A vapor hydrated packaged catheter assembly and method of manufacturing and distributing same includes a gas impermeable package housing a catheter within a catheter-receiving cavity. The catheter assembly has a hydrophilic coating applied to at least a portion of the outer surface of a catheter tube or shaft which may be surrounded by a sleeve to provide a no-touch, sure grip feature. The catheter assembly is disposed within the catheter receiving cavity of the package together with a limited amount of a vapor donating liquid provided as a source of vapor to activate the hydrophilic coating. The amount of vapor donating liquid is less than the amount that would otherwise be sufficient to cause a spill hazard. It may be loose liquid as a desired percentage of the volume of a tube-receiving portion of the catheter receiving cavity of the package, or it may be contained in a liquid sequestering element. The activation of at least some of the hydrophilic coating occurs solely by reason of exposure of the outer surface of the catheter to a vapor produced by the vapor donating liquid. The distribution of the catheter following manufacture is delayed for a time sufficient to permit the vapor to complete hydration of the entire hydrophilic coating on the surface.