Travel Tips for Packing Luggage - Check-In Luggage Cruise Packing

"Travel Tips for Packing Luggage – Tips and Techniques for Cruise packing your Cruise clothes."

Travel Tips for Packing Luggage - Before You Start Packing

1. CHECK THE CONDITION OF YOUR CHECK-IN LUGGAGE: This should be done before anything else. You don’t want to start packing for a cruise to find out the handle is falling off, the zipper is broken, and the seam at the side of your suitcase is ripped. Your check-in luggage needs to be in perfect condition to go through all that airport and cruise port handling. Check here for the Best Lightweight luggage and Best rolling luggage.

2. CONSIDER THE TIME OF THE YEAR AT YOUR DESTINATION: Unlike the Caribbean where it’s hot and sunny, more or less, all year round… when it comes to cruises to Europe and the Mediterranean, there’s a big difference from month to month.

When it comes to travel tips for packing luggage according to different months and seasons check our article “What to pack to Europe.”

travel packing tips, cruise packing tips, how to pack for a cruise

3. MAKE A LIST OF THE ACTIVITIES YOU WILL BE DOING: There’s a big difference in the way you’ll pack and quantity of things you will be taking with depending on your activities before, after or during the cruise.

Will you be staying in a hotel before or after your cruise? For instance, you may want to check if they provide a hairdryer or an iron (these are not allowed on most cruise lines), or you may want to take a pair of travel slippers.

Will you be spending a lot of time on the beach/by the pool during the cruise? Or are you more into lectures and indoor activities? If you’re not the beach type you won’t be taking your bathing suits, pareos, plastic swimming shoes and snorkelling equipment. Instead take a notebook, journal or a wine tasting diary to record everything you learn from your onboard lecturers or tour guides.

Will you be taking many tours? You may want to pack your hat to protect you from that sun when you climb the Athens Acropolis Greece or walk around Delos island.

Do you like visiting churches? In that case you will need to pack a scarf or a pashmina to cover your shoulders or knees.

Will you be attending every formal night? On a 7-day cruise there are normally 2 formal nights. If you’re not intending to attend both, that’s one formal outfit less for you to take.

Instead of going to the dining room, where you are expected to be dressed formally, you can always go to the buffet style restaurant or order room service. Also, don’t forget most cruise lines offer a tuxedo rental service on board too.

Travel Tips for Packing Luggage: Cruise Packing Tips and tricks

4. USE PLASTIC ZIPLOCK BAGS when packing toiletries to counter any leaking. Due to the changes in temperature and pressure it often happens you will find your perfume, body lotion or shampoo “explode” out of its container. And there’s nothing worse than finding your body lotion all over your favorite formal night dress.

5. PACKING SHOES inside shoe bags too if you want the rest of your cruise clothes to stay odour free.

6. USE EVERY CAVITY: Pack little items like film rolls, socks or belts inside shoes to save every bit of space and prevent shoes from getting squashed.

7. MINIMIZE ON TOILETRIES: In many families every person uses a different brand of shampoo, hair conditioner or shower gel. You can lessen the weight of your luggage considerably if you all agree on one brand of everything to take on your cruises to Europe, or store your favorite brand toiletries in smaller containers.

8. ROLL YOUR CRUISE CLOTHES: It saves space and they tend to crease less.

9. PACK YOUR BLOUSES and suits on the top of the suitcase. If travelling with many suits, consider using a garment suitcase. That’s the only way to make sure your suit or your tuxedo will look impeccable for the first formal night! Try using Pack-it Cubes for your shirts and blouses.

10. MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF CLOTHES by planning your outfits. Take a few pieces you can easily mix and match in different combinations. Use accessories like jewellery, shoes, scarves or belts to change the look.

11. USE AIRTIGHT RESEALABLE BAGS to compress your clothes and spare some room inside your bags.

12. LEAVE SOME ROOM: Always leave that extra bit of space for those Murano vases, small Turkish rugs, Greek art reproductions you will be taking back home with you after the cruise!

Travel Tips for Packing Luggage: After Packing Procedures

13. MARK YOUR CHECK-IN LUGGAGE with a colourful bandana, scarf, ribbon, or address tags in colour.

14. DON’T USE YOUR HOME ADDRESS on your tags when packing for a cruise. That’s an open invitation for robbers. Instead, write your email address or the address of your final destination: the cruise ship’s name or even better its home-port address.

14. PUT ONE ADDRESS TAG INSIDE YOUR LUGGAGE: That’s in case the outside ones get ripped off. To prevent them from ripping off, make sure you have strong and sturdy leather, plastic or rubber address tags.

15. DON’T LOCK YOUR CHECK-IN BAGS unless they are locked with TSA-approved locks. Otherwise you may find your locks forcefully broken off by the officials.

16. WEIGH YOUR CHECK-IN SUITCASES: Buying a little luggage scale, and weighing your luggage at home beforehand, could save you big bucks at the check in counter. Spare yourself from costly surprises.

Travel Tips for Packing Luggage: What Not to Pack Inside the Check-In Luggage

1. Never pack your undeveloped films of high speed in your checked luggage as the baggage screening machines may damage it.

2. Laptop – first of all, it’s valuable. Second, you never know how they’ll handle your check-in luggage at the airport.

3. Jewellery and watches – after having some stolen ourselves, we learned the lesson… always carry these in a jewellery roll inside your personal handbag or carry-on luggage.

4. Chargers of batteries you will need during your first day or two upon arrival (in case your luggage gets delayed).

5. Medications

Hope these travel tips for packing luggage help your travel go smoothly!


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