When do you start to pack?

[notme1955]

Our vacation starts on the 21st.

 

I've been looking at clothes and buying things I need (I've lost a lot of weight and needed to find a few things). Today, I started making my list of things to pack. I'll go shopping for the odds and ends this weekend, then take the next week to gather everything in one spot. I won't pack, though, until the day before and the morning we leave.

[Dee777]

We booked our February 13 cruise on the Glory this past Monday. I started to go through my "cruise clothes" that very night, and even have some packed 38 days out :D

[Melismass]

I try to wait until 30 days out before I get the suitcases out. I'm packing for 4for a B2B this time, so maybe I should get them out sooner. Maybe tonight? The packing and planning are all part of the fun! Its very important to have the right clothes on a cruise. Clothes can truly make or break a cruise if you think about it! Imagine going to dinner for 7 nights in a row in pants that are already too tight. God help you on nights 5-7. Happy packing everyone!

[fxygal5]

I usually make a list a couple of weeks before and then pack the week of; takes me an hour or so when I use my list, plus I'm a light packer due to only taking one bag on most trips. But this cruise - I leave for Miami in 67 days! - is my wedding cruise so I've already made a list of things that need to be packed vs carry-ons for the flight and it looks like a 2-bag trip! haha

[marriednlovinit]

Glad that I am not the only one with OCD when it comes to packing. We are 49 days out and I have had a packing list going since we first booked our cruise back in August.

I do keep a toiletries bag packed all the time for on the go, just never know. I will inventory it in the next week or so. We are also looking at clothing and going to go shopping this weekend for dinner wear for dh.

 

Can't wait till we leave. We are actually leaving about 5 days before and going on a road trip to visit with family and friends so I am making sure that the cruise stuff stays packed during this time and then once we are ready to cruise we will only take our cruise gear with us.

[fleckle]

We will start packing in a few hours, we leave tomorrow:D!!

.... and here all along I had been thinking that we are the only ones who do it that way! ;)

[j603]

I leave Feb 24th and all our summer gear in packed in the suitcase. I also started my first draft of my packing list this morning. I will get the other suitcase out with a week to go, but I start amassing supplies and stashing them in the corner as I go. My must-have is enough books to read. I have 7 and counting. I will pick up a couple more just in case.

[firez1126]

I am in the midst of packing as we have now reached single digits and just wondered when other CC members start to pack for their up and coming cruise or trip.

 

What must have's do you take with you?

 

I know I am going to take way to much with me,but better then doing wash half way through my holiday, I will have enough of that once I return.

 

 

I usually begin gathering a list of items needs to pack about a week before, and pack like 2 days before or so, so it gives me time to double check what ive packed and what i still need!:)

[MSRussell]

I just started making my list of things to purchase today.

It's the little things I forget. One thing I did decide to buy is a rubber doorstop for my balcony door. The Destiny had a magnetic catch on the back of the cabin door, hence, no doorstop. This way I won't have to worry about it.

I like what the other poster said...cruise clothes. That's what I'm going to shop for, a lot less hassle for me, then to look around for things.

Cruising out of Balitmore on the 23, I'll need extra.

Melanie

[Texas Realtor]

We are having an excursion planning party on Saturday with our friends. My wife is already shopping for new clothes. She will actually plan each day with the activities we will be doing, with the clothes we will be wearing written next to the activity. She is OCD big time. God love her. She makes some of the cleanest people look like slobs. Drives me crazy sometimes. I am not Mr. Clean.

[RAVI360]

I started putting things in the spare bedroom. I need to work on packing this weekend. I leave in 8 days.

 

 

going in july...................PACKIN NOW:eek:!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sjcruiser]

For this cruise,we packed when we put the summer clothes away in September. We packed our main bag, and placed them in a closet. Took out and added somethings as we went along, but I think we're all set now. Only thing left to pack is the garment bag, and carry on, but that'll take less than three minutes as everything going n the garment bag is hanging in the closet in dry cleaners bags.

[mali06]

OK . . . another person with some OCD here. As soon as we book, I start making my packing list and decide on a color theme to build my clothes around. Then I start shopping for anything I need to fill out the plan. I put everything in the guest room until we are about 4 weeks out. We sail in 24 days and I have everything that is ready put into the suitcases but I still have drycleaning that needs doing including having my husband's tropical shirts and dress shirts laundered, pressed and folded and put in plastic bags so that I just have to put them in the suitcase. Also finally found shorts I needed but they are too long so need to take them to the seamstress today. Also need to print off all of our paper work for all of the reservations I have made and have sitting in my e-mail. Now if I can just find my DH some navy shorts we'll be all set. Still sweating that one out. I spent my time off last week shopping for all of the little things like new toiletries that I still needed. I LOVE the planning part. It helps make the whole cruise real and fills the wait time. Meanwhile I have been working on what to do in each port and still have not made a final decision on two of them. Hmmmmmm . . . I better get crackin'! ( I guess I should explain that we need to pack 3 different sets since we have the hotel in Milwaukee before we fly out, we have days on the beach in Tampa with our little granddaughters before and after, and then the cruise itself. )

[h_blond2]

I usually start packing about a month before the cruise. I start my throwing in the things I know I won't need to use until then. About 3 or 4 days before we leave is when the real heavy duty packing begins.

[hoop4321]

we start packing about a week out, but i do have a master packing list that i refer to from time to time. That way i know what i need and can be on the lookout for sales. When it comes time to pack, the list is printed out. I pack off that list, and plop the list in the suitcase, so i can repack. I know it is a bit on the obsessive side, but i lost a pair of favorite and expensive shoes thinking i had everything. I was heartbroken when i returned home and they were not there. I hope the maid enjoyed them. The hotel said they were not there. :(

[Cathy p]

We pack the night before. It is so much fun getting frantic, finding the list, checking it a million times and then leaving only to realize you forgot something.:D

[evandbob]

I'm sailing this Sunday, I just got my carry on out of the attic. I'll probably pack tomorrow night - how long does it take to put some tee shirts, polo shirts, underwear, sox, bathing suits, water shoes, slax, in my carry-on? I bring a small tote for my meds, snorkel, binoculars. No need to pack tux anymore with CCL's very relaxed dress code, so I think the whole packing process takes me about 45 minutes.

[laumicmah]

We leave to go to Jaxport on 2/09 and I just began gathering stuff up. So, I usually start a month before...with a list, gathering things, replenishing the toiletries, shopping for things we need. Then, maybe 2 or 3 days before, I'll pack it all up and lug it down to the foyer. The day before, I'll load up the car. I also will clean the house in the few days before we leave and I find a sitter or kennel for the dogs and get them there. I am usually tired and irritated by the time we drive off. But, all that washes away once we clear security at the port. :D

 

I have a question. DH and I are going sans kids on this next cruise. I want to pack as light as possible. We have a big heavy garmet bag. Any suggestions on how to aviod taking this as we'll only have 1 dress and 1 suit in it? Anyone know where to get a thin/lightweight garmet bag?

[Bunkie103]

First cruise I packed too early and then kept adding more clothes to the bag. Now I GATHER a few weeks out, but basically pack the day before and usually take about half of what I GATHER. Now that we're platinum I can take less and have some laundry done.;)

[Bunkie103]

We leave to go to Jaxport on 2/09 and I just began gathering stuff up. So, I usually start a month before...with a list, gathering things, replenishing the toiletries, shopping for things we need. Then, maybe 2 or 3 days before, I'll pack it all up and lug it down to the foyer. The day before, I'll load up the car. I also will clean the house in the few days before we leave and I find a sitter or kennel for the dogs and get them there. I am usually tired and irritated by the time we drive off. But, all that washes away once we clear security at the port. :D

 

I have a question. DH and I are going sans kids on this next cruise. I want to pack as light as possible. We have a big heavy garmet bag. Any suggestions on how to aviod taking this as we'll only have 1 dress and 1 suit in it? Anyone know where to get a thin/lightweight garmet bag?

 

Try Target or overstock.com.

[sandij]

My DH likes to wait until the last minute, he always says that if he didn't have to dress for dinner he could go with just a backpack for a 10 day trip. Myself I like to plan things out a little better (he actually ended up with just one pair of dress pants on one cruise). It's fun and seems to extend the excitement of traveling.

[sand_and_sun]

I use a great pack list that I found on CC. I have it saved on my computer. We leave in 43 days and I have our suitcase out. I add things when I think of them. Then weekend before we leave I'll do final inventory and call it good. Can always buy something if we forget it. I generally pack WAY TO MUCH. I'm going to to try to pack very light this time. I'm tired of hauling a full suitcase and only wearing swimsuit and a few other clothes. I don't like formal night so we don't have to pack formal clothes. We generally have room service that night. I pack battery operated candles and we have a candlelight dinner in our room. ;)

[beaming90]

:D I have been throwing things in a box for the cruise for a year now, but we leave at 6 am Sunday morning and I have not put a thing in my suitcase yet...Guess I have all day tomorrow though! :o

[DQlover]

I have to pack for 5, so I have been running through a mental list for a month, and we sail Feb 5. Since this is our first cruise, I have been lurking about here to figure everything out. Hopefully I will get it together:rolleyes:.

One thing I just found out from our airline: we have been given 10 free checked-bags!!!!!!!! Whoa! My DH gave me a look when I told him...I think he is now worrying I will use them all!

[Froufie]

I have to pack for 5, so I have been running through a mental list for a month, and we sail Feb 5. Since this is our first cruise, I have been lurking about here to figure everything out. Hopefully I will get it together:rolleyes:.

One thing I just found out from our airline: we have been given 10 free checked-bags!!!!!!!! Whoa! My DH gave me a look when I told him...I think he is now worrying I will use them all!

 

(Hi DQ!) - I would use them all - ha ha ha :eek: Okay so my luggage is in the den (cruise packing central) along with a few odds and ends and TWO SHIRTS so far - YAAY (and I leave in about 27 days - can we say excited!):D