15 *Genius* Ways to PACK LIGHT for a Longer Cruise

Packing for a cruises can be a challenge, especially for longer cruises! However there are a few tips & strategies to pack light even for longer cruises. While packing carry on only for short cruises is fairly easy, packing light for cruises that are longer than 7 days needs a plan!

In this video I share 15 cruise tips, tricks & secrets to packing light for longer cruises. If you're wondering how to pack for a 10 day cruise or even a 28 day cruise, this video is full of helpful cruise packing tips.

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Please note that I am unable to give personal cruise and travel advice. If you leave a comment I try my best to answer.

ABOUT ME
Hi! I'm Ilana! I live in Montreal, Canada with my husband Frank. We can often be found dreaming about and planning future cruises, ideally to hot and sunny destinations! I believe in having fun, being kind and that you are never too old, or too young, to live the life of your dreams!

Please note that I do not sell cruises on Life Well Cruised. This and all other videos are for entertainment purposes only. I share my own opinions, personal experiences and information with other cruise travellers, which I hope can be helpful. Please contact your travel agent or the cruise line directly for advice and any information specific to your booking.

Some of the b-roll used in this video courtesy of Celebrity Cruises.
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Music Credit: Surf Time by Lux-InspiraMusicMusic

[manonsinclairladyofblairad]

I'm a fold person but I lay my clothes using the size of the suitcase and only fold the bits that don't fit. I can stack a lot like this. I use the empty space around to place underwear and socks. I also put whatever I can inside shoes to fill that space. I prefer packing makeup and skincare in small pouches that can fit in between other items. Packing is an art! 😊

[donnalichtfuss]

I pack small zip lock bags for toiletries (creams and such). Once empty...garbage. They take up no room and I don't carry them home. Also, I take 3 dresses, 1 short and 1 yoga pant, 3-4 t shirts, 1 loungewear. My colors are Navy blue, white, and versatile print. Puffer jacket for Alaska. Everything packs very small if you choose lightweight clothes. Wash in the sink. Nobody knows or cares that you're wearing things again. It's fun to find a dress or something on our travels. Don't bring anything you'll only wear once.

[gatorguy]

We have found that a good packing list developed for a 7-day cruise and a 14-day cruise is very helpful in packing the correct amount of clothes. Also, always evaluate at the end of the cruise the clothes that you did not wear and adjust your packing list accordingly. We do on occasion wear evening attire twice, but we do pay attention to not wear the same outfit to the same dinning venue (especially if you are sharing a table in the main dining room with the same guest). Another tip is on embarkation and debarkation day, we normally wear jeans or long pants and wear gym shoes to cut down on the amount of packing space required. The gym shoes makes walking safer (sometimes you are required to walk a considerable distance) and the long pants help if you are traveling back to a cold climate. As soon as we are on the ship and have access to our room we change clothes to match the climate. Last fall on a 11-night Caribbean cruise, we met two ladies on debarkation day that were traveling together and they had managed to enjoy the cruise with only having two outfits each, extra underwear, and swim suits that they had packed in their carry-on luggage. The airlines had lost their luggage and were not able to get it to them while on the cruise. You may surprise yourself what can be done with a little laundry and a few t-shirts in a pinch.... Take care...

[Rhyonized]

Though I know it’s totally unnecessary, I like to think of a cruise as the best place to wear things I don’t get to wear often at home and be a slightly more extra version of myself. For example, I wore a fur vest, a dress shirt with cape sleeves, shiny shirts, and bright prints/colors for Alaska. With how many pics/vids people tend to take anyways, it’s fun to be a little stylistic and stand out along with it also being fun conversation starters. A bit harder to do if the intent is to pack light and it doesn’t help guy clothes tend to be thicker/heavier as well in general, but worth the fun still to me even if I get weird stares of judgement at times.

[DonLekei]

We always take the Scrubba. It is so much better than doing washing in the sink. We wring the laundry in beach towels and hang to dry from a line and hangers suspended from the ceiling on neodymium magnet hooks. Worked great on Transpacific, Transatlantic, Mediterranean cruises.

[DLiz]

I do some laundry on most cruises. I take laundry detergent sheets or packets as well as some miniature clothes pins.I also take 1 or 2 Rick Steves fold up microfiber towel to roll the wet laundry in. My husband and I take an end of the towel and wring the laundry out over the bathtub or shower floor, then hang them on the laundry line to dry. If needed, we wring the towel out again and repeat the process. The clothes dry faster and your bath towels are dry for your shower!

[KatMayeux-fdit]

As someone who has had a travel job for 33 years, you are spot on with your packing suggestions. I always say; less clothes and shoes and more underwear 😉
Fabulous video 👍🏻👍🏻

[JohnFleming-bg]

Having a wardrobe where you can match two or three tops with two or three bottoms is good wardrobe planning in general, and not just planning a cruise wardrobe. Three tops that can match with each of three bottoms gives you nine outfits. Add three pairs of shoes, and you have 27 combinations. And on longer cruises, you can make those outfits go further by taking advantage of the ship's laundry service.

[dorothywillis]

I'm a folder. I just don't have luck rolling. I agree with you about wearing things more than once. I think most of us are in the habit of washing things more often than they really need it just because it's easy to toss something into the washer at home. But on a cruise "Wear and Air" is a good motto!

[MsPeggyCruise]

I bring two large suit cases, one carry-on and a backpack!
Why try and pack less🎉

[gerardacronin]

I agree with all your tips, and want to add one. Bring some laundry strips. I use Tru Earth. I use them to wash my undies in the sink on a daily basis. They take up minimal space in an envelope.

[RebelPickle]

I love your advice of a "capsule wardrobe". Mixing and matching is the key to efficiency. I find a mix of navy, khaki (or cream), and white tops and bottoms give me so many outfit combinations! Then I accessorize with colorful scarves, jewelry, and hair ornaments. So fun! Thank you, Ilana, for another great video!

[VanessaEulette-pbeo]

It’s not so much packing for the cruise it’s the airlines that are killing us! Especially internationally when they limit to 1 checked at 23 kg and 1 carryon OR handbag no more than 8kg!! Makes it hard to do those land cruise 20 day packages…as I struggle over here. Great tips!

[FraserAtSea]

While long-term cruising this year, I've found it absolutely imperative that I pack the right things, and don't pack anything that I don't need. Amazingly, I've managed to cruise from October to December (for about 9 weeks) with just one suitcase - I've amazed myself this time, ha!

See you on the next cruise!

[geeramona]

Sometimes cruise ships stop in Gamboa. I highly recommend eating at Don Caiman restaurant. The setting is very beautiful! You can see turtles sunning on branches .

[arlenekrause]

My mom was a world traveler. Whenever we’d travel together, her rule of thumb was that you had to be able to wear each item of clothing 3 times!

[paulbunion]

so glad I'm an old guy. so much easier by the looks of it. regardless of cruise duration, 12 pair of underwear, Jan/Feb/March/April...couple shirts and pants and done. I can even get it all in a grocery store bag.

[lisamerriman]

If I’m using compression packing cubes, I fold. If regular packing cubes, I roll. When you roll, there’s not much left to compress. 😊

[temmietaft]

I love these tips. Sometimes it feels so challenging for me to keep my packing list light. But this video helped me by being intentional.

[tammaratiffany]

Leaving in a couple of days for our 17 day Panama Canal cruise. Carry on only! International flight = 22# in carry on bag. It’s a challenge, but we are packed. I take only about 3 liquids. Even my lotion and bug stuff are solids. I fold clothing in compression packing cubes. Shoes were tough. Hubby is 6’4” tall and not a small man, but we managed to get everything in.