First Time Cruiser - What's my Top 5 List of things to do?

[amypetecar]

First time cruiser, but a long time Disney theme park visitor.
I'm used to the routine of 11 month DVC booking, 6 month dining, 2 month Fast Pass.... etc.

Our party is 2 parents, 2 kids teen/pre-teen kids, and 2 younger grand parents.......

I'm used to pre-planning, but not sure what to prepare for? The only thing we've confirmed is the 5:45PM dining time.

What are the top 5 things I should pre-plan or arrange for the 3 night Cruise?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

First time cruiser, but a long time Disney theme park visitor.
I'm used to the routine of 11 month DVC booking, 6 month dining, 2 month Fast Pass.... etc.

Our party is 2 parents, 2 kids teen/pre-teen kids, and 2 younger grand parents.......

I'm used to pre-planning, but not sure what to prepare for? The only thing we've confirmed is the 5:45PM dining time.

What are the top 5 things I should pre-plan or arrange for the 3 night Cruise?

First of all, number one tip is "don't try to do everything, you can't". Just do what you can and enjoy it. And laugh at the people running around frantically trying to "fit it all in"

Especially on a 3 night cruise, there just isn't time.

Read the Navigator (daily activity paper) that you get every night (you'll get your first one in the terminal) and plan for the next day.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

First time cruiser, but a long time Disney theme park visitor.
I'm used to the routine of 11 month DVC booking, 6 month dining, 2 month Fast Pass.... etc.

Our party is 2 parents, 2 kids teen/pre-teen kids, and 2 younger grand parents.......

I'm used to pre-planning, but not sure what to prepare for? The only thing we've confirmed is the 5:45PM dining time.

What are the top 5 things I should pre-plan or arrange for the 3 night Cruise?

Book Palo Dinner, book Spa if required.
Plan what you want to do, the shows, etc.
Yes your on vacation, but get up early you do not want to feel spending $$$ being in bed.
Ride Aquaduck every day.
Try to do a food crawl and eat at each snack place.

 

[com_op_2000]

1. Relax, as PP stated you can not do it all.
2. Reseach, find out what is happening on your ship and let people pick for themselves what they want to do.
3. Dinners together, at the evening meal everyone can be there and discuss what they did that day.
4. CC, the beach day will be a great time for everyone to have fun.
5. Relax you are on vacation.

 

[missyp]

I wouldn't book Palo on a 3 day cruise if it were my first. I would experience the rotational dining and get to go to each of the restaurants once. On a 3 day if you miss a dinner to go to Palo you will also miss the experience of establishing a relationship with your wait staff. Your kids would not be able to join you for dinner at Palo. We have a pre-teen and a teen and sometimes the only time we see them is at dinner. We have always done the brunch at Palo and this is the first time we are doing dinner, but it is a 7 night cruise, so one night without a family dinner I am ok with. Save Palo for your second cruise

 

[Sir William]

1. Relax, as PP stated you can not do it all.
2. Reseach, find out what is happening on your ship and let people pick for themselves what they want to do.
3. Dinners together, at the evening meal everyone can be there and discuss what they did that day.
4. CC, the beach day will be a great time for everyone to have fun.
5. Relax you are on vacation.

These would be my five top recommendations as well. Don't overschedule yourself so that you run yourself ragged. If you miss something, don't sweat it - now you have an excuse to take another cruise. Allow time for the kids to do kid stuff, and the adults to do adult stuff so that everyone has fun, and it doesn't even have to be the same stuff (DD and I like to go to the shows, DW doesn't, and DS is very selective).

 

[Sir William]

I wouldn't book Palo on a 3 day cruise if it were my first. I would experience the rotational dining and get to go to each of the restaurants once. On a 3 day if you miss a dinner to go to Palo you will also miss the experience of establishing a relationship with your wait staff. Your kids would not be able to join you for dinner at Palo. We have a pre-teen and a teen and sometimes the only time we see them is at dinner. We have always done the brunch at Palo and this is the first time we are doing dinner, but it is a 7 night cruise, so one night without a family dinner I am ok with. Save Palo for your second cruise

Fully agree. In fact, we prefer to do brunch at Palo instead of dinner as we like the MDRs.

 

[bigtony777]

If you think you have a remote thought of booking another Disney cruise, do so while on board so that you get the savings and OBC for the next cruise. Don't wait until the last minute as it will likely be busy then and you will waste time waiting.

 

[KYDad]

Try to do a food crawl and eat at each snack place.

Are there organized food crawls or is this just a "personal journey"?

 

[SillyInventor]

You can organize one in your meet thread.

 

[SnowWhite2]

#1 - Rebook on board as early as possible because the line is very long on the last day.
#2 - Never do a 3 day cruise again if you can do a 7 day. Many more activities and food choices on 7 day (brunch, lobster in DR, etc)
#3 - #5 - Do what each of you wants and then come together for dinner to discuss your day.

 

[3fish]

Hi there,

1. Re-book for a future cruise

2. Have brunch at Palo's

3. Order room service (cookies & milk, mickey's bars, cheese platter before dinner, and a great sandwich)

4. See at least 1 Disney themed show.

5. Enjoy the sail away and pirate party.

No other cruise line in the world can do it the way Disney does, so live every moment!

 

[undertheradar]

Enjoy the simple touches throughout the ship.
Take time to see all of the artwork throughout.
Relax, you are on vacation.
Don't over pack.
Don't over plan. There are too many things to do, and not enough time to do everything.

 

[ajmomouse]

1-Go to the adult show in the Lounge in the evenings, very fun- Your kids will be too busy to be with you anyway
2-Make sure you get your share of Mickey Bars, can be ordered for dessert in dining room or from room service for free any time
3- Eat breakfast in the Royal Palace one morning.
4- attend one of the "art of entertaining sessions" always nice
5- sign up for a drink tasting (must sign up on first day, check navigator for place and time of sign ups)

 

[amypetecar]

These are such great suggestions! Thank you!
Brunch at Palo..... are kids allowed?
any specific suggestions for castaway cay?
thanks again!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

These are such great suggestions! Thank you!
Brunch at Palo..... are kids allowed?
any specific suggestions for castaway cay?
thanks again!

Palo is an adult-only venue.

Castaway Cay - we just like to walk around and take a little dip in the ocean, and lay back on a lounger. Oh, yeah and eat.

 

[phinz]

First of all, number one tip is "don't try to do everything, you can't". Just do what you can and enjoy it. And laugh at the people running around frantically trying to "fit it all in"

Especially on a 3 night cruise, there just isn't time.

This. Completely this. A vacation is supposed to be relaxing. Leave the running around for the parks. This is #1 through #5 for me.

 

[SwimMom2]

I get where you are coming from. We are WDW ninjas who just did our first Disney cruise. I am that person getting FP and dining at 6 am on the day it becomes available.

Planning a Disney cruise is just not like that.

Palo and port adventures are really all you need to do in advance. If your preferred times/ adventures aren't available, check back until they are. I agree about skipping Palo on a 3 night cruise.

You will like the Personal Navigators- they fill that need to not be missing anything. Get the Disney Cruise line Ap and you will have it on your phone.

Once you board, if character greetings, wine tastings, etc., are your thing, get those first. Then...relax. Go to the Anchors Away show. Wander around the ship. Be prepared for more spontaneity than you get in the parks. Carry your camera everywhere. Get a placeholder reservation for another cruise early.

 

[Jsoenning]

Captains Mai Tai...and Palo brunch. Go to a movie. Watch a movie pool side...