Pre cruise review

gogetter · October 6, 2005

Hello fine people..................

My Carnival Glory cruise is coming up on the 22nd of this month and i thought i would take the time to posta pre cruise review......

Don't really know where to start so if it looks scrambled.....try to follow along....and please don't judge me.......

I hope it's not too personal...but after i make final payment...or even sometimes when we book the cruise... my wife and i sit down and discuss our goal for how much money we want to take. I figure out how many weeks until the cruise and try to stick to a budget of saving so much per week.

So i have my cruise stash.......in cash......this will include all money spent in ports and shopping. For any big items and the sail and sign we use a credit card. I just got a higher limit..a nice limit...so.....we are set.....many times along the cruise if we haven't spent too much money in ports we go and put cash on the sail and sign so at the end we have a zero balance or a small amount......then i have a pocket stash.....this is for all etc stuff...by this i mean...tips for the porters....sometimes we go out to breakfast on the way to the cruise terminal......gas money......i go to the carwash and get it all cleaned up before the cruise...my wife always argues why not at the end....i dunno..i just want a nice clean pretty vehicle on the way to the cruise.....it just makes me feel better for some odd reason.....

Also in this pocket stash is money to go out the night before. We are lucky that we don't have to fly and rent cars...we are only an hour away....

A little confession here......you see i am WORSE AND I MEAN MUCH WORSE THAN A KID AT CHRISTMAS, when it comes to a cruise and any vacation for that matter. If i do not consume some adult beverages the night before...to make me sleep of course....i could go to bed at 10-11 pm and be up at 2am and not be able to fall asleep again, therefore making my arrival and first day rather tiring. I just get too excited....a cruise or trip like Christmas only comes once a year for us...so i get way too excited and with all the planning and stuff......i just get overwhelmed......because basically i do everything......find all the prices ...ask all the questions....pack...carry the luggage....just try and make it easy on my wife....so she somewhat understands.

I like to get to the terminal early,,again i am too excited....the sooner i get on and get unpacked the better.....a few drinks of the day and i am set...while the ship is in port i like going to the top decks....and view the city.....i always see things i haven't seen before. One time at Port Canaveral we say Manatees swimming around the ship during embarkation.

Luggage is pulled out a week before and clothes....

Anyways...thats just a few things i do........

Anyone else have anything????????????????? :grin:

JoeyandDavid · October 6, 2005

Sounds like you have the plan!!

JohnG · October 7, 2005

My wife gets that excited and can hardly sleep the night before we leave. She makes lists of clothing and outfits weeks in advance and begins laying out her clothes a week or 10 days in advance. I and my son are "before we go to bed the night before" packers who do our own packing. My teen daughter is somewhere inbetween.

Mebert · October 7, 2005

Hi gogetter,

I enjoyed reading about your planning and your anticipation of your cruise. I have not taken as many cruises as some of my buddies here on Cruise Crazies, but I have taken six. I still feel the same excitement and anticipation as I felt on the very first cruise.

Thanks for sharing your pre-cruise activities and reminding me that I'm not the only one who's Cruise Crazy.

kapeka · October 7, 2005

Once we've made final payment- I start saving all my $1 bills. I don't spend any and every week-end I take them out of my wallet and put them aside. Then when do leave we've got lots of $1's for the porters, taxis, etc. And onboard we always give room serivce a few as well- and it's nice to have enough set aside!

The other thing I TRY and do is lose 5 lbs before leaving. I weigh myself the day of final payment and that's the benchmark. Not always successful, but usually at least a few so I can enjoy more! :undecided:

gogetter · October 7, 2005

Hello,

Great ...thanks for sharing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :grin: :grin:

Shari2 · October 7, 2005

Gogetter...

I can sense your excitement. It sounds like you have a great plan. It's nice that you make it easy for your wife. My DH has to handle the luggage, also, because I have a few injuries that will cause problems if I lift or drag anything heavy. I do take my wheeled carry-on and purse and sometimes camera. We bought all new luggage for our last trip that has wheels and can hook together for Marc to handle. It worked out great!

I get too excited to sleep, too. On my first cruises, I packed the day before, and I couldn't sleep at night at all because of the excitement, and also thinking of having to fly. I hate flying, but I've learned to relax a bit more now, and I start planning and packing more like John's wife now. I make lists and get things ready way before hand, and I have my things all ironed and packed so that I can go to bed early and at least try to sleep.

My DH likes to pack his own things, so that is a great help to me, as I have to remember to get everything on the list and get our things to the drycleaners, etc. I shop for new clothes and shoes if we need them as early as possible.

DH takes care of all the paper work and money. He makes copies of our passports and whatever else has to be done.

Hope you have a wonderful cruise!

mysticks1 · October 7, 2005

I am 23 days out as of today for my first cruise. :grin: For the past couple of weeks I have been scouring message boards for helpful hints and tips and have gotten quite a few that I plan to use. I have been making a "to buy" and a "to pack" list. When I do buy something I remove it from the "to buy" and put it on the "to pack" so we won't forget anything. The list is mainly for those things I think I might not remember like insect repellant, power strip, extension cord, my little evening purse and the list goes on and on. When I pack I plan to take the list and check off things as I pack them and carry another copy for checking them back off again as we re-pack.

I am so excited about going and it helps me to have something to do now. <]

KeithnRita · October 7, 2005

gogetter,

We enjoyed reading your pre-cruise review. The anticipation of a cruise is the next best thing to the cruise itself. We always like to arrive at least a day before our cruise just to relax and unwind from our long travel. Rita does all our packing--and she is a pro at it! I get to do all the dragging and carrying!

It won't be long now for you and your DW. This is about the time for us when the excitement starts to build. You guys think of all us Crazies when having your first drink of the day, and give us a toast! alt text

GottaCruz · October 8, 2005

Harry,

I love your idea of posting a pre-cruise review. It's exciting just listening to your excitement. I prepare for our cruises all year round. The way I do it is--------- every time I see something I want to buy, I tell myself or hubby-----" this will be great for our next cruise." :grin: I just keep my eyes open all the time for good deals on clothing , shoes, just about anything.