Compulsive cruise prep

[jrlamour]

Great to see so many people united by OCD trip planning!!!! We are either the best or worst people to travel with!!!!

 

I’m going to go with best!! 😊

[TSUmom]

I believe I have found my support group!! So happy to know I am not alone:D

[Shoppie124]

Last Night, my Husband told me I'm only happy when I'm planning...

[operaclg]

I believe I have found my support group!! So happy to know I am not alone:D

 

Me TOO!!!!! :D

:D

[sun_lovin!1]

You guys/gals are the best! I have done everything in this thread. My husband thinks I go overboard in planning each cruise, yet he never complains during vacation when everything goes like clockwork.

 

One thing that I do that has not been mentioned. I put my cash in envelopes labeled for what it is for. I separate my tip money by day and by activity. I earmark an amount of money to tip on the ship, porters, shuttles and excursions. Some of the excursions I go on state that they prefer to be paid in cash, so that goes in a marked envelope as well. I try to prepay as much as I can before I leave, but for the things I can't prepay, I have an envelope. All the envelopes go in the safe in my cabin and I get them out as needed each day.

 

Thanks, everyone, for sharing in my planning obsession. I am not alone!

[BigNance]

^^^ Same...;-)

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Neat idea. It's now on my list.

[Snowysmom]

I like the cash and envelope idea. Off to get the envelopes!

[Jan_In_Maine]

Bermuda on Dawn, September 7-14

 

We are on the same cruise.

 

I am packed except for last minute items - kindle, etc. My spreadsheet of what I am wearing by time of day is complete - including shoes and jewelry. I have booked my dining, have all the excursions taken care of, wrote out the itinerary, etc.

 

I don't know what else to do ... I can't wait! Jan

[Seminole1975]

I like the cash and envelope idea. Off to get the envelopes!

 

I love this thread too! I always have to have something to look forward too and planning is half the fun! On the Baltic Cruise I used the envelope system. We were dealing with five different currencies counting US $$. I had the extra cash envelopes and then the tip envelopes for excursion guides, the butler and the concierge. It was really fun to put together! I ordered the "foreign currency" for our traveling friends too (they paid us back of course) and did their envelopes for them as well. I had a folder for each port including excursions, the airline, the cruise documents, my clothes list (and all other lists) and hotels. Just pull a folder out when you need it easey peasey!

 

I used a travel agent for a recent land trip to Scotland and Ireland we took in June. It was not near as fun waiting for someone else to make the plans! I found I like doing it myself much better!

Edited August 14, 2018 by Seminole1975

[PelicanBill]

I do the money in envelopes per day too and make sure I have the right size bills for tips and exact for excursions.

[Shoppie124]

I like to bring small items from our hometown that represent our region... we usually gift these little things (in addition to cash) to workers who make a difference in our vacation.

 

I’ve done this at Disney multiple times.

 

The fun part is collecting the items while planning. I’m always on the hunt.

 

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[Jan_In_Maine]

I do the money in envelopes per day too and make sure I have the right size bills for tips and exact for excursions.

 

 

I thought I was the only one that did that!! :DJan

[Cruiseandbooklover85]

I have found my group of people!!!!! SO is always saying that I am not happy unless I'm planning. Well..... he's not lying. I have gotten great suggestions reading this tread. Thanks everyone for all your input. I love doing the spread sheets with costs and different excursions. I also do the envelopes and was extremely happy to know I wasn't the only one. I downloaded the tripit app like suggested on this thread and I do like the linear outline. I know this is over the top but my SO joked to do a keynote presentation (powerpoint for non-mac users) of the trip to get us excited. I actually did it. It had the day to day itinerary and pictures and descriptions. It actually came out pretty good and it did its job. We leave next Thursday to tour around Paris and Rome before our Greek Isles Cruise. We are super excited!!

[Ck37421]

Hi my name is Cathy and I too am a compulsive prepper.... [emoji16]. (This feels like a support group). I’ve done the spreadsheets, envelopes, lists, etc., etc. I use the OneNote app on my IPad with tabs for each area such as budget, itineraries, packing lists, excursions, etc. with my spreadsheets imbedded right on the tab for easy one stop reference. We just returned from an Alaskan Cruise on the Bliss and it was great to have everything planned beforehand so that I could just relax and enjoy. Something I did this trip as well was to plan outfits for each stop by day and night based on where we were going and what we had planned. I laid them all out including shoes and accessories and snapped pictures. Then using a bulletin board App I did two collages one for day looks and one for evening looks. Then snapped a screenshot of each. I could quickly refer to the pictures and grab out exactly what I needed for the day. I still packed a ton of things but mainly because of needing layers since the weather was quite cool compared to our upper 90 days this time of year in AL. I came home with maybe two items that were still clean and I believe those were a couple of extra short sleeved tops in case the weather was warmer than expected.

 

 

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[Jan_In_Maine]

Wow - My People!

[Gigi1068]

Reading this thread has let me know that I am not crazy 😜

[Susandt]

Looks sotra like mine.

 

 

 

Thanks just downloaded app

 

 

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[Shellbelle28]

I got my colored plastic velcro closure folders from Amazon today. I can sort everything that's in one folder now into categories. AND I'll have an empty one on board to collect all the dailies and other papers that accumulate!

I have done the tip envelope thing too, it feels less awkward to give an envelope to someone than stuffing cash into their hand.

Question and opinions about the beverage package. Do you still sign a slip for each drink and can you tip when you sign? I've read that some have brought a stack of $1 bills to use for bar tips (I know we pay a service charge up front on the beverage package, but sometimes I want to acknowledge someone's good service at the time too.)

[quillwercruisers]

This is so me!! I have a binder that has dividers to hold everything in. It has a clear front so that I can print out a picture of the ship to put in it. I just love planning!! =) I usually set aside clothes that I don't normally wear on a daily basis but might want to take on the cruise. Also put things in a laundry basket that I know we will be taking and as I think of things, they go in the basket. When it comes time to pack, if I don't think we'll use them then I don't pack them.

[tarps14]

Mini fan? Because the room is hot, or because you're going to a tropical location? Mediterranean Cruise coming up in September on Epic. I do sleep with a ceiling fan - so is a portable fan going to be necessary?

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Christy

I absolutely have to have air moving around me at night, hot or cold weather, makes no difference, so the mini fan goes pretty much everywhere we do. I have also gotten very used to the white noise it provides and it really does seem to help me get to and stay asleep.

[DeanDeeDee]

This is the best!!!:)

[sprint180]

I thought I was the only one that did that!! :DJan

 

 

 

Nope, I do it too. Doesn’t it work smooth.

 

 

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[bmwman]

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

 

Really- I use a smartphone and as to pre planning a waste of time suitcase- flight - cruise Why spend longer packing than cruising

[2Oldpeopleinlove]

Really- I use a smartphone and as to pre planning a waste of time suitcase- flight - cruise Why spend longer packing than cruising

 

Because it's fun—pure and simple. Sure, there are practical benefits, but I do the same thing when we prepare an overseas trip. Dragging out the trip through anticipation is a form of foregoing meories cache.