Packing for the Cruise
Packing for a cruise is just like packing for any other long vacation. This is what I have learned from three previous cruises.
Don’t try to fit everything in one suit case. It can be done, it seems easier to deal with, but its not. The weight limit on suitcases that can be taken on a flight is now something like 50lbs, where it used to be 70lbs. Our hardcase suitcase weighs 13lbs empty. Plus, its much easier on the arms to carry two or three bags that total 70lbs then one.
Now that you are taking more than one suitcase, it is easy to pack. Just fold your clothes and put them in. I am an expert packer. I moved all my clothes to Pittsburgh and back several times with in two bags. Granted, I am not female, but this is still a feat of packing skill. The problem is, this type of packing takes a lot of time. After packing last night, two bags for a week, I am not worried about buying stuff in port. We have tons of room left before packing skills become necessary.
Now that there is extra room, it doesn’t matter if you take six t-shirts or seven. An extra of everything makes a small impact. Brook actually ran out of shirts on the last cruise, so we had to buy a shirt in port. Of course this ended up being a good idea anyway. We don’t buy trinkets, so I got a hat and she got her shirt, and we know it was from our time in St. Thomas since it is printed all over the items.
Flying vs Driving. This is an interesting one. Most people think we should have driven to the port. Which would take about 5 hours. The theory goes, that flying costs more money, $160, and it will take just as long, almost 3 hours with commuting to the airport, the flight and the customary wait. Yahoo tells me its a 6 hour, 15 minute drive to the port from my house. There is 3 hours of my life back each way. And if I am driving, can I read a book or play gameboy? The cost of gas roundtrip is $56, so $104 more to fly. I am paying $8.66/hour/person for that extra free time. Well worth it.