CRUISE SHIP PACKING FOR SENIORS – less is more!

I am on my third cruise. I boarded the Viking Sun in Buenos Aires, Argentina after flying overnight from Albuquerque. I was allowed 2 checked bags, one carry-on and one personal item by the airline. Most old people pack too much; and, I am no exception; however, I kept to one checked bag and one personal item and even that was too much.

No matter how you work it, you are going to have to lift bags, roll bags, and deal with bags beginning with getting them out your front door and into the car. Then, there is check in, retrieving bags at the destination, and customs.  Finally you have to negotiate the bags, and watch them, in getting to the ship.

Why?

Once aboard the ship, you discover that the staterooms are smaller than the rooms at assisted living, especially if you are sharing one with a spouse. The closets are small, the drawers are small and there is little, if any, extra storage space. Fortunately, at least on Viking, there is room under the bed for 4 suitcases, one carry-on and a few personal items.

Then, unless you are in a high-end stateroom, there is barely enough room to turn around, much less to sort your clothing on a daily basis and keep the clean stuff separate from the dirty.

The question is why!  Where are you going? What is the purpose of the trip? What do you really need?

The Viking Sun is great!   Jeans and shorts are only prohibited in Speciality dining rooms and The Restaurant at dinner. There are free washers and dryers on each deck. The bottom line is that you can deal, even if you are old.

My trip was from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Santiago, Chile around cape horn.  It lasted 18 days.

I am old. I take a shower every day. I might even wear the same clothes two days in a row.

Like most old men, I have a “uniform.”  I wear comfortable  jeans, and have never been denied access, even  to 4 star restaurants – with a turtle neck and a jacket, you can go anywhere. Old men have become more stylish, wearing jeans, since it is impossible to find checkered pants with zippers that don’t work. The last ones I saw were on my father, years ago.

So for a 3-week trip on a cruise ship, what do you really need:

Jeans, heavy travel shirt, light weight rain jacket, walking shoes, underwear all worn.

Enough clothing for 7 days – I don’t really want to do laundry every day.

7 socks, underpants, black t-shirts.

Tai Chi slippers – good for fitness center and walking around on ship.

7 assorted shirts that don’t need ironing

Swim suit – for sauna, etc.

Work out shorts

Light weight pants that you can sleep in or wear in an emergency.

REI light weight travel pants that will get you past the “no jeans” restriction in the fancy dining rooms.

1 turtle neck

A vest that with pockets to wear on trip and finesse on formal occassions – easy to run through security and safer than having everything in pants pocket. See blog where I left my driver’s license in security check in and couldn’t rent a car.

Everything the same color, so you only have to use one washer and dryer.

One big problem old people have is keeping track of things. With 3 bags of clothing on a trip, you have no idea where everyhting is which leads to frustration and confusion.

You didn’t get old and able to take this trip by being stupid.

THINK OLD!