Compulsive cruise prep

[sprint180]

I don't have a lot of clothes.  Infact I usually have only enough clothes for just the trip.  But I just count tops and bottoms and usually rewear bottoms.   Throw in a nice outfit and off we go.  I hang my clothes in a separate place that I think I am taking so all I have to do is throw in the suitcase.  My swimsuit stays in the suitcase permanently as that is the only place I swim.  My magnets, clock, etc all just stay in the suitcase also.

[Budget Queen]

I pack the day prior.    But,  most often I would have also just booked the cruise.     It's automatic.   I don't use any lists and know exactly what I'll need.    Being I sometimes don't end as expected and continue touring-  I usually take triple =  at least the medications and medical supplies I need.      Laundry is your best friend cutting down on bulk.   I have 1 25" bag-  and have easily been gone for 2 months.     It provides freedom and ease of movement and the ability to use mass transit etc.   🙂   

 

[MrsTocko]

So my compulsive planner trait kicked night before last and I checked the status on hotels opening their booking systems up for July 2021 cruise...Scored!  
 

Got the Hyatt downtown Miami in mid-July for150 pn

 

can cancel if I get the preferred hotel, and preferred only because it is closer to port and I want to hopefully see the ship in the morning.  Won’t be able to from the Hyatt I don’t think.

 

Oh and shore excursions are being added to our cruise..up to 105 already at 387 days. Now we start thinking about what we are going to do.  I think I have 3 of the 4 ports figured out.

[dumbth]

Preparing is a major activity for me and has saved me from mucho indignities, whether it be being stranded in the exact center of the Sahara due to my camel safari cancelled or running out of toilet paper on a shakedown cruise on a refitted ship. I will toss out a few recent thoughts, then will begin laying out stuff in cardboard trays to prioritize:

 

Digital life: I will load up SDcards with audiobooks, ebooks, videos, and music for insertion into an old wreck of a laptop and tablet. I will bring maps of free wifi hotspots in certain ports, but won't count on connectivity for my many at sea days or any other time.

 

Clothing: Doesn't onboard laundry cost more than the clothing itself? I am thinking of saving up a bunch of underwear and socks near end of life, and throwing them away after usage. The ports I visit throughout a month aren't known for laundromats, and anyway I hate having anyone else laying hands or eyes on my dirty stuff.

 

Gobs of toilet paper is sometimes needed in a panic - I am in process of saving the "cores" of industrial coreless toilet paper that I had to resort to in recent months. It is quite remarkable, with the inner inch diameter of roll being a tightly bound stretch of superlong paper, kind of like the endless handkerchiefs that get pulled from a magicians sleeve. They pack into a tiny corner taking no space but serviceable as kleenex or whatever.

Edited June 16, 2020 by dumbth

[drvmywifecrzy]

For those of you who never unpack your clothes may be getting ripe

[MrsTocko]

 

“Clothing: Doesn't onboard laundry cost more than the clothing itself? I am thinking of saving up a bunch of underwear and socks near end of life, and throwing them away after usage. The ports I visit throughout a month aren't known for laundromats, and anyway I hate having anyone else laying hands or eyes on my dirty stuff.”
 

we do this..we will buy a new package or 2. Enough to almost cover our trip, leave the package unopened, won’t be able to pack it better.  And add in the stuff on the last legs and toss after worn.  That way I don’t end up washing and keep wearing...Socks and underwear we always over pack anyway...

 

[dumbth]

Besides old school tech, like needle and thread or adhesive tape, I am gonna take electronic noise cancelling earbuds. My whole set has volume of only my thumb, yet has usb charging port and can even function without power in non-cancel mode.

 

Best new gadget popular with yachties is stabilized binoculars. You may have seen how recent gopros can clean up jiggly videos well, and how on the other hand powerful handheld optics are very jiggly. But to me it is a big waste to spend a thousand on duplicate equipment for each eye. I have found stabilized monocular for under a hundred due to being (closeout) gyroscope based rather than electronic tech. I anticipate some fun boat and shore spotting.

[mconthehighseas]

I am so glad I found this thread!
I love planning vacations, and planning for cruises is heaven for me.  Lots of places to learn about, plus the ship and deciding how to manage pre- and post - cruise arrangements.

 

I rarely use a spreadsheet, because the squares are too small for most of my planning.  But I did use one years ago when I did a Mediterranean cruise, so I would have the words for yes, no, please, thank you, Hello, good bye, excuse me, mens, womens, where is the bathroom?,  and Help in all the languages we would encounter.  I did cruise with a woman who used a spreadsheet to plan her outfits for each day.  I was envious!

 

For packing lists, I start with lists that are already online, and make adjustments that fit me and my family better.

CruiseDiva  is one that I use when going to the Caribbean.  

 

But I love multipocket folders! I have a pocket for each of our flights, each of our hotels, and each of our ports, as well as one for our ship.

My husband used to complain that I planned too much, until I explained that when we have 7-8 hours in a  busy port, you want to make sure you don't wait until the last minute to decide what you want to do there, and find out that all the tours are booked. To compensate, I always make sure we have a couple of days off during a cruise, even if it means staying on the ship while we are in port if the itinerary is very busy.

 

Looking forward to more tips and ideas!