Character Breakfasts

[hotfiregal]

Hello, I have several cruises coming up... On which days are the character breakfasts available? Is it sea days only..? Thanks

 

[Cackyschmackers]

Following. And on which itineraries?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Following. And on which itineraries?

Typically, the character breakfasts are only on those cruises that are 7 nights and longer. Although there were some 6 night cruises that had them, back in the days of the original format.

 

[Sytrace]

I don't recall a character breakfast on the 4 night Dream itinerary in September. But the longer cruises (like 7 plus nights) have them. Definitely pre book those when your dates open though. They go fast along with the Anna/Elsa and Princess meet and greets.

You can find those ticketed events under the Onboard Fun tab.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

I don't recall a character breakfast on the 4 night Dream itinerary in September. But the longer cruises (like 7 plus nights) have them. Definitely pre book those when your dates open though. They go fast along with the Anna/Elsa and Princess meet and greets.

You can find those ticketed events under the Onboard Fun tab.

You have to prebook them now? I'm afraid so many things have changed since our last three cruises. .. not sure where to start... We are also doing a 4-nt on the Dream next year. Anything you would recommend, Sytrace? We've only done 7 and 8 nights and I'm afraid we'll be shell shocked. . ;-)

 

[PrincessShmoo]

You have to prebook them now? I'm afraid so many things have changed since our last three cruises. .. not sure where to start... We are also doing a 4-nt on the Dream next year. Anything you would recommend, Sytrace? We've only done 7 and 8 nights and I'm afraid we'll be shell shocked. . ;-)

Recently the onboard activities you can book pre-cruise have been added to. You can now book Frozen Meet & Greets, Princess Gatherings, and (on some cruises) the Character Breakfast. You do this when you excursion/check in booking windows open. They are found under "Onboard Fun" tab.

 

[disboardlover]

Typically, the character breakfasts are only on those cruises that are 7 nights and longer. Although there were some 6 night cruises that had them, back in the days of the original format.

Maybe the 6 Night Disney Wonder out of Galveston last year (December 2015) was an anomaly, but it required tickets and looked like the new format. Yes, they don't do too many of those, though. This year, they are only doing 7 Nights out of Galveston, other than a shorter cruise or two.

 

[cmph]

I'm sure it varies somewhat by cruise dates, but our 7 day Wonder cruise over New Year's Eve had plenty of meet n greet and character breakfast availability even on my newbie check-in/registration date. Out of curiosity, I just went to see what availability is like right now - and even for a party of 6, we'd have no problem reserving the character breakfast today. 3 available times on day 2, 8 available times on day 6. Maybe our cruise just isn't packed with little ones? I was so paranoid that we wouldn't be able to book any of the on-board fun as a first-timer, but it really wasn't an issue. I think it's likely just not an issue for the 7 day and longer cruises, and it's only the shorter cruises that have Palo and on-board fun booked up by the time it gets to silver and first-timers.

To answer your question about which days it's offered - it seems unlikely that they would have one day completely booked and 2 wide open, so I'm guessing 2 days on a 7 day cruise? And yes, both are sea days.

 

[hotfiregal]

I'm on a 7 night Western Caribbean in January 2018, and the WBTA in September 2017.

 

[cmph]

I'm on a 7 night Western Caribbean in January 2018, and the WBTA in September 2017.

I really think you'll have no problem getting character breakfast reservations on either. Ours is over Christmas break this year (12/30/16 departure), so it's certainly not going to be light on kids. I don't know what the WBTA will be like, but I would guess the Western Caribbean is scheduled a lot like mine - which is the Bahamas cruise going to CC, Nassau, and Key West.

I really was nervous about having to spend my first few hours on the ship scrambling for Palo reservations and meet n greet tickets, etc, but I think our perception of availability is skewed by reports from the folks on 3 and 4 night cruises.

 

[Kontos]

I didn't know it was only on longer sailings. I'm doing a 5 night Alaska cruise next year, I should expect not to have a character breakfast?

 

[RockyMtns]

CMPH, can you let me know what days the Princess Gathering and Frozen Meet were available on your cruise? We're taking the same cruise, but a couple weeks later in January. Thanks!

 

[cmph]

CMPH, can you let me know what days the Princess Gathering and Frozen Meet were available on your cruise? We're taking the same cruise, but a couple weeks later in January. Thanks!

Sure! It looks like they are both on the same days: day 2 (at sea), Key West day 3 in the morning (we aren't in port until noon-ish), and days 6 and 7 (at sea).

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I didn't know it was only on longer sailings. I'm doing a 5 night Alaska cruise next year, I should expect not to have a character breakfast?

Yes.

 

[Kontos]

Recently the onboard activities you can book pre-cruise have been added to. You can now book Frozen Meet & Greets, Princess Gatherings, and (on some cruises) the Character Breakfast. You do this when you excursion/check in booking windows open. They are found under "Onboard Fun" tab.

I know I don't get one since i'm on a 5 night cruise but how does it work with character breakfasts and meet and greets/princess gatherings? I see we have to book them but is there a charge for them as well?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I know I don't get one since i'm on a 5 night cruise but how does it work with character breakfasts and meet and greets/princess gatherings? I see we have to book them but is there a charge for them as well?

No, there's no charge for them. You book them like an excursion, when your window opens. They are under "onboard fun" (or maybe "onboard activities", can't remember).

 

[scgustafson]

The old rule for the character breakfasts was 7-nights or more (as PrincessShmoo stated), but you also had to have a minimum of 3 sea days or 2 sea days and a very late port time on a inport day. These character breakfasts were an established part of your dining rotation, so they had to have 3 days to accommodate all 3 rotations with enough time for both seatings. Lastly, this was with the traditional characters - Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto.

 

[cmph]

No, there's no charge for them. You book them like an excursion, when your window opens. They are under "onboard fun" (or maybe "onboard activities", can't remember).

Onboard fun, yes!

Lastly, this was with the traditional characters - Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Pluto.

Just so no one is disappointed - the character breakfasts feature Disney Jr characters now. I guess that's why they aren't quite as popular, depending on the cruise's particular demographics. It's the only thing we didn't bother booking, b/c my youngest is 8 and way beyond that. We would certainly have booked a character breakfast with the fab 5, but my kids would be mortified to go to a Disney Jr breakfast! I'm not sure we even know all those characters. It's too bad there isn't a character meal featuring other characters that would appeal to older kids and adults. Goodness knows we spend enough on character meals in the parks still - would be nice to have that on board for no added cost!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

the character breakfasts feature Disney Jr characters now.

Are the all Disney Jr. now? I believe on the Wonder they were still doing the Fab 5 this past summer. I know on the Fantasy it's the Disney Jr characters.

 

[cmph]

Are the all Disney Jr. now? I believe on the Wonder they were still doing the Fab 5 this past summer. I know on the Fantasy it's the Disney Jr characters.

It's specifically called "Disney Junior Character Breakfast" on my Wonder cruise's on board fun activities registration (12/30/16 departure).