Rose Brooks

Episode 550 – Cruising Again: Packed for the Panama Canal

After 2 months back in BC, and with autumn rapidly making itself known through days of steady light rain that keep us mostly indoors, it’s time to be on the search for warmer climes again (although we will be back in Maple Ridge for 6 more weeks this fall).

Preamble: I blog my packing lists so that I can refer back to them when packing for future trips, and also so that we have an inventory of what’s in our suitcases if they’re ever lost. This is #14 in the series of packing posts that lets you climb into our suitcases.

This will be our third cruise this year, after Hawaii in January and a transatlantic in April. After this, we’ll leave on a 4-1/2 month world cruise in December, and although we don’t disembark that cruise until May we already have 2 more short ocean cruises and a Nile river cruise booked in 2025, plus a deposit paid on a cruise around Japan in 2026. Cruising has definitely become a part of our nomadic lifestyle, in between stays on land in furnished rentals in Canada and other countries.

It’s hard to remember why I ever thought that I wouldn’t like cruising (well, except for the whole sea sickness thing).

The first time we’d ever seen a cruise ship up close was in 1979. Ted and I were staying at a lovely all-inclusive resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, for our first anniversary. On the way back from a bakery in town where we’d stood in line with all the local residents for freshly made Jamaican patties (the first we’d ever eaten and, to this day, the best), a cruise ship was disembarking its passengers almost directly to the stalls of the waiting vendors lined up along the shore. I don’t t remember there being a real cruise port in Ocho Rios in 1979 – just a ship anchored close to shore and a long gangway connected to a wooden dock, but it was a long time ago and my memory may be faulty; we were pretty focussed on the delicious spicy meat pockets we were eating! What I do remember was thinking that I couldn’t imagine being part of that throng of people in shorts and beach wear haggling with straw hat and tee shirt vendors.

In 2019, on our very first cruise (Santiago Chile to Los Angeles on the Viking Star), I remember having that same feeling as we watched a 3000-passenger Carnival ship disgorge their passengers in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. And yet, that day we were ourselves going ashore from our 930-passenger ship on which we had thoroughly enjoyed every single minute.

We’ve learned since then that it’s really just a matter of finding the right kind of cruise – cruise line, ship size, and itinerary – that fits your personal style. We’ve also learned never to say “never”, but it’s not likely we’ll find ourselves on a Carnival party ship, or one of the new mega-ships. We love Viking’s small ships, and so far have also enjoyed Holland America and Princess’ mid-size ships, into which category this trip on HAL’s MS Eurodam fits.

Interestingly, mid-size ships like the Eurodam (and Cunard Line’s Queen Mary) were once some of the largest on the ocean. No longer. In 2024, Royal Caribbean launched their Icon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world, with a maximum capacity of 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew across 20 decks. (Image of the Eurodam above taken from Holland America’s website)

The Eurodam spends springs and summers (April through October) in Alaska, and autumn/winter in the Caribbean, so this itinerary from Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale is technically a repositioning cruise, although without the long stretches of sea days typical of a traditional transoceanic repositioning.

Our itinerary is only 21 days, and all in warm weather, so you’d think carry-on suitcases would do, but shipboard laundry can get expensive; we’re trying to avoid having to have more than one bag of it done. A bonus is that we sail out of Vancouver, meaning there’s no outbound flight, and our return flight from Fort Lauderdale in Porter Reserve includes checked luggage; it makes sense not to stress and to simply pack a large 25” roller bag, balance our small duffel (in which we pack bulky shoes and jackets) on top, and not have to squash anything.

Ted will, of course, still have his tech/camera bag to carry onto the plane on our return flight, and I’ll have a shoulder bag for documents, medications, my iPad and phone, and my spare glasses.

We’ll be packing a wardrobe very similar to what worked well on our cruise with Holland America in January, when we spent 24 days round-trip out of San Diego to Mexico and Hawaii. (Episode 464). This time, I’m packing more dresses though. They’re cooler than pants, and frankly more flattering. I’ll still pack hiking pants for our 2 booked wildlife excursions, but our itinerary is fully half sea days so I might as well be comfortable. Coincidentally, what we’ve packed represents about half of what we’ll be taking on our 4-1/2 month world cruise.

Typical shipwear: 2 of my many (maybe TOO many) inexpensive loose dresses that cover a multitude of culinary-inspired sins. The style on the right is one I own in half a dozen colours and patterns – it can go from poolside lounge to dinner with the addition of some jewelry (and some pressing).

My packing list for 21 days:

  • 6 long dresses
  • 3 pair palazzo pants (blue, white , beige)
  • 10 tops (1 blue print kimono, 3 x white, 2 x blue/white print, 1 beige, 1 yellow, 1 navy, 1 pink)
  • 4 pair sandals (blue, yellow, beige, white)
  • 1 pair navy/white print capris
  • 1 lightweight navy cardigan
  • 1 pair hiking pants + long-sleeved shirt + running shoes
  • 1 bathing suit + coverup
  • 1 pair pyjamas
  • 2 weeks’ underwear
  • Costume jewelry (matched with dresses/tops)
  • Kitbag: makeup, medication, toothbrush & paste, comb, hair gel, body lotion

This past year Ted has upgraded his cotton blend tee shirts to merino wool ones, which are cooler, more breathable, don’t hold smells, and can be worn multiple times between washing as long as they’re aired out. They’ve significantly changed the amount of suitcase space Ted needs on those trips when we travel carryon for months at a time, but they’re not evening wear on a cruise. At the same time, I have upgraded his button-up shirts to patterns and colours that I enjoy seeing him wear. His mantra has always been that he doesn’t care, since he doesn’t have to look at himself!

Ted’s packing list for 21 days:

  • 1 pair dress pants + 4 collared dress shirts + dress shoes
  • 1 pair khakis + 4 collared short-sleeved linen shirts
  • 1 pair dark jeans + 4 collared short-sleeved shirts + running shoes
  • 1 pair lightweight jeans + 4 Merino tees
  • 1 pair hiking pants + 2 longsleeved shirts + slip-on runners
  • 1 bathing suit
  • 1 pair sleep pants
  • 2 weeks’ underwear & socks
  • Kit bag: shaver, toothbrush, toothpaste, medications, sunscreen, bug repellent, spare reading glasses

The last minute packing touches are in process … and then on Sunday we’re off!

24 comments

  1. We are hopeful future World Cruiser’s and I have been following the VWC’s itineraries and various blogs for a number of years. We were hoping to go in 26 or 27, but I’m really not liking their current itinerary (just my personal opinion), way too much Indonesia (which is super cheap to travel in, but paying premium price on WC), so I was just curious if you ever considered another line like Oceania? They seem comparable to Viking and I hear the food is wonderful. Just wanted to hear your thoughts.

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    • We looked into Oceania, but they’re actually even more expensive. Acquaintances who’ve done both described the difference in onboard experience as “on Viking we were Miss Rose and Mr Edward (using our names in place of theirs), and on Oceania we were Stateroom 4034.” We’d be hard pressed to give up Viking’s very personal touch on big trips.

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  2. We’ll be in and out of London for 3-4 weeks following that Nile cruise, starting May 17. Unless you are flying straight to Cairo after that WC we won’t be on the same Nile cruise, but if you are hanging around London or England for a while after the WC, might catch you there!

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  3. Rose — are you going on a Viking Nile trip? We have also booked one for the Viking Sobek, package starting May 6, 2025 in Cairo, embarking Sobek on May 9. I would love it if we met aboard that one. I recall that the world cruise you were on kind of scratched the surface of the Nile region but long bus rides were involved — maybe from Alexandria or even the canal?

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  4. Hi Rose — and Dobie! Dobie, I think we are possibly on the same expedition cruise — on the Polaris, leaving Valparaiso (Santiago’s port) on November 8. We will be in Stateroom 2026. Please come find us if this message reaches you. Lots of people will be on different legs of this “Longitudinal World Cruise” but you are the first I’ve made contact with on our exact leg –flying back from Buenos Aires. We are spending two weeks in Chile before boarding, (Santiago, San Pedro de Atacama and Viña del Mar/Valparaiso) but flying home to Oregon directly from Ushuaia and BA. We’ve been on three Viking Ocean and one River cruises but we are especially excited to experience the Expedition ship. I’ve loved following Rose’s adventures since their first Viking World Cruise. I don’t think this Panama packing list will help this time, but I’ll save it for a warmer destination! You sound like a personal friend, so perhaps Rose will pass this message along so we can meet on board. Your name is less common than mine though — so I might recognize it if I run into you. My husband and I are Chris and Kathleen.

    Safe travels to you all!

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  5. I’m going to save this list. We have booked on the Viking Star, April 2025 Cape Town to London cruise. After 2 cancelled cruises, we’re excited to finally be cruising again. I look forward to reading your posts on your upcoming cruise.

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  6. I appreciate this post. We just got off a world cruise and while we’ve mailed a suitcase and box of souvenirs and cold weather clothes back to US ( from Sydney and Perth) we still have a suitcase and tote too many! We have been gone from our storage shed since Dec. And return in November.
    Next year, we plan to be away for 8.5 months to South America and Portugal. And have vowed to slim down in more ways than one.

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    • I envy you your upcoming 8.5 month adventure! We can hardly wait until we are able (due to health insurance restrictions) to be out of country for 2 years again. I wish you wonderful travels!!

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  7. Hi Rose- We just returned from an Alaskan cruise with Princess. My first cruise and quite enjoyed it! I used your Alaskan cruise packing list as a guide… lol! Enjoy your trip and look forward to the photo’s. Ann and Vern

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  8. I wish I was as organized as you! My next trip is in November on Viking Expedition from Santiago to Ushuaia, flying back from Buenos Aires. I’m determined to pack lighter, but I have to bring the waterproof parka, hat, gloves, and lightweight jacket too. I’ll figure it out. At least I have laundry on Viking! Looking forward to following along!

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