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Cruising Journals


JanetMarie
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I have been looking for a cruise journal but haven't found one I like yet.

 

Someone on this thread mentioned designing her own pages with beach themes. That's a great idea! It occured to me I can designed mine own using artscow, picaboo or another company.

 

Thanks! Great ideas here!

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I'm very much a journal person, but this upcoming cruise will only be the 2nd time I've taken a journal with me to record the trip events. I've actually already put the journal in my carry on bag.

 

This will be my first time in Europe and I want to remember every detail. Plus, I'll be doing a full review when I return and will need a point of reference. I wish I'd been bringing a journal for all my cruises, but I guess since they were just Caribbean sailings, I didn't think they were all that necessary ... shame on me!

 

Even though I'll have a paper journal with me, I'll also have my iPad too and may just start writing my review while on board to make things easier for when I get home.

Edited by Virtopia
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  • 3 months later...

Some really interesting ideas here, thanks for sharing! I'd love to incorporate some of them and it's fascinating to see how many different ways people do this.

 

I recently started buying a medium sized craft journal before a trip (this is our first cruise, so it will be my first cruise journal). I pick a few good markers, journaling boxes, pre cut papers, washi tape, whatever seems to fit the holiday and pack it all into a small organiser that fits in any of my carry on bags or can be carried on its own. That way I can prepare pages as I go, I can have my children write little notes on the journaling pages, and I can record dates and memories. Along the way we print photos as we can and add them to the book.

 

It totally goes against the way I *want* to keep a record or a scrapbook, as I would normally pick my favorite photos and start from there, making sure everything was really well coordinated and matching photos etc. I normally want to get great quality photo printing and wouldn't want to risk one hour photo processing. Trying to do things that way, it had been about 15 years since I'd actually finished scrapbooking a trip of any kind!

 

A few things I like about this way of doing things:

-It's easy for the rest of the family to get involved. I can hand a bit of decorative paper to my children and say 'write me a couple sentences about your favorite part of visiting Gallup' and I'll get a snapshot of who they were at that time, what was important to them, their handwriting etc. It also gives them something to do on a long trip!

-It actually gets done. Probably the best bit. By the end of a trip (or a few days later if I'm waiting for photos) we have a book recording what we've done. The photos are up to date, the memories are there, and we can share with friends right away. Otherwise all my photos never get printed (or get boxed up with my good intentions) and no one ever sees them again.

- It's more accurate. It used to be that by the time I'd get around to doing it, I would try to record details but had forgotten the name of that really funny waiter, the great restaurant we enjoyed, or the beach we loved.

- My memories are more closely linked to the journal. I will really enjoy writing on our balcony or curled up in the ship's library, and when I read through the journal again I'll be transported back to that moment in time.

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Wow that sounds encouraging what you are going to do, and have done recently. I have a few boxes of, and shelves of photos and partially done scrapbooks and folders...of good intentions. I have an old scrapbook my Dad had made in Germany when he was in the Army, it is basically photos falling off the pages ,,, and I'd like to get that reorganized and fixed up too ... lots of projects. So I love this idea of doing it as you go along, so much more fun, efficient, and yes....it gets done :)

 

 

Have a great cruise...enjoy....we are looking forward to one in Dec too.

Edited by Minn.cruisers
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  • 6 months later...

Thanks for ideas on keeping a journal. I'm seriously planning on bring one this time from now on all our cruises. I'm in my late 70s now in fact turning 80 God willing next year but I don't look my age at all, no work done on me or we can't afford to cruise. Well anyway I find myself now forgetting where the places we have traveled n cruise ports n gourmet eateries, unforgettable friends we've met along the way. The journal will be a valuable to my sanity in case I start losing my memory..[emoji120][emoji568]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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I didn't journal our last cruise. I planned on it but never got around to it. Luckily we took pictures every day, so that helps jog the memories.

Here are the journals I have for my daughters for this upcoming cruise. They are quit nice quality! I was honestly surprised since they were only little over $4 each! They are not real big, so easy to stick in purse or backpack.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2X-Vintage-Faux-Leather-Cover-Notebook-Journal-Diary-Blank-String-Nautical-Brown-/161835023926?hash=item25ae1e7e36:g:7sMAAOSwFnFWAg5H

 

I purchased this cruise journal for me last cruise, but realized it is only for 1 cruise. So instead I have been remaking the pages in word so I can print and bind my own. They are really nice but I want one for all my cruises. There were many pages that I didn't need. https://www.amazon.com/Cruise-Journal-Graphic-Arts-Center/dp/1558684182

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  • 5 weeks later...

I plan to journal on our next cruise. I am concerned that I might not remember all the things I want to write down so I am creating a template that I can use for future cruises also. The plan is to print out the pages and keep them in some type of notebook. It has areas to document the weather, names of staff members, favorite meals, etc. Thanks to everyone for keeping this thread alive and for contributing ideas.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

My husband used to wait until he got home to write up the trip. Of course resuming day to day life got in the way so writing would take a back seat. As time went by he had difficulty remembering order of events and details, so I purchased a journal so he could jot down notes each day of a trip to make journaling easier when at home. He hasn't used the travel journal as I thought he would :( .

Getting ready for this cruise (a girls getaway), I purchased little purse/tote bag-sized journals for each of us so we could jot down remember to do/what was done/thoughts,etc. I'm really forgetful so I'll be using mine for remembering times we're supposed to meet, where we're to meet, excursion times, the other girls' cabin number, which shows/activities I want to do...

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  • 2 months later...
  • 1 month later...

I still carry the good ol' fashioned ziploc baggies on our cruises. I put the date on each bag and toss souveniers in there as the day progresses. I'll still make notations throughout the day or sometimes simply sitting on one of the cruising decks, I'll write notes about the day and put that into the bag.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

I kept a journal for my last couple of cruises. I've gone back to re-read them several times. I've also learned from them, because in hindsight I have fond memories that I didn't touch on or go into details with.

For my next cruise in a few months, I'm going to collect some cruise-centered journaling prompts to guide my thoughts. Make goals - like what activities I want to do the next day. If I did them, what do you think your best memories will be? If you didn't do them, was it because you found something more fun? What were some cool things do you want your future self to remember about an excursion, what you saw roaming around the ship? Other times, I love to sit on the balcony and listen to the waves. It is then that my brain turns off the busy, and turns on the "life". What was I thinking about? What sparked it?

For me, journaling this way "forces" me to look for the good that I want to write about. It keeps my mood light and my senses heightened.

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  • 2 months later...

Journal writing may seem like a lost art. Seems the only writing most do on cruises involves signing drink receipts. I get a lot of satisfaction in keeping a permanent record of fleeting memories. This cruise, I've taken to drawing pics of topics covered with captions and cartoon dialogue. I have appointment time writing to stay on track but nothing real time consuming. I also pick different ship venues in which to write.

I have learned from my journals to break from routine. It's good to mix things up.

A journal is a wonderful treasure to pass on to children years down the road. Have fun

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  • 4 months later...

I love to Journal (not just on vacation). I do have a special journal for my cruises and I love to browse back through it as I prepare for an upcoming cruise. Knowing I wrote down the cabin steward's name or the great waiter at the pool bar helps make it much more personal. After I come home I might add a picture of the towel animals or the answer sheet from the trivia contest to the pages.

 

On my last cruise, I sailed with my step sister so I bought a travel journal for her too. On one of the last days of the cruise she commented that she hadn't written in hers so she'd just copy from mine. WHAT?!?!?!? That may have been the defining moment in deciding to cruise solo from now on.

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  • 1 month later...

DH and I have been lucky enough to take 10 cruises with the next on HAL Zuiderdam 11/25/18 Partial Transit Panama Canal.  I have never journaled, not a real writer, but at the age of 67 I decided I better get started, for I won't remember things like I used to.  And realize I only remember a smattering of past cruises, hence the journal.  Though this is an older Thread, you all have given me incentive.  To Amazon I go, or elsewhere to find the perfect Journal!

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  • 5 months later...

Philly Steve, I really like what you posted about passing the journals down to the kids.  Can you imagine how wonderful that is going to be?  They'll be relaxing on the teak chairs on the promenade deck reading your journals as they sail the high seas!  I think journal writing is an EXCELLENT way to slow down and enjoy what life has to offer.  It allows you to become peaceful with your surroundings and within yourself!  

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  • 2 months later...
On 4/22/2019 at 4:29 AM, JanetMarie said:

They'll be relaxing on the teak chairs on the promenade deck reading your journals as they sail the high seas! 

That's really cute...but at least one of our daughters would rather be out climbing mountains, rafting rivers, backcountry skiing.  And doing most of that with their  3 and 7 y.o.s 🙂

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  • 5 months later...
  • 3 years later...

Just returned from a smaller cruise ship line, American Cruise Lines.  It was wonderful with only 136 passengers aboard.  Smaller cruising, more attention to detail.

That being said, for my cruise journal I obtained postcards in each of our stops and am creating scrap book pages with each postcard.  It'll be different from my previous "typical" scrapbooks.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I lost my interest in having a camera when I was about 13, and have not taken a photo since.  But I have written a daily journal on every cruise we've been on.  I love going back later to read them, and occasionally add a postscript or two.  A lot of what I write is my/our observations, including things like "Our tablemate asked for....." and our waiter tactfully replied with  ".....", as well as conversations with some of the crew members and other passengers.  It's those little moments, I guess.

I just take plain, ruled journals, usually with a soft but sturdy cover.  No photos, no souvenirs, apart from occasionally saving the business card of an officer, musician, or other person aboard who we want to remember.

Will they ever be of interest to anyone else?  And would I want anyone to read some of those private thoughts?  I just don't know, but I enjoy doing them, and re-reading them later.

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