Leave The Steamer Trunk At Home When You Cruise!
Topics: cruises, cruise travel, cruise vacations, luggage, packing tips
There are really no ‘dress codes’ on cruise ships but more like guidelines to assist you in bringing the right items. Having traveled with a spouse and two teen age daughters, this writer is, however, painfully aware of the cruise shoe formula which is take the number of cruise days and multiply by 5. How else could one possibly pack 35 pairs of shoes for a one week voyage?
But seriously, less is often more on a cruise. The style of ship you have selected usually dictates the way that passengers dress. The shorter and less expensive cruises skew toward very casual and the longer cruises on luxury ships tend to be more formal.
Speaking of formal, most cruise ships have at least one gala night where passengers generally dress their best. Does this mean tuxedos and evening gowns? Yes, you will find these in evidence on longer cruises but the trend is to allow more freedom of choice on ships and this translates to dress guidelines that suggest instead of require formal wear. The dark suit or even sport jacket and tie seems to be edging out the tuxedo and dinner jacket. And even on gala night most ships offer an alternate dining venue for people who just plain refuse to dress up.
The best place to get some hints as to the suggested dress on board is in the Welcome Aboard materials provided by the cruise lines prior to your trip. But again, keep in mind that these are created to cover broad a spectrum of diverse guests.
In almost all cases, shorts, bathing suits and t-shirts are banned from the main dining room at dinner time. Ladies should remember to bring a sweater or shawl because the public rooms may be chilly. A folding umbrella is always a good idea.
Ashore, clothing suggestions depend a lot on what part of the world you are in. In the tropics, shorts, t-shirts and jeans (basically everything you are not supposed to wear in the ship’s dining room) are fine ashore in the tropics. In Europe and Asia, travelers tend to be more conservative. And if your shore excursions include a visit to a cathedral or house of worship, bare shoulders or abbreviated wear for the ladies may result in denied entry.
The shore excursion or purser desk staff can provide specific guidance on board. And always check to see that at least one pair of those 35 pairs of shoes are COMFORTABLE WALKING SHOES. Navigating the stairway of the Sistine Chapel in stiletto heels would be an excursion of its own!
When packing, again, less is more for a cruise. Most first time cruisers report back that they used about half of what they brought. Veteran cruisers try to see how little baggage they can get away with. Somewhere in between will probably work for you.
Most of the medium to larger ships offer laundry and pressing service. And some of them have self-service laundry facilities (although we do not think most people consider doing laundry a fun vacation event.) Take a lot of mix and match clothes based on the length and style of your cruise.
Planning is the most important part of the packing process. Don’t throw your suitcases on the bed the night before you leave and start to toss everything you own inside them. Remember, during many parts of the trip, YOU will have to drag, roll, or coax them to their check in point.
So to summarize: Make a list. Take half the stuff off the list. Divide by 2 and you have the ideal amount of cruise wear for your trip! A good rule of thumb is that if you find your travel mate looking in the yellow pages under ‘Moving and Storage Companies’ instead of ‘Taxi and Limo services’, you may have packed too much! Bon voyage.
Joe Ewart is a 30 year cruise industry veteran and a member of the Cruise Lines International Association Hall of Fame. He is CEO and editor of www.CruiseJungle.com an informaational cruise web site desgined for consumers.
Previous Articles Highlighter:
7 Tips To Maximizing Your Battery Performance (1)
Remember also that battery packs loose charge over time even without usage. 7. Avoid hard impact Individual cells within a battery pack can be damaged upon heavy impact which could cause circuit leaks and can be dangerously unstable.
University Of Kansas Writer's Roost: A Resource For Writers Of All Levels (2)
"Learn English Online" This sub link has activities for a child to actually practice learning English. It is wonderful Activities include vocabulary, sentencing, and a wide variety of graphic aided fun problems for kids just learning English.
Making The Best Of Game Download Sites (3)
The most obvious part of their discounts is the packages. Here, you will find three-in-one packages for the games. Three similar games (i.e. belonging to the same genre) are packages into one, and sold together.
How To Find Some Of The Best Digital Photo Editing Software For Your New Digital Camera (4)
This software has a tool that will let you transfer pictures from the digital camera to scanners. This software is also made for modifying your photos and enhancing the looks of the photos.
Some Of The Difficulties In Choosing The Right Golf Equipment For Junior Golfers (5)
After knowing that the learner is a junior, we can say that since they are also a beginner, they are most probably not aware of what goes on in the game.
All The Best Fun And Thrill On A FlyOrDie Game (6)
No lengthier downloads any other applications to bother. Just pick and click, and you're done. If excite, fun and excitement is what you want (well, who doesn't?), then a flyordie game will surely give you a ride.
Romantic Limousine Ride In Washington DC - Dating Tips (7)
Of course there are many to choose from so I will mention them briefly, make sure you know her food tastes otherwise you will end up having bad memories. If you like mediterranean food style you can go to the 'Iron Gate Inn' restaurant, but if your tastes are more sophisticated then 'french is the way to go', for such occasion you can ask your limousine driver to take you to 'Le Paradou' or 'Marcel' restaurant they are both high-end places were you can share delicious meals.
How To Travel With Your Sports Equipment With The New Rules Since 911 (8)
As stated above, there is some gear that you just can't bring, but other rules are not so clear. You need to be aware of what you can bring and what you can't bring on an air plane before your arrival at the airport.
Honeymoon One Of The Most Exciting Occasions In Your Life (9)
Now-a-days honeymooners choose destinations around the world so that it offers them a new experience to meet the people around the world and experience new culture. If you wish to make this occasion a thrilling one you can choose locations that offer you exciting options for relaxations like skating, surfing, cruising through backwaters and taking endearing pictures of the nature's beauty.
What Are Cheerleading Clothes All About Anyway? (10)
Also, it never seized to amaze me about football cheerleaders. It often times didn't matter if it was pouring down rain or small wind storm these girls and their uniforms stood up to the test.
Newer Articles Highlighter:
Why A Cruise Vacation In Winter Is Value For Money! (1)
In fact, during this transitional phase, cruise vacations can extend up to 1-2 months as the ships head to their fall/winter locations. For Europeans, destinations in the Caribbean and South America are on offer but you'll need to check with your travel agents on pricing.
A Golfer's Tongue (2)
He may also give advice on which club to use. Carry - It refers to the distance that a golf ball must go over starting from the impact up to the point where it first hits the ground.
Security While Traveling By Car (3)
They might not think about how people lurk in the shadows at rest stops and who might be in the back seat when they return after being gone for a few minutes time.
Preparations For Travel By Car (4)
Other travelers join travel clubs to get discounts for their trips. Along the way, they have an opportunity to save on lodging, meals and some recreational events such as amusement park tickets.
The Great Debate (5)
Fishing offers many good traditions, traits and memories. Catch and release is an age-old programmed designed to help families enjoy this past time for many years still to come.
Online Motorbike Shopping! Is It Worth The Deal? (6)
In my opinion, you should simply put out of your mind anything that falls short of a face to face meeting with you and the seller/ bike. Simply weigh the benefits against the detriments and choose what you think is ok for you.
Taking Care Of Videos And Games (7)
Online Shop coupon There are a lot of different types of videos and games that people can choose to buy. Some of these games come in the form of boxed games that contain boards with characters on them and there are other games that are made specifically for use on a home computer.
A Review Of Online Picture Printing Companies (8)
Features and Options One of the things people like most about using online image printing services is having the ability to emblazon their images on a variety of unique products.
Golf Slice Cure (9)
Practice this stance until it becomes natural. Your shoulders should also be aligned in this way with the club. In terms of a problem on your backswing, make sure to keep your elbows in as you swing back.
Beyond Perennials: Taking A Look At Different Types Of Annuals (10)
As an example, given year-round protection, fuschias grow rapidly, reach anywhere from 18 inches to 12 feet or more, and produce their beautiful pendulous blossoms in shades of red, purple, and white nearly all winter long.
Permalink to Leave The Steamer Trunk At Home When You Cruise!