Special Luggage Requirements
We are scheduled to take this tour in January 2024 and have determined that none of our carry on luggage meets the requirements of 22"X14X10. For those of you who have taken this trip, could you let me know what carry on luggage you used successfully on the trip (brand and type)? I've found a few online, but would like recommendations. I am assuming the size is important for the intra-air.
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I did the trip in 2017. That was before the baggage situation, in terms of lost luggage, really seemed to accelerate.
As such, our carry-ons were simply a backpack for me and a tote for my wife. Now, as has been described in other forum threads by others, I bring one fit under the seat carry-on for the two of us, that holds two days worth of emergency clothes. This is in addition to the backpack and tote.
One thing to note, on one of the intra-tour flights on the VCT tour, the Tauck group was one of the last to board. The flight was a commercial flight and it was sold out. We had reserved seats so that wasn't a problem, but like what happens on flights in the US the overhead storage was mostly full by the time we boarded. As such, some of the Tauck people that brought roll-on carry-ons had to get those bags checked after finding out there was no overhead luggage space left. They weren't happy campers.
It looked like another big tour had boarded before us and it looked like every member of that group had a roll-on carry-on that went into the overhead. Perhaps it was a Rick Steves group (just kidding).
Our carry on is just a backpack each. Mine is a Vera Bradley backpack. My husbands’s is an ancient school backpack we got at Costco, he loves it and won’t get a new one.
Tauck consistently states the preference of no wheeled luggage for the bus tours but most do seem to take large wheeled carry on from my observations.
We took the Vietnam Cambodia Laos tour, it is no longer available. These days I carry two complete outfits and an extra pair of shoes if there is room. For that tour I feel you need lots of clothes changes as it is so humid or you have to do lots of laundry. We rarely do laundry other than a bit of underwear on tours.
We are going to Vietnam and and Cambodia on a river cruise next year. One thing I won’t be taking is skinny style capris that I took last time, a mistake, you definitely need loose fitting clothing when it is humid.
Now is the time to buy summer clothes for next years travel especially to hot and humid climates since everything summer is on sale - only cotton, linen or travel material for those climates.
Thanks to every one for their comments!
jteiii - I'm going Jan '24 as well. What dates are you going?
BKMD: Jan. 19
I'm going earlier in the month.
Hope your TD is Larry Abbott! He lives in Bangkok and has been with Tauck over 30 years! He. Was our TD this past April in Japan.
We had Larry also, he is great
Larry is awesome!
We loved Larry “Jo” Abbott. We took backpacks as carry ons, and went Jan - Feb 2019. DEFINITELY wear loose, light weight clothes. When you get to Saigon there are a lot of stores near the hotel that will have wide leg women’s silk/ linen blend pants ( elastic waste). They are great looking and fabulous for the heat. Hanoi was a bit chilly and required a jacket. Hotels are fabulous ( especially the Metropole, Raffles in Siem Riep and Chiang Mai 4 Seasons). You will love this trip.
Larry is the BEST, I had him for China and Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand.
We are going on the Jan 26 trip!
Hope I can fit all the change of clothing everyone says to bring !!
We were the last trip before pandemic in 2020 .We took.our regular carryon Samsonite along with back pac.Didn’t have any issues.
Thanks for all of the comments. Is it appropriate for men to wear nice shorts since this VCT trip?
Sorry, I didn't finish my sentence on the previous post. I meant to ask if it appropriate for men to wear nice short pants during this VCT trip, at least sometimes during particularly hot days.
Yes, on the shorts.
I did this trip in January, the coolest time of year. Except for North and Central Vietnam, this trip was uncomfortably hot and humid. Shorts all the way!
BKMD Good to know. I'm booked for December 2025. I'm a NOLA girl, so hopefully the hot & humid weather won't bother me too much.
The difference between living in a humid climate and touring in one is that you can’t go inside to get some air conditioning when you would like. I was back in Vietnam and Cambodia this year and it’s definitely one of the most humid places we have been to. We are used to humidity in the summer here at home, but Vietnam is a whole different thing.
British thanks for the sobering reality check.....at least packing will be easy (hopefully)