Experienced DCL'ers Need Your Help for 5/19 Wonder

[kjkelley]

I am taking our family of four DD5 & DS2 on their first cruise and I had a few key questions that I am looking for advice on:

1. What time should you arrive at Port to get on ship? Does it make a big difference regarding signing up for activities or changing dining from late to early if possible?

2. Without a passport, adults need just an original birth certificate & driver's license, correct? Kids just need the birth certificate?

3. We are on the 3d Wonder 5/19, does anyone have some must due excursion recommendations? Myself and my dad love anything with diving/snorkeling although neither of us are certified.

4. Can you book a day room @ Atlantis and get 5 wrist bands (i.e. 4 adults & 1 child)? Also, would they care if the 2 year old did not have a wrist band? Does anyone have any phone numbers or recommendations for making these reservations?

5. Does anyone recommend parking at the Port or turning in their rental car and then getting another one after the cruise? If you park at Port, how much for a 3d cruise?

6. We are trying to understand pros & cons with early vs late seating. First, is there any chance of switching from late to early? What are the actual dining times for early & late? Do you miss out on any shows or other activities with the late dining?

Thanks in advance for anyones help. If you can think of any other big news items a newbie would forget to ask, please post!

 

[the kabuki]

Another 1st time cruiser from Michigan would love to hear some answers to these, especially when to arrive at port.

 

[joanb]

1. Arriving early about 10:15 is good...no lines to check in, you can check out the terminal-neat stuff and some one in you party can get in line so you can be one the ship early.

2. Is correct-need raised seal on birth certificate.

3. I personally won't take young children into Nassau. YOu can check out the skip snorkleing tours.

4. Have never done this-some one else please

5. We used Budget-husband dropped off at port retuned the car and was back very fast.

6. When you board there is a place to change seating. oUr dids are older and late works for us, but you may want early. Our last cruise our tablemates daughter (7) had a hard time at dinner-very tired.

Hopefully some more input iwll come your way.

 

[OkieDisney]

Let me just add a few comments about some of these items:

1) Do try to arrive early, my kids love to check out the terminal and get
their pictures taken with Mickey etc. You also get to get on board
early and go swimming.

3) My only advice is to try not to overschedule. Three days goes very
quickly.

4) I would suggest with kids that age to spend most of the Nassau day
on the boat. It is very uncrowded day on the boat and swimming
is delightful. My DDs are 8 and 9, and this May 26 Wonder will be the
first time we will spend much time on Nassau (like 2-4 hours).

5) $10/day parking!

6) For dining, I would decide which is more important for you. If you are
thinking you kids would like the shows, then keep late. If they
would more like the dining, try to switch to early. My DDs were
6 and 7 when we started cruising and the first night had a rough
time with late, but 2nd and 3rd night were okay! Seeing the early
show insures that they aren't too tired for it.

Have a great time!

 

[mickeyboat]

The only question I can help with is dining. We had late seating and were switched to early before we boarded. Even in early seating, my girls, ages 3 and 4 at the time, fell asleep several nights during dinner. The only way we could have done late seating is if he girls spent a lot of time in the Club - which they didn't.

Denae