Compulsive cruise prep

[kochleffel]

9 minutes ago, By the Sea I’ll Be said:

Up till now I’ve been silently lurking on this topic and feeling relieved to know that I am not alone in my obsessing over my upcoming cruise (this will be my first one).

 

BUT today is the magical day I’ve been waiting for....120 days to sailing. I got up two hours early so I could book all my dining and entertainment before heading out to work. But so far the only options that seem to be available for reservations are Taste and The Manhattan Room. Surely by 6 a.m. all of available slots had not been reserved, right???? I’m completely distressed! Was I wrong in thinking the specialty restaurants and shows would be available to book today? 

My recent experience has been that not everything opens for booking on the day it should. Sometimes it's possible to book one specialty restaurant but not the others, or possible to book all but one of them... my guess is that human intervention is required to open up booking, separately for each. Just keep checking.

[RedwingHockeyFan]

One year I realized that I had forgot to pack the cameras.  I had to buy one off the ship that was waterproof to use while snorkeling.  It didn't turn out very well at all.  There wasn't a very large selection nor was I able to do any research or read reviews.  The camera was ok but it stopped working after using it in the water a few times.  It turned out to be a common problem with the model and not the specific camera I bought, I found out about it after the cruise was over.  It was on a RCL cruise not Norwegian.  The photo shop manager originally gave me a hassle about returning it but when I brought it back a second time and demonstrated the failure, they gave me my money back.  Now I just start a list on my phone of things I want to pack as I think about it and run threw the list as I start to pack a few days before to avoid that type of situation again.

Edited December 14, 2018 by RedwingHockeyFan

[kochleffel]

1 hour ago, Phaedrus78 said:

 

Nice, that's neat.

Holy cow, we're one of 6 ships in Cozumel on the same day.  😕

 

My February cruise on the Epic has only two ports of call, not counting Great Stirrup Cay. At St. Thomas there will be four other ships in port. I think that the largest of them, Oasis of the Seas, docks at a different location on St. Thomas. It's a short stop for us, leaving mid-afternoon, and on our roll call there has been some discussion about booking excursions early. Typically at Charlotte Amalie there are lots of local tour operators waiting at the dock. I'm not looking for anything more than a shuttle to downtown (not a beach person).

 

[kochleffel]

Just now, RedwingHockeyFan said:

One year I realized that I had forgot to pack the cameras. 

 

For my last cruise I remembered to pack a camera but didn't notice that it had no batteries. I should probably put some in right now while I remember.

[moonbmn53]

3 hours ago, sirenitas said:

I don't think anyone has mentioned this site cruisetimetables (not sure if I am allowed to post a link).  Click on "Ports of Call", it shows how many ships are in port on specific dates. Another site that does this is cruisett.  Love it when it says we are the only ship in port that day!

I aways forget that website, so I usually just go directly to each port's website and look it up.  Cruisetimetables does make it easier.

[By the Sea I’ll Be]

1 hour ago, kochleffel said:

My recent experience has been that not everything opens for booking on the day it should. Sometimes it's possible to book one specialty restaurant but not the others, or possible to book all but one of them... my guess is that human intervention is required to open up booking, separately for each. Just keep checking.

That’s good to know! I guess they are not aware of the undue stress it puts on compulsive cruise preppers when things don’t happen according to our time lines. LOL 

 

I’m sure I can find something else to obsess over until the reservations open up!

[GUEST71919]

So I can’t resist... I was going to post these on Instagram, but you people should really see them... it is the current state of our cruise prep room (otherwise known as the upstairs guest room 😬) - this is its condition with 1 cruise just behind in Oct, and another just weeks ahead, and 2 already booked for later in 2019.  For you perfectionist type (judgy types LOL0, it IS straight and organized, there is simply far too much stuff for it to look that way!

 

Clorox wipes, beach towel clips, night lights, 4 different types of sun screen (history of basal cc), summer clothes (despite the 45 deg outside), new box of elastic cords (keeps my diet ginger ale safe on a carry one when I sail w/ RCL), the formal dresses I have recently purchased (yes, there are lots, about 6... did I mentioned the 3 cruises!?). Backpacks, beach bags, water shoes, snorkeling equipment... I need a “cruise director” 🧜🏼‍♀️

 

Lynn

 

P.S. I forgot to mention the best part of the picture, and that is the NCL luggage tags we just got in the mail for our next cruise. 💓

 

 

Edited December 14, 2018 by 2Beeze

[By the Sea I’ll Be]

6 hours ago, kochleffel said:

My recent experience has been that not everything opens for booking on the day it should. Sometimes it's possible to book one specialty restaurant but not the others, or possible to book all but one of them... my guess is that human intervention is required to open up booking, separately for each. Just keep checking.

That’s good to know. I guess they probably don’t realize the stress it creates for us compulsive cruise preppers when things are delayed. 😂 I’ll just reorganize my folders and review my packing lists and try to be patient. 

[mugtech]

If I need to think about my cruise between the time I make final payment and the time I head to the port I usually read books about the places we will be stopping.  Just read a Jack Ryan Jr novel that mostly takes place in Singapore, where we board Jewel on 3/4/19.  Also went to the movies for the first time this year to see Crazy Rich Asians, most of which takes place in Singapore.   Will be getting a few books for Christmas about Thailand and Vietnam.  We have plenty of clothing in the USA and at our house in the Philippines, so for the 12 day cruise plus 4 days in Hong Kong after the cruise we pack light, use our free laundry bags and buy new t-shirts.  We are staying 2 nights precruise in Singapore, a good place to correct any packing shortcomings.

[MrmrsSteelman]

22 hours ago, RedwingHockeyFan said:

One year I realized that I had forgot to pack the cameras.  I had to buy one off the ship that was waterproof to use while snorkeling.  It didn't turn out very well at all.  There wasn't a very large selection nor was I able to do any research or read reviews.  The camera was ok but it stopped working after using it in the water a few times.  It turned out to be a common problem with the model and not the specific camera I bought, I found out about it after the cruise was over.  It was on a RCL cruise not Norwegian.  The photo shop manager originally gave me a hassle about returning it but when I brought it back a second time and demonstrated the failure, they gave me my money back.  Now I just start a list on my phone of things I want to pack as I think about it and run threw the list as I start to pack a few days before to avoid that type of situation again.

 

What dates are you sailing? My husband and I will be on the getaway Jan 6. We’re from Taylor, Mi!

[RedwingHockeyFan]

On ‎12‎/‎15‎/‎2018 at 9:56 AM, MrmrsSteelman said:

 

What dates are you sailing? My husband and I will be on the getaway Jan 6. We’re from Taylor, Mi!

 

The week after you do!

[Trimone]

Checking everything pays off, I just checked our flight from San Juan according to our paperwork, and the airline have placed us on a 8.37 am flight, our paperwork says 13.40.

have notified travel agency?

 

[lizp]

On 12/17/2018 at 2:01 PM, Trimone said:

Checking everything pays off, I just checked our flight from San Juan according to our paperwork, and the airline have placed us on a 8.37 am flight, our paperwork says 13.40.

have notified travel agency?

 

Woah, that's a HUGE time difference!  I HATE when flight times change.  

 

We had flights booked last summer (not for a cruise) where the original booking allowed us a 2-ish hour layover at JFK.  Subsequent flight time revisions (I think there were FIVE!! revisions) left us with 38 minutes....  Which was within the airline's allowable layover time for JFK, but left me VERY anxious about making the connection.  We managed to get to our gate with about 8 minutes to spare.  

[Trimone]

3 hours ago, lizp said:

Woah, that's a HUGE time difference!  I HATE when flight times change.  

 

We had flights booked last summer (not for a cruise) where the original booking allowed us a 2-ish hour layover at JFK.  Subsequent flight time revisions (I think there were FIVE!! revisions) left us with 38 minutes....  Which was within the airline's allowable layover time for JFK, but left me VERY anxious about making the connection.  We managed to get to our gate with about 8 minutes to spare.  

Impossible to leave Dawn and make flight...

[MrmrsSteelman]

On 8/10/2018 at 11:53 AM, Seminole1975 said:

Have you joined your Roll Call? Researched your ports and possible excursions? That keeps me busy!

Our roll Is so boring! No one posts in it.

[GUEST71919]

3 hours ago, MrmrsSteelman said:

Our roll Is so boring! No one posts in it.

I had to abandoned ours - there was a woman running things that seems to live on back to back cruises and if you tried to clarify things when she disappeared and returned a group of mean girls got all riled up. Strangest thing I have ever seen on a roll call 🤦🏼‍♀️🙅🏼‍♀️ Thank goodness that I have had good experiences and so realized that was not typical!

[StampedersFans]

Got off the Epic a week ago and my compulsive prep paid off!  Did not forget anything and I packed everything, then went through the suitcase and scaled everything down.  It worked out great!  I actually came home with 2 carry ons empty as I didn't shop as much as I'd planned.  We were gone 16 days, one night before the cruise and went to Universal Resort for a few days after.

I had compiled a sheet with info/tips for the ship, each port and Universal.  It came in handy!

 

[BigNance]

Gotta love the planning!

[Susandt]

46 minutes ago, StampedersFans said:

Got off the Epic a week ago and my compulsive prep paid off!  Did not forget anything and I packed everything, then went through the suitcase and scaled everything down.  It worked out great!  I actually came home with 2 carry ons empty as I didn't shop as much as I'd planned.  We were gone 16 days, one night before the cruise and went to Universal Resort for a few days after.

I had compiled a sheet with info/tips for the ship, each port and Universal.  It came in handy!

 

Would love to see a copy of your info/tips for ports and ship

[StampedersFans]

Sorry I never saved a copy and threw it in recycling the other day.

[iloveislands24]

I love it, so glad I'm not the only one! I definitely do many of these things, love having a good itinerary and Amazon for all the cruise things! Hubby teases me for how much time I spend researching and planning for our trips. Next cruise is only a month away, getting so excited and going into overdrive planning mode. 🙂

[MamaLady76]

My BF made me promise not to make a binder for our cruise and to not make an itinerary either.  I'm itchy inside!  I feel like the ship is going to sink if I don't get this binder put together stat! I'm going to break.  I'm going to make a binder.  He's going to hate me for it until he sees how smooth everything goes.  Then he'll still hate me but he'll have had the best cruise ever lol

[BigNance]

Well, if you promised not to make a binder, make a 'folder' 

And you don't have to do an itinerary, have a 'list'.

 

Please, no plans? less fun!

 

N

[JennaMae]

On 12/24/2018 at 2:38 PM, MrmrsSteelman said:

Our roll Is so boring! No one posts in it.

We only have 25 people in mine, but our 😄📕 group has about 150!!!  Cant seem to get people over to CC.

[AmyJA]

58 minutes ago, JennaMae said:

We only have 25 people in mine, but our 😄📕 group has about 150!!!  Cant seem to get people over to CC.

My Roll Call has a handful.  5.....