Fun question- how do you spend the week before preparing for your cruise?

Every time I see this thread I wonder why it is a "fun" question.

A nosy question, yes. Curiosity, yes. Interesting, maybe. But fun???

Every time I see this thread I wonder why it is a "fun" question.

A nosy question, yes. Curiosity, yes. Interesting, maybe. But fun???

Maybe I should say "just for fun". And not "fun" question.

Actually I have enjoyed the many responses. Both serious and lighthearted.

I have already incorporated some of the organization tips and planning into my regime and feel more confident to head out Friday :)

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Every time I see this thread I wonder why it is a "fun" question.

A nosy question, yes. Curiosity, yes. Interesting, maybe. But fun???

Perhaps the question isn't fun, but packing for a cruise is always fun.:D

Perhaps the question isn't fun, but packing for a cruise is always fun.:D

Exactly!!

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While packing at the end of the cruise is just disappointing. :(

While packing at the end of the cruise is just disappointing. :(

OMG!!! Hahahahahahahaha!

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Wow, lots of interesting ideas.

Normally we would start to layout everything to pack a couple weeks in advance on the spare bedroom bed. But since downsizing we no longer have a dedicated spare bedroom so no extra bed (sofa bed stays folded up). We'll have to lay things out elsewhere.

In the week before we clean a lot and get cat supplies for our son to use when he stops by to feed the little demon. When we leave we open all the shades so he can see out. Windows are like TV for cats. ;)

Two weeks out I start to monitor the long range weather models like GFS and ECMWF to see trends then just before actually packing. Then in the week before I look at the NAM and the NOAA-OPC charts. Based on these and my own forecasting the final packing gets fine tuned.

Also the week before I start driving really really carefully. Like I should all the time but it somehow becomes more important the closer the cruise gets to drive like :halo: not :evilsmile:.

While packing at the end of the cruise is just disappointing. :(

Depressing and going into withdrawal the night before disembarkation.

With a week to go most items needed are around the case in the spare room..none clothes probably in it.We usally do a 10+ day cruise so thats a lot. As we work in education and go in the summer we usually have at least 1-4 weeks off before the cruise anyway.

• Get a hair cut
  
• Get dog up to date with vets and prepare his bag to go to the in-laws
  
• Realise forgot medicine,underwear and little extra essentials- go last minute shopping
  
• Repack a few times
  
• Nag husband to pack (he packs the night before without fail)
  
• Needlessly cut packing items and leave them on the floor
  
• Print out all documents and put them in a special folder
  
• Ensure husband has all his diabetic stuff
  
• Eat contents of fridge in various meal creations
  
• Make a picnic/snacks for the journey (unless flying)...I love making a picnicif we train it to the cruise!
  
• Tidy house top to bottom
  
• Post various cruise things on social media
  
• Watch Titanic or similar (tradition)
  
• Catch up on any work so I can relax
  
• Relax and get excited
  

I cash in all my change that I save through the year, get a pedicure, start packing and spend as much time in the sun as I can.

Wonderful laughs. Glad to hear that I am normal. I am known for making sure that everyone one shows me their passports, credit card and medicine before the car can pull out of the garage. If you have those items you can get by without the rest. I always get a pedicure with regular polish. It lasts through my 10-14 day cruise. However I do not get a manicure because they seem to look bad after 3-4 days. What process are you getting done and what type of polish do you recommend? Regular polish? Gel? I swim every day on a cruise and spend time in the hot tubs too. Thanks

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I spend most of the week before a trip going crazy at work. Trying to prepare myself and those who work in my place for my time away. Doing whatever I can in advance. We are all pretty busy normally so dumping my workload on them creates a lot of stress and requires a literal boatload of instructions and lists.

It is for this reason that I am completely packed and ready to go the weekend before the week before my trip.

Can't wait for the day (1 year and 3 months) when I can retire. I can spend all week packing, getting pedicures, etc.

Wonderful laughs. Glad to hear that I am normal. I am known for making sure that everyone one shows me their passports, credit card and medicine before the car can pull out of the garage. If you have those items you can get by without the rest. I always get a pedicure with regular polish. It lasts through my 10-14 day cruise. However I do not get a manicure because they seem to look bad after 3-4 days. What process are you getting done and what type of polish do you recommend? Regular polish? Gel? I swim every day on a cruise and spend time in the hot tubs too. Thanks

 

 

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If I get gel manicure/pedicures they last the entire trip. Also the gel does not wear off as fast when walking in sand or bumping toe on the non-skid pool bottoms.

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I'm a freelancer so I usually spend it working like a mad woman trying to finish off all of my projects and making sure that my clients know (and plan for the fact) I'm going on holiday and won't be able to start any new projects until I'm back. I'm about 6 weeks out from my next sailing and I'm already trying to prepare them for the fact that I'm going to be unreachable for nearly 2 weeks.

We sail on a Monday, and will travel to the port on Sunday.

I'm working thru Friday.....DW comes off night shift 6 am Wednesday.

We're started already..... two clothes rails in the second bedroom, and as things (not needed before the trip) get cleaned/ironed/pressed they get hung up.

The Saturday before, DW is supervising a kids athletic day. For me, its haircut, mow the lawns, cook dinner. DW will have packed Thurs/Fri so we can load the car and go Sunday.

2 weeks before I start reviewing my computer files for the ship, making sure things like Mail Hold, newspaper hold, notifying cc companies about foreign travel, giving emergency info to relatives, etc. have already been done. I also regroup the information by putting hints on ship, food and drink info, hotel info, etc., deck plans, etc. in groups. I then go to the various computer files for the ports we will be visiting, making sure all excursions have been booked and sort through information. I review my "cruise packing list", print it and start decorating my house with stuff I will be packing....Put as much aside as possible.

1 week before Haircuts, mani/pedi's, final wash and putting out clothes and accessories that I want to bring.

We drive about 3 hours the day before the cruise and stay in a hotel there. Then drive 1.5 hours to the cruiseport the next morning.

Love the last 2 weeks before a cruise...exciting, knowing it's almost time to sail!

I'm going on my first Cruise but have traveled international a lot (my in-laws live in Sri Lanka). My Cruise, Rome to Rome, is in 5 weeks from Sunday. I already have a list of must purchase before leaving. I have them sitting in wish lists at Amazon.com and Nordstrom.com I will purchase 2 weeks before leaving. I have ALL my summer clothes on our guest bed for myself and my Son (11ys). My Son has everything purchased that he needs (dress clothes/shoes, flip flops, swim suits). He has tried on everything to make sure things fit from last year. I have been shopping a lot for new clothes as I have lost enough weight that my summer clothes are now way to big for me. My best friend is making me a new summer dress for the trip (not formal just a sun dress, she is talented). I have my haircut appointments set, first is this Saturday, the color is for two weeks before so the color can settle in, blonde highlights for summer hair. My mani/pedi will be two days before going, with my Mom (her Mother's Day gift). I get gel nails for both toes and fingers, last a lot longer. I have our after cruise arrangements in Rome confirmed already, but will confirm the week before we leave. I need to arrange transportation from port to our apartment still. I need to make my packing list this weekend as I finally have a free day. The weekend before is Memorial Day weekend, we are staying home and I will be packing and shopping and cleaning. I will leave the night before open because my husband never packs until then. But, I always split our clothes ups so if one of the suitcases gets lost we still have clothes. I also confirm our house sitter. I pay my bills or schedule them to pay before leaving. Call the bank and credit card companies to let them know of our travel plans. I get cash. I update my iphone and dump my photo's onto the computer and delete from my phone. I remove apps I don't need to free up space. I download only music I want for the trip. I update my Son's ipad for movies he wants on the trip. Make sure he brings enough to entertain himself in most situations. I break in my new shoes for a few weeks, walking on the treadmill or walking around the house. Put all my house plants in one location so it is easy for house sitter to water. Some with garden. I will not do a lot of planting until we get back. Work, make sure everything is up to date and boss has only what he needs to do (don't want him messing with my stuff, so I have less to fix when I get back). I'm a lot freaked out about this trip only because I have never been on a cruise before but my parents have and I am talking with them like every day about this and that. I had my best friend over to go over my clothes. My Mom has consulted me on jewelry and wraps, hats and shoes. I have my list of restaurants for lunch in ports, saved as favorites in my Trip Advisor App. I have all our travel documents copied already and in a folder. I have contacted our emergency contacts with necessary information. I'm ready to go, not really but all this planning (over a year) and I just want to go already. Hope the weather starts warming up.

This is our first cruise but both hubby and I have travelled internationally many times. We are leaving Canada for Barcelona where our cruise starts. We fly out Friday morning and get to Barcelona Saturday morning. The cruiseship leaves Sunday afternoon. We also spend two extra days in Barcelona after the cruise.

We now have exactly 3 weeks left!!

My plan for the last week:

- get a wax and brow thread (essential for any beach trip)

- get a shellac manicure and pedicure

- pack my clothes, bathing suits and shoes and our 4-year old daughter's (hoping hubby will pack his too

- get spending cash in euro from the bank (this is for tips on the cruise)

- Need to buy sandals for my 4 year old (ones from last summer don't fit and winter in Ottawa hasn't quite ended yet)

- pack some snacks (I like to have a lot of nuts and dried fruits around for the flight and later)

- download the maps of all ports on Google Maps (have already started this process)

- We have been using Travefy to get organized for this trip. The plan is for the last week to update the app on both of our phones so we have access to all the info we have already saved in there for each port and for time in Barcelona.

- buy/pack cruise necessities (wristlet for me, magnets, magnetic clips and hangers, sunscreen, ziplock bags, drawstring bags...

- print our cruise e-docs and flight itinerary, passport printouts and hotel location. We like to have hard copies in addition to pdf's saved on our phones

- Call our home security company and let them know we will be away for 12 days. Also tell our neighbour the same and ask them to get our mail

I speak French fluently and can understand enough of Italian and Spanish to get buy. Otherwise I would also download these languages on my Google Translate app

I don't do anything. My job is done. Booked the trip, planned the pre and post travel. I have travelled frequently for business and pleasure. I pack the night before or the morning of if we have a later flight. We only do carry on, it is mostly by rote, so packing is a snap. May have some booking to arrange depending on the pre-cruise itinerary. It is a little anti climatic actually. I usually photocopy some pages of our tour book. If we are going somewhere where they speak French I may try watching/listening to French media stations or reading French language publications just to get in the groove. Don't get a chance to use it where we live.....it improves as our trip progresses but far from perfect. I don't do lists. I have found that it causes us to pack too many unnecessary things.

Same for DW with two exceptions. She starts two-three days early even though she also does carry on. It is more difficult for her to pack in this manner for an extended trip. She will have a manicure/pedicure and haircut before leaving. Unless we are going to SE Asia which case she will pass on the manciure/pedicure and get it done while we are travelling.

I love CC.....BUT I feel like the overwhelming majority of posters here missed the point. I think the OP really meant what to do you to enhance the excitement of the week before, not what administrative duties/tasks do you do the week before.

Sorry y'all...

So, for me the week before:

Chat with those on my Roll Call

Watch YouTube videos of recent cruises

Read "What Time is the Midnight Buffet" by CC member chesterh--funny book about his first time cruising--it really capture the spirit of cruising and reminds me of why I love it so.

I love preparing for cruises. I'm sad though that so many people now go to FB instead of CC. I have 2 upcoming cruises and the roll calls are not active at all [emoji17].

So I start shopping and piling clothes a month before a cruise then pack my suitcase see how much it weights and start removing stuff. I pack and unpack and repack like 5 times [emoji38]

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I love preparing for cruises. I'm sad though that so many people now go to FB instead of CC. I have 2 upcoming cruises and the roll calls are not active at all [emoji17].

So I start shopping and piling clothes a month before a cruise then pack my suitcase see how much it weights and start removing stuff. I pack and unpack and repack like 5 times [emoji38]

 

 

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The reason people go to FB now and not here is for so many different reasons. Probably #1 is convenience. EVERYONE has FB on their phone and in their pocket so they know exactly what's going on when it happens, rather than having to open a forum up, find a thread, etc. Also it's easier to invite people and the population is so much larger. Not to mention it's not as restricted as CC. On FB in the roll calls you can talk about where you book, where you stay, how you booked your stay, etc etc. You can't even mention FB here on CC without getting called to the principals office. It's ridiculous. Not to mention it's easier to share photos with the people, and also see who they really are rather than some anonymous forum name. On our upcoming cruise, we have 24 people here on the CC roll call that rarely post. On our FB roll call, we have almost 150 and it's very active. Forums are slowly dying, not just for cruisers but everything.

Wife: four weeks out develop the lists of various areas of importance. Things like hair, house prep. Then sub lists of clothing by subsets.

 

Three weeks out: continue developing lists. Finesse clothing lists.

 

Two weeks out: finalize clothing lists. Get luggage out, clean and set up on a table in the bedroom. Using the semi-finalized lists begins laying things out.

 

One week out: start packing exercise. Undo and repack a minimum of three times. Get hair cut and colored.

 

Three days prior: mani-pedi, final packing. Start on house prep list.

 

Day two: check, double check air tickets, confirmations

 

Day One : unpack and repack for the last time. One last pass on the house checklist.

 

Husbands

 

Day two: get suitcase, grab a bunch of underware, shorts, tee shirts. Assume wife has a suit, dress shirts and maybe a tie.

 

Day one: leave

;p;p;p;p This is so our prep list LOL