What I would do/not do next cruise

I'm curious about the swimsuit idea - so board with your suits already on? The girls would have no problem hiding their suits but would dh and ds look ridiculous wearing their swim trunks and shirt to lunch?
 
As for swim trunks at lunch, as long as the trunks are dry and they're wearing shirts and flip flops, that's totally acceptable summer attire here in Florida for a casual meal or running errands. It's all about what they're comfortable wearing. I wouldn't show up in a MDR in shorts and flip flops though...
 
As for swim trunks at lunch, as long as the trunks are dry and they're wearing shirts and flip flops, that's totally acceptable summer attire here in Florida for a casual meal or running errands. It's all about what they're comfortable wearing. I wouldn't show up in a MDR in shorts and flip flops though...

Shorts are acceptable in all the dining venues for lunch. It's at dinner that DCL requests "no shorts, tank tops, or swim suits".
 
Now that I have cruised with my first veranda, I would never book one at full price. I was hardly out there. Not because of smokers, cause I wanted to do stuff around the ship.

Sent from my iPhone 5 using DISBoards
 


Will do again:



Definitely stay at Hyatt again! Was sooo worried about them losing our luggage and it was a seamless process.

[

I'm staying at the MCO Hyatt in August the day before our cruise. Did you leave your luggage in your room?

I too, am concerned about them "forgetting" my luggage.

Id 'be interested in hearing more about your experience with them.

Thanks,

glad you had a great cruise.
 
WILL DO AGAIN:

1) Always do Fish Extender exchanges and DIS Meet threads!
232323232%7Ffp8%3A4%3Enu%3D3248%3E%3A54%3E9%3A7%3EWSNRCG%3D323973%3A442%3A%3A5nu0mrj


And do some form of identification! The all time best cruise we had was when we all did Green DIS rubber bands for everyone and everyone wore them the whole cruise! It was so fun to walk around seeing people that you "knew" and could say hi to, or joke with everywhere on the ship!

(I really hope some people start joining the thread for my upcoming cruise soon! it would be such a bummer not to have this fun!)

2) Always go and play with your kids at the clubs during the open houses! You then get comfortable and familiar with what is there and you see how much fun they are having!

232323232%7Ffp8%3A9%3Enu%3D3248%3E%3A54%3E9%3A7%3EWSNRCG%3D323973%3A43%3A66%3Anu0mrj


3) Take the time to do the Arts and Crafts family activities! This is always my kids' favorite memories from our cruises! My son has been wowing all his friends with his ability to draw Mickey for years! And he just won a best drawer at school because of it!

232323232%7Ffp8%3A8%3Enu%3D3248%3E%3A54%3E9%3A7%3EWSNRCG%3D323973%3A442%3A%3A8nu0mrj


4) Always see the shows! No matter how many times we have seen them previously! And just once dress up for dinner and the shows. You won't believe how fun this actually can be!

232323232%7Ffp89%3A%3Enu%3D3248%3E%3A54%3E9%3A7%3EWSNRCG%3D323973%3A442%3A%3A%3Cnu0mrj


5) Always find a time to be able to do an adult dinner: Palo & Remy have been my favorite memories of all time!

The private room at Palo:
232323232%7Ffp8%3A2%3Enu%3D3248%3E%3A54%3E9%3A7%3EWSNRCG%3D323973%3A563594nu0mrj


6) Always dance and be silly with the kids at the parties prior to and after dinner! They will never forget it!

232323232%7Ffp8%3A2%3Enu%3D3248%3E%3A54%3E9%3A7%3EWSNRCG%3D323973%3A55%3A9%3B%3Bnu0mrj


7) Always go right to the Mickey Pool (now going to be AquaLab) upon boarding with swimsuits on! Get a table, set up and then go get some food while the kids play! Then every day do the same for breakfast!

232323232%7Ffp8%3A7%3Enu%3D3248%3E%3A54%3E9%3A7%3EWSNRCG%3D323973%3C5%3A9936nu0mrj


8) Always tell DCL about our special celebrations!

232323232%7Ffp8%3A4%3Enu%3D3248%3E%3A54%3E9%3A7%3EWSNRCG%3D323973%3C5%3B%3A%3B48nu0mrj


WON'T DO AGAIN

1) Agree to share a table with others.


2) Go to Parrot Cay or any of the dining rooms you are forced into upon Boarding - Just go up to the pools and get food as you feel like it. This always makes me feel like you are being forced to eat on a flippin cruise!! You will never ever ever be hungry or need to fight to get to food on a cruise!! Such a waste of time! And the food is like, meh a this buffet. And the kids are completely not at their best ever upon boarding!

232323232%7Ffp8%3A8%3Enu%3D3248%3E%3A54%3E9%3A7%3EWSNRCG%3D323973%3A453788nu0mrj


3) Cruise anything other than a verandah cabin. We tried it once for a two day and the cabin actually ended up having a huge issue with it and we were moved.... BACK TO A VERANDAH! Thank Goodness!!!!

232323232%7Ffp8%3A2%3Enu%3D3248%3E%3A54%3E9%3A7%3EWSNRCG%3D323973%3C66%3B%3B3%3Anu0mrj


::MickeyMo::MickeyMo::MickeyMo::MickeyMo::MickeyMo::MickeyMo

THERE YA GO!!!
 
I'm staying at the MCO Hyatt in August the day before our cruise. Did you leave our luggage in your room?

I too, am concerned about them "forgetting" my luggage.

Id 'be interested in hearing more about your experience with them.

Thanks,

glad you had a great cruise.

We always stay at the Hyatt. My husband always runs back upstairs after breakfast ( Krispy Kreme Donuts) to make sure they picked them up !
 


I'm staying at the MCO Hyatt in August the day before our cruise. Did you leave your luggage in your room?

I too, am concerned about them "forgetting" my luggage.

Id 'be interested in hearing more about your experience with them.

Thanks,

glad you had a great cruise.

It could not have been easier. I was hemming and hawing with the check in rep. whether we should do it or not. We were spending over a week after the cruise at DW and I would have died if that luggage didn't come with us, not to mention get on the ship! She totally reassured me. She then gave me a form to fill out, as to how many pieces of luggage we have, (you give this to the DCL bus check in rep. the next morning, be sure to remind yourself to do this and keep this form with your important documents), she then put us into the computer and we were on our way. That night, we put our DCL luggage tags on our luggage (just like ME tags, but these have your cabin number on them with the DCL logo, another important thing to store with important documents). It would be easy to forget to put these tags on your luggage, a helpful hint is if you have an iphone, give yourself a reminder the night before on the calendar to do this. The next morning, we grabbed breakfast downstairs, coffee at Starbucks, had that in the room and then we left. Then we just had to trust the system. And it worked flawlessly! Our luggage showed up in our cabin, just as promised. We'll do it again next time, no doubt about it:thumbsup2.
 
It could not have been easier. I was hemming and hawing with the check in rep. whether we should do it or not. We were spending over a week after the cruise at DW and I would have died if that luggage didn't come with us, not to mention get on the ship! She totally reassured me. She then gave me a form to fill out, as to how many pieces of luggage we have, (you give this to the DCL bus check in rep. the next morning, be sure to remind yourself to do this and keep this form with your important documents), she then put us into the computer and we were on our way. That night, we put our DCL luggage tags on our luggage (just like ME tags, but these have your cabin number on them with the DCL logo, another important thing to store with important documents). It would be easy to forget to put these tags on your luggage, a helpful hint is if you have an iphone, give yourself a reminder the night before on the calendar to do this. The next morning, we grabbed breakfast downstairs, coffee at Starbucks, had that in the room and then we left. Then we just had to trust the system. And it worked flawlessly! Our luggage showed up in our cabin, just as promised. We'll do it again next time, no doubt about it:thumbsup2.

Good advice! We did it too one trip and it worked great - no issues at all!
 
At MCO Hyatt, do they still take your bags from your room & transport them to the port for you? Is there a fee?
 
At MCO Hyatt, do they still take your bags from your room & transport them to the port for you? Is there a fee?

Yes and it's a free service. See my post above on the process.
 
Thanks for the junkie t-shirt tip! Love it! Plus that would help me rid of shirts I wouldn't otherwise:)
 
Things I would do:
1)If I fly in the night before, would stay at the Hyatt again!
2) Book a lower class room. We got an upgrade for free... a veranda, but probably only spent 20 min on it. Location of ship was more important to us than the veranda.
3) Let my dd enjoy the club a bit more. I hated her in there, it was a family vacation and I really felt we should be together every single minute.... the few times I let her go, she loved it and has talked about it ever since. My oldest dd didnt' go at all, and although she and I had a blast hanging out, she regrets it a bit. So next time, will strive for a balance.... let them enjoy the kids club some and teach myself how to enjoy some quiet mommy time...
4) Next time I will pack differently. We did a split trip and next time I will have separate bags for our cruise... and then our days off the cruise(with the exception of toiletries obviously) I was too unorganized.
5) Participate in my cruise meet thread. Great having someone to do Atlantis via Comfort Suites with... a group of 8 of us rode over together in a taxi.
6) Definitely GO TO ATLANTIS AGAIN! Wow!!!! loved it!

Things I won't do:
1)FE. I took small item(made CD of disney music for adults and small gifts for kids)... but the girls got a ton of candy(we went mid november, they still had tons of halloween candy at home) and the stuff took up a whole small suitcase coming home.
2) Order room service for dinner. Thought it would be cool for the girls. Took 45 min and wasn't very good. Would have been better off just getting quick service by the pool and bringing back to the room.


Thanks for your information! What great tips!!!! I'm trying to soak up as much valuable feedback as possible for my first DCL trip and second WDW vacation for November! I'm from CA and broke my record for total of 30 days spent in the park within a 10 month period, you will love it! It's no WDW, but it's the original park so there is so much to love! Hope you stay at GCH or DLH... It's a toss up for which is better!:wave2:
 
thank you for saying this - my dh thinks I'm nuts because I suggested it for our 12 night Baltic trip - I was thinking all the souvenier space we'd end up with if we took old undies, socks & t-shirts

Great idea, but hate to be the CM that has to throw out a bag full of dirty, stinky, old underwear. Eww. I think I'll take mine home.
 
Will do again:
Mixology - we loved making new drinks and trying them, yum
Champagne Tasting
Watching Disney movies on the deck (esp at night)
Palos
Staying on ship while in port and enjoying how empty it is at the pool/aqua duck
Doing the games in the Tube after the shows (Match Your Mate, Scavenger Hunt, 80's Trivia, ...)
Hot Stone Massage (my favorite)
Door magnets - love to hear peoples comments as they walk by the door
Taking family pictures before dinner - great photo's of entire family dressed nicely
Watch movies in theater - great to see new releases before they are out at home popcorn::
Fly out the day before - less nervous about arriving in time
Be first on to start enjoying the ship - love to sit around pool and listen to tunes
Relax more - stop trying to fit it all in and just enjoy
Use glow sticks as night lights - helps getting to the bathroom without waking everyone up
Use white board on door to help communicate with family on where everyone is

Will not do:
FE - kids are older and it just takes too much planning and packing
Pirate Night - Really only enjoy the fireworks pirate:
Over pack - or at least try not too :rotfl:
Book a cabana by myself - too expensive but love having a shaded place with cold water and a shower to hang out in
 
Great idea, but hate to be the CM that has to throw out a bag full of dirty, stinky, old underwear. Eww. I think I'll take mine home.

I really don't think the CM cares what's in the garbage. It could be stinky old underwear or stinky banana peels and apple cores or stinky whatevers. It's always going to be stinky, it's trash. :) point being, we so the same thing with the old tee shirts, socks, etc., it really does save a lot of space for souvenirs! I even do the same with old shoes or sneakers as well. (Just make sure you have something to go home in! :thumbsup2 )
 
I really don't think the CM cares what's in the garbage. It could be stinky old underwear or stinky banana peels and apple cores or stinky whatevers. It's always going to be stinky, it's trash. :) point being, we so the same thing with the old tee shirts, socks, etc., it really does save a lot of space for souvenirs! I even do the same with old shoes or sneakers as well. (Just make sure you have something to go home in! :thumbsup2 )

I read this tip a lot, but I don't want to go on vacation with stretched out ugly undies. If I would not wear it at home why take it? Just take less good stuff and do laundry
 
I actually do the opposite. I actually bring new underwear and socks. I can sit around in old stuff at home. I don't want to feel like a bum on vacation.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards
 
OrangeCountyCommuter said:
I read this tip a lot, but I don't want to go on vacation with stretched out ugly undies. If I would not wear it at home why take it? Just take less good stuff and do laundry

I agree wholeheartedly! Its THE STRANGEST tip I've ever read!

Didn't Mom always say to have nice clean underwear on when you left the house? :)
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!







Top