1st timer with a few questions

[PaMomofOne]

After 8 trips to WDW, I have finally convinced my DH to do a cruise. We are doing a 3 day, to test it out, on the Dream (Sept. 25).

Would love some advice...

• Our reservation defaulted to the 2nd seating. We have an 11 y/o DD, who, I'm sure, will want to do the evening kids club. Should we attempt to switch to the 1st seating?
• Can my husband wear shorts to dinner? I'm seeing conflicting information. They would be nice shorts and he'd wear a golf polo with them.
  
• We're thinking about doing a dolphin excursion. Any recommendations or points of view on the Atlantis experience vs Blue Lagoon?
• Would we better off skipping the Bahamas excursions and enjoying the ship?

Thanks!

 

[jrez]

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. N/A
4. Depends. The first trip to Nassau we went to Atlantis and loved the water park but it's pricey and my kids are young and couldn't enjoy the slides. we were on a 5 day cruise then. Last week we were on a 3 day cruise and opted to stay on the boat in Nassau.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

After 8 trips to WDW, I have finally convinced my DH to do a cruise. We are doing a 3 day, to test it out, on the Dream (Sept. 25).

Would love some advice...

• Our reservation defaulted to the 2nd seating. We have an 11 y/o DD, who, I'm sure, will want to do the evening kids club. Should we attempt to switch to the 1st seating?
• Can my husband wear shorts to dinner? I'm seeing conflicting information. They would be nice shorts and he'd wear a golf polo with them.
  
• We're thinking about doing a dolphin excursion. Any recommendations or points of view on the Atlantis experience vs Blue Lagoon?
• Would we better off skipping the Bahamas excursions and enjoying the ship?

Thanks!

It's your call as to whether you switch to early seating. I'll just point out that the kid's clubs are pretty much open from 9:00am to midnight every day. Eating at either seating will "miss" something. If you do want to switch, you need to contact DCL and ask to be placed on the wait list for early seating.

The only "dress code" on DCL is "no swimwear or tank tops for dinner". Beyond that, you'll see pretty much everything else.

If you've never been to the Bahamas, I'd suggest taking an excursion. We always that what amounts to a "basic city tour" everytime we first go to a specific port. Then we can make up our own mind as to whether we want to skip them the next time.

 

[DISGRL13]

We like the early seating and would try and switch when you get on board the ship.

Shorts and a polo are fine for dinner.

The Catamaran and Snorkel excursion through Disney was wonderful!! We took it in March in Nassau. Then there was still time to walk around Nassau or get back on the ship and hang out.

 

[JimGA]

After 8 trips to WDW, I have finally convinced my DH to do a cruise. We are doing a 3 day, to test it out, on the Dream (Sept. 25).

Would love some advice...

• Our reservation defaulted to the 2nd seating. We have an 11 y/o DD, who, I'm sure, will want to do the evening kids club. Should we attempt to switch to the 1st seating?
• Can my husband wear shorts to dinner? I'm seeing conflicting information. They would be nice shorts and he'd wear a golf polo with them.
  
• We're thinking about doing a dolphin excursion. Any recommendations or points of view on the Atlantis experience vs Blue Lagoon?
• Would we better off skipping the Bahamas excursions and enjoying the ship?

Thanks!

1. We had early seating on our first cruise and we were never really hungry and we felt rushed to get to dinner. We live in Georgia, so no time difference for us. I would suggest sticking with the second seating. If you get hungry, grab a snack to eat at the pool deck or anywhere else. also, if I remember correctly, at the second seating the kids club counselor come about 45min to an hour into the second seating and take any kids to the club that want to go. The wait staff make sure they get fed first if they want to leave dinner early.

3. My wife and MIL did the Blue Lagoon Dolphin excursion, they loved it and also it was in the morning and they were back on board a little after lunch time. We crossed paths, we were heading to our snorkel excursion as they were heading back to the ship. They had all after noon to enjoy the ship.

 

[MelInAZ]

We went on our first cruise (a 3-night) in March 2015 and my kids (dd11 and ds13) were glad to have the second seating. Most of their friends their age were also second seating, but we only ate as a family one night out of the three. First night the winds were crazy (50+ mph) and all of us went to sleep early. On the second night they were having so much fun in The Edge that they asked us if they could hang out and do the 'outing' to the AquaDuck with their friends. The third night we made them join us for dinner LOL. The earlier dinner time would have certainly made us feel rushed, especially on Castaway Cay day as we stayed on the island until the second to last tram.

 

[griffindesign]

We like first seating because my husband and I are always hungry early and don't like to eat an extra snack, knowing how much food well eat at dinner. Our 4 kids are 9-18 and have been on the 4 & 7 night cruises starting in 2011 and have been fine with first seating. They eat with us, then can either go to the show with us then clubs or just go to the clubs for the rest of the evening. It has worked great for us.

 

[griffindesign]

At Nassau, once we tried walking around to sight see on our own and we were very uncomfortable. If we did something at Nassau again it would be a Disney excursion. Another time we stayed on the ship and there was a lot to do, and we really enjoyed the smaller crowd. I would suggest doing an early excursion so you can say you've been, then get back in time to still enjoy the ship.

 

[seelyt2]

We pretty much got off the ship to literally "get the t-shirt" and go through the marketplace area since we've never been to Nassau before. In all it averaged out to about an hours worth of time which was perfect for us. We then got back on the ship and enjoyed the lower crowds, DH, DD and I got in line for the Aquaduck and had lunch with the kids.

 

[Quellman]

Your daghter can always eat with you at second seating and then scurry off to the kids club. They even have a dine and dash thing, but at her age you may just let her check herself in and out of the kids clubs.

 

[rastika]

Hi PaMom! My husband and i are also first time cruisers, sailing same date as you.

We too have second seating, but i think we will prefer it.

Eric plans on wearing soft linnen pants and polo type shirts to dinner, but he does have several pairs of dressy shorts if everyone else is dressed more casually.

We do plan on staying on the ship in Nassau, but enjoying our time on the beach at Castaway Cay.

Whatever you choose, i hope you have a great time

 

[PaMomofOne]

Hi PaMom! My husband and i are also first time cruisers, sailing same date as you.

We too have second seating, but i think we will prefer it.

Eric plans on wearing soft linnen pants and polo type shirts to dinner, but he does have several pairs of dressy shorts if everyone else is dressed more casually.

We do plan on staying on the ship in Nassau, but enjoying our time on the beach at Castaway Cay.

Whatever you choose, i hope you have a great time

Thanks! Hope you have a great time too!