Celebrating Special Occasions

[D-Dreamer]

During our upcoming cruise, we will be celebrating a special occasion. The DCL website says: "We will be happy to celebrate the occasion in our dining rooms," if you will notify them at least three weeks prior to departure. Could anyone out there tell me if you have done a dining room celebration during your cruise? What does the celebration include? I am trying to get an idea if this is something we would like to do. Though certainly a kind gesture, the thought of several CM's gathering around the table and singing to us makes me want to crawl under the table!
Another thread spoke about cakes being given, but is there anything else that is custimarily done by DCL? Your advice and experiences would be greatly appreciated. Our cruise is coming up in March and we don't want to miss the deadline in case we decide to make such a request!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

During our upcoming cruise, we will be celebrating a special occasion. The DCL website says: "We will be happy to celebrate the occasion in our dining rooms," if you will notify them at least three weeks prior to departure. Could anyone out there tell me if you have done a dining room celebration during your cruise? What does the celebration include? I am trying to get an idea if this is something we would like to do. Though certainly a kind gesture, the thought of several CM's gathering around the table and singing to us makes me want to crawl under the table!
Another thread spoke about cakes being given, but is there anything else that is custimarily done by DCL? Your advice and experiences would be greatly appreciated. Our cruise is coming up in March and we don't want to miss the deadline in case we decide to make such a request!

You can let either your head server or server know that you have a special occasion. DCL used to have a small cake (could serve 6 easily) and the servers (yes they do) gather round and sing. It's not so embarrasing as it sounds, because there's so much going on in the dining room, most people won't even notice it.

I say "used to" because now they bring a single serving chocolate mousse for the person celebrating.

The thing about letting them know 3 weeks ahead is probably for a celebration package they have available. I have to experience with it, sorry.

 

[PartofDisney'sWorld]

We took our honeymoon in August on the Dream, and we let DCL know well in advance that we were celebrating. We also wore the "Just Married" pins almost every day. We sat with 2 other couples at our table, and they brought out a single serving of the chocolate mousse dessert that PP is talking about, one for each couple, and each couple got a different night (so it wasn't all at once). Obviously they did not sing to us, but I don't remember anyone else in the dining room being sung to for a birthday or something else, but then again I didn't really pay attention (again, as PP mentioned).

 

[D-Dreamer]

You can let either your head server or server know that you have a special occasion. DCL used to have a small cake (could serve 6 easily) and the servers (yes they do) gather round and sing. It's not so embarrasing as it sounds, because there's so much going on in the dining room, most people won't even notice it.

I say "used to" because now they bring a single serving chocolate mousse for the person celebrating.

The thing about letting them know 3 weeks ahead is probably for a celebration package they have available. I have to experience with it, sorry.

Thanks for the message! I'm sad to hear the cake is a thing of the past. I guess we can all just share the chocolate mousse!

 

[D-Dreamer]

We took our honeymoon in August on the Dream, and we let DCL know well in advance that we were celebrating. We also wore the "Just Married" pins almost every day. We sat with 2 other couples at our table, and they brought out a single serving of the chocolate mousse dessert that PP is talking about, one for each couple, and each couple got a different night (so it wasn't all at once). Obviously they did not sing to us, but I don't remember anyone else in the dining room being sung to for a birthday or something else, but then again I didn't really pay attention (again, as PP mentioned).

After reading PrincessShmoo's response, I was curious if making the request weeks in advance, rather than just telling our server, would make a difference... Apparently it does not! Thanks for the information! (I've never seen the "just married" pins. I'll have to check them out in the gift shop!)

 

[kcashner]

Telling DCL in advance just adds a note to your reservation...telling the head server to ask YOU about the celebration (one less thing you have to remember!)
It doesn't change the celebration in any way.

The "standard" cake wasn't anything to write home about. It was a nice gesture, but not terribly tasty!

 

[Alikay]

Thank you kcashner.

 

[Disney Dreams]

I believe the Just Married pins the previous poster mentioned are the buttons that a CM gives you, not something bought in the shops. DCL has a variety of celebration buttons. If it is noted on your reservation that you're on your honeymoon, your room steward may give them to you, ours did for our anniversary. You could also ask for them at Guest Services.

- Dreams

 

[D-Dreamer]

The "standard" cake wasn't anything to write home about. It was a nice gesture, but not terribly tasty!

Thanks for the response! I don't feel bad about missing out on the cake anymore!

 

[D-Dreamer]

I believe the Just Married pins the previous poster mentioned are the buttons that a CM gives you, not something bought in the shops. DCL has a variety of celebration buttons. If it is noted on your reservation that you're on your honeymoon, your room steward may give them to you, ours did for our anniversary. You could also ask for them at Guest Services.

- Dreams

Thanks for the information. Maybe they'll have a birthday button!

 

[Disney Dreams]

Thanks for the information. Maybe they'll have a birthday button!

They absolutely have a birthday button!

 

[Patrickprincess]

They absolutely have a birthday button!

The op is right about the standard cake. I got the cake back in 2002 and i found it to be dry. However i got a disney cruise line birthday pin. The cm told me that it was worth about $12.00

 

[Newfoundland Sailor]

We bought a cake for my mum's 73rd birthday this past August on the Magic. You had to order it 24 hours in advance (from the Customer Service Desk). They had lots of different options...size, flavours, icing options, etc. on the form.

The cake was delicious - we ordered the smallest cake - it fed our table of 6 and our 2 servers without a problem. I can't remember the price but I think it was around $25-$30. I brought Disney Princess candles with us which they added to the cake before they came out and all the servers sang.

We ordered the white cake, which came with a delicious cream filling and strawberries, very moist and decorated beautifully - and personalized

The extra cost was worth it! It was much nicer and more special than the chocolate mousse that everyone else was getting.

 

[dreamsail]

Our cruise is booked in August and we told the TA that we would be celebrating our anniversary. She marked it, and it is put on the receipt as a note. What that exactly means in Aug, I don't know, but if you're sailing after that, I'll let you know what our experience is

 

[D-Dreamer]

Thanks everyone for all the information. We cruise this coming March and if we end up doing the dining room celebration, I'll let you know what happens!
Thanks again!

 

[geffric]

we celebrated our anniversary on board..and not only did we get the mousse/cake for 2 plus the singing in the dining room and buttons
...in our room, we got 2 towel swan with a red rose between them and a note from DCL and another one from housekeeping congratulating us and thanking us for celebrating on board..

we also got buttons on our bed..

 

[dbarker]

Thanks for the info. DH & I will be celebrating our 15th anniversary during our cruise in 2013. I may have to look into the cakes.