21 Things to Do the Last Week Before your Cruise
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 14 окт 2024
- There's a lot to do to get ready for a cruise, especially in the last 7 days! Be prepared for your upcoming cruise with this cruise countdown checklist of things to do the last week before your cruise.
From online check in to last minute packing, this pre-cruise checklist will help you to stay organized for your cruise, & ensure that you don't forget a thing.
If you're going on a cruise for the first time, this is a must-watch. Here is what first time cruisers should do before every cruise. There have been changes in some embarkation day procedures, & this video is full of helpful cruise tips for new cruisers, as well as seasoned cruisers.
Things to do before a cruise for Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, Virgin Voyages.
RESOURCES I RECOMMEND
🛳 THE ULTIMATE CRUISE PLANNER 🛳
Get the Life Well Cruised ULTIMATE CRUISE PLANNER ($10 off for a limited time). The printable planner includes 47 pages of checklists, packing lists, shore excursion forms & more! here: lifewellcruise....
______
Please note that this video is not sponsored. The links in this description are affiliate links, meaning that I will make a commission on purchases you make through my links, at no extra cost to you.
As Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
CRUISE ESSENTIALS
Passport holder wallet: amzn.to/3f6VqNW
Hanging toiletry bag: amzn.to/3Nb8fFY
Carry-on bag: Nautical carry on bag: amzn.to/2TH7L3T
Packing cubes set: amzn.to/3wF1syG
Clear TSA approved liquid bags: amzn.to/49AEmdD
No surge power bar: amzn.to/3NCRu7d
Over the door organizer: amzn.to/3Dx2m1N
Electronics organizer: amzn.to/3wpIvxK
Magnet hooks: amzn.to/3wZgj77
Magnet clips: amzn.to/37bNh9W
Towel clips: amzn.to/3b4cj9V
Towel band with clips: amzn.to/3XrB1aR
Cruise lanyards: amzn.to/3uNZBFb
Cruise card holder: amzn.to/3EWtRUL
Travel binoculars: amzn.to/3iRzO9P
Travel jewelry bag: amzn.to/2SY190s
Poo-Pourri: amzn.to/3vJCaM8
Waterproof phone cases on lanyards: amzn.to/3iXCuT6
Waterproof waist pouch: amzn.to/3AqMSeK
Travel alarm clock: amzn.to/3iYuYXN
Night light (motion sensor): amzn.to/33eMEqP
Laundry hamper: amzn.to/2YMyJtw
Water shoes: amzn.to/3G14O1g
Lock box safe: amzn.to/3ibZkqQ
Reef safe sunscreen: amzn.to/3rHUlRS
Aloe vera: amzn.to/3BSz1gX
Travel hairdryer: amzn.to/3xOxndy
Coverup: amzn.to/3gO5T1Z
Travel fan: amzn.to/3uMc24t
Collapsable bottles: amzn.to/3tXCtVw
Bonine: amzn.to/3NE87zo
Seabands: amzn.to/3LxvLvt
Ginger candies: amzn.to/370LBzP
Travel luggage scale: amzn.to/3tIbzAX
AirTags: amzn.to/3tIOttp
Binoculars: amzn.to/3pMWbUD
Luggage tag holders:
*Royal Caribbean: amzn.to/3tvNzB5
*Celebrity: amzn.to/3JB36Fk
*Norwegian: amzn.to/3JzGiFP
*Princess: amzn.to/3wvgW8t
*Carnival: amzn.to/3uhaUFM
*HAL: amzn.to/3tz7tLs
MSC: amzn.to/3PLkMU4
Level8 Luggage (save 10% with code LIFEWELLCRUISED10): www.kqzyfj.com....
ULTIMATE CRUISE PLANNER: lifewellcruise....
More Items we LOVE @ Life Well Cruised Amazon Store: amzn.to/3QaoV29
_______
FTC LEGAL DISCLOSURE - Some links found in the description box of my videos are affiliate links, meaning that I will make a commission on purchases you make through my links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products and services that I personally like and trust.
_______
*Business inquiries & media: please contact Ilana at lifewellcruised@gmail.com
Please note that I am unable to give personal cruise and travel advice. If you leave a comment I try my best to answer.
ABOUT ME
Hi! I'm Ilana! I live in Montreal, Canada with my husband Frank. We can often be found dreaming about and planning future cruises, ideally to hot and sunny destinations! I believe in having fun, being kind and that you are never too old, or too young, to live the life of your dreams!
Please note that I do not sell cruises on Life Well Cruised. This and all other videos are for entertainment purposes only. I share my own opinions, personal experiences and information with other cruise travellers, which I hope can be helpful. Please contact your travel agent or the cruise line directly for advice and any information specific to your booking.
Some of the B-Roll footage used in this video courtesy of RCCL and HAL
____________
Music Credit: Surf Time by Lux-InspiraMusicMusic
Planning a cruise? Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner. It's a 47 page cruise travel planner with packing checklists, shore excursion planning forms and much more! ($10 off for a limted time). Details here: lifewellcruised.com/ultimate-cruise-planner/
I splurged and got it. It covers pre-planning (dream stage), booking, budgeting, onboard reservations, port of call info, embarkation & disembarkation checklists and more. I did feel it was worth it as I plan on taking more cruises.
we are taking our first cruise together after being married for two years we are going on celebrity reflection to the ABC islands December 9 to the 17th 2023. Very excited and so helpful Your channel has been. thank you, Ilana. Nancy 11/26/23 11:29am
We took our first cruise last September. It was for 11 days. EVERYTHING Ilana suggested helped us so much. Especially the hooks. DON'T FORGET THE HOOKS. The foldable clothes hamper came in so handy. Her suggestions to take the time to determine if upgrades would suit your purpose and budget was invaluable. We upgraded everything and it made all the difference in terms of our restaurant and cocktail enjoyment. Ilana's video on an aft balcony is what made us decide on it and it made all the difference in our relaxation. We didn't discover Ilana until after we had booked our trip, but luckily it was almost a year prior to leaving so that we had that entire time to watch her videos, take notes, download the Ultimate Cruise Planner, etc. On our embarkation day, we were completely ready and confident. This is the BEST cruise channel on You Tube. Thank you Ilana.
So glad you had an awesome cruise!! Thanks for sharing & for your kind words
Yep your information is priceless and those hooks a lifesaver and I just bought the clip-ons for my cruise in May for my towel👏🏽💯💯
Yassssum those hooks 👏🏽💯
😊
I have 27 days until my next cruise and literally every waking hour is spent obsessing about my cruise!! 😊🎉😂
My wife and I are going on our 2nd cruise ever...first without kids next month. We are celebrating 25 years of marriage. I am a cancer survivor so this is an extra huge deal. Your videos are so helpful. Thank you for sharing!
Cruising to Alaska in 26 days! My first solo cruise after my husband's death - will be bittersweet. Celebrating a "BIG" birthday and I thought it needed a big event. We cruised ALOT together and he was the one who got all organized. Your videos have been so helpful! Thank you🙏
So sorry for your loss. I hope you have a lovely cruise.
@@pinksnoopydancer thank you🙏
One other "before you leave" item: Check on your auto-ship deliveries like Chewy, Misfits, Hungry Root, Hello Fresh...you don't want a box on the porch to attract undue attention, and the contents will spoil.
unless of course you have a house sitter
This is fantastic! I would just add that you should contact your bank and/ or credit card and let them know you will be traveling. My card actually had an online form. You want to let them know you will be traveling so that your vacation charges will not be flagged as fraud and your card doesnt get shut off mid-trip.
Yes, good tip.
Only 122 more days till we sail away. One thing we do before we leave the house is shut off the main water supply in case a toilet springs a leak
Great advice
Good idea.
Mail hold, and I set a couple of timers to turn some lights on and off to make it look like someone is home
I add 1/2 cup bleach to the toilets after turning off the water. I found it kept them from getting stained for 9 days. We have hard water in Florida.
We do too
Great advice. A coupe of things: Before packing and leaving on your trip, research to make sure what clothing and over-the counter medications are prohibited by the country you are traveling to on the cruise and if staying before or after. Some clothing, like camouflage, are prohibited by many places, including things like hats and backpacks. Also, in different countries (like Mexico and Japan) things as simple as Claritin D or Sudafed are illegal because it contains pseudoephedrine. Better to be safe and do your research before your cruise than sorry later.
What website did you use to check medication allowed in
I take photos of not only the passports but driver's licenses and credit cards just in case we lose them and have to notify the CC company - and that number is on the back of the credit card! Also, I take a photo of everything before we pack in case the luggage is lost and have to file a claim. Definitely, print out everything. Nothing worse than standing behind someone who is scrolling through 10,000 photos to find the check-in documents (We were behind such a person!). Great show as always, Ilana.
If you have prepaid for spa and/or excursions.. always check the ship's app after them to make sure you are not charged again. This has happened to us twice already on this cruise and we are barely four days in. Be vigilant. Before you leave hone bring ALL necessary paperwork and tickets. One I did, the other only brought part of paperwork but will take it up with Princess after I get back home, with paperwork in front of me. The second I have all paperwork, headed down there now to get it sorted.
Overall, has been a good cruise so far but totally different than Carnival (prior to pandemic).
I also heard that we should take a photo of the barcode page of the passport too
It's also a good idea to pack extra reading glasses so you can at least read the menus if something happens to them.
As always, great advice. We even put our luggage in the car the night before so in the morning, we get ready, grab just my purse, a coffee, and go! I get very excited and tend to pack early. We even keep a carry-on packed with cruise essentials year round. Lol. Things like magnet hooks, thank you cards for crew, dry erase boards, highlighters, cheap sunglasses (from the dollar store lol If I lose them or break them, no big deal) etc. I check the bag about month before sailing and recheck it a week before to make sure all my goodies have been replenished. (Like reef friendly sunscreen, waterproof phone lanyards, a fanny pack, waterproof back packs, tide sticks, downy wrinkle , and lint brushes! Lol, the list goes on and on.) There are so many little things we bring and keeping them in one place year round has kept me from forgetting them. Then we keep an additional carry-on sized bag for snorkeling gear, towels, and waters shoes. Things we use in Bermuda, the Bahamas, and Caribbean. Our next cruise is in Feb. (Carribean) so we will need both of our already ready already bags next trip. 🎉
We cruise in 8 days but leave in 6 days. All of these items are such a huge help!
45 days for our Wonder of the Seas cruise, we have been prepared with our paperwork for months! Our last cruise was 13 years ago and my excitement is over the top😊
I usually make a large meat loaf to have the night before we leave for our vacation. It is easy on the stomach and very simple to prepare. The best part is that I make it large enough so that I freeze half of it and have that for when we return.
Excellent choice! I think I may do the exact same thing!
Must haves: magnetic hooks, water shoes, cheap sunshades/readers, European outlet adapter, rain poncho, portable fan!
We are on the Regal Princess cruise now.
I don't know about other countries, but Canadians can register their travel plans online with the government so if there is any trouble, they know that a Canadian is there.
Only would add one thing: if you do not have anyone living with you, or have someone to look after the home, then get your Uber or taxi ride from a different address.
I knew a couple who would walk to the end of their street and get picked up there. These driver’s can and will sell information regarding empty homes from where they did a pick up
Wow, this is the first time hearing this tip.
@@conspiracybeliever1749 I learned this tip while living in Fort Lauderdale. A friend explained that his neighbor was using a taxi to get to the airport. When he got home, someone had broken into his home. After an investigation, the police found that the taxi service was selling information about his fares that were leaving town.
So from then on, my friend would take his luggage and walk to the end of his street.
Airplane ✈️ mode!
Very important!
My husband and I are finally looking into booking our first cruise together. I went on a Royal Caribbean cruise 18 years ago so I'm sire it has all changed like the rest of the world! Lol! We're looking at a Mediterranean Cruise with NCL and they're showing that flights are included... can you or anyone else tell me if this is a good idea? We don't want to be flying from Tampa, FL all the way over there with a shady airline and on a shady airplane ✈️... Hopefully someone out there has had some experience with this! BTW: just found your channel and I'm benge watching them all! Lol! Great info! Thx
One important tip: Unless you are a frequent world traveler, let your bank/credit card company know that you will be traveling--at least generally when and where. A lot of times when they see unusual activity on your card, they may try to contact you, or even (if they can't reach you) possibly put a freeze on your account if they believe your card was stolen. It also makes sense to use the same card (if possible) for all your travel needs, so they can recognize the pattern in your travel spending, and so you won't have to inform several different companies about your trip.
Ilana, we keep coming back to you as the most practical, info-packed cruise channel on YT! We are leaving for our next cruise in *exactly* 2 weeks, and this video could not have come at a better time. Thanks for making the effort to accumulate all your experience to help make our cruises great! And the LWC Travel Planner was worth *every* penny!
How exciting!! Have an amazing cruise & thanks so much for your awesome feedback 👏
It is worth every penny! I use it every cruise!
I bought the cruise planner a long time ago and have never been able to find it to download
@@lynnleipold2617 I’d love to help! Can you please send me an email at lifewellcruised@gmail.com? I’ll make sure that you are able to download the cruise planner :). Thanks, Ilana
@@LifeWellCruisedcan we take supplements in the bottles
I've been watching so many of your videos the past 6 months as I have been getting ready for my first cruise, and the timing of this video is perfect. The cruise leaves on November 27, so I am less than 2 weeks away and have already started doing some of these.
I’m going on my first cruise this summer. I’ll be gone almost 3 weeks. One thing I recommend is turning off your water especially if you live in a multi family building.
As always, great advise! A packing cube holds all our ‘cruise essentials’, ready for the next trip without having to find our stuff. :)
I always make digital copies of all documents (passports, reservations, boarding passes, luggage tags, final cruise invoice, etc) and put them in a folder on my phone. A good back-up for any lost documentation....
One thing that I do that you haven't mentioned is make a copy of my luggage tags and put the copy in my luggage. That way if your luggage tag is torn off, the cruise line can at least know which room the luggage should go to. Luggage tags do come off once in a while. Never happened to me, yet. Did happen to one of my groups I was on once. It took them until the next morning before they got their luggage.
Do you have video on how you fold your clothes ? You seem to be able to pack more in your suitcase than I can
We always make arrangements to have our yard mowed, snow shoveled, etc. We tell a neighbor that their visitors may park in out driveway too.
Leaving for Buenos Aires/Antarctica in 92 days! Bucket list to visit all continents. Asia is next and last. A passenger on an earlier cruise said that she brought magnetic hooks and a shower curtain and hung the curtain from hooks on her ceiling between her roomie’s and her twin beds for a little privacy! 😮
I needed my first aid kit when I last cruised. I was able to find Benadryl in the cruise gift shop. $15 but well worth it. Bringing it along on my next cruise.
Thanks for the tips, freezing a dinner for your return home is such a great idea! Love your cruise planner, so helpful, using page protectors in a binder. So helpful. 😊
Princess Discovery May 2024🥰🥰
😮I'm 3 days before I cruise on November 18th.
Phone on board. Yes, the safest is Airplane mode, but you won't be able to receive cellular calls (which some plans allow). You should also be safe if you turn off Data Roaming in Networking (Android) until you get somewhere where you have service.
Taking a cruise to Alaska with my father in May. My mom passed away last year so this is a little stressful for me to be the "organizer" of this trip. Thanks for the tips. It is helpful to have them all laid out.
Thank you for this. We're taking our first cruise in 3 days!
Thank you so much. I found your videos helpful, even essential to our preparations. Most appreciative.😊
4 of us girls are cruising this June from Barcelona to Dover- London, a 9 day cruise. 2 of us are turning 70 so it’s our Birthday cruise. We have all cruised before and are excited about going together!
Another great video. We take a photo of our prescription bottles on our phone; it shows the prescription, dosage and contact info for our pharmacist. We also have a designated wallet just for travel; that way we can take only what is necessary. On a longer cruise don't forget to have someone check your home and water your plants.
Hi everyone we are going on our 2nd cruise in 10years in Feb 11-18 on the new Celebrity Ascent. So excited! Been watching so many RUclips video I don't know if i am coming or going. LOL But I think Life Well Cruised has been a lot of help
Perfect, thank you. 6 days away from departure!
Taking my first big 7 day cruise this Sunday and I’m so excited! Perfect timing lol
So exciting!! Enjoy!!
Very thorough lists….so comprehensive….you reminded of a few things I might have forgotten 😍
Whenever I travel, I always notify my bank of the dates I’ll be gone, and where I’m going. My sister’s bank once froze her credit card when she was on vacation in Mexico, so ever since then, we always make sure the bank knows!
Have been watching your tips and tricks for nearly a year now since we booked our very first cruise coming January 2024! Getting so close we can’t stand it! Thank you for the content!
Leaving on my first cruise on January 7. These tips are so helpful, thanks!
Fantastic idea about a meal waiting in the freezer! So much to do and plan and I work a lot. We leave on the Celebrity Beyond in a month. Eeks! We also put out our kitty cam so when we have good Internet, we can see the fur babies!
Thirty days until our side by side cruise. We are experimenting to see if we like long cruises on 1 ship or break it up into two separate ships. We are doing 4 days on Royals Allure then immediately jumping on Carnival for 4 days.
We always print everything off. We printed off our hotel reservations for our hotel in Miami. She found 1 reservation but not the other. I had the reservation confirmation too. She never charged us for the hotel room. It was $425 a night.
This is such good information! I don’t know if you mentioned arrangements for pets (I was multitasking 😅) but have pet care, medications and emergency contact info for them ready to go for their caretaker.
Perfect timing per usual. Been watching your vids for almost a year! Sailing away in 25 days. I’m so excited and nervous but between you and lifewithusTV me and the fiancé are well prepared. Love your videos!!
We sail away on Monday for the Bahamas and Mexico! I can't wait to see how excited my kids will be on this trip! I have never felt so prepared for anything like I am for this trip, so thank-you for all of your wonderful videos. I am not much of a shopper, but my family now jokes that my "van is outside" when the Amazon Prime driver arrives. Maybe one day I will run into you on a cruise and be able to thank-you in person!
10 days for us! Thanks for the tips 😊
2 days to go!
Thanks for the tips ❤
8 days! Timely advice! Thank You So Much!!!!
My next cruise is March 23rd 2024
I am leaving for a Cruise on Sunday this will help a lot thank you!
Enjoy!!
I am going on my very first solo cruise very soon. I am flying from Toronto to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday, the day before my cruise. Not taking any chances of missing the ship. lol
My first cruise is 2-2 to the Caribbean. For my 40th birthday!!!! I’m so excited
Notify your credit card company you’ll be traveling.
I'm 6 days out for my first cruise ever doing the Baltic cruise on the ncl dawn going with my widow travel club
I'm going to stockholm Sweden, hellinski Finland, riga, klaipeda, humberg Germany, gdynia poland, oslo Norway, berlin Germany, cophogen Denmark, luftrania, gotlen Sweden.
LAUNDRY - Some ships offer self service laundry, RCL offers a flat fee for a bag. When I'm on travel for more than a week, I do laundry and make sure to have the most clean items as possible when I return home. That way I can put it away the day I return home.
Sailing in seven days. How appropriate. Thanks!
I have 18 days and your information is really helpful
Leaving on our first cruise in 12 days 🚢
I love all of the information you provide!! I ordered your planner about 2 years ago and use it with EVERY cruise I go on!!! It’s such a helpful tool! I also recommended it to others! Thanks again for all you do for the cruising community!!!!
8 days away from leaving so very topical, for us. Thanks!
We are going on our first RC in 6 more days. We are so excited!!!
Leaving in 2 weeks for the southern Caribbean. Many of these things are already taken care of, but you have the most informative, practical advice on the internet for cruise prep. and what to expect. Thank you.
14 Day Southern Caribbean cruise on Carnival Conquest. January 28th. Sailing out of Miami! Can hardly wait!!!
Great video we are 44 days on sky princes for new years !!
Your channel taught me so much... about to be on my first cruise in 3 weeks!
MSC Seashore Tomorrow from Port Canaveral.
We have a short cruise in 3-weeks. We cruise frequently but I still love the tips. I always learn something new.
My next cruise is May 19, 2024. We are flying out May 16th so we have a few days in Seattle.
Great to meet you onboard Rotterdam, Ilana! Re: Travel Insurance, I always now advise people to PRINT their insurance details, rather than just storing the e-mail. I recently fell ill on a cruise ship, and was amazed that the medical team needed to see my insurance documents before they could do anything. The last thing you need when unwell is to be filtering through e-mails - just print it out and keep it in the drawer in your cabin - just incase!
85 days till we go. So excited
All good tips by Ilana & guest comments. We just booked our first RC cruise about a month ago, depart 24 November. We’re all set & appreciate many of the tips. We’re off to the Bahamas out of Baltimore. Baltimore’s Cruise Port is right up the road, no airlines involved. Keep it All Simple.
I'm doing a classic rock music charter departing from Miami in April 2024. This video was so comprehensive and informative. Saved!
We are departing for our cruise on 21 March from Ft Lauderdale on Ruby Princess for the ocean to ocean Panama Canal cruise to Los Angeles.
I have a trusted housecleaning service who come in whilst I travel. Nothing like a shiny home upon return. Yes to having a meal in the freezer or grocery deliver list ready to go. I love your todo lists.
Our next cruise is on resilent lady on December 16th, so 25 days away, were so excited :)
You have outdone yourself with this video. I just want to let you know. I have saved this video and I’m using it to create my to-do list, and I’ll probably do so more than once.
Perfect timing as we leave on our cruise next Friday 😊
Have fun! 🛳️👏
Leaving in 6 days and STI EXCITED but scared I'll forget something lol for one of us. Living room is becoming a packing station and I'll not at all mad about it😅
23 more days for me. 7 day Alaska, on the Bliss.
Great tips! Some I never even thought to do. I'm cruising in 74 days!🚢
Thank you so much for all of your detailed informations… helps so much for first time cruiser like me ❣️
2:58
I'm just got the paperwork for my very first passport done back in October. It will be in the mailbox by Dec. (paid extra for the Express Mail. Definitely worth)!
Check the forms BEFORE you fill it out!
The ones I got was from my local post office. Turns out they were the "Out of date" forms!
For example, the one I had -
Sex:
M
F
The NEW one (up to date version) have -
Sex:
M
F
X
Since you can't make ANY changes or mistakes on the form, I had to redo the ENTIRE thing All over again 😖 !! Luckily, I had my "cheat sheet" , so I didn't have to remember parents' birthdays, SSN, and stuff like that!
Still was a pain in the questor, so make sure forms are up to date!
Oh no!! Thanks for sharing this
Great tips! Our cruise embarks Nov 27th; I need to go get our cruise money.
One additional home prep tip: We always turn off the water at the main water valve in the basement when we leave for vacation. Our hot water heater failed during a trip once, and the basement had an inch of water in it waiting for us when we returned home.
I would just add to water your plants before you go too. My bank is slow with foreign currency so I usually do that a month before.
Leaving January 25 first cruise ever have 4 others planned this year…so excited and your videos have been extremely helpful…thank you…
I'm driving quite a distance to get to the cruise port so I have some vehicle readiness things on my list
First time cruisers here! Cruising Western Caribbean on Celebrity Apex at end of January. Very excited. Your videos have been invaluable in our preparation. Thank you!
Going on my first cruise as an adult and your videos have definitely helped me.
We leave Black Friday! Timely advice...thanks
We do as well!
I love your channel! I am going on my first cruise I. January 2025 on princess. These videos have helped so much! I purchased a large tote so when I get cruise items, I pack them in the tote so when it gets nearer, I’ll have all my stuff In one place to go through and pack in the suitcases. Thanks again for all the help!
9 days!
So many good tips, I like the take a picture of passport and send to a friend! Also prepare a meal for your return. i always clean out the refrigerator but never thought about the return. Thanks keep the videos coming.
We sail in nine days and are so excited!!!!
Me too, maybe on same cruise😅. Killing time till then.
Enjoy!!
@@LifeWellCruised we will also be celebrating my son’s 25th birthday and this is his first cruise!