I keep every e-mail for Historical Purposes

[travelplus]

I am a bit obsessive but I have every e-mail from every travel vendor that i dealt with categorized ever since 2004 when I opened my e-mail account. Want me to see how much i paid for my 2012 Cruise and airfare? I can pull it up for historical purposes to get a ball park figure of what is a good airfare/cruisefarre etc.

 

Every single invoice goes to the folder no matter how many times its sent. Call it redundancy but it has saved me on many occasions. From the time when the hotel did not have my reservation to the time I needed to change my flight time due to a significant schedule change. I can compare my originally booked itinerary versus the new schedule.

 

I have had to pull up emails on my smartphone but because its categorized by date and year and cruise name I can easily access it at a moments notice For every cancellation in the Cruise Planner to rebooking it at a less expensive rate i keep all records.

[ColoradoGurl]

Ok

 

 

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[tnt10]

I have folders in my email account for each trip/cruise we take.

It includes the original cruise booking and deposit, and any subsequent changes.

Also, Flight reservations.

And Hotel reservations.

Any private car hires.

Plus anything related to that trip/cruise.

I have been doing that since 2003.

OCD? Kinda. But, I can look up what hotel we stayed at in Rome in 2005 and the room we booked and rate we paid. I can do this for every trip/cruise.

Comes in very handy if we ever plan to stay in the same city.

Now, I just have to correlate all this pics to the correct cruises....

[swoopy2110]

Thanks ?

[dpostman]

I do the same. I don't go back quite as far... maybe I'm not as old ;p

 

I use Gmail folders and also Google Drive. I move trips that are over with into my "Past Trips" folder and my future trips go into... you guessed it: "Future Trips" All purchases, invoices, docs get classified. Even all of my online research into port of calls and also include notes I find interesting from CC members such as Good bartenders or a great gift shop at a particular port. All gets stored in an easily accessible Google Drive folder. Since we can only cruise every 2 years or so, it helps pass the time when you purchase a cruise that is still 607 days out.:rolleyes: Then, a few days before we leave, I make the important documentation in my Google Drive accessible OFFLINE, just in case...

 

dp

[Kartgv]

I'm not quite so obsessive as to keep even duplicates, but do make sure to keep hard copies of all important documents - original booking agreement including price, perks, balance due/due date, insurance coverage, etc. If any of that changes, I keep the change notice.

 

I learned the hard way that keeping important emails in nice neat folders in your email account isn't always enough. Our carrier, COX Communications, made a change to their system last summer just before we left on a 3 week trip. By the time we got back and realized that all of our folders and their contents were GONE, they claimed it was too late to recover anything. Luckily I had kept the hard copies of most items. I've now learned how to save important emails to a folder which I can then organize in 'My Documents" and back up to an external hard-drive. Could also use "the cloud" but I haven't quite reached the point where I believe that "My Cloud" couldn't easily become "Anyone's Cloud"!

[Markanddonna]

I keep all the documents in folders under travel and include a copy of any review I write for Cruise Critic. That helps me remember details for future planning, like "which hotel in Miami did we like best for the precruise night?" Details can become all muddled after many trips and cruises.

[TruckerDave]

:confused:

 

Not really sure of the purpose of this thread. But, I'll play along a little. I see NO reason to keep that stuff after the {insert activity} is complete, paid for and any/all loyalty points (hotel/airline type) are paid. I really couldn't care less about keeping an email from a hotel I stayed at 3 years ago. Once the points are credited I'm done and onto the next thing.

[DirtyDawg]

:confused:

 

Not really sure of the purpose of this thread. But, I'll play along a little. I see NO reason to keep that stuff after the {insert activity} is complete, paid for and any/all loyalty points (hotel/airline type) are paid. I really couldn't care less about keeping an email from a hotel I stayed at 3 years ago. Once the points are credited I'm done and onto the next thing.

 

I'm with you Dave. I only keep files with stuff my accountant and lawyer advise me to. All the other stuff gets tossed/deleted as soon as I can do it.

[Flatbush Flyer]

I am a bit obsessive but I have every e-mail from every travel vendor that i dealt with categorized ever since 2004 when I opened my e-mail account. Want me to see how much i paid for my 2012 Cruise and airfare? I can pull it up for historical purposes to get a ball park figure of what is a good airfare/cruisefarre etc.

 

 

 

Every single invoice goes to the folder no matter how many times its sent. Call it redundancy but it has saved me on many occasions. From the time when the hotel did not have my reservation to the time I needed to change my flight time due to a significant schedule change. I can compare my originally booked itinerary versus the new schedule.

 

 

 

I have had to pull up emails on my smartphone but because its categorized by date and year and cruise name I can easily access it at a moments notice For every cancellation in the Cruise Planner to rebooking it at a less expensive rate i keep all records.

 

 

 

Are you suggesting that there are some people who don't do this? [emoji15][emoji15][emoji15]

 

 

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[6rugrats]

Do you also keep Excel spreadsheets with packing lists for all your cruises?

[Krazy Kruizers]

I always set up folders for our different cruises. I do take copies of hotels, air flights, anything I have pre-purchased for the ship. But once we are home, have gotten all our points, etc., then I discard the folder.

I see no reason for keeping everything for years.

We started cruising back in the 80's -- no computers back then.

[Shorex]

Well....okay. Personally I'm with Trucker Dave. Don't care what anyone else does. I understand some people prefer to keep all these documents for sentimental reasons. The excellent part of OP's practice is that the documents are saved electronically.

 

But airfares, cruise fares, and hotel prices from 2012 have zero relevance to 2018 prices.

[Bizmark'sMom]

As soon as the trip is over, paid for, and accounted for, those emails are deleted and the hard copy printouts are shredded. I'm on to the next trip.

 

I barely keep my photos organized. No way do I have the inclination to keep the pricing details of all of the tour options in every port I've visited.

[Flatbush Flyer]

Well....okay. Personally I'm with Trucker Dave. Don't care what anyone else does. I understand some people prefer to keep all these documents for sentimental reasons. The excellent part of OP's practice is that the documents are saved electronically.

 

 

 

But airfares, cruise fares, and hotel prices from 2012 have zero relevance to 2018 prices.

 

 

To a certain extent, I disagree.

 

The ability to remind a repeat hotel that they gave you a courtesy (e.g., upgrade, free night, dining discount) on your previous visit(s) can work wonders in negotiating a deal this time around.

 

Likewise, keeping the info that helped you decide on tour providers previously will cut your research time in the future (especially if circumstances dictate that your preferred outfit is not available).

 

As for the cruises themselves: cabin prices may be irrelevant. But, knowing what perks may have been on the table then could make a difference now.

In short, keeping detailed (and well organized) records helps me to live the mantra I was taught growing up in Brooklyn: "NEVER pay retail."

 

 

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[jdvmd]

I keep everything in folders in my email. It is not so much to see how much prices have changed but a way to remember cruises, costs, other trips, so I can make recommendations to friends when they ask.

[NMLady]

:confused:

 

Not really sure of the purpose of this thread. ....

 

I agree. :o

[DirtyDawg]

:confused:

 

Not really sure of the purpose of this thread.

 

I agree. :o

 

Just file it away for future reference. :D

[Nic6318]

Hi

 

Everybody should have a hobby. :D This one doesn't hurt anybody...keep up the good work. Personally, I know I keep my tax returns for way many more years than I know I need to. Just figure it's more trouble to get rid of than keep.

[6rugrats]

Just file it away for future reference. :D

Best post today!

[MicCanberra]

Well....okay. Personally I'm with Trucker Dave. Don't care what anyone else does. I understand some people prefer to keep all these documents for sentimental reasons. The excellent part of OP's practice is that the documents are saved electronically.

 

But airfares, cruise fares, and hotel prices from 2012 have zero relevance to 2018 prices.

Agreed, somewhat.

I create a spreadsheet with costs of my travel and has all the relevant details such as the accommodation, airfares, excursions, etc. This serves two purposes, it helps me to budget, while planning the trip and it serves as a record for reference in the future. The costs of course are irrelevant as soon as the trip is a few months old. the

[geoherb]

My email records for our cruises go back just eight years. That's when started saving all the incoming emails in a separate folder. Most of the time, I don't need the info. But occasionally I do look up something.