Is anyone as OCD about cruise planning/researching...

[Katgoesonholiday]

I'm an obsessive planner too. I have a very extensive multi tabbed spreadsheet with carefully planned formulas that link different items on various tabs back to the master tab. And I am now in the process of working through our upcoming trip day-by-day finishing up the last few details (booking ATVO tickets and airport lounge passes) and collating them into three separate tabulated binders - one for me, one for my husband who is traveling to Europe two weeks before me, and another one with half sized plastic pockets that will fit into my handbag so each day I can carry all the print outs relevant for that day.

 

My husband is gobsmacked and somewhat in awe of the level of detail that I have gone into but is very much aware that all the planning I am doing now means that we can relax on our holiday and not have to stress.

[t60]

Me too, Just love all the research and planning. The folders, photos others have taken, maps, etc etc. getting everything in order for journey, flights, hotels, then exursions, plus all the return stuff. I must admit I do stop at planning daily activities on board and daily clothes lists.

I keep files on my laptop (with back up) then when each topi is collated or booked it gets transferred to a hard copy and filed. I do a daily diary for the cruise, which again is kept on the netbook I take with us on holiday, so each day has it´s own heading prepared together with narrative of the place being visited, then when we´re off the daily diary gets completed with a blog and pix. I also keep a pre cruise month by month dairy from the date the cruise is booked with info on what´s happening daily....this has big gaps in it as I might do something cruise wise on a Monday, but not do anything else for a day or two. My OH sits back and does nothing... no I forgot he gets the suitcases out and weighs them.

I have my planning already started for next years March 2015 TA cruise.

All the planning etc is an exciting run up to the actual event...love it, tho´I probably wouldn´t admit it anywhere else but here...guilty secret:-)

 

Sandy in Spain

Edited May 31, 2014 by t60

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

We have the BUG ..

[Hflors]

Wow as I read thru the responses to this thread I realized that there are lots of people just like me. Now DH is the direct opposite. He does not want to hear about anything until we get to the airport. Most of the trip he walks around in a kind of fog. He has no idea most of the time where we are going or what we are doing. I'm not sure that sometimes he even knows we will be on a ship!

 

Like most of you I wish I had someone who liked to cruise and enjoyed the planning just to talk to and make all the plans.

 

Yep there should be a catagory for us obsessive planners.

[Donder1]

Relax, OP isn't talking about the clinical version of OCD, it's a figure of speech. :rolleyes:

 

Great for you if you don't get into the planning, to each his own. But many people really enjoy the planning part and if you enjoy it it's not stressful.

 

For me my wife has always been the planner for our vacations, but since we started going on cruises, I got into it much more. I love researching the foreign ports and figuring out how to make the most of a short visit.

 

I'm with BamaGuy44. To me, it is so much fun researching the ports and excursions. I want to make sure we are choosing the excursions which will be right for us. The history and back stories of a particular area are very interesting to me. I'll read books and scour the internet to learn more about a port, nearby towns/cities or events. I would hate to get back to the ship and say that I wish that we had known about this or that beforehand or that we had booked a different tour.

[griffy116]

We are 8 days away from leaving for a cruise to the Med that was booked 15 months ago. I waited and watched to get the airfare long before the schedule was available. Beat Royal and a TA with the fare we got. Booked the hotel, the transfers privately from airport to hotel, hotel to cruise port, cruise port back to the hotel for one last night before our flight, then from the hotel to the airport. Our flight puts us in New York too late to catch a flight to Atlanta, so I found a deal in New York, in Times Square for the last night, then back to the airport for our final flight to Atlanta and to pick up our little furbaby that will be staying in the home of the best possible person to keep him safe and loved. All private tours are booked after looking at what Royal offered and then checking CC and TripAdvisor for the best private excursion companies. The planning is so much fun that once the trip is over, it's such a let-down with no cruise planned...so we are thinking about something for Thanksgiving this year. :D which would be considered last minute for us.

[olemissreb]

I too am an OCD planner! I researched my Alaska Cruisetour for a year.

My DH didn't want to know anything. We both had an awesome time. 3000 pictures to sort thru. He was bragging to other cruisers how I did my homework on booking tours. Thanks to my Cruisecritic family!

Lynn

 

This was me last year! Well actually starting in about 2011! DH and kids didn't want to help with anything, so I researched and booked everything (well excursions only) about 4 months in advance. I put it all in a binder and told them what we were doing and when. If they had a questions, they went to the "travel bible" to get the answer. DH bragged to all of his co-workers about everything we did and they were amazed! He said all he had to do was earn the frequent flier miles and hotel points! (Well and the money to pay for it all!)

 

Now I'm researching excursions for DH and I for our 30th Anniversary cruise. Again, he's not being any help so I'll decide what we're doing and when and I'll book everything. I've become a fan of more active excursions that are only about 1/2 day, but you still may see a lot. We may end up just getting day passes in a couple of ports.

 

Hi...My name's Michelle and I'm an OCD planning addict! (Next up - a 2017 cruise starting (or ending) in Venice, cruising the Greek Isles and ending (or starting) in Rome.:D

Edited May 31, 2014 by olemissreb

[Hflors]

Hi...My name's Michelle and I'm an OCD planning addict! (Next up - a 2017 cruise starting (or ending) in Venice, cruising the Greek Isles and ending (or starting) in Rome.:D

 

I'm also working on a plan for a cruise I haven't booked yet in 2015 or 2016. But thats ok it will be worth it when I get there.

 

Its just nice to know that other people think like me!

[olemissreb]

I'm also working on a plan for a cruise I haven't booked yet in 2015 or 2016. But thats ok it will be worth it when I get there.

 

Its just nice to know that other people think like me!

 

I'm so bad, I've been starting to plan college tours for my rising freshman! We'll be going on the first set of tours on Spring Break in March! And yes - we'll have a travel bible with all our confirmations for hotels and college tours plus meetings with swim coaches and tours of schools of Architecture. Yeah - he doesn't graduate until 2018, but when it comes time for him to start applying to schools he'll know without a doubt where he'll want to go and where he'll want to avoid. Did this with my oldest son who is now going to be a freshman at Auburn University in the fall - the first school (of 8) he applied to, the first to accept him, and the first one he fell in love with (after seeing 7 others).

[buthead2009]

I have a ocd about cruises to.. Do a lot of reading and have most of the paper work reddy to go !! Way ahead of time lol

[cruiselife4me]

I love, love, LOVE that all of you are as bad as me! I'm so happy to have a cruise planned in advanced for my constant research. It's all good! Our last cruise was in 2009 with our son and it's been so hard waiting for another one.

 

Carry on OCD partners!

[cole]

Hi all! We should start a new group! OCD Planner Cruisers!!! (Or something like that!)

 

I loved hearing your stories and now I know I'm not alone.

 

Yay! Mary

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Seriously, that's a great idea. Wonder how we can get Cruise Critic to set it up? I am now researching 2 river cruises in 2016, so I guess you would say I certainly fit in. Have the 3-ring binders for one cruise in August and two in 2015. Also, this might be helpful to some - I do an Excel spreadsheet (got the idea from another OCD traveler) and it is a quick reference to dates, day, port, monies needed (pounds, Euros, etc.), shore excursions and comments.

Cole

[cruiselife4me]

Me too! What name should we use? Anyone?

Mary

[cruiselife4me]

Cole, What line are you thinking of for river cruising? I took the Amadeus Princess (now AMA Waterways) and it was so awesome. Loved it!

[cole]

Cole, What line are you thinking of for river cruising? I took the Amadeus Princess (now AMA Waterways) and it was so awesome. Loved it!

We have done Uniworld (loved it), Avalon (loved it) and booked on Vantage (Elbe River) in 2015. Now, for 2016, looking at Uniworld and Avalon again because of the "past passenger" perks.

Cole

 

PS: It will be interesting to see what suggestions folks will have for a name of an OCD Traveler Forum. Don't want people to get the wrong impression :D

[utahtea]

Originally Posted by rjrice1 View Post

My son calls me CDO cause it has to be in order...lol

I have everything in a binder starting from precruise hotel; airplane

cruise docs; all shore excursions in order with the funds for each one all the way to the plane home... even pack accordingly too.

Just wish my family could do the same.

Cathy

 

Oh My!! I am the same down to the binder & all!! lol :)

 

You mean everyone doesn't do a binder? :rolleyes:

 

Love planning trips of any kind!

 

Utahtea

[cruiselife4me]

We have done Uniworld (loved it), Avalon (loved it) and booked on Vantage (Elbe River) in 2015. Now, for 2016, looking at Uniworld and Avalon again because of the "past passenger" perks.

Cole

 

PS: It will be interesting to see what suggestions folks will have for a name of an OCD Traveler Forum. Don't want people to get the wrong impression :D

 

Cole - Wow! You've really gotten to sail on some river cruises! Jealous!

 

Utahtea - Blows my mind that people can just get on a ship, not join a meet & mingle, (heck not START a meet & mingle), not know everything about the ship in advance, etc. ;)

 

I've really enjoyed seeing the posts from our fellow ocd posters. Ok, some ideas:

 

OCD Cruisers

Who's Obsessive? Member of OCD Cruisers

Cruising with the OCD Planning Crew

 

Any other suggestions? Mary

[Jackytar]

I think I'm the odd man out in this discussion. Granted, this cruise coming up (10 days, not that anyone's counting :D) will be my first where I get to be cargo and not crew, but personally, I plan to lead as unstructured a life as possible during it. Going to sea for me is normally an extremely structured affair - pre-sail checks, shop muster, kit muster, the whole nine. Be nice to NOT plan anything for a change.

 

That said, I'm fairly confident that as I get accustomed to the notion of going to sea for pleasure, I probably will want to organize myself a bit. Just how much remains to be seen, and is subject to Herself's whims, too. :D

[mrsd912]

OCD is not really healthy. Not something I would want to get involved with. I book a cruise. Book my excursions and extras, then enjoy the cruise. The point is to get away and relax, not to be stressed out and obsessive about the vacation.

 

But those of us that are like that really don't stress over it, we really get just as much enjoyment from planning as we do the cruise!

 

The cruise I just booked is slightly less than a year away, the shortest wait time we've had, so I'm in total planning mode. I've got my binder all done up, our itinerary printed, driving instructions to the port (first time driving, not flights or hotels for us!), excursion ideas, packing lists, planned outfits to wear, and sample restaurant menus. I've read reviews of the ship, seen countless pictures, and learned deck plans. Like a PP said, I get a little bummed when everything is all planned!

 

Luckily DH is happy to just sit back and let me obsess, as long as I don't give him too much information, he likes the surprise!

[cruiselife4me]

But those of us that are like that really don't stress over it, we really get just as much enjoyment from planning as we do the cruise!

 

The cruise I just booked is slightly less than a year away, the shortest wait time we've had, so I'm in total planning mode. I've got my binder all done up, our itinerary printed, driving instructions to the port (first time driving, not flights or hotels for us!), excursion ideas, packing lists, planned outfits to wear, and sample restaurant menus. I've read reviews of the ship, seen countless pictures, and learned deck plans. Like a PP said, I get a little bummed when everything is all planned!

 

Luckily DH is happy to just sit back and let me obsess, as long as I don't give him too much information, he likes the surprise!

 

I completely agree. I love booking way in advance because it means I can obsess...oops I meant plan and research and get all giggly happy about it. I know not everyone is that way. Just us OCD Cruisers!!

[utahtea]

Utahtea - Blows my mind that people can just get on a ship, not join a meet & mingle, (heck not START a meet & mingle), not know everything about the ship in advance, etc. ;)

 

 

Mary, It blows my mind too! True story: SIL booked an Alaska cruise late last December because a co-worker wanted her and her husband to go with them. She told me about the cruise and BIL said, I though we decided not to go? I guess she decided they were.

 

I'm all excited for them because this is their first cruise. So I ask, what ship, what ports, etc, etc. She knew nothing but that it was in June and, they leave from Seattle! I'm not kidding. She pulls a magnet off the refrigerator and says this is the ship. It was Rhapsody of the Sea and I knew that was Royal Caribbean even though I've never sailed on them! I was more curious than her and looked up her cruise.

 

Fast forward to this week and their adult daughter (our sweet niece who lives near Seattle) was in the area and came over to visit us. Niece tells me she is going to Victoria for a couple of days with her parents just before the cruise. They picked Victoria instead of Vancouver because her Mom said they are going to Vancouver on the cruise. LOL...they are going to Victoria...on Vancouver Island. There is OCD planning and there is ostrich in the sand approach!

 

I'm sure my SIL and BIL will have a great time but it would be much more stressful to me to do it their way!

 

Utahtea

[olemissreb]

I've really enjoyed seeing the posts from our fellow ocd posters. Ok, some ideas:

 

OCD Cruisers

Who's Obsessive? Member of OCD Cruisers

Cruising with the OCD Planning Crew

 

Any other suggestions? Mary

 

What about "TPA"? Travel Planners Anonymous

 

Or "Compulsive Travel Planners Anonymous"?

Edited June 3, 2014 by olemissreb

[cruiselife4me]

Ole Miss - love that!

 

Utah - Oh my gosh. My aunt and uncle are going on their first cruise and it's to Alaska. I asked what ship, what line, where are you flying it...etc. Their answer was, "I think it's Princess, not sure about the ship...I think we're flying to Anchorage. ARRGH! I'm not making fun of anyone, because we're not all alike. But as an avid planner I was like...what?

 

LOL! Mary

[Jackytar]

Fast forward to this week and their adult daughter (our sweet niece who lives near Seattle) was in the area and came over to visit us. Niece tells me she is going to Victoria for a couple of days with her parents just before the cruise. They picked Victoria instead of Vancouver because her Mom said they are going to Vancouver on the cruise. LOL...they are going to Victoria...on Vancouver Island. There is OCD planning and there is ostrich in the sand approach!

 

ROTFL! As a Victorian myself, I got a huge chuckle out of that!

[Cruisin' Chick]

I'll research everything except what to do onboard. We don't do specialty restaurants and we don't run around signing up for things (spa treatments, etc.) like I've seen people mention doing as soon as they get on board. We'll go to our cabin (yea for Princess with cabins ready right off the bat), unpack our carry ons and I'll scan quickly the first day newsletter. Then it's off to grab lunch and explore the ship until muster drill time.

 

Most of the time we've left from our home port so no flights or hotels. We'll just decide whether we're driving to the port or hiring a car service to take us.

 

For other cruises, I'll research flights, hotels, etc. I'm also the one who will research what we could do in port (most of the time we just wing it though).