What kind of binder?

[Lorey2007]

I am pretty organized but I am having a problem will all this paperwork I have accumulated for our upcoming cruise. What kind of binder does everyone use and how do you go about organizing it all. I need help and need to start sorting through everything I have.

[NorbertsNiece]

I have a lightweight folder with many clear plastic sleeves as pages. I arrange all my documents in the order in which they will be needed and just slip them in..... easy to just slide them out if needed.

[chet the jet]

I use a 3 ring buinder for all my stuf. I use clear heavyweigth sheel protectors. I start out with the airline tickets, seats and anything else about the aircraft I need to know. Next the pre cruise hotel. Then the cruise. In the cruise it is TA work first, then things about the ship, then shore excursion and anything else about the cruise. If something comes in new or revised I put the new stuff in the place of the old news and then through the old news away. Things like seapass information I have two copys so that when I check in ( also airport) there is always a copy in my binder. Have done this on my last 9 cruises and has worked out great.

[flpenguin]

I use an accordion folder-plenty of pockets and can easily expand

[CVU]

We book a year++ ahead and so I have a big binder with the same clear plastic sheets and with dividers for the cruises.

 

Then for the immediate cruise coming up when it is within a few months, I move them to another smaller binder. Just so I have easy access to everything for checking dates and final payments etc.

 

Then to take on the trip--- I have a thin plastic folder that will hold a few of the plastic sheet holders to take with us, has snaps to hold the sheets. You can get those at a stationary store. Contains Hotel, Air and Ship info etc.

 

I made a spread sheet on the computer I also use, just to make sure I haven't forgotten anything.

Like signing up for M&M, printing off Set Sail Pass, Luggage Tags, booking Tours, Hotel booked, Air booked, transfers organized etc. etc.

 

Happy Organizing!!!:)

[Clarea]

I just stick all the papers for each cruise in it's own manilla folder.

[margeecruiser]

I am a excessive planner and organizer. I use a three ring binder for all planning purposes. I have tabs labeled invoice, air, hotel, excursions, insurance etc. as the planning progresses, I print out invoices, booking confirmations, contact information and all details I might need. When all plans have been finalized and about a week before we leave from home, I take the binder to Kinkos and have the entire contents bound using their machine that makes lots of holes and then inserts plastic rings (sorry, I don't know the real name, maybe sprial-binding?). Kinkos supplies the clear plastic front and a blue plastic back. This costs around $10-$15.

 

I also print out any tickets, boarding passes, etc to carry separately. I know all this could be done on an electronic device, but just my luck, my device would die on me. Besides, as a senior citizen, the old fashioned paper method works for me.

 

I save these binders with all my notes. I just used my notes yesterday for a cruise I took in 2009 to give a friend the names of hotels in Rome and Venice. They also help with organizing my pictures when I get home.

 

Margee

[Agutaya]

Almost everything I need for the cruise is on my computer. Shortly before the cruise I print what we need to take with us. I put the papers in order of when we will need them and put them in a folder that has two pockets, one for pre cruise (travel and check in) and one side for the cruise and after.

[killtheump]

My iPhone

[lacruiser]

Wow -- spiral bound at Kinko's???

 

Bob, you're my kind of guy!!! :D

[Deptacon]

My iPhone

 

Winning.....:D

[DragonOfTheSeas]

I use a thin 3-ring binder, too. I have several dividers and label with various categories [airline, hotel, etc] and the ports. As I use the information in the binder I throw it away. [i keep an electronic copy on my computer for reference if I ever need it.] Then I can insert maps and brochures from the places we visit ti take home.

[DonnaK]

I use an accordion folder. I got it at the $1 spot in Target, and it's lasted for years!

[DEL67]

I also use a lightweight 3 ring binder.

 

In the first section, I put my pre-cruise confirmations in the order I will use them: Parking, airline, and hotel.

 

The second section has my cruise information: Set Sail paperwork, confirmation of my stockholder's credit, etc.

 

The next sections have information about the ports, private tour confirmations, etc.

 

The last section has general; information that I take on each cruise: copies of our passports, trip insurance, etc.

 

Finally, I have a plastic insert in the back for the items I know I will need to take out of the binder: boarding passes, a copy of my set sail, tickets, luggage tags, etc.

[dacsmom]

I also use a 3 ring binder with dividers for ports, food, ship info, hotel, and travel docs.

[Trekker954]

For my longer and far away cruises (i.e. other than Caribbean). I use accordion type with dividers. Air; hotel; transfers; excursions with envelopes that include payment (Euros, pounds or dollars) each have their own plastic protectors.

 

The dividers are each marked air/transfers; hotels; then pre/post cruise city/cities; and ports each have their own section where I can seperate the excursion docs. I only do private excursions so I need to be organized too!!

[panoramaofthepast]

I am pretty organized but I am having a problem will all this paperwork I have accumulated for our upcoming cruise. What kind of binder does everyone use and how do you go about organizing it all. I need help and need to start sorting through everything I have.

 

 

Another trick I picked up from my daughter - payment envelopes! For private excursions that require payment in cash, we put the cash (plus tip) in an envelope, one for each excursion. I usually staple the receipt to the envelope, just to keep it all together. Once on board, it goes into the safe in the cabin.

 

 

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[Desert Cruizers]

I buy folders wil multiple sleeves and label them for Flight, Hotel, Tours, Documents/Set Sail etc. Binders tend to be heavy so changed to the folders. I also try and add things to my IPad to reduce the paperwork. I use the Calendar on my IPad for marking down the Dates & Tours. I print out information off web sites on tours or things of interest. About 1 month from our trip I bring everything into our bedroom ( Passports, cruise information) and set on our dresser, then it is all in one location.

[brenderlou]

My iPhone

 

 

Exactly!

 

 

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[retiredgram]

I just stick all the papers for each cruise in it's own manilla folder.

That's what I do also. It's quite easy that way. One folder, one cruise.:D

[ambg]

I use google drive and lightweight binder with sheet protectors, depending on the use.

 

Google drive app is accessible from any computer, any iOS/ipad/iphone and android devices. You can choose the specific files that you want to download and view offline (no internet access) on your device.

 

All receipts, documents, etc that Are for informational use only, I save it as PDF and upload the files to google drive. Anything that requires printing (airline tickets/boarding passes, luggage tags, etc), I save a copy in the google drive, print and put them in the sheet protector in a binder. A couple of days before departure, I choose the files I need to be able to view offline, like my planner, schedule, receipts,etc.

 

When i board the ship, all documents i get throughout the trip goes into the binder/sheet protector.

[seaofwonder]

It's all in a folder in my gmail account. For a cruise I don't really have documents....flights and hotels. Upcoming cruise next month in the Baltics. Everything is stored online (pre and post hotels, flights, st. Pete tour docs, and all our private transfers).

 

Now our last land vacation was 6 weeks in Europe last month. For that one I did do a folder with plastic sleeves for all the hotels since accessing email would be more difficult due to high data charges.

 

 

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[S.A.M.J.R.]

I just stick all the papers for each cruise in it's own manilla folder.

+1

I have individual sheets for:

Rental Car Reservations

Set Sail Pass

Excursion Confirmations

A print out of our schedule

Airline Boarding Pass(es)

 

That's it.

[Deptacon]

It's all in a folder in my gmail account. For a cruise I don't really have documents....flights and hotels. Upcoming cruise next month in the Baltics. Everything is stored online (pre and post hotels, flights, st. Pete tour docs, and all our private transfers).

 

Now our last land vacation was 6 weeks in Europe last month. For that one I did do a folder with plastic sleeves for all the hotels since accessing email would be more difficult due to high data charges.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Agree. The only piece of paper anyone should ever need now with the smartphone era and cloud storage..... Passport and Drivers Liscense/ID.

 

I dont even use a paper boarding pass on planes anymore....smartphone boarding pass.....

Edited July 16, 2014 by Deptacon

[DragonOfTheSeas]

Agree. The only piece of paper anyone should ever need now with the smartphone era and cloud storage..... Passport and Drivers Liscense/ID.

 

I dont even use a paper boarding pass on planes anymore....smartphone boarding pass.....

 

Accessing all that data in a foreign country costs a pretty penny. I do not have an international plan for my phone. I take 2-3 cruises a year, so getting such a plan is not cost effective. Yes, I could do that--but, my notebook is free. YMMV

 

I love technology--but, would not consider taking a trip without a hard copy of a few important items [insurance policy numbers, etc]. . . . and I can access it much faster.

 

It all comes down to comfort level. :)

Edited July 16, 2014 by DragonOfTheSeas