The last night of a cruise

[Muushka]

Anyone else dread these?

 

It seems that the last night is all about packing and getting off the ship.

 

Does anyone have any traditions that make that last night a good one?

 

On our last cruise on Silhouette we went to Micheal's Club and met some new friends. That was fun.

I thought it may also be fun to do Qsine that last night, something different.

 

Suggestions anyone?:)

[4774Papa]

Usually coming home after a long trip is a good thing.

[garycarla]

We found that packing TOTALLY screws up the last night. We no longer do that. We get up in the morning and it takes way less time to pack when leaving. After all, no decisions. EVERYTHING goes in the suitcase.

 

We then wheel it off. That part can be a bit of hassle, but getting off even with just carryon is hassle anyways. We get to enjoy last night and no risk of packing our travel clothes. Or shaver, or makeup, or ....

[celebrityprincess]

I HATE the last night! It is so depressing. I was on a cruise in October and I'm still suffering from post-cruise let down. I packed everything I could a day or two before the last night so I wouldn't have to deal with it. That helped but it didn't change the fact that my cruise was over and they were going to make me leave the ship.:( The only thing that helps is knowing that in 148 days I'm cruising again! :D

[Muushka]

Does anyone do anything other than pack???? Anything fun???

[Cruiser Susie]

Does anyone do anything other than pack???? Anything fun???

 

We usually pack earlier in the day... then spend the last evening with friends, either in the Martini Bar or in one of the lounges, enjoying a drink and conversation.

 

I usually dislike packing, too, but find it easier to do if I pack a bit as I go along during the cruise, stashing clothing I will no longer wear in the suitcase, along with laundry and so on. Learned this from our Scottish friends many years ago... seems to help cut down on packing time on the final day. I'd much rather not spend the whole day packing... but sometimes it works out that way.

 

Either way, I always try to enjoy our last evening. It's a memory in the making! Have a great cruise. :)

[Kevnzworld]

The last night on cruises are different. There is a different mood on the ship. People wear more casual clothes to dinner, and go back to their room after dinner. The cabin attendants are planning the logistics of the changeover.

It doesn't help that the bags have to be outside your door by 11 pm.

I definately prefer the last day when I am vacationing in or near the disembarkation port, but all good things come to an end eventually.

[cruiseacecat]

Hi,

 

My remedy is to begin packing 2 days before the end of the cruise. That leaves me very little packing on that last day. Packing is the enemy of a pleasant final day on board.:eek: :( Then the last evening I treat myself to a chocolate martini or even two. Tame, I know, but it's become my ritual and works for me.

 

Anne

[CaptData]

I pack before dinner. My carry-on gets packed with what I will where in the morning including shoes. Then I pack the rest. This way when I come back from supper I just put out my bags. The carry-on and purse are in the closet so that they don't go out.

 

In the morning I get dress from the bag and do my last check and put my meds in the bag (where my clothes were the night before. I go eat come back grab my purse and bag and go.

 

The last night I leave the room and go to the adult area for a swim and I take a steam in the Aqua Spa (I'm in Aqua cabin so free). I put the swim suit in the washroom to dry over night. I pack the swim suit in the carry-on bag.

 

Go to bed for a good sleep as I am traveling until 11:30 pm the next day. My first flight is at 12:10.

[Muushka]

I've got the packing routine down.

 

I agree, there is a different mood on the ship.

 

A chocolate martini sounds good! I want to start a tradition for this cruise coming up.

[Hawaiidan]

We found that packing TOTALLY screws up the last night. We no longer do that. We get up in the morning and it takes way less time to pack when leaving. After all, no decisions. EVERYTHING goes in the suitcase.

 

We then wheel it off. That part can be a bit of hassle, but getting off even with just carryon is hassle anyways. We get to enjoy last night and no risk of packing our travel clothes. Or shaver, or makeup, or ....

 

Thats the way I do it... self managed first off the ship without the hassel of playing "wheres the bag" game

[dkjretired]

Does anyone do anything other than pack???? Anything fun???

 

We usually stay up all night, spend time with new friends, maybe frequent the casino or just watch the ship pull into port.

[garycarla]

We all have our feelings and plans and I respect what others do.

 

But, to add to our last morning routine - it only takes about 30 minutes to pack everything. No thinking on my part about what to leave out, or where anything goes. It ALL goes, except what we are wearing.

[Muushka]

We usually stay up all night, spend time with new friends, maybe frequent the casino or just watch the ship pull into port.

 

Oh boy, if we didn't have to drive 14 hours to get home, sounds fun!

[rwr235]

Bags are always packed earlier in the day....So, after dinner on the last night (which usually involves long-goodbyes and photos with our wait staff)...I visit all my favorite Bartenders/Baristas...Martini Bar, Sunset Bar...Molecular Bar on S class, Cafe Al Bacio etc; exchanging email/phone info and saying goodbyes to both staff and passenger friends...Time seems to fly by.

 

Since we usually travel as a group of 4 (this past cruise 6) friends...we have a tradition of holding our own post-cruise Muster Drill....Open a bottle of Bubbly, put on our life-vests and snap a quick photo...yes, we are goofy like that !!

 

Always helps when we have a short vacation still planned for the coming days...hate having to think about rushing to the Airport the next day for flights home !!

[Leviathan2772]

My wife and I pack a lot of stuff, I don't like wearing anything twice during any cruise. So as we go along in the cruise, I pack the clothes that have been worn daily. The suits, dresses, shirts, shorts, etc are put back into the luggage under the bed. I know that's overkill, but I never spend more than 5 minutes packing on the last night. On taking our luggage off ourselves, I have found it to be a complete waste of time and annoyance. Trying to rush of the ship to catch a fight is so stressful. So now we just book a later or next day flight. On the last night we sleep till 8am and get off the ship when we want. Why end a relaxing week with a hectic final morning while being lined up like cattle headed to the slaughter house?

 

BTW- identify or tag your luggage (LOUDLY) so no one would ever confuse it as theirs...

[zoncom]

I like to dine at Muranos or other alternative restaurants. To my taste, I find the first and last nights MDR menus the most marginal. Alternates never crowded last night.Only takes a few minutes to pack.

[Muushka]

That's what I was thinking, maybe a specialty restaurant. Long meal, stretch it out. Then the chocolate martini, then the champagne with the life vests and friends, then off to say thank you to all who served us. Sounds good! Anyone else have any traditions?

(No, we probably won't do all of the above).

[Bailey & Sophie]

We found that packing TOTALLY screws up the last night. We no longer do that. We get up in the morning and it takes way less time to pack when leaving. After all, no decisions. EVERYTHING goes in the suitcase.

 

We then wheel it off. That part can be a bit of hassle, but getting off even with just carryon is hassle anyways. We get to enjoy last night and no risk of packing our travel clothes. Or shaver, or makeup, or ....

garycarla:

So you take ALL your luggage off in the morning? How do you do that? I thought you had to put your large suitcase outside the door by 11 pm.

I HATE having to repack after disembarking-- like putting liquid items in the checked baggage that can no longer go in the carryon. We're re-packing everything to make it fit while everyone watches. It's not fun!

[Kartgv]

Our packing never seems to take very long for leaving the ship. We first pack anything we might need overnight or in the morning in a carryon bag, then everything else is just stuffed into the other bags. Without having to worry about neat folding and wrinkles, don't think it's ever taken more than an hour. We then treat ourselves to one last martini, one last sunset, and catch a little music somewhere before dinner.

 

Last trip, rather than rush to the airport, we spent a night after disembarkation in port (Sydney)) Got a hotel with a great view of the pier, opened a bottle of wine, and snapped pictures of "our ship", even one of the people who appeared on "our balcony" as it left port. Then off to a great dinner and a good night's rest before our flights the next day.

 

It also really helps 'beat the blues' if you spend the last dinner and/or cocktail hour planning your next trip!

[phoenix_dream]

We pack early in the afternoon, and then enjoy our evening. Once we get back to the room, the clothes go into the suitcase and they go out in the hall (we are admittedly early birds). You have to try to set your mind that you are still on vacation until the next morning, and act accordingly. It's now always easy but it can be done.

[Massnatives]

The ship seems to close down early that last night - even the Martini Bar (on our cruise) was defrosting the bar a little after midnight.

 

If you've made friends in the MDR and want to say goodbye to your servers, you could go there. May be more festive in a specialty.

 

If you make friends - decide early on to do something 'special' the last night - drink in a bar you haven't been too yet - casino stays open.

 

But the lack of people milling about makes me depressed earlier than I would have been. I think sleep is overrated sometimes.

 

Hope you find something fun!

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

garycarla:

So you take ALL your luggage off in the morning? How do you do that? I thought you had to put your large suitcase outside the door by 11 pm.

I HATE having to repack after disembarking-- like putting liquid items in the checked baggage that can no longer go in the carryon. We're re-packing everything to make it fit while everyone watches. It's not fun!

 

You don't have to put your luggage out the night before if you are willing to carry or roll it all off on your own. You only have to put your luggage out if you want the ship to deal with getting it off the ship.

[ThursdaysChild]

That's what I was thinking, maybe a specialty restaurant. Long meal, stretch it out. Then the chocolate martini, then the champagne with the life vests and friends, then off to say thank you to all who served us. Sounds good! Anyone else have any traditions?

(No, we probably won't do all of the above).

 

I always travel solo, but being quite social, end up with a great group of new friends by last night. I try to gather up a group for last night Specialty Dining, followed by a last nightcap at the Martini Bar to say goodbye to other friends old and new.

 

But one of the reasons I travel solo is that I also enjoy my alone time, and so, particularly on the last evening, when all the socializing is done, last photos snapped, cards exchanged, suitcase in the hall long gone, and I have everything else done and ready for the morning, I take a good 30-60 minutes to sit out on my balcony with the cognac or port I carried back from the last bar. As I enjoy that I look at the stars, and listen to the sound of the ship slicing through the water, and I soak it all in, and mentally replay sights and tastes and memories of the week. And finally, I say a prayer of gratitude for being able to have this experience.:)

[garycarla]

... I take a good 30-60 minutes to sit out on my balcony with the cognac or port I carried back from the last bar. As I enjoy that I look at the stars, and listen to the sound of the ship slicing through the water, and I soak it all in, and mentally replay sights and tastes and memories of the week. And finally, I say a prayer of gratitude for being able to have this experience.:)

 

Thank you for a wonderful post. I hope we meet one of these cruises to share your wonderful outlook on life.