Wildly differing levels of planning, etc

[gentle@spici]

I must admit I had never thought about decorating our cabin door for a second during any of our cruises but that changed last December when I noticed several decorated with a Christmas theme So for this years Christmas cruise I have actually spent a few hrs researching what to put on our door which will include some cute Christmassy magnets and even some battery operated blinking lights. Might even bring a little 2 ft tall artificial tree with lights if I can fit it in my carry on.

[CruiseGal999]

As ridiculous as it seems, there are actually some people who create spreadsheets to coordinate their daily clothing choices. Me - I wear what is on top of the pile.

 

DON

 

I don't find that ridiculous at all. THAT is exactly what I did for my last cruise in May. With only having carry on luggage and Cuba being SO hot & humid .... I needed to plan/pack 2 outfits per day. It helped. NOW ... NOT having to do my hair or bring ANY hair products (other than conditioner), that too was a big help. :hearteyes::cool: Also, cruise was so short, turn around for laundry took too long. Not really an option.

[Nebr.cruiser]

I'm kind of in the middle as a planner. Of course we have to plan flights, hotels and excursions--or which ports we don't need/want an excursion. I don't like knowing everything going on during the cruise ahead of time and would prefer to go with the flow on the ship; some cruise lines are making that more difficult with wanting reservations for everything.

 

I've never done a spreadsheet and never will, but about a week ahead I start hanging clothes and putting other cruise stuff on a shelf in my closet. We don't pack until the day before--even later for my husband! We've cruised enough that I pretty much know what I am taking, with differences according to itinerary.

 

Everyone has their own method, which is just fine.

[jc3443]

There was a study done in 2010 showing that planning ahead at least some of your vacation provided the most happiness. So, the people who said “planning is half the fun” are a least partially right. Here’s a link to a Huff Post article describing the study results.

 

 

https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5755b42ae4b0eb20fa0e906d/amp

 

Interesting. :confused: The writer of the article makes a very common mistake though and decides that a statistical study of a group of people that determines the majority were happier with more planning means that more planning will make you happier. Yes, the majority of people may be happier with more planning but individuals are happier with whatever they are happier with regardless of statistics. A study that showed 80% of people were happier on vacation if they made a spreadsheet for their wardrobe wouldn't mean anything to me personally, as it would make me miserable! :(

 

I enjoy the "planning" as it relates to reading about destinations, things to do, etc. But focusing on the minutiae or being locked into a schedule doesn't work for me. It's the worrying about all the little things that would get to me. I need to bring a door hanger for organization, I need to bring a notepad for the door to leave notes for people, I need to meet up with the CruiseCritic folks as soon as I get on board, etc. I saw a thread here with pages and pages of discussion about door decorations. Someone actually suggested that the door decorations on other peoples doors detracted from his vacation. :') Might be time for some therapy there dude...

 

Again, if note pads, organizers, and all that make you happy and comfortable then by all means go for it.

[cruisemom42]

Interesting. :confused: The writer of the article makes a very common mistake though and decides that a statistical study of a group of people that determines the majority were happier with more planning means that more planning will make you happier. Yes, the majority of people may be happier with more planning but individuals are happier with whatever they are happier with regardless of statistics. A study that showed 80% of people were happier on vacation if they made a spreadsheet for their wardrobe wouldn't mean anything to me personally, as it would make me miserable! :(

 

I enjoy the "planning" as it relates to reading about destinations, things to do, etc. But focusing on the minutiae or being locked into a schedule doesn't work for me. It's the worrying about all the little things that would get to me. I need to bring a door hanger for organization, I need to bring a notepad for the door to leave notes for people, I need to meet up with the CruiseCritic folks as soon as I get on board, etc. I saw a thread here with pages and pages of discussion about door decorations. Someone actually suggested that the door decorations on other peoples doors detracted from his vacation. :') Might be time for some therapy there dude...

 

Again, if note pads, organizers, and all that make you happy and comfortable then by all means go for it.

 

To me there's a big difference between planning (or hyper-organizing) minutiae like over-the-door organizers and sticky notes versus planning what I will do in port. Most of my cruises are selected for the itinerary and I like to tour on my own, so I'm not about to lose precious hours in port in Athens or Rome trying to figure out how to get around or what I want to do....

 

I like to read guidebooks and also books on the history (or current situation) of the ports I will visit in advance. And I find it very enjoyable doing that -- as well as figuring out where and how to catch the train, how long it will take to walk from Point A to Point B, and what things are open or closed on the day I'm in port.

 

So in that respect I think planning is fun. Not so much the making of packing spreadsheets or calculating down to the last dime how much I will spend.

[slidergirl]

To me there's a big difference between planning (or hyper-organizing) minutiae like over-the-door organizers and sticky notes versus planning what I will do in port. Most of my cruises are selected for the itinerary and I like to tour on my own, so I'm not about to lose precious hours in port in Athens or Rome trying to figure out how to get around or what I want to do....

 

I like to read guidebooks and also books on the history (or current situation) of the ports I will visit in advance. And I find it very enjoyable doing that -- as well as figuring out where and how to catch the train, how long it will take to walk from Point A to Point B, and what things are open or closed on the day I'm in port.

 

So in that respect I think planning is fun. Not so much the making of packing spreadsheets or calculating down to the last dime how much I will spend.

 

Exactly!!! I don't plan every second of my vacation on a spreadsheet. But, I do my due diligence and have decided on one or two things I must see and what I need to do to accomplish that (walking, train, tickets) But, I stay flexible and nimble. I don't fall apart if something goes sideways - there are plenty of things to to as alternatives. I'm not a clothes slut *I am a bag/luggage slut*, so I have no desire/need/drive to plan out every item of my wardrobe to the time of day it is to be worn ;) I normally have a general idea of what I need to take for a particular trip and just start thinking about it maybe 2 weeks ahead. I start actual packing the day before, usually finishing up about 10 minutes before I head out the door. The only slip up of note that I have ever made was to forget to pack a rain shell for Africa, even after noting there would be rain possible 2 of the days. Did not panic because I had an long connection time at Heathrow and I had a dayroom at the Hilton. Just hopped on the train to the next town, wandered downtown and found a sporting goods store. Not a big deal. I could have picked up one in Nairobi if it had come to that (hotel concierges are great for that!!)

[crzndeb]

I started cruising long before message boards, so half the fun was not knowing anything. Now, instead of the library to research ports, I can just go online. The only thing I really do now is research flights, hotels, ports, since most of my cruises now are for itineraries to far away places...LOL

 

Some will ask a million questions before they even board the ship, with most of those being answered once they board.

 

Some just go with the flow...we are all different

[ldubs]

I don't find that ridiculous at all. THAT is exactly what I did for my last cruise in May. With only having carry on luggage and Cuba being SO hot & humid .... I needed to plan/pack 2 outfits per day. It helped. NOW ... NOT having to do my hair or bring ANY hair products (other than conditioner), that too was a big help. :hearteyes::cool: Also, cruise was so short, turn around for laundry took too long. Not really an option.

 

I'm opposite. I'm told which bag (suitcase) I will be using. I will fill it with golf shirts until either I reach 50 pounds or run out of room. Of course I exaggerate because there is a little more to it than that, but you get what I mean. I might end up with too many clothes or I might run out. I can deal with either scenario. Haha.

 

I agree that being limited to a carry-on does require a little more attention. Never done it with a cruise but did do a two week trip to Europe last year with just a carry-on.

[dreadpirate3]

I am a planner and researcher and use online spreadsheets to plan spending and where, when, who for tours and ports. Once on the ship, I'm flexible and can relax.

 

DH knows what he wants to know, and goes with the flow.

[ldubs]

 

DH knows what he wants to know, and goes with the flow.

 

 

Like!

[SRF]

The same with non-cruise vacations.

 

My parents used to get on a plane to Europe, with the only thing booked being a rental car. Heck, they occasionally flew military space A (Dad was retired Navy) and would get on the first plane to Europe, not caring where it went.

 

My level of comfort is, I want a bed booked for each night. Beyond that, I am like the poster who researches, but then goes with the flow. First trip to Scotland, for 10 days, I had two things I wanted to do. The rest, we made up as we went. Including seeing something interesting driving along, and stopping to explore. One year in Berlin, in one day, while walking to a destination and back, we found two very nice museums we did not even know about.

 

I know of people that before they leave, can tell you which restaurant, and at what time, they will eat lunch on Day 5 of their vacation. That is WAY too detailed of planning for me.

[geoherb]

I plan a little bit but also go with the flow. For instance, for our cruise to the British isles, I booked hotel rooms in London and Southampton before the cruise, purchased tickets to Buckingham Palace and Edinburgh Castle ahead of time, and booked two excursions online with independent tour companies. In the other ports, I read about things to see and do. We had a great time--saw a lot and missed some things.

 

For clothing, I don't need separate outfits for day and night. The shirt I wear to dinner one night can be worn later during the day. I'll wear the same pairs of shorts and pants over and over. I did forget to pack a second pair of shorts on our last Caribbean cruise and had to buy another pair in Curacao. I once forgot to pack a second pair of pants on a Panama Canal cruise. I ended up wearing the same pair of khakis to dinner each night (except for formal nights--I did have my tuxedo pants for those).

[SRF]

BTW, if you have a data plan, you can book online for Edinburgh Castle, while waiting in line, if the line is too long. :D

[helen haywood]

For me, thinking about the cruise and musing over possibilities is absolutely intoxicating. It is half the fun (or more) only because the moment I start thinking and planning then the trip experience has started, even before I set foot on the plane or ship. I know this because we recently had a cruise that left out of Miami the week after Hurricane Irma was (originally) scheduled to hit Miami directly. I couldn't do any planning because I didn't know what condition the port or airport would be in. I didn't know if the cruise would be altered. I had to just wait and see what Mother Nature dished out. I didn't pack or even think about packing because it would have been so depressing to unpack if we missed the cruise.

 

When all worked out and we were able to sail I felt the vacation was half the length it should have been....and in effect it was.

[julie3fan]

Helen, I understand how you feel. I experienced a similar feeling once, but after the cruise. On one cruise, years ago, I feel ill our last day aboard (a sea day) and had to go immediately to the hospital upon debarking, and was admitted for 3 days. Then our 2 day drive home became 3, and wasn't fun-filled as originally planned.

 

DH and I both agreed that since we didn't have the time immediately following the cruise to talk about it, that it really diminished our enjoyment of the whole experience.

[GottaKnowWhen]

...I am more of the laid back, it will all work itself out, what me worry type. That probably drives some people nuts I'm sure. ...

 

 

Some things “need” to be planned, others can be worked out as the occasion demands, and some structured plans just help ease the stress of travel. 1. I book a cruise ( or week in a resort or whatever.) 2. I get reservations for Travel to start point, and for Travel back home. 3 I scope out my options day-to-day and make advance reservations for must-see high popularity sites. 4. I figure the minimum I need to carry (clothing etc.) depending on destination. 5. I pack, Travel, vacation, and enjoy. If stuff doesn’t work out as expected, I can go with the flow. But my planning and preparation make it unlikely that there will be major disruptions that can significantly affect my vacation.

 

Example (non cruise). Years ago, pre internet and cell phones, my wife and I rode out of London on our bikes. For the next three weeks we traveled England and Wales on our (peddle) bikes and occasional train ride with no advance reservations, but a general idea of where we wanted to go, roughly the route we might follow. Mid afternoon each day we would evaluate our position and progress, find a phone booth and make some phone calls to get a room for the night. We had a grand adventure, made it back to London in time to do our scheduled flight back to the states.

 

The intersection of good planning and reasonable adaptability can result in stress free vacations.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[dreadpirate3]

I'm reminded of just why I put effort into planning.

A number of CC members would like to go to the all inclusive beach day I have booked, but it is full.

[Hflors]

I am the planner in my family. DH just packs the day before we leave and that is the extent of his involvement. Last cruise ( and for most cruises) we did a combination of CC tours, ship tours and "on our own" tours. We booked in advance for what I call "must see" then when we got on board we booked tours onboard for "what we would like to see" which left us some days with nothing but "walking around seeing what is there" (it was a med cruise and LOTS of ports)

 

As far as an "over the door holder" I wouldn't leave my house without one! Dh use to always say "where is my..." because he always just drops things and after a while the cabin looked like a pig sty. Now everything I find and all bathroom stuff is in the "over the door holder" At first he would continue to ask and finally I just told him. "If I find anything I will put it in the "Over the door holder" so don't ask me before you check there." On our last cruise he actually told me that the "over the door holder" was a great idea as he can find 'everything" now!

 

Now if I could just turn 70 lbs of luggage into under 50 lbs for our next cruise:eek::eek::eek:

[dreadpirate3]

I am the planner in my family. DH just packs the day before we leave and that is the extent of his involvement. Last cruise ( and for most cruises) we did a combination of CC tours, ship tours and "on our own" tours. We booked in advance for what I call "must see" then when we got on board we booked tours onboard for "what we would like to see" which left us some days with nothing but "walking around seeing what is there" (it was a med cruise and LOTS of ports)

 

As far as an "over the door holder" I wouldn't leave my house without one! Dh use to always say "where is my..." because he always just drops things and after a while the cabin looked like a pig sty. Now everything I find and all bathroom stuff is in the "over the door holder" At first he would continue to ask and finally I just told him. "If I find anything I will put it in the "Over the door holder" so don't ask me before you check there." On our last cruise he actually told me that the "over the door holder" was a great idea as he can find 'everything" now!

 

Now if I could just turn 70 lbs of luggage into under 50 lbs for our next cruise:eek::eek::eek:

When I saw the size of the walk in closet in the Freedom JS, I breathed a sigh of relief. No suitcase and clothes taking up the couch!

[Markanddonna]

I just returned from a month trip (22 day cruise + one week) and saw that my research really paid off and lack of it made some opportunities not possible. Regrets: I wish that I had spent more time trying to understand Sydney's ferry system. Accomplishments: many amazing experiences that were only possible because I had the inside scoop. On the other hand, some experiences like hiring a random taxi driver in Lautoka, Fiji yielded a very unique day which included an invitation to his home for tea and desserts. Like everything else, researching is key in setting up priorities and possibilities. Leaving the planning to your travel agent or only going on ship tours will usually yield a C+ vacation.