How do you handle the "real world" once your cruise is over

[BlackFrank]

My family and I are looking very forward to our first cruise.

The thing I'm worried about the most is what happens after it's over...

Will we get depressed because we're no longer on the cruise? How do we handle this post cruise depression?

It's conceivable that we might book another cruise (so we have something to look forward to), but it probably wouldn't be for at least 2 years after our first one.

 

[Mrs. Gumdrop]

Assuming you are sailing out of Florida, I suggest going directly to Downtown Disney! You can reminisce about your trip in the comforting surroundings of Disney porperty and have a tasty meal before heading home. Also we take a ton of photos while sailing. We find looking over our happy memories and details of the ship make us feel better.

 

[Purdue Mouse]

My family and I are looking very forward to our first cruise.

The thing I'm worried about the most is what happens after it's over...

Will we get depressed because we're no longer on the cruise? How do we handle this post cruise depression?

It's conceivable that we might book another cruise (so we have something to look forward to), but it probably wouldn't be for at least 2 years after our first one.

After waking up from my 3 day "Dream" it was rather depressing. Is there such a thing as 'land' sickness? Help me captain MICKEY!!

 

[NancyIL]

I almost always have another trip to look forward to when one trip ends.

Even if you don't think you'll cruise again for 2 years, it's worth booking while onboard to get a 10% discount and onboard credit on the next cruise. The deposit for an onboard booking is 10% of the pre-tax price. You can move that booking (called a "dummy" booking) until you settle on a cruise you'd really like to take.

 

[cruisecrasher]

I almost always have another trip to look forward to when one trip ends.

Even if you don't think you'll cruise again for 2 years, it's worth booking while onboard to get a 10% discount and onboard credit on the next cruise. The deposit for an onboard booking is 10% of the pre-tax price. You can move that booking (called a "dummy" booking) until you settle on a cruise you'd really like to take.

Cn you transfer/do dummy bookings at the concierge level? Or is there no OBB discount for those?

 

[NancyIL]

Cn you transfer/do dummy bookings at the concierge level? Or is there no OBB discount for those?

I'm pretty sure the deposit is non-refundable if you book concierge, but it can be transferred to another booking. I don't know about the OBB discount/ onboard credit for those cabins - sorry.

 

[mlandgrebe]

Will we get depressed because we're no longer on the cruise? How do we handle this post cruise depression?

Yes - you will be sad. Book again, quickly then start your next countdown.

The hardest parts include:
1. Waiting for someone to bring you food
2. When food eventually comes, waiting for the server to put your napkin on your lap (the pizza delivery guy looks at you funny when you ask about that)
3. Being expected to make your own bed AND turn down your own covers (it's absolutely savage)
4. There are no towelgami animals waiting for you when you come back from work
5. And speaking of that, you actually have to go back to work!

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[SILLYANDI]

Yes - you will be sad. Book again, quickly then start your next countdown.

The hardest parts include:
1. Waiting for someone to bring you food
2. When food eventually comes, waiting for the server to put your napkin on your lap (the pizza delivery guy looks at you funny when you ask about that)
3. Being expected to make your own bed AND turn down your own covers (it's absolutely savage)
4. There are no towelgami animals waiting for you when you come back from work
5. And speaking of that, you actually have to go back to work!

Enjoy your cruise!

The first visit to a restaurant after our first DCL cruise my kids went gangbusters ordering appetizers, frou frou drinks and multiple desserts. The server at Chili's gave me the "are you serious?". I didn't have the heart to tell them no...until the bill came!!

 

[Aurora's Mommy]

For days after getting off, if I was standing on a hard floor, it would sway back and forth a bit! That, and the good feelings, will stay with you for a while.

We always cruise the week before school starts, so we get home and the kids crash back to earth quickly ..

 

[NancyIL]

The first visit to a restaurant after our first DCL cruise my kids went gangbusters ordering appetizers, frou frou drinks and multiple desserts. The server at Chili's gave me the "are you serious?". I didn't have the heart to tell them no...until the bill came!!

I am slow to get back into the cooking and cleaning routine after a trip. However, the "NO" in my vocabulary would've kicked in very quickly - had I been in your situation!

 

[RayRing]

On a cruise you don't pay for your meals as soon as it ends

During one of our cruises I really got use to eating, and then just getting up and leaving. Or just walking up to somewhere, getting a little snack (pizza, ice cream, drink, etc) and just walking away.

After the cruise, we headed back to the airport, and got a quick lunch, before boarding the plan. After they put the food on our trays, I turned to find a place to eat. My DW had to stop me, and remind me that I had to pay for the food. Oppps. I forgot how that worked

 

[CastawayCayLover]

during the 15 hour drive back to NJ after a cruise one year I stopped for gas and was having a difficult time getting the pump to work. After a minute I realized that the pump probably wasn't connected to Disney so I should use a credit card instead of my KTTW card.

 

[NancyIL]

during the 15 hour drive back to NJ after a cruise one year I stopped for gas and was having a difficult time getting the pump to work. After a minute I realized that the pump probably wasn't connected to Disney so I should use a credit card instead of my KTTW card.

 

[MADCLFAN]

My wife and I always come down with PVD(Post Vacation Depression), the only thing that works for us is planning for the next one. We just got back from MR on the Wonder last week and can't wait until our Dream Concierge Cruise and Wine and Dine Half Marathon weekend in September.

 

[Mickeyhugger]

Ditto what everyone here said about rebooking on-board.

Sadly, there's no miracle cure for post-cruise depression. My first two days after a cruise are miserable, as I feel a huge 'let-down.' Things begin to feel a little more normal on the third day.

 

[Toddymae]

We go to Downtown Disney - more pins - if that's possible.

When we get home - PICTURES

We find making a album keeps us occupied for a couple of weeks. We need to find just the right quote (Walt of course). The pictures need captions.
Re-arrange the pictures every day or two.

Then we wait for the album to come - wait-wait. When it arrives we have pizza and everyone gets to tell 1. what their favorite part of the cruise was, 2. what's their favorite picture, 3. they have to tell about one new person they met, 4. why the excursion(s) was great/bad, and 5. What we want to do on our next DCL cruise. This list goes up on the wall and we add and delete.

Oh, we have no kids on the cruise with us - it's just me and my husband. It's great fun.

Next cruise - May 24, Alaska.

 

[sorul82?]

Real world? I laugh at the real world! I waste many hours here on the DIS and price future cruises. Why just today, I have priced cruises on DCL, Carnival, MSC, and RCCL to Bermuda, N. Europe, Alaska, MR, well, basically everywhere. Oh, and airfare too, heck I even mapped out Amtrak across the country. So, what is this "real world" you speak of?

 

[ALK$Disney]

This is a dreadful thought

We have a WDW trip in October and it should be OK to come back from that because only 6 months later we will be going on our first ever cruise to Hawaii. After 15 days on a Disney cruise ship, I don't even want to think about coming back to a routine life.

 

[fhtpdw20]

I scrapbook my trip to ease back to the real world. Our first cruise Disney sent a CD of island music and sounds of the ocean from Castaway Cay in a "survial kit" with your Castaway Cay membership cards. The first track is the "When you wish upon a star" horn recording and the last was the Castaway Cay ocean and sea gull calls. I hope they still do this with the Dream.