any must dos for a first time cruiser???

[adznyfan]

hi all

after reading about the mickey ice cream bars and vinylmation figures for autographs - which by the way are genius -what some other not to be missed secrets on our first disney cruise ???


thanks so much!!!


cindy

 

[kcashner]

Please don't laugh--I'm serious!

DOn't over-schedule. You can't do everything on one cruise. Take time to enjoy your vacation. And remember to bring $ (or credit card) to visit the future cruise booking desk to get a nice discount and onboard credit on your next cruise.

 

[DLW8]

I agree with KCashner....you cannot do it all in one cruise.

Even if you aren't sure when you can cruise again, book a dummy date for a future cruise to take advantage of the 10% discount and OBC that you get for booking on board. I have read SO many threads about people that got off the ship and immediately regretted not booking on board.

There is lots to do. I would suggest taking a look at some of the recent Navigators (you can find the link to them in the Sticky Notes at the top in the alphabetical listing of DCL stuff). See what they offer and what you may enjoy. Bring highlighters (we do a different color for each person) to mark these when you are ON the cruise so you can see where everyone wants to go each day.

Most of all...relax and enjoy! Some of our favorite times were just hanging out playing ping pong or shuffleboard with the kids (they love those 2 things on the ship!) Or, sitting on our verandah with a cocktail and cheese platter from room service while watching the sea/port where we are docked.

 

[disneybeachprincess]

IT IS BY FAR OUR FAVORITE PORT ON THE DISNEY CRUISE IT IS AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL - MORE THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE!
FABULOUS BEACHES, BBQ & ENTERTAINMENT! IF YOU SNORKEL, YOU CAN BRING YOUR OWN EQUIPMENT OR RENT IT THERE. YOU CAN ALSO RENT RAFTS & OUR FAVORITE: LARGE TUBES! GREAT FAMILY DAY!
ALSO CONSIDER BOOKING A FUTURE CRUISE ONBOARD...YOU CAN "DUMMY" BOOK ANYTHING THEN CHANGE IT ONCE YOU KNOW FOR SURE WHEN YOU CAN CRUISE AGAIN. YOU RECEIVE A 10% DISCOUNT & OBO THAT YOU CANNOT RECEIVE ONCE YOU GET OFF THE SHIP. THEY HAVE A DESK FOR FUTURE CRUISES JUST FOR BOOKINGS. WE ARE GOING TO TRY & PACK A LOT LESS ON OUR NEXT CRUISE & USE THE LAUNDRY FACILITIES ON BOARD. $3 A LOAD TO WASH & $3 TO DRY.


HAPPY CRUISING!

 

[queenreen]

IT IS BY FAR OUR FAVORITE PORT ON THE DISNEY CRUISE IT IS AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL - MORE THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE!

This was also our favorite part. We ate a leisurely breakfast in the morning, strolled off the ship aroun 10. Still able to find chairs and umbrellas. The best part though was after 3 pm, when most everyone was already back on the ship. In our pics and videos from that time it is just us on our part of the beach. So relaxing, and fun for us and some great family time. We had our share of floats that others left and found out that thankfully the coconuts for drinks float!

Enjoy and don't try to do it all but make good memories when you can!

 

[twins4disney]

If we decide to book a future cruise while on board, what is the deposit required? Are the OBC generally all the same, or does it depend on the category you book?

 

[CherylSue]

The OBC depends on cruise length. Under 7 days is $100 OBC and 7 or more days is $200 OBC.

They require you to put down 10% of the cruise price. We just got off the Dream 2/16 and we booked a dummy 3-night in the cheapest inside room on the cheapest date. When I got home we reviewed the dates....decided on another 4-night and moved the reservation to a 10a inside room. You will not regret booking on board!

 

[Tink1987]

We are booked on the EBTA in May 2013 and have already decided we will make a dummy booking onboard, hopefully for the Fantasy. This may be a silly question but how do you move the booking when you get home?

Do you give the person you book with your Castaway Cay number so you can see it all online when you get back?

Thanks so much

 

[CherylSue]

When we booked our dummy date the agent asked for our room number before we got started, that pulls up all of your information and your Castaway Club ID number. When we got home I logged onto the DCL site and there was my dummy

You can either modify the reservation online or you can call DCL. We moved our date online so I could carefully choose our room (I'm obsessive like that!) LOL!

 

[CherylSue]

BTW.....my idea for a must do for a first time cruiser is to attend the towel animal folding class!!! We had a blast and I learned how to fold a monkey and a swan.

I left our stateroom host his tip envelope with a monkey that I folded for him.....he told us he was so excited to come into our stateroom that night and see that WE left HIM a towel animal with a "treat" LOL!!!

 

[Tink1987]

Thank you very much for the info

 

[Zandy595]

My must do (on the longer cruises) is to go to the cooking demos.

 

[Pappert]

I have never booked on board and plan to on our upcoming cruise but I have a couple of questions. If I book a cheap dummy date, say a 3 day on the dream for $2,500.00 but I move my reservation from home to a 7 night on the Fantasy for $5,000.00, do I get 10% off the original price which would be $250.00 or do I get $500.00? Also do I get $100.00 on board credit or $200.00? Thanks!

 

[CherylSue]

I have never booked on board and plan to on our upcoming cruise but I have a couple of questions. If I book a cheap dummy date, say a 3 day on the dream for $2,500.00 but I move my reservation from home to a 7 night on the Fantasy for $5,000.00, do I get 10% off the original price which would be $250.00 or do I get $500.00? Also do I get $100.00 on board credit or $200.00? Thanks!

You maintain all incentives for booking on board, so yes. For example I booked a cheapo 3-night on the cheapest date possible and moved it to a 4 night, so I got 10% off the 4 night rate and kept the $100 OBC. If I would have moved that date to a 7 night I would have gotten 10% off that rate and a $200 OBC.

One thing to remember is to book for the correct number of people. Let's say there are 3 in your family but you want to take your child's friend.....book for 4 people. You can always change the name of that 4th person booked but if you go later to add the 4th person you will not get the 10% off for that person's fare.

I hope that makes sense.

 

[RedSox68]

Don't forego buying the pictures -- they are a terrific keepsake and I love looking back on our's.

And for the first cruise, I would recommend buying the sailaway drink in the souvenir glass. It's also a nice souvenir and we each have one on our shelf at home. Good memories

Do room service at least once with an in-room movie night, and definitely for breakfast on port days and afternoon snacks like the cheese platter!

 

[minniemouse86]

I agree with all of the above. Remember you can't do it all and this is vacation -time to kick back and relax a littleI really enjoyed doing the tequila tasting even though I am not a big drinker. My advice to you and your family is to do what is right for you and remember to rebook on board

 

[Pappert]

You maintain all incentives for booking on board, so yes. For example I booked a cheapo 3-night on the cheapest date possible and moved it to a 4 night, so I got 10% off the 4 night rate and kept the $100 OBC. If I would have moved that date to a 7 night I would have gotten 10% off that rate and a $200 OBC.

One thing to remember is to book for the correct number of people. Let's say there are 3 in your family but you want to take your child's friend.....book for 4 people. You can always change the name of that 4th person booked but if you go later to add the 4th person you will not get the 10% off for that person's fare.

I hope that makes sense.

Thanks!!

 

[chasingthedream]

We took our first cruise on the Dream last May. One of my favorite things was relaxing on the tiled loungers in the rainforest room.

 

[thomprod]

My suggestion for first-time cruisers is to attend at least the first night in each of the Main Dining Rooms. If you want to eat dinner at Palo, you will miss important orientation-type information from your servers if you miss one of those first three dinners. If you are seated with other cruisers, you will want to get to know them as well. This also gives your serving team a chance to get to know your preferences. Although Palo is excellent, the regular rotational dining experience on DCL is a large part of the Disney magic for us. There are other options such as Topsider/BBB, counter service and room service, but you will truly miss the food and service from your serving team when you get back home.

 

[Bill Seattle]

If you have young kids who enjoy being in the Club/Lab don't miss "Boys' (or Girls') Chill" in the Club or Lab. It happens only ONCE on one night during the cruise from 10:00-11:45pm. Boys and girls are split into two different groups (Boys in the Club and Girls in the Lab) and for most kids it is impossible to get them to leave before midnight. Be sure not confuse it with the Boy's Chill in the Edge or Teen Club which are for older kids.