What is your day/night before cruise ritual

[teacherkim]

I have only cruised once (so far but planning #2) and I got all the hectic housecleaning, packing, kid to grandma's, etc done by lunchtime the day before and THEN spent the afternoon getting pampered. Manicure, pedicure, massage....it was much cheaper at home than on the ship and a really great way to transition into "vacation mode". Dinner out and then was nice and relaxed to fall asleep easily!

[Travel luv]

We like to fly in to Miami a day before to so that we won't feel rushed. This is an excellent spa day. We also try to have a nice relaxing meal that evening.

[Alexis]

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.

 

That is exactly what we will be doing and where we will be from this Thursday to our Saturday B2B sailings on the Navigator. :D

[Philly Steve]

Usually a pizza party at home and quality time with our "kittahs." :)

[pslcruiser]

We leave on our first cruise next Monday:D . DH is already aware that he is not allowed in the house on the Sat. before we leave. This gives me time to clean the house, do laundry, and pack our bags. He likes the idea bc he can go play golf and make me happy all in the same day. There will be no sleeping for me on Sunday night, I will be way to wired for that to happen.

 

:D I can't wait. :D

 

Rosa

[em_in_murphy]

I am frantically trying to make sure everything is packed and screaming at my husband for not helping me! I'm up til 3 or 4 AM before I hit the sheets, then the alarm go off at 5:30 or so and I'm up again..this time to get dress and head for the airport!

[bobbie0253]

I am frantically trying to make sure everything is packed and screaming at my husband for not helping me! I'm up til 3 or 4 AM before I hit the sheets, then the alarm go off at 5:30 or so and I'm up again..this time to get dress and head for the airport!

 

 

Boy you sound like me. Dave says.... "I can pack in 10 minutes" Yeah, his clothes.:cool: He forgets all the "stuff" that I get stuck packing and try to remember. :mad:

 

I tried to let him help pack the "stuff" once. Never again. We were missing so much stuff that we needed...I told myself never again will I let him "help".

 

So, we compromised...he fills the cash envelopes (tips, excursions, singles, etc.) and I pack. I think I get the better deal. His "packing" costs at least $500 for a few minutes. My only costs me a bottle of wine and some asprin.....:D

[Cruising89143]

That is exactly what we will be doing and where we will be from this Thursday to our Saturday B2B sailings on the Navigator. :D

 

Alexis, have a great cruise on my favorite ship.

[maryr65]

Dogs to the kennel, manicure, packing and tidying the house. Usually to bed by midnight and up at 4 am to catch an early flight. As much as I try to start packing earlier in the week, I never can. One can always hope... i have 2 cruises coming up to use as practice.

[rubrrick]

Boy you sound like me. Dave says.... "I can pack in 10 minutes" Yeah, his clothes.:cool: He forgets all the "stuff" that I get stuck packing and try to remember. :mad:

 

I tried to let him help pack the "stuff" once. Never again. We were missing so much stuff that we needed...I told myself never again will I let him "help".

 

So, we compromised...he fills the cash envelopes (tips, excursions, singles, etc.) and I pack. I think I get the better deal. His "packing" costs at least $500 for a few minutes. My only costs me a bottle of wine and some asprin.....:D

 

Bobbie...........have a great cruise!!

 

My DW.....also Bobbie.........will start about 4 to 7 days out.....depending on the length of the cruise. We want to make sure that nothing needs to go to the dry cleaners at the last minute. We have developed a pretty good list of all of the goodies that we want aboard.

 

We finish 2 nights before we cruise......and sometimes we fly out the next morning.........if we have an east coast departure......or actually 2 nights out if we have a European departure.

 

My DW makes me pack certain things...........just to know that I'm helping her. It does not matter that I'm the breadwinner and the one that pays for our cruising...........life is a two way street!! So I help both ways!:D

 

Rick

[waterrats]

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

 

Bobbie, you crack me up! I do the same thing.... Are you meeting us at Fishlips on Saturday!?

 

Kelly (wife of Waterrats...)

[CAT GIRL]

Hubby is in charge of the packing. I start laying clothes in the spare

bedroom about a week ahead of time. He's not allowed to pack up

until the night before because I'm still finalizing things.

We also both get a pedicure the night before to put us totally in

vacation mode.

[veggie59]

I think my first reply was lost in cyberspace... Our ritual includes me watching my husband trash the house with all his clothes that he is going to pack. He will ask me a hundred times which shirt goes with what shorts/pants. I tell him to pack!!! The rate he does it makes me nervous that we will miss the cruise. Finally when he is part way done, we leave to go get something to eat and have a few cocktails (I need them for when we get home and he drives me nuts paciking again can take a deep breath.

 

Here we come Explorer 9/22 !!!!

 

 

RCCL Explorer of the Sea 9/22/06 ........... we will be there soon!!!!

RCCL Adventure of the Sea 12/04

Celebrity Summit 3/04

Carnival Legend 3/03

NCL Star 9/02

NCL Sun 3/02

Carnival Victory 5/01

NCL Majesty 3/01

[D300]

I usually fly to the departure port two or three days before the departure.

I do this because I live in Helsinki, Finland. It is 7 hour time differance between eastern coast time and Finland.( +7 hours in Finland).

But I don't sleep that good in the hotel the night before. It takes few days to get over the jetlag. Usually wake up really early and watch when the ships sails into the port of Miami.

 

Christoffer

 

Sailing next time: Freedom of the Seas, October 29th 2006.

[Skitter]

I lay awake most of the night thinking I forgot to pack something, while DH sleeps like a baby.

Skitter

[bbspin12]

The day before a cruise is all about cleaning the house....god forbid somebody should enter my house while I am gone and it is not perfectly clean...the day before I am usually so excited that I can't eat...my dh will have to usually go get me a milkshake or a smoothie..because I am unable to eat solid food. Sleep???? are you kidding...I usually get 2 hours at most the night before....way too excited to sleep....cruising in 20 days to Bermuda...hope Florence does not ruin the beautiful island;)

[Crockett]

We pack the day before, check our documents, go on the internet-check our flight status.... AND- check our car tires!!!

 

A few years ago, we were exactly on time and ready to leave our house to catch our flight when hubby went outside to put the suitcases in the car (mind you, it was 4:00 in the morning) WE HAD A FLAT TIRE!

 

Immediately, our heartrate went up! We quickly filled the tire up with our emergency tire compressor and prayed we would make the 45 minute drive to the airport. I was shaking the whole time and praying. I couldn't even talk to hubby as he was cursing the whole way! We had fortunately found some 24 hour gas stations opened and filled the tire on the way!! What a morning that was!

 

Lesson -- be prepared- you never know whats going to happen!

 

We did make our flight and the airport parking company fixed our flat tire..This Friday morning- guess what? We will be checking our car tires again!!

[p2lockhart]

Well, when left to my natural inclinations, I am like Em and Bobbie, up half the night packing and ironing, up at oh dark thirty after a couple of restless hours tossing and turning, and then driving 3 hours to Galveston. However, our last cruise was out of Honolulu, which meant I was forced to pack and be on a plane 3 days early. We had 2 nights in Honolulu pre cruise. It was so much more relaxing to get a good night's sleep the night before embarkation and to leisurely get to the dock. I decided this time that even though I am cruising out of Galveston as ususal, I am going to arrive 2 nights early so that I am forced to pack early. Hopefully, I will have time to unwind and get a couple of goods nights of sleep before embarkation. I just rationalize that the port of departure is like an port of call on the cruise and I need to be there to enjoy the first port instead of whizzing through there like a madwoman in a hurry to get to the ship at the last minute. I hope this works. Sounds good in theory, anyway.

[Alexis]

Alexis, have a great cruise on my favorite ship.

 

I will let you know how I liked her on my return.;)

[CGTNORMANDIE]

ALWAYS...ALWAYS ARRIVE AT THE PORT A DAY EARLY. Settle in at a hotel...eat light and get to the ship on time the next day. This is so much easier than arriving at the ship in a state of panic and anxiety. Some folks love to go to FLL a day or two early and then hit the restaurants for big meals. We always eat lightly before getting onboard...makes for an easy time before you sail. Arriving at port a day early gives you a chance to check the luggage and get the little odds and ends that you forgot.

 

We have met people while boarding who were so anxious that I thought they would explode. Invariably these same people flew in that morning...too much pressure. I call this "CRUISE COMPRESSION". I have seen people acting like lunatics while they are waiting to board the ship. I always know that they have flown to the ship the same day and that they are in a state of shock. Flying to the ship on the same day of sailing is a risky business...and not worth it. Much better to get there a day or 2 ahead and then chill.:)

[lawsoncd3]

I've read all the posts... in the end, we're more the same then different! Our plane leaves Vegas at 6:00 a.m. Saturday (we sail on Sunday). Leaving for the airport at 4:00 a.m. Can't be packing bags at midnight! LOL.

 

I hope everyone enjoys their cruises that they will be or planning on going on. I think I'm going to be a little kid on the night before Christmas. I can feel the butterflies in my stomach now and we have 20 days yet. Don't be surprised if you see posts from me in the wee hours of the morning. LOL.

 

How many of you are able to sleep on planes? Any tips? Do you bring a blanket or pillow?

 

D :)

[p2lockhart]

Hi, Dona!

 

On the plane I bring ear plugs (use them even when not sleeping to drown out engine noise), sleeping mask and horse shoe shaped neck pillow. For long flights you can take a benedryl or melatonin to help sleep. DH and I sit across the aisle from each other in order to have alittle more elbow room. I prop my feet on my large computer bag that was stored under the seat in front of me. I turn off the air blower and light overhead, too.

This works for me.

[lawsoncd3]

Hi, Dona!

 

On the plane I bring ear plugs (use them even when not sleeping to drown out engine noise), sleeping mask and horse shoe shaped neck pillow. For long flights you can take a benedryl or melatonin to help sleep. DH and I sit across the aisle from each other in order to have alittle more elbow room. I prop my feet on my large computer bag that was stored under the seat in front of me. I turn off the air blower and light overhead, too.

This works for me.

 

HI Patti!

Thanks for the info. It's on my "get" list. Can you believe that we are almost there... 20 days and counting. I can't wait to meet you. :)

[lknight27]

Since we always fly in a day ahead, I usually pack the weekend prior to make sure I have everything and double check my docs. I keep my luggage open so if throughout the week I realize I forgot something I can just toss it in. Also I give my house a good thorough cleaning so that when I come home all I need to do is laundry from the cruise, not dishes, mopping, vacuum or changing sheets, etc.

 

I also stay at a hotel at the airport the night before our flight to help ease my anxiety of missing my flight due to a flat tire, road accidents, detours etc. Plus it’s fun to wake up and be at the airport within minutes. I live a good 45 minutes away I usually try to take early morning flights so that I can have a full day at my destination. We always get our airport hotel on priceline for a little of nothing and know how to bid to get our favorite . . . the Marriott at DTW. They have some of the BEST beds I have ever slept in and we usually have a hard time waking up. (lol) For $40 a night, it’s worth for me. :D

 

Depending on where I am staying pre-cruise, I like to either see the town upon arrival or relax at my hotel. We splurged for this cruise, decided to fly first class and will be staying at the Mandarin Oriental. So I plan on enjoying my flight and my stay at the hotel the night before the cruise.

 

I just like to have a good peace of mind before I leave so I try not to do anything at the last minute. That’s why I go as far as packing the week before, staying at an airport hotel, and flying in a day early. Once I get off work Friday 10/20, I’m officially on vacation, so hubby and I just take it easy and relax! :cool: :)

[BillOh]

Whats the closest Hotel to the Miami peer?