New to Cruising!!

[lovemickeyminnie]

We are new to cruising...we will be a family of 12 adults and 4 children. We will need 6 rooms. The cruise fare you pay for the cruise includes all the food on the ship. No matter what you get at a restaurant it is payed for..right? Snack places by the pool, cabanas and those kind of places you have already paid for it before you went right?? Shows, clubs and activities you have already paid for right?
Thank you!!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are new to cruising...we will be a family of 12 adults and 4 children. We will need 6 rooms. The cruise fare you pay for the cruise includes all the food on the ship. No matter what you get at a restaurant it is payed for..right? Snack places by the pool, cabanas and those kind of places you have already paid for it before you went right?? Shows, clubs and activities you have already paid for right?
Thank you!!

Food in the Main Dining Rooms, poolside quick serve locations, and room service are all included in your cruise fare. Food in the adult only dining rooms (Palo/Remy) have an extra charge. Also, there is an included snack food spread in the adult lounge area each night, as well as an extra cost Pub Menu.

Entertainment is included - productions shows, individual acts (magicians and the like). Excursions in ports are extra cost.

Activities in the kid's clubs (Oceaneer's/Edge/Vibe) are included. Nursery hours (age 3 and under) have a cost.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

PrincessShmoo spelled it out very well. In addition to what she's mentioned above, there is a charge for popcorn, candy and sodas outside the theaters. Soda is free from the drink stations on the pool deck so you can always carry soda from the pool deck into the theaters if you want. There are a few items from room service that carry a charge, but most of the room service menu is included in your cruise fare. A lot of people tip the CMs who deliver room service a few dollars. Of course, all alcoholic beverages are extra, as well as specialty coffees and smoothies.

 

[CamColt]

Soda is also free in the Main Dining Rooms, however if you order it from Room Service, from a server on deck, or at a bar, there is a charge.

 

[jrabbit]

in addition to Palo and Remy (adults only upcharge restaurants) on some of the ships there's a "candy shoppe" (Vanellopi's) where there's a charge for everything.

Adult beverages always carry a fee. Smoothies and "fancy" non alcoholic drinks also carry a charge (you can order these from a bar/lounge, at dinner, etc).

Sometimes the kids clubs have a smoothie hour and I believe that these are free during that time at that venue. (someone with kids can probably help clarify this)

 

[Geomom]

Not included in the cruise fare, but added to your room charge are automatic gratuities of $12/person/day. This covers the gratuities for the head server, assistant server, server, and stateroom host. You get envelopes and tip sheets with the totals near the end of your trip, so you can hand them out to the people.

 

[Geomom]

Sometimes the kids clubs have a smoothie hour and I believe that these are free during that time at that venue. (someone with kids can probably help clarify this)

Yes, 'smoothie hour' in the clubs is free as it is the activity for that hour. DD16 made smoothies up in Vibe and brought 1 back for her sister.

 

[jrabbit]

I will give you my best tips for cruising ...

1) You can NOT Eat it All - but its a great time to try new foods, because they will bring you something else (no extra charge) if you don't like your original choice (yea I tried the escargot, but please bring me a french onion soup)

2) You can NOT Do it All - but sleep is for AFTER the cruise.

3) It's a rare trip that goes off "according to plan" - be flexible because life happens and enjoy the adventure!!

Have a great trip

 

[Kontos]

Will also be doing my first cruise next year and was wondering do the pools close? Can I go for a swim at 3am if I want? How about the bar/lounges/movie theatres?

Also, is there a thread on tips for first timers floating around these boards?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Will also be doing my first cruise next year and was wondering do the pools close? Can I go for a swim at 3am if I want? How about the bar/lounges/movie theatres?

Also, is there a thread on tips for first timers floating around these boards?

This whole forum is an information source for first time cruisers. Just scroll through the various threads and open the ones that seem to ask the questions you're interested in. If you have a question that's not been asked, just ask away, we're a friendly bunch.

The pools generally close somewhere between 10:00 to midnight (different times for different pools). And open around 8:00 am. The times will be listed in the Navigator you get.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

The pools generally close somewhere between 10:00 to midnight (different times for different pools). And open around 8:00 am. The times will be listed in the Navigator you get.

The Navigator is the daily schedule of activities that you receive at check in and then each evening. You can find scans of old Navigators at http://disneycruiselineblog.com/personal-navigators/.

 

[diznymom]

Shirley Temples are free in the dining rooms. So are cherry cokes (glass of coke w/ lots of cherries).

The drink stations is by the pools and open 24 hours. There are sodas w/ a non-carbonated drink (like lemonade or fruit punch), coffee, tea, milk, hot chocolate packets.

Cabanas has similar drinks, plus fruit juice in the mornings.