What do you do the night before your cruise

[Fisherlady48]

I am taking a quickie Labor Day weekend cruise so will zoom in (on a plane) the morning of. Lets hope Jet Blue is on time.

 

Normally its at least 1 day ahead, but for Panama its 3 days out.

 

I rarely sleep the night before.

 

K

[shashi883]

We fly in the night before. This year we will be staying at the Intercontinental in San Jaun. We change into our suits and head to the swim up bar. We spend time at the beach and pool and later that night have a nice dinner.

[momofmeg]

I usually take an early flight the day before I cruise. Once I arrive, I may or may not catch a quick nap. Then I go sightseeing, grab something to eat and chill by the pool with a nice drink and watch the sunset.

Then sleep for a while before heading to the port the next morning.

 

Pam

 

Sounds good to me! Now, we usually drive to port if we cruise out of FL-but we are doing the same thing as you-as we spend the night before in a hotel.

[sandrac213]

DH and I fly in a few days before to unwind before actually cruising, so our vacation starts 3-4 days prior to our cruise. The night before we head out to the Port location, we go and have a nice dinner somewhere, do any final packing, put suitcases in the car and head out very early the next morning for our flight out of Boston. Once we are in FLL we spend a few days relaxing and enjoying Florida. The morning of the cruise we go out on the rocks right down the beach from our hotel (The Lago Mar) and watch the cruise ships come in (including the one we will be on later that day :D) around 5:30 - 6:00 AM, then we go back and have breakfast. After that, we do any laundry that we have used in the last 3-4 days and re-pack them, head for the port around 10:30 AM and hop on the ship. Can't Wait!

 

Happy Sailing

Sandy

[LovesToTravel47]

Travel into port city day before and usually have dinner out in a restaurant and just relax the rest of the evening. If possible go for a walk in the area, maybe have a drink in the hotel bar.

[cruisergal 1]

We always fly in at least a day before the cruise. Usually the night before, we have dinner with people from our CC roll call. Always a pleasant way to start the cruise holiday!

[jolivia]

I'm normally flying in the day before. If I get in early enough, I go siteseeing. Last year I went to Alaska, flew into Seattle. Got to the hotel about 3pm and went to visit the famous Public Market, it was great. Had dinner and a cocktail at night, and crashed. Next morning had a wonderful breakfast and headed towards the ship about 12pm

This year I ship out of Norfork VA, Live in NC so I will be driving. I can't wait.

I love these forums, it keeps me excited until the night before........

[Cruizeguru]

We always come in a day ahead of time and have dinner or go sightseeing.

In Oct 2007 we came in a day early and went to Dave & Buster's in Fort Lauderdale Fl, it was pretty awesome got nice and relaxed (drunk) and had a good nights rest before taking the shuttle to cruise port.

In 13 days we will be arriving a day early in Bayonne Nj, staying overnight not sure what trouble were going to get into.

[dainew]

we(10 of us) drive down day before checkin at hotel go eat go shopping pick up something to drink go back to hotel relax get up next am at 6:00 am to excited to sleep get ready to catch shuttle at 10:30. diane

[NCLCruiser91]

Me and my parents usually drive to where we're going to meet the ship. And we'll stay in a hotel the night before the cruise starts. We'll go out to eat and talk about how excited we are to be there. Unfortunately I will not be joining my family on their cruise this year... Actually not for the next 4 years. I have college, but right when I graduate I'm going on one heck of a cruise!

[manunch]

Since we live in Northern CA, we drive down to Long Beach / Anaheim the day before. DH and I always go to HOOTERS :eek:. DH can take it or leave it. I insist because it has now become tradition for us.

[CruisinStarFish]

Usually the night before my cruises I am restless, we order some take-out, check my suitcase about trillion times hoping not to forget anything, and try to settle down with a nightcap hoping that will help me fall asleep, which it usually doesn't!

 

but! this year we are flying down two days early and visiting my dear friend who moved from CT to St. Pete, FL to be with her love. she is homesick and I miss my girl! They will be driving us across state to Miami for Sept. 26th!

[BlackEyes]

I usually check again my stuff if my things are complete, ready all my stuff and sometimes not get too much sleep because i'm so excited..

[debmkay]

we onlly live 2 hours from ft lauderdale and so we can drive there the day of our cruise. I like to go a day before anyways and start my vacation, just to get away from everyday life. Hubby does not agree, saving the dollars, but check into a nice hotel, dinner, the whole atmosphere is the idea of vacation and getting away. That is the way to start my cruise.

[mation101]

We do the typical day before if flying. We live in So.Cal and even tho San Pedro is 40 min from home we are driving down a day early to get the juices flowing.

 

However the night before we leave for any vacay we always go out for Sushi, it has become a pre trip ritual.

[FireMonkey]

It depends on where I'm going. If we are catching a boat out of Mobile this is usually how the 24 hours prior goes:

catch a plane from Sacramento to Jackson MS, rent a car and drive to my family's house 45 mins away. get my daughter settled with her great grandparents who watch her when we take the Carribean trips. Get up early the next morning and drive to the port in Mobile. EVERY year we always hit bad weather, severe thunderstorms, tornados. 2 years ago we actually got caught up in the tail end of one, scary!

 

If we do a MR cruise we ship out of LA so my CA family and I fly down the night before and get a hotel near the port. We usually find somewhere nice to eat and have a few cocktails I'll usually find the hotel's gym (if they have one) and work up a good sweat to wear me out so I can sleep!

[txlonestargirl]

Hummmm, the night before the cruise we usually go out for dinner then return home to begin packing around 8pm. For me, that process can last for up to four hours before I decide to lie down for a "nap" before having to wake up and get goin' for our drive and/or flight. Mind you Sugah Britches (SB) packs his suitcase the night before also but is finished in less than one hour--'prolly more like 30 minutes.

 

Mind you, I'm always early (or at least on-time) for events/travel but Lord knows, NEVER in a hurry before hand. Waaaay too many "Type A" personalities around--I'm more of a "C" I guess (slow and steady). :p

 

Also, SB now REchecks my purse and carry-on to make they're free of "illegal" objects and pointy things since I've held security lines (and embarrased him!) by 1) forgetting about a water bottle tucked in my bag and having 2) a fancy plastic/metal fingernail file (that looks and folds like a knife!) in my purse...oops! :eek:

 

Happy Fall Ya'll!!!! :D

[Winnterpeg]

EVERY VACATION

Pre- Departure:

 

1. Eat Kraft Dinner with the kids to avoid the guilt complex

 

2. Fly out the day before and eat at a gourmet restaurant and forget the kids.

 

Pre-Cruise

 

3. Just before cruise, call home and tell them it's raining.

 

4. Go back out in the sun and have a Pina Colada and talk about how great my kids are.

[guyver]

We usually do as the other posters do but this year we are doing something special.

 

Since our cruise departs Miami on New Year's day, we are flying in a day early. As a special treat for DW, I booked a very nice suite in Coconut Grove that has a hot tub on its own private balcony. I have promised her a couple bottles of champagne to enjoy in the hot tub. Later in the evening, we will likely go to the roof top bar to welcome in the New Year.

 

Already am waaaay excited about this vacation.

 

Guy

[mr green]

EVERY VACATION

Pre- Departure:

 

1. Eat Kraft Dinner with the kids to avoid the guilt complex

 

2. Fly out the day before and eat at a gourmet restaurant and forget the kids.

 

Pre-Cruise

 

3. Just before cruise, call home and tell them it's raining.

 

4. Go back out in the sun and have a Pina Colada and talk about how great my kids are.

 

Don't you feel guilty?;)

 

john

[marshhawk]

i try to sleep, i try to sleep, i try to sleep....................:D

[itsmecatrina]

For our up coming cruise next week we will be driving from N.Calif. to San Diego ca and all us women are getting together for a manicure pedicure party in our hotel room :) ... of course the whole group will not be getting much sleep because we will all be to excited for the next day.

[sabookkeeper]

Although we live in Windsor Ontario we actually fly out of Detroit so we cross the border on Thursday evening and stay in a hotel near the airport (we never know how long it will take to get through the border so this way we don't have to worry about backups on Friday). We leave our car in the Park N Ride and head to the airport early Friday morning. Once we arrive in Ft. Lauderdale we just relax for the rest of the day and try to get some sleep before leaving on our cruise on Saturday.

[Britter16]

Fly in day early, buy some champers for the sail away, in bed by 10. Try to stay in bed til at least 2am, pull on some clothes, hope anyone I run into will be too drunk to remember me in the morning and go to the top floor of the hotel to check on ships, back to bed. 4am, travel the hotel corridors looking for a window that will let me see my ship come in. Finally get a coffee around 6, go for a walk to 17th st bridge to check on ships again. Wake up the first morning on ship and be amazed at how well I sleep at sea.:rolleyes:

[CGuy]

I stress... My DW insists on fling out the day of the cruise. So I stress...

What if the alarm doesn't go off? What if we get up late? What if our car to the airport doesn't arrive? Did we pack the Valium? What if the unpredictable DC traffic gets unpredictable? What airport did you say we are to be fling out? What if there is a flight delay? Did we pack the Valium? What if we miss the plane? Is the luggage over weight? What if the car from the airport to the ship isn't there? Honey Will you unpack the Valium!? :confused: