What is your day/night before cruise ritual

[lawsoncd3]

I thought I would just pose the question! Are you the type that runs around frantically packing? Do you eat out? Do you check your cruise documents for the billionth time? And the big question: how do you fall asleep!

 

Let me know your rituals...

 

Dona :)

[hstrybuf]

Good question! We do eat out. Don't want to have dirty dishes to come home to after the cruise. Most everything is packed by the night before we leave so there's nothing frantic going on. I've checked my docs several times to be sure everything is done. It's one more thing I can check off of my "to do" list to help make things run smoothly. Sleeping? Hard to fall asleep, but I don't want the first day of my vacation, a travel day, to be stressful due to lack of sleep. Somehow, I manage to sleep and wake up ready to rock! :)

 

I'm down to less than 60 days until my cruise. I use the timeline on Cruise Diva's website to keep me on track and it hasn't failed me yet!

[gkrebs]

Packing is done by then, documents are secure in wifes pocketbook. Any last minutes items that we don't have....too bad. We then sit at our Tiki bar and start the Margarittas or Pina Coladas.

[cruisecrazymama]

I thought I would just pose the question! Are you the type that runs around frantically packing? Do you eat out? Do you check your cruise documents for the billionth time? And the big question: how do you fall asleep!

 

Let me know your rituals...

 

Dona :)

 

 

 

We always go to the port city ( usuallly Galveston)at least one day prior. I'm packed several days before with only last minute items to pack into a carry on. The luggage is loaded the night before so all we have to do is get in the car and off we go. The day before the curise is spent sight seeing, and shopping. Anything to keep busy so I'm not watching the clock. As for falling asleep, I don't. I'm like that little kid in the Disney commercial.....I'm to excited to sleep:D

[EggDropErin]

Sleep? I don't sleep. LOL I am a panicker. I freak out and triple check everything.

[RYPERO]

Sleep? I don't sleep. LOL I am a panicker. I freak out and triple check everything.

 

I don't sleep either but that is because I am usually just way to excited about going on a cruise.

[KandMGIn]

what is the cruise divas timeline? Do you have the exact website address? Thanks

[raytownlady]

I check over my lists to make sure I haven't forgotten anything, I always make sure the house is cleaned before we leave, its no fun coming home to a dirty house. The night before we leave is usually a long one no sleep here I'll sleep on the plane!

[sgriff17]

Make a list, check it twice...

 

THEN - since we are usually in the port city, which has always been Miami (Well, LA once..) we start the party!

[Gingee]

Before the cruise we are usually sitting on our mode of transportation to get to the port city or we are already there.

[lawsoncd3]

what is the cruise divas timeline? Do you have the exact website address? Thanks

 

The cruise diva's time line is located at: www dot cruisediva dot com.

[tmessenger]

We normally are at the port city a day ahead of time. We try to arrange our own 'Meet 'N Mingle' at a local restaurant with any cruisers from the board and start the party a day early.

[Jan_In_Maine]

We leave the car at the airport, so I make sure that all suitcases are in the trunk the night before and I only have my carry on with all the paperwork to grab on the way out the door.

 

Last time we went to sleep late and ended up over sleeping .... Its a good thing that we live in a small town near the airport ... months of planning for an hour of total panic!! We still managed to get to the terminal before the airline's counter opened up for the day. Jan

[BillOh]

I thought I would just pose the question! Are you the type that runs around frantically packing? Do you eat out? Do you check your cruise documents for the billionth time? And the big question: how do you fall asleep!

 

Let me know your rituals...

 

Dona :)

 

As a frequenter of Webmd's sleep disorder forum, I recognize the importance of sleep, and as your post suggests, the mind can be a big part of the problem. While to me your post points out the slightly negative begining to what is for most a great time, to take it seriously:

 

1. I stay up late the 2nd night before departure getting ready, then get up early the day before departure. I then avoid cafeine and sugar 24 hours before departure. Then I make sure we have everything done 2 hours before our planned bedtime. From then to bed time, its mindless enterainment and no discussions that require detailed thought.

Oh, and if you can't get Ambien CR, 3mg tablets of OTC Melatonin help.

[cupofgin]

I usually iron my clothes the day before, so it won't be so wrinkle when I get on the ship, I clean the house so I don't come back to a dirty house. Check my docs, and then pack, and don't have a good night sleep because I am soooo excited:D

[BillOh]

Before the cruise we are usually sitting on our mode of transportation to get to the port city or we are already there.

 

 

Maybe there is something to arrving at the port city a day early. On our only cruise air flights were convienant to arriving in Miami early in the morning with a direct flight. On the next one, if the schedule is not as good, I would consider arriving the day before and staying near the port, espcially if the Heat or Dolphins have a home game.

[GlenandVal]

we usually fly the day before so the night before we are sitting in our hotel room relaxing excited and eagerly waiting for our crusie

 

 

after I have packed and unpacked and packed and triple checked

 

this coming january we are going by amtrak from seattle to los angles to try the slow senic route

 

but reading form a earlier post of mine others have said amtrak does not always arrive in time, we will be fine as we arrive midnight 2 nights before the crusie

 

we will have a sleeper rooma nd be able to shower and be refreshed as well

 

and still will cost less then airflight from vancouver to los angles

[AFT_LOVER]

So we have the whole day as we fly in to get a cab to the ship & board right away. They day before is shower, shave, pluck eyebrows, dye roots, trim split ends (with my long hair I have a friend use a hedge clipper to cut straight across) no actually husband goes to the barber, who are husband & wife with a friend, she does both of us with a quick trim of my ends so I look great. Then we get home after a great steak at Carrabra's who does a great steak marsala for the same price as an Outback steak & they are the same company too. Then pack & put in SUV. I also have printed out our online check in so we just give lugggage to First Class clerk at the Delta desk. Friend who house sits & bird sits drives us to the airport the the SUV is on vacation as we are in the garage. For Europe we fly at 7PM at night to arrive in London at 7AM, so we sleep after dinner & drinks, business class, for 6 hours. For Freedom 10/15, we fly to Atlanta at 6:30AM, then onto Miami arriving at 11AM. Then board Freedom. SO WE ARE READY WITH JUST 35 DAYS TO GO!

[hstrybuf]

CC won't let me post the direct link, but if you do a site search once you get on Cruise Diva dot com, look for the pre-cruise timeline. Works great and you can adapt it to your own needs.

[cruisingator2]

I always travel down at least a day or two before the cruise to the embarkation city so for me it is taking a nice relaxing dinner and just kicking back waiting for the big day. If in Miami a trip down to watch the ships sail out on Friday or Saturday afternoon is a must.

[threeofus]

Most times we are driving distance from the port so....

we are busy getting the house ready....bird to the vet motel...toss out the old food...etc.

I don't care how busy I am with details because I know the coming week is going to be heaven on earth!!!!

 

I make lots of lists and crossing out the final reminder is pure joy!!!!!

[bobbie0253]

The night before we leave I am usually packing until at least 1am while drinking wine :D

 

I try to start packing early, but always seem to try and re-pack to get rid of some of the stuff I overpack(shoes). Then I end up adding extra things to the suitcase I was trying to cut back(shoes). It's kinda funny now that I think about it.

 

Maybe I will pack tonight so I can relax in a couple days.... might not be as much fun though :rolleyes:

 

About sleep..... I have given up on that. Plus I am usually so excited that even two hours of sleep is enough the night before a cruise.

[cruisingator2]

Bobbie, have a good time on the Mariner.

[bobbie0253]

Bobbie, have a good time on the Mariner.

 

 

Thanks Gordon :D I can't wait to finally see this ship. The NOS was amazing, and I am sure the MOS is even better.

[Buccaneergirl]

I'm 45 minutes from Port Canaveral, so if we are sailing from there, then I take a Benadryl the night before (I could not sleep otherwise) and I'm good to go!

If we have to fly to the port, then we fly two days ahead because I have to get used to the time change.

DH is fine no matter what!!