Cruise secrets that DCL doesn't tell you

[LDevereaux]

That's great, which one is your friend? She's on our FE list? It's our very 1st cruise and we r so excited. Be cuz we r concierge we simply call our shoreside concierge dept & they assist in excursions, reservations or anything we need..

I hope they get a cabana too!
Ellen

Hi
My friends name is Leah. This is their first cruise also! She is traveling with her husband and 2 boys (1yr and 5yrs). We wont be cruising on this ship. My family and I are cruising out of Miami on the 7th and visiting the exact same ports. Neither of us are concierge level so I'm afraid we won't be able to secure a cabana this time.

Traveling with children in diapers...make sure you request a diaper genie from your stateroom attendant, they will bring you one. I also reserved bed rails for my toddler. They are very accommodating, so if you need anything, just ask.

Have a great time!!!!!

 

[ariel fans]

This may be the only negative post but, they don't tell you the if you want a chair by the Mickey or Donald pool you better be there before 8:00. By that time all, and I mean ALL of the chairs are covered with towels and sandals. Also, they tell you that they don't allow this and that the fellows working by the pools monitor this, but no, they don't!! This is the one reason we will not sail Disney again. My kids did not care for the clubs, all they wanted to do was swim. I figure there are other cruise lines with larger pools and more available seating by said pools, so I guess we will try else where. Now, all that being said, we had a wonderful time, besides that, and we would never regret giving Disney a try, I just felt that the only areas my kids wanted to go were over crowded. If you are going for the swimming, don't sail Disney. (I had actually read that about a month before we sailed, but had no idea how true that is until we sailed)

Oh my, my wife will go nuts if doesn't get a pool chair lol thanks 4 heads up!

 

[ariel fans]

That would be a whole new source of entertainment.

Oh my no chairs, my wife will lose it lol

 

[Mom323]

Oh my, my wife will go nuts if doesn't get a pool chair lol thanks 4 heads up!

You might enjoy this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuIJqF8av6I&feature=youtube_gdata_player

 

[ge0rgette2]

hahaha video was great!

 

[NASCARVW]

Getting ready to book our very first cruise ever in the next 2-3 days.
YAY INCOME TAX $$!!!
Simple question, which is the preferred way of booking?
via online at disney.com?
or thru a travel agent?

Thanks for any advice!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Getting ready to book our very first cruise ever in the next 2-3 days.
YAY INCOME TAX $$!!!
Simple question, which is the preferred way of booking?
via online at disney.com?
or thru a travel agent?

Thanks for any advice!

Either way works. With a TA, you may get more OBC, or other perks, or maybe not. And you will lose a bit of control on your reservation.

Booking direct with DCL, you handle all aspects of your reservation, with a TA, any stateroom, financial, or dining problems must be handled through them.

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

Getting ready to book our very first cruise ever in the next 2-3 days.
YAY INCOME TAX $$!!!
Simple question, which is the preferred way of booking?
via online at disney.com?
or thru a travel agent?

Thanks for any advice!

I have always booked directly through Disney - but just finding out on here that you get an on board credit if you book through a travel agent. That OBC can be used for: tips, excursions, drinks,etc

 

[NASCARVW]

Thank you so much...

I'm starting to get the fever, and I haven't even started booking yet

 

[pequele]

I love Passporter but they seem to have problems meeting their publishing dates. I waited nearly all year last year for the 2012 DCL edition to be released. It was originally due to be published in like February, which was then pushed to May, and then July, and then September before finally being published in November.

I read that they are coming out with the 2013 edition mostly to update the latest itineraries and ports of call.

Hmm haven't looked yet today for it (it originally said Feb 26 last I looked) but I wonder. I also wonder if the new ports would even have made it in there? In 2014 we are doing the Alaska 9 night to Sitka. Ok well, I guess that is 2014 so that doesn't count until next Year's version huh. Boo.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have always booked directly through Disney - but just finding out on here that you get an on board credit if you book through a travel agent. That OBC can be used for: tips, excursions, drinks,etc

A little clarification. You MAY get OBC or other perks from a TA. Not all TAs do.

 

[PrincessAbby'sMom]

A little clarification. You MAY get OBC or other perks from a TA. Not all TAs do.

Thanks for that correction...

 

[toniosmom]

I have always booked directly through Disney - but just finding out on here that you get an on board credit if you book through a travel agent. That OBC can be used for: tips, excursions, drinks,etc

Book a dummy date while on board for a future cruise and get a nice OBC that way.

 

[NASCARVW]

OK, I went ahead and bit the bullet, and booked it online myself though the Disney website... Sept seems so LONG away...
Apparently I will not be able to look at or book any excursions until after July 2nd. Bummer, I was looking forward to seeing what else was available, ect.
In the meantime, looks like I will be reading all 89 pages of this post!
Thank you EVERYBODY!

 

[Tami0220]

OK, I went ahead and bit the bullet, and booked it online myself though the Disney website... Sept seems so LONG away...
Apparently I will not be able to look at or book any excursions until after July 2nd. Bummer, I was looking forward to seeing what else was available, ect.
In the meantime, looks like I will be reading all 89 pages of this post!
Thank you EVERYBODY!

What days is Sept? I see you are new to the boards. Make sure you check out your cruise meet thread. We are sailing the 7th

 

[NASCARVW]

What days is Sept? I see you are new to the boards. Make sure you check out your cruise meet thread. We are sailing the 7th

We set sail on Sept. 15th...
201 days away!!!!!!!!!

 

[DisneyMouseHouse]

OK, I went ahead and bit the bullet, and booked it online myself though the Disney website... Sept seems so LONG away...
Apparently I will not be able to look at or book any excursions until after July 2nd. Bummer, I was looking forward to seeing what else was available, ect.
In the meantime, looks like I will be reading all 89 pages of this post!
Thank you EVERYBODY!

You can look at excursions, just be aware that not every excursion listed is available on every cruise....don't do it from your reservation, go to ships and destinations and then to port excursions......

 

[SigalTchelet]

You can look at excursions, just be aware that not every excursion listed is available on every cruise....don't do it from your reservation, go to ships and destinations and then to port excursions......

Thank you for this info. It has allowed me to find a DCL accessible excursion in St. Thomas!

 

[NASCARVW]

You can look at excursions, just be aware that not every excursion listed is available on every cruise....don't do it from your reservation, go to ships and destinations and then to port excursions......

Thanks for the info! After checking out everything available, now it will be just the hard choice of choosing which one!
Thank you again!

 

[amberann6783]

So this may not be a secret but we always like to book in the aft and ONLY use the aft elevators when we can. At peak times it's never crowded like the mid ship elevators are. If we need to get to the other end of the ship quickly, we walk the length of our hallway all the way to the forward elevators and then go to the floor we need that way. There is much less traffic to deal with on the stateroom floors and easier to push strollers.