Just booked our third cruise... over 500 days until we set sail! What do you do while you wait?

[Mouse~House]

Thanks for all of the suggestions everyone!

 

[bearybubba]

I'm on the same sailing as you @mouse-House so we're 'in the same boat' as far as waiting soooo long!!! But good news is that we are close to the 499 day mark! I've been watching You-Tube videos like crazy. It's our 1st ever cruise so I'm trying to soak in as much info as I can.

 

[DCSWO]

Here's a counter-thought: Let your kids forget about it. Depending on their ages, I think the time will pass MUCH faster for them if they aren't watching an agonizing slow (and high) number tick down 1 day at a time. If they ask about it, absolutely get excited with them, but if not, let them enjoy other fun things in life over the next year and half.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I focused on the vacation to WDW that was coming first and got the kids going for that one, but once it was over, and it was less than a year to the cruise, I started my planning. I had to get airfare, rental cars and hotels lined up. That was all done 10 months in advance. After that, I started on magnets and started getting the kids prepared. Mine are very 'in the moment' kids, so they kind of made fun of me for about 6 of those months. But once our PIF was coming up and we started talking about excursions, they got a little more excited.

I did a lot of planning for our magnets, even printing out draft versions and taping them to the bathroom door to see how they'd look. There was also the temptations to book cruises further out, but I wanted to make sure I wouldn't hate it before putting money down.

Because we were also going to WDW for a day, I had that plan to work on, which also helped take my mind off what was to come.

Of course, I spent a lot of time on this board soaking up all kinds of information from what and when to tip to where the laundry rooms were and how to use the machines. I like being able to visualize the world around me and this board really helped me prepare for that.

 

[hanscarlet]

Book another cruise

Hang out on disboards

watch Dream Cruises and Mighty Ships

watch the youtube destination travel DCL specials

 

[FigmentSpark]

I should have mentioned, if you're the kind of person who joins FEs, you'll be able to focus on that and get your kids involved a little closer to your date. Or maybe you can be the person to start the cruise thread and even run an FE?

 

[Mouse~House]

I'm on the same sailing as you @mouse-House so we're 'in the same boat' as far as waiting soooo long!!! But good news is that we are close to the 499 day mark! I've been watching You-Tube videos like crazy. It's our 1st ever cruise so I'm trying to soak in as much info as I can.

You are going to love it! I have been trying to be good and not look at the countdown clock on the app LOL!

 

[Mouse~House]

Here's a counter-thought: Let your kids forget about it. Depending on their ages, I think the time will pass MUCH faster for them if they aren't watching an agonizing slow (and high) number tick down 1 day at a time. If they ask about it, absolutely get excited with them, but if not, let them enjoy other fun things in life over the next year and half.

They haven't brought it up recently and I haven't mentioned it to them. I just watch you tune videos without them LOL!

 

[Mouse~House]

I should have mentioned, if you're the kind of person who joins FEs, you'll be able to focus on that and get your kids involved a little closer to your date. Or maybe you can be the person to start the cruise thread and even run an FE?

I have never participated in an FE before, mostly because I am totally not crafty at all and I see that people make such cute stuff! On our last cruise a little girl and her mom came up to us and gave us disney magnets in a little bag. It was so cute! I am guessing that was part of their FE gift exchange and they brought extras. I am going to look into joining this time around.

 

[Mouse~House]

Book another cruise

Hang out on disboards

watch Dream Cruises and Mighty Ships

watch the youtube destination travel DCL specials

I wish we could book another cruise! I have to look up Dream Cruises and Mighty Ships, thanks!

 

[tlprice]

I booked my Southern Caribbean cruise when we were on our cruise last November. It was more than 400 days out. That was so long! While I was waiting I booked a trip to Disney World that we just completed, so that helped. I also ended up booking a Mediterranean cruise that is even farther out. Then they announced Harry Potter Christmas at Universal and Beauty and the Beast on the Dream so I booked an earlier cruise and trip to Universal. Now I have 2 cruises booked only a month apart, but it is still 6 months away! Waiting is dangerous on the bank account!

I don't look at the countdown nearly as much as I did on my first cruise. Now I like to wait as long as I can stand it and then be pleasantly surprised by how many days it's gone down.

Disboards helps too, but sometimes it makes it worse. I get excited reading about everybody else's adventures and want to do my own!

 

[jsands1984]

We are currently at 518 days out. I think I'm already driving my husband nuts talking about it, but I can't talk to my boys about it because my husband and I agreed that this trip will be a surprise for them. I guess for now I will stick to forums and Facebook groups.

 

[Mouse~House]

I booked my Southern Caribbean cruise when we were on our cruise last November. It was more than 400 days out. That was so long! While I was waiting I booked a trip to Disney World that we just completed, so that helped. I also ended up booking a Mediterranean cruise that is even farther out. Then they announced Harry Potter Christmas at Universal and Beauty and the Beast on the Dream so I booked an earlier cruise and trip to Universal. Now I have 2 cruises booked only a month apart, but it is still 6 months away! Waiting is dangerous on the bank account!

I don't look at the countdown nearly as much as I did on my first cruise. Now I like to wait as long as I can stand it and then be pleasantly surprised by how many days it's gone down.

Disboards helps too, but sometimes it makes it worse. I get excited reading about everybody else's adventures and want to do my own!

HAHA Waiting could be very dangerous on the bank account! I wish we could go on one earlier, I was just looking at some Merrytime cruises for this year but there is no way! I really need to be better about playing the lottery lol

 

[Mouse~House]

We are currently at 518 days out. I think I'm already driving my husband nuts talking about it, but I can't talk to my boys about it because my husband and I agreed that this trip will be a surprise for them. I guess for now I will stick to forums and Facebook groups.

I would have such a hard time keeping it a secret from my kids, but the look on their faces when you reveal the surprise will be priceless!

 

[bearybubba]

I have never participated in an FE before, mostly because I am totally not crafty at all and I see that people make such cute stuff! On our last cruise a little girl and her mom came up to us and gave us disney magnets in a little bag. It was so cute! I am guessing that was part of their FE gift exchange and they brought extras. I am going to look into joining this time around.

I would be happy to start an FE up for our cruise! I have been on Pinterest nightly looking at FE ideas! I wasn't sure if anyone would want to do one...plus it's pretty far out still...487 days!

 

[Otimon]

What to do? Just get on with life!

 

[esquared221]

We just booked a Fantasy cruise and are so excited since we have only sailed on the classics before. What kind of things do you do to help pass the time, in particular with your kids? I know we have a lot to research about activities on the ship and excursions. I would like to do something for the kids to keep the magic alive for the next 17 months!

Which cruise did you book? This sounds like how long until mine!!

 

[esquared221]

Go crazy. We made magnets for our cabin door while waiting for our last cruise to get here. Our next cruise isn't until March 2018. I don't want to think about how many more days until then.

This is what I'm planning to do. I have 472 days left (ahem) and I'm planning on filling many of them with creative projects. I'm planning to decorate our state room door so I'm going to make the magnets plus I'm just waiting for someone I start up a FE group for my cruise (Fantasy 7 day Oct 20-27). I've started the thread for this cruise in the Cruise Meets forum and waiting for others to join so I'll have others to talk to. I'm also planning to make up travel journal for the kids. I did this for our last WDW trip as a way to appease the kids' teachers when we took them out of school for 2 weeks. DD really enjoyed it and I'd like to do it again. DS will be in 2nd grade when we cruise so I'm going to make him one too.
For the kids we basically watch YouTube videos when we get so excited we can't stand it. Its especially fun for them to see their favorite YouTubers on the boat we'll be on. Oh and, once we get to 100 days I always make a Count Down on our calendar. Of course, that's 300+ days away In the meantime I'll be here talking shop with other nuts like me

 

[Mouse~House]

Which cruise did you book? This sounds like how long until mine!!

We booked the 11/3/18 Fantasy Eastern Caribbean!

 

[Mouse~House]

This is what I'm planning to do. I have 472 days left (ahem) and I'm planning on filling many of them with creative projects. I'm planning to decorate our state room door so I'm going to make the magnets plus I'm just waiting for someone I start up a FE group for my cruise (Fantasy 7 day Oct 20-27). I've started the thread for this cruise in the Cruise Meets forum and waiting for others to join so I'll have others to talk to. I'm also planning to make up travel journal for the kids. I did this for our last WDW trip as a way to appease the kids' teachers when we took them out of school for 2 weeks. DD really enjoyed it and I'd like to do it again. DS will be in 2nd grade when we cruise so I'm going to make him one too.
For the kids we basically watch YouTube videos when we get so excited we can't stand it. Its especially fun for them to see their favorite YouTubers on the boat we'll be on. Oh and, once we get to 100 days I always make a Count Down on our calendar. Of course, that's 300+ days away In the meantime I'll be here talking shop with other nuts like me

I really like the travel journal idea! For our first cruise when we returned home I had the kids write down their favorite part of each day, maybe I'll dig out those notebooks and use them again.