Cruising Archives - Wanderboomer

BY Nancy Mueller 2 Comments ON August 5, 2015

How to Pack Light for Your Luxury Cruise Adventure

Pack Light

Over the last two years my mantra has been “Pack light. Pack light. Pack light.” I ditched my DSLR camera in favor of a small point-and-shoot, then scaled down further with an iPhone 6. I swapped out my paperbacks (because I could never just take one) for a Kindle. I gave up my clunky laptop in favor of a MacBook Air. And I replaced my trusty Travel Pro with a Traveler’s Choice Sedona 21″ Spinner.

Even so, I’m still often asked how I manage to trot around the globe with only one TSA-approved carry-on bag and a personal item, e.g. handbag. Admittedly, some destinations are easier to pack for than others. Hawaii anyone? Just tuck in a couple of T-shirts, a few wrinkle-free dresses, flip flops and a bathing suit and you’re good to go for at least two weeks.

Pack Light Summer

Viking Cruise

When it came to packing for my 8-day European Viking Cruise earlier this summer, I toyed with the idea of checking a bag for the trip. But in the end, I stuck with my original resolve – to pack light and only take a carry-on bag and personal item, which as it turned out, worked just fine.

Pack Light Viking Cruise

Warm-weather Destinations

To pack light for a value luxury cruise to a warm destination (Let’s skip Antarctica for now), here’s how I make the most of my carry-on bag and personal item – and how you can do it, too:

Travel outfit

Long jeans
Tank top
Long sweater
Scarf
Closed-toe shoes (also recommended for travel safety), i.e. tennis shoes which doubles as my walking and workout shoes (Travel tip: Wear your heaviest shoes rather than carry the weight in your luggage where they also take up too much room)

REI First Aid Kit

Packing List for 21″ Carry-On Bag

Clothing

Underwear
Nightie & robe
4 Dresses
2 pairs of pants
Yoga pants & top
3 long-sleeved shirts
Light sweater
2 tank tops
8 pairs of sneaker socks
Rain jacket
2 pairs of sandals
Flipflops
Bathing suit

Toiletries

Make-up/remover wipes
Flat-iron
Contact lenses
Hand, body & facial lotion
Sunscreen
Razor
Toothbrush/toothpaste/floss
Deodorant
Comb & hairbrush
Hair ties
Q tips
Earplugs
Small sewing kit
Small manicure kit

Accessories

Sunhat
3 Scarves
Costume jewelry
Small handbag
Small fold-up umbrella

First-aid Kit

Band-aids
Sterile gauze pads
Neosporin ointment
Lip balm
Eye drops
Antiseptic towelettes
Moleskin
Tiger balm

Personal Item (Baggallini Bag)

Kindle
MacBook Air
iPhone 6
iPod
Canon G-16 point-and-shoot
Hard drive back up for downloading images
2 – 3 extra memory cards
Chargers/cords/extra batteries for first five items on list
International plug adapters
Notebook/journal and pens
Host/destination information
Travel documents/passport/driver’s license (Travel Tip: Carry copies of important documents and passport in a separate place, like your carry-on bag)
Small amount of cash and credit cards
Emergency contact information
Snacks: Power bars, dried fruit & nuts, dark chocolate 🙂
Vitamins/medications
Sunglasses
Prescription glasses
Business cards

What I Wish I Had Packed

Light jacket
Small daypack

Q & A

Q: What about shampoo and conditioner? Facial cleanser?
A: Since TSA applies the 3-1-1 Liquids Rule, i.e. each passenger is allowed 1 quart-sized, clear, plastic, zip-lock bag limited to 3.4 ounces or less of liquids, creams, gels, aerosols and pastes per container, and most travel carriers and/or destinations provide small toiletries, only carry the liquids you can’t live without.

Q: What if I want to bring home some souvenirs?
A: Remember: think light! Save the heavier souvenirs for shipping home or purchase on-line when you get home. Jewelry made by local artists, small packs of savory spices (like paprika from Hungary), scarves, CDs (Yes, some people still buy these) and sweets from the region all make lovely gifts.

Q: But how can I stay a fashionista with only two pairs of sandals, flipflops and tennis shoes?
A: Whatever you wear, wear with confidence!

Thanks to my host Viking Cruises for the chance to practice packing for a luxury cruise adventure!

In case you missed these previous posts on packing tips, check out:

Favorite Travel Items to Lighten Your Luggage – Part I
Pack Light with Favorite Travel Items – Part II

For more information, visit:
TSA Travel Information

Wander on!

Nancy

What about you, wanderboomers? What else should I add to my list?

BY Nancy Mueller 8 Comments ON February 9, 2012

Alaska’s Tenakee Springs

The Island Spirit

The Island Spirit

For cruise travelers looking for waterways off the beaten path, it’s hard to beat Alaska’s Inside Passage. Bays, coves and inlets draw small ships to their shores where time is measured by incoming tides and seasonal shifts.

Waterfront in Tenakee Springs Among the small, remote communities found here, Tenakee Springs stands out. Within this peaceful enclave, colorful homes perch on pilings in a single line along the waterfront. Each share a heart-stopping view of the surrounding snow-capped mountains and wildlife. Behind the buildings runs the only road through town, an unpaved path for walking and biking.

At the dock we’re greeted by friendly canines who accompany us on our stroll through town. We linger at the Tenakee Hot Springs Lodge, before moving on to the beautifully restored St. Francis Chapel, followed by Snyder’s Mercantile for coffee, pastries and a few mementos of our visit.

I can easily imagine holing up here for a couple of weeks, hiking the nearby trails, kayaking in calm waters, whale-watching, only to cap off the days with good, long soaks in the hot springs.

After catching up on my sleep, I’d browse the stacks at the Dermott O’Toole Memorial Library, borrow a few books, and most certainly start writing my travel memoir. Ahh . . .

Have you cruised Alaska’s Inside Passage, Wanderboomers? If not, what are you waiting for?? If so, what’s your favorite spot?

BY Nancy Mueller 4 Comments ON May 27, 2011

Scenic Sitka

I was nursing a beer at Victoria’s Pour House in downtown Sitka. Behind me loomed a large sign, gong attached, inscribed with these words:

“If you touch it, and it makes a sound, Be prepared to buy a round.”

Pub visitors beware: patrons of the establishment take this warning seriously. No tom foolery here. If you take the gong and hit the sign, “just for fun,” guess what? You have just committed yourself to picking up the tab for every barfly present. And if you think you can get away without doing it, imagine having a rowdy bunch of patrons get up and start closing in on you, forming a tight circle with no exits.
That’s how the bartender described what happened to one not-so-fortunate visitor who learned from his mistake the hard way.

“What happened next?” I asked. “He put his money on the counter,” the bartender nodded, underscoring the fact that it was the only thing he could do.

The Port of Sitka, situated on the Western side of Baranof Island in the Alexander Archipelago, was the launching pad for our nine-day small-ship cruise of Alaska’s Inside Passage aboard the Island Spirit.

Before meeting up with the rest of the group for a shuttle tour of the city, we wandered a bit more downtown. Straight ahead at the end of the street: St. Michael’s Church.

Do you have any good pub stories while traveling? Favorite Sitka sightings? Leave me a comment here.