6 Days To Go...

The preparations continue. Packing (or planning to pack) has been notably more difficult for this trip due to its duration (longer than usual), nature (cruising vs. the usual stay-puts or train-based city-hopping), and conditions (no self-serve laundry on the ship). By nature, Libby and I don’t tend to go “fancy” in Europe. For that reason, we can usually get by with mostly casual attire and maybe a smarter outfit or two for evening cultural events.

Cruising is different in that one usually changes the day’s attire (and often dresses up) for dinner on most evenings. Of course, NCL is “freestyle” making formal and semi-formal nights optional. Resort casual (at most) is what’s said to be required. And, I’ve heard one can get away with less (for example, jeans are allowed at night in all but one of the dinning rooms). Nonetheless, we’ll be carrying a greater percentage of dressier clothing than we’d ordinarily do.

After inspecting what we’ve set out to pack and the luggage we plan on taking, I’m starting to worry that we won’t be able to make it all fit. In fact, those Space Bag infomercials are starting to appeal. Hmm... maybe Stephen Hawking has some ideas on compressing matter that I could borrow? :-)