If you are taking a river cruise in Europe, here are some packing suggestions based on our trip in June-July 2014, i.e. the start of the northern summer. The Amazon products shown here were selected at random.
Suitcase
Buy the lightest full-size suitcase you can trust to last the trip and not eat into the 1 x 20 kg weight limit of Singapore Airlines. We had well-used Samsonite bags – one hard-shell and one soft-sided. They did the job well, but only half of each, including our small souvenir purchases, was used up. If you are flying Business Class, you will have a larger allowance. We also carried two sleep apnoea CPAP machines, which took up space and weight. If you don’t have such devices, one full-sized suitcase might suffice for two people.
We prefer four-wheelers with spinners that can be pulled or pushed. Nobody lifts suitcases anymore.
Packing System
We also took some packing system bags to keep our clothes intact; otherwise, they’d be completely creased when we got to the ship. Packing system units can also be lifted into drawers if you don’t want to unpack completely.
Carry-Ons
I took a sturdy, 14-year-old backpack, while Lesley took a small shoulder bag from UK travel firms such as Trafalgar and Globus. Mine lets me carry a folding umbrella on the outside. We took the two small Evergreen backpacks in our suitcases but did not use them on the cruise. I left mine behind while Lesley used hers to carry the heaviest items back home. Other people happily used their Evergreen backpacks as day packs on our excursions or ones they had picked up from other cruises.
Ideally, you need a theft-proof one with many pockets that are accessible and with hidden zippers that can’t be forced open with a ballpoint pen. This bag should be suitable enough for flights and day trips. For the day trips (it was sunny), I took a little camera bag that could also accommodate a bottle of water, a poncho and a windbreaker.
Shoes
You will need two pairs to be safe. It can rain, and you’ll need a change back at the ship. Get a comfortable pair with a good grip for wet, cobbled roads. If you get walking shoes that can masquerade as dress shoes, that’s even better, but honestly, you won’t need dress shoes on the ship or at the optional music concert. But get a pre-tested pair you can wear all day. Forget the high heels. Sandals are also OK during the day.
Clothes
If you wear neat casual clothes that don’t include T-shirts or jeans, you will be ready for every occasion. I wore jeans and a business shirt during the day. I was one of 3-4 silly bunnies to wear a suit to the concert in Vienna, and not only was I in the minority, it was hot and stuffy inside that room of over 1,000 people. Another ship, probably up-market, had people mostly dressed to the nines for the opera. There were people in T-shirts and shorts – which I do not recommend at all, but they were not kicked out.
During the day, a lot of people wore shorts and cargo pants.
A hat is a good idea in summer, but remember to take it off inside a church if you are male. Women don’t have to remove headdresses in churches. Don’t forget to pack the sunscreen. Sunglasses are also advisable.
Technology
Cameras
We took photos and videos with our iPhones and a GoPro 3 Black. We left at home our video camera and the expensive Nikon SLR. It was rare to be in a situation where we missed the zoom lens. After all, nobody will care about our photos except ourselves, and you’re not likely to be in a situation to take award-winning shots. A gimbal stabiliser would improve your videos by reducing jerkiness.
Computers
I took my laptop as I am still in the workforce and needed a decent keyboard to maintain this blog site, back up the cameras daily, check emails and for general internet access. The ship has free Wi-Fi. Other ships might offer a laptop in each cabin. You might need something more straightforward like an iPad, but think about a way to back up your camera somewhere – a laptop is just fine. If you back up your photos at home to the cloud, such as Dropbox, don’t do that on the cruise, as it might take hours or might fail.
Phone SIM
Some cities along the route have free Wi-Fi but don’t count on it, as they don’t have English instructions, and you might not know how to connect. We bought global SIMs for $19.99 each, and during three weeks, I loaded about $150 worth of credit (mainly Facebook use), and Lesley loaded about $100. They were also handy when we separated and needed to text one another. If you are with Vodafone, you can get a $5/day global roaming deal, use your existing allowance, and keep your Aussie number. Ditto with Optus, but it’s $10/day.
If the ship’s internet is down, your SIM is also unlikely to reach a cell tower, so don’t rely on it while the ship is underway.
Translators
We loaded Word Lens (now defunct – use Google Translate today) on our iPhones, as it was free and had French and German, but not Hungarian and Slovakian. It was handy for translating menus and the occasional placard. It’s not essential, but pointing the phone at some text and viewing it in English is fun. For many, a phrase book might suffice, although you’re unlikely to meet anyone in Europe who does not understand English. Even in Paris, nobody was rude to us for speaking only in English.
Power
We have several powered devices, so we take an 8-outlet Aussie power board and use a foreign plug adapter to plug it into the wall. USB devices can be charged from the TV set in your cabin (look for a USB socket) or your laptop.
Skype/WhatsApp
On the cruise and at airports, people were using Skype (with video) to talk to their families back home and letting everyone around them hear both ends of the conversation. If you want to do this, please use earphones.
Amenities
You won’t forget your toothpaste and toothbrush, but you might forget the sunscreen – you could be out in the summer sun all day, and the days can be long, so don’t forget.
Washing
The cabins have a retractable clothesline, but you may also want to bring your own. Do bring your washing powder, preferably in small packets. Do not hang your washing on the balcony.