2/15/2013 - 8 Night Western Cruise, Galveston, TX

[I❤MICKEY]

I contacted my TA to find out about passports. I wasn't sure if we would need to go through customs in Castaway Cay. His response back was:

Passports are not required for this cruise but are strongly recommended.

This is Disney's official word on required documents:

All Guests claiming U.S. citizenship, including children, who board a cruise ship within the United States, travel only within the Western Hemisphere, and return to the same U.S. port on the same ship may present one of the following documents as proof of U.S. citizenship for each member of their party :

• A valid, unexpired U.S. Passport
• A valid, unexpired U.S. Passport Card
• State Issued Enhanced Driver's License - this is a special type of license that provides proof of identity and US citizenship; not all states offer Enhanced Driver's Licenses please visit www.getyouhome.gov for more information.
• Trusted Traveler Program Card (NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST)
• U.S. Citizens 18 years and older will be able to depart and enter the country with an original or certified copy of their state issued birth certificate and government-issued photo ID.
• Children under the age of 16 may present an original or certified copy of their state issued birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Naturalization Certificate.

Photocopies of any of the above documents are not acceptable.

What is everyone else doing? What are the pros and cons? Not sure if I want the added expense if it isn't required. Especially for the boys as it isn't likely they will travel internationally.

[Kimbo71]

Originally Posted by I❤MICKEY

I contacted my TA to find out about passports. I wasn't sure if we would need to go through customs in Castaway Cay.

.

We have been to CC twice (last time was four years ago) & have never been through customs to get back on the boat. I think it has something to do w/ the island belonging to Disney?!? Not exactly sure how all that works.

[SnipsNSnails]

Originally Posted by samily

I was able to book our excursions this morning - yay! It makes it feel more real!!

For those looking for this info...the busses are starting at 7:15 for all parks except Epcot, which starts at 6:30. For Magic Kingdom they are leaving every half hour, to the other parks it is every hour , all ending at 9:15am. (Epcot has a 6:30, then a 7:15, and then every hour to 9:15am. Epcot also has a 4:45pm listed). You can reserve your time under port adventures. I didn't see any info on the return busses.

There are 6 cabanas left on the family beach and 2 on SB.

Palo brunch is offered on the sea days, every half hour, 10:00 - 12:30.
Palo dinner is offered each evening, every half hour, 6:00 - 8:30.
No high tea offered anymore.

Pirate night is listed as night 6.

Hope this info is useful!

Super helpful, thanks for all the great info.

Originally Posted by I❤MICKEY

We are first time cruisers too. December 2nd feels like an eternity. I've read that you can log on at midnight and sometimes the servers crash. I plan to pay in full November 30th so that is at least taken care of and doesn't cause any delays.

I really hope the bus situation isn't too full. I'm also worried about the ride back since it doesn't appear that you are required to reserve your return bus.

Us too! I'm just hoping that there is still availability on an early bus. There are things that we could do in any of the parks so I will be snagging the earliest bus we can get wherever it is going LOL I told my mom today that she should pay the full amount a few days early for the same reason and I will likely stay up to midnight to book our bus. We don't plan on booking anything else. We'll probably just do a little shopping at Key West. No cabanas, Palo, nursery, or spa needed here either.

Originally Posted by I❤MICKEY

What is everyone else doing? What are the pros and cons? Not sure if I want the added expense if it isn't required. Especially for the boys as it isn't likely they will travel internationally.

My parents have passports. The boys and I have passport cards. We went to Canada a few years ago to do the Agawa Canyon train trip and needed them for that. Since we have them, that's what we will use.

Originally Posted by Kimbo71

We have been to CC twice (last time was four years ago) & have never been through customs to get back on the boat. I think it has something to do w/ the island belonging to Disney?!? Not exactly sure how all that works.

You usually only go through customs when entering the US again at the end of your cruise but since we will be reentering the US at Port Canaveral, I'm not sure how that will work. It's possible that since we aren't making a foreign port call other than CC there is a different proceedure and because our baggage etc. is staying on the ship?

[Kimbo71]

Originally Posted by SnipsNSnails

You usually only go through customs when entering the US again at the end of your cruise but since we will be reentering the US at Port Canaveral, I'm not sure how that will work. It's possible that since we aren't making a foreign port call other than CC there is a different proceedure and because our baggage etc. is staying on the ship?

True-we will likely need them to get off/on the boat in PC.

[Kimbo71]

We're trying to keep this a secret until Christmas, & DD 11 was just fussing at DH & I again this morning that it was "no fair that only you & Daddy have gone on a Disney Cruise."

[Gina]

Originally Posted by Kimbo71

We're trying to keep this a secret until Christmas, & DD 11 was just fussing at DH & I again this morning that it was "no fair that only you & Daddy have gone on a Disney Cruise."

I love it!! Oh man, the looks on their faces are going to be priceless...

As for passports, they are obviously the thing to have in this day and age - for peace of mind if nothing else - but you don't need them to cruise. The NY itinerary was pretty much the same as ours, as far as stopping at CC in the middle, and I never heard one word about any sort of different customs procedures other than the usual.

Actual birth certificates and current official photo id is all that is required for a closed-loop cruise. If there was an emergency back home or something and you had to fly out from one of the ports, birth certs and passport cards would be utterly useless -- but that isn't really as big of a worry for anyone now since they changed the itinerary and we aren't really going to any foreign ports, CC aside.

As far as the bus thing goes, I will be joining those paying their cruise off in full a few days early just to make sure I can log on and and hopefully snag a spot on the early bus. I know it's going to make for a ridiculously long day... but we can get more done in that first hour of EE at Epcot than pretty much in most of the rest of the day. New Test Track, here we come!!

Then we're going to take a more leisurely approach after that, and take some time mid-day to just get off our feet and relax. Maybe ride the long loop of the monorail around, hop on a boat, something, since we can't just go back to Pop and relax like we're used to. Then we'll head to MK for the rest of the day. It's a tradition for us to eat at 'Ohana, so I'm about to go get us a reservation for that for an early-ish dinner, to make sure it doesn't get in the way of seeing MSEP.

So, to make myself feel better, does anyone else keep a "cruise box" at the ready? I have a box in my bedroom where I toss stuff for the cruise, like sample-size bottles of toiletries I get, or sunscreen when it's on sale, or things like the wind sock for the balcony I just picked up the other day, It makes me smile every time I see the box. Anyone else do anything like that?? Or am I just weird all by myself, lol.

[I❤MICKEY]

I could put this on the main thread but does anyone know if food and non-alcoholic beverages are included on Castaway Cay or would we have to pay for his separately?

[Kimbo71]

Originally Posted by I❤MICKEY

I could put this on the main thread but does anyone know if food and non-alcoholic beverages are included on Castaway Cay or would we have to pay for his separately?

Yes, they are included. No extra charge.

[Kimbo71]

Originally Posted by I❤MICKEY

I could put this on the main thread but does anyone know if food and non-alcoholic beverages are included on Castaway Cay or would we have to pay for his separately?

Yes, they are included. No extra charge.

[jzandmeplus3]

Originally Posted by Gina

I love it!! Oh man, the looks on their faces are going to be priceless...

As for passports, they are obviously the thing to have in this day and age - for peace of mind if nothing else - but you don't need them to cruise. The NY itinerary was pretty much the same as ours, as far as stopping at CC in the middle, and I never heard one word about any sort of different customs procedures other than the usual.

Actual birth certificates and current official photo id is all that is required for a closed-loop cruise. If there was an emergency back home or something and you had to fly out from one of the ports, birth certs and passport cards would be utterly useless -- but that isn't really as big of a worry for anyone now since they changed the itinerary and we aren't really going to any foreign ports, CC aside.

As far as the bus thing goes, I will be joining those paying their cruise off in full a few days early just to make sure I can log on and and hopefully snag a spot on the early bus. I know it's going to make for a ridiculously long day... but we can get more done in that first hour of EE at Epcot than pretty much in most of the rest of the day. New Test Track, here we come!!

Then we're going to take a more leisurely approach after that, and take some time mid-day to just get off our feet and relax. Maybe ride the long loop of the monorail around, hop on a boat, something, since we can't just go back to Pop and relax like we're used to. Then we'll head to MK for the rest of the day. It's a tradition for us to eat at 'Ohana, so I'm about to go get us a reservation for that for an early-ish dinner, to make sure it doesn't get in the way of seeing MSEP.

So, to make myself feel better, does anyone else keep a "cruise box" at the ready? I have a box in my bedroom where I toss stuff for the cruise, like sample-size bottles of toiletries I get, or sunscreen when it's on sale, or things like the wind sock for the balcony I just picked up the other day, It makes me smile every time I see the box. Anyone else do anything like that?? Or am I just weird all by myself, lol.

I keep a "vacation" box at the ready and I do exactly the same thing. It's one less thing I have to think about come packing time cause I keep it well stocked.

[samily]

I also have a cruise box in my closet - I add things to it year round. I'm glad I'm not the only one!!

[Kimbo71]

Originally Posted by Gina

So, to make myself feel better, does anyone else keep a "cruise box" at the ready? I have a box in my bedroom where I toss stuff for the cruise, like sample-size bottles of toiletries I get, or sunscreen when it's on sale, or things like the wind sock for the balcony I just picked up the other day, It makes me smile every time I see the box. Anyone else do anything like that?? Or am I just weird all by myself, lol.

What other kinds of things do you put in it? This sounds super fun!!! (of course, I have to keep it a secret, too, lol! We'll see how that goes!!!)

[Kimbo71]

Originally Posted by Kimbo71

My 11 YO DD loves to meet new friends & I want her to have a good time!

Asking again.....

[jzandmeplus3]

Originally Posted by Kimbo71

What other kinds of things do you put in it? This sounds super fun!!! (of course, I have to keep it a secret, too, lol! We'll see how that goes!!!)

I put the following things in my box:

Travel sized Shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, soap, shaving cream, contact lens cleaner, Motrin, Air-borne, Bonine or Dramamine anti motion sickness tablets for kids and adults, Sea-bands, a couple night lights, a couple power strips because there are never enough outlets, air freshener, static guard, Tums, Downy wrinkle eraser, Clorox wipes, duct tape, Q-tips, Immodium, sunscreen,band aids.

I'll let you know anything else as I think of it.

[Kimbo71]

Originally Posted by jzandmeplus3

I put the following things in my box:

Travel sized Shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, soap, shaving cream, contact lens cleaner, Motrin, Air-borne, Bonine or Dramamine anti motion sickness tablets for kids and adults, Sea-bands, a couple night lights, a couple power strips because there are never enough outlets, air freshener, static guard, Tums, Downy wrinkle eraser, Clorox wipes, duct tape, Q-tips, Immodium, sunscreen,band aids.

I'll let you know anything else as I think of it.

Thanks-I have never been on a cruise with kids, so this is a lot of new territory for me, lol! (I mean, we have to pack princess dresses & a Buzz Lightyear costume!!) The packing is already starting to overwhelm me! Ha! Ha!

How many nice outfits do you bring for the kids, for instance?