How many hours do you put in planning a cruise

[Grannycb]

I spend 2 hours planning and about 22 hours dreaming about the cruises every day.

 

DH - Maybe 10 minutes to pay the bill and decide where to park the car. ;)

[billco]

About the only planning I do is in trying to find the lowest cost for the cruise and air fare. I get bored real quick planning anything else. I do enjoy after the cruise looking up info on the places we went and putting captions on the pictures.

[cherylakers]

Like everyone has said hundreds of hours. I am an compulsive planner. For our Greek Isles cruise in September 2010, I already have hotels booked at both ends, private tours in Ephesus, pickup at Rome airport and transportation to cruise port.

 

With all the great recommendations here on CC it makes the planning much easier. The hotel rooms and private tours I have booked are all recommendations here on cruise critic.

 

I already know where we are going to cruise in 2011 and 2012. It's Alaska for 2011 and the orient for 2012. We will choose Princess for both of these and I have already started looking at the boards for which ship in Alaska and also time of year, etc. I will book these as soon as pricing becomes available.

 

I am a dreamer, so it's so much fun dreaming about these far away lands.

 

I don't do much planning anymore for the caribbean ones. We are going on the Emerald in October and have a very active roll call. We are just going to be beach bums on that cruise.

 

Have fun planning all

[grandbanksguy]

Like everyone has said hundreds of hours. I am an compulsive planner.

I am a dreamer, so it's so much fun dreaming about these far away lands.

 

Have fun planning all

 

I guess I’m with the majority, so I’ll cancel the psychiatrist appoint I have booked when we get back from Venice. But I do get depressed if I don’t have a trip to work on, so I’ll be at the Future Cruise Office on the Ruby in 2 week buying FCC’s. Most likely it will be the 17 day Vancouver to FLL through the Panama Canal. We went directly to the Airport when we disembarked from our Alaska cruise, so we will take a few days pre-cruise this time to explore Vancouver, Victoria Is and Whistler. But I think I’m getting ahead of myself. Need to go back up stairs and continue packing for Barcelona.

[Peanutboo]

So, I went with a so called friend/boyfriend (I use the term loosely) who bought books and did very little if any research and let me say, it was a nightmare. When we got into Rotterdam, he thought that was Amsterdam so we had no time to go to Amsterdam and find the train and such as he also did not want to spend the $$ to go via train. What a joy! I highly reccommend you do research before and plan each day out. I thought I could trust him when we went over stuff at my home but actually looking back, he counted every dollar and really did not plan as he conversed with me. Then to make matters worse he told me (which I knew based on the reccomendation) that the Gibraltar excursion is great. Yes, I admit the cute monkeys were cool at first but between all the crap droppings and nothing more than a dry cave..a waste of time! Cannes was crappy and nothing more than Atlantic City with a beautiful coastline. Go to Monaco. I heard its great. Cannes and Nice are dirty and its not nice. Gibraltar is a crappy port and no really good stores. Good ports were Brugge and thats because we ran into 2 folks that did their homework and we followed them all around! Lisbon was not bad..interesting but we did take the double decker bus and that helped but all he did was bitch because he had no other plans and did not plan anything out. Do I sound like I had a good time...hell no. It was a experience that I hope to forget just becaus e of the bitter company I was with..London is great but again he did not want to cruise around to look for a place to eat, he was happy with fast food because it was cheap. I went to Harrod Food Halls and a sushi bar. Not bad but by myself! Not fun....Barcelona is great but I have been there before and the guy I was with made it very much a long boring and terrible cruise. Do your homework. I cant stress it enough. Another lovely port was Ireland. Lovely shops, very picturesque. Ate at a fish and chips place and shared 1 dish because again he did not want to spend the money! I did the research on Paris however, it cost us 129.00 each for the bus ride and 5 hrs there and the Louve was closed which we knew but did nothing but walk to Notre Dame and back to the bus! Waste of money and he was not anxious to go anywhere else in Paris and all I heard about was how he wasted 129.00. Florence is fabulous but I wished so bad I was with someone else..Yes, we went to the shops..I spent around $400US and well worth it but again, we did not eat in any port other than pizza because he would not spend his money on food when in port! I never did taste the food of the various countries and I could not wait till this cruise ended. It was more about the company I kept than anything however, there were a few folks on the ship that were so rude to people, I was amazed. Perhaps they were as unhappy as I was but at least I was not rude to others. Food at dinner was good, I had fish almost every night. Lunches on the ship were cafeteria style and nothing to write home about. Entertainment was bleak and we only saw 2 shows s he always wanted to go to bed very early! How lovely! hahaha. Shops on the ship were very mediocre and I was glad when we finally docked in Rome which was the end of the cruise. He got taken by a taxi driver for an extra $40US which I felt bad but you would have thought it was his last dollar . Then to make matters worse he grabbed the wrong luggage of mine so I dragged a guys luggage from Russia for 7 hours until I discovered by trying to open the luggage that it truly was not mine. Yes, based on his lack of concentration, I suppose I should have double checked but this trip was all around a nightmare and was so happy to get home. One good thing that came out of all this..I broke it off completely with him even as friends and now I am seeing someone whom I have known who treats me like gold and is not thrifty. He booked a ski vacation for us in Aspen in December but this time, I am just holding the ticket until I decide that he is right for me and that the company I surround myself with will be exciting, fun, not afraid to spend and caring!! Moral of this story, dont just go with someone you are not 100% content with and who is super thrifty..even the cruise did not cost him much. He went via friends and family which basically is a 75% discounted rate. I am not ungrateful..just sharing my thoughts on some of the ports and what my experience was like. Hope yours was way better than mine. I will back in Europe but firmly planted on the ground and maybe do Queen Mary 2 or a Royal Carribean with someone special down the road. Its hard to see Europe's wonderful countries in 8 hours.:eek:

[envy4u]

toooooo many hours but that is half the fun :)

[sillysailor 1955]

Way too much time. Let's put it this way...if I got paid for the time I spent planning it....I'd be a millionaire.:D

[mytime53]

Wow, I'm feeling way better about myself now that I see my answer is not original!

Right before I saw this thread, what was I thinking? "Gee, I could really get the house clean if I spent 1/2 the time I'm spending on planning this cruise cleaning instead." I was also thinking back to our first cruise and how easy it was.

Friends: Guess what? We're taking our first cruise!

Us: Where to? Mexico Riviera? Spring Break? Do you mind if we go too?

Friends: That would be great!

Telephone call to TA: Diane, what's the deal with the Spring Break Cruise Special you have?

Us: That includes airfare? Count us in. Here's my cc#, I'll stop by tomorrow to sign the slip.

2 months later:

Me: Honey, we have to stop at Nordstrom's on the way to the airport, so can we leave 30 minutes early tomorrow?

Next day:

Me: I knew I'd find a dress for formal night at Nordstrom's...let's get to the airport!

No joke, that was it. Now, I spend forever comparing prices with what we'd like to do, checking to see if there's any downside to that location at that time of year, checking the airfare, excursion possibilities...

And we never just do a cruise, so there's the part before and after to plan and check prices on. The better I get at it, the more there is to do.:(

[mycruz]

Yep, me too, lots of time planning and planning. I've been accused of booking way too many hotels pre-cruise. I grab a good deal when I see it then shop around for an even better deal, but it's got to be a nice place!

 

OK, admit, I even check out the ports on Google Earth! I need to have a lay fo the land so to speak! Need to see where the ship will dock and where I am going, that way I feel more comfortable and like I know where I am going.

 

mytime53, say hello to Sarah for me;)

[mytime53]

[quote name=mycruz;21562896 I've been accused of booking way too many hotels pre-cruise. I grab a good deal when I see it then shop around for an even better deal' date=' but it's got to be a nice place!

 

 

mytime53, say hello to Sarah for me;)[/quote]

 

I know you say that facetiously, but we do actually know her. Talked to her parents the other night, but we rarely ever see her. She's kind of busy...not lazy like me.

 

I not only book too many hotels, but too many car rentals, too.

[abbydancer2003]

Love this thread.

 

My husband says my motto is "If it's worth planning it's worth overplanning".

 

I point out that we've never had a travel disaster, or been very disappointed with a trip.

 

For our upcoming cruise, I bought a guide book 18 months out and went through it to get an idea. I then bought a couple more when the trip was about 10 months out - one is in my purse with little post it flags to mark stuff.

 

When the new books come out, I'll buy a Buenos Aires book for my Kindle.

 

I booked our Washington DC hotel and car months ago, and our BA hotel when bookings opened (that one was on points, and when I tried to go to Hawaii on points a while ago I had to get an exception because the Kauii Marriott sells out their point reservations within 30 minutes of opening them up - a problem for west coasters).

 

I visit Cruise Critic daily.

 

I enjoy it all, though. My husband is a "just give me the big picture and tell me how much it's going to cost" guy, but he will look over things and discuss them with me. His usual comment when I tell him I'm changing something is that I should just wait because it will change 3 more times.

[DNArocks]

I spent more hours preparing for my recent Alaska trip than I have on all of my other vacations combined. CC was a big, happy part of that. I knew I probably would not be able to return, so I wanted to be certain to choose excursions wisely. I found that by reading this blog I was able to know what to expect and not expect on a cruise. I was prepared for all the idiocysnracies of the Pacific Princess. It helped make it the best vacation ever.

 

Go ahead and prepare. It can be kind of like foreplay.

[floatel_lvr]

... Go ahead and prepare. It can be kind of like foreplay.

 

I guess you would be fun to cruise with... :D

[ggprincess2004]

The task happily expands to fill the hours available with joyous anticipation, and some unexpected moments of glee when dollars already "spent/committed" are saved with a price reduction, better deal.

 

And then when once in a lifetime experiences are discovered and included in the travel plan.:)

 

Translation - as much time as possible!

[Minoushka]

Well my South American cruise is almost all planned .I found hotels in Santiago-Vina del mar and Buenos Aires.I booked 2 tours to the most popular destinations and will wing it when I get to other places .CC members one in particular has sent me many videos of where we are going .That has been very helpful.It really gives you a taste of things to come One thing I did find is SA is NOT CHEAP >>>FAR FROM IT!!!

Part of the fun of cruising is the ADVENTURE of it all and I look forward to seing different things and experiencing different countries.I do not feel I need to plan every waking moment.Hopefully we will see glaciers,mountains and fabulous scenery which is my aimA little good shopping would be nice I'm hoping for the best ...a little OBCESSED with warning about pickpockets ...YUCK!!!!!!!!!

 

I feel sorry for the lady who travelled with a CHEAP Bf ...sweety you should have done your own thing right from the start and left it him behind esp if from the beginning you were not happy.I would have gone everywhere without him Why spoil your trip???

I learned that from past experience ..if the person is NOT compatible ...in your case cheap...go do your own thing

I haVe friends I see here I would never travel with because of the way they say they travel ....they cut tips ..I say no fair,they do not visit if it costs $$$$ nor go on excursions and are VERY frugal ...in my mind a little TOO frugal....No thanks I prefer travelling with my sons .They follow my lead like adventures and are GREAT travelling companions

 

Michele

[mycruz]

I know you say that facetiously, but we do actually know her. Talked to her parents the other night, but we rarely ever see her. She's kind of busy...not lazy like me.

 

I not only book too many hotels, but too many car rentals, too.

 

Oh, forgot about the car rentals, I think I have two booked in each port for the Hawaiian cruise! maybe I need to go take a look at that again.

 

Actually I was pretty certain you did know her! I'm sure she is a very busy lady doing much more important things than planning another cruise. Thanks

[bjkTX]

How many hours??? I have no idea - as many as it takes I guess :-) I'm the trip planner and organizer and I enjoy it. I research the various cruises, prices, options, excursions and book the cruises. I do a lot of research for the cruise on CC, then start the process of booking flights and hotels. What is frustrating to me lately is we have been booking cruises 18 months or more in advance and you can't get flights and hotel reservations that early :-) We have a cruise next week, and this week I've been corresponding with folks in Seattle concerning out cruise from there in May. Haven't started on the Feb 2011 cruise yet - but soon :-)

 

I fall into the "I can't sit around doing nothing" category so sea days are not my friend, and I want to have a "plan" for every day. DW is just the opposite and could sit a read a book on the balcony all day. So I build in compromise - when I can.

 

The planning is part of the fun for me, I know it ruins the fun for others, but it works for me - however many hours it takes over the 18 months!

[retired rascal]

I'm glad I don't count the number of hours because my husband would surely tease me for the rest of my life.....I know it's waaay to many. First, picking the cruise....we generally know the area we want to go to. Then the cruiseline....14 day Hawaii in January will be our first on Princess. Then the cabin, the excursions, the roll-call board, the destinations board, the departure port board....and it's all part of the fun. If the cruise lasts 14 days, the fun lasts for months. Good thing I'm retired or I'd get fired.

[paul929207]

I'm glad I don't count the number of hours because my husband would surely tease me for the rest of my life.....I know it's waaay to many. First, picking the cruise....we generally know the area we want to go to. Then the cruiseline....14 day Hawaii in January will be our first on Princess. Then the cabin, the excursions, the roll-call board, the destinations board, the departure port board....and it's all part of the fun. If the cruise lasts 14 days, the fun lasts for months. Good thing I'm retired or I'd get fired.

I am like you, I do all of our travel planning. Finding the cruise is the easy part. Then there is air, and pre-cruise hotel, sometimes post-cruise also. Excursions - both from the ship and finding independent ones. Checking the roll call. And keeping track of all

[cruiserbryce]

i actually find that all the planning helps count the time until we sail. The planning doesnt actually take up too much time...I am sure I am like everyone else though...I dont just book the first thing we see that fits our plans, we watch rates to see if we may be able to save a little money as time goes by

[GranmaFL]

I have been at this about as long as Renmar. We are going on the same Grand Princess Mediterranean in November and booked it in February. I call it my altzheimer prevention projects; learning new things and creating those synapses. When I start planning a trip like this with 11 ports and very little knowledge of any of them... Of course, it wouldn't be possible to plan independent tours without the help and reports of all the previous cruisers. Thank you all.

 

Joyce

[somogirl]

John Lawrence DVD

What is this? Sounds interesting.

[mycruz]

This is a great DVD on the Baltic ports with one of the best cruise directors John Lawrence. If you are planning on a Baltic cruise, I highly recommend you ordering one of these before you go. He does a great job with the different ports on transportation, what to see where to shop, etc.

[somogirl]

This is a great DVD on the Baltic ports with one of the best cruise directors John Lawrence. If you are planning on a Baltic cruise, I highly recommend you ordering one of these before you go. He does a great job with the different ports on transportation, what to see where to shop, etc

 

 

 

Would I be able to order this on Amazon?

[WeBeGone]

I spend a TON of time planning - especially for non-caribean cruises.

I create a notebook with each port having it's own folder. I print my maps and research and file. I take a hole puncher with me and put the Patters in the notebook as we go along so that when we get home, I have a scrapbook to go with the photo album.

 

I book tours indendently. I plan and plan so that we waste no time once the ship docks. We're usually the first ones off and the last ones back aboard. I rent videos that cover the various ports so that we have our history in our heads before we start sightseeing. I'm on cruise critic daily, participate in the roll call, and read, read, read. We arrive in our departure port a week in advance so I do all the flight, hotel, city planning to boot.

 

What does my dear husband do? Goes along for the ride - gotta love it!