First Time Cruiser - Planning Templates?

Hi everyone!!

I'm going for my first cruise in February 2017, the Carnival Glory. I'm a big planner so for my own piece of mind, I want to prepare like a packing list, itinerary, list of important resources, etc. so I'm fully prepared for anything that might happen.

I'm sure I'm not the only girl who is obsessed with planning things out. So does anyone have any planning documents or excel spreadsheet templates they could share with me to help me build my resource manual?

Thanks!

Hi everyone!!

I'm going for my first cruise in February 2017, the Carnival Glory. I'm a big planner so for my own piece of mind, I want to prepare like a packing list, itinerary, list of important resources, etc. so I'm fully prepared for anything that might happen.

I'm sure I'm not the only girl who is obsessed with planning things out. So does anyone have any planning documents or excel spreadsheet templates they could share with me to help me build my resource manual?

Thanks!

First of all, try real hard not to over pack. After you've planned on which excursions you'll take, you'll find it more relaxing NOT to plan everything out. It's far too stressful to have everything scheduled in A-B-C order. You're on vacation. Allow for spur of the moment things. And don't try to participate in every on board activity. You'll wear yourself out! Pick and choose your activities carefully, and also allow yourself time to just goof off and do absolutely nothing. Midday naps are highly underrated.;)

You're going to drive yourself crazy trying to prepare for "anything that might happen". It helps to plan but at times you just have to go with the flow. Are there specific areas or items you're concerned about?

Roz

First of all, try real hard not to over pack. After you've planned on which excursions you'll take, you'll find it more relaxing NOT to plan everything out. It's far too stressful to have everything scheduled in A-B-C order. You're on vacation. Allow for spur of the moment things. And don't try to participate in every on board activity. You'll wear yourself out! Pick and choose your activities carefully, and also allow yourself time to just goof off and do absolutely nothing. Midday naps are highly underrated.;)

Thanks for your reply!

I feel like I'd be more stressed flying by the seat of my pants, hahaha I just want to know what's coming so I have an idea of when I should start/end my day, what types of clothing/gear I might need to bring, and things like that.

I'm really trying to turn down my personality a bit so I can just go with the flow, but as someone who is typically very busy and used to having to plan everything, I'm not used to going into each day blind!

You're going to drive yourself crazy trying to prepare for "anything that might happen". It helps to plan but at times you just have to go with the flow. Are there specific areas or items you're concerned about?

 

Roz

Thanks for your input! I'm trying to teach myself how to go with the flow but I'm used to having each day planned out so I don't know how to stop, even if I'm on vacation!

I don't want to plan out every hour of each day, I just kind of want to have an idea in mind of when I should start/end my day, what type of excursions I should expect so I can prepare accordingly, and in the case of an emergency who's contact information should I have.

Cruising is not something you can plan your entire day. research your ports. Know what you want to do. Be back on the ship 30min before you are supposed to.

Traditional dining will work for you. Your dinner is the same time every day

STOP!!! You will completely ruin the magic of that first cruise trying to plan, plan, plan! It's a vacation! On sea days, relax...explore the different options then decide what you want to do. On port days, you only have a few hours to deal with, so just figure out what you want to see/do at each port and just go with it!

That first cruise is truly magical. Please don't board the ship all stressed because you have a couple of hours you did not pack something into!

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First of all, try real hard not to over pack. After you've planned on which excursions you'll take, you'll find it more relaxing NOT to plan everything out. It's far too stressful to have everything scheduled in A-B-C order. You're on vacation. Allow for spur of the moment things. And don't try to participate in every on board activity. You'll wear yourself out! Pick and choose your activities carefully, and also allow yourself time to just goof off and do absolutely nothing. Midday naps are highly underrated.;)

this. I'm the planner of my family, but other than making the decision of which cruise, next we decide how and when to get to the ship. We always go at least a day ahead and stay in a hotel so we don't have to worry about problems with flights or trains. The exception to this is when we're leaving from the Port of LA which is an hour's drive for us (then it's deciding whether we're driving to the port and parking there or hiring a car service). If staying at a hotel, I research the possibilities.

We plan to get on board as early as possible, then it's just going to our cabin, getting lunch, and looking around the ship. the only mandatory activity for everyone is the muster drill so check to see where your station is (the ship's newsletter will have info about what to do). after that is sailaway.

we always request late traditional dining and that helps us know when our dinner is.

Every night you should be getting the newsletter for the next day, which will have the activities listed and other info. If it's a port day, there's important info about what to take off the ship (and what not to take --such as food) and when to be back on the ship (very important).

I'll get a guidebook for the area from the library and take notes as to possible things to do and see in port. I google each port and usually find many tourism sites. I check the excursions offered by the ship for my ideas. then we have a family meeting to decide what to do or if we're just going to beach it (you don't need an excursion for that). some people will rent a car but that's my hubby's number one rule -- no renting of cars while on a cruise.

but here's some advice for you: 1. don't overplan your port stays.

2. be flexible -- some places may take more time or you'll decide to stay longer and drop other places 3. don't book more than one excusion, if you are planning to go this route unless you're allowing some time in between 4. if you're booking an independent excursion (not thru the ship), have contact info just in case the ship doesn't get to port or is late. and allow time to get off the ship, especially if it's a tender port (those with ship excursions, high past passenger status, or with the highest category cabins, will get first crack at the tender boats).

5. repeating: be back on board by the time listed in the newsletter -- that's usually 30 to 60 minutes before sailaway time. I often find it's better to be back even earlier to have a shorter line to go through security.

for sea days, some people will highlight or circle activities they want to do, but you may find an overabundance of choices of interest.

the last part of planning is getting off the ship. Allow time to get to the airport unless you're staying post-cruise. Sometimes customs and immigration can delay disembarkation. Sometimes traffic can be problematic.

Again, don't schedule every minute -- relax and spend time watching the sea go by.

I TOTALLY understand what you're saying. I'm the same way!! I want to plan, plan, plan! To me, it's exciting and it's part of the vacation, and I get just as amped up over having my binder or folder all organized and ready to go! Cruising is a little different than land vacations, so it's a little tougher to plan out everything (like say my Disney World binders are very intense lol), but girl it can still be done and you can feel relaxed!

In my folder/binder, I have:

-Fun facts, trivia, road trip activities specific to the route we take to the port.

-Port information, address, phone number, parking confirmation, etc.

-Hotel information, address, phone number, reservation number, etc.

-Fun facts about the city, activities we do in the city the day before, coupons, etc.

-Cruise check in information: passports, birth certificates, summary page, check in info, etc.

-Facts about the ship, a few trivia games (my folder is a family thing, we all expect and know there will be activities in the folder! lol!)

-"Secret" tips or tricks I've compiled lists of based on the ship I will be on from resources here, and other websites I've researched.

-Usually a couple of pages for each port/stop that we are going to be visiting. Tips, facts, history, maps, activities we are planning on doing or are thinking about doing, coupons, etc. per port.

-A few blank (well, they are cute, but blank) for me to keep logs of different things during the cruise. I don't know why, it's just something I enjoy. I "journal" I guess you could say, each day on the cruise, and I also list the food we ate, the drinks we had, etc., for future reference and because I love looking back at all that over the years. I always try to get names of our room steward, waiters, and other people that had an influence during our travels.

-I also make an envelope or folder section to keep all of the daily Fun Times papers, menus, any paperwork we are given, etc. in

So probably by now, I sound like I have OCD, but I don't :p :D I just like planning, and I like keeping up with things.. it has really come in handy over the years when I look back to try to remember what we've done, who was there, etc.

You really can't plan on what you're going to do on the ship every day because the activities change every day and evening. You will get what's called a Carnival Capers that will list all the activities for the next day, so the earliest you'll be able to plan your time on the ship is the night before.

 

We plan to get on board as early as possible' date=' then it's just going to our cabin, getting lunch, and looking around the ship. .[/quote']

 

do most ships have that staggered schedule now...can not arrive before your time.

 

and cabins are not ready until 1:30 so have to carry around your carry on until that time

There are many trip planing books out there, The Packing Book is one. All so plenty of packing check list you can download.

I always research where I will be going and what type of weather to expect while I am there. This will help when it comes to planning outfits and what shoes to wear. Next you can just google a "what to pack for a cruise" list and print it out. Be sure to look over 4 or 5 of them because I found different items on different lists. I printed out all 5 and then compiled my own excel spreedsheets of what I needed to do prior to leaving and what to pack. IE: Have your mail stopped, refill prescriptions to take... Be as detailed as you can be as to what has to be packed in a carry on vs checked luggage. I also like to print out a map of the cruise port so I know exactly where to park.

I to am a planner and love to create a folder for each traveler going with me with all the lists, airline details, cruise details, Hotels, rental car info, maps, port excursions... I am in the process of creating mine now so I would be happy to send it to you as I create it.

Handsomeswife / Lisa

Have you thought about flying out to each of your ports of call so you can do a little advance reconnaissance? While at each port on your advance recon mission you could find some secure location where you could hide some cash, credible ID, and a credit card in case, while on your cruise, you were to miss the ship and lose your wallet.

Alternatively, you could just wing some things.

Hi everyone!!

I'm going for my first cruise in February 2017, the Carnival Glory. I'm a big planner so for my own piece of mind, I want to prepare like a packing list, itinerary, list of important resources, etc. so I'm fully prepared for anything that might happen.

My husband uses an ordinary Excel chart on which he writes our flights (airport, airline and flight number, time), hotel information, privately booked excursions. It's organized as a time line with dates.

I don't use a packing list any more. I only count the number of days we are away to have sufficient undies. :rolleyes:

As far as making a list to pack -- Google Cruise ship packing list - Take that list and make sure its in a word document - remove and add things that are specific for you - I mean obviously you don't need to remember to bring your sunglasses if you don't wear them etc - Put every possible item you can even think that you might need

Then save your list as an original - Every time you go on a cruise or a trip open the file then Click > File > Save As and rename the document to what ever you trip name or date is then edit the list accordingly to what you will specifically need for that trip as if your going to Alaska you may not plan to do any swimming etc - If you find your adding the same thing often to your list then make sure you go back to your original list and add it on there - Same thing goes for if you find that you are constantly removing something from the list you can delete it from the original if you want to

This way when you plan your trip you have a list you can pack with and you can slip that list in your bag to use when your repacking so you don't forget anything

I just kind of want to have an idea in mind of when I should start/end my day

I do the exact same thing - Basically what I do is have a word file put the date and day on it - If its a port day I put the name of the port - Then I will put down what excursion I plan on doing - Usually a little research ahead of time will help with that

If possible I also get an idea of what shows are on board and roughly what I want to do each day - If you can get a semi recent daily from the cruise your going on this can help plan

This does not mean I will do all things on my list but gives me an idea for the day which eases my mind

STOP!!! You will completely ruin the magic of that first cruise trying to plan, plan, plan! It's a vacation!

The "Magic" is not ruined because one plans - in fact the magic can slip away from certain personality types if there is not some sort of plan in place because then your left constantly thinking OMG what did I miss

I am all for a list and will edit it as I go some things I won't do on my list and other things will be added as my trip goes along

What's really nice is I can come home and recount what I did because I keep my lists - You should see my European book its a 2 inch binder and its so nice has everything from my cruise to my Amsterdam trip