Packing for 14 Days or 181 Days – All About Personal Preference

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Day 13, 2024 Holiday Tropical Caribbean

Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025; At Sea.

What to pack? It’s always a personal decision – do you like a lot of variety or a basic wardrobe? Is it more important to you to pack light or for comfort? There’s no right or wrong answer. It helps to know yourself – are you a minimalist packer or do you take everything including the kitchen sink?

I tried a little experiment for the past two weeks. When I packed to leave the Volendam for the Zuiderdam, I packed just what I thought I would need for two weeks in the Caribbean. Everything else went into two suitcases I stashed in the corner and vowed not to open until I moved to a different stateroom for the world cruise.

I packed just about right for clothing – six daytime outfits (shorts, tops, sundresses), three evening casual outfits, two dressy outfits, one light sweater, five pairs of shoes, one swimsuit and coverup and enough undergarments for five days. And, of course, my Kansas City Chiefs jersey. I used the ship’s laundry service every few days.

Dressy Outfits

While packing light, I indulged with my own blow dryer and makeup mirror. For just two weeks I would make do with the ship’s models, but I prefer mine for longer cruises.

By the end of two weeks, I am looking forward to my packed-away clothes. I could go months on a two-week wardrobe, but I would get very tired of having few choices. I have about twice again as many clothes packed in those suitcases in the corner – warmer clothes that I wore in the Mediterranean in November and December and a wider variety of daytime, evening and dressy clothes for the next five months.

Evening Casual Outfits

A longer cruise requires a little more thought. How long does a tube of toothpaste last? I should know by now, but I don’t, so I bring too much. I could buy this anywhere in the world, but I like my brand. Same with face cream, reef-safe sunblock, and insect-repellent wipes. At my dentist’s urging, I bring a Waterpik water flosser. I would skip it for a short cruise.

Daytime Outfits

I’ve written before about the extensive spreadsheet I started in 2017 (running to seven pages now) of things I pack for long cruises. It’s not as bad as it sounds.

Half a page is an itemized list of all my over-the-counter medications – painkillers, cold meds, digestive meds, bandages, etc. I could buy some of these on the ship or in ports, and for a two-week cruise I would just take a few. Another section is my office supplies – paperclips, scissors, tape, extra batteries and some Command Hooks for hanging things on the wall. I like to have a large map to track my journey, but those would stay at home for a short cruise.

2024 Ultimate Mediterranean

Because I spend months at a time in a small cabin on a ship, I like to be organized, so I bring a few bins and a shoe bag to hang on my bathroom door for toiletries. I have a folder with birthday and thank-you cards as well as accessories for theme parties. Some people bring full costumes, but that’s not really my thing. I do sport a neon orange wig for the Orange Party on every Holland America cruise.

Add in a daytime backpack, umbrella, evening bag, waterproof jacket and a few more shoes and suddenly it all adds up.

In order to keep it all under control, I have a few guidelines:

  • No one else pays that much attention to what I wear.
  • Someone will be better dressed and someone else won’t be. No need to compete.
  • If I forget something, I can almost always buy it or get by without it (except for the time I forgot to take the name of the hotel where we had a reservation.)
  • The ship’s laundry is my friend, and Holland America’s is great. Always tip a little.
  • There are no prizes given for packing light. So don’t be too frugal. The great thing about travel on a cruise ship is I don’t keep packing and unpacking. Be generous with porters at the beginning and the end.
  • Know yourself. There are few rules. And remember life is an adventure.