I am Sailing in 11 days and I am stressed!!!

[F22mom]

I can't believe that I have been planning this trip for a year now and I still have odds and ends to do. This is my second time on a cruise (1st one was on the Big Red Boat with Mickey- I am dating myself) and I still have questions. I am so sorry that I can't find these on the previous but I had made notes then my laptop died and that left all my notes buried with it (I don't know what backup means :)).

Here goes please help. I am going on he zuiderdam on the 17th-PanamaI am going with a girlfriend of mine and we are meeting up with strangers (hope to be friends) in a group tour. We thought we could wing it with some excursions but I don't know at this point. We booked a walking tour at HMC and then we would just lay around the rest of the day. I bringing a beach towel doubling as a beach blanket (also great for a airline blanket). should I reserve a beach chair? I think that is what I want to that day (jet lagged and all).

In Aruba. We have nothing planned but I read somewhere about tours other than the ship tours. Read somewhere about a guy who does tours. Can anybody tell his name? I want to see the sights on my own but I have a feeling I might haveto go alone on this. I want to do a jeep tour that I can accommodate myself or with a group of us. I really don't want to go off by myself because I have a bad sense of direction.

In curacao we are doing the trolley at 9:45. Any thoughts on that? Can we do things before that or will it take forever to get off the ship? It is 1 1/2 hrs so what do you do the rest of the time? We were thinking taxis and shopping and this is very unusual but we want to shop for fabric (we are quilters(we are) and seamstresses (she is but I am still challenged). any thoughts but i will be doing my research on that. Don't laugh because I have shopped for fabric in Hawaii and I have a quilt hanging in my living room that reminds me of the Islands.

Then onto Pamana. We are taking the Chagres River adventure and walk to cristbol. Thoughts on that? This is not dorky right? This is not a group tour that takes forever to get in a boat then all we do is eat and wait for people. We are actually going to see sights? I am looking forward to this but it does say moderate ability and she has some mobility problems.

Then she is going to take Veraqua Rain Forest Areil tram tour. I don't want to do this because it is for 5 hrs and I memory serves me right that the majority of the time could be spent just be getting on, getting off and eating. So I will be left behind which I don't mind but any thoughts that I could do. I heard not to go alone here.

Did I miss anything? I have made a formal dress(not bad looking -satin and simple and no mistakes hem needs to be done), I bought a cocktail dress for the second night and then had another dress that I need to fix that I got at the goodwill store (go to the upper end of town goodwill stores- I wanted to go to Beverly Hills but didn't have time). I have been packing and repacking -power cords, leaving the laptop behind, zipped everything in a plastic "suck the air out of bag" bag. I have packed the plastic shoe bag, the laundry bag, packed 4 pairs of dress capris, at least 8 shirts - tshirt and dress casual shirts, shorts and lay around capri pants, bathing suit and cover up(read the post about the lido dining dress code) and enough shoes to make Emelda Marcos proud (there I am dating myself again). Got the camera packed with the charger unit. My son will be giving me his high power binoculars(I have to be trained on these he said). Packed the cosmetics (used to be a flight attendant - I really know how to pack these) I have hair appointments(really need it badly)tanning sessions (raining in san diego this weekend - maybe doing the spray tanning- any thoughts),nail appointments, arrange the cat sitter (he sees the luggage and he does not like this), clean the house, throw a birthday party, finish a quilt challenge block (for the cruise- that is the group- it is only 12 inch block but it is giving me grief)and oh yeah do my job and look for a job (economy down for medicare insurance agents). So I really need a vacation. Am I stressing you out? Are we there yet?

Then I will be picking up the wine at Total wine that I need to order ( I have not yet tasted any wine that I want to bring on board any suggestions would be appreciated). Pick up soda because I am really a soda drinker than a wine drinker. There is a Publix or a Winn dixie near Total wine right? and then go on the ship:D

Thanks for all your information thru the year. I learned alot about cruising but I am a person who has to see it before I get a grasp on anything so I am still a newbie. Just can't wait.

Anybody out there that is participating in the quilting cruise on board give me holler. To others- we are not bad- we just like to quilt everything- beware. And we are little old ladies, we are fun loving people. We love our margaritas while we quilt- then we don't care what are blocks look like.

[Flindy&Doc]

Stressed? Yes, but it's happy stress! I can see you are a "detail" person and I can really relate to that. Looks like you have everything covered. Now just check it all over twelve more times and have a great cruise.:)

[6rugrats]

I can answer some of your questions.

 

I have been to Aruba many times, and there is no fabric store with quilting fabric. I don't know of any in Curacao either.

 

There are many tour operators who provide jeep tours on Aruba. A link to lots of them is here:

 

http://www.aruba.com/whattodo/jeeptour.php

 

Aruba also has an ostrich farm and a butterfly farm:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g147248-d310833-Reviews-Butterfly_Farm-Oranjestad_Aruba.html

 

http://www.arubaostrichfarm.com/

 

You do not need to bring a laundry bag, there is one in your cabin. You don't need a beach towel; they will provide towels for you on the ship and you can take them off for the beach. Do you have a lightweight pasmina or shawl or scarf for the plane instead? I also have never brought one of those over-the-door shoe bags, they take up room in my luggage and for me, there's plenty of storage in the bathroom without it. To each his own. Be careful of those vacumn bags; they can "help" you overpack and your luggage will be overweight. Also, your clothes can get horribly wrinkled.

 

I think renting a chair on HMC is a waste and they are in a really crowded section. We just pulled some chairs down the beach to a more secluded area where there was some shade and it worked great.

 

Can't advise as to wine, as I don't know what you like. If you aren't a wine drinker, try a fruity Sauvignon Blanc, or a Reisling or Gewurztraminer. Go someplace that will let you sample before you buy.

[Bakincakes]

How are you going to enjoy yourself?

 

I can't imagine winding myself up to that degree.:eek:

 

If a vacation was going to cause me that much stress I would probably opt to stay home and keep my blood pressure reading low.:)

[F22mom]

thanks for the suggestions. I feel the beach blanket is my security blanket. very packable and very nice looking too. No bother to pack. I know that the plastic bags can be nuisance for weight so I am really careful of that. So far I have 2 suitcases and one is just the shoes (I was a flight attendant so one pair was the only thing I could carry so I making it up for all the times when I couldn't bring more than one pair). Usually when I am at he beach I just dig a hole to carve for a chair (exercise, gives me something to do and I am not sitting straight up). I love all the wines listed. Love the red no dry and no really sweet white. Wine tasting soon before I leave but I can't fit it in yet.

[Ivystone]

Wow -- you are so organized! I just tend to throw everything (and yes I mean EVERYTHING) in a suitcase the night before :D. It sounds like you have all bases covered and you're going to have a great trip! Good luck with the quilting!!!

[ldog]

The first time we were at HMC we didn't book a clamshell. As it was the first day of our cruise we got badly burned even though we were under trees down the beach. It's worth the $14 for two chairs.

 

You can rent jeeps and book tours at most ports. Go to the ports of call section for specific information.

 

Stop stressing, relax and have a great cruise!

[suse]

I'm exhausted reading how stressed you are. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[mamaofami]

There is no charge at HMC for renting chairs. The $14 charge is for the clamshells. Two chairs fit under it. Chairs are free on the beach.

[COLLEYBERRY]

Breathe in deeply to a count of four ,hold for a slow count of seven, exhale to a slow count of eight. Repeat, now enjoy your cruise.:D

H:)ppy Sailings.

[F22mom]

Thanks I kinda slowed down when I was talking with a friend about my quilt block. That out of the way- simplify simplify. It is just me getting overhelmed. I will breathe and breathe.

[lakeboji]

Have you joined the Zuiderdam Roll Call for the February 17 sailing?

[ger_77]

Breathe in deeply to a count of four ,hold for a slow count of seven, exhale to a slow count of eight.

 

I love that - I just tried it and it really relaxes you quickly! Whenever I get stressed (which is pretty rare), I revert back to some Lamaze breathing, but I like the counting instead. Thanks!

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[MQU]

We did the Pananma Canal last year on Princess..We bought some really nice baskets from the Embera Indians and also some hand stitching which I can't remember what it was called but the name started with a M. (sorry just tired and can't think of the name.)

I got one in Panama and a bag in Columbia. Being a crafter I think you'd enjoy the workmanship. Relax and enjoy.

[COLLEYBERRY]

I love that - I just tried it and it really relaxes you quickly! Whenever I get stressed (which is pretty rare), I revert back to some Lamaze breathing, but I like the counting instead. Thanks!

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

When things get nuts at work ,I just say O.K girls , 4 7 8 . Usually gets a laugh, then everyone takes a moment to breathe and back into the battle we go:D

[cruznon]

We did the Pananma Canal last year on Princess..We bought some really nice baskets from the Embera Indians and also some hand stitching which I can't remember what it was called but the name started with a M. (sorry just tired and can't think of the name.)

I got one in Panama and a bag in Columbia. Being a crafter I think you'd enjoy the workmanship. Relax and enjoy.

 

You are talking about MOLAS. It's a native art form of the San Blas Indians that has become very popular in the last few years. Some of them are very intricate, some less so. Molas are wonderful. They can be framed or sewn into pillows, shirts, cotton bags/totes etc.

[caribbean girl]

Breathe in deeply to a count of four ,hold for a slow count of seven, exhale to a slow count of eight. Repeat, now enjoy your cruise.:D

H:)ppy Sailings.

 

 

Great advice any time...you will have PLENTY of time to practice on your cruise!:) Relax and enjoy the anticipation. Otherwise you may miss something. Have a great time on your cruise.