Early morning wake-up calls/announcements?

[K McElroy]

Well, we are getting close to actually signing up for one of the cruises, something I never thought I would ever do. I think we'll start with the four day to see whether it is something we really enjoy. BUT we seem to always be exhausted when we finally get a few days off to go on vacation, so we do like to get enough sleep on vacations, and we rarely get up really early. I understand that on the cruise that means we may miss out on shore excursions, but actually that generally sounds ok - for such a short period on board, I think we'd really enjoying exploring the ship.

My question is this: I am reading in trip reports that the ship's announcements come loudly into the cabins, and that they begin VERY early, 7:30 or so. Is this true? Is there any way to turn off the p.a. system in the less-expensive rooms? Please let me know what your experience has been, I really don't want to be blasted out of bed in the wee hours of the morning by Mickey . . . Thank you.

 

[stormkrow]

Only important or critical announcements (usually from the Captain) are broadcast within the staterooms. Although the balance of the annoucements are broadcast on speakers outside the staerooms, I never really noticed them as being loud (you really can't understand what's being said unless you open your door) or early in the morning.

BTW, there's no way to turn off the speaker in your room.

 

[MCazer]

Go on the 7 day if you can afford it. You will just start to relax on a 3 or 4 day, and then you will have to leave, and you will kick yourself for not having booked the 7 day! Really, ask anyone here, and they will tell you the same thing!

 

[CamColt]

Somewhere on the ship, we heard that they dont broadcast the messages into the rooms until 9:00am. I actually think that was said in one of the announcements before 9:00 that was in the public areas. Dont quote me on that though. All the frozen drinks are blurring my memory.

 

[DL_DCA_fans]

We just got back, and the earliest message into our stateroom was at 8:50am. Any earllier announcements are made in "public areas" only. As for wake up calls, you can arrange those on your stateroom phone and you will receive a phone call the next morning from Mickey.

 

[snowmouse]

On our January eastern cruise there were early morning announcements regarding the immigration check in the morning we were in St. Thomas. It was very loud and annoying (started around 7). It was particularly frustrating to me as my 5 year old DD had been up sick all night and we were finally getting back to sleep, LOL. BTW, did you know that housekeeping will even shampoo you carpet and change linens at 3 and 4 in the morning if you call? (A fact I wish I didn't know)!!

In addition to the loud announcements, they decided to begin testing the alarm systems at around 9 that morning. This was even louder than the former. In their defense, I am sure that almost everyone was ashore by the time this started and they planned it so that it would annoy as few passengers as possible. Just not a good day for us!!

 

[PiperG]

Go on the 7 day if you can afford it. You will just start to relax on a 3 or 4 day, and then you will have to leave, and you will kick yourself for not having booked the 7 day! Really, ask anyone here, and they will tell you the same thing!

That is true! We did a land and sea package last year that included a 3-day Wonder trip. It was great but short. We booked a 7-day cruise before we even got off the boat.

I am sure no vacation is perfect. The amenities on the DCL ships far outweight any announcements that might disturb you in the a.m. BTW, on the 3-day these PA announcements were definitely unobtrusive.

Good luck

 

[Otisp]

Boy PiperG, what you say is true! We just finished a 3-land/4-sea package and we resolved to do a 7-day next time. The package was a nice "sampler," but 3 days isn't close to being long enough to really enjoy WDW, and I was just barely getting into "cruise mode" by the 4th day of our cruise!

As far as the announcements, the only early one in the room that I can remember was on the last morning.

And, K McElroy, if you do decide to book (highly recommended), store this little piece of advice: Sleep in late every day except your Castaway Cay day. You don't have to get up toooooo early, but if you can manage to meander off the ship at about 8:30ish you can snag one of the coveted "hammocks under the umbrellas," plus have the beach to yourself for a couple of hours (while everyone else sleeps in). Trust me, as nice as it is to sleep in the cabin, it is heaven to grab a nice quiet nap on the hammock on the beach!!!

 

[cumickey]

What about the afternoon?, do they make announcements then?, Hoping ds will be napping then and of course we may drift off too . TIA

 

[StaceyA]

Hi there!
We just got off on Saturday and the only announcement that came over our loudspeaker in the room was one from the captain saying Bright Light (?) to the deck 3 aft elevators....since it was after midnight (I had just gotten back to the room after seeing Lilo and Stitch) we knew that something was wrong.

We later found out a boy got hurt by the elevators although we didn't get any more info then that.

The other anouncements that Jacquie the cruise director (or julie as I called her...lol) was on the speaker out in the hallway and I had to walk to the door to hear it.

In response to the 4 day versus the 7 day....I went on a 3 day in December 1999, and loved it.

My husband and I just went on the 7 day and he had never been on a cruise before and he was so happy with it that we are looking into booking a 4 day for next year! We would love to go on the 7 day again but finances won't let us!!

 

[PiperG]

LOL!!!! Jackie was the cruise director on our Wonder trip last year also. Every time I heard her on the speaker (in the hallway) I thought of Julie on the Love Boat. I never did meet the captain so didn't know if her would make me think of captain Stubing.

I guess I am showing my age in this post!!!

 

[StaceyA]

PiperG,

Don't feel bad, im 27 and still refered to love boat characters the entire time....LOL Im just glad someone understood my Julie reference, I think my DH was looking at my like I was nuts most of the time!!

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Jacqui is <i><b>much</b></i> better-looking than Julie on "The Love Boat" ever was. She's just as pretty as her voice... and that's saying a lot 'cause she really has a nice voice.

 

[PiperG]

Maybe I should start watching reruns to hold me over. LOL.