Anal, Compulsive, or good Planner

[donaldsc]

: Now the compulsive part. Have tips for all of us already in envelopes. Have gambling money set aside and ready to go, and spending money for cruise all sitting and ready. If I told my DW all of this, she would say I'm crazy. I just believe excited, and well planned. Am I nuts?????:cool:

 

IMHO, anyone who actually puts tip and gambling money in envelopes 71 days out is totally anal and compulsive. Have you started packing yet?

 

Don't forget,you asked.

 

DON

[CruisersfromMD]

My DH and I usually plan our cruises at least one year out, sometimes longer (like for my Alaska one last year).

 

I also set up daily itineraries and copy and paste wonderful facts and tips that I read here in CC.

 

I agree, the planning and preparation helps create the FUN.

 

Whatever people may call us - that is OK, as long as we are happy with how we plan our cruises!

 

Happy sailing to all!

[Maybaybie10]

I don't care what you call it- it's FABULOUS!!! I have already made several spreadsheets for budget, clothing, and packing. Our cruise is about 50 days out and I will start ironing this weekend and getting all the formal stuff into our garment bag. I have a bright pink accordian file labeled with all our Ports of Call and documentation and such. Yesterday my husband noticed that our passports were not in the little envelopes they came in from the post office on the shelf and asked where they were. I told him I put them in the accordian file so I would know where they were. Pointing at the accordian file he said-"you are not planning on bringing that THING with you, are you?!" I think I started having heart palpatations at the thought of possibly not bringing it. I told him YES I was absolutely bringing it and I would carry it in my purseso it would always be in my possession. He said my purse was way too small to hold it. I told him that I would buy a bigger purse, but that it was going with me!! It is 14 months of organization and confirmations and reservations and contacts and I was NOT leaving it home and if I did he would have to stay home too because I would need someone to be home for when I called because I didn't know where I was supposed to be on what day and someone would have to look that information up in my files! :D Yup, I totally won that one!

[sailawayjack]

IMHO, anyone who actually puts tip and gambling money in envelopes 71 days out is totally anal and compulsive. Have you started packing yet?

 

Don't forget,you asked.

 

DON

 

:cool:No---Have not started packing yet. But soon I will make a list of items to pack. I enjoy adding things each month. When we get credit card bill, my DW always asked "what did you add this month". Once on board ship, noting is planned. I've done my job. Dinner, flowers, wine, welcome aboard goodies. From that point on, everyone is own their own. I just provide the surprises for the WOW factor upon boarding:cool: P.S. I do like to plan at lease one or two happy hours in cabin prior to dinners.

[firstimer2009]

I feel as though I just walked into a room of Soulmates :D When itinerarys are released on April 11th I will be booking our cruise for February 2013.

 

Moon Beam (which was my nickname as a child) --

You really made me laugh! I booked a Med Cruise last Friday that leaves September 22, 2012 from Barcelona and do feel I walked into a room of Soulmates, too.

 

AND, because I read somewhere that hotels in Barcelona are always hard to come by in September because of conventions, I researched hours on hotels and have already booked that too,17 months in advance. I'm now researching all of the excursions, which will be the hardest to decide. I want to do everything.

 

My DH, of course, thinks I am bonkers! Especially now I am obsessing over flights that I can't even book until November. He screamed at me Saturday night that it was over a year away. Hmph. Oh yes, I have already picked out the wine package I am going to order. We live in Calif. and like our wine!!

 

I wonder how many Females are OCD versus the Men who are OCD? I guess it wouldn't be good to have that combo in the same relationship, but sometimes it's sad that my DH doesn't even want to see our beautiful hotel. :(

 

At least he has fun once the trip begins.:)

[TheSweetPotatoQueen]

Ah, I have found my 'kindred spirits.' I must confess that not only am I a compulsive list maker, I actually have a template to fill in our dates/ports of call/excursions and, then write down what I wearing for everything I do(day & night), even right down to the jewelry & shoes!

[saraet4464]

sailawayjack: Will you adopt me?? :)

[tofusmom]

You are my kind of guy! I book, usually about 18 months out. That way you get the exact cabin you want, you can get any price drops and you can cancel at final payment and get your deposit back. I usually plan what we are doing everyday down to the last detail about 3 months out. DH always says to be sure to put time down for bathroom breaks!!! I even make up by own little cruise book by date, will all the reservations, contact info, instructions, etc, that we are doing so I have it all in one place. I have everything worked out and I feel confident on what I am doing each day. It takes the stress out of the cruise for me, when all the planning is done ahead of time plus it increases the excitement of the cruise when you do all the research!!!! Told DH I should charge him a fortune for this service!!!

 

DH and I were talking about our next cruise this morning. I told him that I was going to color code the daily compasses by must do, want to do and only do if we feel like it. He said to just tell him where to be and at what time. I am his personal cruise director so I had to laugh at your comment about charging your DH. Sounds like it should at least be worth a nice piece of jewelry or something.:D

[tofusmom]

Ah, I have found my 'kindred spirits.' I must confess that not only am I a compulsive list maker, I actually have a template to fill in our dates/ports of call/excursions and, then write down what I wearing for everything I do(day & night), even right down to the jewelry & shoes!

That's my plan for next weekend.:D

[boingy300]

Instead of listing people as "crazy" or "not crazy" as our society does.....we look at folks as "functional" or "not functional". You sir are functional.1) You aren't sitting in a corner thinking you are Elvis. 2)You aren't in denial basing your vacation and finances on a "whim" or a feeling. 3) You are planning how your money will be spent for your pleasure. 4)You are planning and NOT letting your vacation follow you home!

Well done, sir, well done. Way to be functional!

Karen

[Gordo]

I see myself in so many of the responses here...could we have all been separated at birth? ;)

[Dizney]

:cool: 71 Days before leaving Baltimore on Enchantment for Bermuda. My daughter got married last summer, and new SIL has never been on a cruise. My wife and I decided to give our kids a cruise for a Christmas present. Got a D1 for oldest daughter and new hubby. Got a GS for myself, DW, and other DD. Been in JS, first real suite. Booking early, I got good prices.

 

Have ordered champagne and strawberries for DD and SIL in their cabin. For us, flowers for DW, two orders of wine and cheese and crackers, and five additional bottles thru G & G, sitting in cabin when I get there. Have booked Chops for dinner one night for all of us, and have got a 7-bottle wine package prepaid. Now the compulsive part. Have tips for all of us already in envelopes. Have gambling money set aside and ready to go, and spending money for cruise all sitting and ready. If I told my DW all of this, she would say I'm crazy. I just believe excited, and well planned. Am I nuts?????:cool:

 

I say all three and that's okay in my book! :p

[dkmiller3356]

1) You aren't sitting in a corner thinking you are Elvis.

 

He's not Elvis.... I'M ELVIS!!!!

[khm1]

Boy am I glad that I am not the only one!!! I am a compulsive cruise planner. I plan for cruises that I haven't even booked yet! I feel at home on this thread! We all have our addictions. At least mine isn't chemical!

[lovemylab]

I am a planner. I am sure some people might think it's crazy that I book a cruise 18 months in advance, airfare 11 months out and have everything planned for the ports months before I step on the ship. However, by doing so I save a lot of money and can fully relax on my vacation as I know that everything is taken care of.

 

Many of the complaints I hear about a bad cruise experience could have been prevented had there been more research done.

[khm1]

I am a planner. I am sure some people might think it's crazy that I book a cruise 18 months in advance, airfare 11 months out and have everything planned for the ports months before I step on the ship. However, by doing so I save a lot of money and can fully relax on my vacation as I know that everything is taken care of.

 

Many of the complaints I hear about a bad cruise experience could have been prevented had there been more research done.

 

Amen to that!

[Kim4]

I always smile a bit when I'm onboard and I walk by the excursions desk and over hear people saying, "well, I dunno -- what is there to do here??"

 

There's no way I'd go on a cruise and NOT know what there is to do at each port!! If I don't have something booked, then I always have Option A, B, C. Oh, and those are in my green accordion folder, like Maybabies' pink one :)

[FloridaPalms]

Anal, Compulsive, or good Planner

 

THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT!!!

 

Got to love the iPhones, iPods, etc.!

 

With 39 days to our upcoming Oasis cruise, my iPod is now loaded with PDF files I've downloaded of everything from Oasis deck plans, specialty restaurant menus, RCCL pre-cruise planner confirmations, selected pages from my E-Docs, recent compasses, RCCL's dining and entertainment guide, personalized showtimes at a glance, info on ports of call, as well as notes I've compiled from CC'ers, pictures and more!

 

Planning is half the fun!

This doesn't mean you can't be spontaneous. Once you're on a cruise, it's easy to change or abandon plans. But, imho, if you don't have a clue to begin with, you will be left clueless for most of the cruise and miss out on so much.

 

~ Judy

[kdep2002]

Not nuts, just well prepared. I do the same. Enjoy the countdown.

[sjb317]

OK, I'll say it: I think you are crazy!:D But, if you are happy and your family is happy, then who cares what I think!

 

But to the posters who do spread sheets. . .wow, you all need help!:D Maybe you could all start a support group!

 

Sherri:)

[Freddie222]

I'm so happy that there are sooooo many people like me:d

[Goes Cruising]

OK, I'll say it: I think you are crazy!:D But, if you are happy and your family is happy, then who cares what I think!

 

But to the posters who do spread sheets. . .wow, you all need help!:D Maybe you could all start a support group!

 

Sherri:)

 

You mock our spreadsheets!

 

So do my cruise companions, but you know what, they so quickly become dependent on them! My color coded itinerary, with arrival, departure, planned excursions, dinner reservations, floor plans, and even the cruise map gets taped to the cabin wall. That way, I'm not the only one who knows what is going on, and I'm not constantly being asked those questions.

 

We don't need help, we just need more cruises! Do you think there's a market for this service :o ?

[tootts]

Anal, Compulsive...such harsh words these days :eek::p I'd like to think that we are all just very smart travellers:D

 

As I plan, I place the paperwork (& passports) in a plastic pocket folder in the order that they will be accessed - that way I'm not fumbling around looking for plane tickets, set sail passes, etc. Works for me. The more I have things in line, the more relaxed I am on vacation:) We also start putting things out that will be packed in an extra bedroom as we think about it. We have learned to pack our luggage a couple of days before so that we are calmer:rolleyes: the night before the trip.

 

So, Jack you can see that there are many out here like you - that's a good thing!

[kmorg1234]

Have ordered champagne and strawberries for DD and SIL in their cabin. For us, flowers for DW, two orders of wine and cheese and crackers, and five additional bottles thru G & G, sitting in cabin when I get there.

 

What is G & G?

[sailawayjack]

Have ordered champagne and strawberries for DD and SIL in their cabin. For us, flowers for DW, two orders of wine and cheese and crackers, and five additional bottles thru G & G, sitting in cabin when I get there.

 

What is G & G?

 

:cool:On RCCL's website, there is a section called Gifts and Gear. You can order items ahead of time and prepay. They can be waiting in your cabin when you board.:cool:Check it out.