Do you pack 1/2 and 1/2?

Shari2 · October 3, 2005

I have mentioned to my DH that packing 1/2 and 1/2 could really come in handy if we ever missed our luggage, but he doesn't care to do it that way. We do; however, carry extra clothes and needed essentials in our carry-ons. I carry formal and informal wear in a garment bag, so I don't know what I would do if that one didn't make it to the ship. I do put one informal outfit in my carry-on and one pair of dress shoes.

We never had our luggage lost before the cruise, but one time on the Norway, it wasn't delivered for quite a time, so my DH went looking for it. The room steward told him where to go to find a pile of luggage that had torn luggage tags, etc. He found our luggage in that pile. That was back in the day when they gave you paper tags. Today, we make sure we have our name on the outside and the inside.

Shari2 · October 3, 2005

Boba...I like your way of thinking! :grin:

KeithnRita · October 3, 2005

We know that we should, however, never have. Rita does the packing and since we are flying to port this year maybe we will, especially since this will be cruise number 13! :shocked: :shocked:

cruisinmama · October 3, 2005

I've had lost luggage b/4..never on a family vacation though..knock..knock on wood..it won't ever happen...

Thinking this time we may pack some in each others..just incase...

kapeka · October 4, 2005

We don't intentionally pack 1/2- 1/2- however we have one garment bag we share so I guess you could say we do somewhat. On our trip last month I started to pack at 6pm for an 11pm flight so at that point- what the heck! In general my motto is "I can always find an excuse to shop" :grin: so if my bag is delayed....won't ruin my trip.

I'll share two somewhat horror stories- one mine, one someone elses. To start with someone elses- last month when we got off the Enchantment in Boston (beautiful ship bty) and took the RCCL bus to the airport I saw something almost beyond belief. A lady got off the bus with her rather elderly mother and then while getting a wheelchair and putting mother in it---- the bus took off! (with their bags!) I felt awful for her and don't know how she ever resolved it. So be careful if you're traveling with someone that needs attention as soon as you disembark from any type of transportation- be sure no one takes off on you with your bags.

now for my admission of stupidity. We were going on a 7 day Mexcian Riveria out of San Francisco last March and flying from Portland to SFO the day before -- arriving at the port a day before departure which is an absolute requirement for us. We put all the bags EXCEPT ONE in the trunk. Dumb, dumb, dumb. I dropped DH off with "all the bags" FROM THE TRUNK so he could check them with the skycap and then I went to park the car and return to the terminal. When I returned to the terminal, we had plenty of time, had a bite to eat, etc. Of course it was as the flight was pushing back from the gate that I remembered that I left my larger carry on (which was in the back seat and overlooked) in the car. We were too late to turn back but I was able to resolve it from SFO with a fax request for someone to have the Port Police "break into" the car and then send me the bag before we left. (I do have some contacts at the airport- without that I think I would have been totally out of luck). Talk about a stressful start! Learned two things from this- 1- never put just ONE bag in a place-put them all together and if that's not possible put the extra one at your feet so you don't forget it and 2- always carry a copy of what prescription medication you take on your person (in your wallet, purse, whatever- something you never part with). All my meds (more than I want to admit!) were in that carry on so I was really concerned. I found out from a pharmacy in SFO that if I had copies of my med requirements they could verify it with my dr's office via telephone and sell me a 7 day supply. This of course is if they are not a "controlled substance" -- which by that time I was ready for however it wasn't on the list! :shocked:

sewut51 · October 4, 2005

I pack our things in two suitcases and a garment bag. I put a swimsuit for each of us in each bag and one apiece in the carryon. I also spit up outfits between the two suitcases. I pay attention to what the clothes are intended for. It wouldn't help much if he had all dress clothes and I had only shorts and t shirts. The garment bag has the formalwear. If we lost that, we'd be in trouble. We drive down to Galveston and avoid flying, so that helps avoid lost luggage.

JoeyandDavid · July 21, 2006

We in fact are trying to trim down further

sailingrose · July 21, 2006

Several years ago we got delayed because of weather flying from Orlando to Vancouver for our Alaskan cruise. We got to Vancouver however our luggage was in Seattle. (Long Story) We ended up getting my daughter some clothes in Vancouver since she's so tiny (size 1). She didn't mind at all of course. Princess did us a big favor and made sure our bags that finally arrived at the airport made it to the ship the day we departed.

DH still loves them for it as they didn't have to do so as we booked independent air.

schatje · July 21, 2006

My DH's bag went missing twice to be returned a week later so we try to pack now with the half and half unwritten rule. Clothes would cut into the cost of our cruise too much to have to spend money on them instead of fun.