What I would do/not do next cruise

[KYDIZFAN]

If you do a Mediterranean cruise you absolutely need to book your shore excursions before you sail they fill up quickly.

 

[TinaRN]

You have to go under My Cruise Activities, choose a day, select Adult Dining, then see if it is available.

How do you sign up for Tea at Palo? I didn't see it as an option in the planning center and would love to sign up.

 

[Amunet]

How do you sign up for Tea at Palo? I didn't see it as an option in the planning center and would love to sign up.

You have to go under My Cruise Activities, choose a day, select Adult Dining, then see if it is available.

I'd also like to add to this: High Tea is only available on Sea Days. So, if you have a 3 day (no sea days) then it will not be available.
I only know this because this is what DH and I have been sold on when we first ordered the planning dvd lol


I can't wait to come back to this thread and put my do's and don'ts down after our first disney cruise!

 

[annabug]

I'm literally taking notes!
And I have decided I'm not going to be visiting the spa

So many mixed reviews, and I just don't want to waste precious time and money if it's not am amazing experience!

Thanx for all the tips!
Annabug

 

[Cathy718]

Sorry, I have no answers, just a question since we are going on our first cruise (Fantasy) in Sept...I was wondering why so many of you said that you would change your dining ressies to the late seating instead of first seating??? Our TA advised us to sign up for early seating when I booked-she said it's always easy to change to late...Why late? Just wondering! I am reading all of these posts and feel like I need to take notes!

I actually feel the opposite way... I like to enjoy the day, have an early dinner and then have the whole evening to do what we want. It also worked out good one night when we didn't particularly like what we had for dinner and we could go up to the buffet and have a second dinner

 

[chateau]

I hear ya! Spending all day and all night and every meal and every excursion with close friends....well, let's just say 'not so close anymore'. You can get sick of people real quick when you are stuck with them, 24-7.

You're either daring or are no longer friends with your travel companions! They can read what you write by following your posts! If joking, hope their sense of humor matches yours! I wouldn't take that chance, but each his own.

 

[Siliobear]

I hear ya! Spending all day and all night and every meal and every excursion with close friends....well, let's just say 'not so close anymore'. You can get sick of people real quick when you are stuck with them, 24-7.

Last year, I traveled with DS (23) on a Princess Alaska cruise, just the two of us. We met for meals and excursions but otherwise, we went our separate ways. Although I missed his companionship, I didn't want to cramp his style. Worked out great and we ran into each other anyways from time to time and would hang then.

This may be hard when 1:1 with a friend, but I've learned from traveling with my extended family to give everyone space due to different interests and energy levels. I like to burn the candle on both ends (wake early, party late) but others like to sleep in on vacay. This way, everybody's happy.

 

[mushu756]

Loving this thread! Subscribing!

Ditto

 

[tinkerbellmom31]

Is the dessert buffet the night of the Pirate Party?

 

[lmhall2000]

Dos:
Take more 'breaks' on deck 4 or whatever deck has the outdoor lounge chairs..it was sooo quiet and therapeutic..almost never anyone out there except those playing shuffle board..my free rainshower visit
Take more pictures...I took 500 last cruise, but that was not enough, kids love revisiting their time on the ship!
Do early seating dinner..being one of only 3 tables to get your main course as everyone else has just finished their dinner is not fun...being forced to skip dinner b/c it's after 10:00 is just wrong...at least with early dining we KNOW we have to get out on time.

Donts:
Don't pack more than one carry on pp...we did this last time and it worked out great!
Forget to relax! So much planning can drive you nuts...just enjoy being on the ship!

 

[dizzi]

Just Finished our 5th Cruise
And this thread helped me even though i knew alot you can never know it all.

ANd also things change with your self and your situation.

We will be doing a cruise again in March of 2013 and at this moment this is my List.

WILL DO AGAIN:
1. Take my own Wine
2. Take one bottle of other alchohol
3. DO the one hour private Photo Session
4. Take my own creamer for coffee (this saved me alot of money instead of purchasing coffee in the cove)
5. Karaoke

WILL DO THIS TIME:
1. SKIP MOST DINNERS IN DINING ROOM Takes too much time away from lounging. Takes me an hour to get reaady for dinner, and dinner is at least hour and a half pictures before dinner stading in line waiting to get into dinner etc count it as 3 hours....NOT THIS TIME
2. See every show and act i want to see
3. FIND A SPOT EARLY at the Pool and stay there ALL DAY!!!!
4. Take more strap dresses, several times i wished i had one to just throw on with a pair of flip flops
5. Remember to take my own cork screw cost $20 to open up your own bottle. DUH

 

[tinkerone]

Just Finished our 5th Cruise
And this thread helped me even though i knew alot you can never know it all.

ANd also things change with your self and your situation.

We will be doing a cruise again in March of 2013 and at this moment this is my List.

WILL DO AGAIN:
1. Take my own Wine
2. Take one bottle of other alchohol
3. DO the one hour private Photo Session
4. Take my own creamer for coffee (this saved me alot of money instead of purchasing coffee in the cove)
5. Karaoke

WILL DO THIS TIME:
1. SKIP MOST DINNERS IN DINING ROOM Takes too much time away from lounging. Takes me an hour to get reaady for dinner, and dinner is at least hour and a half pictures before dinner stading in line waiting to get into dinner etc count it as 3 hours....NOT THIS TIME
2. See every show and act i want to see
3. FIND A SPOT EARLY at the Pool and stay there ALL DAY!!!!
4. Take more strap dresses, several times i wished i had one to just throw on with a pair of flip flops
5. Remember to take my own cork screw cost $20 to open up your own bottle. DUH

if you ask your room steward he will bring you one for no cost.

 

[dizzi]

see.....
learn something new all the time.

Really looking forward to #6

 

[tmead9471]

I actually feel the opposite way... I like to enjoy the day, have an early dinner and then have the whole evening to do what we want. It also worked out good one night when we didn't particularly like what we had for dinner and we could go up to the buffet and have a second dinner

The DW and I are already planning to skip most of the dinners in the main dinning room. We have a one maybe two nights that we want to sxperience the dinners, but otherwise we are planning to skip the dinners as we have read a lot of posts saying the dinners use up a lot of time. We want to be early to all the big shows and not get stuck at dinner. Do they have a buffet set up each night at dinner for those that want to skip the big sit down dinner?
Thanks, we love reading all the dos and don'ts

 

[kkmcan]

Do:
1. Book late seating - loved it! Have done early seating 3 times and always felt rushed. Tried late seating on our last cruise cuz thats all that was left and we loved it!

2. Book excursions early. Missed out on the dolphin swim by the time I made up my mind.

3. Bring our over the door shoe holder. Amazing way to save space!

4. Order room service breakfast every morning for the whole family. we woke up had muffins and coffee in our bed. Kids had cereal and juice while watching tv.

Will not do:

1. Get to the port early. Might try the wait til 12:00 time so we can hopefully walk right on.

2. Not buy as many pictures- Have only framed our first cruise photos. Rest are still in their envelopes.

3. Eat poolside fast food everyday for lunch. Missed out on some good offerings by forgetting to check the buffet for the specialty line.

 

[Cdnmom2001]

Just Finished our 5th Cruise
And this thread helped me even though i knew alot you can never know it all.

ANd also things change with your self and your situation.

We will be doing a cruise again in March of 2013 and at this moment this is my List.

WILL DO AGAIN:

3. DO the one hour private Photo Session


.

Question for you,


is there a fee for this and how much and how does one arrange a session? I really want on these and need to know how to budget and arrange.

 

[donalddisneygal]

Just Finished our 5th Cruise
4. Take my own creamer for coffee (this saved me alot of money instead of purchasing coffee in the cove)

What kind of creamer is available from the drink station? Is half & half available at the drink station?

Thanks!

 

[Susiesark]

What kind of creamer is available from the drink station? Is half & half available at the drink station?

Thanks!

You can get milk or half & half. I brink a bag of the individual flavored creamers. SO much better (if that's what you are used to).

 

[disneyholic family]

Will do again:
1. Stay on the ship in nassau
2. Brunch at Palo
3. Order room service
4. Spend all day on CC (loved it!!)
5. Rent bikes on CC and ride to serenity bay and all around the trails and back
6. Shop on CC (i admit it, i like cheesy souvenirs)
7. Do any ship tours that are offered (i hope they have some)

Won't do again:
1. Won't rent snorkels on CC

Will do for the first time:
1. see a movie in the buena vista theater - i always say i will, then we never have the time. I wish the movie theater was open all night!! I'm a night owl.
2. Dinner at Palo
3. Tea at Palo
4. Remy
5. Ride the Aqua Duck
6. Count the lifevests and try them on
7. Eat at cabanas (can you believe, i've never eaten at the buffet up on deck!!)
8. Have the snack foods up on deck (french fries, ice cream etc)
9. Just hang out relaxing and reading a book
10. Get a cabana on Castaway Cay (fingers crossed that i'll get one)
11. swim at pelican bay (whatever that place is called - looks like river country)


that's all i can think of right now, but i'm sure there's a lot more!

 

[Marshay]

Just Finished our 5th Cruise
And this thread helped me even though i knew alot you can never know it all.

WILL DO THIS TIME:
1. SKIP MOST DINNERS IN DINING ROOM Takes too much time away from lounging. Takes me an hour to get reaady for dinner, and dinner is at least hour and a half pictures before dinner stading in line waiting to get into dinner etc count it as 3 hours....NOT THIS TIME

Newbie here ... can you skip the photos line and just go straight to dinner? We are not interested in getting photos this trip (except the ones we take!).

The DW and I are already planning to skip most of the dinners in the main dinning room. We have a one maybe two nights that we want to sxperience the dinners, but otherwise we are planning to skip the dinners as we have read a lot of posts saying the dinners use up a lot of time. We want to be early to all the big shows and not get stuck at dinner. Do they have a buffet set up each night at dinner for those that want to skip the big sit down dinner?
Thanks, we love reading all the dos and don'ts

I'm interested in this answer, too. We have 2 children, 3yo and 7you and there is no way they are going to last over an hour for dinner. We will need some other options.