What's wrong with me?

[mikkire]

Leaving Saturday and haven't even started to pack. Never done this on any of our other cruises. I'm usually packed a couple of weeks out. Even have a tradition of getting up super early and driving to the port to watch the ship come in then go to breakfast.

 

We're always so excited and want to enjoy every possible moment on the ship that we get there really early and are usually within the first 50 or so in line. This year son has a Christmas parade to attend with the band prior to the cruise, so it's throwing me off.

 

Maybe I'm just not wanting all the planning and anticipation to stop. I'm starting to worry that by waiting till the last minute to pack I'm going to forget something really important.

[H82seaUgo]

you need a dose of sunshine. like cher said in moonstruck, "snap out of it!"

[WeatherGeek]

I can actually relate to you. We leave Saturday for my 6th cruise and previously, with 3 days before the sail date, I've been totally packed, have 300 Excel spreadsheets for everything, quadruple checked my packing lists (and will quadruple check them 4 times a day until sail date).

 

This cruise? Eh. Maybe it's because for the first time ever, I live within an hour of the port. There are no flights to catch, hotels to book the night before, worrying about if weather will delay my flight....I think that's throwing me off. I'm mostly packed, but it doesn't feel like reality that in just 72 hours, we'll be waking up and driving less than an hour to meet our ship.

[elcuchio24]

I pack the night before.

[bplazo]

Just lay things on the bed in the spare room for the next couple days and just add to it when you think about the things you need.

[golfadj]

We pack the night before. After a few cruises not very hard.

 

Other than our meds nothing that is totally critical.

[fuzzmane]

Just don"t for get your passport or other ID. Have a great cruise.

[Mekamax]

Try putting on a video of your last cruise or some cruise music - helps me! I'm trying to finish packing for our cruise tomorrow...... :D

[silverado44]

DW and I pack the night before or the morning of the cruise. With our checklist, we can get it done in 30 minutes.

[5waldos]

So nice to see these responses to balance out the 15 page packing lists ready to walk out the door 3 months in advance.

 

You may not pick up until you arrive to see the ship pull in. And you'll have a great time. Wish I was driving to a port on Sat- but it would take a full day and a half of non-stop driving. I am quite jealous.

[clackey]

We stay packed! Don't have one booked right now but we can go at the drop of a hat.:D

[5waldos]

We stay packed! Don't have one booked right now but we can go at the drop of a hat.:D

 

Seriously? As in you literally have a suitcase packed and ready to walk out the door in case the mood strikes you?

[zqvol]

Leaving Saturday and haven't even started to pack. Never done this on any of our other cruises. I'm usually packed a couple of weeks out. Even have a tradition of getting up super early and driving to the port to watch the ship come in then go to breakfast.

 

We're always so excited and want to enjoy every possible moment on the ship that we get there really early and are usually within the first 50 or so in line. This year son has a Christmas parade to attend with the band prior to the cruise, so it's throwing me off.

 

Maybe I'm just not wanting all the planning and anticipation to stop. I'm starting to worry that by waiting till the last minute to pack I'm going to forget something really important.

 

You sound normal to me. I cannot understand why anyone would back more than a day early.

[bluzchick]

Maybe because it isn't your first time...you know what you need and what you don't!

 

I haven't even tried on my shorts yet :eek:..but will be packing the night before, not weeks so I can unpack and repack five times!

[evandbob]

Leaving Saturday and haven't even started to pack. Never done this on any of our other cruises. I'm usually packed a couple of weeks out. Even have a tradition of getting up super early and driving to the port to watch the ship come in then go to breakfast.

 

We're always so excited and want to enjoy every possible moment on the ship that we get there really early and are usually within the first 50 or so in line. This year son has a Christmas parade to attend with the band prior to the cruise, so it's throwing me off.

 

Maybe I'm just not wanting all the planning and anticipation to stop. I'm starting to worry that by waiting till the last minute to pack I'm going to forget something really important.

 

 

Maybe having cruised before, you are now experienced and sensible about stuff like packing, which really isn't that big a deal. You're saving your excitement for the important stuff, like not being able to sleep the night before, pulling out of port doing a M&G, meeting new friends in the MDR, shore excursions, etc.

[mikkire]

I feel so much better. I'm usually the one with all the lists, and over plan everything. I think I'll sit down tonight, put on some steel drum music make a FunShip Special and start putting a few things in the suitcase.

 

Guess I'm not crazy after all (well, maybe). lol

[mattsmom99]

I can actually relate to you. We leave Saturday for my 6th cruise and previously, with 3 days before the sail date, I've been totally packed, have 300 Excel spreadsheets for everything, quadruple checked my packing lists (and will quadruple check them 4 times a day until sail date).

 

This cruise? Eh. Maybe it's because for the first time ever, I live within an hour of the port. There are no flights to catch, hotels to book the night before, worrying about if weather will delay my flight....I think that's throwing me off. I'm mostly packed, but it doesn't feel like reality that in just 72 hours, we'll be waking up and driving less than an hour to meet our ship.

Tonya, it looks like were on the same cruise! I'm almost packed just finishing up my sons suitcase. We're leaving tomorrow after work, it's a long drive from Wv.

[Tbay-eh]

I am the night before packer - it is when I start packing early that I forget something. As long as I have my tickets, passport, cash for tipping, major credit card,meds and bathing suit I am good to go. Everything else is gravy - if I forget something so what - no one else will notice. Oh ya - forgot - I guess I will bring my husband too.

[GlendaleCruiser]

I always liked packing before I got so many people living here in my house. I don't have that "spare room" now.

 

I liked spreading everything out so I could see it and pack it all in the night before. Had the tote with my cruise documents, passport, etc (I put my purse into it the night before and it becomes my purse[it's magic].

 

That way I could always see what I had lined up to pack and could make changes up until the last day.

[tha sista]

I too am leaving Saturday to head for a ship, but had to get some stuff in the suitcase today cause I had a day off. The next couple of days are going to be hell days at work so it was now or fageddabouddit! I put it off and put it off! I can't wait for this cruise....I need a day of sleep!

[cb at sea]

While I do start getting my clothes together, I don't actually PACK until it's time to zip up the suitcase....things tend to wrinkle WAAAY too much if you pack days (or weeks) in advance!

[glrounds]

We stay packed! Don't have one booked right now but we can go at the drop of a hat.:D

 

Seriously? As in you literally have a suitcase packed and ready to walk out the door in case the mood strikes you?

 

I usually cruise spur-of-the-moment and book 3-5 days before the cruise. I keep a suitcase always ready with dual toiletries, raincoat, umbrella, laundered folded shirts, clean sport coat and slacks always in a bag ready to go. Throw in some polos, shorts, socks, underwear, puter, camera, chargers for same and could be out the door in under 10 minutes, EASILY. :D

Leaving for FLL Friday on a REDEYE. Cruising the MIRACLE on Sunday. Different story this time, however, as will be cruising with other family members and probably future family members. Booked this one about 2 weeks ago. My ex-wife and I have had to fill out all the necessary paper work work for everyone on this cruise. What a pain in the a$$. Hard to make everyone understand how significant every single detail is for the FUN PASS, juggling around cabins so everyone is VIP, reserving excursions, etc. GAWD ! ! I could never do a group cruise for hundreds. I would most certainly go stark raving mad ! ! :D

[TVChick16]

I always have great intentions of packing early, but every time I end up getting no sleep the night before any trip because I'm always up doing everything last minute! We cruise in 30 days and I have all the documents printed out and have a list started, but I know I won't even drag the suitcase out until the day before we leave. :o

 

Of course, there was ONE trip I packed early for. A few years ago my husband had to travel to Oahu for work often. I accompanied him a few times... the first time was great because they put us up at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and it was more of a scouting trip so he wasn't busy all the time. The second time I went with him they put us up at Hickam AFB and he was pretty much working from 7am-9pm every day, so it ended up being a vacation driving around the island by myself.

 

The next year I decided I wanted to accompany him on another Hawaii trip, but we decided that I would just come out a week later and fly to the Big Island and he would fly there and meet me and we'd have a real vacay.

 

Well, I was very paranoid about having everything ready since I was traveling by myself. I started packing a week early and had everything ready to go before I went to work the day before I was to fly out. Well... just my luck, but that was the day that the guy tried to blow up a plane with liquids, so guess what... I had to go home and REPACK everything. I work for a national news network, so we were getting all of the information first hand, and I was sitting at work so annoyed because they announced that effective immediately they would not be allowing ANY liquids in carry-on baggage. (They didn't put the 3-ounce rule into effect until weeks later.)

 

Now, I hadn't checked a bag since 2002 when a bag we checked from LAX to IAD came off the conveyor belt in a huge clear plastic bag because somehow every seam had been ripped open and the suitcase and all of our belongings were shoved into a clear trashbag and sent down the chute with the rest of the luggage... and the only thing missing was my favorite bathing suite ever. After that we bought the largest wheeled carry-ons you can bring and never checked a bag.

 

So, I went home and made sure that every liquid I had was in the suitcase that I would now be forced to check because it was too late to try and plan a trip where I would bring zero liquids (I was not about to purchase every makeup item and hair product in Hawaii). I had called a cab to pick me up at 5:30am for a 7:30am flight (we only lived about 10 miles from IAD). I called the cab company back and asked them if they thought I should leave earlier and the dispatcher said, "Ma'am, the airport is hell. The lines are out the door. It's going to be worse first thing in the morning." I said, "Okay, can we do a 4:45am pickup?" The dispatcher said, "Ma'am, I would recommend 4:00am." :eek:

 

So, needless to say I didn't get any sleep that night anyway. The airport WAS hell at 4:30am... huge lines since everyone had to check luggage and since security was on high alert. Luckily on both legs of my flight there was an empty seat next to me so I was able to stretch out a little and get some sleep.

 

So, even though I always have good intentions, I don't pack early because with my luck it will be the day before something else crazy happens and you aren't allowed to bring any luggage with you on a flight. :rolleyes:

[5waldos]

I usually cruise spur-of-the-moment and book 3-5 days before the cruise. I keep a suitcase always ready with dual toiletries, raincoat, umbrella, laundered folded shirts, clean sport coat and slacks always in a bag ready to go. Throw in some polos, shorts, socks, underwear, puter, camera, chargers for same and could be out the door in under 10 minutes, EASILY. :D

 

Ok- that makes sense. Wish we lived close enough to a port to do that- the Colorado ports aren't scheduled to open for several thousand years- but when they do I will also have a bag ready to grab! Lucky you.

[Knights on the Beach]

For our most recent cruise (last week), I didn't pack until the day before we left town. I did try on clothes and somewhat narrow down what I was taking, but didn't pack until the night before.