What was your worst DCL rookie mistake?

[Tasmen]

For us it was booking Remy for the last night of the cruise after the day at Castaway Cay. We had to rush to get ready for Remy WHILE packing for the next day after a full day on the beach.

 

[RedSox68]

For us it was booking Remy for the last night of the cruise after the day at Castaway Cay. We had to rush to get ready for Remy WHILE packing for the next day after a full day on the beach.

UGH, that would be tough. I hate that last night with trying to do dinner and the show and get the luggage out.

 

[CherylA]

For us it was booking Remy for the last night of the cruise after the day at Castaway Cay. We had to rush to get ready for Remy WHILE packing for the next day after a full day on the beach.

Yeah that wouldn't be fun. Plus I try to plan all my 'extra fee' meals for the start of the cruise because I am so full from a week of overeating that I am no longer really enjoying the food by the last night.

 

[Flossbolna]

For us it was booking Remy for the last night of the cruise after the day at Castaway Cay. We had to rush to get ready for Remy WHILE packing for the next day after a full day on the beach.

See, we actually are planning on doing this on cruise number 5! We figure it will be the perfect end to the cruise. But we are good at packing and don't have any kids. We won't eat breakfast on the ship before getting off, so don't worry if we need to carry a bag or two off the ship ourselves. And while we enjoy Castaway Cay we have learned from the past that we enjoy it for a limited amount of time. So, for us it seems the perfect way to avoid the typical last night rush by being forced to slow down in Remy. Maybe it will turn out that this decission was wrong, but I can see it working for us! However, I think on my first cruise it would have been disaster, too!

 

[Ariel484]

For us it was booking Remy for the last night of the cruise after the day at Castaway Cay. We had to rush to get ready for Remy WHILE packing for the next day after a full day on the beach.

That was a mistake for us as well - booking Remy on Castaway Cay day - but for a different reason. We were both cooked from being out in the sun all day, so the last thing we wanted was to put on fancy clothes (my poor husband was incredibly uncomfortable wearing a suit and tie...at least I got to wear a sleeveless cocktail dress!). We were still overheated enough that I don't think we properly enjoyed the meal...I think this was more of an issue for my husband than it was for me. Poor planning on my part!

 

[PlanoNana]

One of the folks on our first cruise planned lots of adult activities and relaxation ASSUMING that her 5 yo would love the clubs and spend most of the cruise being entertained so she could do other stuff. The kid threw a fit and didn't like the clubs at all and her cruise was "ruined" (her description) because he was so demanding. Flexibility is an asset when vacationing with kids.

 

[msb578]

One of the folks on our first cruise planned lots of adult activities and relaxation ASSUMING that her 5 yo would love the clubs and spend most of the cruise being entertained so she could do other stuff. The kid threw a fit and didn't like the clubs at all and her cruise was "ruined" (her description) because he was so demanding. Flexibility is an asset when vacationing with kids.

I wouldn't use the word ruined, but we were surprised that our three girls didn't want to spend much time there.

 

[RedSox68]

One of the folks on our first cruise planned lots of adult activities and relaxation ASSUMING that her 5 yo would love the clubs and spend most of the cruise being entertained so she could do other stuff. The kid threw a fit and didn't like the clubs at all and her cruise was "ruined" (her description) because he was so demanding. Flexibility is an asset when vacationing with kids.

Our friends took their granddaughter on the Magic a few years ago -- all of their first cruises. They expected her to love the clubs and have some adult time -- didn't happen. She was very demanding, refused many meals and refused to sit through the shows, etc. Totally ruined their trip and they said never again. What a shame -- an expensive way to find out your granddaughter doesn't travel well LOL

 

[CherylA]

One of the folks on our first cruise planned lots of adult activities and relaxation ASSUMING that her 5 yo would love the clubs and spend most of the cruise being entertained so she could do other stuff. The kid threw a fit and didn't like the clubs at all and her cruise was "ruined" (her description) because he was so demanding. Flexibility is an asset when vacationing with kids.

The clubs are talked up as being so wonderful and first time cruisers are told the kids will love it so they do expect to be able to have lots of adult only time. My cousin is traveling next month and expecting her boys to spend lots of time in the clubs and allow her some time to relax with adults. I hope it works out that way because shes going to be very bent out of shape if it doesn't. We've had some trips where the kids were really into the clubs and some trips where they weren't so much. It seemed to have a lot to do with if they made friends there on the first day.

 

[phinz]

More a first cruise mistake: waiting to see if I'd get sea sick before taking something to prevent sea sickness. That first night (between PC and Nassau) I was miserable and thought cruising wasn't for me.

My wife did the same thing. I got to eat at Palo all by myself after she had to leave during the salad. She was in the room curled up on the couch when I got back, verandah door wide open, having taken a Bonine, eaten a green apple and guzzled a ginger ale. Getting into the door was like trying to open the hatch on a wind tunnel. She was fine the next morning, though she did spend a good deal of the late morning/early afternoon sleeping up at Satellite Falls, which is where a lot of other people who had a hard time the night before were getting some shuteye. Palo rescheduled us for another night later in the week since she had to leave early.

My rookie mistake was scheduling a whiskey/whisky tasting at 10:30 when we had an 8:00 Remy dinner and then going out afterwards. We split a bottle of wine, drank a couple of glasses of champagne then I rushed straight from Remy to Meridian. I had several whiskey/whisky samples (including the samples from the couple who didn't show up) and then met up immediately afterward with new companions in The Brotherhood, our annual cruise group, whereby I finished a flask of Rittenhouse BIB Rye while sitting around talking. I then went to our room (Where my wife was blissfully sleeping. Her words when I told her I was going back out? "Don't fall off the boat."), changed out of my tux and went to the Tube, where I drank more bourbon. I think I went to bed/passed out at 3 am. I woke up in the morning at 8:00, rougher than a cob. I ate one piece of flatbread, a crostini with salmon and that's about it at Palo Brunch the next morning. I sat there in sunglasses and drank water like I had been traversing the desert, sweating bullets and fighting a case of whiskey/whisky belly. I haven't lived it down yet. I pace myself much better at sea these days, and she uses the patch, wristbands, green apples, ginger candies *and* ginger ale to help with her first day of being at sea.

 

[Pens Fan]

The clubs are talked up as being so wonderful and first time cruisers are told the kids will love it so they do expect to be able to have lots of adult only time. My cousin is traveling next month and expecting her boys to spend lots of time in the clubs and allow her some time to relax with adults. I hope it works out that way because shes going to be very bent out of shape if it doesn't. We've had some trips where the kids were really into the clubs and some trips where they weren't so much. It seemed to have a lot to do with if they made friends there on the first day.

I totally agree with this. You hear so many stories about kids never wanting to leave the clubs, parents never seeing them, etc., etc. Well, my (very social at home) son hated the clubs up until he was about 15 or so. He much preferred to hang out with us. That didn't bother us in the least, because we love spending time together as family. My husband and I never stepped foot in an adult area other than Cove Cafe to pick up coffee until our 3rd cruise. We still had a blast, though. But I do think sometimes families go into a Disney cruise with unrealistic expectations about the clubs. They seem to work well for most kids, but not all. First timers really should be prepared for that possibility. Our son isn't necessarily shy, has tons of friends, etc., but just simply did not care for the clubs for whatever reason. It happens.

 

[PlanoNana]

I agree that all kids don't love the clubs but I think parents still need the option to have some adult time. Whether my dgd5 loves the club or hates them she will be expected to stay there for our Palo brunch - and without making a scene or having us paged during lunch. Same for our dgd1.5 in the nursery. The world won't come to an end if they don't get their way for a couple of hours while Nana, Pops, DD and SIL enjoy brunch at Palo.

And the nice thing about all of us traveling together is that if the club and nursery don't work out well the adults can trade off so each of the adults can have some time to themselves.

 

[Sydnerella]

Yeah, it's kinda hit and miss on Castaway Cay with this process. Others have reported that they had to send one person onboard to get their IDs.

Im confused, do you need photo id at every port to get onboard the ship or just CC? Will color copies of our passports work, this is for Me, DH, DS12, DD10? Or must we actually have passports on CC? They are the only legal ID my kids have.
I dont think having them in my beach bag is a great idea while we snorkel or play... any clarification or explanation on these id needs at ports is appreciated.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Im confused, do you need photo id at every port to get onboard the ship or just CC? Will color copies of our passports work, this is for Me, DH, DS12, DD10? Or must we actually have passports on CC? They are the only legal ID my kids have.
I dont think having them in my beach bag is a great idea while we snorkel or play... any clarification or explanation on these id needs at ports is appreciated.

Only adults need the photo ID, but yes, it is at every port. I don't know that photocopies of passports would work. I'd recommend you and your DH take your drivers licenses or another government issued photo ID.

 

[Disney1fan2002]

Only adults need the photo ID, but yes, it is at every port. I don't know that photocopies of passports would work. I'd recommend you and your DH take your drivers licenses or another government issued photo ID.



If my memory serves me correctly, when we dock at CC, I believe the cruise director comes over the loud speaker to welcome us and then gives us a list of "rules" to disembark. Adults needing an ID is very much one of them. I believe it is repeated a few times. It's been 4 years since I have cruised so I could be mistaken.

 

[RedSox68]



If my memory serves me correctly, when we dock at CC, I believe the cruise director comes over the loud speaker to welcome us and then gives us a list of "rules" to disembark. Adults needing an ID is very much one of them. I believe it is repeated a few times. It's been 4 years since I have cruised so I could be mistaken.

We had to have ID in 2014.

 

[nearlyfallinstar]

Im confused, do you need photo id at every port to get onboard the ship or just CC? Will color copies of our passports work, this is for Me, DH, DS12, DD10? Or must we actually have passports on CC? They are the only legal ID my kids have.
I dont think having them in my beach bag is a great idea while we snorkel or play... any clarification or explanation on these id needs at ports is appreciated.

I believe that it is only 18+ that need photo IDs. Kids just need their KTTW cards. If you want, I believe you can get a state ID for your kids as well (we do in Ohio). They are inexpensive and handy to have.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I believe that it is only 18+ that need photo IDs. Kids just need their KTTW cards. If you want, I believe you can get a state ID for your kids as well (we do in Ohio). They are inexpensive and handy to have.

Yes, to get off the ship everyone needs their KTTW card. To get back on the ship, in most ports, everyone needs their KTTW card and those 18 and over also need a photo ID. The ID is used to gain access to the actual dock area (usually a secured space).

 

[Laura Dollar]

does anyone have recommendations on the sea sick wrist bands vs the over the counter pills? i would love to do the bands instead of meds but not sure if they work and no real was y to test them before hand.....thoughts?

 

[Lunarias]

My family Loves SeaBands they work amazing! My sister has been using them for years for car/air sickness. For cruises My fiancée wears them the first two days, and then if we hit a rough patch, also helps his car sickness too, but he is too stubborn to wear them outside of long road trips