Cruise secrets that DCL doesn't tell you

[NHBaerz]

Can anybody fill me in on two things...when looking to book a cruise inboard, how far out can you book one? We are going Christmas week this year and paid approx. 7700 for 4 in a 4a and booked it in May of 2011. I know dcl raises the prices as they go (that 4a is no longer avail and over 8k now for 2 people for the next lower category). We can only travel Christmas week due to our jobs and am just wondering if the prices would be that much lower if we tried to book Dec 2014 onboard this year (2012). Anybody have a bead on that type of thing?

Also we are DVC owners and are staying at Wdw after the cruise and using the bus to go back. We have late seating on our cruise and are wondering if the buses leave really early? Just trying to plan for our last day breakfast.

Thanks for the great info!

 

[zealandsmom]

Can anybody fill me in on two things...when looking to book a cruise inboard, how far out can you book one? We are going Christmas week this year and paid approx. 7700 for 4 in a 4a and booked it in May of 2011. I know dcl raises the prices as they go (that 4a is no longer avail and over 8k now for 2 people for the next lower category). We can only travel Christmas week due to our jobs and am just wondering if the prices would be that much lower if we tried to book Dec 2014 onboard this year (2012). Anybody have a bead on that type of thing?

Also we are DVC owners and are staying at Wdw after the cruise and using the bus to go back. We have late seating on our cruise and are wondering if the buses leave really early? Just trying to plan for our last day breakfast.

Thanks for the great info!

A lot of people use the last month available to book, to use dummy dates and often then will pick a shorter 3 or 4 night so that the deposit is smaller.
Yes you can book a Christmas 2014 if it is available to book!! 10% down 10% off price and then a big DCL OBC.

I don't know what time the buses pick you up, however late seating is later breakfast time but we opted to just do the buffet and eat at our own speed and our own time so you have that option as well.

 

[mickeyfan1]

You can omly book as far out as the published schedule. Last week all of 2013 was available. But you can move the cruise once the dates open and keep the OBC, you may have to pay additional deposit depending on the fare.

 

[mickeyfan1]

The buses start leaving when they are filled. The ship is usually cleared by 7:30, and people can be out of the terminal by 7:45 on a good day. Now that doesn't mean the bus to WDW will leave at 8 am, but it is possible, if it is full. If you want to eat early, the buffet is open. Guests are called off the ship by luggage tags, too. In reality, most people can be off the ship by 8:30, all guests must be off by 9.

 

[NHBaerz]

Thanks for the info. It sounds like the buses just do their own thing and it doesn't necessarily tie to your breakfast schedule. We'll do the buffet!!

As for the schedule, we'll just book it out as far as we can and just go from there.

Thanks!

 

[Travel G]

I am still reading through this thread, so it may be answered in a post that I haven't read, but is there a maximum number of items that can be signed per cabin? We will have two cabins, but there are 3 kids. Also, I would love to do the pillowcase, but we are having special autograph books made. We tend to go to Disneyworld a lot and I have found that I enjoy not having the autograph books (because you get much better pictures without trying to juggle autograph books). Would be able to get 6 items signed between the two rooms?

On the Wonder, we had three adults (all related) in 1 cabin, but live 3,000 miles apart. we gave them 3 photo mats and 3 scrapbook pages and they returned all 6 items "completed" on last night

 

[SteamboatWillie1021]

The more sharpies you put in, the prettier it will be. I gave them about 7 or 8 from a big pack with colors like aqua, orange, etc. They will even personalize it with your child's name if you request it. (Not that it's a big deal, but I didn't get the pens back)

This is who signed:
Mickey, Minnie,, Donald, Goofy, Pluto, Genie, Aladdin, Chip/Dale,Max,Lilo/Stitch,Pinocchio,Snow White, Cinderella, Fairy godmother, Dopey, Mulan, Pochahontas, Wendy Darling, belle, Princess Aurora, Captain Hook, Smee, Peter Pan, Terk, Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts, Alice, White Rabbit
Suzy and Perla

So you see, you get a lot more characters than you actually see on the ship. I imagine the White Rabbit, et al are behind the scenes doing laundry or something

By the way, I haven't washed the pillowcases yet. Has anyone done so. Should I rinse it in something special to set the ink? I was worried about it running.

That would be a big deal to me! They should have returned the markers as well. Sharpie sets aren't cheap!

 

[mickeyfan1]

Perhaps you need to tell the CM at GS you want your markers returned? Seems like the best solution.

As to the WHite Rabbit, it is possible that some of the Alice characters appear at Tea with Alice, thus unless you were there, you would not have seen him.

 

[leighi123]

Few questions:

1. on castaway cay, are there any very small bikes with no training wheels? are helmets provided?

2. If you show up before your assigned time to board, will you actually have to wait, or not? I've seen conflicting info here. We are traveling the sunday after thanksgiving, so not AS busy of a time. We want to get on board as soon as possible, but don't want to wait either.

3. Do people have lanyards for their room keys on DCL? On our cruise on royal Caribbean, everyone had them, and we had to buy some.

 

[mickeyfan1]

Few questions:

1. on castaway cay, are there any very small bikes with no training wheels? are helmets provided?

2. If you show up before your assigned time to board, will you actually have to wait, or not? I've seen conflicting info here. We are traveling the sunday after thanksgiving, so not AS busy of a time. We want to get on board as soon as possible, but don't want to wait either.

3. Do people have lanyards for their room keys on DCL? On our cruise on royal Caribbean, everyone had them, and we had to buy some.

1.. don't know but I think the answer is yes to both
2. you will get a port arrival time, and they do stick to it pretty much.
3. If you arfe a first time DCL cruiser, you will have to supply your own lanyard. You can buy them on the ship if you want a DCL one. Or you can buy them at Staples, BB&B, Michaels, etc.

 

[NAB]

The buses start leaving when they are filled. The ship is usually cleared by 7:30, and people can be out of the terminal by 7:45 on a good day. Now that doesn't mean the bus to WDW will leave at 8 am, but it is possible, if it is full. If you want to eat early, the buffet is open. Guests are called off the ship by luggage tags, too. In reality, most people can be off the ship by 8:30, all guests must be off by 9.

On the Dream they do not call off by luggage tags. You go to breakfast at your assigned time and get off the ship after that. I think they only call the tags when they are not in Port Canveral.

We had late breakfast and took the bus back. They know everyone who is taking the bus to resorts so you just go out to the buses check in and they direct you to the right bus. When it is full enough they go or know everyone going to that resort is there they go.

It is up to you if you want to be on one of the first buses to WDW you can go to the buffet like others said. We tried to stay on the ship as long as possible.

 

[leighi123]

If you go to Atlantis in Nassau, how does the bus system work? i.e. is there a huge wait with a zillion people all trying to get on the buses at once?

And, our group of 6 is all planning on going to Atlantis, but 2 of us doing a different activity than the others - does everyone ride the same bus or is there one for each type of excursion? (all in the same general location)


If we take a water taxi to get to Atlantis, how does that all work? how close is it from the ship, and from Atlantis?

Are towels provided at Atlantis or can we use the DCL ones or should we pack them?



We are still working out the best way to do Atlantis price and convince wise - either through DCL, OR water taxi over there and buy day passes OR water taxi to comfort suits and get a day room there.

We have 1 kid in a carseat, so if we took a bus or water taxi we would avoid bringing the carseat, we don't want to take a regular taxi b/c of that.

 

[cypressmom]

On the Dream they do not call off by luggage tags. You go to breakfast at your assigned time and get off the ship after that. I think they only call the tags when they are not in Port Canaveral. [/lQUOTE]

In Galveston, they do not call luggage tags. You go to your assigned breakfast and exit when they ate cleared.

 

[jacob408]

Glad I found this thread. Lots of good info.

 

[CrawfordMomof2]

We rode the tram to the family beach and kept walking down the path. They were to the left hand side (the ocean side) of the path. I can't remember exactly where but it was definitely past the Flying Dutchman and before you come to the shopping area.

The wagons really come in handy especially if you want to get to the least crowded part of the family beach. There are ideal shady hammocks by the Heads Up bar on the very far side that my family used, but you have to cross a fair amount of sand to get there and my umbrella stroller would not have made it.

There were a lot of people doing what I was doing...hestiantly taking them and looking both ways for someone to leap out of the foliage saying "What's your room number??!!?" But no one did!

I'm a soon to be first time cruiser, and that made me spit out my soda! I needed that laugh!

 

[phoenixleigh]

Subbing

 

[DISNEYFOURME]

What about tips for your breakfast servers? Last cruise we were unsure what to do at breakfast for our servers..we ended up leaving cash on the table as we noticed others had. Obviously we tip our normal servers at the end of our cruise but at breakfast we had different servers..what is correct way???

 

[Hollywood Glitter]

What about tips for your breakfast servers? Last cruise we were unsure what to do at breakfast for our servers..we ended up leaving cash on the table as we noticed others had. Obviously we tip our normal servers at the end of our cruise but at breakfast we had different servers..what is correct way???

The serving staff at breakfast is the same as dinner. The difference is they don't work your tables. Basically your servers at night are serving others in the morning and lunch. You can always tip them if you feel like it. There's no right or wrong. Ideally they get tipped when their patrons tip at the end of the cruise. But everyone could use a tip ... LOL

 

[mickeyfan1]

What about tips for your breakfast servers? Last cruise we were unsure what to do at breakfast for our servers..we ended up leaving cash on the table as we noticed others had. Obviously we tip our normal servers at the end of our cruise but at breakfast we had different servers..what is correct way???

Technically the tip you leave at the end of the cruise for your MDR servers covers them for all meals they srve, so while you may be at a table with my servers, they are getting my tios, and I may be at a table with your servers, so they are getting your tip. I have, in over 25 cruises, neverseen anyone leave a tip for breakfast service, on DCL or any other line. If you read the DCL website, it indicates that the tip you leave your own serviers is all that is expected. I am sure your breakfast servers were surprised and happy, tho.

 

[violetmonarch]

Forgive me for being "green" but I am confused about the passports. Some posts say that we are to leave them with Guest Services, but another post says that it's not required. Another post says that we must take them with us when we are at port, but then what happens to them if we are on an excursion where we are going to be in the water or there is no secure place to store our passports? (I am totally screwed if that is the case)

Second, the whole auto-tip on vs off thing has me concerned. Help please!