| Bon voyage - pack it up! | | | | of clothing, swimwear and accessories in their onboard |
| The chore of packing is a necessary evil of cruise | | | | shops. What you can't get on board, you can easily |
| travel. But paying attention to the details can prevent | | | | find in any port of call. |
| disappointment and can even give a certain edge to a | | | | 10 packing tips |
| trip to make it more enjoyable. Why not resolve this | | | | If you follow these basic, common-sense tips, you can |
| year to take your cruise vacation packing to a new | | | | pack only what you need, safeguard expensive items |
| level? | | | | and keep track of important paperwork. |
| What to pack | | | | - Pack your airline tickets, cruise documents, jewelry, |
| Standing before a drawer and closet full of clothes | | | | medication, eyeglasses, makeup, camera and |
| figuring out what to wear for a cruise can seem | | | | computer in your carry-on luggage, not in your |
| daunting. Here are some ideas on what to pack. | | | | checked baggage. Also, bring photocopies of your |
| Day wear | | | | passport and prescriptions in case these items get lost. |
| For warm-weather cruises, bring quality swimwear, as | | | | - Also put a swimsuit and a change of clothes in your |
| you're likely to spend a lot of time in or around the pool. | | | | carry-on bag. It sometimes takes hours for your |
| For women, sarongs, cover-ups and sundresses are | | | | luggage to be delivered to your stateroom, and you |
| necessary, since most cruise lines require that you | | | | don't want to miss any ship time stuck in your traveling |
| wear more than a swimsuit in the dining rooms. | | | | clothes. |
| If the ship holds an event requiring "smart casual" wear, | | | | - Pack your toiletry kit with small travel-sized items. |
| you'll be fine in dress shorts, a skirt, or trousers along | | | | Better yet, get small refillable bottles and bring your |
| with a short-sleeved shirt or polo shirt. The rest of the | | | | favorite grooming products. |
| time you can dress pretty much as you like. Useful | | | | - Pack heavy items like shoes and toiletry kit before |
| accessories include flat shoes with a good grip for wet | | | | packing the more delicate ones. Also, use shoe covers |
| decks, sunglasses and a sun hat. | | | | to pack shoes, and stuff socks, belts and other little |
| If you are going on an Alaska cruise or other outdoor | | | | items inside shoes to save space. |
| adventure, bring hiking shoes and rugged clothes for | | | | - Turn jackets inside out and fold them in half, then put |
| the shore excursions. The key to an Alaska cruise is | | | | them in dry cleaning bags. The plastic bags minimize |
| to dress in layers since the conditions can go from | | | | wrinkles (which is why dry cleaners use them). |
| cold to hot to wet very quickly. | | | | - Pack the bottom of your suitcase with trousers, |
| Evening wear | | | | letting the legs hang over the edge of the bag. Then |
| Most cruises will have one or two formal evenings a | | | | pack the rest of your clothes, with lighter materials on |
| week. Men are expected to wear a dark suit or | | | | top. In the end, drape the trouser legs back over the |
| tuxedo; women should wear an evening dress (long or | | | | pile; they'll keep their crease and won't get a fold line. |
| short) or a dressy pantsuit. Men can often rent | | | | - Bring an empty soft bag for souvenirs. Also, toss a |
| tuxedos on board. For evenings that are less dressy, | | | | few empty plastic bags into your luggage; you'll need |
| women can get away with silky tops and trousers. Be | | | | them later to stash dirty or damp clothes. |
| sure to pack a dressy sweater or jacket, especially | | | | - If you're traveling with your family, mix their clothes |
| for the newer cruise ships, whose air conditioning can | | | | throughout each suitcase, just in case a bag is lost. |
| be quite powerful. A pashmina wrap is versatile and | | | | - Mark your luggage with bright-colored yarn or tags to |
| provides an extra layer in the evening, and it does | | | | make them easy to spot and less likely to be picked |
| double duty as an airplane blanket. | | | | up by someone else by mistake. Also, place a copy of |
| Mix and match | | | | your itinerary inside each piece of luggage. This way, if |
| Consider wearing outfits more than once. If it looks | | | | your bags are misrouted, the airline will be able to find |
| good and is appropriate, who cares how many times | | | | you quickly. |
| you wear it? Keep it simple and change your look | | | | - Watch the weight of your luggage. Most airlines have |
| from the waist up while wearing the same bottoms -- | | | | a 50-pound limit; if you go over, be prepared to pay a |
| slacks, skirts or shorts -- throughout the trip. A scarf or | | | | hefty surcharge. If you are traveling to overseas, know |
| bold jewelry pieces can change the look of a basic | | | | that many foreign airlines will assess fees according to |
| outfit. Other options include reversible clothes, which | | | | number of pieces and baggage weight. Baggage rules |
| give many different looks for minimum packing. If | | | | change all the time, so always check with your airline |
| you're concerned about running out of clean clothes, | | | | before you start hauling out the suitcases. Packing is a |
| don't worry. Most vessels have self-service laundries | | | | chore, but if you pay attention to the details, you can |
| along with valet laundry service for a fee. And | | | | pack some of your cares away. |
| remember, if you forget to pack something or don't | | | | Bon voyage! |
| want to do laundry, most ships offer a good selection | | | | |