Traveling with ONLY carry on bags... With a family?

[KKKKCS]

We only travel with carry on. Being in the airline business, we usually travel stand by and have become quite adept at "precision packing." If it doesn't fit in the carry ons, it stays home.

 

[owensamo]

I want to try to fit the 3 of us (me, DH, DD9) into carry-ons only for our EBTA+5 nights in London trip next May. DH doesn't think it can be done, but the 2 of us managed to go to England for a week in 1 carry-on for *both* of us 10 years ago. I think we could pack for 3 of us in 3 carry-ons + 3 backpacks if we plan to do laundry on the ship!

We typically have 1 large bag and 1-2 carry-on-size bag along with assorted smaller bags, depending on the cruise. This is our 8th, so I think we're getting the hang of what we can and can't do. If it means being a little less dressy, I can cope with it. I just hate the idea of schlepping a lot of extra clothes and large bags along to London with us where we won't need them! I guess the hardest thing will be packing DH's suit. With 3-4 formal/Semi nights on a 14 night cruise, plus a London theater show, I can't imagine going without it.

 

[mindy327]

Originally Posted by mindy327
but what does a person who only is packing a carry on packing list consist of?
I asked the same thing with the girls in our DISer group. This is what one of the girls said she is doing to take JUST CARRY ONS! It looks possible.

We're a family of five, here's how we do it in 5 carry ons

1. Each kid has a small back pack that we put toiletries (stows under seat on plane), brushes, socks, camera, fish extender gifts etc.

2. Carryon #1: ONE formal outfit for each, this fits 3 dresses, two suit jackets, shirts, ties and even shoes!

Carryon #2: Swimsuits/shorts/short sleeved shirts/pajamas/underwear for the two girls

Carryon #3: Shorts/shirts/swim stuff for son/husband

Carryon #4: My clothes, 3 pants, 5 shirts, pajamas, undergarments rolled really tightly.

Carryon #5: mostly shoes/miscellaneous in here..we keep this bag light so we can bring home goodies in it.

Hope this helps! We managed to do all carryon and one checked bag for our 10 night cruise in the Med...we really could have done without the checked bag..we learned to pack light and not spend so much of our vacation time packing back up on the return!

 

[quentina]

Anyone out there go on their DCL vacations with ONLY carry on baggage... With kids?
With the price of checked baggage fees, we are considering making the switch, but I don't know if we can make it work with a cruise... Our upcoming vacation is 5 days at Disneyland and then an MR cruise. We were planning on doing laundry at some point anyway, but I keep thinking about the dress up clothes and extra shoes for the cruise portion... Not to mention everything you need to travel with a 6 year old and a 1 & 1/2 year old!
Has anyone braved doing this???

Yes, I have only checked bags 1 time in 15 trips and that was do to the FE gifts. I pack only what is needed...nothing more and I do wash. If I have a car, I stop and buy shampoo and toothpaste as it is cheaper than the travel sizes. Otherwise, I use what the hotel provides. DCL provides everything needed so, no reason to pack much.

I take purex sheets and do wash. A pain yes, however; if you wake up early and put them in the wash, they are done before breakfast.

 

[PatsGirl]

My family travels mainly with carry-on only and have always done this (even before the rate increases) except for trips requiring winter wear (ski trips, etc.) which is just impossible. With carry-on we can pack for a 7-day vacation or cruise but anything longer than that requires a "laundry day". From the time my kids were old enough to wheel their own, they did. Truth is though that even on cruises our dressiest outfits include summer dresses which we can also wear to parks or shopping so they have diverse uses. We don't bring suits or cocktail dresses (we skip formal night for this reason).

DD and I will be going to SoCal for 17 days in April and I'm unsure what we'll do because we are flying SW and the bags are free but then again, they are heavy for me to get in and out of the car and hotels.

I think in your instance it is possible but will be difficult giving the toddler involved. Also, will you have diapers delivered to the hotel or are you packing them as well? At 18 months, won't you have to carry him/her at times, especially when tired or will you also be bringing a stroller? I think your best bet is to have one checked bag and carry-ons for just the adults.

 

[KrisannB]

I want to try to fit the 3 of us (me, DH, DD9) into carry-ons only for our EBTA+5 nights in London trip next May. DH doesn't think it can be done, but the 2 of us managed to go to England for a week in 1 carry-on for *both* of us 10 years ago. I think we could pack for 3 of us in 3 carry-ons + 3 backpacks if we plan to do laundry on the ship!

We typically have 1 large bag and 1-2 carry-on-size bag along with assorted smaller bags, depending on the cruise. This is our 8th, so I think we're getting the hang of what we can and can't do. If it means being a little less dressy, I can cope with it. I just hate the idea of schlepping a lot of extra clothes and large bags along to London with us where we won't need them! I guess the hardest thing will be packing DH's suit. With 3-4 formal/Semi nights on a 14 night cruise, plus a London theater show, I can't imagine going without it.

A word of caution - in the US they may look at the size of the bag, BUT in europe often (not always and you never know when - even with the same airline) they actually weigh your carryon and it cannot be over a certain amount and they are picky! and it is not a lot of weight either so check your airline carefully for the rules, and make sure if you are booked through a US carrier you are not flying a partner over there as the one you are flying sets your rules.

We did both the EBTA and WBTA this past year and lets just say it was an experience!

We are getting ready to do a 4 day trip to WDW and a 5 night cruise with 2 nights after also. We will do one rolling duffle (with an extra bag tucked inside for just in case we need another bag coming home) for all our clothes for 3 of us, including formalwear and a small carry on each with a pop out "plane bag" - but our flight is only 2 hours.

Krisann

 

[owensamo]

A word of caution - in the US they may look at the size of the bag, BUT in europe often (not always and you never know when - even with the same airline) they actually weigh your carryon and it cannot be over a certain amount and they are picky! and it is not a lot of weight either so check your airline carefully for the rules, and make sure if you are booked through a US carrier you are not flying a partner over there as the one you are flying sets your rules.

I know. We're looking at EasyJet for BCN->LON, so we're planning a test pack over Thanksgiving to see what our luggage weight would be so we can book the flights. Though we'll be in "carryons", we'll check 3-5 bags on that leg. We're flying American home, so that should be normal US rules.

Last time we flew to London was on Northwest, and didn't have any issues with luggage. EasyJet makes me nervous - but it's 1/2 the cost of any of the other options, and we could add a *lot* of extra weight with the difference!

 

[KrisannB]

I know. We're looking at EasyJet for BCN->LON, so we're planning a test pack over Thanksgiving to see what our luggage weight would be so we can book the flights. Though we'll be in "carryons", we'll check 3-5 bags on that leg. We're flying American home, so that should be normal US rules.

Last time we flew to London was on Northwest, and didn't have any issues with luggage. EasyJet makes me nervous - but it's 1/2 the cost of any of the other options, and we could add a *lot* of extra weight with the difference!

It is not normally the getting from the US to europe that is an issue - it is getting around in europe OR getting home. Never seem to have a problem flying out of US = but coming home . . . .just make sure you are actually on American and not a "partner" - that is what killed us - booked delta, flew on Air France back to US - different rules than delta. and when we flew from Paris to the states it was the security people that made us go "pack" everything as we were carrying our coats and some food to eat in the gate and they said too much stuff, even though it all fit into our bags, it was all not contained in our bags (we put our coats on for the initial check, then took them off for screening) and let me say we were not the only ones having to do this.

Krisann

 

[denas]

It is not normally the getting from the US to europe that is an issue - it is getting around in europe OR getting home. Never seem to have a problem flying out of US = but coming home . . . .just make sure you are actually on American and not a "partner" - that is what killed us - booked delta, flew on Air France back to US - different rules than delta. and when we flew from Paris to the states it was the security people that made us go "pack" everything as we were carrying our coats and some food to eat in the gate and they said too much stuff, even though it all fit into our bags, it was all not contained in our bags (we put our coats on for the initial check, then took them off for screening) and let me say we were not the only ones having to do this.

Krisann

When I flew to Australia in January, had the same thing happen - both to and from. I was 7 months pregnant, so brought my wheelie bag just to make it easier. All I had in it was my light weight laptop, book, sweatshirt, and one outfit so it was mostly empty. I still had to pack everything (book I was reading, etc) in the carryon and weigh it for them to ensure it was less than 15 pounds. They wandered through the terminal at LAX. I booked on American but they code share with Quantas.

 

[mmmears]

We traveled earlier this year with only carry-ons. We've been doing this for years -- it has more to do with the wait time for baggage, not the extra charges. We did a 10-day WDW/DCL split. 2 adults, 1 child. 3 small carry-ons and no extra bags (like a purse, since I heard that AA was claiming they are carry-ons now).

The big trick is to wear your walking shoes (since they are the biggest), and only pack 1 (small) pair of dress shoes and a pair of flip flops. The rest just includes realizing that you don't need most of the stuff you plan to pack, and also thinking about coordinating outfits so you can mix and match. Also, don't take things you don't really need, and make sure that you don't take more of an item than you need -- if you downsize to travel-sized toiletries it really makes a difference. Every little tiny bit of space makes a difference.

When choosing what to pack, consider the folded size and weight of each item. For example, my DD and I did make sure to choose dresses (and other clothing items) that were small when packed.

We also use the packing envelopes and cubes (Eagle Creek) and that really helps keep things small and organized.

I'm really shocked to see how much luggage people travel with. We move so much faster since we're not burdened by all the suitcases. If you plan to do laundry anyway it really shouldn't be a problem, IMO.

In the end, we all had items that we never used on the trip, so we think we could have packed even better.

I hope some of this helps you. Good luck!

It is not normally the getting from the US to europe that is an issue - it is getting around in europe OR getting home. Never seem to have a problem flying out of US = but coming home . . . .just make sure you are actually on American and not a "partner" - that is what killed us - booked delta, flew on Air France back to US - different rules than delta. and when we flew from Paris to the states it was the security people that made us go "pack" everything as we were carrying our coats and some food to eat in the gate and they said too much stuff, even though it all fit into our bags, it was all not contained in our bags (we put our coats on for the initial check, then took them off for screening) and let me say we were not the only ones having to do this.

Krisann

Yikes! We're planning an overseas trip on AA with only carry-ons. If they weigh them we may be in trouble. Plus we generally wear our coats on the plane, especially since we get cold and I won't touch their unwashed blankets... AA says we can have one carry-on each, plus a "personal" item, like a purse... We're flying BA, also, but only inside Europe.

 

[mmmears]

When I flew to Australia in January, had the same thing happen - both to and from. I was 7 months pregnant, so brought my wheelie bag just to make it easier. All I had in it was my light weight laptop, book, sweatshirt, and one outfit so it was mostly empty. I still had to pack everything (book I was reading, etc) in the carryon and weigh it for them to ensure it was less than 15 pounds. They wandered through the terminal at LAX. I booked on American but they code share with Quantas.

15 pounds! That is ridiculous! Just the suitcases themselves weigh several pounds... It's getting to the point where I don't want to travel anymore.

 

[denas]

15 pounds! That is ridiculous! Just the suitcases themselves weigh several pounds... It's getting to the point where I don't want to travel anymore.

Unlike some, I HATE carrying stuff on board and trying to deal with it, so I take as little as possible. But I was pretty surprised by the 15 pounds. I travel for work, and am not allowed to check my computer, and always travel with one work-appropriate outfit just in case luggage doesn't arrive, but still! Fortunately, I was under that weight, but lots of people were in trouble! Plus, this was at our connection at LAX, so many people couldn't do anything about it (like add stuff to checked bags) at that point.

They were very diligent though. They spent an hour wandering through the terminal with about 5 agents checking out everyone with "suspect" bags and then again when you went through the line to board!

I thought it was just Australia, but last month my husband had the same thing happen to him in Germany - he was connecting through Germany on his way to Turkey. They made him check his carryon at that point because it was too heavy (although I am not sure what the weight was).

 

[mkmommy]

I thought about doing carry on for our next Cruise, but I just got back from a trip and the battle for the overhead bins is terrible. I had boarding group 2, and by the time I got on the bins were full, with kids it is too much work I decided and will pay for luggage.

 

[KingRichard]

For those of you who say you can do this; you need to make a thread and have it as a sticky here. You have the Magic. I do not know if we could get away with this for a 3 day cruise, not to mention a 7 day cruise and 5 days on land of the OP. You would have to for sure use the kids travel lite offer as I do not see packing for a toddler diapers and wipes and clothes in a carry-on. On a MR cruise you will have formal and semi formal wear not to mention shoes for these. Between day wear and evening wear, that is 14 outfits just for the cruise. What about toliet items? I guess all of the other sides you can purchase on the ship, but are you then saving any money? Now grant it, I do over pack and we are larger people, but I am freaking of how I can get everything down to two large bags at 50lbs for our up-coming trip. That is without the land portion. Now we do pack our own bucket for DD and leave it on the ship, pack our own laundry soap as to not want to purchase it on the ship; we pack every mdication that could be needed because it cost a lot on the ship and we carry all of our own shampoo (especially after sandy beach days) because we do not like using the onboard products on the kids that can burn eyes. I have to pack a hair dryer and curling iron or formal night pictures will be horrible. I also would worry about not being able to bring anything back. There will be no room. I also like the idea with checked baggage, that DCL handles your luggage for you and you never have to touch it. So carry on luggage, a purse with documents, busy bags for the kids for the airplane and a new toddler is just a lot.... I still am amazed at how you are going to get that many outfits and shoes into carry ons. Do you plan on not bringing back anything new? Please be sure the bags are able to fit into that 'little box" at the airport. I have seen soooo many people get ready to go through TSA and they say "no" leaving the passengers to pay for multiple small bags adding up to $200 when the could have spent $50 for two big ones.... Just be alert and careful.... Just let us know how you do it when you do. Please post pictures!

Wow I would think you could cut that in half by wearing things 2 times?

I know we won't be wearing our formals very long, just for the meal and then back to relaxing clothing.

Cloths shouldn't get dirty in 2 hours.

How much are the extra's on board verse paying $50 for a extra bag?

 

[Anal Annie]

The odds are quite high that we will end up booking Air France for our entire Europe / Med trip next year. The cost of their flight from Paris to Barcelona is about $100 more than Easy Jet BUT at least I know we can comply with their carry-on rules with less concerns so it will be less likely that we have an issue with our luggage. After posting about luggage concerns on the DLP and Transportation boards I determined that the Air France regulations were quite likely to be enforced so I went ahead & bought 2 lightweight (5 Lb 8 oz) "international size" carryons that comply with their size guidelines when I found a good deal on them at TJ Maxx (for $30 less than on ebags for the same bag). Air France allows 26 Lbs TOTAL for the carryon AND "personal articles" combined and I plan to meet those guidelines so I don't have to worry. I will also be bringing a portable luggage scale.

I was once on an inter-island flight in Hawaii where the airline (Hawaiian Air) enforced a 26 Lb carryon rule. We each had a carryon & one was heavy to start with (empty) & was loaded down with all sorts of heavy stuff (this was after 9/11 but was just a few days before the 3 oz. liquid rule went into effect so the bags were heavy 'cuz we had full size sunscreens etc. We had 1 lightweight duffle that was packed with snacks & those squishy neck pillows etc. - the one bag was about 32 Lbs and the duffle was only about 16 Lbs - they made me dump everything out in the security line & RE-pack everything in order to get both bags under 26 Lbs. SAME stuff as before, SAME TOTAL amount of weight (48 Lbs) but re-packed & redistributed to comply with their 26 Lb rule. Another time we were at the skycap at BWI checking in our luggage (flying on Air Tran) and one of the bags weighed 50 Lbs 5 oz and the guy said either take something OUT to get it to 50 Lbs EVEN or pay $25 for the over weight fee!! I pulled something out of one of the outside zipper pockets (a pair of DS's PJ's I think it was) and that did it but then I had to stuff them into a carryon. Airllines CAN and DO enforce these rules all the time.

For any of you traveling to the Med next year here are links to a couple of "international size" carryons (I bought 2 of the Sausalito ones 'cuz that's the one I found at TJ Maxx for $60):

http://www.ebags.com/product/ricardo-beverly-hills/sausalito-superlite-free-wheelers-17-universal-wheelaboard/204899?productid=10110737

http://www.ebags.com/product/ricardo-beverly-hills/capistrano-light-20-17-universal-wheelaboard/140453?productid=1363191&rlid=detail&rcode=res10111505172890370792192

I believe they're both pretty much identical on the inside. One has the 4 "spinner" wheels & the other one (the Capstrano) is 1.5 Lbs heavier. (I saw the Capistrano at Kohl's.) We have an older set of Ricardo luggage that has held up for many, many flights - holds up very well - problem is our old stuff is too heavy for travel these days.

 

[lmhall2000]

For those of you who say you can do this; you need to make a thread and have it as a sticky here. You have the Magic.

Nah, not really magic, just Rick Steves! He inspired me with his packing tips..you can find several videos on Youtube that shows what he packs for a 3 week tour of Europe...he is much lighter and only packs in a backpack!

We did a 10 night Med with carryons...
7 people, we all had one carryon...
divided luggage by stuff, suit jackets in one (just one per male) and dress pants/shirt (rewore the same, just changed out ties)
All shorts/swimsuits in another
All shoes/sandals in another (just 2 pair pp)
We also washed our clothes, but don't bring liquid detergent, buy the travel soap that has both soap/softener baked into a sheet that we put in a ziplock bag...wonderful stuff!
It was wonderful not having to carry large suitcases and being able to travel quickly...we also had each of us carry that small carryon (camera bag sized) which held our toothpastes/toiletries/hairbrushes etc/FE gifts/we packed one small duffle bag in a suitcase to bring back goodies with, but we found we really didn't need it...they just let us carry on a Disney bag in addition to our stuff..

It can be done, and you'll feel soo much better the night before when it's packing time, it only takes 30 minutes to get it all back in!

Tara

 

[atinkerbellmom]

Nah, not really magic, just Rick Steves! He inspired me with his packing tips..you can find several videos on Youtube that shows what he packs for a 3 week tour of Europe...he is much lighter and only packs in a backpack!
Tara

I have to google this Rick guy... That is amazing... I know I do tend to overpack as I am a big planner. Also being a medical professional, I guess I tend to bring all of the "just in case" things with me. I am the cabin that everyone else runs to you know. Our recent trip to the West Coast (only 7 days), I had two big checked bags weighing 49.7 pounds and 49.4 pounds & that was without toliet items which we brought at a Target there. Guess I better get to doing my homework. Now I do realize that we are large people and our clothes take up more room. My 12 year old kid is in a 13 shoe, the hubby a 15, my 8 yr old a 7, so our shoes alone take up a freakin suit case. Maybe you can do a packing video for me and place it on You Tube. I thought I was doing good with 2 luggage. I guess I also let the kids pack their carry on with things to keep them busy on the plane. I will have to start using that space I guess. We are actual people that leave the lap top at home and all of the extras too. SO I have to figure out what I am doing wrong. Teach me, teach me! I do guess my DD and I have a different outfit each night at dinner; just for the sake of pictures; but DH & DS do carry only 3 pair of pants each. Maybe we need to go to 2.

 

[Anal Annie]

For those of you who say you can do this; you need to make a thread and have it as a sticky here. You have the Magic. I do not know if we could get away with this for a 3 day cruise, not to mention a 7 day cruise and 5 days on land of the OP. You would have to for sure use the kids travel lite offer as I do not see packing for a toddler diapers and wipes and clothes in a carry-on. On a MR cruise you will have formal and semi formal wear not to mention shoes for these. Between day wear and evening wear, that is 14 outfits just for the cruise. What about toliet items? I guess all of the other sides you can purchase on the ship, but are you then saving any money? Now grant it, I do over pack and we are larger people, but I am freaking of how I can get everything down to two large bags at 50lbs for our up-coming trip. That is without the land portion. Now we do pack our own bucket for DD and leave it on the ship, pack our own laundry soap as to not want to purchase it on the ship; we pack every mdication that could be needed because it cost a lot on the ship and we carry all of our own shampoo (especially after sandy beach days) because we do not like using the onboard products on the kids that can burn eyes. I have to pack a hair dryer and curling iron or formal night pictures will be horrible. I also would worry about not being able to bring anything back. There will be no room. I also like the idea with checked baggage, that DCL handles your luggage for you and you never have to touch it. So carry on luggage, a purse with documents, busy bags for the kids for the airplane and a new toddler is just a lot.... I still am amazed at how you are going to get that many outfits and shoes into carry ons. Do you plan on not bringing back anything new? Please be sure the bags are able to fit into that 'little box" at the airport. I have seen soooo many people get ready to go through TSA and they say "no" leaving the passengers to pay for multiple small bags adding up to $200 when the could have spent $50 for two big ones.... Just be alert and careful.... Just let us know how you do it when you do. Please post pictures!

If you think you can't do a 3 night cruise in a carryon then you REALLY need to take 4 minutes to watch the Eagle Creek video that is linked on this packing folder page:

http://www.ebags.com/product/eagle-creek/pack-it-folder-15/147918?productid=10019022

The packing cubes & folders are THE BEST systems. We use the eBags brand of cubes & the Eagle Creek brand of folders. They are an incredible time saver, space saver and wrinkle reducer!!

NEXT you should look into some Switch Flops for yourself. Pick a couple pair of bottoms & a handful of different straps & you have an infinite combination of shoe options:

http://www.lindsay-phillips.com/switch-flops.aspx#shoe=lilly-black-sandal&strap=bianca-strap

Finally, you MUST learn to wear each bottom 2 times - you do NOT need 14 different outfits!! You can definitely wear shorts & capris 2x each. Especially if you bring solid color basics & then you can jazz up your outfits with different tops & jewelry. You only wear your dinner clothes for a couple of hours so the bottoms are especially easy to wear 2x. For a 7 night cruise I am planning to bring 2 short dresses because they take up less room than longer ones & they are easier to pack (1 black for formal night & 1 something else for semi-formal night) and 3 pair of capri for the cruise casual night. One pair will be black & one pair white so I can simply wear them each 2x each with different tops. IF I get a spill on the white ones on night #1 then I'll just wear the black ones 3x. That's the nice thing about black - you can wear it with anything. I have another pair that is a fuschia paisley print that I plan to wear once to dinner & once to Palo for brunch - just with different tops. You can also plan to wear a top to dinner with capris and then again during the day with shorts. I mean, seriously, you only wear your dinner clothes for a couple of hours. If you plan to re-wear a few of your tops that will cut down too.


From post # 15 - I was able to get all of this into a 17" carryon:

Using 1 large & 1 medium packing cube in addition to the compartments in the bag I was able to get 1 pr. of capris, 4 pr. of shorts, 7 short sleeve tops, 1 long sleeve & 1 3/4 length sleeve top, 1 strappy tank top, 1 pr. of PJ's, 3 pr. underwear, 1 bathing suit & a coverup, a sm. toiletry bag and 2 pr. of sandals into this dinky little carry-on and it only weighed 18 Lbs. (Granted these items were "medium" or size 8's but still....efficient packing is an art form.) WATCH THAT VIDEO!!

(PS) I also bring a wide assortment of "what if" meds. If it's something that comes in a foil sleeve I just bring 1 sleeve of it (like some cold & sinus meds). If it's loose pills I generally know Advil from Excedrin from Immodium so I just put a few of each into one bottle. Enough to get by in an emergency. You don't need to bring a whole bottle of each. It's only for "what if".

 

[denas]

Back to the OPs situation - with 4 people, she could easily get all of their stuff into 4 wheelies and 4 bacpacks, BUT 2 of those 4 are toddlers, so they can't wheel their own bags. Trying to wheel four bags, carry four backpacks, push a stroller and keep an eye on (or carry) 2 kids is pretty tough. Then, if they are NOT priority members/frequent flyers on whatever airline they are on and they are travelling either during very busy times or during times commonly travelled by business travellers (mornings and evening to/from major hubs) they may run the risk of not getting on the plane until there is a shortage of overhead space - which will force them to check their bags.

My kids can't use hotel soap (very sensitive skin) and have reactions to certain sunscreens. Having to buy those things on the ship (even if available) would cost us quite a bit - easily twice what I pay at home so that would be an extra 15-20 right there.

Finally, if this is a once-in-a-lifetime cruise for them (as it is for lots of people), they may WANT to wear 2 different dresses for formal nights or have the opportunity to bring 2 princess dresses and a pirate costume for their children. That is part of the Disney experience. If they have already paid 2-3000 for this cruise and the "cost" of saving $50 means no princess dresses/formal clothes/etc I wouldn't think it was worth it. I can pack everything for five of us into two small bags, but I usually check them and only bring 1 carry-on, and one backpack (diaper bag/toys for baby and reading material/purse for me all fit in it) for the adults and my 2 older kids bring a back-pack. This allows us to bring princess clothes and my husbands military uniform which he wants to wear for formal night since this is his "retirement" cruise and the last opportunity for formal picvs. I woulnd't want to skimp to save $50 and miss these moments. We are paying for 2 cabins for our family of 5 and my in-laws so have spent clost to 8,000 and I just can't see saving a little on checked bag fees and missing out on doing something we really want to do

I think the OP should not only practice packing the bags, but practice moving everyone with said bags around the block/taking off shoes/loading and off-loading into a car trunk to simulate the x-ray machine/etc to see if it will really work!! Hubby and I are very experienced travellers and each travel 10-12 times a year for work, but travelling with kids who aren't mobile is difficult!!!

 

[jodifla]

Anyone out there go on their DCL vacations with ONLY carry on baggage... With kids?
With the price of checked baggage fees, we are considering making the switch, but I don't know if we can make it work with a cruise... Our upcoming vacation is 5 days at Disneyland and then an MR cruise. We were planning on doing laundry at some point anyway, but I keep thinking about the dress up clothes and extra shoes for the cruise portion... Not to mention everything you need to travel with a 6 year old and a 1 & 1/2 year old!
Has anyone braved doing this???

what about diapers for a 1.5 year old. You have to take them all, and plan on taking many more than you need, just in case. Also, what about medicine?

When you are out on the middle of the ocean you are pretty isolated. You have to bring EVERYTHING you need, so I would pack at least one big checked suitcase containing plenty diapers, cold medicines and the like.