Compulsive cruise prep

[Shellbelle28]

I had the BEST time designing this!

[Shoppie124]

I had the BEST time designing this![ATTACH]426727[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

That is amazing!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[BigNance]

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.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Although I really like this idea, it wouldn't work for us. We are from the Philly area, soft pretzels would get hard as a brick and not everyone is an Eagles (or Phillies) fan (whats up with dat??)

 

So my envelope of small bills for tips on the ship will have to continue to be my method :D:D:D

[BigNance]

Shellbelle,

Your invite is extremely impressive!!! Did you post it on your Roll Call?? That display alone should get more people to sign up for the Meet and Greet.

Nance

[Shoppie124]

Although I really like this idea, it wouldn't work for us. We are from the Philly area, soft pretzels would get hard as a brick and not everyone is an Eagles (or Phillies) fan (whats up with dat??)

 

 

 

So my envelope of small bills for tips on the ship will have to continue to be my method :D:D:D

 

 

 

You could have The Bills [emoji23]. How about a pretzel magnet?

 

Some of my items:

 

Niagara Falls magnet

Chicken wing magnet

Jim Kelly koozie (because we haven’t had anyone that great since[emoji23])

Crystal beach suckers

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[TSUmom]

I had the BEST time designing this![ATTACH]426727[/ATTACH]

 

 

I love it!! What a creative idea

[Desert_ Dweller]

Shellbelle,

Your invite is extremely impressive!!! Did you post it on your Roll Call?? That display alone should get more people to sign up for the Meet and Greet.

Nance

 

I agree !! Enthusiasm creates more enthusiasm.

What size is your invite ? It's bloody lovely .:D

[MrmrsSteelman]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one! My husband and I are taking our very first cruise Jan 6th. (Western Caribbean on the getaway) and I've been planning it since Feb! I even take a notebook everywhere, like work in case I think of something and need to write it down! I'm such a list person!

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

[GA Dave]

CC needs to create a board for Compulsive Cruise Prep in the "Special Interest Cruising" section! This way we can all share our ideas regardless of cruise line.

[Kitten112]

If you are using the app, you can’t see signatures. You have to login on a computer

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

 

 

I am using the app on my phone. I will try computer. Thank you!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Jldevlin]

So how many here have got off the ship in a great port ..you have done your research ....picked a great tour ....and the couple in front of you ....one turns to the other and says .....So ..what do we do here ???? I dont know....what do you want to do ????? I dont know what there is here to do ....makes me break into sweats just listening to them lol

[AtlantaAlly]

My grandmother always taught me that the joy of traveling happens in 3 stages, the planning, the traveling, and the pictures- spend as much time as you get joy out of each.

 

I really enjoy the planning. I over-plan for sure. But when I get there I don’t have to think “what is there to do today” or have the endless conversations with our traveling companions “what do you want to do today?” We can reply “we’re doing X, if you’d like to join.” And if we want to change, we can, but at least it is planned.

 

I do my planning in PowerPoint and Excel. I have a binder for each vacation and it has confirmations as well as other info. I love that phase. It makes traveling that much more relaxed. If I want to do something it’s planned, I can change my mind but I don’t have to think. So much better!

[BigNance]

:'):')

You could have The Bills [emoji23]. How about a pretzel magnet?

 

Some of my items:

 

Niagara Falls magnet

Chicken wing magnet

Jim Kelly koozie (because we haven’t had anyone that great since[emoji23])

Crystal beach suckers

 

:'):'):')

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[BigNance]

Best. Thread. On. CC.

[dos equis]

You all are definitely my people! I do much of what you're all posting, and it's fun to hear about everyones pre-cruise planning techniques (and compulsions).

 

Here are a few things I will add:

 

-If there is time in port to hit up a local restaurant, I visit Yelp to read reviews and view menus to see where I want to go. This really helped when we were in Bermuda for 3 days and had lots of opportunities to eat off the ship. I also use Google Maps street view to get an idea of what the area will look like. It's always fun to look up something on street view and then stand in that actual spot a few months later. Surreal!

 

-I plan on what books I'm going to take with me. Usually I read various current listicles like "books you need to read on the beach this summer" or "great vacation reads." I usually read on my Kindle, using my library's ebook portal. I make my lists and try to have a few options so at least something is available to download before I travel.

 

- Although CruiseCritic is the best place to read reviews, I scour the internet for other blog posts or travel website reviews of the ship I'll be traveling on, or the ports I'll be visiting.

 

-I look up the drink menus for each bar on board and make a "must try" list for different cocktails and at which bar they are available at (some drinks are only available at certain bars.)

 

The planning part is SO FUN but a lot of it goes out the window when I travel because I end up wanting to just relax instead of doing everything I had planned. It is such a nice feeling though when you feel like you did everything you wanted to do by the end of a vacation. Although I prefer to have every minute of my vacation accounted for (to make me feel like I'm getting the biggest bang for my buck), I have to remind myself to slow down when I'm actually on vacation and not try to rush to do everything. Plans always change and some things just end up being impossible. Keeping my own schedule is hard; especially because of the increased activity level (and increased cocktail consumption...) so I end up taking more naps than I do in regular life. I have to remind myself that I'm on vacation and relaxing is my number one priority.

[Tatka]

Good Lord.. NO !!! Not in this house. I think your DH makes better choices than some of our DH's choices. I'm sure they can drive themselves to the stores.. but we may spend the next few days matching things up to go with those choices..;p Not all.. I'm just saying,...some of us .

:)

I didn't take everything in my hands when we were young so my husband had a lot of practice and a good taste on top of it.

Spares me tons of time in all departments of life.

He even knows what to buy for me.

 

But I understand.

[Shellbelle28]

I agree !! Enthusiasm creates more enthusiasm.

What size is your invite ? It's bloody lovely .:D

Thank you Desert_Dweller, BigNance and TSUmom.

 

Great idea about sharing it on my roll call, I'll attach it to my next "please email me if your planning to join the meet & mingle" post.

 

The invite was made to fit in a 9-1/2 x 4-1/8 inch envelope.

[Tatka]

He *can* go alone, but he wants me to come because he enjoys going together. His form of cruise prep enjoyment.

Ah.. ok. I don't like time spent in stores, so we better research excursions together as a prep.

Well, I do most of research and he does price watching and hunting for excursions.

Cruise itself and airtickets hunt are on him.

[Buttwig]

*stands up* My name is Jenni and I am a compulsive cruise prepper. *group hug* :');p:');p:')

I do a lot of the things mentioned here. My husband doesn't appreciate it until we are on board and I know what's going on and he doesn't LOL.

He often tells me "Relax, Francis"

[Jan_In_Maine]

I find that I love researching hotels for before (and sometimes after) the cruise ...I read every review, go to all the websites, check for amenities, restaurants, etc. We have stayed in some lovely places over the years ... not necessarily the most expensive, just the most interesting.

 

Planning is such fun. Jan

[purpleally]

I had the BEST time designing this![ATTACH]426727[/ATTACH]

 

It's awesome

Where did you have them printed

[operaclg]

Best. Thread. On. CC.

 

I love this! Makes me feel normal!;p

[Shellbelle28]

It's awesome

Where did you have them printed

I work as a graphic designer so have most of the tools right at hand to do it myself. I printed them double sided on my laser printer on light card stock and cut them out with a paper cutter, and then I found a really cool little gadget on Amazon (!) called a corner punch that you pop onto the square corners, press down and snip... rounded corners!

[Shellbelle28]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one! My husband and I are taking our very first cruise Jan 6th. (Western Caribbean on the getaway) and I've been planning it since Feb! I even take a notebook everywhere, like work in case I think of something and need to write it down! I'm such a list person!]

 

Sent from my SM-N950U using Forums mobile app

Welcome to the tribe :D

[Shellbelle28]

You could have The Bills [emoji23]. How about a pretzel magnet?

 

Some of my items:

 

Niagara Falls magnet

Chicken wing magnet

Jim Kelly koozie (because we haven’t had anyone that great since[emoji23])

Crystal beach suckers

 

Shoppie, I see you're from WNY. Buffalo? DH is from Dunkirk/Fredonia.