Getting Heebie Jeebies Before Cruise

[bluenoser2]

I was so glad to see this post - it came at exactly the right time for me. I too, am feeling stressed about everything - there's this point in the planning where it's all fun, fun, fun, ....and then there's another point where I'm thinking....is it worth it? YES. YES. YES. Like yesterday, when my hubby looked at the "itinerary change notification" from the airline for the 2nd time, and noticed that it wasn't just the time of the flight that had changed a bit......it was 2 DAYS different, getting us into Rome the day AFTER our cruise leaves!!!! That was a bit stressful until we got it all worked out - of course, now none of our party of 3 will be able to sit together on the flight because of the airline's goof-up, but we'll get there on the right day! Then there's the childcare question.....trying to settle that all up BEFORE we tell the kids that we're going off on a trip....and paying for it.....(financially and mentally...."HOW COULD YOU LEAVE US????" WHY DON'T WE EVER GET TO GO ANYWHERE.....).Sigh. There's so much work to do before we go, that we don't really relax until the flight is in the air, and out of Canada. Then everything is out of our hands, and it's obvious we can't go back to fix anything, and then we really relax, and just enjoy the time we have together, and say, YES IT WAS WORTH IT. And after the cruise, when all the catch-up work starts to bog us down, we get the pictures out, and my husband starts video-editing and I start scrapbooking and we re-live it all over again.

[UtterCaro]

I find that a good task list and a calendar are my best aids to cut down on pre-cruise hyperventilation. I spread the tasks over a couple of weeks on the calendar, so I don't end up trying to do too much in the last days before I leave. There's something very satisfying about X'ing out the previous day -- that little ritual means I'm one day closer to bliss!

 

Caro

[knittinggirl]

We've had it all happening. Before our Alaska cruise, we had a nasty gas leak. $800 repair bill + $400 gas bill. We considered canceling, but since it was all paid for including our shore excursions (you prepay on RCI when you pre-book), we went ahead, and were glad we did. While we were forced to keep our onboard account at the minimum, about all we paid for was tips, we still had a grand time!

 

Once you get on the ship, and lock the annoying cell phone in your safe, you'll start finding yourself relaxing. Our last cruise got off to a slow start, getting tied to the dock for 36 hours. But we weren't upset like many. We'd gone on vacation to get away from all the annoying thinks you mentioned in your post.

 

Be sure to take lots of photos, and upload them to your gadget on your desktop. That way, you'll be able to see the wonderful memories every time you load your computer, and give yourself a little break.

[DrivesLikeMario]

OP - Are you feeling any better?

 

Sometimes it helps just to write it all out - everything that is worrying you, everything you need to do, everything you need to pack. Then, update your lists or cross things off as you get them handled.

 

Take a deep breath and be thankful you're going! ;)

[jagsfan]

I'm glad to see I'm not alone. Making lists is the most important thing for me. After I

check something off the list, I can forget about it. Gradually the list gets shorter, and

I breathe better. I do try to spend a night at the port before the cruise, sort of an

air bubble to relax in. I used to call home when I traveled. I learned the hard way not to

do that. Make your cruise a time out of time where nothing matters but each hour as

it passes. Then you can go home and dive into the frenzy of wedding planning!

[HomelessBear]

I too find the preparation for the cruise (or any holiday away from home) very stressful and I will occasionally think "never again". Once I am actually on the ship though, all of the stress and hassle is forgotten and I soon get into relax mode. Just keep thinking of the fantastic time you will have when you finally get on the wonderful ship where you can chill and wind down. Enjoy!

[riddle]

Thanks for everyones great ideas and suggestions. I went on line last night and searched for a comprehensive packing list. I found one I like, I think I will take a tote today and pile all the sunscreen, toiletries we won't be using till then, etc. in it and stash it in a corner so I can cross that off.

 

Need to get DH to try on his shorts to see if they still fit. He needs new tennis shoes and that is always a production because he is hard to fit.

 

Great news (ha, ha) - boss called at the end of the day to ask "how ugly I will be tomorrow" (in other words, not my appearance but my workload). Being the team player I am and knowing he is very overworked right now I told him I would have time to help him with whatever - but that is just the way I am and I cannot change that nor would I want to. He is a good boss.

 

I stopped the mail on line also. Had a dr appt today so got seasick patch prescriptions.

 

I'm thinking meals next week will be really, really simple each night - either simple on the grill, carryout or sandwiches. That will help a lot.

 

Company is leaving late Saturday instead of Sunday so that gives me all day Sunday to pack, etc.

 

Funniest thing though is the other day my DH asked me "where is it we are going". Oh, to be so out of the loop and just have it arranged.

 

Thanks again everyone..still crossing each day off the list.

[riddle]

Another thing I forgot to mention. A co-worker told me about a relative of hers who was going on a cruise to the Caribbean for spring break with their 4 kids. They had saved for a quite a while for it.

 

While on the plane from up north to Florida, apparently the DW took their passports, documents, etc. out to look at them and put them in the seat pocket of the airplane and forgot about them.

 

They arrived a day before the cruise, and never realized any of it until the next day when they were ready to board the ship.

 

The kids were hysterical, the DH was furious, the DW was in tears and they ended up having to find a place to stay in Florida for the week as it was too expensive to change all their flight reservations home.

 

They did have insurance that covered most of the cruise but what a miserable thing to have happen.

[Kinkacruiser]

The travel monster has come to visit....should leave you the minute you lock your door and leave for your vacation.

 

Brilliant :D....the "travel monster" visits me from about week 10. I get so excited I can't sleep at night, have recurring anxiety dreams etc. However the minute we see the ship docked at the wharf, all's well again.

 

Thanks for posting this thread. I'm sure many of us can relate to it. Have a wonderful time.

[suncruising]

I am beyond stressed out about this vacation. Now I see why my parents didn't always find vacations for every school break appealing. It's no fun being an adult! There is so much work that goes into everything. I hope I can finally relax when we get aboard this cruise. I'm so worried I'm going to forget something for someone that we aren't able to get on ship or an island. I've been having dreams about forgetting all of my shoes or casual clothes.

[suncruising]

I am beyond stressed out about this vacation. Now I see why my parents didn't always find vacations for every school break appealing. It's no fun being an adult! There is so much work that goes into everything. I hope I can finally relax when we get aboard this cruise. I'm so worried I'm going to forget something for someone that we aren't able to get on ship or an island. I've been having dreams about forgetting all of my shoes or casual clothes.

 

Well, I just decided to take tomorrow off. I need a day to get everything ready and done so if I really screw up or forget something I can do it Saturday...hopefully. I've been so stressed that I'm so lightheaded I feel like I'm going to faint. This reminds me of the final few days before my wedding!

[wizard-of-roz]

Well, I just decided to take tomorrow off. I need a day to get everything ready and done so if I really screw up or forget something I can do it Saturday...hopefully. I've been so stressed that I'm so lightheaded I feel like I'm going to faint. This reminds me of the final few days before my wedding!

 

Oh! MY dear! You do need a "chill pill!" :eek:

What would you do if they offered you the cruise of a life-time, absolutely dirt cheap, two days from now? Imagine the possibilities........If I beg you, would you put you on U-Tube? I need some true entertainment right about now!

Your viewers await! ;)

[LovetheSea]

Oh YES I do. Mine settled in yesterday. We leave on Saturday. Have to get up at "O dark thirty" ( 2 :30 am) to get to the airport on time. A million things to do. Writing lists like crazy. Re checking everything. I have cruised 25 times before this and it never gets better.

 

I guess it is how squirrels feel in the fall. Have to get my nuts all packed and organized!

[FritzG]

I'm there right now too! We leave on Sunday, and there is so much to do. All of that planning and anticipation, and I'm wondering what I got myself into. I know it will be fine once I get on the plane and know that I'll be in Florida in time for my cruise. It's perfectly normal!

[Bars7816]

I'm exactly the same way. I worry about everything. I go even one step further -- I expect the house to be a pile of ashes when we arrive home!

 

Keeping a list is the only way to go. Then we get the car loaded, get everybody in the car, and then we sit in the driveway for a few minutes before taking off for the airport. We do a check list just like the pilots have to do.

 

I'm already a bit giddy, and our cruise is not until November! Hope you have a great cruise. :)

[BosoxI]

It's only natural to be a bit uptight before leaving home for a fairly lengthy period. When I first traveled to Europe years ago, I would get nervous/happy/a bit scared/full of anticipation/excited and a host of other emotions. Now, I've been there so many times and go so frequently that it's lost its allure in many ways. so enjoy what you've got while you have it.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I'm a compulsive vacation planner, especially as we rarely go anywhere. But I came up with a list, put it on the computer and revise it each time. The last two cruises were to two different types of itineraries (Alaska -cold, Hawaii - relatively warm, once we got a few days away from LA).

On my list of things to pack is also a list of things to do (stopping the mail, hair cuts, etc.).

I take charge of packing my daughter's as well as my stuff, taking out clothes from our closets, and then checking the finalists for suitcase for fit, lack of stains or need for repair, and then narrowing it down from there. The stress for me is really more limiting what I take as my hubby wants us to keep down what we bring (thank goodness for the self-service laundries on Princess).

Too bad your guests don't realize you're stressed out and volunteer on their own to stay elsewhere. At the very least, just explain to them that your house isn't going to be shipshape and you're not going to do cooking for everyone because you are working extra at work and need to relax. I do remember some years ago I predicted that the last day of work before hubby left for one cruise that his boss would come up with busy work. Yep, and hubby pointed out that it was something that could wait until after he returned (it actually didn't have to be done for a couple of months). His boss was a jerk so it was predictable.

Our last cruise was an hour's drive away from home and we even used a car service (too much luggage for our car trunk, but it was a 15-day cruise). So there wasn't much stress for that one. But have had a couple of vacations that involved a lot of planning with pre-cruise hotels, post-cruise hotels, rental cars, planes, trains, well, very complicated.

And one of those, I started the arrangements eight days before the cruise and we only ran into a few snags (won't use that rental car agency again and one hotel out of five screwed up our request for a non-smoking room) for all the logistics it involved. So no time for stressing at all. And we had a great time.

[Joshua1]

Well its happened! Last night in our kitchen I said to DH 'can you hear water running?' Yes you guessed it the radiator sprung a leak in our bathroom upstairs and we caught it just in time. 5 towels later, the bathroom was a lake, a lot of **//"" from DH who ran to get the wrench (I am not sure what you call it) to turn the water off. Now it is hopefully going to be fixed before our cruise which is in 6 days time.

Please nothing more before we go.

[BosoxI]

[quote name='Joshua1']Well its happened! Last night in our kitchen I said to DH 'can you hear water running?' Yes you guessed it the radiator sprung a leak in our bathroom upstairs and we caught it just in time. 5 towels later, the bathroom was a lake, a lot of **//"" from DH who ran to get the wrench (I am not sure what you call it) to turn the water off. Now it is hopefully going to be fixed before our cruise which is in 6 days time.

Please nothing more before we go.[/quote]

Do yourself a favor and turn off the main valve to the house, or else you'll spend your whole cruise wondering if the plumber did a good job

[Cruisin' Chick]

One of the last things we do before leaving for a vacation is to turn off the water to the house. Of course, if you have people staying there, that wouldn't be a good thing.

We had a fridge that we though would stop running completely during a cruise, but it lasted until after we returned and were able to shop for a new one.

[riddle]

We we are now 6 days from leaving for Fla. Company is gone, flower shopping is over for now, house is quiet. Laundry is in process. Today is my day to pack, reorganize my list, get the house in cleaned. This coming week at work will be super busy with extra projects and trying to get 2 weeks work done in 1 week

Oh and bills to pay, DH to mow again...

Felt extremely stressed last night after company left so I just went to bed. Woke up this morning feeling much more confident. I know we will get it all done - we always do.

Starting to feel the aaaaaah!

Riddle

[grams98]

company does not ralize how they stress us!! had same inlaws visit twice last fall, and second time was during our car. pr. cruise. we were home their first few days, and then had to leave; i was so relieved to get away!!! my mother inn law lives with us, so she is the main draw--i was happy for them and us--have a geat cruise-grams98

[AFT_LOVER]

So today, as I do every Sunday, is fill the weekly medication/vitamin holder for both of us. We will have 2 Saturdays, so an extra day in included. Have my manila folder filled with air info on top, free night at Hampton Inn certificate clipped to the reservation they sent to me, then our passports with cruise docs inside for both of us. SO I have what they want at each stop (air, hotel, ship). We are taking 4 days of clothes: shorts & Tshirts for ports, bathing suits, slacks & tops for dinner. I have a baggies with 2 sheets of Purex 3 in 1 laundry/dryer sheets. I am wearing sandles so airport is not a hassle. I have a red pair & a gold pair for dinner. If I have room I may take my Shape Up shoes to walk in at ports & on Promonade deck in the morning & after dinner. They feel so good on my buns & legs.

Cleaned out my closet & half the clothes & shoes are headed to Goodwill. Now I have plenty of room with plenty of heels that I cannot wear since the Celebrity Summit gangway breaking my left foot & to wear heels is painful. So I am big on sandles & my Shape Ups. My doc states that flip flops will also be very good to rebuild my foot and I see WalMart & other discount stores have decorated them so they do not look like pool shoes. So I may get a few of them later too.

House is cleaned, bird cage is cleaned is is parrot who went swimming in the sink. Clothes are hung on my holder on the door to go into suitcases on Friday, my travel bag is packed with medications and paperwork for them all, travel documents, and personal stuff. Cell phone will be OFF unless an emergency happens for Access America or TA. The surge protector extension cord is in my husband's bag already. so we are ready & 4 days to live thru til we leave.

[Duck Duck Cruise]

This is a great thread! I appreciate all of your ideas.

We are 5 months out for our Panama Canal. I keep changing the desktop wall paper photo at work of places we will be going. I am so excited already.

I finally stopped keeping two identical lists.....one on paper and one on my laptop at home. I only have electronic lists now.

I start packing a month out. Then again two weeks before and then unpack and re-pack a couple days before. Wow, putting that in writing makes me realize it is really disfunctional! :eek:

My plan is to relax more.......look at my desktop at work and relax more........and only pack once! We shall see :rolleyes:

Enjoy all the emotions that come with cruising because it lets you know your are alive and happy!

Lin

[Joshua1]

[quote name='BosoxI']Do yourself a favor and turn off the main valve to the house, or else you'll spend your whole cruise wondering if the plumber did a good job[/quote]

The radiator is fixed, then the TV broke down, that also is now fixed and finally the suitcase handle was noticed to be broken from our last cruise in Jan 2010 so over to the store to buy a new one.

Anything else, were ready to solve it - but we cannot stop the volcano from erupting! Aaaargh!