Nov 20, 2011 Dream - 3 Nights

[MagicFan75]

I've already contacted my Ebay seller, as it is likely just a shipping mix up, but I just got my FE in the mail today and it is the wrong one. Did anyone on here order an FE with names "Mimi, Tiffany, and Lauren"?

Just thought to check our FE list and those names aren't on it. Maybe I'll post it to the main forum? Normally I'd just wait it out and let the ebay seller fix the problem, but we leave in 3 days!!

 

[pinkminniemom]

Just got off the Dream on Sunday and it looks fantastic with all of the holiday trimmings. If I'm reading this correctly, nobody else joined our small group so I guess it is just us. We are a party of 5. 4 adults and a 14 year old. I will pm our staterooms to you tomorrow and will need to know yours. Please let me know if other families have expressed interest..Thanks and looking forward to this .

Since we can't PM each other because we don't have enough posts, please email and let me know if your 14 year old is a boy or girl and let me know what your stateroom number is. I will reply back with my stateroom and the other family's stateroom number that is participating. My email is tsksjjbn at gmail. It won't let me put an email address in this post either. Also let me know the gender of the adults.

 

[pinkminniemom]

I have several questions about on board booking and since we sail on Sunday, I need to figure it all out...From what I've read, you get a 10% discount and a stateroom credit based on how many times you've cruised and the length of the cruise. It's also my understanding that some people book random cruises if they know they're going to cruise again, but don't know when and where they want to go. Here are my questions.
1. If you book a 3 night out of FL, can you change your reservations later to an Alaskan cruise or do you have to keep the same cruise, but you can change the dates?
2. What is the down payment? I've read some places that is shows 10% down and then some I see a certain dollar amount per person. So if I book a $4000 4 night cruise for 4 people - will I have pay $400 (10%) or $200 per person?
3. What about booking additional staterooms for other people? I read that you can book one stateroom for everyone that is cruising, so if I have 4 people in my cabin, I could book 4 staterooms. Do you have to know everybody's name at the time? I would like to book a future cruise and bring friends and familiy along, but I don't have commitments yet. So could I book the rooms and add the people later? If so, how does that work?
4. What happens if you book on board and later the cruise goes on sale?
Sorry for all the questions, but being a newbie, want to figure it all out before we get on the ship so we can be prepared for what we would have to deposit.

 

[VET]

Hi!!!
I might be able to help you out with a couple of questions, but the rest I dont know...this will be our third DCL cruise and its the first one I booked while onboard. Unless it has changed, I only had to put $100 down per person and received a $100 on board credit (i think both amounts are greater for a 7 night cruise?)...no more money was due until approximately 75 days prior to sailing, which is when final payment is due. Up until that point, I could change but I think I would lose the on board credit??? Also, my deposit was fully refundable until that point, so I think it really is a good deal. I would suggest making an appointment early to speak with the on board agent...sometimes there was quite a long line for others to wait in to talk to them. I decided to go and book this cruise after Castaway Cay...that place is AWESOME!!! Im sure they would be able to answer any questions for you, many people book "dummy" cruises and change later. Sorry I dont have anyother info, hope this helps!!!

Ellen

P.S. to my understanding, if the cruise goes on sale prior to final payment, they will adjust it...you just have to call them while you see the exact category of what you booked, but...I have checked over the past 2 years since I booked this cruise and never saw anything even close to the deal I locked in on the ship. I believe the give you 10% off of their posted rates onboard

 

[SucalT]

Most of us are probably on board by now! A few of us have been on board for 3 days, but don't worry, we were just warming the ship up for you.

Welcome aboard!!

 

[BBCakes]

Being on the Disney Dream was FANTASTIC! I had the best BIRTHDAY ever on Castaway Cay yesterday! Meeting some of you during the cruise was even sweeter!!

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who participated in the FE Gift Exchange! My daughter Elizabeth and I enjoyed every single gift and it was fun to watch her get excited everytime we found more gifts in our FE!!! You all can be so creative!! THANK YOU AGAIN!!

A sincere HUGE THANK YOU to Rachel (mnrhannah07) for organizing the entire FE list for all of us!! You did an amazing job Rachel! I'm honored that I got to meet you in person, finally! I hope we all sail together on future cruises!!

We arrived home very early today! Well....since we're from the Tampa area it was only a 2 hour drive for us! We started out for breakfast at Cabana's, picked up our photos from Shutters, walked off the ship, picked up our luggage and passed through customs, got in our car at the parking garage; all by 7:50am!!! We learned from our 1st Disney cruise that getting an early wake-up and utilizing a luggage porter makes it so much easier!

We booked two more November cruises for 2012 and 2013 while onboard yesterday! I hope to see you!! Thank you again!!!

 

[Fivepin]

Being on the Disney Dream was FANTASTIC! I had the best BIRTHDAY ever on Castaway Cay yesterday! Meeting some of you during the cruise was even sweeter!!

Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who participated in the FE Gift Exchange! My daughter Elizabeth and I enjoyed every single gift and it was fun to watch her get excited everytime we found more gifts in our FE!!! You all can be so creative!! THANK YOU AGAIN!!

A sincere HUGE THANK YOU to Rachel (mnrhannah07) for organizing the entire FE list for all of us!! You did an amazing job Rachel! I'm honored that I got to meet you in person, finally! I hope we all sail together on future cruises!!

We arrived home very early today! Well....since we're from the Tampa area it was only a 2 hour drive for us! We started out for breakfast at Cabana's, picked up our photos from Shutters, walked off the ship, picked up our luggage and passed through customs, got in our car at the parking garage; all by 7:50am!!! We learned from our 1st Disney cruise that getting an early wake-up and utilizing a luggage porter makes it so much easier!

We booked two more November cruises for 2012 and 2013 while onboard yesterday! I hope to see you!! Thank you again!!!

Wish we had a chance to meet everybody. My boys were so surprised when they got on board. I had gotten all their Keys and all checked in when I met them at the garage walkway. I had told them I had gotten special permission for them to go onboard for a tour to look at all the Christmas decoratations. When they walked on and was looking around I had the announcer announce to them that they were indeed staying on board and cruising. Goofy happened to be there as well-all very magical!!

I agree no better way to celebrate a birthday!! I celebrated getting off the first leg and then celebrated going back on the second leg!! I lucked out and managed to grab a cabana for Castaway. i had checked on the first leg, but were all sold out still for the second leg. So, never give up, you never know. There were two available when I checked.

Didn't want to leave either. Went up to cabanas and brought food down to the room for the boys. We didn't leave our cabin until 8am and off the ship by 8:30. We live in St. pete so a short drive back for us as well. Left the sunshine from the ship and came back to rain.

We rebooked as well. Nov 18,2012 3 night on the cruise and Thanksgiving week on the Fantasy 2013.

Thank you everyone for the wonderful FE gifts. Had to use our DVC tote to get everything to fit!! The boys were so excited to see all the gifts. They never tire of it.

Hope to cruise with everybody again-just wish I had gotten a chance to meet more or you. 3 nights is just too short!!

 

[kristie03]

Wow three days goes by really fast! We loved everything about the ship and being part to the FE. Thanks fir making our first Disney cruise even more special!

Also thanks to all of you who found us in our new room after we upgraded...we went from an 11a to a 5a for $375! Woo hoo!

 

[alexturner74]

We really enjoyed the new ship, all the way from the Aquaduck, to the night clubs, to the kids clubs, etc., etc. Unfortunately, 3 days is just too short especially for those of us used to the longer cruises. We already had a 5 day Magic cruise booked for May 2012, and booked a 7 night Fantasy for Nov 2013 on board.

We really enjoyed participating in the FE also. Thanks so much everyone. Our kids liked getting something new everyday and checking our bag whenever we got back to the room. We had a bit of a fiasco with our FE before the cruise in that we did not get it in time from the person we ordered it from so we ended up having to use a DVC bag I won at the start of the cruise. It seemed to work out well although I wish we had our actual FE. We were able to pick up the real one at our pre-stay hotel after we got off the ship and we really like it.

After getting off the ship we went to SeaWorld. All of us were exhausted last night so we're just taking it easy today around the Disney resort and having Thanksgiving dinner at Animal Kingdom Lodge. we're planning on going to Animal Kingdom and Epcot tomorrow before heading home on Friday.

Hope everyone had a great cruise!

 

[VET]

Hello everyone!!!

As others have said...THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WONDERFUL FE GIFTS!!!
The kids and I had so much fun from planning out our FE gifts, making them, passing them out and of course...seeing the incredible surprises we received!!!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I am still recovering from "land sickness" but everyday is a little better...mabey its just post cruise depression???

We did not book another cruise on board...we are going on a 7 night cruise on Royal Caribbean Allure of the seas for the week of Spring Break, though!!! It was a pleasure to meet so many of you and hopefully our paths will cross again!!!

Ellen

 

[SucalT]

Hello everyone!!!

As others have said...THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE WONDERFUL FE GIFTS!!!
The kids and I had so much fun from planning out our FE gifts, making them, passing them out and of course...seeing the incredible surprises we received!!!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I am still recovering from "land sickness" but everyday is a little better...mabey its just post cruise depression???

We did not book another cruise on board...we are going on a 7 night cruise on Royal Caribbean Allure of the seas for the week of Spring Break, though!!! It was a pleasure to meet so many of you and hopefully our paths will cross again!!!

Ellen

Ellen,

Thank you again for the awesome coins. I am proud to have them in my collection!

 

[VET]

Thank you, too for the coins and pin...
I also will proudly keep them in my collection. I am on vacation til December 9, but when I return, I will most definitely educate my co-workers on the story you shared behind the coins!!! (I hope to win a few challenges with them too!!!)
Stay safe!!!
Ellen

 

[cathy_s]

So sad to say that we are back home. After leaving the Dream we spent 3 nights at the Swan and then had to head home today. Thanks to all of you for the wonderful FE gifts. You really went above and beyond! Also a big thank you from our friends who were part of the FE but not on the boards here.

We tried almost every day before the cruise to be lucky enough to get a cabana but it just didn't work out. As we boarded, my husband tried at guest services and got one! The cabana made a world of difference for DD#1 and her ability to enjoy Castaway.

On CC day, the family we traveled with overheard a conversation while at the Guest Services counter. The castmember had just gotten a cabana for another guest and explained that they held back 5 cabanas. One was released before boarding, two were released after boarding and two were released on CC day.

Does that happen for each cruise?

 

[Fivepin]

So sad to say that we are back home. After leaving the Dream we spent 3 nights at the Swan and then had to head home today. Thanks to all of you for the wonderful FE gifts. You really went above and beyond! Also a big thank you from our friends who were part of the FE but not on the boards here.

We tried almost every day before the cruise to be lucky enough to get a cabana but it just didn't work out. As we boarded, my husband tried at guest services and got one! The cabana made a world of difference for DD#1 and her ability to enjoy Castaway.

On CC day, the family we traveled with overheard a conversation while at the Guest Services counter. The castmember had just gotten a cabana for another guest and explained that they held back 5 cabanas. One was released before boarding, two were released after boarding and two were released on CC day.

Does that happen for each cruise?

I don't know if that happens usually or not. I was one of the lucky ones who got one as well. I had been trying every day as well for 2 months prior. I had managed to get one at Serenity for my first leg, but couldn't get one at the Family beach for the 2nd leg. I had tried when I first boarded the first leg and nothing. When the kids came on the second leg, we happened to be in front of the port adventures desk while they were taking pics with Chip n Dale. There was a cast memeber there and I just thought I would ask again. There were 2 available!! I jumped on one.
I had thought I read on the boards about a waiting list, but when I inquired on my first leg I was told no that they were first come first serve. Well, I was telling someone my story one morning and a passenger overheard. She was quite upset!! She said she had been on a waiting list and that if one opened she would get a call, but never did. She was off to guest services, but I don't know the outcome.
My boys really enjoyed the cabana, now they are spoiled!! They want one all the time now. They really enjoyed using the bikes!!!
Didn't realize we are practically neighbors as well. Several of us were from the Tampa Bay area.

 

[disfamily3]

Hi to again!

What a great time for our first cruise. Love it all! Enjoyed all of the great FE gifts! Thank you all for them!

Learned so much for the next time we cruise.....we really had a BLAST!

Fivepin and her family were our table mates .....and they were such a nice family to dine with. I hope to see them again on a future cruise.

Arrived back the Bama last evening ....spent some time in Orlando right after the cruise and did Sea World. I cannot say that was worth it though.....Whales are the only highlight in our humble opinion. But still a great time.

Now at home with cold temps and trying to keep some >Magic< still alive!

Thanks again!!!!
The Throneberrys
Merry Christmas and have a great holiday season!

 

[tiggercraZ]

Thanks to everyone for all of the wonderful gifts. My kids were so excited to find the goodies. They enjoyed all of them.

We spent a few days at Universal Studios after the cruise. My middle daughter wanted to do this since we have never been there before. Had a good time, but I really wanted to go to the Disney Parks-----there is just no comparison to Disney.

We did not book another cruise on-board, but have been talking about when our next one will be. Planning on taking an Alaskan cruise next year with friends, but will not be Disney. DH wants to take Disney, but don't think we can do that. Oh well---we got spoiled on the Dream. Will be hard to find a comparable cruise and ship.

Hopefully will meet up with some of you on our next Disney cruise.

 

[disney1990]

First and foremost, thank you mnrhannah07 for organizing the FE. It was such fun to receive all the presents from everybody -- thank you to everybody that participated.

Yes, 3 days on the ship is too short - I knew that when I booked the cruise, but I wanted to see the Disney Dream.

We rebooked while onboard -- we are doing a 7 day Eastern on November 20 -- anybody else rebook for that date?

After we got off the ship, we spent 3 days at Disney. We saw Candlelight on Friday night and had a chance to see Osbourne Lights at the Studios. We visited many of the resorts and took in all the Christmas that we could - my favorite time of year to be at Disney.

Again, thank you everybody for making this such a wonderful vacation!!