How to pack smarter before setting sail on a river cruise

curated by Evelyn Hannon  

Many years ago I met Arline Bleecker, an American travel journalist with wonderful expertise in the art of cruising. Arlene always looked great but if you looked carefully you understood that she had not packed a lot. She was simply being practical and creative. Here’s what I learned from her about packing for a river cruise.

Arlene’s tips on packing for a river cruise

Packing for a river cruise requires a definite knack – a skill, I must admit, I didn’t always have. Invariably, I overdid it. But finally, I learned some tricks. Sure it was fashionable a century ago to board a ship with enough steamer trunks to sink it. But today, we can forfeit fashion fatigue. Packing smart can save not only a small fortune in tips, but also an aching back, and time–you won’t have to wait so long at airports for your surfeit of suitcases. Besides, most cabins don’t have enough space to store what you bring anyway.

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10 expert tips on packing for a river cruise

1. A good rule of thumb is to pack one outfit for every 2 to 2 1/2 days of travel.

2. Pack lightly, especially for warm-weather river cruises. Just remember to toss in a sweater or shawl for cool evenings and hyper-air-conditioned ships. I’ve bought some of my prettiest shawls onboard or at the first local village shop. 

3. Don’t bother buying anything new. For daywear, simply don what you usually do at home: slacks or shorts, T-shirts or sweatshirts, and comfortable shoes such as sneakers or sandals. 

4. Bring a pair of rubber-soled walking shoes for slippery decks and dusty shore excursions.

5. One bathing suit and a cover-up are fine, even for Caribbean trips.

6. For colder climates, include well-designed flannel-lined sweats (some are quite fashionable). Consider lightweight thermal underwear in place of bulky outer garments.

7. The clothing you bring should, if possible, be wrinkle-resistant (certain silks and stretch fabrics are ideal).

8. In the event your clothes require TLC, some ships have complimentary self-service laundries for passengers wishing to wash and iron on their own. If you’re sailing on one that does, pack fewer items. Self-service laundries are a handy feature, especially when you consider that travel irons are verboten on most ships (they’re electrical fire hazards) and laundry services customarily charge upwards of three bucks just to wash a pair of socks.

9. Remember, even when formal wear is requested, it is not required. If dolling up just isn’t your thing, don’t feel obligated. The key to packing smart is bringing mix-and-match clothing. For formal evenings, I wear the same pair of black satin slacks, just dressing them up with different tops and glitzy earrings. Some might be more comfortable in dresses. You can wear whatever your little heart desires. Add one pair of suitable shoes. In this case, black flats or perhaps metallic ones are best. Just about all ships have alternate casual dining spots. Everybody else is getting dressed up? You can wear your jeans and a t-shirt in the cafe of your choice.

10. Pack sleepwear, underclothes, hosiery and toiletries, and some inexpensive foul-weather gear (a rain slicker or collapsible umbrella). Toss in a tote bag for carrying odds and ends.

BONUS: Finally, there’s this expert advice to women from one luggage-industry expert: ‘Whatever you planned to take, cut it in half and you’ll be fine.’

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