Final Payment - Yippee!!!

Apart from the excitement of putting down the deposit on a cruise the next best part is the final payment date. Assuming you've budgeted wisely, of course, and you even have the final payment. Barring freak storms, flu outbreaks or civil unrest, the cruise is within sight.

I did just that today, well, my husband did, for our Oct. 2 Zaandam cruise. No more backing out now without paying cancellation fees. We are now firmly stuck in. Time to start thinking about filling out the online immigration forms and setting up our shipboard account. Time to remind myself that - yikes! - I only have three months left to renew my passport, something I'd foolishly been putting off when the cruise was far, far away.

As Holland America has now moved to e-documents, I made sure to request paper documents. It may well be the last cruise I ever take in which I have something tangible to hold in my hands before leaving, evidence of a cruise around the corner. There's something so much nicer about holding stiff coloured luggage tags rather than flimsy black and white ones printed off my computer, barely readable as I try to suck out every last bit of ink.

On a longer cruise, I would seriously start researching the ports now; however, this is only a 2-night cruise with a stop in Victoria. We may not even leave the ship this time but rather hang out in the hot tub, socialize and drink special coffees.

I know there are some who would start thinking about packing now. I rarely unpack from previous cruises except for what I need in my non-cruise life. But that's more because of laziness rather than any efficiency on my part. But the beauty of that is that apart from throwing in some smalls, I'm almost always ready to pick up and leave on a moment's notice. Well, there was the time, though, when I left all my bathing suits behind on a Mexican Riviera cruise...

But I think packing is a whole 'nother post in itself, don't you?