When do you start packing?

[cruisinonmymind]

I am leaving in 18 days and have started packing. I am either really crazy or just obsessed, I am not sure which.

 

When do you start packing? :p

[pungo3]

No, you aren't crazy. I've already started packing for an October cruise. To me, part of the fun of cruising is all the planning and preparation. Go ahead and pack. I think you'll find you are not alone. (side note, I do have some clothes that are only for cruising and they are packed as soon as I get them back from the dry cleaners:D )

[jleq]

I will start to put clothes in suitcases a couple of days before I leave. But I've already started the "packing list" for my October cruise.

[Cruiser@Heart]

I drag the suitcase out about 2 weeks out. I keep my a lot of my "cruise things" stocked in the luggage. As I think of things I will need or pick things up at the store for my cruise, I drop it in the suitcase. About 4 days before the cruise, I pack everything and make one last final check. That is how it usually goes.

[nrgo]

I've got 20 days to go and I've already started packing. I'm just doing a little at a time and probably the weekend before I will get everything, everything together. I started making a "don't forget" & "When we get there" list about a month ago. I agree that some of the fun is getting ready and planning.

[Bunkie103]

First cruise last year I packed too early and then kept going back and adding a few more things. Big mistake. For the CTN I had it all set and ready to go, but didn't actually pack until the day before. I have started a list for the October cruise, but will wait until the day before to actually pack in order to keep from taking too much. :D

[bjkeen]

Are you saying that you unpack? LOL

[rduke]

We have a bedroom that my DW uses as her sewing room but when we get a couple of months from a cruise it then doubles as "our cruise room". My DW starts puting things in piles on the bed of that which

she MIGHT want to bring along. Then when the suitcases come out 2-3 weeks in advance she starts narrowing it down. "It either has to fit in the suitcases or it can't come along" I must constantly remind her!!

[willybegolfer]

:eek: My family has started already

[Cotton]

I don't get the luggage out until a coupla days before the cruise (or any vacation). BUT, what I do is - a coupla months before, I empty a drawer in the bureau. I put all the little "odds and ends" that I want to take with me, in my "travel drawer" - y'know, things like the 3-appliance adapter, travel clock, film, the cameras, ziploc bags, beach towel, etc. All the little necessities that I don't want to have to go out and buy at the last minute are in that drawer - not strung out all over the house. Makes it EZ.

[dexter727]

We really don't do any packing until a couple of days before we leave. The more time we have, the more we pack. For us, the less time we have to pack, the less we take, ...and it's still too much. Always refer to the old adage: "take half the clothes you think you should and twice the money".

[IBEEMOM]

The earliest I put things into the luggage is two weeks before. I have a thing about doing it any sooner, because I am afraid something will come up and I will not be able to go.

 

Cotton, I too have a travel drawer. I think of cruising all the time, especially when I shop for clothes. I keep saying this will be nice to take on the curise all the time. When it gets cold and the winter clothes come out, I put all the cruise clothes aside in a special part of the closet. Come on December

[atonal1]

Last minute Louie here. :D I used to wait until the day before I leave. Packing would generally last until about 3 AM. At that point, I jump in the shower, then get ready for the trip to the airport. Since I don't like to fly, I sleep for most of my flight.

 

I did try something different for the cruise I took last December. I actually started packing about 1 week before departure, and finished the night before by 10 PM. It was soooo weird getting a good nights sleep before a cruise. I'll probably start early for the next one too. :D

 

my Serenade pictures

[footballmom]

We're not leaving until November, but I have a big Rubbermaid container that already has a bungee cord and some "cruise only" clothes in it. I was feeling kind of silly until I read these posts. Thanks for making me feel better!

[Gma&Gpa]

:D We're going on our first cruise in late august - and we also have a spare room that has become our "cruise" room. As we think of the odd things, like bug repellent for our cave tubing, power strip, etc - those things are placed in our cruise room in one suitcase. We'll probably re-pack that later and redistribute -but it's at least keeping it all together so we don't forget it. I also have a list on my computer - of everything I'm taking, even breaking it down to WHICH shorts, dresses, etc. The clothes, for the better part, won't be packed until the last couple of days.

 

My DH is taking off work the day BEFORE we fly to Tampa - so he'll do much of the last minute preparation. He figures he'll never be able to concentrate at work any way - so might as well be off and preparing !!

Are we all crazy? Maybe so - but if so, it's a blast be "Cruise Crazy"

[PiperMcB]

I'm not leaving until December and I hung the over the door shoe bag on the back of the guest room door. I've been putting those "little things" in it as I read about them or think of them. They're still easy to get to if I need them, then I just put them right back! How's that for early planning! ? !

[grandmacani]

Since we usually cruise in November when the summer clothes come out they are divided summer and Cruise clothes.

Always have cruise clothes in mind. Just found some new golf shirts for the hubby in a spare closet.

We did have a funny experience regarding packing to early. On our first cruise we had things on hangers in closets on doors and thought we had it together Since we fly in a day early we were ready to go to dinner and tried to locate a pair of kahki slacks for my hubby to wear. With the maximum suitcase allowance they had to be here(our first cruise to many clothes) He said he had hung the slacks on the door so I would pack them. HAHA he hung them on a hook on the back of the door. How could I see them there. Oh well at least I had all of my shoes. So I guess it doesn't matter when you start just make sure you take the important things.

ENJOY

[LadySpoilt]

I don't begin until the night before we fly out (have been known to pack the morning we fly out!) The less time I have to think about what to take for me...THE BETTER!! Tried the packing a few weeks ahead of time ONCE and it was a serious mistake...too much time resulted in WAY to many outfits, shoes, etc.

Spoilt...VERY least minute packer

[davidaperryman]

I pack the morning we leave. I do however have a shelf in the closet where I keep the duct tape, electric cord, walkie talkies, noise machine, etc.

[tjohn159d]

All I can say is if you pack early, you might want to make a list of what bags you are taking. We packed our formal wear and hung it in the closet about 2 weeks early. I have fogotten to get that bag 2 times now. The first time I had to drive about 400 miles R/T to get it. The second time I ended up buying DW and DD new formals and renting myself a tux. (:mad: at myself) From now on I be making a list of bags to make sure they all get in the car before we leave.

[Shirl909]

This was very interesting to read.... I guess Im crazy too, but I have had a suitcase in my bedroom for the last few weeks now ...As I think of things Im taking..I place them in the suitcase also ....I will have to repack the right way the day before we leave, but at least it is all together in one place... I bought the clothes hooks for the back of the doors, so I have the clothes Im taking hanging there with plastic bags over them ..This way nothing will be left in the closet ....

 

Yes you are right ..Its just so exciting to prepare for the trip also ...I also have bought a journal and have all info about the flight, my documents, my clothes, hubby's clothes, shoes, bags and jewelry, the color of suitcases Ill be taking etc etc .... I learned how to do this from my neighbor and traveling buddy... We are all set now .... See you guys on the Glory 7/24/04

[cmez]

I usually start packing a week before the cruise. I have a "cruise drawer" that I keep all my necessities that will be needed for the cruise - mini alarm clock, power strip, bug repellant, bonine, (the stuff I dont want to forget)...:p

[prose]

Leaving on 3/5/05 for a 15 day to Hawaii. Mentally, I'm already packing. This trip will be a little different, since we'll have to take sweat shirts, jackets, etc in case the weather doesn't cooperate on the way over/back.

 

Really though, I usually start the dry cleaning, washing, ironing process about a month before cruising. Clothes go into the spare room until being packed a couple of days before departure. Have always been lucky and haven't forgotten anything that couldn't be replaced at the port or on board.

[SouthernCaribbean]

Although this is an old post, I wanted to add my $0.02.:)

 

 

 

I usually go overboard when it comes to planning since I hate to do anything the final night before I leave on vacation. A month before departure I send out clothes to the dry cleaner and pull out my luggage, while making a mental list of things I still need to purchase. Three weeks prior to leaving I make those final purchases and use my guest bedroom as a staging area for clothes. The final week I pack and check items off from the spreadsheet.

[imlulu]

We are surprising our boys with our upcoming cruise in Feb.. I usually just put things to the side as I wash them(clothes for dinner). However this time since we arent telling them until we are ready to head to the airport, I am packing when they go to bed the night before. My dh will then put the luggage in the car.

My dh told me to just throw their shorts and bathing suits in the suitcase now as they won't ever know. I may do that. I have a real busy week the week prior to cruising. We shall see how I feel. ;)