The week leading up to your cruise

[Jdover]

Just curious as to what your protocol is the week leading up to your cruise. What rituals you may have. What your days look like.

[MrsPete]

I have one rule which must be followed: All suitcases must be totally packed by Wednesday (this assumes a Saturday departure). This means we don't suddenly realize on Friday night that one child has no shoes to match her formal dress, and Dad's work out clothes are in his locker at work. It means that if we've forgotten to buy disposable waterproof cameras or sunscreen, we do still have Thursday and Friday to get it done, and we don't end up paying outrageous prices on the ship.

 

My husband tends to have no interest at all in the packing, but then he gets very grouchy and wants to go through all I've done: "Where are the passports? I want to SEE them. Did you get cash? Plenty of small bills? Did you pack dark socks?" So we go through that un-fun on Wednesday instead of the night before the cruise, which frees us up to anticipate and have fun on the last night before the drive. I am not up late washing clothes, and everyone leaves in better spirits.

 

Also, I work very hard to leave the house spic-and-span (clean sheets, fresh bathrooms, etc.) and the refrigerator empty. It's just depressing to come home from a wonderful vacation to a dirty house and a bunch of food that needs throwing out. That does mean that sometimes we don't eat particularly yummy meals the week before (because I purposefully don't want to bring new food in), and we're trying to eat up the odds-and-ends that we have, but we don't complain about that -- it's usually a pretty busy week leading up to a vacation.

 

Now that my kids are teens and one can drive, they're in charge of taking the animals to friends' houses or the kennel.

[Jdover]

I have one rule which must be followed: All suitcases must be totally packed by Wednesday (this assumes a Saturday departure). This means we don't suddenly realize on Friday night that one child has no shoes to match her formal dress, and Dad's work out clothes are in his locker at work. It means that if we've forgotten to buy disposable waterproof cameras or sunscreen, we do still have Thursday and Friday to get it done, and we don't end up paying outrageous prices on the ship.

 

My husband tends to have no interest at all in the packing, but then he gets very grouchy and wants to go through all I've done: "Where are the passports? I want to SEE them. Did you get cash? Plenty of small bills? Did you pack dark socks?" So we go through that un-fun on Wednesday instead of the night before the cruise, which frees us up to anticipate and have fun on the last night before the drive. I am not up late washing clothes, and everyone leaves in better spirits.

 

Also, I work very hard to leave the house spic-and-span (clean sheets, fresh bathrooms, etc.) and the refrigerator empty. It's just depressing to come home from a wonderful vacation to a dirty house and a bunch of food that needs throwing out. That does mean that sometimes we don't eat particularly yummy meals the week before (because I purposefully don't want to bring new food in), and we're trying to eat up the odds-and-ends that we have, but we don't complain about that -- it's usually a pretty busy week leading up to a vacation.

 

Now that my kids are teens and one can drive, they're in charge of taking the animals to friends' houses or the kennel.

 

I am with you on the clean house and all that. Except now, the kids that are staying home, will destroy it before we return I'm sure.

[cb at sea]

Have all the clothes ready to be packed...they don't go into the suitcase until the day before we leave.

Clean the house.

Stop mail and paper.

Pay bills.

Do my nails!

Try to sleep!

Oh--and annoy everyone I know with my incessant talking about it!

[patseacruiser]

I agree about the house and the food. Just hate walking in the door to a dirty house and refrigerator full of rotten food. We eat up all the leftovers during the week and try to only make as much as we will eat that night and then the night before we go out to eat.

[Jdover]

Have all the clothes ready to be packed...they don't go into the suitcase until the day before we leave.

Clean the house.

Stop mail and paper.

Pay bills.

Do my nails!

Try to sleep!

Oh--and annoy everyone I know with my incessant talking about it!

 

LOL... I annoy everyone talking about it at least a month leading up to the cruise.

Thank you for reminding me to have a pedicure before my cruise as well.

[Lard Greystoke]

It so happened that on all my cruises I had a full schedule throughout the last week, up to working till 10 pm the night before. So my protocol was "go insane, and hope the first day aboard is a sea day to rest up".

 

My future plans include not doing it this way anymore.

[jocap]

I can't settle to anything the few days before....I have a few books of short stories, because I really don't feel like sitting down for long; TV programmes seem boring, and I flit from little job to job. The night before is awful, because I just want to be OFF!! OH can go to bed early and actually sleep, whereas I'm still wondering:"Did I check this/that?"

As soon as we're on the train, I'm on holiday, I've forgotten about the house, and I'm opening the first fat novel......

Jo.

[CapeCodCruiser]

Our last cruise we spent a week in Mexico then a week at a Marriott in Orlando and then the cruise. This year we are spending a week at a Marriott in Orlando, then a week in Playa del Carmen then on to the cruise!

 

But before leaving home I do make sure the house is clean, the fridge is cleaned out, the laundry is all done, and there are clean sheets on the bed.

 

I do all the packing so I start gathering things 4 or 5 days before we leave - with being gone so long and so many differnt locations it really requires organization.

[notentirelynormal]

I inform everyone at work that even though I'm at work on Friday that in no way means or is any indication that I plan on doing any work that day. Since at 5:00 pm I'm out of there - I see no reason to even pretend that I care what happens that day. As far as I'm concerned Thursday was my last sleep before vacation and I approach the day as such. They can TRY to get me to work but my attitude really really sucks because they can tell just from looking at me that I'm sipping a drink on my balcony staring out at the sea - even when I'm typing their stupid reports.

 

I've long before got my suitcases ready to go, important documents ready and the only thing I need to do is leave home.

[Jdover]

I start packing the weekend before the cruise and then repack all week long. Putting clothes in, pulling clothes out, putting clothes in, pulling clothes out. I read and reread all the boards here on Cruise Critic. The closer it gets the more time I spend here. I love shopping at Target, the Dollar Store and so on the week leading up. Sometimes I just go to look to see if I can find something new to bring along. And we always fly out the day before. That's a must....

 

Keep the post coming.... It's fun to read how everyone elses lives are leading up to their cruise.

[true45]

I'm a list maker. I make a list of each dinner outfits with the appropriate shoes, etc. & of course, i bring a couple of extra outfits in case i'm not in the mood for those I picked.

There is the list of other misc like laundry bags, bandaids, scissors, woolite, camera & battery charger, phone chargers. There is the list of things to do b4 leaving like give keys to daughter, timers, turn off ice maker, etc. I don't know how DH manages to get himself onboard with no lists

[sparky-elpaso]

One more look at my packing list and then print it out.

 

Make sure everything is washed, etc.

 

Last minute trips to Dollar Store, Walmart, etc. Go to bank for cash.

 

Remind son that he's coming over to house / kitty sit.

 

I usually wait to pack until the day before we leave. That's when the cats figure out something is going on - suitcases on the couch.

 

Sleep the night before - probably not much.

 

We're retired so at least we don't have to do all this and work too. :)

[mikewrit]

Mary packs at least a week ahead, then repacks every day. Her large suitcase invariably winds up at least 15 pounds overweight, at which point she informs Mike all the shoes have to go in his smaller case or his carryon. Mike drives Mary over the edge by refusing to put anything in his case on top of the shoes until the night before departure. Then he persuades her to put the tux jacket in her case so it doesn't have to fold so much. Last time out, Mike seriously suggested they should drive to the airport (less than 20 miles from home) to make sure the departure, arrival and security lane layout hadn't been changed.

[RoofingPrincess]

I have a small apartment, so I can't pack too far in advance. I used to take a laundry basket and start tossing essentials into it a few weeks before. I used to make lists. I don't know if it's experience or laziness, but I don't do either any more. I'm leaving on Sunday night. I'll start packing tomorrow. I started printing out papers and putting them in my travel folder last Saturday. I still need to find a store that's still selling Shout Wipes.

I made sure to call my bank (ATM card) and credit card company this week to let them know where I'm going so I don't get locked out due to fraud concerns.

I actually ended up working really hard for much of this week so my work queue is cleared off as much as possible since I'll be gone for three weeks. But I didn't emulate my cruise roomie Wrona, who overworked so much before our last cruise together that she overslept and missed her flight! Hopefully she doesn't do that this time, since this flight is transatlantic!!!

[suezyq50]

I get my packing down early, clean refig and house, hold mail. One thing not mentioned, I get a massage the day we leave or day before. Time to unwind.

[lovemylab]

Clean the house

Pack suitcases (I also use lists for what to take)

Cancel paper

Visit bank to take out cash

Call credit card company to let them know I'm travelling

Look at the clock every hour to see how much longer I have to wait :D

[wrp96]

Well, now that I'm within that week here's my plan.

 

I finished doing all my laundry last night.

 

This evening I organized my docs (make sure my passport is in order, my airplane tickets, cruise tickets, currency, etc). If there are any problems (and there aren't) I have almost a week to fix them. Includes notifying the bank of out of country travels and adding international calling to my cell phone.

 

Tomorrow I will organize my medicines and toiletries.

 

Sunday I will pack as much as possible (formal clothes will stay out until the last minute).

 

Monday will pack my carryon.

 

Tuesday manicure and pedicure.

 

Wednesday final house cleaning, strip the beds, etc.

 

Thursday multiple wake up calls so that I don't miss my flight this time - even booked an afternoon flight so that is less likely.

[pinkie1]

In the coming week I usually:

-confirm and keep safe all documents

-hold mail and paper.

-Go to the bank and get cash/small bills

-do laundry

-start laying out clothes on the floor

-clean the house

-try to empty the frig, but usually end up ordering take-out because I'm too busy to cook the left over food.

-empty the trash

-lay out more clothes and toiletries

-THEN I make a list of what I need to bring and check off what I already have

-try to do my nails at some point

-go over day by day plan regarding clothing

-start packing in the suitcase

-take clothes out because the suitcase is over 90#

-consider is I really NEED to take all this stuff!

-start unpacking until suitcase is just under the weight limit:D

 

By this time it's about 3a.m. before the day of departure and I am wired! I usually end up sleeping about 2 hrs because I'm so excited to go on vacation where I need to rest from all this packing!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Everything stays pretty normal here. I run off the packing lists -- usually on a Monday. Bring down the suitcases that day and pack all DH's medicines in the carryon.

 

Tuesday the Suitcases are packed -- we see our neighbors to hand over the keys to the house.

 

Wednesday cut grass if summer. Thursday leave for the airport hotel. Friday fly to embarkation port. Sunday get on the ship.

[mrs.mobster]

I agree about the house and the food. Just hate walking in the door to a dirty house and refrigerator full of rotten food. We eat up all the leftovers during the week and try to only make as much as we will eat that night and then the night before we go out to eat.

 

Us too! I make sure everything is packed by tues or wed, as we fly in to port a day early. I make sure the house is clean, laundry is done. Generally the last week Im just so ready to be on that ship already!

[CruzCouple]

We have 2 different methods that depend on whether or not we are cruising from Baltimore. If we are cruising from Baltimore, we pack the morning of the cruise, throw the bags into the car and set off on the 1 hour journey to the port. If we pack too much and need another bag - who cares! But if we need to fly then it's pretty much the same as everyone has described. Did I say how much we love to cruise from Baltimore?

[SuitCaseBears]

It so happened that on all my cruises I had a full schedule throughout the last week, up to working till 10 pm the night before. So my protocol was "go insane, and hope the first day aboard is a sea day to rest up".

 

My future plans include not doing it this way anymore.

 

Ditto what Greystoke said. I am self employed, so the last week means getting work organized, out the door, organized etc.

 

On top of which I go through my lists daily, adding and deleting things every night.

 

I "stage" my packing in the living room, which is our least used room in the house) starting a month before we travel so stuff is all piled up on the sofas and tables depending on whether it's being put in luggage, carry on, or in my purse.

 

Usually the weekend before I will go through the packing list again, make sure everything is out, clean, and ready to be packed; and shop for anything that's not checked off.

 

The weekdays before, I clean and remind my husband he can't take clothes from the living room to wear this week... and then I wash the clothes he takes from the living room and wears that last week.

 

The night before, we pack and go out for Sushi. Then I handle money - paying bills, checking credit card balances, getting cash etc. And then I lie in bed too excited to sleep.

 

My husband's job in all of this is to be exceedingly cheerful, help when asked and stay out of the way the rest of the time... and not wear the clothes I left out on the sofa to pack.:p

[Happy ks]

A week before I select what I'm taking as far as clothes go. I press them and hang them on a rolling rack out of the bedroom (no just in case packing that way). Under the rack are all the shoes, hanging with each outfit (the evening stuff) is all the costume jewelry in little draw string bags.

 

The next day we do the same for my husband. I find if we do the chore together, he asks too many questions that make me forget where I'm at as far as what's on the list.

 

Our toiletry bag is always packed. We find we need the same items whether we go for a day or several weeks, so all that we use at home is duplicated.

 

Lists are the very best way to assure everthing is taken care of. Since lists like packing, chores to be done before leaving, emergency information are pretty much always the saem, it is saved onto my computer. I just tweak the lists for different phone numbers.

 

The house is cleaned, food eliminated, keys to the neighbors, mani/pedi etc...the day before. I pack the night before or in the morning before we leave. Since the toiletry kit is all packed, the only packing I need to do is to place the stuff in the suitcase, it takes me about 30 minutes. We generally order take out the night before leaving.

[STARFISH*4]

week before start packing or finish up packing (depending on how things are going and how much time i have)

all clothes etc are always decided upon way before and all in one place just waiting to be packed up (everything is laundered and ready to go)

CONFIRM all reservations etc

have all edocs/tickets/passports in one place ready to pack

Call CC companies let them know i will be traveling

stop mail

make sure everything gets and is back from the cleaners

family dinner out

go to bank get cash, traveler checks

get sunglasses/glasses adjusted

check all lists--lists for everything

check the weather...try not to STRESS over it (we travel Dec so always chance of SNOW)

i TRY to have everything packed cept for the very last things a full day before...i TRY!!