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Luggage

Stellie

Good morning.
How many of you are at the point where you are just taking a carry-on /backpack on these international trips?
I've never done it but am seriously contemplating it for the Australia/New Zealand trip coming up in November.
There are laundry services in these hotels so it could work.
Any input/tips would be appreciated.
Thanks.

Comments

British

I’ve done it once and successfully but it was only a week and on a river boat and not aTauck tour.
I could probably do it again but it takes a lot of planning when you only stay in a hotel for one night on some tours. If there is no self service laundry facilities with Tauck staying in expensive hotels, then the laundry prices are going to be ridiculous. Even self service can have hiccups if you get to the one or two machines and they are in use just at the only time you have. And who wants to spend any vacation time doing laundry.
I would say the Australia NZ is the most ambitious tour to try it out because it is so long.
When we did Australia with Tauck years ago, we actually did do some laundry at one hotel but that’s rare for us. Most hotels since then have changed. Also take into consideration when you do the tour, if it’s June July, August then Australian will be really hot
The last thought and it may not bother you, is Tauck’s insistence on wearing Resort casual at so many dinners, never mind the sports coats mentioned that might make you feel underdressed the way they phrase it. Those clothes take lot of room as they are not generally site seeing clothes.

Sealord

I think you may have your seasons upside down.

Stellie

Thanks British. It does seem a bit ambitious. As far as resort wear, I'm really not concerned with that. A pair of nice black pants and nice top will do.

RickThomas

Stellie, we have friends that travel extensively and for months at the time and they, both husband and wife, only carry their carry-ons. We don't know how they do it but they say it is easily done by packing tops and bottoms that match each other so they can change up often. They use quick or fast drying clothes and rinse them in the rooms at night. BTW, we'll be on the Australia-New Zealand trip in November too.

Smiling Sam

I don’t get the carry-on only. I know if you check your luggage they can get lost. We do an emergency bag carry on and then check the rest.

I’m sure if you wanted to go the the extreme you could do the tours with just the clothes you wear on the plane, but who wants to do daily or a few times a week laundry when on vacation just to avoid checking a bag. Not I. If forced to because my checked bag gets lost, so be it, but my default will never be the ‘do laundry a bunch on vacation’ no checked bag paradigm.

Stellie

Thanks Rick. My modus operandi is to wear/bring black pants (2 pair) and 3 tops that I can interchange and of course carry a delicate wash concentrate for underwear/bra's an extra pair of shoes other then those on my feet for walking/hiking, a swim suit and puffy vest/sweater in case it's chilly. Temps on the trip are opposite then those in North America so it should be warm . No heavy coats! I look forward to meeting you and your wife Nov.2nd! G'day!

Stellie

Of course I will carry insect repellent for the rain forest as well as a hat for sun protection and 2 pair socks.(wash out each day)

Wan

Stellie I am curious for you to try it and report back to us how it all went for you. I'm booked for Aus/NZ the following year and anticipate multiple weather changes so I am already trying to figure out how to pack. Factor in shoes/health essentials/layers and there is no way I could personally do it in a carry-on. I guess if I had ever had lost luggage I would think differently, but as long as someone else is lugging my luggage around, I don't mind bringing a larger suitcase.

Stellie

Wan,
I have a nice size back pack as well for daily meds ,sanitary items, reading material, etc. I am determined after having friends who have lost luggage on International trips. American Airlines JUST let me know that I am NOW traveling from St. Louis to Dallas to L.A .(with a 40 minute layover in Dallas before boarding the L.A flight ) THAT SCARES ME. What if luggage doesn't make flight to LA? Originally it was St. Louis to LA then board Qantas Airlines with plenty of time to Melbourne. SOOO in order to make this work I am willing to experiment. When I was 26 I traveled to Europe with just a carry-on! Onwards& Upwards! Here we go!

terrilynn

We took a Rick Steves tour of Venice, Florence, & Rome a few years ago - also extended 10 days on our own, so we were in Italy a total of 22 days. We did CarryOn only then - a very popular Rick Steves 'suggestion,' -- we didn't have to do it, we did it to see if we could. We haven't done it since - but it was doable.

We each took 4 pairs of pants, 5 tops, 4 pair Merino wool socks as they don't sweat/smell. We only took the shoes we wore -- Keen Targhee 3 waterproof - we knew this trip was casual. A light jacket each, etc. We went to Costco and bought all new underwear to keep at home and each took 22 pair of old underwear and threw them away after each use. So we came home with NO underwear (we knew we could wash if we needed to, but never needed to). Washing in Europe is VERY different - the machines are smaller and the driers take a LONG time to dry and there really isn't much free time to do laundry, plus, on vacation, I really don't want to do laundry in another country.

The 20 pairs of new underwear we bought was $12 - BEST idea we had was to trash our worn/old underwear along the way. I bought a couple of nice scarves to change up my look. No one remembers what you wear anyway and most everyone does the same. We came home with olive oil and leather bags and did fine -- we did 'check' our luggage on the way home due to olive oil.

We each had an International 2-wheeled carry on, a packable tote for day carry and purchases, and a backpack and day bag each (I had a crossbody purse, he takes a Tom Bihn CoPilot). We learned having the right bags for this is key. We could easily do it again now that we have the right bags - but we just don't see the need.

sherry_schare

We always travel with a 24" suitcase each, and one carry on for both plus a backpack each. We keep medicines, laptops and anything that we may need on a long international flight in the carry on and use the backpacks mainly for the daily outing while on tour. If we have been frugal with our packing, sometimes the backpacks fit into our carry-on. Tauck has never raised any objections to the luggage we have and we would rather be prepared with extra clothing changes and or appropriate shoes and jackets.

Claudia Sails

Stellie, I normally don't do the carry-on only thing on Tauck tours but did in June for the Week in Scotland plus another week on our own. Main reason was because the time on our own I'd be hauling my own bag on/off three different trains plus getting it to and around our hotel in Oban (thankfully a short walk). It took some planning and test packs. I normally choose at least part of my wardrobe items that could be easily sink washed and dried quickly. I've never needed more that 10 minutes spent laundering something myself and often less. It's just not that big a deal. I'm fortunate in that I don't sweat unless it's particularly hot and humid so I could easily get at least 2 days wear out tops/bottoms. I think in that 2 weeks I washed out 2 tops and 1 pair of pants on different days.

Can't find my final packing list but including what I wore to travel I brought 6 pairs of pants and around 9 tops from short sleeve to long. I also packed a cardigan and very light rain jacket. I brought one pair of lace up leather sneakers for day and a nice pair of dress flats for evening. Misc included underwear, socks, swimsuit, sleep T, gloves, scarves and non-liquid toiletries. All this went into a 21" hardside spinner bag plus I had an underseat bag with essentials - 311 bag, electronics, medication, Kindle, etc.

FYI, we have 2 more Tauck tours this year and I'm definitely not going carryon only. I will do what I normally do in that instance and bring my 24" checked bag and my underseat roller bag with at least 1 outfit just in case.

British

Stellie, a 40 minute layover, yes do carry on! You are entitled to call to change that layover, it’s not long enough, I think there are rules about that.
As far as laundry is concerned, hasn’t anybody been to hotel where despite lightweight drip dry clothing is concerned, or rolling in a towel, the clothing just does not dry, it’s certainly happened to us. Another reason I don’t like to do laundry on vacation.
I’ve done the old underwear thing too. Years ago when paper underwear was the rage for travel, I took a pack of those and the first time I went to the loo, they ripped! Almost a commando experience!

Claudia Sails

British, it depends on what the fabric and weight is. I have several pairs of rayon/nylon/spandex slacks - dressy and comfortable. Not athletic wear! In Scotland I washed them in the shower and hung to dry. They were dry the next day. Anything that is a bit thicker or made from cotton I wring in a towel before hanging. If I'm worried about something not drying I do it on the first night in a hotel. Heated towel racks are handy. Something like jeans I'd send out to the laundry. On the river cruises its very affordable. Anything that needs cold water and hang dry or low temps no way I'll send out.

SandyFeet

Stellie, I love COO. It feels very liberating to walk right off that plane and go straight through Customs without having to stand anxiously by a carousel and pray my checked bag made the trip with me. I prefer trips with casual itineraries, but if I did choose to go somewhere fancy schmancy then I might make an exception to my rule. Whatever or however you choose to pack, have tons of fun and remember a smile can be your best accessory.

Stellie

Love that Sandy! Cheers!

Claudia Sails

So often it takes so long to get thru customs that the luggage is already waiting -- not like domestic flights.

Folsomdoc

We’ve done carry on only for decades as much of our travel is independent. So, we are hauling the bags, with trains being a major challenge. Need to be sure you can lift them, watch them. You get very good at packing, learning which materials are amenable to sink washing, how more than two pair of shoes are really not necessary. For our first Tauck tour we were a bit flummoxed by the dress up dinners. One rule about carry on only is never pack anything you need once or twice only. We are going to N. Italy with Tauck in 2024. But we are extending our trip independently so plan on carry on only. We’ve done 2-6 weeks with a 21” rollaboard and a small underseat toiletry bag. I’ll risk being “that guy” without a sport jacket.

Stellie

A man after my own heart. No cocktail dresses for this girl . I dress for practicality and comfort on trips. Simplicity.

Less is more.

BKMD

Lucky you, Cathy. I've lost luggage one time (Tauck Egypt last year). I got my suitcase back a month after the trip ended! I never saw it during the trip. Turns out, the lazy airport workers in Cairo, who don't even answer their phone, just sit around all day staring at piles of lost bags. It was there the whole time.

As a result, rather than a backpack as a carry-on, I bought a small suitcase that fits under the seat and pack 2 days worth of clothes in it. I still check a bag.

gladysorlando984

Stellie - I did the Australia / NZ tour this year, it's a rather long tour laundry at the hotels is pretty expensive. I don't think I could have done carry on for this tour. I'm going on a river cruise in a couple of weeks is only for 1 week so I'm planning to do carry on and small duffle bag.

Claudia Sails

Gladys, I could do a week river cruise like that as long as I didn't bring back many souvenirs or I a packed a folded bag to take the overflow. I'm doing a Christmas cruise and want room for bulky winter clothes and shopping.

This video is 9 years old but it's amazing to watch how this woman packs for 3 weeks in a carryon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34aOUllQwKA

gladysorlando984

Claudia the video is amazing, thank you. I use compression cubes and love them. I feel confident that for 6 days on the boat not counting arrival and departure I should do okay with the carry on, I don't intend to buy souvenirs, have been in Portugal several times and if I get the urge to buy something I'll make sure I have room for it. 🤣 For a Christmas cruise there's no way to go with only a carry on.

Folsomdoc

Here is another variation of the folding technique. I use this in combination with some packing cubes for underwear, t-shirts just so I don’t have to unpack them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDn9l20NlWw

MotherOfPoodles

We did this trip in January/ February 2017. There were 40 people on our tour. The weather there was summer. Only one of the men on the tour did not have a sports jacket ( and he wore T shirts to every dinner🙂.. ). People dressed very well for dinners. As I remember, people took 26 inch bags and many of us still did laundry in New Zealand. the TD told us good places to get laundry done outside the hotels for a reasonable price. Obviously wear what you want- this was our experience. I bring dresses and nice silk clothes on vacation. Silk is great because it is really light. We travel a lot and only bring carry on size if we are traveling on our own and can plan places to do laundry along the way. When we know we are in nice hotels , we bring clothes that are appropriate. Have no interest in being the “ ugly Americans”.🤷🏻‍♀️Actually I think this is pretty funny…. On the last few tours everyone seemed obsessed with luggage weight, not size.

Claudia Sails

When I did the carryon I used a 21" hardside from Travelpro which has completely zippered compartments on both sides. Wasn't sure I liked that until I tried it. The side with the trolley handles got the odd shaped stuff like shoes, my sweater, etc mostly rolled. The other side I layered pants on the bottom alternating the waistbands and leaving the legs hanging out. On top of them I place 1 med sized packing cube with tops. I don't like rolling pants. Tucked a lot of little stuff in corners. The advantage of both sides being enclosed was I could put my rain coat in the space between them. That way if we'd arrived in Scotland to rain I could easily slide it out.

Stellie

Folsom Doc
That video is incredible!
And he's packing for 2 months!

Patrice

What others, such as the woman in Claudia’s posted video, commonly call a “carry on bag”, I call my rollaboard. I do not “carry” it except when the escalators at JFK are out of service. I carry my tote bag/personal item. And right you are Claudia… rollaboards with both interior sides zipped closed are my preference over the “X” strap. I too pack my jacket and pashmina in the middle between the two zipped enclosures for easy access. I wish more checked bags had the same feature.

OurTravels34

Has anyone ever used the Biaggi luggage? The advertisements and you’re tubes appear that they are so versatile and light weight. I am happy with what I have which is an old but light-weight Samsonite, and I was just curious if anyone has the perfect luggage.

British

I had a Biaggi bag and it was a total disaster. The carry handle is two handles like a tote and very awkward to pull even with four wheels. I took it on my K and T tour and it was so embarrassing to watch the hotel staff try to deal with it. It went to Goodwill when we got home. I had a smaller type one which was Ok. Someone, I forget who, on the forum loves them.