Do you use a planning worksheet?

[Manda_Lizabeth]

Being first-time cruisers I am trying to put together a planning worksheet to help me prepare for how much to budget for the cruise. We know we will have various tips for staff, Palo meals, fancy coffee breaks, but wondering if anyone already has something they work with to help plan their cruise for budgeting that I could see?

 

[diznymom]

I use a spread sheet. I list all of our expenses, then all of my payments. The expenses include cruise, trip insurance, transportation to port, tips ($12 per day per person), Palo / Remy, excursions, spa treatments / rainforest room, souvenir budget (guess), flights and hotel stay and food for day before. The items I can pay for through DCL get put into one column. Add anything else you can think of. It is better to plan for more and get a refund than to not plan for enough and have to pay extra at the end.

Things like the flight, hotel and meals get put into another column b/c they will be paid for separately. As these are reserved and paid for, they are marked "paid"

I keep up with each payment - date, media (which card - CC or GC), amount.

I add up all the expenses as a group. I subtract all of the payments as a group. I have a net amount (balance) to let me know how much more $$ I need.

The top of the spreadsheet has important dates - date of cruise, PIF day, today's date, how many more days until PIF and how many more days until cruise.

I like to use lots of colors

 

[Ihatesunshine]

I really liked this blog on the subject and started a similar spreadsheet. I do bullet journaling and keep a spreadsheet for vacations.. We'll be taking our first Disney cruise in June 2019. I've made a wish list of things I'd like that cost extra (wine-pairing dinner at Remy). I may have to narrow it down a bit! I've also been doing research and finding out how much to tip and giving myself a little shopping money on board. Happy Planning!

 

[CanuckOnaBoat]

yes! A few of us were giggling on another thread that we needed a forum dedicated to "spreadsheet" planners I can never get my files to upload -so i put them on DropBox - These are my spreadsheets from Alaska Wonder 2016 and the current one for Med Magic 2017 -

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bbpw3phyd6gcryk/MASTER planning sheets_DCL Wonder Alaska 2016.xlsx?dl=0


https://www.dropbox.com/s/zu1eeahyq1lryzz/Port Adventures_Excursions_Disney 2018.xlsx?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2ns6oiw7quybpmv/Cruise_Packing_and_Tip_List revised_share.xls?dl=0

 

[CanuckOnaBoat]

I really liked this blog on the subject and started a similar spreadsheet. I do bullet journaling and keep a spreadsheet for vacations.. We'll be taking our first Disney cruise in June 2019. I've made a wish list of things I'd like that cost extra (wine-pairing dinner at Remy). I may have to narrow it down a bit! I've also been doing research and finding out how much to tip and giving myself a little shopping money on board. Happy Planning!

Can you share a snap shot of one of the bullet journal pages for your cruise? I'm curious to see how this is used.

 

[WishUponAStarryNight]

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bbpw3phyd6gcryk/MASTER planning sheets_DCL Wonder Alaska 2016.xlsx?dl=0

Thanks for this! Your approach is quite similar to mine, so this was fun to look at. Our AK trip is in 2019 so some things are different, but still helpful. How was the helicopter excursion? TEMSCO is the only option in Skagway, correct?

 

[Dug720]

No. LOL. It's too much like math and math gives me hives.

When I book excursions and things, I put enough on a gift card to cover those OR I buy OBC to cover those - and then some extra for spending money - and I don't worry about it from there. I know mentally what I can spend up to and do my best to not go over. But my budget is never so tight that if I go a but over it will break me.

 

[CanuckOnaBoat]

Thanks for this! Your approach is quite similar to mine, so this was fun to look at. Our AK trip is in 2019 so some things are different, but still helpful. How was the helicopter excursion? TEMSCO is the only option in Skagway, correct?

There are 3 major companies operating in Skagway. Temsco is one of them. And two of them operate in one of the other ports (i forgot which ones). I did the helicopter in Skagway because it' the #1 cancelled excursion - so if it was cancelled then I would call one of the companies in the next port.

This has all my port info:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nlly9imle54pxaw/ports of call_DCL.docx?dl=0

The helicopter excursion was AWESOME! I'm so glad i did it. i didn't really think about it much beforehand - and was surprised when i got scared after we took off. But it was THRILLING!!

 

[Ihatesunshine]

Can you share a snap shot of one of the bullet journal pages for your cruise? I'm curious to see how this is used.

Eep. I just started journaling this year so, I'm using a Mead spiral notebook. These are my pages I have so far for vacation planning. Bare bones, no color yet. It helps me get some creative juices flowing as well as organize my thoughts! The initials in front of some packing items are initials so I can make sure everyone gets certain items.

 

[Ihatesunshine]

 

[Ihatesunshine]

 

[Ihatesunshine]

Sorry for the huge photos. I'm still trying to figure out posting photos!

 

[CanuckOnaBoat]

Sorry for the huge photos. I'm still trying to figure out posting photos!

thank you! I'm debating trying to do this too! but i'm a little overwhelmed with the complexity of the bullet journal.

 

[bumbershoot]

I just use a notebook. Easy.

 

[Manda_Lizabeth]

Thanks for sharing everyone. This is all super helpful!

 

[mevelandry]

No. LOL. It's too much like math and math gives me hives.

When I book excursions and things, I put enough on a gift card to cover those OR I buy OBC to cover those - and then some extra for spending money - and I don't worry about it from there. I know mentally what I can spend up to and do my best to not go over. But my budget is never so tight that if I go a but over it will break me.

I do that too.