It’s 16 days before you unpack all of your cruise wear and head out to the pool! You have been pulling together lists and more lists. Now it’s time to start to pack for your cruise! We suggest that today you pull out your big suitcases, your carry on, your toiletry bags and your jewelry cases.
Start packing some of the clothes you won’t need before the cruise and things that won’t wrinkle or get crushed. If you have a room to lay things out in, then do so. If not, use your suitcases to start collecting and holding the things that you can pack today. Don’t worry about how you are packing things today. You will repack later on. This is for collecting things you don’t want to forget!
Now start going through yesterday’s list and start to put things in your luggage.
Then look at your first list from Day 25 and start packing, belts, hats, evening purses, bathing suits, shoes, jewelry.
Begin to prepare your Carry On for your Cruise
CARRY ON – We always put our passport and boarding docs right in our carry on the minute we pull it out to begin to pack. The last thing you want to forget is your passport! Then start adding some of the things you want for traveling that you won’t need in the next 2 weeks. We usually have two carry-ons. One that is a rolling bag that goes in the overhead and one is a shoulder bag that goes under the seat. The shoulder bag is the one that we use on port, too.
LIGHTWEIGHT BACK PACK – It is so handy to have a comfortable backpack for going onshore and we have found 2 that we really like.
Light, durable and water-repellent
Folds into a zippered inner pocket to easily fit in your luggage for traveling and to fold away when not using it
Folds down to 6.25″ x 1.5″ x 6.25″
Mesh outer pocket for a water bottle
Size is 10.25″ x 7.5″ x 15.5″
Padded and breathable mesh backpack straps for comfort
ZOMAKE Ultra Lightweight Packable Backpack, 25L Small Water Resistant Hiking Daypack Foldable Travel Backpack for Men Women Outdoor (Army Green)
Made of water and tear resistant nylon material
Comes in 14 different colors
Folds up into a sandwich size for easy packing with your luggage
Great at the airport if your luggage is too heavy, just take it out of your suitcase and fill with the excess weight!!!
Metal zipper and bartacks at stress points.
Great price too
HINT – Shauna tends to totally overpack shoes!! High heels, sandals, walking shoes! She has learned to pack these into a rolling carry- on for the plane. This saves space and weight in her checked luggage. As long as you are on a plane with no weight limit on your carry on, try it! Just remember you will need to lift it up on the plane. She is in heaven when last minute the airline asks if anyone wants to check their carryon for free at the gate!
HINT – TOILETRY BAG – There is not a lot of room in many stateroom bathrooms to put your toiletries. But there are usually 2 to 4 hooks on the back of the bathroom door. If you have a really nice hanging toiletry bag you are set!
Today you can start filling your toiletry bag with the items that you have already. If you don’t have your toiletry bag yet, go buy a bunch of travel size empty bottles and start filling them! Or get travel size deodorant, toothpaste, etc!
JEWELRY – Women start pulling your jewelry together. Men Don’t forget cufflinks, etc. Put them in your jewelry carry-on case. Don’t overpack these! Look at the list of clothes that you decided to bring from Packing day 25 and then match your jewelry to it.
EXAMPLE – JEWELRY – One of Shauna’s favorite things about cruising is that she breaks out all of her favorite jewelry. There are safes aboard most ships so she feels confident. And she is careful to not wear anything too expensive on the ports. You can always check with your cruise line to see if your cabin is equipped with a safe.
Next up: Day 15 Let’s look ahead to what you will do aboard your Cruise