Anyone else get totally stressed out...

[cruisinjerseygirl]

OMG, I can't imagine packing for 5 I pack for 3 and freak out! I always drive my DH crazy to get me all the stuff he wants to bring for like 3 weeks before we leave and then it just sits there b/c i pack it all at one time and always wait until the night before we leave at like 10pm to pack...it's bad! Plus, I always overpack for myself and my daughter, for him, I kind of underpack lol! He brings me about 20 outfits and 8 pair of shoes and I weed through it all b/c he doesn't understand that he doesn't need 20 outfits, for me I just pack enough bathing suits and shorts and what not but like 10 shirts too many but those are small...I try to pack what fits in the suitcases and it never works out very well b/c not all of his stuff fits in to his and I am greedy and take the big one for myself and then overpack and my daughters can all fit in a carry on really...oh i am stressed just thinking about it lol!

[seafun]

Hi There! In case you're having trouble deciding what to take, may I suggest you google the above phrase -- what to pack for a cruise -- and hit Google Search, and you'll find a pretty darned good list that you can customize to fit your needs. It reminded me of several things I would have totally forgotten that made my last cruise much better. Happy Cruising!:)

[Luckysll]

I've travelled so many times, but I still make list after list. I even list the basic stuff I know I'd never forget - like toothpaste, toothbrush, makeup, etc. I make sure that I pack at least a pair of slacks and a couple of t-shirts in the smaller bag, that way I figure if one bag goes astray I'll at least have a change of clothes.

 

Longer trips seems to stress me out more. I travel to Reno a couple of times a year and it's usually only for 2 or 3 days and I can pack everything in a carryon bag, so it's not so much of a problem. I'll be on the Glory on Saturday and then after the cruise will be at DisneyWorld for a few days, so it'll be almost two weeks away.

[Cruzfan34]

Of course I'm stressed out!!! But it doesn't take much to stress me out anyway.

I make a list of EVERYTHING we have to bring...then I have a separate list of things that I have to buy that are missing from the first list. Our cruise is in eleven days (woohoo) and I started packing a week ago. LOL.

I'll probably put more things in the suitcase next week and I'll have everything packed except what I need to use the morning before we leave to drive to Galveston (blow dryer, toothbrush, etc.) That way, when we're ready to fly out the door, I'll only have a couple of things left to put in the suitcase.

 

But yeah....it's stressful for me. :rolleyes:

[LDR]

I always stress out that I'm over the 50 lb weight limit, but so far so good.

My daughter and I can wear the same size shoe, so that helps cut down on

the number of pairs we take, we just have to plan who wears what and when.

 

We're cruising in April and I have the master list ready and the formal clothes

dry cleaned. The kicker is that I will be in Washington DC for 3 days

with my son and his class, get home late on a Thursday night and then

get up on Good Friday to fly out for our cruise! Hopefully I'll figure out how

to get it done:)

[jstluvcrzn]

I cruise every other year, so when I catch the late summer sales a year before my cruise, I go shopping and pack it as soon as I get it home. Of course, two weeks before the cruise, I have to repack, because I've forgotten what I've bought! :D

 

Thats what I do too. We are trying to cruise everyother year. April only makes the third. But I go shopping during the summer "between cruises" that way when it is time to go We are ready.

 

I have a sister that also lives in Waldorf. She is going on the April cruise too...

Tyra

[zqvol]

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[star10]

Wow! I wish I could be as organized as some of you!

 

I do know what to pack... it's just the decisions on what to leave home, and the ironing that really get to me.

 

Plus this year, my son(16) will be in a room with my brother, so I need to somehow label what he's to wear for dinner each night! lol. If I leave it up to him, who knows what he'll be showing up in!

[Candy Girl]

This is my 1st cruise and I don't have a cluse of what to pack. It's cold here and warm there. I have heard that it's not that warm there. We are going to the Bahamas in 21 days.

 

What should I pack

[star10]

Wow! I wish I could be as organized as some of you!

 

I do know what to pack... it's just the decisions on what to leave home, and the ironing that really get to me.

 

Plus this year, my son(16) will be in a room with my brother, so I need to somehow label what he's to wear for dinner each night! lol. If I leave it up to him, who knows what he'll be showing up in!

[GoinCruisin]

Stressed out about packing? Heck no... that means I'm going on vacation... throw as much as I can in the suitcase and hope for the best :D Key for me is packing at the VERY last minute... alleviates all stress... doesn't hurt to have a few cocktails ahead of time :D

[bamagirl1]

I always get strssed about packing ( I pack for 4), The only

Thing that helped me this time was I took 75% of our clothes

to the cleaners and had the cleaned and starched, This was

alot easier on me, and worth about $120 I paid

[honeywell]

I don't stress about the packing. I do make a list to keep on track and pack for myself and two kids. I have learned to plan the evening stuff and relax a LOT about what to wear during the day. I also do a load of laundry mid-cruise, which cuts the amount of casual clothes in half. I wear the same things twice and who cares? No one notices your cover up at the pool.

[teanbean16]

I don't stress too much. I have my handy lists ready and as I pack I highlight. My problem is the "what if". "What if" I need these shoes, shirt, shorts, extra bathing suit, goggles, etc., etc., etc.

[ntsurf]

I pack for four and a couple of years ago found a great idea on these boards that I now couldn't do without. When packing for my kids, I use the gallon Zip Lock bags and put one entire outfit in each bag - undies, shirt, shorts, socks, etc. When we get there I just dump the bags in a drawer and the girls pick a bag each day. No worries about what they wear. They are always in their own room and can handle getting dressed totallly on their own. It has been a lifesaver for us. It also give us a lot more room in our suitcases and less wrinkles when we unpack!

[MistyRo76]

My subconscience does the freaking out about packing for me. I am constantly having dreams that I have gotten to my cruise and forgotten something. Sometimes I dream that I have forgotten all of my luggage and sometimes it's only one key thing like all of my formal night dresses or all of my bathing suits. One time I remembered everything except I didn't pack any shoes.

 

I haven't forgotten anything major yet...the worst was that I grabbed the wrong credit card one time. I had just gotten my new replacement card a few weeks earlier but I hadn't cut up my old one yet. They were both sitting on my counter and I grabbed the expired one. I didn't realize it till I got to Miami. Luckily, the Carnival rep was able to just manually enter the expiration date (I think she just made one up) and it took it.

[dyslexic pirate]

I used the ziplocks for years and love 'em!!

 

I stick the jewelery that will go with each formal/dressy outfit in a small storage ziplock and then poke a hole in the top and put in over the top of the hanger. Dress/hanger/Jewlery/shoes (in their own ziplock) get tucked into the suitcase and maybe folded over once. when I get to the cabin, I just pull the whole thing out and hang it all up and it's together and organized. Nothing is snagged or lost and I can get showered and changed in a snap!

[AQW]

I swear by the ziploc method. I pack for three (DH is on his own) and have three different sizes of ziplocs - quart for the baby, gallon for the 4yo, and 2.5 gal for me. One entire outfit in each bag, including socks/undies as needed.

 

I keep a master packing list on the computer that I modify (no need for a parka in Cabo) and print out before each trip. Definitely a lifesaver.

[TennisLover]

I have no stress about packing - I just take everything.

 

The 50 pound weight limit might kill me this time.:mad:

[Smiling Cruiser]

I can't wait for the stress of packing! Things I have learned over the years: your appearance can be enhanced in a pair of white or black pants (capri's, shorts) simply by changing your top and accessories. Dress up or down while making more room in your suitcase.-one pair of pants for every two tops. Coordinate your formal wear so that you will only need one pair of dressy shoes. Same for your everyday sandals. You'll need a pair of sneakers for climbing (or not!) and flip-flops for the pool/shower (unless you're like my MOM who thinks a pair of flip-flops should be perfect for everything!!:eek: .) As for underwear, after surfing these boards my only suggestion is if you still wear them use Zip-Lock bags (hey, can we get a commission for the advertising or at least some cents-off coupons???) or packing cubes to keep them organized. I use a packing list to jog my memory and alter it to suit my destination. After each trip I replenish the toiletries in my organizer and then store it in my suitcase. I travel often enough that nothing in the organizer ever expires and I rarely leave home without the bare necessities. The stress of packing is the best, especially when you're prepared.:)