Planning Process - Half the Fun!!!

[Sweetdreams]

We just booked our cruise to the Southern Caribbean about 30 days ago. With only 3 more weeks to go-I could not have been as organized as I am at this point without this board. I found it the week after we booked. We are celebrating our 25th Anniversary (though it's not until Oct.) but we want to cruise now! DH has never cruised but is looking forward to it. I was on the HAL Rotterdam nearly 30 yrs. ago-I still remember what I did each day of that week sailing to Bermuda & Bahamas and even the clothing I wore!

 

This thread is alot of fun and reassures me that I am not the only who enjoys the planning almost as much as the trip. I would hate to post my budget like a previous person did. I've enjoyed the shopping so much because I lost over 50 lbs. in the past year. Had to buy almost everything because nothing fit from last summer. Discount stores like Marshalls, Ross & Liz & Jones NY outlets are my "frequent buyer" stores.

 

The computer allows me to visit stores like Nordstrom, Cold Water Creek, Chicos, LLBean, etc. to view styles and all the new fashions. Since I've been unable to drive since November due to medical problems, I just sit down and cruise the internet when I feel like shopping-but just for ideas.

 

This board has allowed me to meet experienced cruisers who are so gracious and patient answering "stupid questions" about excursions, formal wear and of course the "packing lists". I thought I was the only who goes to this site several times a day. Sometimes I feel like I'm already on vacation!!! :)

It's such a pleasure to meet all the fellow cruisers.

[mahreeya]

These are a few of my favorite things to do pre-cruise.

 

Buy new undies. Get a manicure and pedicure the day before departure. Get a travel guide on your trip from library to take with you.

 

Also, pick a good book or two to read on flight, before bed, or at the pool.

 

Get a box or basket and start way before trip to throw things in that you may or

may not need.

 

Read the boards here. Especially the ones about packing.

 

Try to meet other people on line who are going on the same cruise as you are. This was great on the Disney Cruise, and you would always bump into a friend or two.

[ckm13104]

Hello!

I just wanted to let you all know that these message boards are great for lots of information!! I have been reading about all the things people do as they are planning their cruises, and i love them all!

I am going on my very first cruise in Sept of '06, and my dh is the one that keeps all the paperwork in a binder. However, I will be the one to do the scrapbooking after the cruise ;)

I love some of the ideas I have seen on here to make the time pass before the cruise. DH keeps telling me that even though we have a little over a year before we leave, the time will pass quickly. Well, I can say that it does not seem to be going fast enough, so, please, any ideas as to how to make the time pass faster would be greatly appreciated!!

Happy cruising!

~~Kerrie~~

[kenandlaura06]

I am addicted to planning! So, between planning the wedding, the honeymoon and planning to buy a house, I am keeping myself busy and happy!!!

[mahreeya]

This link might make you totally crazy: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=46863

It is a link about what to pack. Join the ongoing debate about whether duct tape is necessary to pack or not! I love the ones where people say they pack blenders, Chrismas light, etc.

 

BUT, there are some good ideas there.

 

Enjoy!

[celbercrz333]

Not only is planning half the fun for a cruise, that's also true for any land trip too. We are golfers and we've done Tampa-St.Pete, Ft. Myers and Myrtle Beach this year. The first two were fun because we hadn't been to Tampa and we did Ft. Myers last year. Myrtle Beach is a periennal favorite and we always know what's there. We last did a cruise in September 2004 and I think if we do another one, it would be in either April, May or November. We never made it to Nassau because Hurricane Jeanne was there. I'd like to go there some day, but it's in the distant future right now. We are currently looking into golf packages for Daytona Beach, FL. Fun! Hubby's never been there and I was there as a kid. I love reading up online and in travel books about different locations. I like cruising as well as land trips, but I have to admit, I'm getting hooked on flying. Our trip to Myrtle Beach by car was 10 hours (from Baltimore) and we didn't even have the kids with us.

[kenandlaura06]

I have spent a good deal of time at both Myrtle Beach and Daytona Beach--you can't go wrong with either!

[suntan]

I am the planner for our group - it's all women in the family that go cruising. After our March 2005 cruise I already had the cruise brochures out looking for the perfect itinerary. We booked in April for our Feb. 26/06 cruise. In May we booked the flight. In June we booked the hotel. After being on two cruises in the past two years there isn't much left to buy for my upcoming cruise. Except maybe another pair of earrings, or another fancy dress. I am also making a mental note of the outfits I'm wearing this summer that I think I will take with me in Feb. 2006. Before I put the summer wardrobe away...oh, don't say it.....in September, I will make a preliminary list of my wardrobe with accessories so I don't forget the match ups.

[kenandlaura06]

We booked our 7/06 cruise in March and will book flight next month. I am currently researching hotels for before and after the cruise. I will start making shopping lists in the fall.

[mahreeya]

Hi, KenandLaura06. Looks like you and I are on alot of the same boards. We need more people posting, and more topics! Bet you are really busy with the wedding plans.

 

Ta ta for now.

 

Maria

[kenandlaura06]

Hi, KenandLaura06. Looks like you and I are on alot of the same boards. We need more people posting, and more topics! Bet you are really busy with the wedding plans.

 

Ta ta for now.

 

Maria

 

Hi Maria-

I love these boards! I am a teacher on summer vacation, so I have a little more spare time than usual and have decided to become an expert on cruises before next summer.

 

Laura

[beckslash]

For all you planners out there that love your binders, I thought I'd share this:

 

http://*****.com/d28mt

 

I bought this binder when I was home (Michigan) in June to replace the 2 binders I was using for all my wedding plans. It's so great to travel with!

 

Now I'm in the process of adding all my cruise info to it. One side is wedding and one side is honeymoon.

 

When we first started planning our wedding, I told my fiance I would not be the travel agent for everyone. Well, I've booked flights from England to the States for my future MIL, future BIL, and the best man and his wife. (not to mention the extras they wanted like Grand Canyon heli tour and their hotel stays).

 

I found this site 2 weeks ago and it has distracted me from my wedding plans.:D

~Becki

[kenandlaura06]

From another bride to be planner, thanks for the link!

[EatPrayCruise]

I'm thinking that this is worth a bump up.

 

I, too, find the planning as much fun as the cruise. I'm a little OCD and must be organized and research our cruise as much as I can! If I don't log on to CC at least a few times a week (I'm down from a few times a day) I feel a bit detached.

 

How do y'all organize your planning?

[Cruisin Christi]

Bump, I love to plan...I wish everyone liked it as much as I do :)

[SeaTeach]

I love the research and planning aspects of cruising. I have copious amounts of notes from various forums. Now, I need to organize and enter the data on the computer. It's the perfect time to do so...snow, snow and then some more snow.

 

P.S. The one time that I deviated from my pattern (planning), resulted with 2 cruises(both for 14 days) being booked simultaneously.

[JanetMarie]

Gosh, I didn't realize how much info we gather prior to cruising. It may be the location of the cabin vs. the nightclub above. It may be the location vs the dining room noise. Cheers!

[FunInThaSun]

I'm planning a 1st cruise. I think I'm annoying my husband, because it is all I have to talk about. My husband and I are renewing our vows. His brother, my best friend, her sister and thier kids are going. Total of 7 people. I think it will be a lot of fun, at least hope. We aren't going till next April or May. I haven't locked anything down yet. We decided on Norwegian Escape to Eastern Caribbean. We just haven't totally decided on the date. This website has been super helpful in planning.

Edited June 2, 2015 by FunInThaSun

[mellowmarshmom]

I read an article in a psychology journal that as women mature, we get a better neurotransmitter reward from long term planning of projects. Less spontaneous, but we enjoy the journey, not just the destination.

[TravelinGert]

I love the pre-planning. With three cruises in various stages of planning for the next year or so, I've designated a section of my closet for cruise gear. In addition to hanging clothing, I've got stuff like my gear bag, beach tote, and a bin full of all my dedicated cruise gear like flashlight, flat fold umbrella, and such. One thing about having a group of cruises to plan for all at once is I can make a list of needs and wants, and then take my time matching it to clearance sales.

 

I saw where someone mentioned a cruise notebook. I have the digital equivalent saved on my computer and to my phone and tablet. I've got a file for each port listing things we're interested in plus all vital information should we decide to book a tour or get round by ourselves. This way when I am waiting in line reading more information and reviews of various ports and activities, I can add to my file wherever I am. If I see a special or a sale, I can book immediately and record everything to phone, pad, and home computer as well. I find it so romantic reading all about the things we might do and see!

[FunInThaSun]

I read an article in a psychology journal that as women mature, we get a better neurotransmitter reward from long term planning of projects. Less spontaneous, but we enjoy the journey, not just the destination.

 

cool that explains a lot, I love planning

[FunInThaSun]

Well, since I finally have my cruise nailed down I printed out the details. I have this divider filing thing I'm using but it is really big. I'm thinking about changing to a binder folder and punching holes in my papers.

[mellowmarshmom]

I have an accordion file for all my papers and you can put smaller folders in each of the pocekts

[t60]

This year I'm using a ringed binder to keep my paper copies of port research notes in (they're also kept on USB) hotel reservations etc are ready to be printed off as are Insurance certificate, luggage labels, info to put inside the cases, flight and train tickets. Then eventually these will be printed off and placed in concertina file with port notes to take with us. Everything else is on USB which will also come with us with a spare to take photos. This year I am also taking an A5 folder for my paper notebook, (normally I just take a notepad to keep notes from trips or lectures but this time I thought I'd look a bit smarter) ALso will use this for journalling.

I know there are all sorts of apps I could use, but I'm not that tech savvy and when we did need to make use of insurance stuff they wanted hard copy.

 

Sandy in Spain

[Robinsoncruiseso]

I love planning. Maybe that is because I am a woman who is maturing (nearing 50 and newly an emty nester). I drive my DH crazy. I have two cruises booked (Sept and Feb), excursions all booked for the Feb cruise, I am ready to put down future cruise deposits on my Dec cruise, booking a cousin reunion cruise next September and sneaking in four one days prior to my 50th Alaska cruise in May 2017. I am going crazy that the 2017 Alaska schedules are not out yet.

 

So we are all in good company. We even spend time posing on cruise message boards.