Do you guys like to plan your cruise in detail or go with the flow?

In 2014, we took a trip to Las Vegas, and I used a spreadsheet to plan almost every detail of the trip. I even specified the restaurants we would be going to on certain days. It went something like this:

Monday: Morning> Breakfast at Monte Carlo and some slot machines. Afternoon: pool. Evening: 'Love' show at Mirage followed by dinner at Cheesecake Factory

Tuesday: exploring the north side of the strip, followed by pool and lunch at the Bellagio buffer. Evening: doing the High Roller wheel

And so on...

As you can see, it was very planned and structured. And we mostly stuck to it, rarely deviating from it. Some thought Vegas it too fun and wild to plan and be so detailed about it. Which I agree to a certain extent, but in the past, I would go to Vegas and miss on so many things because there is way too many things to see and do, and I would miss most of them.

Now to cruising, where there is just as many things to see and do. So I thought, why not apply the same idea to our upcoming cruise (Allure of the Seas: August 27, 2017) ? It is a 7 day cruise and unlike my 2 previous cruises (August 2012 and April 2013) I want to be able to do as many things as possible, including the ability to dine at different places, and not be stuck with the same thing (room service, Mytime dining and Windjammer)

So what do you guys think of this idea? Do you have a spreadsheet or a list where you include all the things you will do, by time and date etc.? Or do you just leave it all to the moment and just enjoy things as they come?

My only issue with creating such a detailed event and to-do list is that I have to wait until I board the ship to get the daily planner that they send on what events are happening each day. Other than that, I can at least plan things like "which place are we having breakfast at" (way too many options that I end up forgetting), which shows are we attending? what are we doing after the nightly show?" when are we going to the pool etc.

Your closing paragraph said it all. You need to know what your options are before you carve them in stone. Of course, things like dinner and where to have breakfast can be scheduled - and certainly some port activities are best planned/scheduled in advance, but you always want to have some open time to just go with the flow.

For us, the less planning, the better.

No plan other than luggage and how to get to ship, works for us.:D

The only planning we do is excursion for a new port.

Otherwise, we wait until we get the daily program before we decide what we want to do the next day.

In 2014, we took a trip to Las Vegas, and I used a spreadsheet to plan almost every detail of the trip. I even specified the restaurants we would be going to on certain days. It went something like this:

 

Monday: Morning> Breakfast at Monte Carlo and some slot machines. Afternoon: pool. Evening: 'Love' show at Mirage followed by dinner at Cheesecake Factory

Tuesday: exploring the north side of the strip, followed by pool and lunch at the Bellagio buffer. Evening: doing the High Roller wheel

 

And so on...

 

As you can see, it was very planned and structured. And we mostly stuck to it, rarely deviating from it. Some thought Vegas it too fun and wild to plan and be so detailed about it. Which I agree to a certain extent, but in the past, I would go to Vegas and miss on so many things because there is way too many things to see and do, and I would miss most of them.

 

 

Now to cruising, where there is just as many things to see and do. So I thought, why not apply the same idea to our upcoming cruise (Allure of the Seas: August 27, 2017) ? It is a 7 day cruise and unlike my 2 previous cruises (August 2012 and April 2013) I want to be able to do as many things as possible, including the ability to dine at different places, and not be stuck with the same thing (room service, Mytime dining and Windjammer)

 

 

So what do you guys think of this idea? Do you have a spreadsheet or a list where you include all the things you will do, by time and date etc.? Or do you just leave it all to the moment and just enjoy things as they come?

 

My only issue with creating such a detailed event and to-do list is that I have to wait until I board the ship to get the daily planner that they send on what events are happening each day. Other than that, I can at least plan things like "which place are we having breakfast at" (way too many options that I end up forgetting), which shows are we attending? what are we doing after the nightly show?" when are we going to the pool etc.

Goodness !! :eek: What EVER happened to, ' Just PLAN on having a 'relaxing fun cruise' ?? ;p Just peruse the compass, I think that's the ship's newspaper, which is delivered every night (for the next day's activities) and then sit down with all involved,and just do whatever interest everybody. You've been on several cruises, and by now, you know you can't DO everything !:)You'd need a vacation of several days AFTER your cruise, just to recover ! LOL !Heck, my wife really just enjoys the pool (more sunbathing, than the water) the fabulous food, and lastly the casino. Me? I LOVE walking the entire ship, checking out the shops and outer decks, then the food and our balcony. So, just make PLANS to enjoy and relax Have a WONDEFUL cruise !

Mac

I am a planner but with the exception of Walt Disney World, I don't plan hourly but what we want to do daily

No definite plans. Just what we might want to see if something else isn't better.

Ok what about dining? do you guys plan that? My head spins trying to keep up with which places serve breakfast and for what times etc. For example, I didn;t know that Johnny Rockets serves complimentary breakfast? Nor did I know that the main dining room (American?) serves breakfast.

If not our daily activities, I need to at least plan where we will eat, specifically for breakfast.

Do you do the same? Some of you have been on these ships for so many times, that you know all about these places, so you dont need to plan them.

WE do our due diligence, but tend to "go with the flow"...after all, it IS a vacation! It's good to know what is offered, and when and where...but after MANY years of scheduling my kid's activities, it's nice to NOT have a schedule!

I'm not saying that we would be late for dinner, or a show, but we didn't have a timetable for pool time, or casino time,, etc....

I tend to be a planner but nothing (with the exception of excursions) is written in stone.

I do have sunrise and sunset times noted in my planner because I like to take photos. Inside cabin on upcoming cruise so DH is going to have to get used to getting up a little early :D.

we do not plan...........i never planned land vacations either. the whole point of a vacation for me is to relax. With land vacations I would pick a place to stay then have tons of information on what we could do and each day we woke up and chose what we felt like doing. we all loved not having a schedule to stick to.

we have now booked our longest cruise and vacation ever - 10 days. we will roughly plan port excursions, most of which will not be through the ship. we have a good idea of what is available for breakfast lunch and dinner and what specialty restaurants we want to try. but no other planning. hubby loves cruising because there is no driving and very few decisions to make!

Go with the flow. Every day is different. It would be hard to plan. My best friend is a planner it drives me crazy when I am on vacation.

Since retiring we do far less planning. More independent land trips, less cruises. On land trips often we will only plan a two days in advance. Sometimes less.

On our last South American cruise we only planned excursion (private). No ships excursions. We had a great time and toured at each port-with private groups. So glad we did this. On reflection the ships excursion prices were outrageous compared to what we did last minute on our own.

Now we often leave home with a return or one way air ticket travel as we please. If we pick us a last minute cruise fine, if not we just keep on with our land travels.

The only planning we do is excursion for a new port.

Otherwise, we wait until we get the daily program before we decide what we want to do the next day.

This is what we do as well.

I am more like you, OP, in that I like to plan. Emphasis on like to plan. It doesn't suck the fun or relaxation out of a vacation for me at all, in fact I enjoy it very much, and the planning process really gets me excited for the trip.

I have a budget spreadsheet with all of our anticipated expenses, but I'm not a super stickler about it that I will get upset if lunch costs $25 instead of $20 one day, or if we end up skipping a breakfast I had budgeted for. I am planning a bit more for the on-board activities this year than I did last year, since RC lets you make reservations for shows and stuff in advance, but I don't have an activity blocked in for every hour. Stuff like going to the pool or playing mini golf will be done on a whim, whereas things like shows and excursions will be planned.

I tried the "no planning, just wing it" approach when I went to Otakon in 2012 and it didn't work for me, personally. We ended up just sort of walking around the whole time and we didn't go to a single panel. It was still fun, but I feel like I get the most out of my vacations when I have a game plan.

Other than doing research ahead of time for excursions, we don't do a lot of planning. Unless there is specific activity we want to take part in, such as a Meet & Greet, we tend to be pretty flexible about our time on the ship. We feel that doing something on the spur of the moment can be a lot more enjoyable and far less stressful than having every minute of every day planned out on a spreadsheet ahead of time.

Ok what about dining? do you guys plan that? My head spins trying to keep up with which places serve breakfast and for what times etc. For example, I didn;t know that Johnny Rockets serves complimentary breakfast? Nor did I know that the main dining room (American?) serves breakfast.

 

If not our daily activities, I need to at least plan where we will eat, specifically for breakfast.

 

Do you do the same? Some of you have been on these ships for so many times, that you know all about these places, so you dont need to plan them.

We sometimes decide the night before, especially if we're taking an excursion. But if a DIY day, we often wait until that morning to decide.

For us, cruising is for getting away from schedules.

To the OP, I fear we could never travel together. You are way over planned for my taste. We always have ideas for what we are going to be doing but not hour to hour. Sure we sometimes schedule but that is often driven by need for timed tickets ( think Anne Frank house, or Sagrada Familia). Meals fit in with what else may be happening. I will often put together a list of restaurants but not pick where we go until necessary. To me a vacation should have some relaxation, even one where I am running to lots of things daily. That is one reason we like anytime dining, as we can vary when we go.

Flexibility allows you to not be frustrated by the glitches that sometimes arise. I understand others need for scheduling and hope you enjoy.

,

A bit of both. In some ports we have firm shore excursions booked. Otherwise, we

have a plan for what we will probably do but are flexible. :)

In 2014, we took a trip to Las Vegas, and I used a spreadsheet to plan almost every detail of the trip. I even specified the restaurants we would be going to on certain days. It went something like this:

 

Monday: Morning> Breakfast at Monte Carlo and some slot machines. Afternoon: pool. Evening: 'Love' show at Mirage followed by dinner at Cheesecake Factory

Tuesday: exploring the north side of the strip, followed by pool and lunch at the Bellagio buffer. Evening: doing the High Roller wheel

 

And so on...

 

As you can see, it was very planned and structured. And we mostly stuck to it, rarely deviating from it. Some thought Vegas it too fun and wild to plan and be so detailed about it. Which I agree to a certain extent, but in the past, I would go to Vegas and miss on so many things because there is way too many things to see and do, and I would miss most of them.

 

 

Now to cruising, where there is just as many things to see and do. So I thought, why not apply the same idea to our upcoming cruise (Allure of the Seas: August 27, 2017) ? It is a 7 day cruise and unlike my 2 previous cruises (August 2012 and April 2013) I want to be able to do as many things as possible, including the ability to dine at different places, and not be stuck with the same thing (room service, Mytime dining and Windjammer)

 

 

So what do you guys think of this idea? Do you have a spreadsheet or a list where you include all the things you will do, by time and date etc.? Or do you just leave it all to the moment and just enjoy things as they come?

 

My only issue with creating such a detailed event and to-do list is that I have to wait until I board the ship to get the daily planner that they send on what events are happening each day. Other than that, I can at least plan things like "which place are we having breakfast at" (way too many options that I end up forgetting), which shows are we attending? what are we doing after the nightly show?" when are we going to the pool etc.

I would have to lock you in the closet and throw away the key.:o

Sounds too much like work - I do research on ports to decide what to do but other than that we wake up and see what the day holds.

Well, OP, I'm kind of like you. I do a document divided into days. It has port times. I usually book private excursions so those are done in advance. So with that day I'll put the excursions, port time, excursion time, cost, phone numbers in case I need to contract them, etc. I also put done confirmation number and exactly what was agreed to. I don't want to take a chance of missing out on the excursion that made me want to pick this destination just because I didn't plan in advance.

For our meals we always eat dinner in the MDR. Breakfast and lunch are usually the buffet or on deck if we are on a sea day. Otherwise, if spending the day on shore I might check out local restaurants that appeal to us.

For our air travel - I put down all the arrangements. Same for the hotel including the address and confirmation numbers.

All of this goes into a binder. IF I need to pay in cash for the excursions, that money is put in an envelope so that the day of, I just need to pull that envelope out and off we go. Tips will be in a separate envelope.

So, I'm half you. I plan but not as detailed as you. What I do on the ship is planned when I'm on the ship. If there are some things I can buy in advance, sometimes I do. For example, the photo package or the drink package.

Forgot to add: sometimes I cruise with family and friends and I also organize the air, hotel and excursions for our group. If it must be paid in advance there is a spreadsheet with expenses for all. Sometimes that amount can get to 24 people. It isn't easy getting 24 people from the airport to the hotel to the ship with a personal tour of the city spur of the moment.

For me research is the key. The pre-planning or non-planning is based off of my research. For example, I have 2 cruises coming up. The first is on NCL Escape in September. We received UBP and 4 SDP as promos. My research on the Escape has led me to pre-book reservations for our 4 SDP and for 2 of the shows we want to see. Since we already know we will be doing these things pre-booking saves us the hassle of having to do so on-board. Once at the terminal we will use the cruise app and make sure are pre-bookings are still good and then book some comedy shows. I do have a spreadsheet showing each day, the itinerary, and our reservations plus confirmation numbers and details for our flights/hotels/shuttles/etc. I also researched the ports. We have been to all of these ports before. My research led me to not pre-book anything. We know, from my research, what options are available to us when we get to port and we will go with the flow depending on our moods that day. Many times on our past cruises we have had a mixture of pre-booked excursions and non-pre-booked excursions. It all depends on who we are sailing with and what my pre-cruise research leads us to.

Our second cruise coming up is on CCL Fantasy in October. Again I have done my research and have decided not to pre-book or pre-plan anything except our pre/post hotels and rental car which I have listed on a spreadsheet with the confirmation numbers. We know from my research what our options are on the ship and in the ports and it will be a go with the flow cruise from start to finish.

We are looking at going to Vegas with our kids next year. I already have spreadsheets made looking at different options for us for lodging, excursions, shows, etc. I will do research over the next few months looking at discounts, rewards points, etc to see what we can get comped and discounted. When all is said and done I will present my kids (they will be 21 and 24 at the time of the trip) with what our options are. As is normally the course we will probably pre-book/pre-plan some things and have other things on our maybe list for when we are looking for something to do. It will again be a mix of planned and unplanned (with research in knowing what is available).

The one thing I don't like on vacations is not having anything planned and not knowing what options are available for us to do. IMHO it is a waste of my vacation time to try to do my research when I am on vacation rather than before. I also don't like having everything so planned out that there is no flexibility in the schedule. For us, research provides us with the ability to have a mix of both. The research also allows me to try to find different things that will appeal to everyone...that way the trip isn't all about Mom and what she likes to do.

Very much a planner. DH doesn't plan at all but expects me to know where/when/how. I also plan to make sure we see and do the things we want to do. If its a trip we will probably never take again, I don't want to find out later that if I had just done some research we could have seen/done something wonderful.

Used to just go with the flow but after driving until midnight one trip, after a very early start, because he could drive just a little further. Turned out to be hunting season and we had to drive a whole lot further to find somewhere with a vacancy. I now make reservations and tell him this is where we are stopping. Somehow it always turns out that he's glad we stopped when we did.