getting really stressed! cruise so near!

[Already In Love]

I don't know why it is causing me so much stress, but with my cruise less than a week away (RCL mexican riveria vision) I feel like I don't have enough time! The idea of packing everything for my husband and our 2 kids, as well deciding how much cash I'll need, and trying to figure out what the heck we're going to do on our port days is seriously making me crazy.

 

I know once I Get through this week and get there I'll feel fine, but this mad rush at the end is making me crazy. I've never been out of the country before so I Think that is adding extra stress, not knowing what to expect, never have taken a taxi before in my life etc.

[monakayk]

Hang in there...before you know it...you will be on that lovely ship....relaxing and having the time of your life!

A suggestion...why don't you start to pack little by little now? You can sort of do this by taking the clothes you KNOW you will wear and place them in a closet...so you don't have to worry about washing and ironing/getting they ready again before the trip.

You can also get your family involved with helping you. After all, they are going too and they should help out.

Just put on some tropical music (or whatever you enjoy) and listen to it as you sort out your clothes...that will help relieve any of your stress as you work.

:) Happy Cruising!:)

[Sheffie]

I see your kids are 8 and 3 1/2. Okay, Here are some ideas: Put an outfit for each day in a ziplock, write which day on the outside of it, and have the kids put them in the suitcase. They can gather their shoes, you just tell them which ones.

 

Your DH needs to pack his own clothes. You just give him a list.

 

If you don't have your excursions picked out before embarkation, don't worry, just do it when you get on board.

 

Remember that you can always get more cash at the casino when you are on the ship.

 

Taxis are not on the hard-to-do list. You just tell them where you want to go, and ask the price before you take off. We always give about a 15% tip.

 

Maybe your DH could take the kids out of the house to the park, or to dinner while you get a lot done?

 

There really isn't much that you HAVE to take, but there are some essentials. Do you have everyone's certified birth certificates or passports? Have you printed out your SetSail Pass? Put these in a safe spot.

 

Now, take a deep breath, and get ready to have FUN!!!!!

[cruisinbuddy]

Here's an idea. Get hubby to help.:) Just a thought, LOL.

How much cash to take? Well I always take $1000.00 in TCs and @ $200.00 in actual cash.Small bills for tipping small purchases etc. Like monakyak said, put on some Mariachi(sp) music and play it loud and don't forget to make yourself a foofoo drink, ( pina colada, margarita), etc. Keep your cool doing the packing. I'm guilty of getting P.O.ed when we were getting all 5 of us ready for our Disney cruise. Just remember

"everyting be Irie mon".:D Ok you're not going to Jamaca but it works. Have a great trip.

[celbercrz333]

Already,

You are just getting excited. It's starting to sink in that you are really doing this, really taking a cruise. All up until now was sort of a fantasy. Now you are starting to think what needs to be done. This is a good thing, not bad. Just think of what kinds of stuff you will be doing each day and then pack for that. I've heard at least one person on these boards say that there probably will be something missing from your bags and you'll realize it when you get there, but most likely you can do without it anyway. Just make sure you take any medicines with you in your carry on bag. One thing you should know is this, most cruise lines tell you to put your suitcases out in the hallway the night before you dock back at your home port. During the night they are put where they will be loaded off the ship when you dock. Put all necessary items in the carry on bag that you keep with you in your room--medicines, a change of clothes (I've heard stories of people in their nighties getting off the ship because their clothes were packed in their suitcases!!!!).

I think it will all go well for you. Getting off the ship at the end of the cruise felt like the most hectic time of all. Most cruise lines have each color tag (from your suitcases) line up in the auditorium on board when you get ready to leave. You can't have 2,000 passengers getting off the ship at the same time. Make sure you have something attached to your luggage that will make it stand out from others. You won't believe how similar the luggage is and going through 2,000 pieces is crazy. Good luck and let us know when you get back how it went.

-Jo

[racegrrl]

I'm a list maker. Making lists makes me feel (and BE) organized. And I really get a "thrill" crossing things off it. Maybe that would help calm you down, knowing you have already thought it all through, it's on paper, you don't have to think anymore, now just do. That gets rid of anxiety for me at least. For what it's worth . . . .

 

And make sure at the top and bottom of the list ~ and maybe in the middle ~ put the words "have fun" and "relax" in there. And then DO IT! :D

[Jumbiecruiser]

It will all work out. Don't worry yourself about it. Things will go great and my bet is that you and your family will be hooked for life on cruising.

[noobiecruiser]

Just so you know, last year at this time, I was you, minus the kids. I had been harping on my husband for years about going on a cruise. Everyone I knew who had been on one said how much they loved it, but he was very much against the idea. He said that all anyone ever talks about is the food, and you can get food anywhere. But he finally said yes, just to get me to shut up. I researched and booked the cruise - the NCL Dream out of Houston on a Western Caribbean itinerary. I wanted everything to be perfect or I'd never hear the end of it, and NCL's Freestyle cruising seemed perfect for our lifestyle. I even paid for it in full on booking so he couldn't talk me out of it. Then ... I started reading the CC boards and hearing about the Dream's engine problems from last year. I read good stuff about her too, but I was getting really stressed about the ship. On top of the other stress, of packing, excursions, etc, etc... Well, let me tell you, he (and I) were hooked on cruising from the minute we stepped aboard. We are anxiously awaiting our next one, on the NCL Majesty out of Charleston in December. So just enjoy!!

[Already In Love]

thanks everyone,

 

Everything you all said is true, I just needed to hear it (again).

 

I am also a list maker, and have made lists of the stranger things I'm afraid I'll forget (Bathroom deoderizer, extra camera batteries, night light as we have an inside cabin).

 

I have my important docs in a seperate folder (birth cert, set sail pass, etc) and am going to take it to work tonight so I can make and have copies.

 

My dad is bringing his garment bags here in about 30 minutes, so then I can start packing my fancy stuff that I won't be wearing until the cruise anyway.

 

As far as my husband helping to pack? I'll make him pack his own casual clothes, but other than that, I just don't trust him to remember what he actually needs (shaving cream? tweezers?) and I am a control-freak so usually even after he packs, im asking him "Did you bring a sweater? a jacket? do you have your swim trunks?"

 

ahhhh.

 

When we eloped to san francisco I had everything packed. I left our big toiletries bag on the counter and told him to get his "hair goop" (wasn't sure how he planned to style his hair for the wedding, so made the mistake of letting him decide)

 

well, turns out, he put the goop in the bag, but the bag never made it to the car. Didn't realize until we were unpacking at our hotel in san fran (6 hrs away from home) our wedding was the next day and I didnt' have any of my makeup, hair stuff, jewelery.. not even a toothbrush and toothpaste. So, it was a late night scurry to a local drug store to buy cheapo stuff to replace it all.

 

Good story, but not something I want to repeat!

[NAS-KARR]

I agree with a couple of the gals..,...GET THE OLD MAN INVOLVED...IT MUST BE REAL NICE TO OWN A SLAVE NOW A DAYS, WHERE DOES THAT BUM GET OFF ?

 

I really hope you have a great trip e CIAO,

[lougee1043]

i dont know if im lucky or unlucky ------------my wife packs her stuff and i pack mine and i take care of everything else from calling the alarm company to getting the cash from the bank and everything in between

 

your huband has it too good -- let him help --insist on him helping -- did he do anything toward this cruise other then agree to go

 

i really get annoyed when i read that the guy just shows up and expects everything to be done for him and thats from this guys perspective

[Already In Love]

I guess I wrote something that I didn't mean (or at least it came across that way).

 

I'm kind of a control freak so it isnt' so much as my husband won't help as it is that I don't let him help because I feel better doing it myself that way I know it is done. Plus, I'm the one who enjoys going to message boards, researching excursions, etc.

 

I will help my husband pack his formal wear, since it is stuff he never usually wears (by help him pack, i mean I"ll make him try on his suit and a few different ties and then decide which ones I (we?) like better and match my dresses better and then we'll put them in the garment bag). Otherwise, he's on his own for his rest-of-the-cruise wear.

 

I always pack for the kids because (again)Im afraid soemthing will be forgotten.

 

This is more of an issue of me taking on too much at my own request than it is him not wanting to help.

 

I just don't want to paint my husband as if he's a lazy guy. He gets our children ready for school and drops my youngest off at daycare every day. He lets me sleep in on days I need it (I work nights) and he's home alone with the boys 3 nights a week while I'm at work.

 

He's just a laid back guy who doesn't stress and doesn't plan, and I'm a type A personality!

 

sometimes opposites attract

[cruisinbuddy]

I agree with a couple of the gals..,...GET THE OLD MAN INVOLVED...IT MUST BE REAL NICE TO OWN A SLAVE NOW A DAYS, WHERE DOES THAT BUM GET OFF ?

 

I really hope you have a great trip e CIAO,

 

I'm not a gal, I'm a guy. So who's your fav. naskarr driver?

Already in Love; get er done, and have fun. BTW I thought you were supposed to be packing and not on the boards.

[caribbean dreams]

Relax, its perfectly natural to stress out just before a cruise, i feel like i need to be put on medication sometimes just to get through the packing stage.

[racegrrl]

I guess I wrote something that I didn't mean (or at least it came across that way).

 

I'm kind of a control freak so it isnt' so much as my husband won't help as it is that I don't let him help because I feel better doing it myself that way I know it is done. Plus, I'm the one who enjoys going to message boards, researching excursions, etc.

 

I will help my husband pack his formal wear, since it is stuff he never usually wears (by help him pack, i mean I"ll make him try on his suit and a few different ties and then decide which ones I (we?) like better and match my dresses better and then we'll put them in the garment bag). Otherwise, he's on his own for his rest-of-the-cruise wear.

 

I always pack for the kids because (again)Im afraid soemthing will be forgotten.

 

This is more of an issue of me taking on too much at my own request than it is him not wanting to help.

 

I just don't want to paint my husband as if he's a lazy guy. He gets our children ready for school and drops my youngest off at daycare every day. He lets me sleep in on days I need it (I work nights) and he's home alone with the boys 3 nights a week while I'm at work.

 

He's just a laid back guy who doesn't stress and doesn't plan, and I'm a type A personality!

 

sometimes opposites attract

 

I understand exactly how you are and how you do things. I am the same way - however I don't call myself a "control freak" - I consider myself a "caretaker" because sometimes it seems I am the one who cares the most about the detail things. And that's not bad or good, it just is. Every family needs one, sometimes it's the boy, sometimes it the girl. DH is perfectly capable to do many of the things I do for him, but I like doing these things because I know they are done and done to my specs. I have a higher "care threshold" I suppose.

 

Just know there are few things you can forget that you can truly live without. It may be more convenient to have everything, but your wedding proves that you will survive and thrive no matter what! :D

[Already In Love]

So, last night we had some fun and tried on all of our cruise clothes while we watched the playoffs in the bedroom. Then, after we tried it on, we packed it away.

 

Thank goodness we did this with at least a few days to spare, as I learned that 1)two of my husband's dress shirts that were hung up on hangers had dirty spots, so they had to go in the laundry and that 2) my husband owns no sandals (I forgot they broke when we were in the beach a few months ago) and that his black dress shoes are coming apart at the heel.

 

so...it's off to do my favorite pastime today.. shopping! I need to clothe my husband's feet! No good to have black and pinstripe grey suits if you only have brown dress shoes! good grief!

[racegrrl]

Have fun shopping! We usually pull our stuff out about two weeks before just because of things like this. We usually have a warm weather vacation in January, so all the summer clothes are packed away and need laundering, altering, etc. Hard to find shorts to buy in Chicago in January! :D

[monakayk]

So, last night we had some fun and tried on all of our cruise clothes while we watched the playoffs in the bedroom. Then, after we tried it on, we packed it away.

 

Thank goodness we did this with at least a few days to spare, as I learned that 1)two of my husband's dress shirts that were hung up on hangers had dirty spots, so they had to go in the laundry and that 2) my husband owns no sandals (I forgot they broke when we were in the beach a few months ago) and that his black dress shoes are coming apart at the heel.

 

so...it's off to do my favorite pastime today.. shopping! I need to clothe my husband's feet! No good to have black and pinstripe grey suits if you only have brown dress shoes! good grief!

 

YESSSSSSSSSS...that could've truly been a REAL problem if you didn't check all your clothes out beforehand!

That is EXACTLY why I always pull out our clothes and hang them in plastic dry-cleaner bags & put them in a separate/spare closet at least a few weeks in advance. So I know exact what we need to purchase (if anything) before the last min. crunch and to make sure that everything is clean/mended and looks great.

In fact, if I purchase something that I especially want to wear for the cruise...I just put it aside in the spare closet and don't even wear it till the cruise. That way there is no chance of it being soiled or messed up!

My DH had to buy several new Polo shirts for our last cruise and he & I went shopping for them a month ahead of time because of a great sale they were having at the Mall. So I promptly took them from him the min. we got home and tucked them away in the spare closet. He, of course, said, "Where are you taking those...I want to wear them!"....Me:"No Way!!!...you will get a stain on them and then they will be all messed up by the time of our cruise!" So sometimes you have to put your foot down on some issues with the DH! LOL

Hope you have a great time shopping...maybe that will relieve some of your stress!

P.S. Make sure to post a link to a review of your cruise...over on this thread leading to it so we (here) can enjoy your cruise too....reading about it!

:) Happy Cruising!:)

[Sheffie]

I don't know if your DH plans on taking both of those suits, but you really only to take one; no one cares if he wears the same one twice.

 

I am glad you have almost everything ready to go. 3 days and you'll be gone!

I am envious!

 

Have a fabulous cruise!!!

[gbgalnow]

I was freaking out two weeks before our cruise...the packing stage gets me everytime!!!! That and I think that I get panic attacks when doing something I have never done before! I was sooo worried I would forget something, only to notice that in the general store on board, they have basically EVERYTHING you thought you'd forget!

 

Have a GREAT cruise!!! Im jealous also!!!:p

[krznkim]

- NCL Dream out of Houston on a Western Caribbean itinerary. I wanted everything to be perfect or I'd never hear the end of it, and NCL's Freestyle cruising seemed perfect for our lifestyle. I even paid for it in full on booking so he couldn't talk me out of it So just enjoy!!

 

Noobie Cruiser, can you email me at Figgorozco@aol.com? I too saved my own money and booked, much to my husbands distress. I have a couple questions for you, if you don't mind. We are going on the Dream out of Houston too!

 

Thanks!

[Happy ks]

Ahhh, the memories.

 

I know exactly what you are going through, I've been there, done that. I will only tell you that you will pack too much, worry too much and stress too much. None of it will matter at all when you get onboard the ship!

 

The very most important thing to take is your travel documents. Check those and have them together in one spot. I generally take a different purse than my every day one for travel and I put everything there a week or so before. I double check the night before and have a list taped to the front door, with TRAVEL DOCS in bold letters at the top of the list.

 

Cross pack all your suitcases, in case one doesn't make it, or goes on a different vacation location than you. If one does stray, do not panic, enjoy the vacation no matter what.

 

Go to the ports of call board here and check out the different ports you will be visiting.

 

I use a rolling rack in the living room for packing assistance. I hang everything up and put the accessories with it, jewelry hanging around the hangers (I use little bags) and shoes underneath. I can tell by sight what I can eliminate (anything that can only be worn once, exception, formal wear), or if I've forgotten something. I can pack from there and not have to haul suitcases down the stairs.

 

My husband sounds like yours, a wonderful helpful man, but a bit of a hindrance when it comes to vacation packing. Everyone works out their relationship the best way for them, don't let anyone sway you from your plans. I'll ask my husband two months, two weeks, two days before leaving if he needs anything and no, everything is fine. Then, the last day he'll say, I could really use a pair of new black dress socks, or, I only have one bathing suit that fits. He's busy, busy, busy at work before we leave, so I'm the one running the errands. IF I said I minded, I'd be lying, I'll take any excuse to go on a shopping expedition :)

 

Have a wonderful cruise, we'll be on Vision for Christmas this year, so let us know how you liked it!