What Shoes to Pack...

[lori123]

I tried searching, but only found a few tidbits of info.

How many pairs of shoes do you bring on a 7 night cruise? We are a family of 4 and I am starting to think of packing!

I am thinking:
Nice black shoes for 4 - formal night
Nice shoes for boys to go w/ khaki's (non-formal dinners)
Nice shoes for girls for non-formal nights
flip flops/sandals for 4 - possibly two for me and dh
water shoes for 4

This seems like a lot of shoes to me - but what do I get rid of???

 

[pesto78749]

For the kids I would use the nice shoes for dinner as one shoe choice. Either dress it up or down. My choice would be down, but YMMV. Then combine a water and casual shoe as one choice, like Crocs. Then you only have 2 pairs for the kids. Which leaves more shoe room for you

 

[owensamo]

We each typically take 3 pairs of shoes - a pair of sneakers for touring ports/casual night for DH, a pair of dress shoes for formal/causal nights (dressy sandals for DD8 and myself), and a pair of teva/water shoes/crocs for the beach and pool deck.

Since the sneakers are typically the bulkiest/heaviest, we wear those when travelling. Then DD and I only have 2 pairs of sandals packed, and DH has a pair of sandals and a pair of dress shoes. All total, they usually don't take up much room at all!

 

[Anal Annie]

In the past I have packed too many for myself so I am trying to cut back next time. We are planning 2 weeks in Europe (DLP & sightseeing in Paris on top of Barcelona & the Med cruise). I am planning 1 pair of dressy, strappy black patent / clear sandals for both formal & semi-formal night. I have a couple pair of Switch Flops & several different straps that I can bring for the cruise casual nights. For daytime I am bringing a couple pair of Merrell sandals & a pair of tennis shoes (although I've read that wearing those in Europe is a dead giveaway that you're a tourist). I have very narrow feet & get a lot of blisters so I need to be able to switch out if I get one. For DS and DH we will bring one dressy pair for formal & semi-formal night, flip flops, leather sandals & tennis shoes. When I write it all out is sounds like a lot but for 2 weeks it's not that much IMO. We need to be able to cover different circumstances & situations and I KNOW I that I WILL get a blister or two so I have to plan for that. If we were ONLY doing the cruise and not tons of sightseeing I would probably cut back for myself. If you want to cut out a pair use the same pair for both formal and semi-formal nights. No need for 2 really nice pairs per person.

(PS) Wouldn't bring the water shoes unless we were doing Atlantis again in the height of the summer...those stone paths get HOT when it's 95 degrees out. But we don't wear them otherwise...just a waste of precious suitcase space.

 

[mazumi]

For my seven night MR cruise, I'm taking hiking boots for walking around and the Outdoor Adventure excursion, a pair of black heels for formal night, another pair of heels for semi-formal night, some gold sandals, black flips, and my everlasting Chucks.

Keep in mind I live in So Cal so I don't have to worry about packing to fly.

Edit: Oh, and also bringing my Shape Ups for daily walks around deck four.

 

[mazumi]

Nice shoes for boys to go w/ khaki's (non-formal dinners)
Nice shoes for girls for non-formal nights

You know, for the record (and this might be just me) I think it's *adorable* when little kids are super dressed up but wearing tennies or Chucks or otherwise beat-up and obviously favorite shoes.

 

[turbo teacher]

We are bringing 3 pairs each - 9 pairs of shoes. I've thought about how cut it back, but there is no way around it. One pair of athletic shoes each, a pair of sandals/tevas each, and one pair of dress shoes each (black for DH and I, and sparkly silver for DD )

 

[carmie3377]

You know, for the record (and this might be just me) I think it's *adorable* when little kids are super dressed up but wearing tennies or Chucks or otherwise beat-up and obviously favorite shoes.

A couple of weeks ago, DHs mother graduated with her PhD and she wanted us all dressed up. We took DS (age 4) suit and dress shoes and when it came to put the shoes on, they wouldn't go on (even though they are the right size ) Anyway, I had no choice but to put his black Converse on him. He looked so cute that way! I thought about it for the cruise coming up next week but went ahead and bought him a pair of "fancy" shoes.

As far as shoes to pack for the cruise, I bring way too many I know. DH will have 4 pairs (brown dress, black dress, tennies, flip flops) , DS 4 pairs (same), DD 4 pairs (same), and me, well we won't mention how many I'm bringing

 

[croppincolburn]

I'm of the same mind as Turbo teacher. Any of those could be worn with the khakis.

I'm undecided about water shoes. I'm not sure we will use them enough. Eastern in 2 weeks traveling with my parents who aren't into lots of water time.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

We; DW, DS, and me bring a pair of tennis shoes, flip flops, and dress shoes each. We go as light as possible, even if that means we are wearing the same formal wear for more than one night during the cruise

 

[blessedmomofboys]

I hadn't even thought about the amount of shoes!! I have a huge shoe addiction so I know I will overpack shoes. I love the look of chucks with dressy clothes. My boys LOVE their chucks. Are crocs good water shoes? I was wondering if I should buy the kind of watershoe that you wear in the water too so I wouldn't be worried about losing a shoe on the beach.

 

[kcashner]

Some thoughts:

I don't choose to give the airlines extra money for luggage, and shoes are one of the most bulky, heavy items.
I wear my nice black sandals as my formal shoes. Can't see bringing heels to wear for a few hours.

For boys--one pair of nice shoes. You can wear the same shoes with the Dockers and the formal night clothing. In fact, if you have a nice pair of black tennis shoes, these can serve all three functions! Also for your husband; one pair of nice shoes for both casual and formal dinners. Remember that you will only need to wear the "dinner" shoes for a few hours each night.

I vacillate about what to wear on the plane. Admittedly, it is easiest to go thru security with something that doesn't need to be tied, but I generally wear my biggest/heaviest shoes so I don't have to pack them.

 

[lori123]

Soooo -
1. Flip flops/sandals are "ok" in the dining room?
2. We won't need water socks when snorkeling or sting ray adventure?

 

[kcashner]

Soooo -
1. Flip flops/sandals are "ok" in the dining room?
2. We won't need water socks when snorkeling or sting ray adventure?

The only requirement in the dining room as far as footwear goes is that you have something on your feet. Sandals/flip flops are fine.

For snorkeling you will wear fins, not water shoes. No need for water shoes on sting ray adventure. At times, the adult beach area can be rocky--it depends on the season/tides. This was the reason I bought my water shoes! However, never had an issue on the family beach.

 

[AulaniP]

You know, for the record (and this might be just me) I think it's *adorable* when little kids are super dressed up but wearing tennies or Chucks or otherwise beat-up and obviously favorite shoes.

Mazumi-My eight year old son will most likely be wearing a pair of Tony Hawk shoes on Formal nights. My daughter will love wearing a pair of dressy shoes. I don't think I want to pack nice shoes for him just to wear for dinner. See you onboard. Glad to see I'm not the only one thinking of packing nine weeks before we sail.

 

[drparoo]

I have to say, I'm always SHOCKED at how many formal clothes and shoes some people pack. I mean, to each his own, but for our 12 night cruise I packed two simple dresses....both of which could have been either semi-formal or formal. They got me through formal nights, semi-formal nights, and Palo. But WOW, some of the outfits people brought.....

 

[AnnOminous]

I'm wearing a pair of sneakers on the plane, and packing a pair of brown flip flops, a pair of heels to go with the dress I'll wear to Palo, and I'm bringing both fins and my water shoes (they have a sole rugged enough for light hiking but are mesh on tip).

I'm packing two pair of khaki capris, a khaki skirt, a sun dress, a wrap skirt, tops that can be worn interchangeably with all bottoms, and a cocktail dress. I'll wear fliip flops with the capris, skirt, and sundress. Flip flops wouldn't be my first choice of footwear with the dress, but I just can't rationalize another pair of shoes for a five day cruise.

We're doing a five day. I'm trying to get everything into my carry ons, looks like aside from my water gear (snorkel, fins, water shoes), I will. I don't carry the size of carry one that shouldn't be a carryon, I have one that fits under the seat and a shoulder bag.

 

[micheleq]

Bumping!

Any suggestions on how many pairs of shoes to bring? I normally am a minimalist packer, but a bit stumped on the shoes. Traveling February if that makes any difference.

TIA!
Michele

 

[Sinderelly]

I will bring 4 pairs for a seven night cruise and 2 days after at WDW...black dressy sandals, flip flops, crocs and tennies. I will wear the tennies or crocs so will have to pack 3 pairs.

 

[Mason3]

One word of advice about flip-flops, which I pack on every cruise: the decks are VERY slippery when you are wearing flip-flops. My daughter fell on the rainsoaked top deck one evening on the Magic, and I fell twice on the Dream. Both times were on the wet steps leading down to the pool deck from the Aqua Duck deck. So, if you wear flip-flops, be very careful if the decks are wet.