You know it's almost time for your cruise when.........

[slavetoabunny]

You get your luggage tags in the mail!!!!  Hubby and I are booked on our first post-covid cruise 12/16-12/23 on the Escape out of Port Canaveral.  Since it's been three years without cruising, I splurged and booked a Haven suite.  Is it too early to start packing?

[SPacificbound]

Our first two post COVID cruises I packed a month before, I was so excited to be finally getting on a ship again.

[laudergayle]

Absolutely NOT.  Pack early and upon return stay half-packed and ready for your next cruise😊

[complawyer]

if you really feel compelled to do so, by all means, start packing. Realistically, however, there is no real reason to do so.

i understand your excitement, but personally, regardless of the length of the cruise, and how many days pre and post we expect to stay in the departure and arrival cities, we never pack more than a day or 2 prior to leaving home, and never, ever put the luggage tags on until we get to the pier

[DominicAUS]

Pack early! Don’t listen to the buzz killers. I pack early too, I love getting ready for a trip. I am going to pack all my winter stuff for my trip late next month as we are in summer here. Enjoy getting excited for your trip 🍸✈️

[wolft927]

Wife and I also pack early as hell lol! We leave on January 5th for our cruise on the Escape on the 6th out of Port Canaveral. We start getting all our stuff out at least a month out lol. This cruise once again we have Booked the Haven and we have the 2 bedroom suite with another couple! Their first time in the Haven it’s our 5th. Pack early and let the excitement build 

[Asawi]

While I still had my darling dog I couldn't pack early. He was a rescue with separation anxiety and got very nervous if I brought the suitcase out. He always had a great time at the kennel (when we made that last turn to get there he got super excited and it was like "bye bye mum, see you later. I'm with my spare mum now!" when he got out), so I really didn't have to feel guilty about travelling. But to see him worried, well that broke my heart!  

Now that he's not around any more it's a feeling of luxury to have my bag lying there, open, ready to accept my stuff. Not that I actually bring much, and could easly pack in 15 minutes if needed. But still... 

I'm actually leaving for a land trip to Valencia, Spain in about an hour. Bag has been ready at least a week.... 😁 Heck, being winter here and summer temps (for a Swede) there I'll be WEARING almost as much as I've got in the bag (carryon only). It's easier, or at least less bulky,  this way round than going from warm to cold like @DominicAUS is doing.9

[CDR Benson]

Packing:  done and almost done.

 

Luggage Forward is picking up our large bag to-day for transport to our ship.

 

Our carry-on is packed, except for the day-to-day stuff, like toiletries and medicines.  The morning of our flight out, eight days from now, we'll toss that stuff in and off we go!

 

 

[rbxlady]

Luggage tags are a big one, but honestly none of it seems real until I am walking into the hotel the night before.

 

But I know a good, long trip (as opposed to a weekend trip) is about to happen when I'm sitting on my bathroom floor, sifting through my ridiculously large collection of travel toiletries for the products I want to pack.

[rodndonna]

2 hours ago, Asawi said:

While I still had my darling dog I couldn't pack early. He was a rescue with separation anxiety and got very nervous if I brought the suitcase out. He always had a great time at the kennel (when we made that last turn to get there he got super excited and it was like "bye bye mum, see you later. I'm with my spare mum now!" when he got out), so I really didn't have to feel guilty about travelling. But to see him worried, well that broke my heart!  

 

 

This is us .. although we still have the pooch. Absolutely no suitcases until he has gone to the kennel (pet resort) 😉

[SoloAlaska]

My luggage doesn’t really get put away for a good portion of the year. I can’t pack way ahead since there’s always something coming up. 3 weeks out I started looking at what clothing I’ll actually be taking though but that’s to know if I need to go shopping. I’m loosing a bunch of weight so every trip I need to replace a few items which are just too big now

[cruiseny4life]

I know it's almost time when the luggage tags arrive! Even though we always forget the d@mn things. I did get these out this morning so hopefully we remember to pack them tonight (or more likely tomorrow morning). We leave for the airport tomorrow morning at 9'ish AM. Given my schedule and lack of packing - like none has been done at all, except taking out the luggage tags - I have a feeling I'll be packing at 8 AM. 

 

 

 

@CDR Benson, I hope you and Mrs. Benson have a wonderful cruise! I hope to see a recap of it in the future. 

Edited November 16, 2023 by cruiseny4life

[wolft927]

Always fun receiving the luggage tags in the mail, we usually receive them about a month out. 

[CDR Benson]

10 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

 

@CDR Benson, I hope you and Mrs. Benson have a wonderful cruise! I hope to see a recap of it in the future. 

 

Thank you, good sir, for the kind wishes.  You can count on a trip report.

And fair winds and following seas on your voyage.

 

[wilmingtech]

I travel probably 20-24 weeks a year for work.  Packing takes me about 10 minutes.  I have a cruise booked in 3 weeks and I'll pack my bag and empty it twice before it's ready to be packed for the cruise.  There's no way I could leave my bag out for a week to pack for a trip.  It would drive me crazy.  I just make a list so I don't forget anything and if you do forget something,  as long as you remember the big 4 -

 

Wallet, Passport, Keys, Phone.

 

Everything else you can buy.

Edited November 16, 2023 by wilmingtech

[Laszlo]

I've given up trying to pack early with the exception of my camera and snorkeling equipment. Last time I pack early I forgot underwear. Only had on what I was wearing to board. Luckily it was a warm cruise and I had brought two pairs of Speed O's and a couple trunks. The Speed'O's filled in well for my briefs Lol

[cruiser2015]

16 hours ago, slavetoabunny said:

You get your luggage tags in the mail!!!!  Hubby and I are booked on our first post-covid cruise 12/16-12/23 on the Escape out of Port Canaveral.  Since it's been three years without cruising, I splurged and booked a Haven suite.  Is it too early to start packing?

We have our first Covid cruise (cancellations in 2020 and 2021) this January.

 

As for packing - how about waiting until Black Friday?

It could distract you from spending a lot of money - so you can use it on your cruise!

[slavetoabunny]

5 minutes ago, cruiser2015 said:

We have our first Covid cruise (cancellations in 2020 and 2021) this January.

 

As for packing - how about waiting until Black Friday?

It could distract you from spending a lot of money - so you can use it on your cruise!

I never have and never will shop on Black Friday - I won't even leave the house!  

[vacation44]

When your husband starts asking for details which is usually two weeks out.

[schmoopie17]

When Mrs. Schmoopie comes down with a cough/asthma/sinus issue. Never fails to hit about a week before we depart.

[SoloAlaska]

1 hour ago, wilmingtech said:

I travel probably 20-24 weeks a year for work.  Packing takes me about 10 minutes.  I have a cruise booked in 3 weeks and I'll pack my bag and empty it twice before it's ready to be packed for the cruise.  There's no way I could leave my bag out for a week to pack for a trip.  It would drive me crazy.  I just make a list so I don't forget anything and if you do forget something,  as long as you remember the big 4 -

 

Wallet, Passport, Keys, Phone.

 

Everything else you can buy.

My bf travels 55% of the year and his is wallet, passport, phones (x2), and laptop. He’s taken business trips with just that, not even a sleeve for his laptop. I don’t know how he does it especially when his day trip turns into 2 nights.

 

im now packing with the 5-4-3-2-1 method and it’s so much easier with that as a base to my list.

 

[slavetoabunny]

4 minutes ago, vacation44 said:

When your husband starts asking for details which is usually two weeks out.

My husband is a planner.  He starts asking for details as soon as I book.

[stefmaia]

1 hour ago, wilmingtech said:

I travel probably 20-24 weeks a year for work.  Packing takes me about 10 minutes.  I have a cruise booked in 3 weeks and I'll pack my bag and empty it twice before it's ready to be packed for the cruise.  There's no way I could leave my bag out for a week to pack for a trip.  It would drive me crazy.  I just make a list so I don't forget anything and if you do forget something,  as long as you remember the big 4 -

 

Wallet, Passport, Keys, Phone.

 

Everything else you can buy.

It used to be the big 4 for me too, but as you get older that number changes.. +1 glasses for reading...+1 glasses for seeing...+1 medication

 

I'm sure there will be more as the years progress....

[wilmingtech]

2 minutes ago, stefmaia said:

It used to be the big 4 for me too, but as you get older that number changes.. +1 glasses for reading...+1 glasses for seeing...+1 medication

 

I'm sure there will be more as the years progress....

This is so true.  I'm getting to that point a lot faster than I want to.  

[MagnoliaBlossom]

My, military husband is a pack eeeaaarly guy (“if you’re 15 minutes early, you’re 30 minutes late”). I am an early organizer, but rather than wrinkle clothes more than necessary I just lay them all out on the spare room bed.   I have a very typical group of clothes so I know how much I need for an adjustment,  like cold weather or wet situations.  We are carryon only, so it’s critical to get it right.  But I like seeing it all laid out in there as I walk by - so long as the cat isn’t taking a nap on my clothes 🤭.  I think, especially if you don’t travel often, it’s good to see it laid out to give yourself an idea about where you can make adjustments.  Enjoy!

Edited November 16, 2023 by MagnoliaBlossom