What I would do/not do next cruise

[my2disneyboys]

This is a wonderful thread and full of great tips! We just got our cruise docs TODAY, for our first ever cruise!! We will be on the Dream on February 2nd!! I couldnt be more excited. I love hearing that people will worry less about their kids in the kids club, because I am already freaking out about not being with them!! I also think it is interesting to see that a lot of people do not do the sit down meals every night. We are just going on a 3 night- not sure if that would change things?

I can say w/o cruising that I PLAN to:
Having some alone time with hubby (hopefully I will not be to worried about the kids in the kids club)
Enjoy Castaway Cay!!
Staying on Board Nassau Day
I got Rainforest Day Passes for me and DH for our Nassau day!
Bringing wine/beer on board
Order Breakfast - Room Service every day
Sit on our verandah and drink champagne!!

Thanks again to all that posted great ideas!

 

[threeiscrazy]

Just the fact that I am giving DCL a second chance after our disappointing first experience is a chance to do and not do things next time.

We will visit the gym every morning when it opens.

A head's up so it doesn't disappoint you while onboard. On my last cruise in September on the Dream I had planned on going to the gym every morning to kick off my day as I had just recently started working out. I was very disappointed to find out that some days the gym didn't open until noon. The gym's hours are the same as the spa's. Needless to say at noon I was busy doing other things and working out wasn't in the plans for me.

 

[Camping Griswalds]

Great thread for this Ocr planner and first time Disney cruiser. Is there any thread for single parents who cruise

 

[Camping Griswalds]

Great thread for this Ocr planner and first time Disney cruiser. Is there any thread for single parents who cruise

 

[disneyrookie84]

Things I Would Do Again:
-Stay at the Hyatt Regency at MCO the night before, check-in for the cruise at the airport, and take Disney bus transfers
-Palo Brunch
-Trade a lackluster port for a nearly empty ship
-Swim in Quiet Cove Pool/Spa more
-Skip lunch in the dining rooms and wait for 1:30 when our stateroom was ready to order room service! Great way to settle in.
-Book our next cruise onboard

these are all things I would do again also

 

[MamieinGA]

Will do again:
*Palos dinner
*Arrive the night before in Port C
*Schedule a cruise with 2 days at Castaway Cay
*Laundry mid week
*Research and plan shore excursions ahead

Won't do again:
*Forget a digital clock
*Bingo
*Buy jewelry from Disney's #1 Trusted Seller - we overpaid thousands, and the color and quality were downgraded from what was represented to us.
*Breakfast in the dining room on last day. Next time, we will go to Topsiders on the last morning.

 

[AmyBiff]

Won't do again:

*Breakfast in the dining room on last day. Next time, we will go to Topsiders on the last morning.

AMEN! We'd never had a problem before our last cruise; the service was horrendous and sloooooooow. Won't take the chance again!

 

[uziel5000]

You know what I Would NOT do next time? I would NOT listen to DH when he suggests a short nap after dinner on Pirate night! On our last trip, we were all still so exhausted from 4 days in WDW then onto the Cruise. On Pirate night we all lay down for that nap and didn't wake up till after 10 pm!! errrgghhhh. We missed the WHOLE Pirate Party!

Your Will and will not's are great.
As for the FE though, I love it enough to try to come up with smaller gifts to give out if I were flying down. I had enquired as to cost of shipping from CANADA to DCL, but it was WAY expensive. Then we decided to drive down, so I had one suitcase just for the FE stuff.

I believe the proper reaction for missing Pirate Night is "arrrgghhhh" not "errrgghhhh".

Sorry, I just could not help myself.

 

[juliebug1997]

Will do again:
--stay on board when everyone else goes into Naussau. We had the adult pool to ourselves at 1 PM. It. Was. Amazing.
--order oatmeal raisin cookies every night before bed. DH was in heaven.
--schedule some sort of spa service on board. I had an early morning pedicure and got to watch the sun rise that morning and got to watch a bride get ready for her wedding at CC.
--play bingo. We did have a lot of fun.

Will try next time:
--dry cleaning/laundry cheaper than home? Sign me up!!!!
--catch a movie in the theater.
--Aquaduck.
--Palo Brunch. Fingers crossed!!!!!

Won't do again:
I hate to sound like Pollyanna but there wasn't anything that we did do that I wouldn't do again.

 

[*TheWigs*]

We get to try out our *Will Do's* vs *Won't Do's* on our Nov 2012 Fantasy Cruise

*Will Do*
-The Midship Detective...was a lot of fun for our DDs and we had a nice time looking at the art.
-The FE...the right way. I was a bit "out of the loop" the last time and didn't understand the whole process.
-WDW (Hopefully if DH goes along with my wishes! ) along with cruise...this time will be AFTER the cruise to avoid Veterans Day at the parks.
-See one of the shows! We missed them on our last cruise!
-Pirate Night! We got there at the tail end of the celebration last cruise, but plan to "Party like a Pirate" all night on our next one!

*Won't Do*
-Stingray Excursion on Nassau...once is plenty, thank you
-NOT get off the boat when blessed with an extra day at Castaway Cay! My DDs and DH did NOT want to go back to island for our second day at CC that the captain surprised us with...WHAT??!! We did have fun exploring the ship on what was supposed to be our sea day, but c'mon guys...It's like a free Double Dip!
-Travel with friends...that's all I gotta say about that!

I enjoyed reading everyone else's tips, too! Thanks!

 

[Susiesark]

*Won't Do*

-Travel with friends...that's all I gotta say about that!

I hear ya! Spending all day and all night and every meal and every excursion with close friends....well, let's just say 'not so close anymore'. You can get sick of people real quick when you are stuck with them, 24-7.

 

[JacksMama]

Will do:
- take more advantage of the kid's club, DS loved it.
- order a case of water and some booze for our room.
- take the early seating for dinner.
- next time if we have a server who isn't that great, we WILL complain. We didn't this time and it really affected our experience.
- FE, loved it!

Won't do:
- underschedule ourselves. We only saw Believe and are still kicking ourselves for not making a bigger effort to get to the other shows because we wanted an uber relaxed vacation.
- overeat. Didn't like the feeling of never being hungry and always feeling stuffed.
- shore excursions. Too touristy. If I'm taking a cruise I'm going to enjoy the ship, you can't get a feel for anywhere you're visiting over the course of a few hours on pre-booked excursions.

 

[Trekker]

You can get sick of people real quick when you are stuck with them, 24-7.

LOL! That can also go for family - not just (not-so) close friends!

 

[pearljammer]

I hear ya! Spending all day and all night and every meal and every excursion with close friends....well, let's just say 'not so close anymore'. You can get sick of people real quick when you are stuck with them, 24-7.

OMG. I hear you. It was a huge eyeopener for us and very telling indeed. we've decided for now on, we'll do vacations for us only. And we didn't even spend every waking moment with them. That's a whole other thread right there mmmmk?!

Sorry, so as I'm not stealing away from the thread:

I would:
-spend more time with DS at CC and not put him in the club there (as he didn't like it)
-ride aqua duct more

would not:
-eat at restaurants every night
-take so many clothes
-eat as much (HA! yeah okay. HA!)

 

[Ana~n~Joseph]

Just got back from our first cruise ever and we did the Christmas Cruise on the Dream (Dec 22-26), here is my list

Will Do:

Order room service at least once (didn't this trip...I know I know, shameful)
Get a verandah room (loooooooved our balcony)
Try to attend a show (hard with a 2 year old toddler)
Eat more
Ride aquaduck more
Put DS in the Club a little longer to enjoy the pool
Pack a little less
Go to Disney World prior
Request Mario & Francia as our wait staff
Get 2nd seating
Join more activities (my husband isn't a fan of schedules but I am)
Go to the Spa

Won't Do:

Get off the ship at Nassau
Visit Atlantis (overrated in my opinion)
Worry so much about what other people are whispering under their breath about my toddler (he's 2, he's bound to have a few fits, no, he wasn't interrupting dinner or anything but some ppl should keep their comments to themselves)
Fly out the day we dock - my plan for next time is to go back to Disney for the day and fly back the following day
Rush breakfast - the line was soooo long to exit the ship it was ridiculous - it went all the way into Animators Palate

 

[Poly-Anna]

I am Poly-Anna, and I totally agree with you!

"Won't do again:
I hate to sound like Pollyanna but there wasn't anything that we did do that I wouldn't do again."

 

[Sharonstamps]

What I will do again:
- Take over the door hanger; keeps everything organized
- Decorate my door with magnets
- Spend the night before at Port Canaveral
- Put magnetic white board on our door so cousins can stay in touch. We
had several nice messages from strangers, too!
- Take old bathing suit for hot tubs. Don't wear new suit; they fade.
- Book Royal Swim at Cozumel on my own - best part of our trip.
- Take waterproof case necklace for holding room keys, etc.
- Order room service and watch the sun rise on my verandah.
- Explore the ship

What I will NOT do again
- Pack so much
- As family cruise planner, not worry about what everyone else is doing.
- Stand in line to see Characters. Kids are older now; will leave that up to
them.
- Miss out on Palo/Remy. Booked for everyone else and sold out by the time
I tried to make my reservation. This time my reservation will be first!

What I want to do, but didn't the first time
- Martini Tasting
- Enjoy more night clubs/dance; kids are older and will be out longer
- Order room service more
- Palo/Remy

Above all, count my blessings with gratitude to be on another cruise with my family!

 

[kuhltiffany]

What an awesome thread! I'm starting a packing list already

 

[MickeyD]

I hear ya! Spending all day and all night and every meal and every excursion with close friends....well, let's just say 'not so close anymore'. You can get sick of people real quick when you are stuck with them, 24-7.

Oh great! We are traveling for the first time with friends and it is already causing me stress. How do you politely tell them that we don't need to spend 24/7 together? LOL (she actually told me that she hopes my husband "doesn't feel like a third wheel" as her husband won't do anything with her. )

And not to hijack thread, I want to add my to do and not to dos:

To do:
Spend more time on deck 4 relaxing in those comfy chairs!
Spend as much time as possible on Castaway Cay.
Dress up for formal night and Pirate night.

Not to do:
I will not stress about every little detail (yeah, right)
Not overpack.

Lisa

 

[rosermama]

*Won't Do*
an extra day at Castaway Cay!

How/ When does this happen I have never heard of this?

ITs my life long dream