Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

How early do you start packing?

PurpleMoonlight

By PurpleMoonlight,
in P&O Cruises ( UK )

 Share

Recommended Posts

PurpleMoonlight

PurpleMoonlight

Posted
Posted

I know it seems silly, but four weeks until the cruise and I have started already. :)

 

Not clothes yet, but the little incidentals that I wish to take. My own coffee, carton of long life milk, toiletries etc.

 

I am starting to hive off the clothes in the wardrobe that I intend to take though.

 

Sad huh.

 

:rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
balf

balf

Posted
Posted
I know it seems silly, but four weeks until the cruise and I have started already. :)

 

Not clothes yet, but the little incidentals that I wish to take. My own coffee, carton of long life milk, toiletries etc.

 

I am starting to hive off the clothes in the wardrobe that I intend to take though.

 

Sad huh.

 

:rolleyes:

 

No, it's a good idea to sort out your packing probables etc a week or more in advanced.

 

But long life milk? Why ever would you need that on a cruise.

 

David.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
john watson

john watson

Posted
Posted (edited)

It all depends on how often you cruise in my opinion. If you have previously cruised you should have an accurate idea of what to take in terms of what items and the quantity of each. Last time I went for a fortnight and started packing two days beforehand. I was busy at work and instead of the "week ahead" plan was made impossible but it went very well.

 

I can understand tea/coffee for people who like a specific type but the milk also surprises me. They have the tiny single shot cartons on P&O in buffet which are freely available in large numbers and cabin steward replenishes your cabin stock particularly if you hide the unused cartons. I am sure these are all long life in whole and semi-skimmed.

 

Regards John

Edited by john watson
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Triplalot

Triplalot

Posted
Posted (edited)

I have started to think about incidentals for my trip (12 weeks away) such as a discreet money belt for my pre trip stay in Venice and locks for the cases I will be leaving at our hotel to Checkin, cruise baggage tag covers ( since I will be printing my own) waterproof covers for my phone/iPad so that I can read by the pool/sea on excursions,USB travel adapters and clothing requirements since I have been losing weight and some of my Summer stuff will be too big and I like to take some new stuff anyway. I am buying these when I see them. Will probably buy toiletries, sun cream etc a week or 2 before and finally pack the day before.

 

I also need to buy a new battery for my luggage scale since we have decided to fly rather than drive down to Venice and Easyjet are very strict, albeit we have purchased 26KG each hold luggage plus hand luggage so weight should not be a problem - if it is I will have to repack :)

Edited by Triplalot
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Triplalot

Triplalot

Posted
Posted
My husband starts to pack and fret three weeks before we leave. I pack the night before. Inevitably we pack too much, especially shoes!

 

Loobs you can never pack too many shoes - you have to be coordinated :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
kruzseeka

kruzseeka

Posted
Posted (edited)

I always do an inventory of consumables like medical items, toiletries and buy them a few weeks ahead of time as I find I can spend quite a bit of time on this task and prefer not to leave it until the last week.

 

Dh has the job of clearing camera cards, charging batteries, making sure the Kindle has some titles I want to read, and like Tripalot gathers the incidentals too - charges, adaptors etc.

 

I also like to try to make sure all the admin is done before the last week too so I don't have a panic about what's needed to be done at the last minute - purchase currency, notify the bank about credit card use abroad, api, print out tickets etc.

 

That leaves the last week for clothes; decisions, change my mind, more decisions - you know the drill!!! :D

 

But I try to resist my excitement and actually putting things in cases until a couple of days beforehand but never leave it until the last night to finally zip-up after I put my hand between the side of the case and zip on one occasion!!!! That's what you get for stuffing your cases! Fortunately we had a day's grace and were at the department store the next morning as it opened buying a new case!!!!!

Edited by kruzseeka
Link to comment
Share on other sites
P&O SUE Great Review Rare

P&O SUE

Posted
Posted (edited)
I think about what I'm going to take for months, and I gather things together weeks in advance, but the actual act of packing normally takes places in a mad rush a night or two before we leave the house!

 

Same here! I leave 8 weeks tomorrow (wahoo!) But I have been thinking about what I need for weeks :D I also keep clothes "back" and don't wear them a couple of weeks beforehand so that they are all washed and ironed. Never pack until the day before to minimise creasing :) This year as I'm going to warmer climes and leaving the UK beginning of June, I'm expecting not to be able to wear the clothes here anyway that early in our summer :D

Edited by P&O SUE
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Presto2 Great Review Rare

Presto2

Posted
Posted

We're leaving for the airport on Tuesday and packing tomorrow - Monday.

Again, it means that I have a clear picture of what is in the case so that we don't forget anything.

 

Also, if our cats even suspect that we are packing for a holiday they freak out. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Triplalot

Triplalot

Posted
Posted
We're leaving for the airport on Tuesday and packing tomorrow - Monday.

Again, it means that I have a clear picture of what is in the case so that we don't forget anything.

 

Also, if our cats even suspect that we are packing for a holiday they freak out. ;)

 

I have the same problem with my dog and we also have a cat. They will be safely deposited at the animal hotel before I get the cases out :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Presto2 Great Review Rare

Presto2

Posted
Posted
I have to admit, I don't pack clothes until the cat is away on holiday too.

 

:D

 

Makes me laugh that we are not alone ;)

We've had new cases this year so are hoping that they don't notice as quickly!

If they do we will get 'the look' ----- I am sure that other pet 'owners' know the one we mean! :eek:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Wiz201

Wiz201

Posted
Posted (edited)

Not packing as such, but I just tossed in some new clothes into my suitcase that I'm keeping for the cruise. Which one are you going on, Purplemoonlight? Ventura N510?

Cruise starts April 25th so I'll have the Friday off day before to pack. My new cruise clothes bought from M&S are in my mother's spare bedroom (she lives five mins away from me) so I'll be mostly packing there. I got a new case from matalan on Friday that's a 4 wheeler and has more space than my large holdall.

Got my euros, passport located and health insurance card found. Just need to print my E tickets off but leaving that til last minute.

Edited by Wiz201
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Triplalot

Triplalot

Posted
Posted
I'm on Britannia, 2nd May.

 

I got my Euros a couple of weeks ago. but only because I was watching the exchange rate rise and when it started to fall so thought better now than later.

 

Living in the Eurozone I am hoping that the value of the Euro improves before July otherwise paying in Sterling onboard is going to be painful. I've just paid the balance of my cruise at the awfully inflated exchange rate too. At least most ports of call are Euro countries :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
PurpleMoonlight

PurpleMoonlight

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I usually pack for a holiday the night before. Why would it need to be any different if you are cruising?

 

To reduce the risk of forgetting something!

 

I usually realise what I have forgotten to pack in the car on the way to Southampton. One time I forgot to pack my bow ties and had to pop into an ASDA to get a cheap one.

 

:rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Triplalot

Triplalot

Posted
Posted

I once forgot to pack driving licenses when we went to Albufeira in Portugal. Didn't like the resort and couldn't rent a car to get out and about. Managed a couple of bus trips but all in all it was a poor holiday. Most things I forget can be easily purchased, but that was a disaster :)

 

Another time we decided to drive from Estepona in Southern Spain to Gibraltar and didn't realize we had left our passports in the hotel until we got to the border, that was annoying but mildly entertaining!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...