Pre Cruise Rituals

Fellow Cruise addicts what are your pre cruise rituals.

A few of mine are:

Watching all the ships leave port Everglades every Saturday, you get to virtual wave at the passengers

Watch cruise ship videos on you tube

Pack three months ahead, I do unpack and repack each week. (I know what you are thinking right now, and yes I am a little nut)

Your turn!

Research the ports

Look at the weather forecast

Look for foodie videos on YouTube.

Fellow Cruise addicts what are your pre cruise rituals.

 

A few of mine are:

Watching all the ships leave port Everglades every Saturday, you get to virtual wave at the passengers

Watch cruise ship videos on you tube

Pack three months ahead, I do unpack and repack each week. (I know what you are thinking right now, and yes I am a little nut)

 

Your turn!

You don't use any of those item you pack for 3 months?

I obsessively read this Forum as soon as the cruise is booked.

Make lists. Lots of lists of what I will pack.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

You don't use any of those item you pack for 3 months?

 

 

I obsessively read this Forum as soon as the cruise is booked.

Make lists. Lots of lists of what I will pack.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I'm one of those odd creatures that actually don't enjoy shopping for clothes so I have clothes that I wear only on our cruises. This way they don't wear out and I don't have to replace them. Same for my husband's clothes. When we return from a cruise, they are all cleaned and put away into a drawer that is dedicated to only cruises. Also in that drawer goes most all travel gear we use that doesn't require keeping an eye out for shelf life/dates. When time arrives for packing suitcases, some of the clothing only needs a bit of tossing in the dryer to remove any set wrinkles.

I enjoy catching up-to-date youtube videos to check out cruise ports and itineraries to get ideas of things to do and see.

ALL of the Above!! :o

1. Makes lists for the pet sitter.

2. Make lists for the house sitter.

3. Let children know our number and where we will be.

4. Clean house.

5. Make interesting meals using up what is left in the refrigerator.

6. Work at my semi full time job.

7. Lay out clothes and things to take.

8. Check the roll call to see what those I've been talking to are doing to get ready.

Make copies of all the hotels, flights,excursions I've booked.

Not sleep. . .. . .

Interesting, fun read! I have cruise clothes in my spare bedroom closet, stuff I don't wear in Wisconsin! :) My transatlantic isn't until Oct. but always checking things, shore excursions, changed my hotel in Spain several times, as well as my flight to Barcelona.

As soon as I book I turn obsessive. Start a packing list on my iPhone so I don't have to think when I'm packing two days before. We've downsized to a condo so nowhere to put stuff till we're almost at zero hour. Actually, I've always packed that way. I start checking for a precruise hotel and prepay parking.

I jump back on Cruise Critic and start a Roll Call if there isn't one already. Empty my cruise portfolio from the last cruise, add my cruise invoice, put the passports in their pocket and hotel and parking invoices in theirs. Print out anything I've prebooked, like shore exes.

Then I spend 40 days or so with my engine running.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

A couple of weeks before the cruise, I always go clothes shopping, I just get a few new tops or a new dress. The most important thing I like to get is a new "embarkation" top that is kind of cruise or ocean/nautical themed in either it's color or with anchors/sailboats on it.

Then I get my mani/pedi and get my hair done.:D

As soon as I book I turn obsessive. Start a packing list on my iPhone so I don't have to think when I'm packing two days before. We've downsized to a condo so nowhere to put stuff till we're almost at zero hour. Actually, I've always packed that way. I start checking for a precruise hotel and prepay parking.

I jump back on Cruise Critic and start a Roll Call if there isn't one already. Empty my cruise portfolio from the last cruise, add my cruise invoice, put the passports in their pocket and hotel and parking invoices in theirs. Print out anything I've prebooked, like shore exes.

Then I spend 40 days or so with my engine running.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

We must be twins because this is exactly what I do.....:D:D:D

Bob

I start eliminating the all things that last week I thought I couldn't do without. On the cruise.

Tony

Mani/pedi. Pack the night before. Less stress. If I forgot it, I can buy it. (making sure passports, documents, medications are included)

You don't use any of those item you pack for 3 months?

 

 

I obsessively read this Forum as soon as the cruise is booked.

Make lists. Lots of lists of what I will pack.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

I also pack months ahead of time and repack every so often taking things out and putting other things in. I'm usually packing in summer for a cold weather cruise or for a warm weather cruise in winter so I don't need most of the items.

I also obsessively read this forum.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I get some guide books and read up on the ports for ideas for my family, as well as google each port and find tourism sites to read up on.

I check the ports on google maps to see how far some of the sites we're considering are from the dock.

I go on the cruise line website to read up on the ship (always do this even if we're repeating a ship).

I look for travel sizes of toiletries.

I look for my packing check list on my computer and revise for the cruise.

I don't watch videos of those going on cruises...would rather watch cat videos.

• Make Flight bookings-1 flight to Melbourne and another to Sydney.
  
• Hotel booking the night before the cruise.
  
• Get fresh prescriptions and travel-size (if possible)full bottles of the over-the-counter vitamins I take-advised by a Nurse to leave the medications and vitamins in their original containers and kept in a clear bag for easier Security clearance.
  
• Plan wardrobe and make up colour scheme and buy anything needed.
  
• Check cost of On Board Purchases-Christmas presents for some challenging to buy for cousins, now solved by mugs, water bottles and lanyards for YEARS! :)
  

My pre-cruise ritual starts with the blessing of the luggage.

I'm one of those odd creatures that actually don't enjoy shopping for clothes so I have clothes that I wear only on our cruises. This way they don't wear out and I don't have to replace them. Same for my husband's clothes. When we return from a cruise, they are all cleaned and put away into a drawer that is dedicated to only cruises. Also in that drawer goes most all travel gear we use that doesn't require keeping an eye out for shelf life/dates. When time arrives for packing suitcases, some of the clothing only needs a bit of tossing in the dryer to remove any set wrinkles.

 

.

We also have clothes that we only use for cruises. We have closet that has only vacation clothes in it. For some this may sound a little crazy and occasionally I will sneak something out to wear in the summer. We mostly cruise in the winter to warm places so it is easy for us to pack really early.

I go on the cruise line website to read up on the ship (always do this even if we're repeating a ship).

I look for travel sizes of toiletries.

I look for my packing check list on my computer and revise for the cruise.

 

I don't watch videos of those going on cruises...would rather watch cat videos.

Well I see I have a lot of twins on this thread. Cruisin' Chick I am a cat person too.

I always post my check off list on my roll call to give others a hint of my insanity to packing.