Cruise secrets that DCL doesn't tell you

[MDennis28]

Same question!

Yes!!

 

[MDennis28]

Yes!!

But you have to have made the qualifying purchase of the photo package on the previous week in order to receive the special price on the next week.

 

[kmedina]

LOL - I found something in my room top shelf of the closet that I wished had been thrown away...a pair of black thong underwear.

I quietly and quickly used a kleenex and threw them away before DW found out.

I found a super padded bra that likely belonged to a young girl (I only have boys and have not worn a padded bra since I was 13). Every time I tried to close one of the drawers, it would not quite close all the way. I put my arm back there to see what was stuck thinking it was something of ours. It hurt very much to pull it out and made me wash my hands a few times afterward.

On that note, a tip. Do not overstuff the drawers. Even better to use packing cubes straight from your luggage to the drawers without ever letting your clothing touch the drawers. Less chance of strappy items getting stuck or thinking about your underwear sitting in the same place a very dirty looking bra a previous cruiser left behind was.


Another tip, we all know to bring non cash gifts like candy for YA CMs and some others in non tipping positions. Bring some for the lovely people walking around cleaning the ships too. On our last cruise, I saw the same lady cleaning so many different restrooms all over the ship. I have a weak bladder, so we become friendly. I saw her amazingly friendly self more than anyone else other than my immediate family! I joked that she was following me, because I was all over the ship and so was she. I wish I had thought to bring extras for situations like that. I should have also filled out a comment card for her, but I regret that I never did that either. Those restrooms are always so clean, so it impressed me that I never saw anyone helping her and that she was EVERYWHERE!

 

[KingRichard]

They will sign almost anything.

One cruise we did the pillow case.

We always do the picture frame matte now.

You can request Princesses or everybody else.

Just date it and place favorite photo from cruise.

We always end up with a brochure for something and stick the matte in it and then a pocket in our luggage and it gets home safe and sound.

 

[grossvogel]

It was my DD's birthday on disembarkation day last year and we took a birthday card to guest services when we arrived. Her little face on the last night when we got back to our room and all the characters had sent her a birthday card was priceless. It's such an awesome thing they do for free

Love this idea!!! I have two birthdays on our Thanksgiving cruise next month. Won't the boys be surprised when they see their card ~ it'll really raise the bar on future birthdays!

 

[Leeanne]

We are preparing for our first disney cruise and I wanted to ask something from several pages ago....treats for CMs. What so you bring? Candy seems to be a biggie but it seemed that salty stuff was also well received! Anything that seemed a 'miss'? Also we don't have kids so other than wait and room staff who do you give too? Previous cruise was with carnival and I can't think of anyone (even room/wait staff) that went over board on anything (we couldn't even get extra pillows!) but I figure Disney is completely different and want to be prepared!
Thanks all!

 

[flrickd]

I have taken the kitchen tour the cookies were great! Are there any other tours like this?

 

[mmouse37]

We are preparing for our first disney cruise and I wanted to ask something from several pages ago....treats for CMs. What so you bring? Candy seems to be a biggie but it seemed that salty stuff was also well received! Anything that seemed a 'miss'? Also we don't have kids so other than wait and room staff who do you give too? Previous cruise was with carnival and I can't think of anyone (even room/wait staff) that went over board on anything (we couldn't even get extra pillows!) but I figure Disney is completely different and want to be prepared!
Thanks all!

Best I can say is they have very limited living space so anything consumable (like candy or snacks) is always well received. We have done bags of different candies that could be shared. I have also done those small packs of cookies/crackers with cheese or peanut butter.

P.S. See you are from Nashville. Was just in Nashville last week visiting my daughter!!! Love it there!!!

P.S.S. We did the Magic Halloween cruise last year. Had a great time.

MJ

 

[Leeanne]

Best I can say is they have very limited living space so anything consumable (like candy or snacks) is always well received. We have done bags of different candies that could be shared. I have also done those small packs of cookies/crackers with cheese or peanut butter. P.S. See you are from Nashville. Was just in Nashville last week visiting my daughter!!! Love it there!!! P.S.S. We did the Magic Halloween cruise last year. Had a great time. MJ

I was thinking pretzels, popcorn bags, and maybe indiv trail mix with some candy (hey it's Halloween!!). Crackers would work as well, I wasn't sure about nuts and pb crackers with food allergies so I kinda say yes/no to those. But who do you give those too other than room/dining staff? I am trying to figure out how many to make. Or am I just over thinking?

We moved to Nashville 3 years ago and love it! Plus it got us 3 hrs closer to Disney! Lol!!!!

We love Halloween and are so excited we can't stand it! We have had a count down since February however I have been texting ship pics since 45 days with a daily countdown! Yeah, just a wee but excited!! Second cruse, first with Disney, we are hoping the negative of the first one will be changed to positives with this one!

 

[mmouse37]

I was thinking pretzels, popcorn bags, and maybe indiv trail mix with some candy (hey it's Halloween!!). Crackers would work as well, I wasn't sure about nuts and pb crackers with food allergies so I kinda say yes/no to those. But who do you give those too other than room/dining staff? I am trying to figure out how many to make. Or am I just over thinking?

We moved to Nashville 3 years ago and love it! Plus it got us 3 hrs closer to Disney! Lol!!!!

We love Halloween and are so excited we can't stand it! We have had a count down since February however I have been texting ship pics since 45 days with a daily countdown! Yeah, just a wee but excited!! Second cruse, first with Disney, we are hoping the negative of the first one will be changed to positives with this one!

Just realize you don't have to give them to anyone. We only give to those who made an impact on our experience and we don't always bring something to hand out. Maybe a bar server, pool server, our dining staff, room host, cruise staff (they are the people they MC and host all the adult activities), guest service staff. It is completely a personal preference thing.

Also, homemade food items are not allowed. Any snacks have to be the prepackaged type.

MJ

 

[weezyree]

If you buy pillow cases and bring your own permanent markers labeled in a zip lock bag you can drop them off at the guest services. They will sign only two per stateroom and the characters sign them. It's really fun!!

 

[Leeanne]

Just realize you don't have to give them to anyone. We only give to those who made an impact on our experience and we don't always bring something to hand out. Maybe a bar server, pool server, our dining staff, room host, cruise staff (they are the people they MC and host all the adult activities), guest service staff. It is completely a personal preference thing. Also, homemade food items are not allowed. Any snacks have to be the prepackaged type. MJ

I just realized you bolded my comment about how many to make. I was thinking more of a number moreso than making someone and bring it. I assume one room staff and two wait staff, do we have any others who I should count? Other than the ones you listed of course? I am thinking a goodie bag for our room steward and wait staff and something smaller for others.

 

[tigger0215]

I was thinking pretzels, popcorn bags, and maybe indiv trail mix with some candy (hey it's Halloween!!). Crackers would work as well, I wasn't sure about nuts and pb crackers with food allergies so I kinda say yes/no to those. But who do you give those too other than room/dining staff? I am trying to figure out how many to make. Or am I just over thinking? We moved to Nashville 3 years ago and love it! Plus it got us 3 hrs closer to Disney! Lol!!!! We love Halloween and are so excited we can't stand it! We have had a count down since February however I have been texting ship pics since 45 days with a daily countdown! Yeah, just a wee but excited!! Second cruse, first with Disney, we are hoping the negative of the first one will be changed to positives with this one!

Phone cards are a really great idea! Or a small gift card to walmart/target. If you're cruising out of PC there is a target/walmart near by (as in any port really..)

 

[Doingitagain]

One cruise we did Walmart gift cards, and we did the ones where you put a photo on the front of the card -- we used one of our family from the prior year's cruise. That way they could remember us when they used it!

 

[bruinbeardisney]

I just finished reading all 63 pages and have 3 pages of notes. Incredible information! I loved the abc photo shoot idea. We have less than 60 days until Alaska and we have our pillowcases ready to go. Thanks for the suggestion to use fabric markers instead of sharpies.

Sorry in advance if this is a repetitive question, but what is the the abc photo shoot idea? TIA!

 

[MnMzMoMi4LiFe]

Sorry in advance if this is a repetitive question, but what is the the abc photo shoot idea? TIA!

I believe its a photo scavenger hunt

3. Challenge the kids to an ABC photo shoot (they must find somewhere for every letter of the alphabet to have their picture taken--A is for Animator's, etc.). Makes for a great scrapbook when you get home.

 

[bruinbeardisney]

I believe its a photo scavenger hunt

THANK YOU! After reading 80+ pages, things start to blur. LOL

 

[Scouter]

For those of you that have U.S. passports. You can leave them with Guest Services (you get a receipt that you must have to get it back), and they will have it stamped at each country you visit. On the last night, you go and pick it back up.

Wow, is this still true?
Since I know this post is years old.

 

[Kiren]

Oh wow! I made it to the end! Now to add my own question! Do they only do galley tours? I only ask because my fiancé and I are in the Royal Canadian Navy and would love to see the structures of the ship. I can understand if they can't for safety and such. I was just curious.

TIA!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Oh wow! I made it to the end! Now to add my own question! Do they only do galley tours? I only ask because my fiancé and I are in the Royal Canadian Navy and would love to see the structures of the ship. I can understand if they can't for safety and such. I was just curious.

TIA!

They only do the galley tours randomly. They're not available on every cruise. There is a Art of the Theme ship tour that takes you to the public spaces and talks about the designing of the ship.

But no behind the scenes tours as on other lines.