First time cruising

[dyson0715]

My wife, sons (7+2) are cruising on the Dream on April 11. We will be flying into MCO two days early, although day 1 is a lost day as we land at 8pm, staying at a disney resort. We plan to go to MK on our free day. The day of the cruise we are thinking of either the DCL bus or a town car (basically the same price).

Some questions I have;

DCL bus or town car
Do we all need passports? Or passcards?
Any advice for a newbie?
Anything to avoid?

Thank you.

 

[sdjen]

If you are taking the DCL bus from a resort you usually won't be on board until after 1pm. If you take a town car, you can arrive earlier (depending on what port arrival time you get). We like to get there a little earlier - even if we have to wait to board - to get on sooner. Minnie/Mickey come out for pics etc... But it can get crowded. Since you have little ones, it may be less stressful to board without waiting and you will also be able to drop your carry on bags right away too. You just need to decide which appeals to you more- less waiting or more time on the ship.

I believe you can travel with just birth certificates but I would recommend passports. If you are going through the expense of getting them, get a passport and not the card.

You will have so much fun! Just relax and know you can't do everything! Be prepared to get hooked on cruising - it is addictive!!

 

[Firefighter22]

I would recommend getting passports. I just went on a eastern caribbean on the fantasy and you did not have to have a passport. I got one (wife already had one) just so I did not have to carry around several different documents. At St maarten and St thomas we only needed our "key to the world" card to get back onto the ship.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Do we all need passports? Or passcards?

If you are all US citizens, on a closed loop cruise (beginning and ending in the same US port) the minimum requirement for travel is a birth certificate plus (for those 16 and over) a government issued photo ID. OR you can get a passport. I'd suggest, if you opt for the passport (my recommendation), get the book not the card. There's nothing that the passport card will gain you over using just a birth certificate/ID combo, and it will just cost you.

You can't fly internationally with just a passport card, you must have the book.