Written by Alexandria Hilton
1. Use an extendable suitcase
But! On the outbound, only pack as much as you can fit without the case extended. This way, after you have shopped for all the things you absolutely and positively could not live without and it’s the night before debarkation and you’ve had 4 glasses of wine but your suitcase needs to be outside your suite before 6am and it Just! Won’t! Close! …you realize that you can unzip and extend. And it’s like finding a crumbled-crisp $5 bill in the pocket of the jeans you washed last week.
Give your future self the gift of wiggle room.
2. Pack light and flow-y
This seems intuitive, I know. But it can be tricky depending on the weather in your destination. Molly says a dress for each night and a swimsuit for every two days. I would argue that bikinis take up minimal space and it never hurts to have at least one option for each day. To each their own!
Molly also mentioned that nudes and neutrals are the colors for shoes. I vote you go shoe-less altogether but, again ….
The bottom line is this:
You are a traveler. You want to be mobile. You want to be versatile. AND You want to look GOOD. And accessories take up very little space and create an opportunity for variety.
Also note that some ships have a dress code.Get clued in on what’s acceptable and what’s not — is it a no shoes, no service kind of vibe or is it a 1pm world’s sexiest man competition at the pool bar kind of thing?
In the same breath, make a mental note of any themed events and give yourself time to shop and prepare for those; if you’re one to conform, be sure to ask your travel advisor whether you need dust off your disco attire or rent a tux. Those of you who prefer to stand out might still want to be in-the-know… this way, you can pack your fiercest red dress for the sailing’s farewell white party. We love an innovator here at ATI!
Molly’s bonus addition:
Bring your insulated mug along for the ride! For coffee in the mornings or cocktails … well… also in the mornings…. anytime of day, really. We don’t judge! But we would if you preferred your rum punch lukewarm……. Invest in a nice insulated cup to bring along. You’ll find it handy in more scenarios than you could have ever imagined. Molly’s even has her name on it to avoid any confusion out at the pool! How brilliant!
