General Travel Tips

  1. Coordinate your wardrobe around one or two basic colors. This will automatically eliminate many items of clothing. Separates are best because they can be mixed and matched.
  2. Don’t pack too much. An old traveler’s trick is to layout everything you’ll need, then take half and return the rest to your closet.
  3. Be sure your baggage is clearly labeled. Remove old airline tags. Make sure your name and address is in a prominent place on the outside and inside of each luggage piece.
  4. As you pack, make a list of the contents of your suitcase. Bring this with you in case your luggage is lost or stolen and you need to make a claim.
  5. Pack heaviest items first. On the bottom of the suitcase, pack shoes, travel alarm etc.
  6. Use luggage space wisely. Stuff hosiery into the toes of your shoes. To protect your shoes, wrap them in T-shirts if you don’t have shoe bags. Roll sweatshirts and undergarments to fill space. A full bag helps keep the contents from sliding and wrinkling.
  7. Minimize wrinkling by packing shirts buttoned. If possible, only fold clothes at the waist and seam.
  8. Place plastic dry cleaner’s bags around clothes to minimize wrinkling. Keep each layer as flat and even as possible.
  9. For silk shirts, use large reclosable plastic food bags. This keeps the shirts wrinkle free. Bring extra to use for packing a wet bathing suit.
  10. Pack sample sizes toiletry articles. Liquids travel best in plastic containers. Squeeze the air out of the bottles before you fill them up and don’t fill them to the top. Place the containers in plastic bags before you put them in your suitcase.
  11. Carry fragile, valuable or perishable items with you. Money, jewelry and prescription drugs should be carried with you. Make sure you have at least a toothbrush in your carry-on bag.
  12. Pack laundry soap for your delicate articles. Laundry is often very expensive on the road and laundry facilities may not always be available on board the ship.
  13. If you are flying as part of your vacation, remember the rules for liquids and other toiletries.