Disney cruises for Dummies

[lklasing]

Two questions from a complete newbie to this board:

1. We are now booked for the Dream in August 2012! There will be three rooms with my mom, brother and his kids, and my girls and me. We have been on one cruise before, on a very different type line (very few kids, no set dining times, ...), and I'm completely overwhelmed about trying to understand everything about Disney cruising - dining and show times, shore excursions, what you have to pay for (drinks, tips - how much, surcharges for Palo, etc.). Is there a book that best addresses the Disney cruise line (that includes the Dream) for people who are totally clueless? I'm reading the boards, obviously, but a lot of it is a step higher than I am right now in base knowledge about these ships.

2. One thing I am very interested in is joining a group for fish extender gifts. How do you join in one of these groups? I'm scared that if I start a thread now, that it will be too early and it will fizzle or people will change their minds. But if I wait, it seems that I could wait too late. Plus, I have not idea where to even look for one of these.

Thanks! I'm so excited about this trip!

 

[rentayenta]

What's a fish extender?

 

[Camonkeygirl]

You might want to go to the cruise meets page - http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=85

There are a number of cruise pages for Aug of 2012. That is where you will meet people that are on your cruise and sign up for the FE.

FE stands for Fish Extender - a fish is next to your stateroom door, that the cruise employees use for leaving messages. FE's are a type of bag with pockets that you put on your fish, and the people you cruise with, if you sign up for it, will leave presents in your bag during the course of the cruise, and you leave stuff for them. Kind of like a secret santa

 

[mello]

There is a ton to find out about! We're going on our first DCL cruise on the Dream in December. I just bought the Passporter Cruise book and have been reading through it. There's a lot of good info in it - probably really about the same amount and type of info you can get here I think - but it is nice to have it in book form to haul around with me when I can't be on my computer. So, it might be worth looking into if you're wanting a book.

 

[Disney Dreams]

What's a fish extender?

Fish extender is a group of fellow DIS members who form a FE group prior to your cruise with the purpose of exchanging little gifts throughout the cruise, like a secret pal.

If there are 15 people that join your FE group, you give a gift to 15 people throughout your cruise. Meanwhile, 15 people give you gifts.

We got magnets, candy, pins, notepads, a handmade memory book, etc....

You can find threads about FEs if you run a little search. It's a DISBoards thing, not a DCL thing. (Something you become a part of here on the boards prior to your trip to happen during, not something you sign up for with DCL once you board.)

HTH,
Dreams

 

[lklasing]

Thanks, everyone! I just ordered the passporter cruise book, so hopefully it will get here in a few days. That's just what I was hoping to find.

 

[scrapbookmomma74]

We're cruising the Dream next August, too! What is your date? We are doing a back 2 back August 10 and August 15.
You should get tons of info here on the boards as well, and never hesitate to ask something. I have been on 2 previous DCL cruises, and I'm STILL learning new stuff!

 

[lklasing]

Hey Tracy - looks like we'll miss you - we're booked for the August 1 (4 day). Thanks for the tips! This has been a great resource but I can tell there is still so much I have to learn!

 

[Donald_Quackers]

Thanks, everyone! I just ordered the passporter cruise book, so hopefully it will get here in a few days. That's just what I was hoping to find.

You should be able to download the electronic version from the order page if you want/need to look at anything before the physical copy gets to you.

 

[crafty91]

The books are great no doubt but IMHO the best resource you can use is the 'search' function on this forum! These DIS people know there stuff and can give you the secrets and hidden gems books won't know. Ask the right questions and read the right posts and this board will have you navigating the ship like a veteran! Enjoy!

 

[Bethshaya]

Search is great here if you already know what you have a question about.

But being a cruise newbie, I may not know what I don't know. So the books come in handy in outlining every step of the way.

Then if you have questions, you can search here about it and find a whole bunch more about it.

 

[Aunt KatKat]

I may be the only person idiotic enough to make this mistake, but I’ll offer this under the rubric “If you can’t be a good example, at least you can serve as a horrible warning.”

Here is what not to do: I let myself get so wrapped up in feeling like I had to do everything or I’d be missing out, that I spent most of my cruise fairly stressed out.

Don’t do that. You can’t do everything, don’t try.

You are going to be on a beautiful boat surrounded by a crew who has made it their life’s work to give you an excellent vacation. Let them.

Relax, and enjoy yourself and your family.

Have a great trip.

Katherine

 

[mmouse37]

People....don't let the Captain here you say "boat"...he won't be happy!!! LOL!!!

It's a ship...and a mighty gorgeous one at that!!!

MJ

 

[DizDays]

People....don't let the Captain here you say "boat"...he won't be happy!!! LOL!!!

It's a ship...and a mighty gorgeous one at that!!!

MJ

AMEN!!! Can't say that enough.

 

[Aunt KatKat]

AMEN!!! Can't say that enough.

I stand corrected.

Thanks,

Katherine

 

[lmills1803]

My youngest son, who is 14, fought and won the battle against cancer and his Make-A-Wish was a Disney Cruise, so we are booked on the May 13th Dream cruise. We are sooooo excited but this is our first cruise. It is me (mom), oldest son who is 18 and a freshman at Texas A&M, and then the youngest son. Any pointers from anyone who has been before?