That dreadful feeling of forgetting something major...

[cgolf]

I know my sister in particular laughs at me, but I start packing a couple of weeks in advance so I can take my time and make sure that I have everything I need. The only things I've ever forgotten are the last minute things like a hair brush or the like which is easily replaced. Other things generally would not be a huge issue - I'm not really into pools so a swimsuit wouldn't kill me if I left it, my clothes are generally mix and match, and I have enough underwear that it's the first thing I pack so I know that's in there.

One thing I've learned being female is take more of the stuff for that time of the month than you would normally need. Especially when traveling in Europe. I thought I'd packed enough for my Med/Venice cruise last summer, but my body had other ideas, and I had to restock in Venice. I found a store that had some and went to get them (note: they are different in Europe in that they don't have applicators (just like OB here) - it didn't bother me, but it might some people) - I bought my box, and the guy behind me bought 2 packs of cigarettes for pretty much the same price. So at least in Venice you can do something totally unhealthy for less than it costs to be female each month!

You aren't alone, my wife got us doing this for our cruises and we even have a check off sheet to make sure we have everything packed, down to drivers licenses and passports. I took to the idea and do the same for my fishing trips where having the proper gear packed is very important

Saying that I did fail once on a land trip to pack boxers, thankfully there was a Walmart nearby. Have never made that mistake again though lol.

 

[Amunet]

I forgot to bring the camera for one of our cruises We don't normally use a phone to take photos cause of memory but, in this case, I'm glad we had some form of camera

 

[dani24]

I make lists and obsess for weeks... Yet it seems there's always something minor that we forget to grab. And despite running the list over in my mind before leaving the house, it only ever hits me after we've left the house.

As for more important things, we once realized we left our pillows from home at the hotel after a Disneyland trip. We were only an hour out when we realized so we went back to get them.

Then on our last trip to Disneyland we tried flying. I forgot that I had put my iPad in the interior pocket of my main luggage (the one on the front flap). It wasn't until after we checked our luggage in that I realized it. There was no way to get my bag back. Then our flight was delayed 5 hours. I spent all that time feeling sick that my iPad was either going to get stolen or broken. THEN we boarded the plane. I was looking out the window and saw them loading the luggage. And saw them slam MY bag face down on the edge of the luggage cart before tossing it on the belt. I knew at that point that my iPad was a goner. Once I grabbed my bag after the flight I fished it out to find, miraculously, that it was there and intact! However my expensive flat iron was cracked in half. It must have sacrificed itself for my iPad which cost like 5 times as much.

 

[Cheerio]

Before the liquor rule came into effect, DH forgot his fave Canadian brand of Whiskey at home - he wasn't happy at all. Apparently the replacement wasn't as good

 

[ImprovGal]

This last last cruise, I left my Kindle behind on the airplane. I realized it when we were at Coronado Springs, getting ready for bed. I had this stomach-churning feeling because I knew I left it in the seat-front pocket. I'm one of those people that absolutely needs to read in order to go to sleep, otherwise my brain will continue to think and think, etc. So needless to say, this was the least relaxing cruise I've ever taken! All I was looking forward to was a nice lounger in Serenity Falls, a good drink, and my Kindle! I was stuck with my DS tablet that seemed to have a battery life of 10 min and you couldn't read squat in the sun!!!

I forgot my Sony Reader in the seatback pocket of the plane and realized it as I was standing outside FLL waiting for my hotel shuttle. It was the last flight of the night and so the plane was parked until the next morning, but crew had left for the night. It was a loooong night as I feared my b2b of 9 nights without my ereader full of books. Fortunately, it was recovered and I took the hotel shuttle back to the airport in the morning to reclaim my Sony before my shuttle pickup to the Miami port to catch the ship!

 

[MunFam]

Not cruise related, but we went camping once and forgot the sleeping bags.

LOL! Our friends met up with us to camp with their tent...and forgot the tent poles at home!!!

 

[twodogs]

This happened at the parks, not the DCL, but it was not fun. We were staying at BLT, and ready for our first ever day at EPCOT with our daughters (ages 4 and 6 at the time). SO excited!! Ride Monorail from Contemporary to TTC. Waiting to board EPCOT monorail, and I realize I've left my cell phone on bathroom counter at BLT. Tell DH to take kids to board monorail to EPCOT for RD and ride "something quick" and I'll get back on other monorail, go to BLT, get phone and call him when I get back to EPCOT to meet up. Amazing Race feeling as I do this. I run back down ramps, wait, finally get monorail back to CR. Race to room. NO phone. Anywhere. Realize it must have been in our back pack that we packed for our day at EPCOT. Said backpack is with DH and girls AT EPCOT. Good grief. No way to confirm that phone is in backpack or it is in hotel room and I just can't find the darn thing. Can't figure out how to call someone without my cell phone?!? Realize I can call his cell phone (or mine for that matter since he actually has it in backpack) from hotel room phone, but will probably cost $1 million. Decide to do it anyway as I realize I won't be able to reach him when I get back to EPCOT since I will still have no phone and he will have 2. He doens't answer, naturally. Leave message with reference to my own stupidity at not looking in the backpack prior to racing back to BLT. Tell him I'm heading back to EPCOT and please look for me near entrance. Prayers.

I take 2 monorails and arrive at EPCOT, enter gates and see no one.. I walk around for a bit, no one. I duck into some camera (?) shop near entrance, almost in tears, telling CM my delima. She starts to try to call them on the phone in the shop, but there is some issue. She then pulls out her personal cell phone and lets me use it (this was before everyone had an unlimited plan on their cell phones). As I'm calling, I see my DH and our girls wander by the shop! Thank CM profusely and meet back up for fun day in EPCOT.

Moral to story (as OP said above): always check, and for good measure, have some one else check, your bags before you decide you're an idiot and forgot something. Sometimes, you are just an idiot who forgot nothing, except to look before you leap (on 3 monorails!!)!!

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Left my cell phone at home. Ended up being a real bummer because I lost the photos I took on the camera I brought some kind of way and if I had had my cell phone with me I would have ended up taking some photos on my phone too so at least I would have ended up with some photos. Of course DH never takes any photos on his phone so we do not have a single photo from that cruise.
I also have nightmares (real ones) about leaving ID, and since we usually drive, I am constantly checking about every hour in the car to make sure we have our iDs. I am just so relieved every time after we have checked in at the cruise terminal. A complete relief. I could just drop to the floor and wait forever to board. I don't care I am just so glad we are checked in.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Not cruise related, but we went camping once and forgot the sleeping bags.

Oh my! What did you do?

 

[chik1987]

I had a dream a couple weeks ago I forgot to bring my wedding dress on our wedding cruise coming up in October. In my dream I was sooo mad at my fiance because as I told him "How could you not see I wasn't carrying a HUGE garment bag on the plane" I have a feeling its going to be a looonnnngggg 6 months lol.

 

[Geomom]

At a WDW stay, DH went to take pics the first night...camera says it has no memory...before we left home, he had taken the memory card out to copy pics onto the computer and forgot to put it back in...and he had no spares in the camera case. Ended up paying $$ to get a memory card at a Disney photo place the next day. He learned his lesson!

 

[AndreAggie]

We went to San Diego and Disneyland. I had packed the fancy DSLR camera. Our first day was at the San Diego zoo. I bust out the camera and try to snap pictures only to realize the battery was dead. And I didn't pack the charger. So now I have a $1,000 worthless camera for the rest of the trip. iPhones to the rescue!

Our last cruise I forgot the iPad (mostly to be used for the 2 hour drive to the airport and the flights) and flip flops. Who goes on a cruise and forgets flip flops?! Apparently this girl.

 

[Deb T.]

I am just so relieved every time after we have checked in at the cruise terminal. A complete relief. I could just drop to the floor and wait forever to board. I don't care I am just so glad we are checked in.

Wow, you summed up my feelings exactly! Complete relief... followed by total exhilaration the moment we finally step onboard!

 

[Vijoge]

Oh my! What did you do?

We turned around and went back home to get them.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

We turned around and went back home to get them.

Oh that was good I had visions of you sleeping on the floor without!

 

[Vijoge]

Oh that was good I had visions of you sleeping on the floor without!

THAT would have been horrible. Especially since we don't take blankets and stuff-just the sleeping bags

 

[FigmentSpark]

At a WDW stay, DH went to take pics the first night...camera says it has no memory...before we left home, he had taken the memory card out to copy pics onto the computer and forgot to put it back in...and he had no spares in the camera case. Ended up paying $$ to get a memory card at a Disney photo place the next day. He learned his lesson!

At least you noticed and bought a card. Some years ago, my MIL went on vacation, took wonderful photos of the grandkids first time at the beach, went to look at them later and found she'd never put the memory card in the camera.

 

[jrabbit]

I had a dream a couple weeks ago I forgot to bring my wedding dress on our wedding cruise coming up in October. In my dream I was sooo mad at my fiance because as I told him "How could you not see I wasn't carrying a HUGE garment bag on the plane" I have a feeling its going to be a looonnnngggg 6 months lol.

NOT HIS FAULT!!!

He is NOT to Think - Just BE At The Right Place At The Right Time - And Answer THE IMPORTANT Question Correctly. Everything Else is on the Female.

 

[jrabbit]

At a WDW stay, DH went to take pics the first night...camera says it has no memory...before we left home, he had taken the memory card out to copy pics onto the computer and forgot to put it back in...and he had no spares in the camera case. Ended up paying $$ to get a memory card at a Disney photo place the next day. He learned his lesson!

and that was to double check that you didn't take his memory card!

OOPS -- SORRY SORRY SORRY!!! First time I read that - I thought YOU took out his card

 

[chik1987]

NOT HIS FAULT!!!

He is NOT to Think - Just BE At The Right Place At The Right Time - And Answer THE IMPORTANT Question Correctly. Everything Else is on the Female.

I am the ditzy one in the relationship...he has to think a little or else we are doomed haha.