December 24, 2011 Celebrating a Magical 6-Night Caribbean Christmas Cruise

[mama2ellie]

My family is on the Christmas cruise--we switched from the MR New Year's cruise. We are very excited. It will be DH, me, DSS 16, DSS 13, DD 5.

 

[KaryCam]

My family is on the Christmas cruise--we switched from the MR New Year's cruise. We are very excited. It will be DH, me, DSS 16, DSS 13, DD 5.

Welcome! Glad to have you joining us. It's going to be a great time!
Think about joining our FE.

 

[jitsb]

WOW! It's been awhile since I posted; glad to be back!! Missed you guys and am uber-excited we're down to just 2 1/2 mos. until our cruise!!

I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off because the first week in August, we found out we're moving at the end of the year! I was totally freaked that this would affect our cruise! but after several weeks of panicking, we managed to arrange it that we have to pack up our stuff and move right AFTER the vacation. *sigh*

But, now the kids are in school, the house hunting trip is planned and I am SO ready to start ramping up for this cruise! How amazed are we that we had the foresight to book this "away" Christmas trip...we had no idea just how invaluable it would be!

Hello, hello, hello! I was just sent to this thread by another Diser' KaryCam....thank you for sending me here!

"Hello all!!!! This will be only our 2nd cruise ever and the 2nd with Disney. I have questions I am hoping all you all can help give advice.

How many 'dress up' nights should we plan for? And how dressy? Do my 10 year old son and hubby need full suits or shirt and tie? Floor length formal gowns for the daughters and mom?

Any Christmas at sea advice? The 'baby' turns 9 8 days before we leave...shall we throw Santa under the bus?

Hey Cruella! Nice to meet you, if a tad late on my part, and welcome to the trip!

My 2 cents on your questions, we always go all out for Formal Night!! And this one I'm especially excited about because it's on Christmas Day! I'm trying to talk the hubby into a tux, but he's digging in his heals. Maybe I can just convince him to get a new shirt and a Christmas-y tie! Both boys will be in vests and ties and I'm planning to buy some big, swishy full length gown because that seems to be the only time I ever get pretty duds!

Also, due to an overseas move and a series of unfortunate events, we had to do Christmas on the run last year and we almost didn't make it to my parent's house on time for our little ones to open their gifts! I was not willing to give up on Santa, especially for my 4 yr old, so we had the boys write a letter to Santa before we left Europe, explaining that they'd been good and wouldn't have a new house yet on Xmas, so could he please drop their gifts off at Mema and Papa's house? We then "tracked" Santa during our travels, using the Norad website and we "raced" him to reach the Midwest first. My oldest might have suspected something was up, but he never said a word and they were both thrilled and relieved to see their own stockings, stuffed with presents on Xmas morning.

I think we're planning to do something similar this year, 'cause Mommy can't keep her big yap shut and has already spilled the beans about our special trip! So, maybe that's an idea you could try for your littlest.

Greetings! We just booked for this cruise as well - our first. "We" being MIL, myself & hubby, and the 3 kiddies (9,7, and 2).

I have absolutely no clue where to start any of this (MIL booked the cruise for us, our Xmas gift), so I really know very little beyond the itinerary and that we can start booking excursions etc. on Oct 10. Hoping to get some guidance/advise here!!

Hi NorahD!! Welcome aboard! It's nice to "meet" you. I have two DS, one will just be 8 and the other almost 6. They adore the Oceaneer's Lab and I'd be more than happy to set up a time we could meet there, if you'd like a familiar face for your kids the first time in the club.

Greetings all! I called DCL this morning to confirm the dates for the "special" dining nights on our cruise. According to the agent, they are as follows:
Sunday, 12/25 (at sea) is formal. Monday, 12/26 (Cozumel) is Pirate Night. Tuesday, 12/27 (at sea) is semi-formal.

TTTTHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAANNK YOOOOUUUU!!!! And we booked Palo for Wednesday night, w00t!!! Now if we could just get a dining rotation, I could stop panicking about what to wear, when!!

 

[ckandkk]

We are also Missourians on the 24th sailing. My kids' first cruise: DD, 9 and DS 6 who has juvenile diabetes. Any other diabetic kiddos coming?

I'm very unsure about cruising with the kids and especially at Christmas. I'm worried my kids will miss their house, tree and other family members. I just don't know what to expect. Are any of you planning on having gifts for your kids Christmas morning or are you waiting until you return home? Any thoughts and/or advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
Kellie from St. Robert, MO

 

[Cruella 66]

I have a daughter who'll be a freshly minted 9 year old. No diabetes though.

We told the kids' they get ONE present. I plan on filling/packing their stockings and bringing one gift. Any family gifts they get can be opened when we get back home. We have a daughter who'll turn 16 during the cruise so we'll have to bring her birthday present too. I am hoping to see what I can order though DCL to decorate the room for Christmas but will bring special birthday stuff my sweet 16 princess.

 

[Bursley2010]

We are also Missourians on the 24th sailing. My kids' first cruise: DD, 9 and DS 6 who has juvenile diabetes. Any other diabetic kiddos coming?

I'm very unsure about cruising with the kids and especially at Christmas. I'm worried my kids will miss their house, tree and other family members. I just don't know what to expect. Are any of you planning on having gifts for your kids Christmas morning or are you waiting until you return home? Any thoughts and/or advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
Kellie from St. Robert, MO

Welcome! Glad you'll be sailing with us!

 

[scaldwel]

This is my first ever cruise. We are from Nova Scotia, Canada. We till be travelling with my mother, my brother, my sister-in-law, and their two sons (2, 4). Our older son is 11, second son is 9, and daughter will be turning 6 during the cruise. We travelled to Disney this summer for what we thought would be our only ever visit. It was paid for by my parents who intended on accompanying us, but my dad died suddenly 3 months prior to the trip. This cruise is because we didn't want to mope around our first Christmas without him. Sooo looking forward to this!
Stephanie

 

[KaryCam]

This is my first ever cruise. We are from Nova Scotia, Canada. We till be travelling with my mother, my brother, my sister-in-law, and their two sons (2, 4). Our older son is 11, second son is 9, and daughter will be turning 6 during the cruise. We travelled to Disney this summer for what we thought would be our only ever visit. It was paid for by my parents who intended on accompanying us, but my dad died suddenly 3 months prior to the trip. This cruise is because we didn't want to mope around our first Christmas without him. Sooo looking forward to this!
Stephanie

Welcome, so glad you are joining us!
Very sorry to hear about your father.
This is our family's first cruise too. I have learned so much information by reading the DisBoards. If you have any questions, just ask, we have a very knowledgable group here.

 

[KaryCam]

Monday, Oct. 10 is 75 days until our cruise.
I will finally be able to book my excursion on-line tonight at midnight.
It is becoming more real.

Fall has started here in SW FL - yesterday the high was 85.
Poor DS though has strep throat and yesterday was his first day of antibiotics.

Started sewing my FE - we'll see how it turns out.

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Hi everyone work has been keeping me extremely busy and have not been able to be on here as much as I want. Can't believe we leave in 70 days!!!! Very excited for this cruise and getting away from the cold and snow that will be here. Still cant decide what to do about transportation between WDW and the port. Right now we have transportation booked with DCL but I hate the late pick up time. I want on the ship as soon as possible. What is everyone else using for transportation?

Melissa

 

[Bursley2010]

We are actually staying at the Hyatt MCO the night before, as we are meeting up with folks from San Francisco, Seattle, and Detroit for our group. Then we are taking DCL transfers the morning of the cruise as early as we possibly can. I've heard that renting a car may be a faster (and potentially cheaper) way to get to the port, but we've never done that ourselves, so I can't vouch for it personally. Though, for what it's worth, I can tell you the one time we took the transfer from WDW to the port via the busses, we did not arrive on the ship until about 2p.m.

 

[NorahD]

Ok, "Formal Nights", "dining rotation", pirates dress up??? Where do I find information on any of this? I can't seem to find any details besides locale on the Disney website, the only dining to be booked there is Palo which is adults only, MIL said she thought we had to book something for Christmas dinner but I can't find anything about Christmas at all- I am thoroughly confused.
I managed to book some port excursions at Cozumel & castaway cay, but I don't really know anything else about the trip- are they doing something special for Xmas eve and day?

 

[TimmyTown]

Ok, "Formal Nights", "dining rotation", pirates dress up??? Where do I find information on any of this? I can't seem to find any details besides locale on the Disney website, the only dining to be booked there is Palo which is adults only, MIL said she thought we had to book something for Christmas dinner but I can't find anything about Christmas at all- I am thoroughly confused.
I managed to book some port excursions at Cozumel & castaway cay, but I don't really know anything else about the trip- are they doing something special for Xmas eve and day?

Per the DCL agent I spoke to on the phone recently, 12/25 is formal night, 12/26 is Pirate night and 12/27 is semi-formal night. All other nights are "cruise casual". With respect to formal night, men often dress in tuxes or nice suits, women dress in evening gowns or nice dresses and children dress up as well. Semi-formal night is similar, only less formal logically. Mind you, some choose not to dress up too much for formal and semi-formal nights. To my knowledge, no one has ever been refused seating at dinner for not dressing to the 9s on formal or semi-formal night. On Pirate nights, some passengers pack pirate costumes to wear for dinner and the deck party after. Even if you decide not to dress for pirate night, everyone is given a bandana at dinner to wear (at your option) for the dinner and deck party.

Dining rotation - There are three main restaurants that serve dinner. On a 6-night cruise, your party will eat dinner at each restaurant twice during the cruise. On the day we embark, you will be assigned a rotation. As an example, one rotation is Parrot Cay-Lumieres-Animator's Palate-Lumieres-Animator's Palate-Parrot Cay. You do have the option of requesting a particular rotation, but there are no guarantees that your request will be fulfilled.

You don't have to book Christmas dinner or any other dinner for that matter. You simply show up at the assigned restaurant each evening according to your dining rotation. The only dinner you have to book is Palo, which is entirely optional and requires a $20 per person surcharge. Dinners at the other three restaurants is included i nthe price of the cruise.

No worries! Everything will be smooth and easy. See you aboard!

TimmyTown

 

[tinkerbell_29]

Decided to just use a town car service. If I have to wait @ the hotel all morning and then spend time on a bus I will go nuts. I have no patience when it comes to waiting. It has decided to warm back up here we hit 80 today makes me worry about what the winter will bring. Have everything done for the cruise except for FE gifts going to wait a little bit longer before I get started on those.

Melissa

 

[Bursley2010]

It's gotten delightfully autumnal here in MI- generally sunny, yet crisp and cool temps usually in the 50-60s. All the leaves have either changed and fallen or are still changing; makes for a nice drive and an even nicer reminder that we are getting closer to our cruise! I'll sure be ready for some sun though come December, that's for sure... this is probably the last of the sun we'll see until April up here!

 

[Cruella 66]

It's gotten delightfully autumnal here in MI- generally sunny, yet crisp and cool temps usually in the 50-60s. All the leaves have either changed and fallen or are still changing; makes for a nice drive and an even nicer reminder that we are getting closer to our cruise! I'll sure be ready for some sun though come December, that's for sure... this is probably the last of the sun we'll see until April up here!

My family is up in MI in Metro Detroit area. How about you?

 

[Bursley2010]

My family is up in MI in Metro Detroit area. How about you?

We are definitely in the Metro Detroit area as well- in the Troy area (Clawson). What a small world! Where is your family from?

 

[Cruella 66]

We are definitely in the Metro Detroit area as well- in the Troy area (Clawson). What a small world! Where is your family from?

My dad will be with us and he lives in Flat Rock. I have family all around that area...up to White Lake and all cities in between. It's a huge area but always nice to know there are people up there doing well and cruising!

 

[Bursley2010]

My dad will be with us and he lives in Flat Rock. I have family all around that area...up to White Lake and all cities in between. It's a huge area but always nice to know there are people up there doing well and cruising!

That's great! Wow, Flat Rock to White Lake-- you do cover a lot of territory! We do what we can up here. Things still aren't great, but they are starting to get better anyway. We definitely saved for a while to be able to go, and it helped that all the family coming with us decided to bypass Christmas gifts this year so we could spend time together with Mickey instead. Down to 66 days!

 

[Cruella 66]

We took my dad for his FIRST time to WDW in August, stayed on points @ BLT, and he really enjoyed himself. I think he surprised himself. He was really on the fence about a Disney cruise, threatened to cancel a few times, then after WDW...changed his mind! I am so excited. He and my mom cruised A LOT before her death and this is the first cruise he's been on since then. I am SO wanting him to enjoy himself. Does anyone here know if there are 'older' folks traveling? My dad will be 70 in January...