Final stretch -- what do YOU do?

[Ehpride]

Pack

Print any remaining docs

Clear camera's memory cards

Update ipod

Beauty stuff

Buy toiletries/makeup if I need them

Get meds/refill prescriptions

Repack

Find anything that's missing

Watch cruise videos while drinking froo froo drinks

Switch purses

Call cc companies

Record tv shows for while I'm gone

Finalize port plans

Final pack

[djcass4199]

Ramp up the dieting and work out extra hard during my daily workouts to try to shed a few extra bonus pounds before the cruise! lol

[vacruizer]

Great list! Have you forgotten anything on past trips?

 

Once or twice something small like my DH's shave gel or cotton balls. We've never, knock on plastic lol, forgotten anything major. I also have an excel spreadsheet packing list. I downloaded it from Microsoft years ago as one of their travel checklists and customized it for stuff we take on cruises. I also update it a month or so out specific to each cruise since we might take different stuff depending on time of year or ports and it has all the extra items on it right down to changing the thermostat at home, printing boarding docs, checking air in tires if driving, etc. When an item goes in the suitcase it gets checked off the list. I started using it after we almost forgot my dh's suit and dress shirts on our very first cruise. We were in the car to go to the airport when I went back in the house to check the coffee pot and saw his dress clothes (back in the days of tru formal night) hanging on the bedroom door. :eek:

 

My DH laughs and tells me the cruise packing is the only thing in the world I get OCD about. I figure on a land trip I can usually replace most of what I forgot but out to sea is a whole other story!

[vacruizer]

I'm going to sound really crazy by the time I finish this thread. :p

 

Another item that's come in really handy on occasion is typing up a small, wallet sized card or piece of paper with emergency numbers for credit cards, bank, travel insurance, carnival, hotel and airline phone number.

 

DON'T put any personal info like name or account numbers - simply something like:

 

Visa 555-555-555

Bank 444-444-444

Travel Ins 333-333-3333

Etc.

Hotel 222-222-2222

 

I print two and one goes in my wallet and the other in DH's. If you get delayed, you each have easy access to call the hotel or airline or travel insurance. If one of you were to have a wallet or purse stolen, the other person has contact info easily accessible to call and cancel credit cards or contact the bank.

[BonnieH]

I have the luggage/packing thing down pretty well. But, I also add this to my routine:

 

Order RX meds far enough in advance to ensure we have enough for the trip (BF has celiacs...definitely needs his meds incase he eats something w/gluten).

Make appointment to take dogs to kennel (and take them)

Put timers on a couple of lights in the house

Ask the local PD to take a few trips past the house

Make sure ALL the laundry and dishes are clean

Clean out refrigerator

Take garbage out

[wannago35]

Double check your flights (if flying), book excursions, shop, and read CC!

 

^^Thank you for this! I hadn't checked my flights in awhile and just did. They switched equipment and moved our neighboring aisle seats to an aisle and a window and didn't inform us of the change (they usually do) luckily I got a two-seater row now so that's even better.

 

This thread has some GREAT info, today is exactly 30 days from when our vacation starts in Orlando before cruising on the 12th.

 

This weekend we're going to clean the house really good so we won't have to do that before we leave.

 

Already started a travel redweld with everything in it, including printed luggage tags, various confirmations, copies of passports, and all trip insurance paperwork.

 

Someone on CC had a great idea to print out individual envelopes for each excursion; put the money for costs and tips in there and grab it on the way out. Still need to print those out.

 

Today I'm going to call cell phone company and add international service for one month just in case.

 

Still have lots to do but I love it! So excited! :D:D:D

[Mary Ellen1]

I'm going to sound really crazy by the time I finish this thread. :p

 

Another item that's come in really handy on occasion is typing up a small, wallet sized card or piece of paper with emergency numbers for credit cards, bank, travel insurance, carnival, hotel and airline phone number.

 

DON'T put any personal info like name or account numbers - simply something like:

 

Visa 555-555-555

Bank 444-444-444

Travel Ins 333-333-3333

Etc.

Hotel 222-222-2222

 

I print two and one goes in my wallet and the other in DH's. If you get delayed, you each have easy access to call the hotel or airline or travel insurance. If one of you were to have a wallet or purse stolen, the other person has contact info easily accessible to call and cancel credit cards or contact the bank.

 

Dropbox!!! :D I put all that info in the cloud. (Again, without any personal or account information.)

 

I also add a couple of neighbors' phone numbers. Once, DH drove himself crazy wondering if he'd remembered to set the house alarm. I hopped up to the Dropbox cloud, got the next-door-neighbor's phone number (DH was impressed!) and DH talked the neighbor kid into going into our house & making sure the alarm was set. (It was!!! We bought the kid a nice t-shirt from one of our ports...)

 

Also, did you know you can stop the mail from the USPS website?

[soccersharon]

^^Thank you for this! I hadn't checked my flights in awhile and just did. They switched equipment and moved our neighboring aisle seats to an aisle and a window and didn't inform us of the change (they usually do) luckily I got a two-seater row now so that's even better.

 

This thread has some GREAT info, today is exactly 30 days from when our vacation starts in Orlando before cruising on the 12th.

 

This weekend we're going to clean the house really good so we won't have to do that before we leave.

 

Already started a travel redweld with everything in it, including printed luggage tags, various confirmations, copies of passports, and all trip insurance paperwork.

 

Someone on CC had a great idea to print out individual envelopes for each excursion; put the money for costs and tips in there and grab it on the way out. Still need to print those out.

 

Today I'm going to call cell phone company and add international service for one month just in case.

 

Still have lots to do but I love it! So excited! :D:D:D

 

 

You're welcome!

 

Have a great vacation!

[yancycruiser]

Fantastic suggestion from everyone.

 

We are down to 31 days and I just look at the boards every day.

 

One thing I always do is look for my ship's roll calls and ask any questions (and I always have some) to those cruisers who are just returning from that same cruise and ship. They can answer any questions on port, dining, time to arrive, etc. and they will be current. I have been asking the same three questions to those cruisers who departed out of New Orleans on the Conquest on August 18, 25, Sept 1, and 8th.

 

Have a great cruise.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

In addition to all the great tips so far, do add a small travel game or two in case of bad weather or whatnot. One of our favorites, that is small, easy to pack and loads of fun is LCR. It comes in a small tin about the size of the Altoids package or in a tube about the size of a tube of the mini M&M's. It's a dice rolling game and very addictive. They also have a new LCR card game too. Lots of fun !!

 

In addition, if you like a few snacks for your cabin, buy them now or before you board. Yes there is plenty of food on the ship including room service but we always bring a can of cashews and a box of good chocolates. We also bring a box of granola bars for long excursions and a box of the Crystal Lite mix-ins. As long as your snacks are individually wrapped, you should have no problem bringing them on or off of the ship.

* just to give you an idea of prices at the gift shop, a single can of Pringles was $4.95 on our last cruise, so bring them along if you think that you will want any.

 

We also bring a small highlighter to mark the FunTimes on what activities we want to partake in. Also bring a sticky note pad and pen to leave notes for the room steward or others that we may be travelling with is also handy.

 

A few other items that we pack are:

 

Inexpensive rain ponchos

 

A travel sized pack of Kleenex in a zippy bag with wet-wipes and antibacterial hand cleanser. Nice to have for excursions.

 

An envelope with plenty of one's and fives for tipping.

 

A small package of blank Thank-you cards with envelopes. (Dollar Store-pack of 8 for a buck)

we use these if we choose to leave extra tips. It's nice to write a small "thank you for making our cruise memorable" or whatever... instead of just handing the bills over. Just a personal choice.

 

Chapstick or Gloss with an SPF -- seriously, nothing worse than sunbrunt lips.

 

 

Just a little tip if you enjoy fresh fruit - take the cover from your room service plate, turn it over to make a bowl. Then when you go through the buffet line, especially at breakfast when the selection is better, take an extra piece or two of fruit. It's nice to have healthy options to enjoy in the cabin or something small to hold you over until dinner.

 

 

If you have long hair, bring a hair head band or something to keep your hair from blowing everywhere while on some of the outside decks. This was a tip that I received as a newbie and it was a good one.

 

 

 

Wishing you a great time and great weather.

 

:)

 

 

 

.

[Warm Breezes]

Just remembered one of my cruises with my then 16 y/o son. I told him and told him to get ready, packed etc. for over a week before the cruise. Mr. I've cruised enough to know what to do,don't worry, didn't do anything until the morning of the cruise.

 

Off we went! Getting ready for dinner the first night he put on his slacks which were at least 1.5 inches too short and really needed a belt!! He'd grown since the last cruise and they just didn't fit!

 

LOL....that reminded me of our cruise a few weeks ago. About a week before I had DS(19) try on his dress pants so I knew they still fit (its been summer and he's been wearing shorts for months to church), find his belt, pick out dress shirts he would be willing to wear, go through his shorts to find the ones long enough for him. He is 6'8". I never take any chances that his clothes still fit....even at 19 :o:p;). DD I don't worry about. She is constantly finding great deals on clothes and buying them. She had too many cruise dresses to choose from....

 

OP...At a month out I make a packing list and start making sure we have everything on it. By a month out I already have plane, hotel, rental car, shuttles, excursions, Bon Voyage, etc booked and planned. I am a planner, what can I say. Sometimes our plans are to wing an excursion when we get to port or not do an excursion and stay on the boat...but at a month out we know that is what we plan to do. At a month out I make sure we have a sitter for the cat, someone to bring in our mail/papers, and water the plants. I use Rewards Cash from my Credit Card for spending money so I put in my request for a check.

[cruisecrayz]

So we're 26 days out (YES!!!)... what are some things you guys do leading up to your departure date?

 

I just booked our hotel and called to confirm they had a shuttle from the airport and to the port.. but what else? Besides the obvious packing ;)

 

The last time I cruised my mom did everything, so this is the first time I'm on my own and don't want to miss out on any steps!

 

Thank you!!

 

I carry a small notepad with me to jot down anything I may think of that needs to be done or packed so I don't forget it later.

[PittsburghGirlee]

I take a pic of my scary passport:eek: and any important docs with my iPhone JIC.

Leaving in 11 days!!

[kangaand2roos]

I carry a small notepad with me to jot down anything I may think of that needs to be done or packed so I don't forget it later.

 

I do this with the notes app on my phone!

[crusinpsychRN]

Just to add a vacation related hint: Posters have said they take a picture of a card with their name,address and phone number on it so if the camera is lost the finder can "find" them.