Pre-Cruise Checklist

[btobey]

DH and I are going on a 2-week cruise next month--we've never been away on vacation for this long! Can you offer some pre-trip reminders for us? I'm thinking about things like asking the PO to hold our mail, stopping newspaper service, etc. Thanks!

[KC_fn]

One important thing is to type up a detailed itinerary including all fight numbers & times, hotels & phone numbers, and your cruiseline, ship name, cabin number, dates, and the emergency shore-to-ship phone number. Give a copy of this info to a neighbor, as well as a local family member or trusted friend. I also attach a photocopy of my passport to the info sheet.

 

If you have pets, of course, you'll need to arrange for their care, either at home or away.

 

Enjoy!

[Rob & Beckys mom]

Call the credit card companies & let them know you will be using them in unusual places so they don't think it's fraud & deny any charges. We use american Express & can check purchases online. Prepaid credit cards are a good way to handle cash in ports and these can be registered online to check $$ amounts as well.

 

Have fun,

Jan

[RetireeWannabee]

Verify that you either don't need or have already had vaccinations

 

make sure you have ample supply of prescription meds

 

do your out-of-office for work email and change the voicemail. Let co-workers know that you will be completely unavailable (my one exception to this is the one person I know that won't try to contact me unless they absolutely must, and they get the $7.95/minute number - while I do realize that some people cannot drop off the radar completely, do try)

 

firm up your shopping list: sunscreen, water shoes, swim suits, travel size toiletries...

 

Make sure that you have ample card(s)/disk space for camera

 

If you're buying new shoes, do it now and break them in

 

Set timers for house lights

[pms4104]

A couple of things we do ...

 

We put a police watch on the house and our community's finest will patrol thru at least once a shift while we are gone.

 

We generally travel/sail in December, so we double-pay our November bills that normally would arrive and need to be paid while we are gone. Saves interest on unpaid balances and keeps our utilities turned on!

 

Last year we emailed ourselves copies of our passports and the fronts and backsides of the contents of our wallets. In an emergency, we would be able to access important stuff.

[btobey]

Thanks for the great ideas so far! Please keep them coming...

[7Grandma]

I always make a list of what I must do before I leave. Some have already been covered but some haven't.

We always turn down our gas hot water tank to the "vaccation" setting so we don't need to worry about it and also when we get back we do have lukewarm water. It also saves on the gas. We also log off ofour computers and turn off the power bar. That way if their is a pwer surge while we are away nothing can happen to them as they are turned completely off.

We also have someone come in and check the house at least ever fourth day as some home insurance companies will not pay on a claim if your home has been left unattended for a certain length of time. Our daughter picks up our mail, brings in the paper and gives the house a quick check through every four days or so that we are gone. I know some people have great neighbours that will do this for them if they do not have family close by.

Have a great cruise and enjoy every minute of it!

[7Grandma]

I always make a list of what I must do before I leave. Some have already been covered but some haven't.

We always turn down our gas hot water tank to the "vaccation" setting so we don't need to worry about it and also when we get back we do have lukewarm water. It also saves on the gas. We also log off ofour computers and turn off the power bar. That way if their is a pwer surge while we are away nothing can happen to them as they are turned completely off.

We also have someone come in and check the house at least ever fourth day as some home insurance companies will not pay on a claim if your home has been left unattended for a certain length of time. Our daughter picks up our mail, brings in the paper and gives the house a quick check through every four days or so that we are gone. I know some people have great neighbours that will do this for them if they do not have family close by.

Have a great cruise and enjoy every minute of it!

[CoolChile]

 

Last year we emailed ourselves copies of our passports and the fronts and backsides of the contents of our wallets. In an emergency, we would be able to access important stuff.

 

Camp637 ~

 

Just a caution . . . email is not considered secure. Oh and zounds, I didn't think there was anywhere left anymore where police had time to patrol your street every shift when you're away. Maybe we'll move to your city. ;)

[cb at sea]

Make sure you shut off the water to your washing machine--if the water hose should rupture, the water will run indefinitely!

[Brute Bandit]

All these are great tips but remember to not stress too much about going on vacation. All you really need to remember is to pack a good attitude and you'll have a great time.:)

[Grannycb]

Neighbors are great! Ask one to check for unexpected UPS or FedEx packages and those flyers that get left in doors daily. We continue getting newspapers and mail delivered to keep everything looking normal. A neighbor brings them in every day. You might consider letting one of your neighbors park in your driveway too. While they are there, ask if they could check to make sure everything looks right in the house. Hire someone to mow while your away during summer months. Set timers on lights and double check all doors and windows are locked.

[PurpleCow]

We turn off the water, flip the circuit breakers on the stove and water heater and unplug all electronics (except the DVR :D ) and all appliances that heat up (i.e. coffee maker, iron, etc.).

[grandmato4]

Most of the things on my list have already been listed but here's a few more:

 

Clean out the refrigerator of everything that will have spoiled before you return ;) and as you go out the door leaving for the cruise take the garbage out with you !!

 

If you plan to use your cell phone while you're on the ship or in ports call your carrier and check what the charges will be so you don't get any surprises when you return and if neccesary have international dialing put on your phone.

 

Make a list of address (and zipcodes-I always forget those :) ) if you plan to sent postcards to anyone, and make a list to take with you of phone numbers that could come in handy in case something goes wrong- like your TA, your airline, travel insurance carrier, cruiseline, ect.

 

Cross pack your suitcases in case one of them decides to go on a little trip without you :rolleyes: so you'll each have at least something to wear while it catches up with you . DO NOT add to your suitcase anything you think of at the last moment that you MIGHT want to wear-those thing NEVER get worn ;)

 

Put on your list the last night before you leave to charge ALL the batteries for things you are taking with you.

 

If you're taking a digital camera, do you have ink and paper for printing out pictures when you return ? Easier to buy it now than running to the store when you return. Which brings me to, looking at your schedule for the week after you return home, anything you can do before you leave to make that week easier ? After two weeks vacation its really hard to get into the swing of things cause you just want to stay in vacation mode !! Not to mention you'll be too busy booking your next cruise ! :D

[vbmom87]

Make sure you shut off the water to your washing machine--if the water hose should rupture, the water will run indefinitely!

 

This is a great suggestion. We know of cases where this happened. Not pretty!!!

[travelfirst]

Take your cord for your digital camera so you can recharge your batteries.

 

I had someone in the cabin next to us a couple of years ago ask if they could borrow mine as they had the same camera and forgot to bring their cord.

[KC_fn]

Oh I almost forgot my Number One tip!

 

Before you go, stock your pantry with a few days' worth of non-perishables (crackers, canned goods). Also either buy or make a few days' worth of frozen dinners. Believe me, when you arrive back home from your Dream Cruise, the last thing you're going to feel like doing is cooking. Having some provisions on hand gives you a couple of days to get your life back in order, without having to worry about grocery runs and dirty pots and pans.

[pms4104]

Camp637 ~

 

Just a caution . . . email is not considered secure. Oh and zounds, I didn't think there was anywhere left anymore where police had time to patrol your street every shift when you're away. Maybe we'll move to your city. ;)

Thanks for the heads up ... I guess we need to figure out something else, like loading all the info into our PDA and password-protecting it. The PDA is not internet capable.

 

As to the police ... it helps to live in a Chicago suburb with a mall that has more retail space than the Mall of America, as well as many hotels and eateries. So that pays for an abundance of village amenities not normally found these days.

[Marabella2004]

If you travel during the winter, and live in a northern climate, make sure there is someone on call to shovel out the driveway and walkways in case it snows.

[cpcanuck]

This is a great suggestion. We know of cases where this happened. Not pretty!!!

 

Don't forget to turn off your toilets as well...they too can cause disasterous consequences in a very short amount of time!:)