There is nothing like the frenzy of trying to get ready for a trip, at least for me. The week before I’m trying to be as organized as possible, making lists, printing important papers, doing laundry. Contrast this with my husband, who somehow always seems to be doing his laundry at 9pm the night before we leave and throwing stuff into a suitcase around midnight. As I learned on this last trip, while many things in prepping for a cruise are similar to the week before you leave for Disney World, there are some thing specific to a cruise that are important to remember!
Pack
I highly recommend you do laundry and pack a few days before your trip, unlike Jason. I usually try to do the laundry the weekend before and pack up whatever I can that I won’t need in the next few days. There are some items that are specific to a cruise which you might need, so don’t forget those! You can find my complete list here, but some of the highlights include fish extenders (more on that later), a pirate costume, and wine.
Get eyebrows waxed, haircut, etc.
Maybe it sounds vain, but there are more photos of me on vacations than any other time, so if I’ve neglected to do any of these things now is the time to catch up!
Do laundry
All the basics need to be clean, plus any clothes I’m planning to bring!
Gather passports and important documents
Make sure you have your passports for your trip. While not every cruise necessarily requires it, it’s always a good idea to have it. Why? If something were to happen and you needed to leave an area outside of the country (say you’re in the Bahamas and there’s a death in the family back home and you need to fly back immedaitely), you won’t be able to get on a plane from there without your passport. Always good to have it in case of an emergency. You’ll also be mailed a book with your cruise documents and luggage tags, so don’t forget those either.
Purchase last minute items
I always seem to have a couple of last minute things I need to pick up, so make sure you leave the time to do that. Check that all of your medications are filled and you have enough for the trip, and that you have essentials like sunscreen, sunglasses, etc. These can be replaced but are usually more expensive in tourist destinations, so save money when you can. And be sure you have irreplaceable things like medications, glasses/contacts, etc.
Complete fish extender gifts
If you’ve chosen to participate in a fish extender exchange, make sure you have the gifts you are giving packed up and ready to go!
Clear pictures off of my camera
I like to make sure I have plenty of room to store photos, so I delete old ones off of my camera before I leave.
Check in to flight
24 hours ahead of time to get a good boarding zone!
Leave the Day Before
I cannot stress enough how important I think it is to leave the day before your cruise leaves. Unless you are within close driving distance, I would plan a night at a hotel near the port and then head to the cruise the next morning. You never know what can happen with travel plans. This past trip our flights were delayed, changed, and then delayed again, but luckily we were in Miami the day before so it didn’t matter too much. If you miss the boat, you’re out of luck. Ease the stress by making arrangements to arrive early.
Did you find this helpful? Also check out the Disney Cruise Packing List and What to do the month before you go on a Disney Cruise!
If you have 30 or more days left before your cruise, don’t forget to check out this post:
What do you do the week before you leave for a Disney cruise?
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