A top cruising expert has urged tourists getting ready to go on a cruise holiday to avoid one common mistake when packing their bags.
Whether tourists are embarking on their first cruise trip or are an experienced traveller, it can be difficult for passengers to remember everything they may need during the journey.
However, Gene Sloan, better known to fans as The Points Guy, urged passengers not to overpack their bags with too many items of clothing.
He explained: “Use this strategy when packing for a cruise: Throw all the clothes you think you’ll need on a cruise in a pile, and then take away half of them. You won’t need them.
“Trust us. Most cruising these days is casual, and you really only need a few outfits to rotate through a voyage.”
Traditionally, cruise holidays were often seen as fairly formal affairs, with many passengers dressing up in black tie every night for dinner and shows on board.
Whilst many cruise lines will still do an occasional formal night, passengers are largely welcome to where what they like across the majority of the ship, meaning tourists do not need to fill their suitcases with different outfits.
Nevertheless, it is generally a good idea to pick items that can be combined to make a range of different outfits, whilst also taking the climate of the destinations they are visiting into account.
Gene also reassured passengers that they can always wash their clothing on board, with a significant amount of cruise lines offering a laundry service on board.
He continued: “Many ships have self-serve launderettes on cabin decks where you can run a load or two of laundry every few days. If not, you can send laundry out to be cleaned on board. It’ll usually come back in a day or two.
“The extra cost of doing a few loads of laundry on a ship is a small price to pay for the freedom of not having to lug a giant suitcase around as you travel to and from your ship.”
However, whilst passengers should not pack too many outfits, the cruising expert recommended making sure that swimwear is packed in their carry-on bag on embarcation day.
He advised: “When you first arrive at a ship, before you even get on board, you’ll likely be greeted by porters who will whisk away your luggage. It will be delivered to your room later in the day.
“This is a great convenience, as there’s no need to haul your bags through the entire check-in progress. But it also means you might not have access to your luggage for many hours on your first day on board.”
