~*Cruise Planning Timeline*~

[raina*faith]

I know this may sound crazy to some, but I am putting together my cruise timeline and wondering if anyone else out there has one. I live by my "to do" list and timelines I want to make sure I don't forget anything.

I have a small 3 ring notebook with packing lists for each of my family members and information about our ship and travel plans. I also have a 8 1/2 in. plastic envelope with all our cruise documents.

Anyone else out there doing this? My husband just goes along with the program, and my kids make fun of me, but they are so glad that I have everything in order by the time the cruise rolls around. ;)

[Ehpride]

I love lists. My roommates think I'm nuts because I make so many contingency plans and plan everything so much before I go, but then I can completely relax on vacation!

[wrp96]

Aren't you supposed to make lists? I take after one of my aunts who won't go anywhere without lists. I have lists for packing, for shopping before I pack, and for what has to go in each bag.

[Hoyaheel]

I have so many lists, I have a master list:rolleyes: Well, only for major things like my wedding, but still....I use my Palm Pilot for loads of lists--I have special "list-making" software (it's just a database, but it was designed specifically to make lists like grocery lists:D )

 

For vacations, I usually do some sort of timeline in the same document with my packing list....

[Nliedel]

You and I have a lot in common! PLAN IT TO DEATH I SAY!

 

How long till your cruise? That will determine the timeline. It can be flexible. I don't have a database but if you tell me when you are going I can make up a list from you and the other listmakers on the board can refine it. Hmmm maybe we should get together and write an article?

[Hoyaheel]

From her signature, it looks like 10/06 for the cruise....

[raina*faith]

You and I have a lot in common! PLAN IT TO DEATH I SAY!

 

How long till your cruise? That will determine the timeline. It can be flexible. I don't have a database but if you tell me when you are going I can make up a list from you and the other listmakers on the board can refine it. Hmmm maybe we should get together and write an article?

 

I would love another list. I guess it all started with planning my wedding too! I had a tote bag that I carred around with me all the time. I have right now:

• 3 month time-line (refining for my specific use) need: an 8 month one.
  
• a tips list
  
• a general packing list
  
• packing list per person
  
• sticky notes pad
  
• envelope for important documents

Here is my email address: motherhen4him@hotmail.com

thanks Nliedel!

Glad to see I'm not the only one!! :D

[Hoyaheel]

Planning my wedding, I taught myself Microsoft Access (used it primarily for the guest list/gifts) and now I'm known as the Access Queen at work--have taken loads of training through my job and use it all the time! So loving lists is good for my career:p

[Nliedel]

Well let's put it together here so everyone can participate.

 

3 month time-line (refining for my specific use) need: an 8 month one.

a tips list

a general packing list

packing list per person

sticky notes pad

envelope for important documents

 

Let's do an 8 month list for now and move it down to three later, if that is OK?

 

8 Months:

Create a budget. Be sure to include going down a day early and staying in a hotel if you can. I cannot reccomend this enough.

Find a Travel Agent or select a cruise on your own.

Get a passport if you don't have one. You are going to be hooked on cruising and you might as well get it now.

Start reading the boards for tips.

Sign up for your ships roll call board now. Start talking to others on your cruise.

 

7 Months:

Start your diet. Yes we all do it. Be realistic.

Check on that passport.

Make a list of when your final payments are due and follow it to the letter. Don't rely on others to follow through on this for you such as your TA.

Make your pre cruise hotel reservations.

 

6 Months:

Gather everything you need to make decisions about what you are going to do in port.

 

3-5 Months

Continue to read everything you can.

Book air travel

Book shore excurions

 

2 Months

Make final payment

Start packing lists

If you have not already book shore excurions

If you do not already have air seat assignments get them now.

 

1 Month

get all documents together and in a safe place

 

 

3 Weeks:

Start refining your packing lists

Check final plans for port days

Double check shore excurions

 

2 Weeks:

Start packing

Finalize all details

Buy travelers checks or make sure the money is available on your credit cards

Call credit card company and let them know you will be charing on a trip so they don't turn off your card.

 

1 Week:

Finish packing

Double check plane reservations.

 

Day Before:

Go over packing lists one last time

Put everything where you can grab it when you walk out the door

Check in online if your airline allows it as soon as you can (usually 24 hours or less)

Turn off paper

HAVE FUN! YOU ARE ON VACATION!

 

What did I forget?

 

Oh and I agree with the above poster. If you can use it and have it MS Access is a wonderful thing.

[trish1c]

I don't make lists & I can't remember where I put them even if I try.

 

When the urge moves me & the wallet cooperates I book a trip. It's rarely more than 1 month in advance.

 

After booking, I'll mentally go through my closet & plan a wardrobe. If there are gaping holes, I'll go shopping.

 

If not, approximately 12 hours before I'm due at the AP, I'll start thinking about packing. I usually have very early morning hour flights. If I'm very lucky I'll catch a 2-3 hour nap before the car service comes, then I'm off.

 

I've never forgotten anything I couldn't buy somewhere along the way, :) although the time I forgot an evening bag on my 1st cruise was tough. It was hard to find a reasonably priced substitute in the Bahamas. SO's jacket pockets worked fine in that pinch.

[Hoyaheel]

Trish--that first trip to Jamaica when you learn you can't buy Immodium over the counter because it's restricted---the packing list pays off:D

 

I can do a spontaneous trip--pretty much because my toiletries kit is always packed & ready and by now I have a good idea what is on my standard packing list and/or what will be required from a trip, but if I have the time--list-making makes me happy, esp. when it's trip-planning list-making:D

[Nliedel]

I don't make lists & I can't remember where I put them even if I try.

 

When the urge moves me & the wallet cooperates I book a trip. It's rarely more than 1 month in advance.

 

.

 

You're like my husband. I think that's why we get along, opposites etc :D

[Foncai]

I love lists!.

I also have a wedding list and time line and cruise timeline and list.

 

I also have my new suitcase open on the spare room bed, where i am starting to collect thing...sort of a glory box of sorts...new make up bag, shampoo & cond etc. new face-washer, vacuum seal bags, 4 wire coathangers..just in case.:D

[CruisinMommas]

I do not keep a calendar because I can not remember where I put it, but do I make lists. They help you refine your thinking. I have taken file folders and put info for the upcoming cruises so that I will not confuse myself which is easy to do.

I would add to the do list on the last morning before you go change the sheets and vaccum so when you come home your castle will be very appealing after the trip home. The other cleaning you can do before hand. Also plan a quick trip to a restaurant, nothing fancy the night you return who feels like cooking after being pampered.

[Nliedel]

Nothing and I mean NOTHING, is worse, after a wonderful vacation than coming home to a pig stye. Bad enough there is a weeks worth of laundry when I do it every day normally. It's enforced slavery for my family two days before a vacation. Clean sheets, perfectly vacuumed floors, fridge clean and meals frozen and ready to go for the return home! By golly it makes coming home a joy.

[mustwork2cruise]

Now this is a guys point of view. This is why husbands go nuts. Can you all not just go and have fun instead of planning everything to death. You all deserve a cruise because you worked yourself to deaths planning it. Is the idea of a cruise not suppose to be the idea vacation, well it is not if you drive yourself crazy worrying about every little detail.

[Nliedel]

Nope. Planning it to death is a lot of fun for me. That said I tend to plan to death then go with the flow. Because I am uptight I have read all the details and I know what's what in every single port, in every area of the ship and when Mr. "Go with the Flow" husband is lost and does not know how to get downtown in St. Thomas he knows he can turn to good old uptight me for answers!

 

Being uptight is just planning in proper perspective. The flow can happen after the first Bahama Mama!

[Ehpride]

Now this is a guys point of view. This is why husbands go nuts. Can you all not just go and have fun instead of planning everything to death. You all deserve a cruise because you worked yourself to deaths planning it. Is the idea of a cruise not suppose to be the idea vacation, well it is not if you drive yourself crazy worrying about every little detail.

 

Lol...no way...if I don't plan things on some level, I wouldn't be able to relax right away. Because I planned for emergancys and situations, I could relax the moment I got to Florida :)

[trish1c]

You're like my husband. I think that's why we get along, opposites etc :D

 

That's too funny. I tend to attract men who are list makers.

[Coolmama_1]

I am a planner too. I keep a list, and a file folder for each part of the trip (air, hotel, cruise, excursions etc). My family always makes me be Julie the cruise director!:D

[bosteph]

I am in planning/preparation mode until we get on the plane. After we are on the plane the vacation has begun. The planning monster goes into hibernation and I "go with the flow".

 

The planning enhances the anticipation of the fantastic vacation. It's kind of like Christmas. Why don't we just wait until Christmas day to pull out the presents? No, we wrap them, place them out for all to see and then force them to wait until the actual holiday to open them. We do this to build up the actual opening. I do the same thing with travel.

 

BTW - Many years ago we were planning our first Disney vacation. I began my research and discovered that if you want nice, sit down dining it is important to have reservations well in advance. Since my parents were going with us, I felt that it was important to have them sit down for meals to enjoy, rest and relax. Then I also found that if we wanted to the both dinner revues (Hoop De Do and Luau) then we needed reservations months in advance. So all that to say, if you want to include meal reservations you are going to have to create daily itineraries. My DH made so much fun of me - he was ruthless. Needless to say, we got there and never had to wait in lines. He has never bothered me about planning since. In fact he brags about it when others talk about their experiences.

[raina*faith]

I am in planning/preparation mode until we get on the plane. After we are on the plane the vacation has begun. The planning monster goes into hibernation and I "go with the flow".

The planning enhances the anticipation of the fantastic vacation. It's kind of like Christmas. Why don't we just wait until Christmas day to pull out the presents? No, we wrap them, place them out for all to see and then force them to wait until the actual holiday to open them. We do this to build up the actual opening. I do the same thing with travel.

BTW - Many years ago we were planning our first Disney vacation. I began my research and discovered that if you want nice, sit down dining it is important to have reservations well in advance. Since my parents were going with us, I felt that it was important to have them sit down for meals to enjoy, rest and relax. Then I also found that if we wanted to the both dinner revues (Hoop De Do and Luau) then we needed reservations months in advance. So all that to say, if you want to include meal reservations you are going to have to create daily itineraries. My DH made so much fun of me - he was ruthless. Needless to say, we got there and never had to wait in lines. He has never bothered me about planning since. In fact he brags about it when others talk about their experiences.

This reminds me so much of my husband. But when it's all said and done, they have the times of their lives because I'm a SUPER PLANNER! I will say though, once we are on the ship, the planner goes on vacation!!!

[jrlaurie]

"The planning enhances the anticipation of the fantastic vacation."

 

I sooooo agree. I 'am OCD on this issue (and others too.) But gosh if I didn't have lists and research to get me through to the next cruise, I'd drive everyone crazy. I'm in my own little world planning, writting, re-writting, and staying up all hour of the night here on CC. I love the excitement of knowing things others don't, even when I haven't been there, or done that yet.

 

I took my first cruise last year, and I started planning a little over a year before that. I went out and bought an accordian file, with 13 slots. They are all labeled, for example, cruise docs, airline info, hotel info, shore excursions, exsisting cruise info, future cruise info (nice to have for possibly booking while onboard), travel insurance, packing list, to do list/ countdown list, transportation info, Rccl info, misc. info, and a slot for the trusty notebook to write down any valueable info I find.

 

Not to obsessive. This works best for me, as I can pack this in my carry-on, and have everything labeled at my finger tips, ready to pull out when needed.

 

Have fun with it, as you see you are not alone. It's your vacation, make it the best possible.

[takeabreath3]

i love the "BEFORE you go list" just so i don't forget anything. i have refined my caribbean packing list and just use it over and over! when i book a cruise a 6 part folder comes out and all the info goes in there like, reservation infok, hotel, plane and excursion confirmations go in. during the cruise all the compasses, pictures and the like go in the file so nothng gets crinkled up and when i get home the file goes in the vacation box. then whenever i need to relive my cruise i just take the box out and everything is right there together. like bosteph says, as soon as i step on the plane, train, auto or whatever the list maker is gone and the lets have a good time gal comes out.

 

i use my cruise vacations to do as much lounging as i can. my job requires that i travel (mostly by car) every week, so to get somewhere and stay and be waited on hand and foot is right up my alley.

 

my cruise buddies (husband and wife) are just the opposite! they just throw all thier stuff in the suitcase and off they go! BUT, you can bet you last dollar that they have researched the ports to death and has cussed and discussed the every possible excursions to the point that i just say, book whatever we want to do and tell me when to show up! lol it seems to work well for us since we will be going on our 5th cruise together in 3 years!!!

 

ok, thanks for letting me blab on about a whole lot of nothing. don't you just love these boards! :)

 

hope to sea you all someday on the sea, judy

[dyslexic pirate]

I learned my lesson about planning the hard way. First cruise didn't have a clue. Just got on board, didn't book any excursions. Got off at each port and we argued and wandered aimlessly from one gift shop to the next.

 

2nd cruise: Booked every overpriced excursion possible so as not to repeat the same mistake as lesson #1. Paid waaay to much as booked everything through the ship.

 

Cruise #3 till now. Finally getting the hang of this cruising thing. I quietly research everything to death...then narrow down what I think the family/DH will enjoy. Present them with a couple of options in each port. We take a vote. I finish my planning. They get to go on their "spontaneous" cruise that I've planned out for them. DH will not plan or make a list, even if he did he'd lose it!! He just loves hearing the $$$$ I've saved us each cruise.:)