How do you contain yourself?

[cruiseguy2]

I am just about 81 days til my B2B, well-deserved Alaska cruise on Diamond Princess. I cannot keep my excitement in, along with all the planning that goes along with it.

 

This is my first real vacation in more than a year and a half. Sure, I've travelled on business a lot in the past 18 months (self-employed financial consultant) but haven't take anytime to myself and my wife.

 

We're leaving the kids with their grandparents when we leave. They'll be going on a little mini-vacation of their own and we'll have a good 2 weeks (+2 days in Vancouver afterwards) to ourselves.

 

How do you all contain yourself and your excitement? It's almost coming to the point where I have to block Cruise Critic on my work computer because I'm not getting any work done! :D

[timeforadaiquiri]

Boy are you asking the wrong person! :D I have a picture of the Sky on my computer desktop and I also have one on my bulletin board and I talk all day long with my travel friends. I am so looking forward to some hot sun and cold drinks after this long, cold winter. :p

 

Everyone is laughing at my excitement!

[cruiseguy2]

Boy are you asking the wrong person! :D I have a picture of the Sky on my computer desktop and I also have one on my bulletin board and I talk all day long with my travel friends. I am so looking forward to some hot sun and cold drinks after this long, cold winter. :p

 

Everyone is laughing at my excitement!

 

 

You're lucky you only have four days left! :mad:

[timeforadaiquiri]

Oh dear! Should I say I'm sorry? Just to be polite! :p

Mine is a short cruise - does that make it better?

I bet you will see lots more interesting things than I will.

Would you like a daiquiri? :D

[Sea Hag]

How do I contain myself? With great difficulty! :D

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

I am just about 81 days til my B2B, well-deserved Alaska cruise on Diamond Princess. I cannot keep my excitement in, along with all the planning that goes along with it.

 

This is my first real vacation in more than a year and a half. Sure, I've travelled on business a lot in the past 18 months (self-employed financial consultant) but haven't take anytime to myself and my wife.

 

We're leaving the kids with their grandparents when we leave. They'll be going on a little mini-vacation of their own and we'll have a good 2 weeks (+2 days in Vancouver afterwards) to ourselves.

 

How do you all contain yourself and your excitement? It's almost coming to the point where I have to block Cruise Critic on my work computer because I'm not getting any work done! :D

 

I know what you mean...and I haven't even had to wait as long as you have! When we first booked our upcoming cruise it was about 75 days out...and I was on cruise critic all the time trying to find reviews, get excursion ideas, etc...now that we are about 6 weeks out, I have calmed down a bit...the excursions are booked, flights made, hotel reserved...hopefully as you get closer you will be able to feel like it's more real and be able to relax a little. I know this has happened for me. (Even though I can't wait!!)

[MichCook]

You DON'T even try to contain your self and DON'T squelch your excitement! Planning and anticipating the cruise is half the fun.

 

And, good for you & your wife, being able to get away to reconnect without the children!

 

Bless the Grandparents (although, I've got a feeling that they will thoroughly enjoy their time with the Grandchildren)!

 

I used to do a lot of business travel....it got old fast, and never was much fun....no comparison to a purely pleasure cruise!

 

Enjoy!

[MCManders99]

I am just about 81 days til my B2B, well-deserved Alaska cruise on Diamond Princess. I cannot keep my excitement in, along with all the planning that goes along with it.

 

This is my first real vacation in more than a year and a half. Sure, I've travelled on business a lot in the past 18 months (self-employed financial consultant) but haven't take anytime to myself and my wife.

 

We're leaving the kids with their grandparents when we leave. They'll be going on a little mini-vacation of their own and we'll have a good 2 weeks (+2 days in Vancouver afterwards) to ourselves.

 

How do you all contain yourself and your excitement? It's almost coming to the point where I have to block Cruise Critic on my work computer because I'm not getting any work done! :D

 

 

I know what you mean. WHen I cruised on my honeymoon to Alaska in 2005, it was my first vacation since 1991. My family never had the luxury of going on family vacations, we went to Disney World in 1991 and that was it! I was 13 then and I was 28 went I got married and went on our honeymoon. I couldn't hold down the excitement, not only for the wedding..I was really looking forward to the cruise.

[Happy ks]

It's hard to contain your excitement, so why try???

 

Other than boring others at work with all my chatter about it, I read everything I can about the port stops. Of course, then you want to see it all, so then you have to narrow it down to one or two things you really like.

 

Spend time making and refining lists (keep them brief, don't pack too much). I keep lists on my Excel program that I tweak for each cruise.

 

I watch programs on the Travel Channel, especially when they are about my destination.

 

I spend way too much time here on CC! You have spent hours on the Alaska board, right???

 

Although I don't pack until right before we leave, I organize all our stuff on a rolling rack in the living room. Small house, no extra closets or rooms available.

 

Once we leave, I leave all the organizing activity at home and allow the vacation to play out totally relaxed about it. I don't worry about the what-ifs', we've allowed ourselves plenty of time on both ends of the trip for any variance that can occur. We've planned things like transportation, clothing, sight seeing in advance but will allow wiggle room in case things don't work out exactly as planned.

 

I read too many times here on CC people will state "worst trip ever" or "nightmare cruise" or other things that if they just had read a little more, planned a little better and relaxed a bit they could have let the mishaps roll off their shoulders. In saying that, if you have a problem with your cabin, don't call guest relations, go right to the hotel manager or housekeeping department. Believe me, I worked in a hotel for 7 years, the guest services is all about the room charges, they will assist you with problems only if they get the chance. The hotel manager will be your best friend on the ship if you run into any problems at all. If guest services is busy, you will be at the end of the line, especially if you are cranky to them :p

[I Love RCI]

I love the build up and the excitement, the hardest part is after the cruise is over and I don't have another one to obsess over, plan for and look forward to!

[RetireeWannabee]

I don't contain it. I bubble over to anyone that wants to listen.

 

The anticipation is half the fun!!

[printingchick]

None here!

 

I cruise annually. I still have 11.5 months until my next cruise and I'm already unable to contain my excitement.

 

Amazon loves me. I've bought five guide boooks about islands we're visiting. Thinking about buying one more, for St. Kitts.

 

I visit these boards daily, looking for some little fact or piece of new information I may have failed to consider.

 

I search the web - even doing Google Image searches for the islands we're visiting.

 

I refigure my excursion plans weekly, making new lists with new ideas.

 

I'll be packing over my holiday work break in late December, even though I'm cruising in early March!!

 

Good to know I'm not the only obsessively passionate cruiser out there!

[cruiserbryce]

we have 33 days until our much smaller B2B on Carnival, but work keeps me pretty busy...other than that we just plan out some of what we want to do. We have gotten used to the countdown process...before our first couple cruises I know I was bouncing off walls with 60 days to go:D

[Cru1s1ng2009]

I am just about 81 days til my B2B, well-deserved Alaska cruise on Diamond Princess. I cannot keep my excitement in, along with all the planning that goes along with it.

 

This is my first real vacation in more than a year and a half. Sure, I've travelled on business a lot in the past 18 months (self-employed financial consultant) but haven't take anytime to myself and my wife.

 

We're leaving the kids with their grandparents when we leave. They'll be going on a little mini-vacation of their own and we'll have a good 2 weeks (+2 days in Vancouver afterwards) to ourselves.

 

How do you all contain yourself and your excitement? It's almost coming to the point where I have to block Cruise Critic on my work computer because I'm not getting any work done! :D

 

Dude, I am with you 100%. And you are going B2B? How many nights total?

 

I cant contain myself either. I will talk to anybody who will listen about how excited I am but no one understands. One of the best things about vacation is the anticipation. Since I was at day 135 or so I have been putting the days till I cruise on the dry erase board in my office and counting down. i cant believe I only have 10 days left, it goes so fast. My mother and I always so no one understands just how excited we are and that we have no one to talk to about it but to each other. i told her to go on CC but she hasnt yet. I dont know why.

 

Anyways, I totally understand your excitement and dont let it go. Enjoy the ride, this is all part of it.

 

PS. I hope you post some pixs and review. i would love to see what an Alaskan cruise is like. It must be weird to pack snow boots instead of flip flops...

[cruiseguy2]

It's a 14-night B2B aboard Diamond Princess followed by a two night stay in Vancouver afterwards.

 

Definitely will be posting a review and I plan to take tons of pictures (just got a nice, new Digital SLR for the trip).

[realcindylouwho]

I can hardly contain my excitment either!!!! We have never cruised and ended up booking a Romance Suite on the Pearl and don't set sail until November. Fortunately we have a week in D.C for the Cherry Blossom Festival and a week in the mountains to distract us while we wait! I am excited for you to get to vacation without children. We try to take a week just hubby and I and leave the kids at the Granparent's house and then a week with kids and sometimes even take Grandparents as a Thank You.

Nothing like getting to walk around in your undies (or even without them, woohoo!) on vaction. BTW...I have 2 teen boys and I miss getting to walk around in my undies while I put my make-up on!

[morecruise4me]

Contain myself? Are you kidding?:eek: I've been looking forward to this cruise for months and nothing is going to stop me from enjoying every minute of anticipation! Shopping, planning, researching, it's all part of the fun. I try to limit my excitement to those who are going with me. My children just roll their eyes and tell me to quit rubbing it in. I am totally not containing any of the excitement. I'm even getting excited about next years. I think I'll upgrade:D

[Cruise mamma]

This is my 1st cruise and I am so excited. My son (22yr) is going with me. His 1st and the 1st time out of the country for him. Fortunately we have each other to bounce off of. The girls at work listen to me count down everyday. I scrapbook so that have taken to buying cruise die cuts. I never know where they will be. My boss hung a cruise ship which said CRUISE ADVENTURE in my work area. Today I came in and opened my locker and there was a coconut tree die cut hanging in my locker. They won't say who put it there. I told them that I just wanted to thank whoever did it. I think next week I will be some Bob Marley and steel drum cds to play. So I know I certainly can not contain my excitement and there is no reason you should either. Go with the flow. I know I will be taking pics of everything. Happy cruising!!!!!!!!!

[Happy ks]

This is my 1st cruise and I am so excited. My son (22yr) is going with me. His 1st and the 1st time out of the country for him. Fortunately we have each other to bounce off of. The girls at work listen to me count down everyday. I scrapbook so that have taken to buying cruise die cuts. I never know where they will be. My boss hung a cruise ship which said CRUISE ADVENTURE in my work area. Today I came in and opened my locker and there was a coconut tree die cut hanging in my locker. They won't say who put it there. I told them that I just wanted to thank whoever did it. I think next week I will be some Bob Marley and steel drum cds to play. So I know I certainly can not contain my excitement and there is no reason you should either. Go with the flow. I know I will be taking pics of everything. Happy cruising!!!!!!!!!

 

 

I'm so happy for you! And the OP and any other first time cruisers there are here!

 

Our first cruise was so exciting to plan, I had the days counted off on a calendar, I read every scrap of information I could. I kept every scrap of advertising, ordered extra brochures before...it was an obsession!

 

When I was on the cruise I collected extras of everything I could for scrapbooking when we returned home. Hotel brochures, ticket stubs, menus, daily newsletters, even bar napkins and the paper coasters. The funny part was it took me almost 5 years to finish that scrapbook :rolleyes: The next one I started I haven't finished yet and I have a third, it's a box of supplies purchased, stickers et al.

 

I envy all the people who finish their scrapbooks!

[UlvaZell]

Boy are you asking the wrong person! :D

 

Ditto!!!

 

I have a picture of Santorini on my computer desktop. We leave Houston June 8th headed for Venice. I can't wait! But I guess I will have to. Right now I'm so busy at work and will be up until we leave. That helps...

[kf657]

Okay, I am starting to get a bit nutz. Starting tomorrow I WILL be setting up a HUGE folding table in the living room and start packing! I am surprised I have had the control to wait this long....

A bit over 3 weeks to go, so times a wasting!

Cannot contain myself any longer.....!!!

Ugh, I Seem to be cruise addicted!

[Beanie01]

I have 7 months to go, but in 12/08, I booked a 7-day on RC's Liberty of the Seas for October. I've been buying dresses (after holiday sales) - and showing pics to friends at work, buying evening shoes - and showing pics to friends at work, buying evening bag - and showing pics to friends at work, ordered 2 bathing suits online - and showing pics to friends at work. Get the pic? I've only been on one cruise, and that was a 5-day, smaller ship on Carnival last year. This one, I'm much more excited about.

 

One man I work with asked me if they're all going to hear about the cruise from now until October. I told him definitely, and then pictures to look at after the cruise.