Compulsive cruise prep

[ShadowMaker86]

All of this is so like me! Amazon Prime is my best friend for cruise stuff. I also keep all the cruise stuff in a plastic folder with a zip lock tip. Kind of funny that I get a bit embarrassed when I pull out my folder to get something out thinking people might think I am nuts. Not so much now seeing that other people do it also! The only thing I go out of my way not to do is look at the dailies. I like to be surprised about what to expect on the cruise.

Can you show me what this folder looks like? I am just not picturing what it looks like.

 

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[S&S Cruisers 1983]

Can you show me what this folder looks like? I am just not picturing what it looks like.

 

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This is one style.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Translucent-Waterproof-Envelopes-Presentation-Documents/dp/B076CSW32B/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1534024712&sr=8-11&keywords=zip+lock+folders

[ShadowMaker86]

This is one style.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Translucent-Waterproof-Envelopes-Presentation-Documents/dp/B076CSW32B/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1534024712&sr=8-11&keywords=zip+lock+folders

Thank you very much. [emoji4]

 

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[San10s]

Just finished packing today for my 8/27 cruise! As I have been planning for this Baltic cruise for 9 months, everything is layed out day by day on a single sheet of paper "calendar" I make. Flights, hotel, dining, excursions, shows, etc. or each placed in a block I have drawn for each day. Some may call it obsessive - I call it being prepared!

 

Have a great time on your Baltic cruise. :) We loved our 14 day Baltic cruise 2 years ago and hope to talk friends into going so we can go again.

I too like to be prepared and thought I was prepared as we started our journey to our cruise. What I didn't do a good job of preparing for was the fact that neither of our checked bags arrived in Heathrow when we did. As a matter of fact, other than the 2 pairs of underwear each, a nightgown, a pair of gym shorts for my DH, 1 t-shirt for him, I t-shirt for me and a pair of non matching capris and only my flipflops I was wearing and DH had sneakers on...we had nothing else for the first 6 days of our cruise! If the luggage hadn't finally been found, sent from Newark and then finally catching up to us in Sweden, we would not have gotten it as we were going to Russia next. We were told not to have it sent to Russia. Period.

So when I travel to any cruises now.... no matter if in the USA or heading out of the USA, I prepare much better.... like I might not get my luggage for a few days! :rolleyes: :o Lesson learned!

[RPCVcruiser]

I use Tripit too, but sometimes its linear layout is not useful. I like to see an overview of the whole cruise too.

This is my simple spreadsheet.[ATTACH]426527[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

Love the spreadsheet, it looks kinda like mine but days go across the top!

 

 

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[RPCVcruiser]

After you run out of excursions, dinners and shows to plan,,,, go onto “Drinks I Need to Try”, cost of Uber transfers, list for the Butler (I.e likes, dislikes, allergies, when to deliver the first pot of coffee, and pillow choices for a few), what meals we want in the room, list of documents and medications to pack, and of course, packing list that dear wife will violate the maximum shoes allowable to pack per the list causing the difficult decision of what stuff I really don’t “need” (her list not mine) like my socks, my shirts and my shoes. Not OCD, just prepared like a Boy Scout.

 

 

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[smillerholmes]

This is like a support group, I can admit to my compulsivity without embarrassment.

 

 

Holy cow! I was just thinking the same thing. I can't believe I found a bunch of Type-A people just like me.

[Shellbelle28]

This is one style.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Translucent-Waterproof-Envelopes-Presentation-Documents/dp/B076CSW32B/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1534024712&sr=8-11&keywords=zip+lock+folders

Yep, that's what mine is like too.

 

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[smillerholmes]

Thanks so much! I liked it so much that I've stolen your ideas and put my next cruise in that format. More to follow!

 

I think a side benefit is after the cruise is over, I'll have a compact record of the activities. Sometimes folks ask about specific ports/excursions that I "know" I've been to...but since I can't even remember what I had for breakfast often I'm no help. With this record, someone might actually think I'm one of the sharper pencils in the box.;p

 

I too like to be able to "recall" things when I am asked about my trips, so one of my main tools is Google. I use my calendar to load in all the port days and any excursions that we will be doing. Google also adds air and hotel reservations right to my calendar - so handy!

 

I also use my email - I have a set email for 6 months out, 3 months out, 1 month out, etc. It makes it easy to reuse for the next "vacation event".

 

My two week out email reminds me to:

- set my hold mail with USPS

- contact appropriate credit card companies (I always call even when they tell me don't bother)

- triple check medication

- double check airport parking (or whatever is being used)

- get cash

 

My hope is that one day Google Trips lives up to its name and begins to encompass more detail - I can't rely on it as much as the calendar and email.

[BigNance]

Awesome thread!! I have a folder with all my docs and printouts in chrono order. Air, tours, cruise docs, etc. im constantly checking the weather and stalking the C.C. boards for info. Y’all rock!

I’m liking the looks of that spreadsheet tho. I may have to incorporate.

Planning is half the fun!

[Shellbelle28]

After you run out of excursions, dinners and shows to plan,,,, go onto “Drinks I Need to Try”, cost of Uber transfers, list for the Butler (I.e likes, dislikes, allergies, when to deliver the first pot of coffee, and pillow choices for a few), what meals we want in the room, list of documents and medications to pack, and of course, packing list that dear wife will violate the maximum shoes allowable to pack per the list causing the difficult decision of what stuff I really don’t “need” (her list not mine) like my socks, my shirts and my shoes. Not OCD, just prepared like a Boy Scout.

 

 

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Yeah, that's on tab 2 of mine [emoji5] (plus all the snacks I've seen people mention theyve had from the butler's afternoon deliveries, because I'm not a fan of same of their standard ones).

 

 

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[tarps14]

Things on Amazon like:

Door Decor

Straw

Mini Fan

Water Proof Bag - For cellphone or other doc if going swimming alone and you cannot leave your things on the beach.

Clothes Organizer bag

 

If someone is really into planning, they can definitely buy certain things for their cruise to have more fun.

For example, door decors or a name tag to hang on their door.

 

On my previous cruise, I passed by a stateroom - the door was decorated for Halloween and of course it is easier to notice right away which room is your without looking at the room # if you were in this room.

Oh blessed day! It is so nice to know I am not alone in this. I use the Numbers app for the spreadsheet. I also have an app called Pack for my packing lists. Just pull the iphone out and double check I have everything and every trip gets a different packing list.

 

Let me add a few more to the Amazon list:

 

1. Magnetic hooks for the walls of the stateroom. Great for extra space. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FJ9Y9GW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2. Cruise tag sleeves. We have a set of narrow (size NCL uses) and a set of the wide. Have had them for 5+ yrs and still going strong (although I have replaced the loops, didn't care for the included style at all.) https://www.amazon.com/Caribbean-Celebrity-Easy-Read-Register/dp/B011S5GO6Y/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1534032699&sr=8-11&keywords=cruise+tags

3. I have every travel size refillable bottle known to man (too many to post links to). Constantly looking for travel size of any product I use on a daily basis.

4. Vibrant luggage tags. Bright colors make it easier to find in a sea of black bags.

5. Travel luggage scale. Weighs next to nothing and easy to just throw in suitcase.

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Capacity-Function-Lightweight-Airlines/dp/B07DL8Q388/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1534033496&sr=8-25&keywords=travel+luggage+scale

[eser1174]

Thanks to this thread, I remembered to complete my Amazon purchase. Getting lots of paper straws for all my upcoming cruises!!

[ShadowMaker86]

Oh blessed day! It is so nice to know I am not alone in this. I use the Numbers app for the spreadsheet. I also have an app called Pack for my packing lists. Just pull the iphone out and double check I have everything and every trip gets a different packing list.

 

Let me add a few more to the Amazon list:

 

1. Magnetic hooks for the walls of the stateroom. Great for extra space. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FJ9Y9GW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

2. Cruise tag sleeves. We have a set of narrow (size NCL uses) and a set of the wide. Have had them for 5+ yrs and still going strong (although I have replaced the loops, didn't care for the included style at all.) https://www.amazon.com/Caribbean-Celebrity-Easy-Read-Register/dp/B011S5GO6Y/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1534032699&sr=8-11&keywords=cruise+tags

3. I have every travel size refillable bottle known to man (too many to post links to). Constantly looking for travel size of any product I use on a daily basis.

4. Vibrant luggage tags. Bright colors make it easier to find in a sea of black bags.

5. Travel luggage scale. Weighs next to nothing and easy to just throw in suitcase.

https://www.amazon.com/Portable-Capacity-Function-Lightweight-Airlines/dp/B07DL8Q388/ref=sr_1_25?ie=UTF8&qid=1534033496&sr=8-25&keywords=travel+luggage+scale

Thank you for this list. Very helpful!! [emoji16]

 

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[Shellbelle28]

After you run out of excursions, dinners and shows to plan,,,, go onto “Drinks I Need to Try”, cost of Uber transfers, list for the Butler (I.e likes, dislikes, allergies, when to deliver the first pot of coffee, and pillow choices for a few), what meals we want in the room, list of documents and medications to pack, and of course, packing list that dear wife will violate the maximum shoes allowable to pack per the list causing the difficult decision of what stuff I really don’t “need” (her list not mine) like my socks, my shirts and my shoes. Not OCD, just prepared like a Boy Scout.

 

 

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PS: What drinks DO I need to try? I've never had a Mudslide, so I'm putting that down.

 

Good suggestion on a "likes and dislikes" list to share with the butler. DH does not like salmon so when the canapes turn up, he always wishes there was something different.

[Shellbelle28]

Oh. I forgot one of the first things I did once I had the cruise booked.

I think the ship maps they give you onboard are terrible. Unreadably small. So I went online, took hi-res screenshots of the ship's deckplan and made my own map that prints on 11x17 paper and folds so each deck fits into it's own panel of the folds.

Do I win for obsessive?

[ShadowMaker86]

PS: What drinks DO I need to try? I've never had a Mudslide, so I'm putting that down.

 

Good suggestion on a "likes and dislikes" list to share with the butler. DH does not like salmon so when the canapes turn up, he always wishes there was something different.

Oh my....Mudslides are awesome! My favorite drink!! Especially with ice cream not with ice!.

 

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[AnonomissX]

Hmmm...if you are trying to do something else to feed the cruise critter w/out spending more...how about compulsively watching all the videos on YouTube that have to do with Bermuda on the NCL Dawn?

 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ncl+dawn+bermuda

[Jana60]

I just love this site! Thanks to you guys I have ordered biodegradable environmentally friendly straws and water Proof pouches for my cell phone and credit cards. No telling how many more things you guys will give me the idea to order before my cruise!

 

 

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[ladylyn915]

Don't forget the over the door shoe bag for the bathroom door, shower caps to wrap your shoes in. Use some of the straws for your necklaces so they don't get tangled. Insulated wine bags are great if you are planning to buy any Alcohol/wine in any of the ports and are flying home after your cruise. I bring my hair dryer with a European adapter so I can utilize the European outlet in the cabin. I take my First Aid Kit that came with my car with a few extra items added. Buy an extra set of medication cases if your cruise is more than 7 days. Also, command strips if you are decorating your door with a banner.

[ANGlady]

I make a spreadsheet of the entire week. I'll include things like hotel and flight info, daily bookings, and itinerary items.

 

 

 

I do the exact same thing. My step-teenagers say how much they appreciate all my planning when they experience the opposite with their other parent. I provide all the kids an itinerary so they don’t ask me 10 times a day what we are doing next or tomorrow.

 

 

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[FrizzbeeCruiser]

Hello...my name is Amy....and I am a compulsive vacation planner.

 

Do you have a daily spread sheet done?

 

haha....I do.

Lol

 

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[FrizzbeeCruiser]

I use Tripit

 

you just forward all your confirmations - cruise, air hotel, even your entertainment and dinner reservations on board can be forwarded and the app automatically puts it in your itinerary!

 

I don't print anything anymore because everything is in the app. :)

I love when there is actually an app for that!

 

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[FrizzbeeCruiser]

I've already had my clothes in and out of the suitcase “just to see how they fit.” The thing is, this is only our second cruise but it will probably be our last. Having a son who has a family living in France makes most of our travel decisions for us, and we're looking into living out of the country nine months of each year. So we are dragging this one out as long as possible!

BAHAHAHAHA! I thought i was the only one who did this!

But.. Did you pack your outfits in gallon zip locks first? Just to check the fit? [emoji3]

 

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[FrizzbeeCruiser]

My mother died suddenly when she was on vacation when I was 29 years old. I’ll never forget walking into the house and it was immaculate. That stuck with me and I always have to clean before I leave on a trip. Even for a weekend.

 

 

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Im sorry to read this about your Mothers' unexpected passing. Hugs.. That must have been hard.

 

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