Have you been on a Disney cruise?

[BigDaddyRog]

Ive been doing some research on the cruises...they look really nice. Ive read alot of horror stories about other cruise lines...like Carnival has had several reports about staff attempting to rape female passengers...as young as 12 years old!!! But I havent seen a single negative report on either of the Disney ships.

Im wondering if the cruise is nice enough to....dare I say...sacrifice a Fort trip for? We're doing the Fort in October this year, but Im thinking about a trip for 2010, with hopes that the recession has lightened up some by then.

Do you get bored on a ship after a couple of days? I know the "docked days" look pretty nice, especially Castaway Cay Island....but the 7 day cruises have like 3 "at sea" days and Im wondering if you get tired of being stuck on a boat after a day or two. Also...do you get to feeling trapped(my wife's very claustrophobic)? Do you need a passport? Do you feel like you've gotten your money's worth? Do they have better deals on Disney cruises somewhere on the web that I may not know about? Vacationstogo.com seems to have to lowest prices I have found...but if anyone knows of a better price...could ya please clue me in on it?

Lots of random questions, I know....but Ive never taken a cruise...and Im not sure its worth giving up a Fort trip for.

[Tri-circle-D]

Rog:

We have been on 3 DCL cruises, and a bunch of others.

I found it hard to believe at first, but the sea days (days when you don't dock somewhere) are usually the best days on a cruise. The best port day is Castaway Cay, the others I could live without.

As far as I know, you can still sail on DCL without passports. I know for sure that you can for the 3 and 4 night Bahamas cruises, but I also think you can for the 7 night Caribbean cruises.

The best deals we have found have been for Florida residents. The second best deals are to look at "off" times like September and Jan/Feb. But, cruising is a lot more expensive than camping. They had a promo earlier this year where kids under 12 could cruise free with each paying adult. That was a great deal, but we don't have any more under 12 year olds :( at my house. I would expect with the economy being the way it is, that there will be some more deals offered as the year goes on. They have to keep those boats full.

All things considered, I would rather camp at the Fort than go cruising any day, but a cruise is a fun (but expensive) occasional treat.

Did you ever see my TR from my last cruise? Check it out, if you haven't. Lots of info there: TCD's Disney Wonder Trip Report (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1853401)

TCD

[lklasing]

Rog - I can't believe you posted this, as I'm going through some of the same ideas. I'm hoping lots of FW groupies will chime in with their thoughts.

Leslie

[des1954]

Rog, I've only been on one cruise (NCL), and it was a 7 day cruise to the Carribbean. It took a close friend's daughter getting married on the cruise for me to even consider one. I have this overly INSANE fear of drowning, and I just knew that any cruise ship I went on would be the Titanic revisited. I went stag because Rick couldn't get the time off from work & I still haven't heard the end of that! He begged me for years to go on a cruise & I wouldn't do it. So then....I take one WITHOUT him! (yay 4 me!)

I gotta tell you....the first night out I think I had at least 6 of their rum special of the day drinks because I was so scared. I almost panicked during the safety drill - but managed to hold it together. After that, I couldn't understand what I was so afraid of?!? I had an absolutely fantastic time, and another cruise ship (or two or three) are always in view of the ship you're on. We kept pace with the QEII, a DCL & a Carnival ship.

I'm imagining the DCL ships are very large (the ship I was on held IIRC 3500 passengers & crew), and there is so much to do, you only get bored if you wish to be. The cruise director(s) do a fantastic job of keeping things going.

If Gina's claustrophobic, I would recommend a cabin with at least a window, or at best, a veranda. If you had a veranda, there is NO WAY she could be claustrophobic. I had a small, inside cabin & it was just fine because I only slept, showered & changed in it. The rest of the time I was carousing around the ship. It's fun to explore!

If I had to give up FtW for one year to go on a cruise, I would do it. Especially if it's a Disney Cruise. Just keep in mind that sodas, beer & liquor are extra, and very expensive. You can take side trips in every port for extra $$$, or just take off on foot and explore for nada. Everything else is included. You do not use any cash while on the ship, but you charge any extra purchases to your room card & settle up the last night at sea. It's also good to know that if you purchase anything while you're in port, use your Visa card to get the best exchange rate (if one applies).

When I went (2003) you didn't need a passport - but I don't know if that's changed.

[Eeyore'sthebest]

We went on the 7 night Eastern Caribbean in January and are going back again on the 7 nt. Western at the end of November. It was a blast!!!
So we are camping locally for this year. We won't be back at the Fort until October 2010. :sad2:

But that being said, the cruise was definitely worth it. The sea days are the best. There is a lot to do or there is nothing to do. It's all up to you. Yes, there is a lot of food but there is a lot of walking, at least for me. We needed a HC stateroom so we were at the far end of the boat. It was great except that I ended up running back and forth to the stateroom for everything. :rotfl: I ate like a pig and lost 6 pounds!! :rotfl:

DCL is different in that you do not have to pay for fountain sodas. If you order canned sodas at the movies or theater or the bars, then you pay. But there are soda machines (and an ice cream machine) on deck 9 by the pools - they are free. They also have filtered water that is very good. Just bring yourself an empty bottle from home and there is no need to pay for their bottled water.

Room service is free, except for the canned soda, liquor and bags of candy or snacks. My DD wanted a burger for breakfast one morning. I called room service and within 15 minutes she had a hot burger and fries. Not that best breakfast but at least she was eating. :rotfl:

Anway, feel free to ask any questions because we had the BEST time on the boat. They do this one event at the end called "Til We Meet Again". All the characters come out, you can get last minute pics and autographs. DD was really into that and she hadn't been at all during the cruise. So for 15 minutes we just hopped from character to character getting pictures. At the end they were singing something and she just burst into tears. She was crying so hard I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Turned out she didn't want to get off the boat. :rotfl2: Yeah, me neither but they kind of force you off in a very Mickey like way. :lmao:

Wow, long post. :rolleyes1

[Tri-circle-D]

Just keep in mind that sodas, beer & liquor are extra, and very expensive.

One nice thing about DCL- they have a free drink station with free soda available 24/7 (soda is also served at no additional charge at all meals), and they let you bring your own alcohol on board. Most other cruise lines (and DCL used to) charge for sodas, and prohibit passengers from bringing their own booze.

TCD

[Born 2 Fish]

Rog, except for the getting raped by a crew member part, I love the cruises.

If you want to know how it feels to be treated like a "King", take a cruise.

When Disney first started, out they did the "Big Red Boat",,and that was great, altho very old ships. Course now Disney has their own new ships,,which D and I have not done.
but we also did a Carnavil cruise, lots of fun, and we did a Alaska cruise with Holland America Cruise,and THAT was great !

Yes, it would be a good idea to get Gina a window at least. On a ship , all state rooms are small, but some state rooms on some ships are larger than on other ships. All has to do with $$ and the cruise lines.

Passports depend on where you go.

Did we get our moneys worth ??? On the three cruises we did,,absolutely!:thumbsup2

I spose some folk get bored,,just depends on the type of cruise you do and what you make of it. I have no problem keep'n myself busy.:banana:

[des1954]

Well...you guys convinced me to go Disney just because of the free soda stations. That's the one thing about NCL that ticked me off. I bought a refillable drink glass for $47 at the beginning of the cruise because I'm a diet coke-aholic. You had to go to one of the bars for a refill, and the bartenders kind of gave you the "cold shoulder" when they saw that cup. When we do go on a cruise, it'll be Disney.

Go for it, Rog!!!

[Rhonda]

I love the Disney ships!!! You will not be disappointed! :cool1:

And....you know which travel agent will work the hardest, to find you the best possible prices!! ;)

[PrincessNana]

I'm not a fan of the "Fun Days at Sea", you either love them or hate them. I get bored because I usually don't like the daytime activities.." Our friends we travel with absolutely love the "Fun Days at Sea." So it depends on what you like to do. I would definitely get a room with a window or a balcony, it's so nice sitting outside with your coffee in the morning or your drink soon after. I think you need a passport (not the card) if you travel by plane or boat outside of the US. We had a great time (despite the fun days at sea) and we're going again in October (Carnival Cruise) with a large group. You'll have fun and the Bahamas are beautiful.

[AuburnJen92]

Rog, if Chris and I get the new jobs we are going for, we will go with you next year. We have been wanting to go for a while now. I didn't really enjoy the last cruise I was on, but I spent most of it in the infirmary. (I accidentally ate raspberry mousse with chocolate in it. They told me it didn't have chocolate...)

[loveDmouse]

We LOVE cruising. We have been on Carnival, Princess and Royal Caribbean. Most of our cruises have been with Royal Caribbean. You can't beat cruising. I agree it is like being royalty. You are waited on hand and foot. I really believe it is a great value for the money you spend.

I want to try Disney when we can afford to go again. I like the idea of not having to pay extra for soda. That is annoying.


We had a nice time on Carnival. That was our very first cruise. We enjoyed everything about it. We didn't have anything to compare it to.
Next cruise was Princess to Alaska. The service was better and the food was better. The ship was more elegant. Royal Caribbean has been our favorite and is who we now cruise with. Some love them and some hate them. Personally I don't think there is such a thing as a bad cruise. :love:

Good luck with whatever you decide and happy cruising. I will warn you. It is addictive just like the need to go to the Fort you will probably find the need to cruise. :thumbsup2 There could be worse addictions. :goodvibes

[fldisneyfamily]

Do the cruise if you love all things Disney, we did last year for our 10 year wedding anniversary, here are some pics. We like the Disney cruise because our DD9 has special medical needs and Disney accommodates her very well. Enjoy.

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/fldisneyfamily/Lobby.jpg

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/fldisneyfamily/SailAwayParty.jpg

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/fldisneyfamily/Slide.jpg

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/fldisneyfamily/SunsetPicture.jpg

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/fldisneyfamily/CayBeach.jpg

http://i569.photobucket.com/albums/ss131/fldisneyfamily/PirateShip.jpg

[Disney Campers]

Well if you would have asked me 5 years ago, I can;t say I'd ever spend the money on a cruise, Just recently off my 4 th cruise I can say its a great way to travel. Our first cruise was on Disney the 4 night wonder.

In general the sea days are the best, Disney has excellent service and lots of planned activities for everyone, a pretty neat dining rotation - you eat in a different dining room each night but keep the same servers etc. Castaway key is a nice place also, sometimes they will stop there twice on a cruise.

For the price at this time we prefer Royal Caribbean, they have big ships with tons of stuff to do. for the price of a 4 night Disney cruise we could just about take a 7 night on Royal last time we checked. We are looking to cruise on the Freedom of the Seas next.

The passport rules seem to change all the time, the final phase is set to take place this summer. We figured we will be cruising for a while and bit the bullet and got them. You need them for air travel, god forbid you get stuck in a foreign place and need to fly back home, you will wish you had the passport.

If and when you decide to cruise I suggest you take the travel insurance, I have read to may horror stories about unforseen circumstances that cause delays, and most of the time the peole don't have travel insurance. When you spend that much money on a vacation you want to protect it.

CHeck out www.cruiscritic.com and the Disney cruise forum here on the DIS, also for up to date passport information goto:
http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738_2.html

[Gatordad]

Don't do Disney Cruise Rog. I've been on NCL, RCL, CC, Carnival and they were all better than Disney, and much much cheaper. You are paying for some guy to walk around like goofy with a sailor's hat. The food was mediocre, service was ok.........

[Rhonda]

Don't do Disney Cruise Rog. I've been on NCL, RCL, CC, Carnival and they were all better than Disney, and much much cheaper. You are paying for some guy to walk around like goofy with a sailor's hat. The food was mediocre, service was ok.........

I'd have to agree a little tiny bit -- DCL is way more expensive than the other cruiselines. If you really want the Disney experience, then you have to go with DCL. But, if you don't need Mickey, and you're just looking for a great cruise, nice ship, great service and food, then go with RCCL!! The Voyager and Freedom class ships are my favorites! :banana:

[Tri-circle-D]

Rog- My $.02 about RCCL- I think DCL is better for families with younger teens and pre-teens. I know RCCL pushes the fact that it has skating rinks, flow-riders, climbing walls, and such, but for our family, I would not feel comfortable giving my DD's the run of the ship on RCCL or other cruise lines. On DCL, we feel far better about turning the kids loose, and that makes the cruise more fun for everyone. I can't argue that DCL isn't the most expensive option, but for us, that little extra cost is worth it.

That being said, I do see some tremendous deals on some of the other cruise lines, and I think these cruise lines have more ships to fill, and will be offering even better deals than DCL in the coming months. Heck, if the price is right, I will jump on one of those deals myself.

TCD

[JCJRSmith]

We have done two cruises, both on RCCL. The first was just SWMBO and me for our 15th anniversary. We left the kids with my DSIL in Baltimore and flew from there to Miami for a long weekend at sea.

The second time was just a couple of years ago. DSIL and her family, along with LOML and our kids drove down for 5 days at Disney (DSIL works for the Dept of Defense so she got us rooms at Shades of Green), then drove over to Canaveral for a weekend cruise. The kids were 13 and 8 at the time and they want to know when we are going to do it again!!!

[BigDaddyRog]

Wow....lots of excellent advice!! TCD...I DID read your report when you first wrote it, and I have to credit you with planting the idea of a cruise ship....especially the "bring your own booze'' tip.....thats SO me!!!

Ok...so am I understanding this right...you get the same server for the entire trip? What if hes a dipwad? If all the food is free...how would you know how much to tip the servers? What is 20% of free? Do they give you a reciept of some kind to let you know how much it WOULD have cost?

How are the alcholic drinks priced? High-end, Im sure...but my wife like to test bartenders....ordering crap no-one ever orders just to see if the bartender has to look up the recipes or if they know it by heart....she's a really strange girl!!!

Can you smoke on the ships? Im sure you cant smoke in the rooms...but they HAVE to have a designated smoking area somewhere, right?

[Gatordad]

I'll answer your questions in the body, see below

Wow....lots of excellent advice!! TCD...I DID read your report when you first wrote it, and I have to credit you with planting the idea of a cruise ship....especially the "bring your own booze'' tip.....thats SO me!!!

Ok...so am I understanding this right...you get the same server for the entire trip? What if hes a dipwad? If all the food is free...how would you know how much to tip the servers? What is 20% of free? Do they give you a reciept of some kind to let you know how much it WOULD have cost?

You tip a set amount per person per day. NCL charges you $10/day or Celebrity breaks it down to like $3.50 per person for your waiter, plus $1.50 for bus boy. The thing that stinks, is that when they have open seating in the dining room for breakfast or lunch, you don't get your person, so you see how they don't move that fast, but that is on all cruise lines.


How are the alcholic drinks priced? High-end, Im sure...but my wife like to test bartenders....ordering crap no-one ever orders just to see if the bartender has to look up the recipes or if they know it by heart....she's a really strange girl!!!

Drinks are not cheap, but they don't rip you off like in your club. Carnival had 4 16oz beers for $20 I think. Not bad.....


Can you smoke on the ships? Im sure you cant smoke in the rooms...but they HAVE to have a designated smoking area somewhere, right?

They have a smoking section on the ships usually. And Disney communists don't have a casino on their cruise. That's why they are more expensive than the other cruise lines.......... They have no casino revenue, and they also serve cheap food.

[Gatordad]

I'd have to agree a little tiny bit -- DCL is way more expensive than the other cruiselines. If you really want the Disney experience, then you have to go with DCL. But, if you don't need Mickey, and you're just looking for a great cruise, nice ship, great service and food, then go with RCCL!! The Voyager and Freedom class ships are my favorites! :banana:
Its ok to agree with the Gatordad, he's only nuts sometimes.

[Tri-circle-D]

-all cruise lines give you a suggested amount to tip your servers and room steward. This is more of an expectation than a suggestion, so you should factor that in as a cost of the cruise. I have never had bad service from any cruise ship employee on any cruise-these poor folks work their butts off, and they basically work for tips, so they try their darnedest.

-the drink prices on DCL are comparable to what they charge at WDW- expensive! I think the other cruise lines are about the same. But, I really have to stress the beauty of being able to bring your own booze onto the DCL ships- you can have a fancy drink at the bar, but you can also mix your own in your cabin. As far as I know, no other cruise lines allow this.

-Yes, there are smoking areas on the DCL ships, and I think most of the others. There are a few ships that are smoke-free, but neither of the Disney ships is. I think you can also smoke on your veranda, but I think that they limit this to one side of the ship. We aren't smokers, so I can't tell you any more about that, sorry.

TCD

[clkelley]

They have no casino revenue, and they also serve cheap food.

The casino revenue is the ticket why the other cruise lines are less expensive.

We were told on a Carnival cruise back in 1990 that the passenger fares were pure profit.

They paid ALL of the operating costs with the casino and the bar!!

I don't know if they still do this, but we got on this deal on Carnival (Jubilee) where we booked a Category 2 cabin really early, we were guaranteed a Category 4 cabin, and ended up with the highest cabin available below the suites. (Outside double with a huge window!!)

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I'll chime in on the smoking question as DH is a smoker. Yes, you can smoke on your verandah if you have one. That's one of the reasons we got one!!

You may also smoke on Deck 9 on the starboard side of the ship by the adult pool. Which means you can dump the kids and go have a stogie. :rotfl: You may also smoke on the starboard side of the ship on Deck 4. This is the deck with the running laps going around it. I always found it humorous that DH is puffing away and joggers are running through it. See, running isn't healthy!! :rotfl: :rolleyes1

They have great kid programs on the ship. DD did the "Friendship Rocks" program on the last sea day with the group and they all got free t-shirts. Yes, you heard right - Disney GAVE something away. I'm sure its factored in the cost of your cruise but it felt like a freebee.

Also, TCD is right about the tips. It works out to $12 per person/per day. You can charge them directly to your card or you can pay in cash. We charged it to the room as I didn't want to bring too much cash. You stick the receipt in an envelope that they give you and then you can hand them out. We typed the recommended amount for the dining room servers and extra for the stateroom hostess.
And yes, you get the same servers for the entire trip. I wasn't excited by our server but he was adequate. If I had a serious problem I would have complained. Mine didn't go out of his way to impress me. And I'm easy to impress. :rotfl:

[Just Beachy]

I've only cruised once, on RCCL, November 2007. We sailed on the Mariner of the Seas out of Port Canaveral on a 7 night Eastern Caribbean cruise. I thought the ship was beautiful and huge! We were very happy with our dining room server. He was VERY funny and we enjoyed dinner immensely. The food was good and we were very lucky to have tablemates that we ended up spending much of the cruise with; 2 great couples from across the pond. We even did some island sight-seeing with them. We now exchange Christmas cards. Nice people!

I don't really drink all that much, but I had a glass of champagne one night... the cheapest glass was $18. The problem is that you don't pay for your drinks when you get them, they go on your "sea pass" (credit card). You should have seen dh and I looking at the bill on our cabin tv, trying to figure out how we could have spent so much! You don't realize how much the drinks cost, and then you start buying rounds....before you know it, your bill is $500!!! I did buy the soda card, which is a sticker they put on your sea pass so you can just get soda as much as you like. For me, it was worth the $40 or so.

We didn't do the shore excursions.... they can add up to a lot of $. We just hired a native driver to show us around. A lot cheaper, but you also risk the possibility of a problem that may prevent you from getting back to the ship on time.

My dh is a nice guy, but not real outgoing. We didn't do a lot of the "at sea day" activities. I think if I ever cruise again, I will have to go with a group of people. I think that would be a lot of fun!

I recommend watching all the cruise shows on the travel channel. They can be really informative. Also, go on websites like Cruise Critic. They have lots of reviews and tips. Keep in mind, some people will NEVER be satisfied. I'm glad I didn't listen to every bad reviewer as if it were gospel. The food on our cruise was really good. Our server and tablemates made dinner excellent!

Before I forget, I did get the motion sickness patch from my Dr. I wore them the whole time (yes, I'm a whimp). And I felt pretty much every wave, not a sick feeling, just felt it. I had to grab a rail now and then. At least it got dh to hold my hand again! :lmao:

I would recommend also using a travel agent to book it. I hear we have one on this board... Rhonda or Roz or something like that.... ;) It makes your first time a little less itimidating. Good luck! Sorry this was so long!

[Disney Campers]

Tipping is a sore topic with some. The trend is to impose a daily per person service fee which is divided up amoung dining and stateroom attendants etc. I personally prefer this method then the evelope process on the last day, if a specific crew member goes out of their way or made a special impression with us we will tip them some extra cash at the end.

The little incidentals can add up, especially if you like shore excursions or spa treatments, the bar bill can add up quick as well.

As far as casino's, i'm hoping the new disney ships have them,

[ntsammy5]

Nope - I've never had the desire to go on a cruise - I am afraid of the water - it dilutes my drinks. :lmao:

[ntsammy5]

Its ok to agree with the Gatordad, he's only nuts sometimes.

That should read most of the time.

TOGA!


http://blog.nola.com/michaelkleinschrodt/2008/10/medium_AHBelushi.JPG

[BigDaddyRog]

Im not at all opposed to tipping...my livelihood depends on tips...my wife and I have been in the service industry in some form or another most of our lives....I have to get some really bad service to consider leaving LESS than 15%....and usually tip 20% as the norm.

But Im still not exactly straight on how tipping works on the boats...are you supposed to wait till the end of the cruise and leave a lump sum? Or do you tip daily? Who do you hand the tip to...the server, the stateroom attendant(what the hecks a stateroom attendant?)Do I leave it in an envelope in my room as we are leaving? Is it 12 bucks a person in my party, or is it 3.50 per person in my party? I never thought tipping could be so confusing!!

[clkelley]

Im not at all opposed to tipping...my livelihood depends on tips...my wife and I have been in the service industry in some form or another most of our lives....I have to get some really bad service to consider leaving LESS than 15%....and usually tip 20% as the norm.

But Im still not exactly straight on how tipping works on the boats...are you supposed to wait till the end of the cruise and leave a lump sum? Or do you tip daily? Who do you hand the tip to...the server, the stateroom attendant(what the hecks a stateroom attendant?)Do I leave it in an envelope in my room as we are leaving? Is it 12 bucks a person in my party, or is it 3.50 per person in my party? I never thought tipping could be so confusing!!

In our cruise back in 1990 there were envelopes left in our room the day before the last day. They were labeled for each person you were expected to tip. There were also guidelines on the daily "cruise newsletter" telling the amount that was normal for each of those people. If I remember correctly, it was the room steward, your waiter, your waiters assistant, the Head Waiter, the Maitre D, and maybe 1 other person. We then placed cash in each of those envelopes according to the guidelines and left them somewhere (maybe at the pursers office) I forget. Back then things were not as computerized or credit card friendly as they are now. The only thing that we could "charge" on the ship were drinks with something they called a "sign and sail" card and that was your soft drinks and alcoholic drinks. They added an automatic 15% tip (which actually saved us lots of money cause I think soft drinks were 75 cents and we probably would have left a dollar for each one.)

Nowadays, I think everything is a lot more credit card friendly and your room key lets you charge everything including those tips. You can just fill out a form at the end of your cruise. As a matter of fact I think I read that if you don't put a credit card on file you had to leave cash at an office somewhere as nobody accepted cash on the ship. (Don't remember where I read it or even what cruise line).

[Disney Campers]

Basically tips are paid at the end of the cruise with the exception of room service and bar charges, as mentioned they automatically add in the gratuity for all bar charges and give you the option to add to it, room service is generally free but tips for the person who delivers it are customary in cash at the time of delivery. try this link to get an idea of what gratuities will cost you for any specific cruise line:

http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com

About the only place you can use cash is in the casino, everything else goes on your cruise card.

[Gatordad]

Im not at all opposed to tipping...my livelihood depends on tips...my wife and I have been in the service industry in some form or another most of our lives....I have to get some really bad service to consider leaving LESS than 15%....and usually tip 20% as the norm.

But Im still not exactly straight on how tipping works on the boats...are you supposed to wait till the end of the cruise and leave a lump sum? Or do you tip daily? Who do you hand the tip to...the server, the stateroom attendant(what the hecks a stateroom attendant?)Do I leave it in an envelope in my room as we are leaving? Is it 12 bucks a person in my party, or is it 3.50 per person in my party? I never thought tipping could be so confusing!!


you wait until the last night to tip. It's a magic trick that happens, the last night comes, and then the maitr'e D comes out of hiding.

You can pay with your cc or give the envelopes. And it's the amount, per person, per day. so if there's 3 people at dinner, it's $3.50x. If you think these boards are crazy, go to www.cruisecritic.com and look there. The people get into fights over whether you should wear a tux on formal night. It's fun getting them fired up over meaningless stuff.....

[Disney Campers]

you wait until the last night to tip. It's a magic trick that happens, the last night comes, and then the maitr'e D comes out of hiding.

You can pay with your cc or give the envelopes. And it's the amount, per person, per day. so if there's 3 people at dinner, it's $3.50x. If you think these boards are crazy, go to www.cruisecritic.com and look there. The people get into fights over whether you should wear a tux on formal night. It's fun getting them fired up over meaningless stuff.....

cruisecritic.com also known as cruise complainers, then there's the darkside of cruising at cruisebruise.com this lady never has a positive things to say about cruising.

[Eeyore'sthebest]

cruisecritic.com also known as cruise complainers, then there's the darkside of cruising at cruisebruise.com this lady never has a positive things to say about cruising.
Ohhhh, this sounds exciting. Need to go see what pot can get stirred over there. :stir: :rolleyes1

I like cruisecritic for their ports of call boards. It gives me an idea of what to actually do once the ship docks. :rotfl2:

[Tri-circle-D]

you wait until the last night to tip. It's a magic trick that happens, the last night comes, and then the maitr'e D comes out of hiding.


LOL! :rotfl2: That is so true! On some cruises, there is also a "head" waiter, who also is never seen until it is time for the tips! However, the suggested amount of the tips for these people is never that much. Just factor it in as a cost of the cruise, and don't worry about it. It is quite funny, actually, that it happens on every cruise line.

TCD

[Gatordad]

Once in awhile, the head waiter will make a surprise appearance and take your lobster out of your shell for you.......

As for the soda cards, find a waiter that you like and only go to them. Give them a dollar here, a dollar there when you get the soda, or duke them with a nickel at the start of the day. I never have a problem getting 3-4 diet cokes at a time..... although Disney lets you get your own soda.

[Gatordad]

Ohhhh, this sounds exciting. Need to go see what pot can get stirred over there. :stir: :rolleyes1

I like cruisecritic for their ports of call boards. It gives me an idea of what to actually do once the ship docks. :rotfl2:

That site is the best, I've been banned so many times there for stirring the pot..... my next screen name should be Emeril...... the current one is big dog daddy.

[Eeyore'sthebest]

That site is the best, I've been banned so many times there for stirring the pot..... my next screen name should be Emeril...... the current one is big dog daddy. Why doesn't this surprise me?? :rotfl2:

[Gatordad]

it's too easy over there to do it...... they are worse than any disney______ fill in the blank

[BigDaddyRog]

Big Dog Daddy....I like it!!!!

Man, you guys are bringing me to school.....Im learnong alot,and I wanna thank ya'll for answering all of my "Im a new moron, and dont know my butt from a hole in the ground when it come to cruising" questions....I do appreciate the time you guys are taking out for me.


Ok...so I have a general idea about tipping now...easy enough.

Now..Disney vs everyone else......is Disney the only cruiser that will allow 4 people in an inside state room (cheapest level)? You guys know Im a broke mo-fo and even the cheapest level is pretty much out of my range, so I have to cram as many of us as they allow into a room..I figure we wont be IN the room very much, anyway.

Now, it DOES seem like Disney is about twice as much as most other lines on most dates...but it seems like I would have to either(1) get two cabins, or (2) upgrade to a suite..and at that point, for my families situation...the cost of the cruise starts to even out. Throw in the "bring your own booze" and free softdrinks, and Disney suddenly doesnt seem to cost any more than most other lines. Am I right about this? If Im missing something...PLEASE let me know.

What do the other cruises offer as far as entertainment that doesnt involve gambling( I never gamble) or sitting in a bar (I personally dont drink anymore...though I may make an exception on a cruise,especially if I can bring my own). What is the "FAMILY DRAW" of the non-Disney lines?

Whats going on in Mexico?? Ive talked about cruising to some friends and family....and theyve all said NOT TO GO TO MEXICO....that their have been alot of American tourist murders???? WHats this all about? Has anyone else heard about this?

[Born 2 Fish]

Isn't Mexico full of illegals ?? :lmao:
Oh wait, that would be here.

I'm not sure what to say bout Mexico,, we've been several times, and did all the tourist stuff, loved it. But things change,,things may not be so good there now ? :confused3
I have heard that as long as you stay on the resorts,,no problems. BUT if you cruise, then the port of calls will be right in the cities, not in resorts,,
sooo again :confused3 .

[BigDaddyRog]

I went to Mexico as a kid...and I still have vivid memories of how amazing it was with being there. It was beautiful...even a little kid could appreciate the culture. My best memories were of the market places....they were kinda like flea markets...except they smelled awful. But,it wasnt worth dying for!!! I wonder how true these stories are....it IS alot cheaper to cruise to Mexico,especially since the ships dock about 4 blocks from where I work!

Any recent visitors to the Mexican ports, please chime in on this.....Im really curious.

[Gatordad]

You'll be fine in Mexico, tell them your name is Rodriguez.....

There's tons of stuff to do on a cruise. Your decision is do you want to pay for the Mickey name, or pay less for better food. The booze thing isn't such a big deal, you can sneak pretty much anything you want on a cruise.

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Rog - Book at Cat. 12 GTY for 4 people. You will automatically be upgraded to a Cat. 11 because Cat. 12s only sleep 3. So you get an 11 for the price of a 12. :thumbsup2
Cat. 11's are still inside staterooms. Link the room reservations so that they will keep you in the same general area (hopefully). Ideal would be to book connecting staterooms but you can't do a Cat. 12 GTY that way. Suites are really REALLY expensive so book the 2 inside staterooms to save the money. No need to give extra to Mickey. You're on the same boat as those in the Walt Suite. Okay, you don't get goodies in your stateroom every evening but you can call room service and they will delivery free cookies, mickey bars and cheese and cracker platters!! :thumbsup2
You're really not in the room that much so no need to splurge.

I'll let others talk about the family draw on non Disney lines. Last non-disney line I went on was 20 years ago and I wasn't thinking of families - gambling, booze and hot guys were my agenda. :rotfl2: Hmm, I wonder how that's changed. :lmao:

There are State Dept warnings about travel to Mexico. I think its mainly for the border towns like Nogalas and Tiajuna. We're sticking to a DCL excursion when we go to Cozumel mainly because there are 8 ships in port that day. They will hold the boat if you are on a DCL excursion and it is running late. Otherwise, they will leave without if you're not back in time. With that many people in port there is no need to risk it. My biggest fear is standing on the dock watching the ship pull away. :scared1:

[hopeisb4u]

BDR, I'm so glad you asked about this!!

I've been contemplating on doing a crusie . . . but wasn't so sure if it was truly worth the money. I went on a cruise ship for the first time last summer, but it was docked, for my cousins wedding. We were allowed to roam around an hour before the wedding, then had an hour or so for the reception afterwards. I can't remember what cruise line it was, but it didn't seem as big on the ship as I thought it would. Then again we didn't look at everything.

I don't know about ya'll...but you start talking about stuff that costs more than a few hundred dollars...i start to tighten up!!

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I don't know about ya'll...but you start talking about stuff that costs more than a few hundred dollars...i start to tighten up!!
Being that you're in FL, you can get a resident discount rate. Check with Rhonda. And if you us Dreams Unlimited to book, you may get an onboard credit which is applied to your stateroom bill - i.e. FREE MONEY!!

And you never get a discount no matter if you book with Disney or a travel agent so go with the place where you get free money. :thumbsup2

[Mmketeer]

Oh good gracious, DCL is worth sacrificing everything for! I have sailed her 10 times, since 1999 and it is my favorite!!!

I swear I will just roll over and die if I don't get to go on the new bigger ships that DCL is coming out with in 2011.

My advice.....go on a Disney cruise! You can't beat the service, the food, the attention to detail, etc. Plus, they are the only cruiseline that has fireworks at sea. But, don't take my word for it, hop over to the Disney Cruise Line forum here and you'll see their are lots of folks that will agree with me.

By the way, if I can't afford to sail Disney my second choice is RCCl's mega ships.

[Born 2 Fish]

Oh good gracious, DCL is worth sacrificing everything for! I have sailed her 10 times, since 1999 and it is my favorite!!!

I swear I will just roll over and die if I don't get to go on the new bigger ships that DCL is coming out with in 2011.

My advice.....go on a Disney cruise! You can't beat the service, the food, the attention to detail, etc. Plus, they are the only cruiseline that has fireworks at sea. But, don't take my word for it, hop over to the Disney Cruise Line forum here and you'll see their are lots of folks that will agree with me.

By the way, if I can't afford to sail Disney my second choice is RCCl's mega ships.

Pictures ? popcorn::

[BigDaddyRog]

BDR, I'm so glad you asked about this!!

I've been contemplating on doing a crusie . . . but wasn't so sure if it was truly worth the money. I went on a cruise ship for the first time last summer, but it was docked, for my cousins wedding. We were allowed to roam around an hour before the wedding, then had an hour or so for the reception afterwards. I can't remember what cruise line it was, but it didn't seem as big on the ship as I thought it would. Then again we didn't look at everything.

I don't know about ya'll...but you start talking about stuff that costs more than a few hundred dollars...i start to tighten up!!

Tighten up aint the word....money is hard to come by these days,really hard for those of us that chose such IGNORANT careers!!!

Its only a pipe dream for me right now, but hopefully the country's finances will improve before too much longer. Ive never even really given much thought to a cruise until recently.....I think Scott's recent trip really got me to doing some questioning.....I tell ya, this group is a bad influence!!!

I've looked long and hard at most of the cruise ships web sites.....and I just cant seem to talk myself into the other boats.....I WANT to do a Disney Cruise. It just looks like so much more fun than the others..they all claim to be "geared to family fun".......but the main activities always seem to be gambling and night clubbing......it just does nothing for me. But watching some Disney cartoon that Ive seen no less than 20 times on an outdoor screen from a pool sounds like a blast for me & my family!!!!! Im such a tard!:rolleyes:

[Gatordad]

you are a tard. but a good tard.

[Rhonda]

I've looked long and hard at most of the cruise ships web sites.....and I just cant seem to talk myself into the other boats.....I WANT to do a Disney Cruise. It just looks like so much more fun than the others..they all claim to be "geared to family fun".......but the main activities always seem to be gambling and night clubbing......it just does nothing for me. But watching some Disney cartoon that Ive seen no less than 20 times on an outdoor screen from a pool sounds like a blast for me & my family!!!!! Im such a tard!:rolleyes:

And the Nighttime Pirate Party w/Fireworks at Sea are fantastic!!! You will love it!! It's really amazing to see fireworks, with no other lights around!

[Disney Campers]

And the Nighttime Pirate Party w/Fireworks at Sea are fantastic!!! You will love it!! It's really amazing to see fireworks, with no other lights around!

I will have to admit the fireworks at sea were pretty darn cool...

[disney4dan]

I haven't read through this thread other than your first entry Rog, but wanted to chime in that Nancy and I signed up for a 3 night cruise this November for our (gasp) 20th anniversary this year. Our actual anniversary date is in June, but could not go until November.

We booked a Cat 12 cabin for just the two of us. We don't have a lot of extra to go around, but the two of us are still gainfully employed (so far) and have been making do where ever we can to scrape up some additional $$.

Yeah, it means no trip to the Fort this year, but Rhonda scored us a great deal on the cruise and we couldn't resist (Three Cheers for Rhonda).

Now if I could only get back into the shape I was in 20 years ago when we went on that honeymoon cruise. I'm figuring I could at least grow a mullet!:thumbsup2

[Rhonda]

Now if I could only get back into the shape I was in 20 years ago when we went on that honeymoon cruise. I'm figuring I could at least grow a mullet!:thumbsup2

Oooh - we want pictures of that!!

[disney4dan]

Oooh - we want pictures of that!!

Funny thing about mullets, they hide behind the head in most photos, but I did come across this sorta-sideways shot where it shows a little.

I went through our entire album of honeymoon cruise shots and couldn't find a single shot where the mullet was visible, and this one isn't so great either:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh199/DanTaylor_01/July86camping002.jpg

In case anyone is wondering, that's a Fleetwood Mac concert T-shirt I'm wearing (and it was old then in 1986).

Taken on one of our early camping trips when we would go tent camping in the White Mountains of NH.

[BigDaddyRog]

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/dj_bigdaddyrog/July86camping002.jpg

[des1954]

Oooooooooh! Very nice hair! :rotfl2::lmao::rotfl2:

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/dj_bigdaddyrog/July86camping002.jpg

[Gatordad]

i like the old school Casio watch.

[miztigg]

I have been on quite a few disney cruises Do yourself a favor and book one!! Do NOT only book the 3 day it is way too short you will jus be getting on the ship settling in and its time to get off. If you are worried about sea days do the 4 day you can find them cheap (i got mine last oct for 399 pp) this dec im goin for about 370pp because of my 10% off when i reebooked onboard. The tipping is so easy and all the cruises i have been on I have tipped extra because my servers have been that GREAT!!!! The excursions are pricey but when you decide what cruise go over to the cruise boards you will get a ton of ideas and save a ton of (so you can buy more drinks of the day :thumbsup2) The only problem it is very addicting I find myself rebooking over and over again:goodvibes

[disney4dan]

Rog, that is some incredible work :worship:, don't know if I could ever go back to that style.

I wonder whatever happened to that Casio watch? Could probably unload it on eBay for more vacation funds.

[Gatordad]

That Casio is still probably working, those things are the best.

[ntsammy5]

That Casio is still probably working, those things are the best.

I have one from 1988 that still works -I think I only replaced the battery once - the face is so scratched that you can't read it.

[BigDaddyRog]

My swatch watch wasnt no casio!!! But it hat those cool little rubber face guards, so if it did stillwork..I could read the time......
The time was 6 o'clock...on the Swatch watch
No time to chill, got a date, can't be late...
Hey......the girl is gonna do me.
Move.....to the Jacuzzi, ooh, that booty.....
Smack it up, flip it, rub it down, oh, noooooo
Do me baaybaaaayyyy, do me baybaaaay!!!!

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t296/dj_bigdaddyrog/swatch2.jpg










No...I didnt really have a Swatch watch...........those things were too expensive...and didnt come with rolling papers!

[Born 2 Fish]

I had a dog watch once.


Wait,, got that backwards, I meant to say a watch dog.
He was stupid, he couldn't tell time.

[bunny]

[QUOTE=Born 2 Fish;30957565]Rog, except for the getting raped by a crew member part, I love the cruises.

:rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2::rotfl2::r otfl2:

Where is the tag fairy when you need her?

[Just Beachy]

Thanks a lot, Rog. Now I can't stop thinking about wanting to go on a cruise! I even have some of the gang here thinking about it, too! Now, if only I could actually afford it.....:sad2:

[BigDaddyRog]

Yeah....they ARE expensive! Especially when ya gotta gang o'******* kids that ya gotta haul along!!! But Im gonna try to make it happen one of these years!!

[disney4dan]

Here's hoping you either find a rich uncle, win the lottery or find a way to leave the kids home!

I think what sealed it for us to take the plunge was reading the trip report from TCD. I'm hoping to take the kids some day, but it's way beyond our reach for the whole family right now.