn't wear half the things I brought last time!

 

[crisi]

If it was me (I'm not in the majority here), I'd pay the overweight baggage charges. I took a different shirt and pair of shorts for every day, and wore them. Took about five pairs of shoes for dinners and wore each pair. Seven different outfits, (different outfit each night). DH was the only one who didn't wear all seven pairs of shorts he brought. DD also brought a different outfit for dinner each night, as well as shorts/t-shirts each day. We also brought two swimsuits. We don't do laundry while cruising, cause it takes up too much time. Many here say take out half, and you've still packed too much, I've never agreed. I packed way too little on our first cruise, and often wished I'd packed more. ('Oh, I won't really need that.') WRONG!

You and me. There were plenty of things people recommend packing I never realized I needed (duct tape, shoe holders, extension cords), but one thing I did want was more clothes.

Its the changing. It isn't hard to wear one outfit to breakfast, your swimsuit, a swimsuit coverup, shorts again in the afternoon, and dinner clothes all in one day. And if its hot and sticky, the last thing you want to do is put on the same tshirt you wore that morning in the afternoon.

 

[SandraLee]

I don't know if this helps but for people who have first class tickets with delta you get a 75lb weight limit.

You have just made my day! We are on the May Repo cruise. Can you imagine the amount of clothes for 2 formals, 2 semi-formals and all the regular stuff!? I am on Delta FF First Class tickets and I'll be checking the website and printing the policy. I will be packing 'light' and planning on a bunch of laundry, but I didn't want to pay an extra premium just because my bags are heavy. My DH and I are both million milers and I can't believe I didn't know this?

Ok, this deserves some dancing bananas!...

Thank you so much!

Edited: I searched all over the Delta site and I can't find anything about this. How did you learn about it? What did they say?

Thanks.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

You and me. There were plenty of things people recommend packing I never realized I needed (duct tape, shoe holders, extension cords), but one thing I did want was more clothes.

Its the changing. It isn't hard to wear one outfit to breakfast, your swimsuit, a swimsuit coverup, shorts again in the afternoon, and dinner clothes all in one day. And if its hot and sticky, the last thing you want to do is put on the same tshirt you wore that morning in the afternoon.