When does your vacation actually begin?

[richstowe]

In my head it's when the final cancellation date has passed and it's too late to cancel without real $$$ penalty.

Sounds nuts but once I can no longer cancel, I can enjoy the lead up to our cruise (because there is no choice).

As for DW, like many of you, it is when she leaves work.

[SASA13]

My vacation begins the moment I leave work ( before I sail). It is normaly on a Friday at 4:30 PM.

[mprince4]

If we have to fly, it's when we board the plane.

If it's driving, it's when we arrive at our 1st destination (if the ship isn't it!).....

 

I don't consider driving to anywhere, either airport or ship, to be "vacationing"...it's still a pain!

 

As much as I would like to say it's when I put up my "out of office" message at work (which I'm about to do :D), I'm not really on vacation until I'm done driving and I'm in Tampa tomorrow - driving is a pain!

[lucyintheskywithdiamonds]

when i sit down in my aisle seat and the plane takes off, then i can relax:)

[glrounds]

When I throw the luggage in the back of my truck, put the top down, and blast down the 405 on the 25 minute run to Long Beach with blaring cruisin' travelin' music at 80 mph. If going to the airport all the same, just a shorter run. :D (goin to the San Diego port just add 1 1/2 hours) :rolleyes:

[craftykitty]

For some, it may be arriving at the cruise port.

For some, it may be arriving at the pre-cruise hotel.

For some, it may be arriving on the Lido Deck.

For some, it may be having your first DOD.

FOR ME......it is....as soon as the key turns left in the lock of front door of my house AND my butt is firmly planted in the car seat heading to the airport. MY VACATION HAS OFFICALLY STARTED..

My AH HA moment:D

 

Same here, my moment is when we look at each other and start the car.

[familyofeight]

The first second I leave work 2 days before we cruise. The drive to the port is considered part of the adventure.

[S & P orl]

The moment I leave work. Today at 8:00 pm Vacation starts for me . Can't wait! DH tomorrow at 5:00.

[Hawaii697]

Normally my vacation starts as soon as I get to the airport. This year, I'm leaving to airport right after work. As soon as I walkout side of my office building, my vacation will begin . . . WOO HOO!! 77 days and counting. :D

[BSUGrad]

The minute I leave work!!! I don't have to worry about anything but having fun!! :eek:

 

This. The second I leave work before any vacation is when it begins! The next one will be June 24 for our Alaska cruise!

[jchristie]

our vacation begins when we lock our house and get in the car to leave.... ahhhh - can't wait!

[kbmeow]

The minute I get out of work before leaving for vacation. Then I am on vacation until the minute I get back :)

[Dreamz2cruise]

Could be a year out... doesn't matter, I start obsessing then! :D

[cybercon]

I can not believe this. Youre vacation nstarts when you want it to.:mad:

[Blondie008]

No matter whether its a cruise,. or a land vacation in the Caribbean, we have to transit through Heathrow or Gatwick in London, which always means a very early am flight Glasgow onwards. Day before, we drive to Glasgow in "its time for the bin" clothes, get the car parked up, check into the Holiday Inn which is the nearest hotel across from the terminal, throw our clothes into the bin (saves on luggage allowance and have our travel clothes with us) robes on, champagne and room service and a wee woman who does the room service called "Oor Margaret" gets us every time. When we see "oor Margaret", we know we are on vacation! Due to visit "oor Margaret" in three weeks time...yahoooooooo!

For cruising, its more often than not, Glasgow - Heathrow - Miami, and in which case another overnight in Fort Lauderdale and a visit to our favourite pub in the world. the Bahia Cabana ..IT ROCKS!!!!!!!!

[nessz79]

As soon as we are in the car and moving towards the port.

 

However, I dont' really feel settled until we are in our room and the luggage is put away.

 

Of course, the *true* vacation moment is the horn after the Muster drill!

[CupKayke]

My vacation starts around noon on my last day of work... I pretty-much float through the last four hours of the day or spend my time reading reviews here on cruise critic! ;)

[Aplmac]

Obviously, I'm a late one compared to many of you

but then my circumstances are very different.

 

 

Living on da island like I do, I often board right here at Barbados

so my cruise vacation starts somewhere around when I get my cruise card in hand

and/or it goes into the Boing! machine for Security to take my photo for ID.

 

Once I get the wife and our carry-on's into the cabin, things have really started.

By the time we're up on Lido for lunch, my cruise has already been underway for a good 10 mins. or so.

.

[jsglow]

I usually answer the question this way. My vacation begins when my rental car rolls past the tire spikes on the way to the next great adventure. I never consider the flight to be part of the vacation.

 

For a cruise, I'd say it's at the "boing" when I board the ship for the first time. Everything up until then is 'prep work'.

[Virginia_Native]

Usually it's when I leave my out going message on the office or cell phone, it goes something like this

 

"Hi this is Wayne I'll be out of the office until ___ and unable to return phone calls..."

 

What I reallty want to say is "I'm on vacation, and your not haha!"

[tlayne]

My vacation starts when I go to bed the night before leaving (unless I am working and leaving straightafter, which I don't like doing). I think it has something to do with knowing that I am all packed and there is nothing left to worry about at home.

Note however how I didn't say sleep lol. I have never been able to sleep the night before flying. Thank the lord that I can sleep on planes.

Happy cruising! :D

[Calico Jack Sparrow]

The minute I leave work!!! I don't have to worry about anything but having fun!! :eek:

 

Just for me, it's when I walk in the front door of my house the day before we depart. The DW will have a lime and a shot waiting. She'll have those suitcases out on the bed waiting for me to pack 'em up. That's when the brain goes into vacation mode.

 

That's my Arrghh moment.:cool:

[Host Faith]

The minute I leave work!!! I don't have to worry about anything but having fun!! :eek:

 

exactly what I was going to say! Lol!:D

[bish 1]

We always fly down the day before so for me it's the minute the car door closes and were on the way to the airport!

[Shelbyjane56]

Ours starts when we hug and kiss our puppy dogs and thank our daughter who will be home from college to take care of the dogs. Then its off to the airport flying from Indiana to Miami where we will stay at a really nice hotel close to the port for 2 days which is when vacation really starts...then it will be the cruise a week from tomorrow all kinds of fun, then back to another hotel for another day to just relax from the cruise..then fly home :)