YOUR #1 tip for a 1st time cruiser... PLEASE

[dunnhorn]

I would also get on the Fish Extender exchange for your cruise... to do that, go to the cruise meets section and sign up. It's like a "secret santa" exchange and it is lots of fun!

 

[dunnhorn]

Another idea... bring pirate costumes or pirate-y looking things? (gold chains, eye patch, pirate hat). Then, get a picture with Pirate Mickey or Jack Sparrow on Pirate night!

Another thing - consider prepaying your photo credits. You do get a better deal if you get a photo package online beforehand.

 

[tmarshall14]

Another thing - consider prepaying your photo credits. You do get a better deal if you get a photo package online beforehand.

We sailed in July this year and all of the photos now come with hideous borders on them, per Disney, Shutters can not and will not remove them even if you purchase a CD instead of the prints, we had a hard time cropping some of them as the borders can be intrusive into the actual photos.
Something to think about before prepaying for a package.

 

[EPCOTatNight]

We sailed in July this year and all of the photos now come with hideous borders on them, per Disney, Shutters can not and will not remove them even if you purchase a CD instead of the prints, we had a hard time cropping some of them as the borders can be intrusive into the actual photos.
Something to think about before prepaying for a package.

That wasn't my experience in May. Some photos had borders, but not all.

Sent from my IPad using DisBoards.

 

[dovbniak]

My only suggestion is to ensure you leave time to:

book your next cruise

 

[tmarshall14]

That wasn't my experience in May. Some photos had borders, but not all. Sent from my IPad using DisBoards.

Every single photo on our CD had a border, from the character photos to the family settings. Apparently it's noted in small print on the signs in Shutters now but we never noticed and no one mentioned it, we didn't realize it until we got home.
My mom, OhMom emailed and questioned- she has the official response and photos from Disney.

 

[EPCOTatNight]

Every single photo on our CD had a border, from the character photos to the family settings. Apparently it's noted in small print on the signs in Shutters now but we never noticed and no one mentioned it, we didn't realize it until we got home.
My mom, OhMom emailed and questioned- she has the official response and photos from Disney.

Ok. I was just giving my experience. I'm looking at them as I type. All of my pictures do NOT have a border.

Sent from my IPad using DisBoards.

 

[tmarshall14]

Ok. I was just giving my experience. I'm looking at them as I type. All of my pictures do NOT have a border. Sent from my IPad using DisBoards.

Oh, I wasn't doubting you- apologies if it came across that way, I guess things have just changed. Maybe it varies ship to ship?
I wish ours didn't all have a border

 

[lamanchakiss]

How much of a discount do you get if re booking a cruise while on a current cruise...

 

[PrincessShmoo]

That wasn't my experience in May. Some photos had borders, but not all.

Sent from my IPad using DisBoards.

Every single photo on our CD had a border, from the character photos to the family settings. Apparently it's noted in small print on the signs in Shutters now but we never noticed and no one mentioned it, we didn't realize it until we got home.
My mom, OhMom emailed and questioned- she has the official response and photos from Disney.

It's quite likely that you're both right.

Initially, the CD did not have borders, just the raw photo and, if you wanted borders, you had to purchase prints with borders.

Then they changed it so the CD now comes with borders on all photos and there's no option to not have them. UNLESS, you can show that the border significantly cuts out someone in the photo, then they will print the photo without a border (at least that's what I've see reported here).

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

10% off the pretax amount
Also the deposit is half of what it would be if booked on land.
Also DCL gives $100 OBC for 3-6 nt cruises & $200 OBC for 7+ nt cruises.
These OBCs can be stacked in addition to any offered by your TA.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

How much of a discount do you get if re booking a cruise while on a current cruise...

10% reduction on cruise fare; 10% deposit (instead of usual 20%); and $100 OBC for cruises of less than 7 nights, $200 OBC for cruises of 7 nights and longer.

 

[lamanchakiss]

I would also get on the Fish Extender exchange for your cruise... to do that, go to the cruise meets section and sign up. It's like a "secret santa" exchange and it is lots of fun!

Do I bring a gift from home??? How does this work?

 

[slzer0]

10% reduction on cruise fare; 10% deposit (instead of usual 20%); and $100 OBC for cruises of less than 7 nights, $200 OBC for cruises of 7 nights and longer.

If you book a dummy date less than 7, then eventually move to a 7 nighter, do you go up to the $200 OBC?

 

[cruisecrasher]

Do I bring a gift from home??? How does this work?

Check with your cruise meets group.
Some bring one gift per each stateroom participating, some do one gift per person participating and some leave it up to your discretion.
I usually bring enough for a gift or gifts for 20-30 staterooms.
It takes planning and luggage space and isn't for everyone. It's not supposed to be a stressful thing.

 

[lamanchakiss]

Check with your cruise meets group. Some bring one gift per each stateroom participating, some do one gift per person participating and some leave it up to your discretion. I usually bring enough for a gift or gifts for 20-30 staterooms. It takes planning and luggage space and isn't for everyone. It's not supposed to be a stressful thing.

I tried looking for a meet for my cruise and making one but no response... Ugh.. I love buying gifts and I have the 28" suite case that I was gonna pack in but honestly I have packed a week in a 20" and been fine

 

[cruisecrasher]

I tried looking for a meet for my cruise and making one but no response... Ugh.. I love buying gifts and I have the 28" suite case that I was gonna pack in but honestly I have packed a week in a 20" and been fine

I'm sorry your meets group isn't gelling. What sail date? What ship?
Found them. Try here:
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3072425

 

[princesspwrhr]

I would also get on the Fish Extender exchange for your cruise... to do that, go to the cruise meets section and sign up. It's like a "secret santa" exchange and it is lots of fun!

Respectfully - on a first cruise, I would pass. Go enjoy your first cruise and then do it next time when you've got a better idea of what it is, how it works (by seeing it on the ship) etc. Follow the meet up (if there is one) thread if you want, but it's just *one more thing* to keep straight, and remember, for that first cruise.

Some people say don't bother getting off the ship in Nassau, but since this is your first cruise you need to disembark and play tourist.
{post cut by me}
If you take your passport with you, you can get it stamped at theadministrative office inside the Straw Market, where you can also do some shopping on your way back to the ship.

THANK YOU! We tried to find where to get our passport stamps following various "easy to find" instructions online and couldn't find it. End result? no stamp in the passport. Completely forgot at CC also.

We sailed in July this year and all of the photos now come with hideous borders on them, per Disney, Shutters can not and will not remove them even if you purchase a CD instead of the prints, we had a hard time cropping some of them as the borders can be intrusive into the actual photos.
Something to think about before prepaying for a package.

That's disappointing. We sailed in late June on the Dream and our photos are a mix - about half with borders, half without. It seems like the restaurant and character photos are the ones with the borders but just the family or kid ones from the set ups in the main lobby aren't.

OP- if you want too, you can also view your photos from any of the photo kiosks around the new ships (sorry, can't remember which ship you'll be on). Then you'll know how many of your photos have borders, if any of them block people and if you have enough photos to purchase the CD

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

If you book a dummy date less than 7, then eventually move to a 7 nighter, do you go up to the $200 OBC?

OBC is based on the future cruise you actually sail on. You can change it as many times as you need to after booking. The only thing to be careful of is the final payment due date. If that date passes and you've forgotten to move your res to a later date, you'll lose your deposit & res is cancelled.

This happened to my SIL. She moved it out once and then forgot about it. They barely had the $ for the additional deposit to move it to another dummy date, so it was unlikely they'd ever do another cruise but still, it's a shame to let DCL keep the deposit.

 

[tmarshall14]

That's disappointing. We sailed in late June on the Dream and our photos are a mix - about half with borders, half without. It seems like the restaurant and character photos are the ones with the borders but just the family or kid ones from the set ups in the main lobby aren't. OP- if you want too, you can also view your photos from any of the photo kiosks around the new ships (sorry, can't remember which ship you'll be on). Then you'll know how many of your photos have borders, if any of them block people and if you have enough photos to purchase the CD

We were on the Fantasy, the kiosks didn't show borders on any of our pictures
I didn't know about asking them to be removed if blocking people in the photos, we have a few that do so. Unfortunately, we never saw a single border on out photos until we were home and looking at the cd we bought