When do you pack?

Hi all! We are cruising on the Sunshine in 6 days (!!!!!) and I've started packing for our 8 night cruise today. This is the earliest I have ever packed but with two young ones and a longish cruise, I needed to organize everything today. This seems early though compared to the last few times we have cruised and waited until 1-2 days before. So, when do you pack?

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Have fun. Today (Sunday) seems about right, especially if everyone heads off to work tomorrow. What we do is place items in the spare room. Doesn't actually go into suitcase until perhaps 24 hours prior to departure. And of course there's last minute items necessary at home.

LOL! I cruise in like 4 weeks and my shoulder bags have been packed for 2 weeks, and my suite cases will be packed in a week or so. I ALWAYS pack like 3-4 weeks before we leave. Then my little guy in the storage room in my head will "remind" me - OH I forgot this, or no I want to pack this instead... and I end up repacking a couple of times or so. Standing joke in my house is how many times did we pack for this trip - but you know what I ALWAYS have exactly everything I need and not too much extra to drag around.

Years of traveling and I have it down to a science, I can pack for a week long cruise for 2 of us in 2 carry on suite cases and 2 small shoulder bags - I laugh at all these women dragging suite cases around bigger than they are! I could pack for a year in one of those.

I pack night before. I wear the same clothes around the house that I wear on a cruise, except for dressing up to go to Steakhouse. Same shorts, shirts, swimsuits, shoes and flip flops out around our pool.

LOL! I cruise in like 4 weeks and my shoulder bags have been packed for 2 weeks, and my suite cases will be packed in a week or so. I ALWAYS pack like 3-4 weeks before we leave. Then my little guy in the storage room in my head will "remind" me - OH I forgot this, or no I want to pack this instead... and I end up repacking a couple of times or so. Standing joke in my house is how many times did we pack for this trip - but you know what I ALWAYS have exactly everything I need and not too much extra to drag around.

 

Years of traveling and I have it down to a science, I can pack for a week long cruise for 2 of us in 2 carry on suite cases and 2 small shoulder bags - I laugh at all these women dragging suite cases around bigger than they are! I could pack for a year in one of those.

I do the same but not completely. I put things in my suitcase as I buy them but not completely packed. I am usually finished packing about 3-4 days prior.

It's a process. I get the luggage down from the attic about a month out and leave it open in my spare bedroom. Then I start throwing stuff in it until about a week before where I actually filter and organize everything. Then about 2 days before, I pack the regular suitcase and I pack my carry on the night before.

This year we're doing packing cubes, so we'll see how that goes...

Well we think it pays to plan ahead, and also I'm a list maker so every item has a specific place. It does help to have a spare room to leave everything out and make sure nothing gets worn that's needed for vacation. Nothing gets highlighted on the list until it's put inside a suitcase or bag. Down to the minutes prior to leaving and those last little items used. Whenever my husband always asked did you?? I can always answer yes I've got it. :D After many cruises I think we've also cut-back on our packing and determined what really is used and what isn't needed. We try to take note at the end of a cruise what we actually did and didn't use when packing that last night. As far as when we begin probably a week prior or just when we have spare time, don't like to pack in a rush. But have fun and enjoy!

Sometimes I start packing just after final payment. Alaska cruise, I packed the day we left for the pre-flight hotel!

Karen

One of the reason why I start packing early is because it gives me a feeling as if I am involved in the cruise. It's something I can think of doing to keep my mind off the countdown.

Ok so I don't really pack till a week or two before we leave. That being said I start the process months earlier. Tuck away shampoo, a new pair of shorts, the latest book in the series I read etc. Months in advance. For me packing and organizing for a cruise is a lot of fun.

We always book many month in advance so my spare room is cruise central most of the time. Unfortunately right now a family member has moved in for several months so my own bedroom looks like a bomb hit it. We cruise in 25 days though, so it is all good.

I get stuff out and ready, but don't actually PACK until the night prior.....stuff gets too creased if it's packed in the suitcase.

I start throwing stuff in the suitcase a week or so before the cruise but don't pack my good clothes until the night before.

Gary

My sister is cruising with us for the first time in Dec 2017, and she is packed already! Seriously, it's because she bought a new suitcase for the trip, and just wanted to see if everything would fit.

We cruise in winter, so as soon as I'm done wearing my summer shorts and tshirts here, I wash them and put them in my suitcase so they're ready for the cruise. As for other things, I make a list and revise it many times, but only actually pack a day or two before we fly to our embarkation port.

Dump all major items on luggage on weekend before cruise. Pack everything 2 days before traveling to hotel or cruise.

I have computer packing lists as to exactly what goes into each suitcase -- 4 suitcases and 2 carry-ons.

So I pack 2 days before we leave for the airport hotel.

If we have an early morning flight I pack the night before. If we have an mid afternoon flight I pack the morning of. No issue. We no longer have children at home so that is an issue. DW and I both pack our own bag-we always have. She starts 1 day earlier than me.

We travel often and we pack light with carry on only. We don't use a list. We both know what we need to pack.

:eek: Started already, sail in June! 2DD, DH, DSIL, Adult disabled son- I do it all:(

Helps to cross pack so if one bag gets lost, also multiple photos and lists-lol

:eek: Started already, sail in June! 2DD, DH, DSIL, Adult disabled son- I do it all:(

Helps to cross pack so if one bag gets lost, also multiple photos and lists-lol

Good idea when your flight is day of cruise and have connecting flights.

I have computer packing lists as to exactly what goes into each suitcase -- 4 suitcases and 2 carry-ons.

So I pack 2 days before we leave for the airport hotel.

For one person?!?!? :o:o:o:o

Hi all! We are cruising on the Sunshine in 6 days (!!!!!) and I've started packing for our 8 night cruise today. This is the earliest I have ever packed but with two young ones and a longish cruise, I needed to organize everything today. This seems early though compared to the last few times we have cruised and waited until 1-2 days before. So, when do you pack?

 

 

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When do you pack? Here is the definitive rule which very few cruisers know about: If you are going on a three day cruise, you need to pack three days before. If it is a 14 day cruise, you need to pack 14 days ahead. And if you're going on a 63 day cruise , you need to pack 63 days ahead.

Bear in mind that if you do not follow these rules, there may be some very serious consequences which I cannot discuss here.

I've been doing this for years and it really does work. Try it!

I've been known to pack the morning of the cruise after we've flown down to the cruise port and after we've hit the outlet mall. I've bought t-shirts, underwear, bathing suits, golf shirts, shorts, shoes and sandals, even a sport jacket and pants. You can literally fly in with an empty suitcase and buy anything you need at those places. Heck, why even bother with a suitcase, just buy one of those there too!

We only pack for a maximum of seven days, sometimes less, no matter how long our trip is. It could be one week or eight-12 weeks. We stopped bothering about clothes for formal night several years ago. This has made our packing much easier. Another big plus is that we can each physically handle our luggage. No need to rely on others.

I usually start packing about a week before we leave. I start by throwing in the stuff that I know I won't need until the cruise and end up packing a few last minute items the morning that we leave.

Hi all! We are cruising on the Sunshine in 6 days (!!!!!) and I've started packing for our 8 night cruise today. This is the earliest I have ever packed but with two young ones and a longish cruise, I needed to organize everything today. This seems early though compared to the last few times we have cruised and waited until 1-2 days before. So, when do you pack?

 

 

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The only thing that I pack more than a day or so out is my electronics. With clothes, I do not really care if they do not match and if I forget something I can buy it somewhere. If I am missing a required wire or a charger, I am in deep trouble. On one road trip, I almost had to buy a new GPS as I forget the cable that attaches the GPS to the car power outlet. The additional problem was that the trip was in Europe so at the price point I was willing to pay for an otherwise useless GPS, I would have gotten a GPS with Europe maps and no US maps.

DON

I pack a day or two before heading out. I kinda have an idea of what nicer shirt I want to wear for each Port we visit and then maybe a t shirt for sea days and then maybe an extra or two in case I change my mind or need to change mid-day. Although I have friends to pack for trips a week or more in advance. In the past I've actually packed the day of. Ha