First cruise in about 7 weeks ... one big question

[Musicsmylife]

Count down, make packing list, and read about ports. Also plan airfare and hotel and get food ideas. I fly in at least a day ahead of time.

[SuperdudeAbides]

Well, our cruise leaves the day after Christmas (26th at 2 or 4PM can't remember) we were going to drive but got some EXCELLENT non-stop flights there and back on Southwest for less than rental car and gas would have been. We arrive the evening of Christmas Eve (about 10-11PM Eastern on the 24th) We have hotel for that evening and Christmas and we have one for our return day (2nd of Jan) and then fly home on the 3rd of Jan. So we are all set for pre and post cruise.

 

I am continuing to research St. Johns and Grand Turk and just reading about cruises in general.

 

If anything is left to plan it's what all I/my wife will pack, clothes wise, since there seems to be 2 schools of thought on wardrobe.

 

School of thought 1. Pack super light, there are laundry facilities (I don't want to do a stitch of laundry on my vacation barring any emergency/unexpected need)

 

School of thought 2. Pack normally, 7 nights with 2 formals = 2 jackets and pants, 5-7 nice shirts 4-5 tee shirts, 3-5 pairs of shorts some nice some "play" 1 nice pair of shoes, one pair tennis shoes, one pair water shoes, 7+ Underwear/socks 2 pair nice socks ... etc etc.

 

So I am not sure what I am doing there, probably something in between the 2 schools of thought. I have a lot of items that can cover me for multiple options.

 

Otherwise I think I am reasonably on top of it at this point thanks to the WONDERFUL people here on CC.

[GottaKnowWhen]

...If anything is left to plan it's what all I/my wife will pack, clothes wise, since there seems to be 2 schools of thought on wardrobe.

 

School of thought 1. Pack super light, there are laundry facilities (I don't want to do a stitch of laundry on my vacation barring any emergency/unexpected need)

 

School of thought 2. Pack normally, 7 nights with 2 formals = 2 jackets and pants, 5-7 nice shirts 4-5 tee shirts, 3-5 pairs of shorts some nice some "play" 1 nice pair of shoes, one pair tennis shoes, one pair water shoes, 7+ Underwear/socks 2 pair nice socks ... etc etc.

 

So I am not sure what I am doing there, probably something in between the 2 schools of thought. I have a lot of items that can cover me for multiple options.

...

 

I have done a lot of travel for work and vacation in many parts of the world, but I am a relatively new cruiser. With that caveat, I offer an observation: You are packing way too many shirts! In the a.m. you'll put on a clean polo or T-shirt. Late afternoon you'll be back in your cabin, shower, dress for the evening. The shirt you wear that evening will have just a few hours of wear in an air-conditioned setting. Wear it again the following evening, maybe the following after that as well. As far as the polo and T shirts, take five minutes on the evening of the 2nd and 4th nights to wash the used ones in the sink and hang them in the shower. Ditto with the underwear and socks. You are planning for too many shorts as well.

But whatever you wind up taking, make an inventory/list. Check things off as you use them, keep notes. At the end of the trip you'll be way ahead in knowing what to leave behind the next time. Enjoy!

 

Stan

Edited November 12, 2015 by GottaKnowWhen

[SuperdudeAbides]

:D I was being a bit crazy with that list more of an example - minimal vs a bunch of .... "stuff".

 

Like I said I will probably be somewhere in the middle.

Both suits, 3 dress shirts, 3 casual shirts, 5 t-shirts, 4 shorts 2 casual 2 excursion ready. 3 pair shoes (nice, tennis, water) I will probably pack 7 underwear and socks cause they don't take up much space. Just kinda work off that and see how I am for space in the old suitcase. :cool:

[Tura Lura]

:D I was being a bit crazy with that list more of an example - minimal vs a bunch of .... "stuff".

 

Like I said I will probably be somewhere in the middle.

Both suits, 3 dress shirts, 3 casual shirts, 5 t-shirts, 4 shorts 2 casual 2 excursion ready. 3 pair shoes (nice, tennis, water) I will probably pack 7 underwear and socks cause they don't take up much space. Just kinda work off that and see how I am for space in the old suitcase. :cool:

 

First cruise I packed a ton of "stuff" more stuff than clothes probably. Now I know what i actually used and wore. So treat this as a trial run for future cruises. Take more than what you will need, take whatever you think you might want. Then for next time you'll know what you actually used.

 

My #1 best thing I brought was a fan. Thank god for that fan :) But i was in an inside studio, so if you have balcony, maybe not. But I loved my fan. and my ginger candy, sea bands, and motion sickness drugs (we had a hurricane).

 

Clothes, i wish i had brought another pair of pants and a couple more comfy tops.

[SuperdudeAbides]

First cruise I packed a ton of "stuff" more stuff than clothes probably. Now I know what i actually used and wore. So treat this as a trial run for future cruises. Take more than what you will need, take whatever you think you might want. Then for next time you'll know what you actually used.

 

My #1 best thing I brought was a fan. Thank god for that fan :) But i was in an inside studio, so if you have balcony, maybe not. But I loved my fan. and my ginger candy, sea bands, and motion sickness drugs (we had a hurricane).

 

Clothes, i wish i had brought another pair of pants and a couple more comfy tops.

 

Thanks for the ideas!

 

I have heard more than one person say fan, I have yet to ask.

 

I sleep at home with a fan, and when I have traveled I have used an app on my phone that lets me choose between a number of "sleep sounds" including a fan. For me if the temperature is fine I still need the white noise. In a ships cabin is the temperature tough to keep cool enough? Is a fan needed for that reason or for the noise?

 

I can't sleep hot, I know that. Even with a balcony if the HVAC is sub standard I will need a fan.

 

What say you?

[MOcruiserman]

HOW IN THE NAME OF GOD DO YOU MAKE IT FROM BOOKING TO EMBARKATION? The wait is absolutely killing me. I can feel the breeze on my face, the salty air in my lungs, the sun on my back. I live in the KC area and the mornings are chilly, there's been frost. I am dying waiting for this and I have a long 6 weeks to go. HOW DO YOU DO IT?

 

Check out videos of The Westerdam. You'll find a ton of them. It's a good way to cruise "vicariously" and also know what to expect on board the ship.

[Tura Lura]

Thanks for the ideas!

 

I have heard more than one person say fan, I have yet to ask.

 

I sleep at home with a fan, and when I have traveled I have used an app on my phone that lets me choose between a number of "sleep sounds" including a fan. For me if the temperature is fine I still need the white noise. In a ships cabin is the temperature tough to keep cool enough? Is a fan needed for that reason or for the noise?

 

I can't sleep hot, I know that. Even with a balcony if the HVAC is sub standard I will need a fan.

 

What say you?

 

I say bring a fan. I had a small battery operated one I could either clamp on to something or could rest on a nightstand. I needed air movement even if the temperature was ok. It was one purchase I did not regret at all.

[GottaKnowWhen]

I say bring a fan. I had a small battery operated one I could either clamp on to something or could rest on a nightstand. I needed air movement even if the temperature was ok. It was one purchase I did not regret at all.

 

Don't count on the balcony. The few ships I have been on have all insisted that you keep the door to the balcony closed; when it is open, any cool air in the room is sucked out, it screws with the HVAC system, it lets in the heavy humidity, etc. Also it is noisier with the door open. It is great to have the balcony to step out for fresh air or to sit and sun or watch the ocean go by, but don't plan to have that as your HVAC solution.

 

As to whether the temperature will be ok, probably not but it is impossible for anybody to say. Every cabin on every ship is going to have its own quirks and, besides, any two people in the same cabin often can't agree if it is to hot or too cold. If your particular cabin is too far from your particular requirements, then you may be able to get help from housekeeping.

 

Stan

[tingyyy]

You suck it up and realize the faster the cruise gets here, the sooner it will be OVER! So...enjoy the excitement and anticipation! 6 weeks will fly by...no worries!

 

I agree completely! the anticipation and planning and daydreaming is half the fun for me. in fact for any vacation when we are out of the door and heading towards the airport I often start feeling a bit mournful and drive DBF nuts by going on and on about how "it's the beginning of the end! :(:("

 

:p

 

to OP don't worry you'll survive somehow and it'll be here before you know it! then you'll have such a great time onboard that you'll be obsessing over booking the next cruise once you're back!

[kelkel2]

I spend my time in between booking and embarkation planning. I start with the big stuff, where will I stay and then flights.

After that is taken care of the smaller stuff falls into place. It sounds like you have all the big stuff done, but why not do some reading up on your port stops and see what you may like to do while you are there. Are you interested in doing excursions or maybe some shopping?

Maybe a big, fun excursion in one stop and shopping in another? Take the time to ask others on here for recommendations of what not to miss or what they have done that was a lot of fun.

We don't do a lot of excursions, we usually pick one port and do one in and the rest of the ports we usually just explore and do our own thing so a lot of decision making is required.

If you do that, by the time you are done reading up on your stops, and done enjoying the Holidays your cruise will be here!

[cruznjan]

If you wait this close to departure, is there much left besides insides?

 

Insides go fast because they're cheaper.

[terri-eddie]

Since this is your first cruise, you won't be able to fully enjoy this exercise, but I post it for your future reference!

 

My husband and I, while waiting impatiently for our next cruise, amuse ourselves by saying at random moments "It is 830am...on our cruise, we will be enjoying a breakfast burrito on Lido in the warm sunshine." Or "It's 10am...time for a trivia challenge!" or "Now we're heading off to the MDR...I'm going to order two desserts!"

 

Silly, I know, but it helps us pass the time.

[ger_77]

To help while away the time, watch a couple of webcams in Ft. Lauderdale:

http://ftlauderdalewebcam.com/

http://portevergladeswebcam.com/

 

Be sure to turn off the volume on one of the cams if you have both open at once, otherwise you'll end up with a big echo.

 

Pack a combination of School of thought 1 and School of thought 2 and utilize the ship's laundry service. You're only going for a week, so a couple of t-shirts & shorts will suffice for daytime, and slacks & a couple of shirts will work for evening dining. For formal wear 1 jacket and pants and dress shirt will suffice and you can bring 2 different ties.

 

Enjoy your first cruise - but be aware that they can be addictive!

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

[DeesEscape]

I started at 276 days and now I'm down to 45 and my "itch" for cruising is worse now than at the beginning. Probably because I had so much work to do that all of these months prior were invested in planning, planning, adjusting, re-adjusting and then more planning. LOL

 

We are leaving at the beginning of January and just this past week our cruise documents were finally issued so all of my "agent" work is now complete (I have even done our luggage tags already:D) so now all that is left to do is housekeeping. Excursions, dinner and show reservations are all as they should be and every last minute detail from the airline to the hotel and everything in between has been given its next to last once over (which I will do that final week before we leave for FLL) which leaves me with packing and a few odd errands here and there. I don't know how people do it. I was out of the loop for 10 years but I certainly fell right into the groove of things quite easily.

 

Hope you and your wife have a lovely time. :)

Edited November 20, 2015 by DeesEscape