Monday, September 19, 2011

And so the checklists begin!

I have been obsessing about our cruise and am starting on a checklist. This is a compilation of many checklists suggested by several people on Cruise Critic. I know this will change, be added to, subtracted from ad nauseum!

Please add any thoughts you have to my current ideas!

Notes for our cruise
Important thought #1: IF YOU DON'T USE IT AT HOME ON ANY AVERAGE WEEK OF YOUR LIFE - DON'T BRING IT!

Important thought #2:Ten Essentials for Traveling Well:
•    Smiles
•    An open mind
•    Tolerance
•    Laughter
•    Flexibility
•    Mindfulness
•    Curiosity
•    Manners
•    Gratitude
•    Serendipity

Now the less important stuff:

CLOTHING, ETC.
•    Clothing and Shoes – formal, casual, gym
•    Lightweight rain ponchos
•    Sweater and/ or jacket
•    Umbrella
•    Poncho
•    Visor/hat

TOILETRIES
•    ShampooDisinfectant wipes
•    Purell or other waterless hand cleaner
•    Fabreeze air freshener
•    A small shower organizer to keep the soap and shampoo, razor, etc

PERSONAL ITEMS
•    Stain remover pen
•    Glasses – sunglasses, reading, and prescription
•    Extra pair of prescription glasses
•    Eyeglass repair kit
•    Bottle/can opener
•    Sewing kit
•    Cheap waterproof watch
•    Downy wrinkle release spray
•    Tool kit
•    Camelback

DRUGS, MEDICINES, ETC.
Medications
•    Prescriptions with doctor's letter + non-prescription
•    Prescription medications (4 month supply +)
•    Broad spectrum antibiotics
•    Diarrhoea (Pepto Bismol tablets, etc)
•    Vomiting
•    Cold and flu
•    Pain killers (aspirin, Tylenol, Advil, etc.)
•    Anti-histamines
•    Bonine or Dramamine
•    Anti-inflammatories
•    Benedryl
Ointments
•    Neosporin
•    Calamine lotion
•    Antiseptic ointment
•    Sunscreen
•    Lip balm
•    Sunburn cream
Miscellaneous
•    Moleskin
•    Band Aids
•    Insect repellent
•    Dental floss
•    First aid kit
•    Tweezers
•    Nail clippers
•    Emery board
•    Clear nail polish (nylon runs)
•    Rubber bands

ELECTRONIC ITEMS
USB copy of all paperwork – leave a spare USB with all details with Kathy
•    Itinerary
•    Airline tickets
•    Cruise tickets
•    Passports
•    Visas
•    Visa waivers
•    Insurance documents (health and travel)
•    Bookings for independent tours
•    Confirmations for rental cars
•    Labels pre-addressed for postcards to be sent
•    Copies of passport, credit card & important numbers incase you lose it
Wallet cards –
•    Credit and debit cards
•    Health fund
•    Medicare
•    Senior cards
Other
•    Kindle loaded with books
•    Binoculars
•    Waterproof bag for camera, money, etc when at the beach
•    Power strip
•    Extension cord
•    Walkie Talkies
•    Think about Skype while on the cruise
•    Mobile iphone with world clock and alarm clock, and walking tour apps loaded, phone card or International travel sim
•    GPS on cruise
•    iPod and charger
Camera –
•    Disposable underwater camera
•    Rechargable batteries for your digital camera
•    Battery charger (s)
•    Cell phone charger
•    Extra memory cards for your digital camera
Laptop computer
•    External hard drive to download photos and for email
•    Charger
•    Mouse

MISCELLANEOUS
•    Souvenirs from Tucson (postcards, key chains, pens,
•    Neck lanyard (2) for key card
•    International calling cards on sale for gifts to stewards
•    Glowsticks at dollar store
•    Guidebooks for your cruise desitnations
•    Swiss Army knife
•    Shamwow
•    Bring  my saguaro glasses? Where are they?

FOR THE ROOM
•    Chair Clips
•    Suction hooks (for balcony door), magnets
•    Clothes line and pegs
•    Banner and/or flag?
•    Luggage labels and boarding passes
•    Flashlight and spare AA/AAA (other?) batteries
•    Highlighter
•    Pens
•    Post it notes
•    Blu tack
•    Duct tape
•    World map with magnets to put up on wall
•    Other maps and guide books for ports of call
•    Large metal paper clips for hanging up wet bathing suits
•    Single $$ for tips and misc. Spending
•    Addresses of all those that you want to write postcards and letters to while on your cruise.
•    Ziplock bags (asst sizes)
•    A small pair of scissors
•    A bungie cord to hold open the sliding door to the balcony and/or hold the drapes open
•    Thermal coffee mug? Buy on board? Accordian file?
•    Thank you cards to leave for waiters and stewards. (They really appreciate them!) IDEAS
•    Ask for egg crate bed topping (very few usually available)
•    Don’t pack tshirts, you’ll buy them
•    I took the dollar bills, the candy bar and did a little Print Shop magic and created a label (shipping label size...6 t a page) thank you with a ship and my DH's name and my name too. (the quote says, "thank you for helping to make our cruise a memorable experience") Put all of this in a cello bag and stapled them shut. I made 18 of them.
•    Small knapsack for Randy to carry (otherwise it goes in my purse!)
•    Business cards with my email address for the new friends I will meet on the cruise
•    Indoor/outdoor thermometer?

LOOK UP
•    Anzac Cove and Gallipoli

FOR OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
•    A backpack or fanny pack (my Australian dil says not to say “fanny pack” but “bum bag”) for carrying things on shore excursions
Take with you on excursions
•    Your passports
•    Ship Cards
•    Credit Card
•    Cash
•    Tour Vouchers & Payment for Tours with tips
•    Waterproof Camera
•    Rain Ponchos
•    Thermal Bag with drinks & ice Bug spray
•    Sunscreen
•    Waterproof (water resistant) shoes
•    Sunglasses

TRIP IDEAS
•    Backpack for tours / Gifts (I take small clip on koalas/Aussie keychains  to give to children and guides we meet in ports)
•    Different nights on board, like Country/Western; White Night: plan clothes accordingly
•    Funny hats?
•    Weekly statement of onboard account
•    Many recommendations to do tours on our own
•    Kim’s, Bannisters, what else?
•    Walk in Rome, no tour
•    Auckland: penguin encounter at Kelly Tarlton’s www.kellytarlton.co.nz, there is a free shuttle bus to the site which leaves from across the road from the ferry terminal ... only a five to ten minute walk from the ship - it leaves every hour - on the hour and returns at 10 minutes to each hour. The entrance cost is $34NZ for adults, cheaper for over 65’s, with 10% discount if you book online beforehand. There is also a free shuttle which takes you round downtown Auckland.
•    Tahiti: Take the ferry to Moorea in the morning and do the Tahiti tour in the afternoon. The other way around often doesn’t work because of time constraints with the ship’s departure.

SHOPPING
•    Empty tote bag for carrying what you buy on shopping trips

Monday, September 5, 2011

Still months and months away

But planning is more than half the fun!

I should put in some of the details here: We are departing Sydney (SYD) on 16 May 2012 on the Sun Princess but we will leave the US before that First Class (!) on United Airlines to SYD.


Among other things, our 50th anniversary is right before we get on the ship so I want to find something to do on the 12, 13, 14 of May. Something spectacular and really romantic. Not to mention wanting to give Randy something to commemorate our spending 50 years together! Guys are NOT easy to buy for, however, so I will have to think about this for the next few months.

I also have to think about getting our reservations back home from SYD!

It may even be time to start some of our checklists. The one thing I'm sort of worried about is visas. We need visas for many, many countries. So I have to look into how to do that in a timely manner.