Compulsive cruise prep

No worries! It was actually lizp who posted the link to an article about a study on the topic of how pre-vacation planning leads to increased enjoyment of said vacation. It is definitely a fascinating area of study. I think it is so important for people to realize that the things that are commonly thought to result in happiness (money, power, rank, etc.) are really only happiness-creating up to a certain point. That is to say that we need a certain level of ease and material comfort in order to be healthy and unstressed. But, beyond that, the things that really increase our happiness are our thoughts, our beliefs, and our actions.

I'm lurking on another thread that has basically devolved into a bizarre debate on who is more deserving of perquisites and preferential treatment: suite passengers (who have presumably paid more for the particular cruise they are on) or frequent cruisers (who arguably have spent more money total with the cruiseline).

If only the proponents of each argument realized that they could squeeze more enjoyment out of each cruise by compulsively planning it instead of worrying about the tiny inconveniences of sharing their perks with the other group! [emoji182]

Oh snap sorry, I didn’t even see you posted this before I did a following post on the same topic. GMTA ;)It’s my area of study, strange little facts like this run through my head! And yours too clearly!

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I am definitely going to check out that google trip app. I will probably still print everything out though. There is something comforting in having paper copies.

I am definitely going to check out that google trip app. I will probably still print everything out though. There is something comforting in having paper copies.

I hear you on that one.

I am not sure why it sent my photos twice. Sorry!

I'm trying to add other reservation e-mails to the trips. Have you successfully added excursions, ground transportation, etc. in the app? I was really hoping it would work the way it does in Inbox, where I add an e-mail to the trip. Unfortunately, Inbox constantly unbundles trips, so neither option is working well for me. Please help!

OH...and my name is Kelly and I'm a compulsive planner. :)

Let's not bicker and argue among ourselves. We're the only ones who get us!

Our cruise isn't until January and I have both suitcases full of items on our packing list. I am a obsessive planner. So I have been ready for this cruise for almost a month now.

 

I copied all of my travel info 3 times. And put it in my luggage.

 

But I found the best travel app yet. Google Trips!

 

It automatically adds all your reservations, hotel, cruise and air with seat info and confirmation numbers. All I had to do was add my ports. You can download all your info so it is available offline.

 

I did add the cities our ports and it provided detailed information including discounts, things to do, and maps.

 

It is awesome!

 

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I was not able to get the Google app to behave nicely! It I recall, it would not save important elements of the airline reservations. Does it have a category for cruises and a way to put in misc activities? It was about a month ago that I looked at it, but of course when it wouldn’t save the reservations I deleted it. Would love to improve on trip adviser if possible though!

Thanks so much for those screen shots, I will check it out again!

Lynn

I'm trying to add other reservation e-mails to the trips. Have you successfully added excursions, ground transportation, etc. in the app? I was really hoping it would work the way it does in Inbox, where I add an e-mail to the trip. Unfortunately, Inbox constantly unbundles trips, so neither option is working well for me. Please help!

So when you open the app it asks you..."where do you want to go?" You can organize it the way you want, but I typed in Miami. Since we are starting our vacation in Miami flying in the day before.

Now you could just explore Miami, with all the info, but about half way down the screen is "create trip" that's where you begin the process of inputting your trip information.

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In the google trips app. If you don't have a android phone, most everything is manual.

 

So when you open the app it asks you..."where do you want to go?" You can organize it the way you want, but I typed in Miami. Since we are starting our vacation in Miami flying in the day before.

 

Now you could just explore Miami, with all the info, but about half way down the screen is "create trip" that's where you begin the process of inputting your trip information. [ATTACH]429030[/ATTACH]

 

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And then the info that is stored. Obviously I have paper copies of everything but is they are left at home at least I have all the confirmation #s.

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No worries! It was actually lizp who posted the link to an article about a study on the topic of how pre-vacation planning leads to increased enjoyment of said vacation. It is definitely a fascinating area of study. I think it is so important for people to realize that the things that are commonly thought to result in happiness (money, power, rank, etc.) are really only happiness-creating up to a certain point. That is to say that we need a certain level of ease and material comfort in order to be healthy and unstressed. But, beyond that, the things that really increase our happiness are our thoughts, our beliefs, and our actions.

 

I'm lurking on another thread that has basically devolved into a bizarre debate on who is more deserving of perquisites and preferential treatment: suite passengers (who have presumably paid more for the particular cruise they are on) or frequent cruisers (who arguably have spent more money total with the cruiseline).

 

If only the proponents of each argument realized that they could squeeze more enjoyment out of each cruise by compulsively planning it instead of worrying about the tiny inconveniences of sharing their perks with the other group! [emoji182]

 

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We should post in that thread and say we should be over them all as we are the Royal Nerds and thus know everything and should this rule the planet ;p:') Someone would believe us though (and why not?!) and find fault in our contributor :mad:;)

The lovely thing about my profession is at times (among the other things) I get to help people discover things like that it is valid to take time for yourself and spend that money on you (vs. telling yourself you should save it all for the multiple possible future problems or you ought to save your money to give to your children or ...). It doesn’t always “take” of course, but I do my best! And when I take time off and any of them question me about it, I explain that I am modeling life/work balance :D

Lynn

You can add the destinations after you have created the trip and clicking on the pencil icon on the top right.

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Sorry forgot pic...

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To add your reservations, click the reservation box...and then click the purple plus sign button on the bottom right.

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Then you will see this...just add all your info...It will organize by date for you.

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To answer no I haven't added excursions yet. But you can manually add those or you can choose from things provided. Now it doesn't book them, but you can save to favorites or want to see.

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I hope that wasn't too much. I hope it was helpful.

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That was very helpful! I'm definitely going to try it out for the next cruise I book. :)

I hope that wasn't too much. I hope it was helpful.

 

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@Georgia_Peaches

I thought it might help if I showed you a photo to help explain the limited space for magnets that we have discussed. The attached photo shows the door where we find the magnets to be most useful! To me it’s perfect because in this closed position you can have light jackets and/or lanyards, caps, etc on the back of the door without feeling like you are adding to the clutter (even if it’s s huge suite, it can still feel that way with various dishes about, cookies platters, etc). You can also use the front side of this door (the side you can see here can be used for lanyards or truly small items that don’t interfere with passage).

But as you can see, the frame on this particular door won’t be useful since the door and snack/coffee areas interferes (gosh, I guess I should state this is “in my personal opinion” lest this brings on unintentional conflict :') ). Note also the door to the second bedroom/bath area is to the right just on the far side of the opened door show here. It can also be used for magnets - however with our travels it is usually left open and thus is less useful for all travelers (although some travelers staying in this room could use it for small personal items like their own lanyard). The front door that opens to the hallway is opened and closed too much to use it for much (with the fact that the magnets, again, move more easily if something is hanging from it than most of us would imagine).

The set up of the bedroom doors and frames in the 2br Havens that we have used have made the only useful areas (in our opinion!) to use magnetics (most of the frame area would make anything beyond a small item problematic in that it would stick out or get knocked off bc the magnets are not as strong in real use as advertised).

You will LOVE it. And there is more storage in this suite than you could possibly use (and I seriously overpack, if I can say that it must be true LOL). I await your update! :D Lynn

I hope that wasn't too much. I hope it was helpful.

 

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Well speaking for myself definitely not too much! I found those posts about the app very helpful (and pretty sure the nerd nation, or even those of us in the nerd closet, here will agree :D ). I definitely need to take another look - I think I sent in a note to them about the error and have had no word. But, one more try after this positive report from you!! Thanks so much for making that effort! :)

Hmmmm... we have Apple everything, maybe my difficulty with the app was Google trying to punish me!? Hope not!

Lynn

I hope that wasn't too much. I hope it was helpful.

 

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That was very helpful! Thank you so much for taking the time. I have an iphone but it really isn't bad adding items into it manually. One weird thing is that one leg of my flight was automatically added in but the first leg wasn't. Also, when I downloaded the app and opened it my trip from Quebec to Boston was already there with the correct dates. Of course, the stops in between weren't there but I didn't even have to create a trip. I just edited the trip so that I could add in the ports in between.

What I really like is that I downloaded maps for each port city and they will now be available offline. This is important for me because I will not have phone service until I get back into the US. I just hope that it works properly when I need it.

Thanks again for tipping up on this app.

I hope that wasn't too much. I hope it was helpful.

 

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Thanks for taking the time to answer. It wasn't the answer I wanted, though. ;p

I've been frustrated with both Google Trips and TripIt in that when you want to add another element to your trip such as an excursion or ground transportation, there's no way to force it to recognize the e-mail. TripIt always comes back with "something went wrong" and Google Trips just doesn't have the feature to force-add (you can do it in your inbox but sometimes it'll unbundle the trip). These apps really should figure that out, because I'm not the only one who builds their own trips a la carte!

I am assuming that you have a android phone. I agree that Google Trips only recognize half my reservations. I found that uninstalling, or even just deleting the memory in the app helps with this.

It was still hit or miss. I just added everything manually.

I don't agree that you can't force add. I just added a excursion for Corinto Nicaragua under the city and the things to do section.

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Well speaking for myself definitely not too much! I found those posts about the app very helpful (and pretty sure the nerd nation, or even those of us in the nerd closet, here will agree :D ). I definitely need to take another look - I think I sent in a note to them about the error and have had no word. But, one more try after this positive report from you!! Thanks so much for making that effort! :)

 

Hmmmm... we have Apple everything, maybe my difficulty with the app was Google trying to punish me!? Hope not!

 

Lynn

This is why I kept saying if you have a android device, Google and apple don't play nice in the sandbox!

Maybe Google will get their act together and fix it. 🤞

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After you create trip. Then you can add destinations, change the name...oh and for the person who said reservations didn't add well...here is the screen shot of our cruise reservations.

 

And then the info that is stored. Obviously I have paper copies of everything but is they are left at home at least I have all the confirmation #s.

 

[ATTACH]429031[/ATTACH][ATTACH]429032[/ATTACH]

 

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I love this App! Our cruise is one year from today so I don't have any reservations yet, but once you add each port, there is wealth of information including attractions, local foods, even photos of restaurants. Great find! Thanks

Wow - Was my comment/suggestion snarky? I certainly did not have that intention! I was honestly trying to help. I take 15 pills a day split over three different times. In addition to prescription meds, I take Mucinex, iron pills, and fish oil - none small. Dollar store or Walmart containers have always worked for me. By all means carry on with your plastic bags.

My dad uses this. It holds his horse pills. LOL!

7 Day Pill Organizer (3 Times a Day), BUG HULL Large Pill Case (Morning Noon Evening), Daily Pill Box for Vitamin/Fish Oil/Supplements - Rainbow

http:// https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072VQY7M7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_vvVPBbE7R9JR9

My dad uses this. It holds his horse pills. LOL!

 

7 Day Pill Organizer (3 Times a Day), BUG HULL Large Pill Case (Morning Noon Evening), Daily Pill Box for Vitamin/Fish Oil/Supplements - Rainbow

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072VQY7M7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_vvVPBbE7R9JR9

Quite frankly, I hesitate to even comment - considering the last time I tried to help, I was attacked - but this is exactly what I was referring to, but mine is probably a little smaller and I only paid $1 not $10. For multiple large pills, this would be ideal and certainly worth $10.