How soon do you start packing????? weeks ahead of time, or last minute??

[jamaica71594]

I am really getting excited about this cruise, (my 2nd in 6 years), and I started putting clothes in the suitcase months ago, but now that our trip is just weeks away, I am taking it more seriously now.

 

Do any of you start packing early, or just wait until the last minute???

 

I take things in and out of the suitcase all the time, but I will probably do my final packing the night before:eek: , thats just me!

[Jan_In_Maine]

I usually have everything packed about a week before the cruise. But I already know what I'm taking except for one formal and one outfit that I will take if I manage to lose a few pounds. Jan

[Lynn the Cruiser]

I am packing now for June! Luckily I have a fairly empty closet (was daughters) that I started putting clothes in. As I get something new, I put it in there. I also start picking up toiletries and putting them in my bag and then make a list as to what's in there. Last cruise I started even earlier!!!!!:eek:

[jamaica71594]

I am packing now for June! Luckily I have a fairly empty closet (was daughters) that I started putting clothes in. As I get something new, I put it in there. I also start picking up toiletries and putting them in my bag and then make a list as to what's in there. Last cruise I started even earlier!!!!!:eek:

 

Toiletries, now thats always last minute for me!, I am trying to find a lingerie bag for my underwear,bras etc. My other biggest dilemma is shoes:eek: I plan to minimize the shoes by only taking neutral colors,:eek: we will see how that works out!

[digitalgirl]

I keep my cruise suitcase packed with my cruise and travel items all the time. Then weeks before I start doing the clothes. I enjoy the anticipation and planning so it is all part of the experiance for me!

[SleepingUgly]

It really depends on the season. For instance, we are cruising the Souther Caribbean next week, and since the temps here in DC are still quite cool, we are not wearing our summer / hot weather clothes yet, so I was able to set out my clothes and the kids clothes weeks ahead of time. However, if we were wearing those clothes on a daily basis, then I would have had to wait until the week before the cruise to set out daily wear. For dinner clothes, I always go through the closet at least one month in advance so I would have time to shop, if necessary.

 

We are leaving next Monday, and our clothes have all been selected and set out. Only dh's stuff has been placed in the suitcases (he picked and packed his stuff in less than one hour :D); I will be packing my clothes and the kids' clothes this weekend.

 

Linda

[Lynn the Cruiser]

I'm a teacher so I don't wear most of my "cruise" clothes to school so I can keep them in the "cruise" closet. I take lots of shoes and purses, I'm a shoe and purse nut, and this time we are not flying (able to drive to the port) so I can really go wild! I have dreams that I wake up and it is the day of the cruise and I am not packed at all!!! Of course that would never happen...I could probably leave tomorrow and be O.K.:D

[geosgirl]

I guess I will be the first to admit - I am a last minute person :o . We are leaving on the 30th for our first cruise, and I will probably start packing on the 28th :D.

[anniecat]

I start my next packing list when I return from the last trip...mostly sage advise to myself like...."only two pairs of chino's...wash one as needed". Do I follow my list?..ha:eek:

but over the years of travel I have shortened the list. I start putting things aside months before, and am now shopping for the next cruise....new size (won't tell which way). The toileteries/otc meds are always already to go, as are the cruise specific stuff. Actual suitcase over-stuffing starts two days before with our family 'trial pack'. And I carefully make a list of what's in which suitcase/carry-on for replacement/loss needs. That way I know what I never used when I return. The night before/day before the actual pack happens, with careful list checking....followed by too much last minute 'tuck-ins' and 'extras' that I never need. :rolleyes: (never over weight...so far)

[dakodacruiser]

I always have my toiletries packed. When I get home from a trip I replenish and put our tooth brushes and holders in the dishwasher to clean them then back into the make-up bag and shave kit. I have travel everything ie make-up, hair brushes tooth brushes mirrors I never bring something from my drawers it makes packing so much easier. As far as clothes thats easy I usually go through about a week before a long trip and hang them in my guest room closet.

[onlysister]

I usually don't pack until about an hour before I am to leave. I have never taken a cruise, so I might try something different this time, the night before. I would like to pack now, but I have another trip next week, so will need the suitcase for that.

 

Okay, I might start earlier by trying to find all the things I bought in the last few (8) months and then put away for the cruise. The problem now is trying to remember where I put them away at. I think the jewelry has been dispersed to the 4 corners of the house....taking them out to show people numerous times.

 

I have a few medications that I hope I can refill before I leave. According to insurance, can only buy them within a certain amount of time. One is very important, but the others could probably do without and have no adverse affect.

 

Will probably pick up travel size items when I head to WalMart sometime between now and then.

 

One other thing.....I don't guarantee how my packing will be due to the fact that I will soon be running out of my "cheap" cigs...the ones before Iowa raised their tax. I may get a little cranky and just start throwing things in willy-nilly.

[CrossMyHeart]

It really depends on how busy I am. Last cruise I packed 3 days before...the one before that I packed the night before! :eek:

[happysinglemom]

:eek: Yeesh. No...I complete a packing list for every trip I ever take...including cruises. I usually take many of the clothes I am currently wearing, so I like to pack about 2/3 days before, and then after the last load of laundry is done I finish up the day before. But with a checklist, it's really very straightforward.

[Jane110]

About a month beforehand I look at and try on the clothes I think I'm going to bring. At that point I decide if I have to buy anthing special for the cruise. I don't believe in separate cruise clothes - unless I cruised at least 3+ times a year, I'd have closet full of outdated clothing that's almost never worn.

 

About a week before the cruise I get my toiletry bag together, however, since I keep that packed all the time, it's only a matter of adding and replacing a few items.

 

The week before we leave is very busy, but not with packing. It's about wrapping up things with clients and at home making sure all the bills are paid, emailing close friends and family our itinerary and emergency phone numbers, making notes for the cat sitter, buying cat food, photo-copying passports, ordering a car service to the airport, etc. etc etc.

 

I do the actual packing the day before we leave.

[Happy ks]

I couldn't possibly pack until the night (or day) before, we don't have the space for it. I do organize my clothes a few days in advance, hanging them on a rolling rack and include all accessories with them. I like to press everything, check for any repairs needed so I'm not sewing on vacation.

 

I also keep my toiletry kit packed at all times. All that is needed is the makeup I'll take and prescription meds, plus new toothbrushes.

 

I make lists, lists are essential, otherwise I'll either pack too much or forget a few things. My lists are not only for packing, but errands that need to be completed and emergency lists with our contact info, plus last minute checks of home safety issues before we lock the door.

 

Experience teaches you the important stuff. Like how a whole freezer full of food can be ruined, plus a big mess on the kitchen floor if you forget to turn off the ice maker. And make sure your husband doesn't take the garage door opener so the trash can be left out for pickup on Monday.

[sugarcoated]

50/50.

 

half of the stuff i am already buying and putting in a "cruise drawer" ready for packing. I have to buy all new summer wear because i dont have any!

Also sun lotions etc etc i am buying them all now, bit by bit.

 

the formal wear i will obviously do last minute as well as evening dinner clothes... basically because i wear my shift dresses everyday to work.

[Soxfan05]

TIMELINE:

 

End of summer. Pack "vacation worthy" summer apparel in suitcases. Say a prayer over them that the boys will still fit into most of it so I can spend more $$ on myself. :D

 

1 Month. Pull suitcases out and narrow down choices and see if I need to buy anything. Seems I always "need" to buy something but end up with more.

 

Two weeks. Send items off for drycleaning and wash everything else. I usually have the kids all packed at that point and then focus on my wardrobe the following weeks.

 

One week. Go to the spa to get over the stress of the previous weeks of packing! LOL :D

 

5 Days. Go buy socks for the kids and hubby. I'm so relaxed and laid back at this point, I just buy packages of socks and throw them in the suitcase instead of laundering and matching them. NOW, I'm all packed!

 

Day before: Call cleaning lady. Tell her not to panic when she comes and sees the house, ransacked. It was just the mess we left behind when we realized out luggage was too heavy and we had to take out some clothes.....

[SantaAna,CA]

I take off work the day I leave for my cruise. Since I usually fly to the Caribbean to catch the Seabourn ships, the plane leaves around 11pm from LAX. That gives me all day to pack. I make a pile of all my sundries a week or so before, but I don't like to put any clothes in the suitcase until the day of. I also live in a small apartment, so I don't have an extra bedroom, etc. where I can lay out the suitcases. I would be tripping over them! It's worked out fine so far!

 

I also like to go for a manicure, pedicure and facial that same day of departure. It makes for a nice "bon voyage" and gets me on my way feeling great.

 

Jane :)

[RachelD]

A few months in advance, I make a chart on our computer of our cruise itinerary and pick outfits according to the activities planned for the day.

This allows me to mix and match outfits and get a feel for what I do need to still get.

Doing this ahead of time allows me to find shirts/skirts or whatever it is that I need in a leisurely fashion.

I do not buy cruise specific clothing....but I will enhance my wardrobe if an outfit needs to be spruced up a bit.:)

 

I usually start the actual packing process about 4 weeks before the cruise...mostly toiletries....and as the days go by I will add clothing that I am not currently wearing. I usually end up packing the majority of it 2 or 3 days prior and adding the last minute things the night before.

 

I think planning for the cruise adds to the whole cruising experience. I love it!

[caviargal]

I make a list a few weeks ahead of what I plan to wear. Two weeks before, I check my clothing to see if any last minute repairs are needed or if an item needs a dry clean or press.

 

I pack around a central color scheme in general, though most of my cruises are business and I pack a bit differently for them than I would for vacations. I need business casual for meetings and I choose evening wear that is more conservative than what I would normally wear.

 

A few days before we leave, the suitcases and the wine shipper come out of the closet. We choose the wines we will bring with us and get that taped up, labelled and ready to fly.

 

My hanging clothes are put on a rack outside the closet. Casual clothes I pack a few days prior to my cruise, as well as shoes and purses. We share a Wally bag for hanging clothes and these are loaded in at the last minute, before leaving the house for our flight.

 

I travel a lot so my toiletries are always ready to go since I replenish on my return. I do pack more lightly for cruises on some lines. For instance, HAL provides top of the line bath amenities and hair products, the stuff on RCI I would never use and the same applies for NCL and CCL, as well as Celebrity these days. So I pare down for certain cruises which is nice.

 

I like to pack and I use packing cubes which help a lot to keep things organized.

 

Next cruise is in three weeks and I have two business trips before that one, so there will be a lot of packing going on for the next month or two.:)

[GORDONCHICK]

Depends. Like right now, our September cruise is the first one we will have to fly to the port, so weight is an issue we really haven't dealt with. I have ordered travel sizes of my skin care things. I will have the travel-sized things gathered about a month before. I have lists of lists made. I've been telling DS (he's 5) that he can only take one stuffed "thing" to sleep with, so there should be no surprises, but again he's 5. I have my formal dresses planned, but things could change (like my body - hopefully smaller...). I'm planning on non-beaded cocktail dresses for this trip (keeping weight in mind). As far as the daytime wear, I'm wear what I'm in the mood for, so exact clothing choices will be made no more than a week before we leave, with the exception of jackets and layering pieces.

[joelmarj]

I generally start making a list about two weeks before . A week before I pull out all my formal wear and evening wear to determine if anything needs to go to the dry cleaners for freshening up. Also try everything on to make sure they fit and have not repairs needed.

 

During the week, I'll start pulling clothes out of the drawers randomly as I think of something, but then two days before I go through and make the final selections and match up outfits with shoes. This leaves me a day or so if I need to go out to buy anything.

 

As for toiletries, I travel a lot on business so my bag is actually only packed to meet carry on standards (3-1-1). So for a cruise I have to repack it with larger itmes and then it goes in my checked bags. That's also done at the last minute.

[Dame Delilah]

I guess I'm the odd-ball! I spend a good deal of time working on packing. I try to travel in just three cases--even for 6 week TransAtlantic cruises with ground travel between.

 

I plan the color pallette --set up outfits within the pallette--and set out outfits. I do this for me and DH.

 

We both use just 3 travel colors--black, white and red. (sometimes we sneek in a bit of grey). But we have found that we can travel and dress VERY WELL, if we PLAN!!

[Jane110]

 

I like to pack and I use packing cubes which help a lot to keep things organized.

 

 

I HATE packing!

However, I do love the packing cubes. They make packing and traveling so much easier and neater.

[klct39lg]

I guess I do a little of both. Since we live in the Midwest and cruise in December, it’s easy to go ahead and pack the summer clothes for the trip. We put our suitcases in the guest bedroom and sneak clothing in a little at a time so that our dogs don’t notice it (they pout). Then we have to be sure to close the suitcases so our cats don’t sleep on the clothing.

After that I will shop for any items that we need, like dress clothes for 2 DS. Then I put all of our dress clothes together in one closet (encased in dry cleaning bags).

As others have said, my last week is paying bills, pet sitter, kennels, emergency contacts, etc. This is actually the hardest part of traveling for me; I hate to leave my pets.

:)