Forget Covid passes, passports, weather and travel itinery - not that those things aren't extremely important, but when it comes to going on holiday the biggest anxiety for many travellers is what to pack in their suitcase. Well former singer-turned TV presenter Jane McDonald may be able to help on that score.
The 59-year-old has earned the title of Queen of the Seas after travelling on hundreds of cruises to the far corners of the globe. Having started her singing career aboard cruise liners, her eight series presenting Channel 5 's award-winning Cruising with Jane McDonald cemented her status as a holiday guru.
Holidaying With Jane McDonald, also on Channel 5, recently saw the former Loose Women panellist travelling to more exotic places like Florida, the Caribbean and Corfu. So she is ideally placed to advise on the dos and don'ts of packing for a cruise liner trip.
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Viewers can still catch Jane running the rule over holidaying on the waves in the final series of her Cruising with Jane McDonald on streaming platforms. Another instalment will be shown on 5 Select, on Freeview, at 8pm on Thursday (June 23).
In several episodes of the series, she revealed her top packing tips - including why you only need two pairs of shoes while on a cruise liner. Worrying what to wear on a glamorous cruise ship could prove a particular dilemma for many, especially given the array of amenities and attractions onboard, ranging from theatres and casinos to pools and top restaurants.
Fortunately, Jane is on hand to share some useful tips on what to pack for your trip, and what to leave behind. "Invest in a good suitcase – lightweight but hard," is her first piece of advice.
"It's also worth investing in a clothes rail and hanging up everything you are going to take with you." she added. The cruise veteran also shares a handy method for packing your suitcase.
It involves buying mini storage cases which you can put inside the main suitcase to keep everything in order and make sure items are easy to find. "You can put these in your case and keep everything separate," she revealed, adding. "And you can find these on Amazon."
What clothes to take is the question on most people's lips. "Separate your clothes into day and evening wear," suggests the singer. "That way, you’ll know exactly what you’re packing for each day so you won’t end up taking too much or worse, the wrong things."
"Check the itinerary and work out how many formal nights there will be, so you can pack accordingly," she added. "For glamorous evenings, you are certain to need a cocktail dress and some accessories to go with it.
“Pack a pair of comfortable trainers like Skechers, plus a pair of mid-heel shoes in nude or pewter. Trust me, you don’t want to be tottering around on deck in sky-high stilettos."
Jane also had some sound advice on colour coordination when choosing which items to pack in your bag for a cruise trip. "Stick to whites and blacks, or browns and creams," she said. "If you’re going to go for black, don’t pack brown, because that means two sets of handbags, how many shoes you've got to match brown and black - you just can’t do it."
Another tip is packing "lots of white" or other light-coloured clothing because they will help you show off your new tan. Lycra is also an important element of her cruise liner wardrobe.
"Try and get lycra in just about everything you bring on a cruise because you’re just about going to eat your own body weight!" she said. "So always bring something slightly bigger for the end of the cruise - trust me, you are going to need it."
