Cruise secrets that DCL doesn't tell you

[Cruise]

Bring your own clock. The propeller clock is very cute.... in a fully lighted cabin. It is not self lit nor can glow in the dark, and honestly don't even know IF it has an alarm.

Have to agree with this one. I think the clock hands do technically have the little green glow-in-the-dark strips, but they're so small, there's no way to tell what time it is in the dark. I need an actual lit clock.

And while you can get a wake up call, the phone ringing is just too jarring for me from a dead sleep. I much prefer a regular alarm clock.

 

[myheartlivesatwdw]

I know that many of the crew members appreciate international calling cards. We pick them up in various small amounts and give them to people who go above and beyond that would not receive a grat from us otherwise.

That is a great idea!

 

[Bookwood]

I don't know if there are any hidden Mickey fans out there but I found a DCL HIdden Mickey book in the Orlando Airport store last week and picked it up. This is the first time I've seen this book - which doesn't mean it hasn't been around forever.

I plan to have it on the PC cruise if anyones intrested in borrowing it.

 

[tikimimi]

One of the DCL porters who regularly posts here anonymously said a few days ago that DCL is clamping down on the water thing in that yes you'll have to have it in luggage going forward, they're being told to not check the shrinkwrapped packages anymore.

Here's one I havn't seen sofar.

Bring your own clock. The propeller clock is very cute.... in a fully lighted cabin. It is not self lit nor can glow in the dark, and honestly don't even know IF it has an alarm.

Mark the clock does have an alarm - it plays "When You Wish Upon a Star" in a pretty basic single tone alarm. We asked to have our clock "fixed" (new battery or something) on the 9/26 Wonder, but even after new batteries were installed, it didn't keep the time accurately. We brought a small travel alarm clock with glow hands, but I prefer one that is lit.

 

[believe79]

Bump

 

[sharkbait]

Thanks for sharing. We have been on eight Disney cruises and did not know about some of this. We are getting ready to take the 14 day Transatlantic next May so these secrets will be very useful.

We're on the same cruise and all these ideas are great! Can't wait, we're counting the days.... my husband says we are fit to be tied.... meanwhile he is secretly more excited than the rest of us. We haven't been on the Magic since 2001.

 

[MarkRG]

Please note, the above posts where I'm being quoted, only refer to the Magic and Wonder. It seems the Dream has lit digital clocks with an Ipod dock. Hopefully the M&W will get this small but nice upgrade at some point.

And while you can get a wake up call, the phone ringing is just too jarring for me from a dead sleep. I much prefer a regular alarm clock.

And I agree, I don't like the phone wakeups for this reason either.

 

[Camonkeygirl]

You can also take a matte for a frame to guest services. We did on the first night and they returned it to our stateroom on the last night signed by all the characters on the ship. I bought an 11"x14" matte with an 8"x10" opening. I put a picture of me with Mickey & Minnie in it. It looks so nice with all the signatures around the picture and then framed.

That is a great idea, as my DH is a photographer, and can take a nice photo

For those of you that have U.S. passports. You can leave them with Guest Services (you get a receipt that you must have to get it back), and they will have it stamped at each country you visit. On the last night, you go and pick it back up.

That sounds good. I am actually getting my passport for my Sept. trip, so that will be my first stamps.

Not sure if they still do it, but on our first afternoon a couple years ago they offered a free guided tour of the ship. We got to visit the bridge, the spa and the kitchen area where all the food is prepared, and were offered a chocolate chip cookie as a treat. Very interesting tour. Not sure if there is a minimum age (probably).

I would love to know if they still do this. My DH is already asking about tours of the ship.

Bump

Thank you for Bumping this thread. It gave me some wonderful ideas.

 

[Meskamooska]

Hi All!

Here are a few things that I found helpful on our first cruise and will be doing again for our second...

Remember to bring one dollar bills to tip the folks who deliver your room service orders. They are not part of the group included in your personal assigned team and if they are not tipped when they deliver the goods they get stiffed.

And speaking of tips... I choose to pay my basic gratuities as early as possible. They can be paid when you pay for your reservation, any time up to three days prior to your departure through DCL (or via your TA) or at any time on the cruise through Guest Services. I pay them early because I consider the basic gratuities as part of the cost of the cruise and I believe I get even better (if that is possible) service. I happily add to the gratuities to recognize the exemplary service and also fill in guest comment cards as well.

Be sure to tell your waitstaff if you will not be at dinner as they will try to serve the entire table at the same time. If you won't be at dinner (or if you are late you are inconveniencing everyone at your sitting.

If you are a "foodie" be sure to tell your head waiter and ask for receipes as they will happily share.

Bring your oldest clothes to wear on excursions - especially if you might get wet or messy and then throw them away. It will make additional room in your luggage and allow more room for souvenirs.

Bring prepackaged snacks to enjoy during the onboard entertainment (packaged goodies can be expensive on the ship).

Make sure there is contact info on your memory cards just in case you drop them. One easy thing to do is to take a picture of your name and address as your first picture just in case.

Check with your cellphone company before your trip to find out if your phone will work in your ports of call and if you are going out oof the country make sure you know how to place a call if you need to.

Order the fruit and cheese plate from room service before dinner. It makes a great appetizer and will keep well without refrigeration.

Bring a couple of small flashlights (those inside cabins get pretty dark).

Bring half as many clothes and twice as much money.

If I think anything else I will happily share.

Take care all, help lots of people and have a "Wonder"ful day!

Tisza

 

[OlivesMom]

Make sure there is contact info on your memory cards just in case you drop them. One easy thing to do is to take a picture of your name and address as your first picture just in case.

Excellent idea - I'm going to keep a photo of my contact info and the word "reward" in my cameras memory at all times. Always worried I'll misplace them! Thank You!!!

 

[Princess Sleepy]

A PP (from about 4 years ago) mentioned a treasure hunt on CC. Does anyone know anything about that?

 

[DynamicDisneyDuo]

I would love to know if they still do this. My DH is already asking about tours of the ship.

There is a galley tour offered, although recent reports seem to indicate it is becoming a hit or miss thing. Just have to wait until you're onboard.

There are no bridge tours anymore except in very rare circumstances such as Make A Wish kids or naval officers of one sort or another. Even in those cases, it is not always guaranteed.

I believe you are free to walk around the spa and look around, just not in any areas where someone might be getting a treatment.

 

[Wadekind]

Excellent idea - I'm going to keep a photo of my contact info and the word "reward" in my cameras memory at all times. Always worried I'll misplace them! Thank You!!!

seconded. I have never seen this idea before.

 

[lexlaw69]

Be careful about leaving your passports anywhere. If you are in port and for some reason you don't make it back to the ship you are looking at some major inconveniences, majoe expenses and missing a good deal of your cruise while emergency copies are made. Also, not sure how this might affect a VAT refund - I don't remember if you need to show your passport.

 

[penguinaddict]

Subscribing... thanks to all for the great tips!

 

[xandrhew]

Anybody find any Disney Dream secrets yet?

 

[Billinaz]

There is a galley tour offered, although recent reports seem to indicate it is becoming a hit or miss thing. Just have to wait until you're onboard.

There are no bridge tours anymore except in very rare circumstances such as Make A Wish kids or naval officers of one sort or another. Even in those cases, it is not always guaranteed.

I believe you are free to walk around the spa and look around, just not in any areas where someone might be getting a treatment.

Bridge tours are still being done, you have to ask as soon as you get onboard. We arent affiliated with any of the mentioned groups, all we did was ask and we were given a date and time to show up for the tour.

 

[momof2cutegirls]

Hoping to become a first-time cruiser in 2012...Subscribing!

 

[Disney Dreams]

Be careful about leaving your passports anywhere. If you are in port and for some reason you don't make it back to the ship you are looking at some major inconveniences, majoe expenses and missing a good deal of your cruise while emergency copies are made. Also, not sure how this might affect a VAT refund - I don't remember if you need to show your passport.

We were actually told by several crew members on the Wonder NOT to take our passports in to port with us when we were in Nassau (which of course went contrary to everything we felt we should do).

They explained that if we were to miss the ship, DCL has to get involved in our "situation" anyway and that they would retrieve our passports from our cabin safe (where we kept them) in the process of assisting us with getting either home or re-connected with the ship.

I don't know anything else to add except that it was told to us by several different crew members and we did as instructed. And yes, I ALWAYS keep my passport on me anytime I travel anywhere abroad if not on a cruise, so it was contrary to my instinctual behavior.

- Dreams

 

[debsters41]

About the bridge tours, where would one ask as soon as arriving onboard? Guest services?