European Cruises

I've done a seven-day cruise to Mexico from San Diego and another seven-day Belize from Florida plus Savannah, GA with just a carry-on.

I'll be doing a ten-day Baltic cruise this summer plus a few days on either side in and around Copenhagen with just a carry on.

The only down side is you have to wear your clothes more than once. I look for ships with self-service laundry.

I only make a couple of changes to my normal pack list for formal nights - other than that it's the same collection of mix/max clothes that can go from casual to somewhat dressy.

What would be the point actually?

I'd imagine the point is to get the hell off the ship a lot faster than the others. On the one and only cruise I ever took (not Europe), checked bags had to be packed and left outside your cabin the night before the final docking and it took forever to get off the boat, find them amid 2,000 other suitcases, and get out of the docking area.

If I ever take another cruise, I'd try to swing it with just a carry on.

We have been on seven European cruise. Other than the first one (learning experience) we go with our normal carryon size backpack style for each and one rolling carryon size bag for the two of us that has the "extra items" and clothing that we feel we need for the cruise. Far easier getting on and off the ship if you have only three carryon size bags. I don't think we could go with just our normal carryon because we use ships that have formal nights. If it was a low end cruise that didn't have formal nights, then we could.

I did a 6-day cruise from Long Beach down to Mexico with just a carryon - my dressy outfit was a pair of black satin-y pants and a sparkly top. I've also done a couple of Grand Circle river cruises, 16-20 days including some land travel, with just a carryon and a Civita backpack. Those were not as dressy as the Mexico cruise, but I did have a skirt to wear for the two more formal evenings. So I say, go for it!

My only real addition for formal nights is a black microfiber blazer with black buttons, a couple of ties and a couple of matching pocket squares. I wear the blazer on the plane.

I make some other adjustments for cruise attire. One of my shirts is a white no-iron dress shirt. One pair of pants is black to match the blazer. My main travel shoe is a pair of black plain toe Ecco dress/walking shoes that work fine.

While it's not a tux, I usually look more formal than many who pack a full suit and extra pair of dress shoes just for formal nights.

It's easier for women because a cocktail length polyester dress weighs nothing, add a simple pair of shiny black sandals and you're set. You can add a scarf, costume jewelry or just wear it as is.

I packed a tux, including patent shoes, for my first cruise. I'll never do it again. First because the vast majority of men aren't wearing tuxes and second because it forced me to pack too much.

Renting formal wear on the ship is an option. I haven't rented since high school and I can't see myself renting now.

Brad, I am going to buy my husband the black microfiber blazer and black pants for our next cruise and for a similar need when we got to NYC this fall and attend a Broadway show. It's a great practical way to travel light and look great at the same time. You are so right about the majority of men not wearing tuxes anymore. On our Mexican Rivieria cruise 2 months ago, the couples in tuxes and long sequined gowns looked almost old fashioned. The trendier look was more understated and dressed down a bit.

Thanks,

The "look" for men right now seems to be a regular point collar and long tie with no cumberbund. (Ties that are monochromatic in black, deep red or silver are the most formal looking.) That really makes it easier for traveling light because you don't need to pack things you can only wear as part of a tux.

Thanks for all the input! It's a lot of food for thought and I may be able to adapt my normal packing and avoid the lost luggage blues. Thanks again.

I have been on 7 cruises with 3 cruiselines and each one has offered the ability to carry your own luggage off, so you do not HAVE to put it outside your cabin the night before, but it usually is more convenient to do so. Only once had difficulty identifying my luggage at pick up - it had been put in the wrong zone.