Packing for a Luxury Cruise

Packing for a luxury cruise can easily throw my normal packing strategies off.

Why? There are so many reasons. Dinner tends to be a dressier affair necessitating a clothing change between afternoon and evening. On smaller ships, I get self-conscious repeating too many outfits when you see the same group of travelers every day. But one of my biggest challenges is not overpacking. I prefer to travel with as little luggage as possible.

My Strategy Packing for a Luxury Cruise

I usually start off a week or two before a longer trip by outlining my days and evenings.  I make a grid by day/week and outline both the daytime and evening activities of each day (travel days, port/touring days, sea days, and evenings by theme or dress code). This lets me figure out how many of each type of outfit I will need (beach, casual, dressy casual, formal, themed) and how many times total I’ll need to wear each.

There are several factors to consider:

• What types of daily activities I’ll be engaging in (walking, swimming, riding transport, moving between indoors/outdoors)
• The anticipated weather for the time period
• Special regional or site-specific considerations (for example, a need to cover my arms or legs while visiting religious sites)
• Where I might see the same people through the trip
• Whether there is an opportunity to do laundry mid-trip
• What items can be worn again without laundering them

Once I’ve outlined the basic requirements, I then work through a list of possible items from my closet to take. Often, I will pull them all out and start to narrow the items down using a collapsable rolling rack. By hanging potential items on it, I can quickly see how outfits might come together or visualize whether I have too many of one type of item but not enough of another.

I then work through my list, checking off outfits by day.  I need to be sure that my list is not too long or incomplete based on my needs.

How My Wardrobe Strategy Affects My Packing for a Luxury Cruise

I use a “capsule wardrobe” strategy for most of my closet.  This entails maintaining basics in core neutral colors such as black, grey, navy, and beige.  I then mix in seasonal or on trend colors as accent pieces

To build out a capsule for a trip, I’ll select basics for a trip around one of my core colors. For example, I may pull a black dress, black pants, a black skirt, a black top, and a black jacket. I’ll then add a color via cardigans, tops, and accessories. I’ll also add my standard “neutral” pieces such as a great pair of -jeans and a white button-down shirt. This will allow me to mix and match pieces to create new outfits while re-wearing some items. I also can pack neutral shoes that will go with many outfits. For example, I might throw in red pieces to mix in.

I will then test each piece to ensure that it can be truly worn multiple ways. I want to ideally be able to wear each piece 3 different ways so that I can mix and match. Sometimes accessories like a great scarf or wrap can also help extend my outfit options. If I can’t reasonably wear an item multiple times or in different ways, I reconsider whether it belongs in my suitcase.  Even when packing for a luxury cruise, it’s okay to repeat items!

Of course, not everything needs to fit the capsule 100%. For a warm weather cruise, I might throw in a couple of sundresses, but even with these its great if they work with the cardigans or my large white shirt.

For heavier items like shoes or purses, I want utility – lightweight, but appropriate for the job. I also want them to be neutral and comfortable to wear or carry.

Conclusion and Post-Script

This means of packing for a luxury cruise will help me be certain that I don’t overpack.  At the same time, I’ll have plenty of wardrobe options that I can mix and match with ease.

This article has been revised to keep content fresh.  Packing for a luxury cruise is something I do a couple times each year so I continue to refine the process!  Our article Five Strategies for Chronic Overpackers is also a good resource.

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