First Cruise...lots of questions

bsjs0708

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Jan 17, 2008
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OK so DH says "no wdw for a couple years" but he decided on a "short" Disney cruise. Well now that he has seen the Dsney cruise dvd he wants a longer cruise, probably the 7 day western cruise. This is our first EVER cruise and I have tons of questions like: How do you know what to do when you get to the port..How do you know what and when to board, do the safety drill, what cabin you're in..meals????? And how do we book any on shore excursions??/:confused3 UGHHHHH..I really don't know where to start..help!?!? Any any ALL is welcomed and appreciated..TIA-Julie:thumbsup2
 
Ok s I went out and bought the bunrbaums Disney cruise guide and it has actually answered alot of questions. Now once we get closer to booking I will have more questions for my Dis friends. :thumbsup2
 
I would suggest reading trip reports from the cruise that you are interested in, to get an idea of what goes on. Then you can post your specific questions on the main board. Soon you'll be die-hard DCL fans like the rest of us. The planning is a big part of the fun!
 

it has answers to (almost) everything. I've never scene Birnbaum's book, but I really loved the Passporter Cruise book.

And I agree the trip reports are helpful too!
 
OK so DH says "no wdw for a couple years" but he decided on a "short" Disney cruise. Well now that he has seen the Dsney cruise dvd he wants a longer cruise, probably the 7 day western cruise. This is our first EVER cruise and I have tons of questions like: How do you know what to do when you get to the port..How do you know what and when to board, do the safety drill, what cabin you're in..meals????? And how do we book any on shore excursions??/:confused3 UGHHHHH..I really don't know where to start..help!?!? Any any ALL is welcomed and appreciated..TIA-Julie:thumbsup2
Have you booked yet?
 
OK so DH says "no wdw for a couple years" but he decided on a "short" Disney cruise. Well now that he has seen the Dsney cruise dvd he wants a longer cruise, probably the 7 day western cruise. This is our first EVER cruise and I have tons of questions like: How do you know what to do when you get to the port..How do you know what and when to board, do the safety drill, what cabin you're in..meals????? And how do we book any on shore excursions??/:confused3 UGHHHHH..I really don't know where to start..help!?!? Any any ALL is welcomed and appreciated..TIA-Julie:thumbsup2

The best thing to do is to use a travel agent. It doesn't cost any more and they can answer all your questions. The best answer to most of your questions is "you will be given information about that and will be guided". When you book you will pick your cabin and your dining time. They will make sure you know about and attend the safety drill. Once you are booked, you can go to the Disney website and book shore excursions or wait and book on the ship where you will get more info about each excursion. When you get to the ship, porters will take your bags which will have special tags giving your cabin number and from there, you just go where you are told.
 
OK so DH says "no wdw for a couple years" but he decided on a "short" Disney cruise. Well now that he has seen the Dsney cruise dvd he wants a longer cruise, probably the 7 day western cruise. This is our first EVER cruise and I have tons of questions like: How do you know what to do when you get to the port..How do you know what and when to board, do the safety drill, what cabin you're in..meals????? And how do we book any on shore excursions??/:confused3 UGHHHHH..I really don't know where to start..help!?!? Any any ALL is welcomed and appreciated..TIA-Julie:thumbsup2[/QUOT


WE HAVE DONE 8 DISNEY CRUISES. THEY ARE SO WELL ORGANIZED. IF YOUR TAKING DISNEY TRANSPORTATION ON THEIR CRUISELINE BUS THEY DROP YOU OFF RIGHT BESIDE THE TERMINAL. THEY WILL TAKE YOUR LUGGAGE IN YOU JUST TAKE YOUR CARRY ON . YOU WALK INTO FRONT OF TERMINAL AND GO THRU SECURITY SCANNER AND UP THE ESCALATOR INTO MAIN PART OF TERMINAL. OVER TO YOUR LEFT YOU WILL SEE ALL THE CHECK IN LINES. THEIR WILL BE SOMEONE TO DIRECT YOU. THEY WILL ASK YOU IF YOU ARE A CASTAWAY CLUB MEMBER WHICH YOUR NOT (thats people who have cruised disney before) THEN THEY WILL SEND YOU TO THE RIGHT CHECK IN LINE. THATS WHEN THEY TELL YOU WHAT YOUR CABIN NUMBER IS.
IF ITS NOT BUSY YOU CAN BOARD RIGHT AWAY OR IF REALLY BUSY YOU JUST WAIT A COUPLE MINUTES THEY WILL CALL YOU. THEN YOU GET IN LINE SHOW YOUR ID TO CAST MEMBER AND GO THRU MICKEY EARS AND HAVE YOUR FIRST PHOTO TAKEN.
THEN WALK THRU THE GANGWAY AND TELL THEM YOUR NAME, THEY WILL ANNOUNCE YOU. ONCE ON THE SHIP IF YOU HAVENT BOOKED ANY EXCURSIONS OR ONBOARD ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE TO BE BOOKED JUST GO TO THE EXCURSION DESK JUST TO THE RIGHT AS YOU BOARDED THE SHIP. OR YOU CAN PRE BOOK WHEN THEY SEND YOU YOUR EARLY PREBOOKING INFORMATION IN THE MAIL.
YOU CAN BOARD ANYTIME AFTER 1pm. THE EARLIER THE BETTER. DEPENDING ON WHICH STATEROOMS ARE READY FIRST YOUR STATEROOM MAY NOT BE READY UNTIL A BIT LATER. THEY WILL TELL YOU BEFORE YOU BOARD. IF YOUR STATEROOM IS NOT READY , SINCE ITS YOUR FIRST CRUISE WALK AROUND THE SHIP GET FAMILIAR. HEAD TO THE TOP DECK AND HAVE A DRINK , FOOD AT BUFFET AND GO SWIMMING. ALL 3 POOLS ARE OPEN. IF YOUR ROOM IS READY GO CHANGE AND GO SWIMMING. IF NOT GO UPTOP. THATS WHY ITS BETTER TO GET THERE AROUND 1pm.
LIFEBOAT DRILL IS AT 4pm THEY WILL TELL YOU EVERYTHING. YOU GO TO YOUR CABIN PUT YOUR LIFE JACKETS ON AND HEAD TO YOUR ASSIGNED AREA WHICH IS ON YOUR DOOR. AFTER THAT RETURN TO YOUR CABIN TAKE OFF JACKETS AND HEAD TO TOP DECK TO THE GOING AWAY PARTY IN THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE SHIP. YOU DONT WANT TO MISS THAT. NOW YOU HAVE STARTED YOUR CRUISE HAVE FUN.
WHEN YOU CHECK IN YOU WILL GET YOUR DINNING ASSIGNMENT. YOU WILL GET EITHER EARLY OR LATE WHAT EVER YOU CHOSE AND NOW THEY WILL TELL YOU WHAT NIGHT YOU ARE AT WHICH OF THE 3 RESTAURANTS. YOU ROTATE EACH NIGHT BETWEEN THE 3 EACH THEMED DIFFERENT. YOU WILL SIT WITH THE SAME GUESTS AND HAVE SAME WAIT STAFF THE WHOLE CRUISE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS PLEASE ASK. OUR NEXT CRUISE IS SEPT ITS OUR DVC MEMBER CRUISE.
 


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