"Welcome Aboard Ship Tour"--Your thoughts?

[tritter72]

Has anyone taken the "Welcome Aboard Ship Tour" on the Dream, and if so, was it worthwhile? We'll be taking our first ever cruise in August--myself, DH, DS 12 and DS 8. Will the kids be bored with the tour? Would we be better off just eating lunch and hitting the pool? Any advice is much appreciated!

 

[disneybass]

We took the tour in May and enjoyed it. There were no kids on ours but I think they might enjoy it also. Time well spent in my opinion.

 

[mmouse37]

Has anyone taken the "Welcome Aboard Ship Tour" on the Dream, and if so, was it worthwhile? We'll be taking our first ever cruise in August--myself, DH, DS 12 and DS 8. Will the kids be bored with the tour? Would we be better off just eating lunch and hitting the pool? Any advice is much appreciated!

I believe it is a good reference tool if you have never cruised before. I believe they offer it again later in the day or the next day as well. Not sure how they would be bored if they have never cruised before...wouldn't you all want to know where everything is? It may make it easier to find your way around later in the cruise.

But, it all depends on what you want to do. I thought it was very informative and I have cruised DCL many times but took it on our first Dream cruise.

If the kids want to hit the pools before they get too crowded than you skip the tour first thing.

MJ

 

[Presley]

I haven't taken the tour and wished that I did both times. Our first cruise was a 3 nighter and we never saw a large portion of the ship. The tour would've been very nice.

Our next cruise was out of Seattle, on a gorgeous blue sky day with the big snow capped mountain in the distance. I was so mesmerized by the scenery, I never even thought about tours or anything like that.

It's on my list for my next cruise, though! Cruise to nowhere, San Diego - I'll tour that ship by hook or by crook.

And on big ships like Dream and Fantasy - I might make it a family rule that we all have to take the tour.

 

[PrincessTrisha]

With the age of your kids, I'd pack their swim suits in your day bag and head to the Aquaduck right after lunch.

Do the midship detective agency once or twice instead to "tour" the ship.

 

[CruiseCrazy44]

I went on my first ever cruise on the Dream Oct 2011 and I've regretted ever since not taking that tour. I never did find the time to take a peek at the gym or the rainforest room! I'm definitely taking the tour the next time, Sept 2014, even if I have to leave the husband and the kids behind!

 

[Dreamfaiiry]

I think if it's your first cruise, and you're into seeing the ship and want to know where things are then it's a good idea. I went on my first cruise with my sister last June and I was super excited to do the ship tour first thing after lunch. However, being that this was my first cruise I was a little unprepared and unsure of leaving my carry-on luggage on the transfer bus because my change of clothes/bathing suit and other necessities were in my carry-on, so I took it with me and had to drag that thing around everywhere on the ship until the rooms were ready - not fun! That being said, we started the ship tour and didn't get to finish it because we just weren't into lugging our heavy carry-ons all over the place, and I had no idea how much walking or going up stairs was required on the tour. So we only did a portion of it and didn't get to finish. I recommend if you do it on the first day before you're able to get into your stateroom, definitely leave your carry-on with the transfer bus or with whoever is in charge of getting your luggage to your stateroom - or be prepared to take it with you everywhere you go up until your stateroom is ready. I noticed that as soon as people board the ship they get in the pool and the pool areas get pretty crowded right away, so they must either be wearing bathing suits under their clothing, or have a small bag with bathing suit/ and other essentials and are able to change quickly. As far as kids getting bored, as I recall there weren't any kids on the tour I was on either, just as the other poster mentioned. That lends me to believe (especially because of your kids ages) that they'd probably want to eat, and join the fun in the pool area right away. It seems like the aquaduck is the place the kids wanna hit first. Just my observation. All in all I think the ship tour is very informative and probably fun and enjoyable - maybe check the navigator schedules to see what your options are and choose the best time for your family to do it. Have fun!

 

[STLEdge]

With the age of your kids, I'd pack their swim suits in your day bag and head to the Aquaduck right after lunch.

Do the midship detective agency once or twice instead to "tour" the ship.

This is exactly what we did on our first cruise on the Dream and our kids loved it (they were 4 and 6 at the time). I suspect they would've been a bit jumpy for the tour. You know your kids best (and they're older than ours were) and what they would and wouldn't like, but touring the ship by doing the detective agency game was the best of both worlds for our family.

 

[ndabunka]

Has anyone taken the "Welcome Aboard Ship Tour" on the Dream, and if so, was it worthwhile? We'll be taking our first ever cruise in August--myself, DH, DS 12 and DS 8. Will the kids be bored with the tour? Would we be better off just eating lunch and hitting the pool? Any advice is much appreciated!

I am assuming that this is a FREE tour, right? How do you sign up for it? I see nothing available for a fee on the Day One tour options. Only thing listed is the 'sail away deck party".

 

[LWQuestie]

I am assuming that this is a FREE tour, right? How do you sign up for it? I see nothing available for a fee on the Day One tour options. Only thing listed is the 'sail away deck party".

Are you looking at the DCL website? There are many more activities onboard than just those listed as excursions on the DCL site.

Check out this fairly recent Personal Navigator. No need to sign up. Just show up at the listed location and time to participate.

 

[DisneyTravelers2008]

Does anyone know how long the tour lasts? Do they offer it just once or several times? Trying to decide if this is how I want to spend my time...Yes, I want to see all the ship...but, No, I dont want to spend 3 hrs doing it...

 

[lbgraves]

With the age of your kids, I'd pack their swim suits in your day bag and head to the Aquaduck right after lunch.

Do the midship detective agency once or twice instead to "tour" the ship.

I have to agree with this. My first thought was that to make a kid go on that tour as soon as they get on the ship, seeing all the cool stuff but not being able to play with the other kids onboard would be cruel and unusual punishment. We have never taken the tour because honestly I didn't want to be away from the fun either. We find plenty of time to look around the ship, and of course I stalked the webcam and everything else when the new ships were being built. Oh, I never saw the inside of the spa or Serenity Bay for that matter until our 10th cruise this year. We walked around on our own and simply made time for that this time since the kids are more on their own onboard now.

 

[tritter72]

Does anyone know how long the tour lasts? Do they offer it just once or several times? Trying to decide if this is how I want to spend my time...Yes, I want to see all the ship...but, No, I dont want to spend 3 hrs doing it...

Based on the Personal Navigator I was looking at, it lasts 45 minutes, and there were two tours offered: 1:00 and 2:00.