Planning a cruise is exciting Fam, but before you set sail, there are some essential tasks you need to take care of at home. From our experiences, we've compiled a list of 17 crucial things you should do right before you leave for your cruise. Let's dive right in!
1. Clean the Refrigerator
Before you leave, clean out your refrigerator. Get rid of anything that might go bad while you’re away, like produce, onions, or milk. Trust us, you don’t want to come back to a funky fridge!
2. Unplug Electronics
Unplug all your electronics, including TVs, clocks, and anything else that uses electricity while you’re not home to save money on your electric bill. Don’t forget to unplug those Glade plugins or any other scents you have around the house—they can be a fire hazard.
3. Take Out the Trash
After you’ve cleaned out the fridge, make sure you take out the trash. Empty all the trash cans in your house, especially the kitchen one, to avoid coming back to a funky house.
4. Stop Your Mail
Submit a request to stop your mail with the post office. You don’t want your mailbox overflowing while you’re away.
5. Inform Someone You Trust
Let someone you trust know that you’ll be away. This way, they can keep an eye on your place and make sure everything is alright.
6. Pay Your Bills
Make sure to pay all your bills before you leave. You don’t want to come back to find your utilities turned off or, worse, your car repossessed.
7. Notify Your Bank
Let your bank and credit card companies know you’ll be traveling internationally. This prevents them from shutting down your cards due to suspicious activity.
8. Check Your Phone Plan
If you need your phone to work while you’re abroad, check with your service provider to ensure you have the right plan. Otherwise, be prepared to purchase a Wi-Fi package on the ship.
9. Get Cash
Visit the ATM and get some cash, especially smaller bills. You might need to go into a branch to get denominations like $1s and $5s.
10. Do the Laundry
Make sure you don’t leave any dirty clothes in your laundry hamper. They’ll be even grosser after sitting for a week.
11. Clean Your House
Clean your house before you leave. Coming back to a tidy home will make your return much more pleasant.
12. Secure Your Home
Ensure all windows and doors are locked, and activate your security system if you have one. Check that your cameras are working too.
13. Adjust Your Thermostat
Adjust your thermostat to save on energy costs while you’re away. If you have a WiFi thermostat, you can change it remotely.
14. Arrange Pet Care
Make sure you’ve arranged for someone to take care of your pets. This might not be a last-minute task, but it’s crucial.
15. Water Your Plants
Water your plants or set up automatic watering systems to keep them alive while you’re gone.
16. Set Up Transportation
Arrange your transportation to the airport or port ahead of time. Don’t wait until the last minute to book your Uber or Lyft.
17. Check-In for Flights and Hotels
24 hours before your departure, check-in for your flights and hotels. This ensures you can select seats and avoid any last-minute issues.
By following these steps, you'll ensure a smooth departure and a relaxing return home. Happy sailing fam!