First Timers - booked Wish early March 3 night. Advice appreciated!

[Disney_David]

You may already know, but "alcohol" is limited to wine or beer. As someone above mentioned, it's 2 bottles of wine or a 6-pack of beer per adult. You can no longer bring a bottle of rum or such.

Yes. I spotted that. Thank you!! I like a cocktail over wine, and a wine over beer, DW likes wine so we’ll take a bottle or two!

 

[auntlynne]

 

[Disney_David]

Great advice! Thank you! I think we must know one another because you’ve touched on a few things in that post that resonate with my habits in an eerily specific way!! Have you been observing me? Lol!!

But seriously. Thank you!

You all have been so wonderful!

 

[Bea1776]

Have a great time and please post a trip report when you get back! I take my first cruise ever on the Magic in June, adults only, similar ages, so I would love your first timer report to help me prepare, too!

 

[Disney_David]

Absolutely! I will do!

Here’s a few observations from today:

1. I checked in at midnight 30 days out and got a group 5 boarding. The bag drop off process, parking and security was a very, very efficient process!

Arrived at port at 11:15 (PAT 11:15-11:30AM). Ship boards at 11:45. Group 5 and we boarded by 12PM!!

The grand foyer is cute, but small. I expected a much bigger area.

We did our own mini tour of the ship. Checked out 1923 before it opened. 1923 has very cool artwork. Checked out arandelle. Also cool artwork. Checked out the theaters and other areas, to get the lay of the land and see the theming.

Went for lunch at the Market place buffet. Really good seafood. Plus other decent stations

I had a backpack. But didn’t need a thing out of it. The rooms open at 2PM. Everyone lines up ready for the “rope drop”. Our luggage didn’t arrive until 5PM. That wasn’t as annoying as it sounds, we went to the cove, sat in rocking chairs had some drinks and then watched the sail away party. Then back to rocking chairs in the adult section and chilled as we set sail.

So far so good. It’s a little rocky but is soothing at the same time. The rooms are pretty decent.

I’m not the smallest guy, so it’s interesting navigating the room.

Let me know diy you have any specific questions

I’d bring water! Tonight is Palo. My wife wants to go to the silent disco but I’m betting we’ll both be asleep

 

[Disney_David]

Part 2!

The ship is still rocking, but the wait staff said that should subside by 10:30PM (now!). Apparently that’s a Port Canaveral thing. It’s swaying pretty decently as I write this!

It’s windy on deck, but not cold.

Dinner at Palo was a solid 8/10. I had the gnocchi, DW had the caprese (very good). Followed by osso bucco and mushroom risotto, and chocolate souffle. Risotto was a big hit. Osso bucco close second.

We couldn’t get a reservation originally but the place was only 20% full. We booked in for tomorrow instead of Arandell (despite hearing you can’t book speciality more than once on 3 day cruise. Waiter said you could book every day for dinner. Brunch not so much. We’re keeping 1923

Off to explore some more!!!

 

[Disney_David]

Ok, we’re back! Here’s the post cruise update!

The short version is, I would, and am going to book again. We enjoyed it and I’m sad to be off the ship. That said wasn’t all great

1. The Aladdin show was phenomenal - probably the standout activity of the three days
2. We ate in Palo the first two nights. That was the best food of the week (particularly the sole, ragu, risotto - Osso bucco and gnocchi were solid) - despite the difficulty getting a reservation before the cruise, the place was pretty empty and once we’d eaten there it was easy to book with the staff any other time
3. Marcelina market turned out to be some of the best food. The seafood options were very good for a buffet. Breakfast was also very good with quite extensive options.
4. The only MDR we did was 1923 and it was good, not great
5. The castaway cay day was great - pristine water, relaxing, decent food and well organized transportation
6. The ship was beautiful. We did the walking tour and learned a few cool things. I’d recommend it
7. When we were on deck, we would typically be at the adults section, or the rainforest spa
8. I’d skip the spa next time. The indoor area was anything but relaxing with people walking through, or tours, or folks simply talking real loud. The outdoor area is better, but I’d like to have seen less outside area and a better designed and partitioned indoors. It was actually a terrible indoor design
9. The adult deck was great - there were nice loungers and rocking chairs and good cocktails! It was a great place to have a drink as we left each port of call
10. Did I say the Aladdin show was great!!!
11. For adults, there’s a few decent bars. Cocktails in bayou were great.
12. Here’s the thing that nearly ruined it - the devil child two staterooms down! There parents opened up the verandah door and let them scream and shout every morning at 6:30AM. And banging and running…I mean it’s not like there’s incredible children’s play areas or a bazillion things you could do with your kid instead of annoying all your neighbors!! GRRRRR. I let the room attendant know. Then it got too much so I turned into the hulk and shouted from my balcony. Not sorry
13. Sooooo much to do, every minute of the day. We went at our own pace…and didn’t feel like we missed anything
14. Heed auntylynnes advice. I should have stayed on the island longer. DW wanted to come back so we came back together and I was going to turn and burn back but I procrastinated and didn’t. Wish I had

 

[Disney_David]

Bea, let me know if you have any questions.

My biggest recommendations are, book speciality dining, maybe more than once and spend time at the adult areas on the ship and serenity bay. While it was nice to see kids dressed up and being super cute…it was nice to also have time away from that

 

[Bea1776]

Thanks for the info! Were there some food options that we would need to try the first day that disappeared later in the cruise? (Like the seafood?). Did you notice if they had any ingredient information in addition to menus? I live in the central time zone and we have the late dining, does it seem really late to eat dinner then on the ship, or do you just adjust? Glad you want to return! That is a good sign!

 

[Disney_David]

I don’t think there’s day 1 only options that are not available later, other than your rotational dinner which you go to once on the three day of course. I’m not sure if Marcelina closes. It was open when we went other days for breakfast and a quick snack.

The only option on the first day are the market or 1923 for concierge guests. We did not do concierge. The quick service stations/kiosks on deck may have been open but I didn’t check. BBQ was just ok from there, they had pizza (didn’t try it), and we had a nice bowl from the Mexican kiosk. DW said soft whip was good. I’d stick with the market! It was open until 3PM

The market was very good. I didn’t mean to undersell that. There are various walk around food stations that you are served at. Shrimp, salmon, grilled chicken, salad, plant based options, pastries and desserts, Indian, Chinese, etc. There was limited ingredient information. But I’m sure if you asked specifics they’d tell you.

I didn’t adapt to late dining particularly well. I’m an old man who likes his dinner on time that said, we did Palo two nights and rotation one night. On the last day, we had bbq on the island around 12:30PM, by 5PM I was starving and so I couldn’t have waited. But there’s plenty of good “fill-in” dining…we had good bowls from the quick service that saw us through to dinner. And because of that we’re we’re able to catch the 6PM show and have a drink in a lounge before dinner. It made for a nice, long night that way around.

In case you didn’t know, you will get assigned to a table with other guests for dinner. We only found this out on the last night when we walked into 1923 and were sat with two other couples on a 6 top. They were a nice group, but I don’t think they’d spoken much the other two nights (they left the middle seats unoccupied!). We had fun and talked all night.

 

[auntlynne]

 

[auntlynne]

 

[auntlynne]

Hate to ask - did we tell you about Onboard Booking? If not, I won’t bring it up. Oops. Especially since you want to go again.

 

[Disney_David]

Part 1

I read your first onboard post but held off until now so you could focus on the cruise.

Exploring the ship is such a fun first day thing to do. And, yes, the art work and all the little details. Early mornings are a great time to grab shots of an empty ship, too. My niece took about 1300 photos of the Wish in January. These digital cameras beat the days of 12-24 shot film rolls, any day.

You’d bring water? Are you not permanently attached to a water bottle?

Did you get to the Silent Disco?

Yes! I would definitely take water. I heard it was hit and miss if it would arrive but it can’t hurt to try and slip the porters some extra cash. We didn’t. And I needed it. So I would go to the stations to refill. It was fine. I didn’t think anything was far on the ship.

Funny story. We went to the silent disco, but it was the earlier one and there were about 6 people in there sitting down. I told my wife to keep walking before we got dragged in.

We did the pirates party (that’s a one and done for me), but the songs after the band were good! So we got some moves in

 

[auntlynne]

 

[Disney_David]

Hate to ask - did we tell you about Onboard Booking? If not, I won’t bring it up. Oops. Especially since you want to go again.

You did! And I did!! Thank you!!! All yours advice has been phenomenal!

 

[Disney_David]

Part 2

I wonder if they allow you to book more nights onboard after they do the request session at boarding? Then need to fill tables for the servers’ tip money.

At what point did you book your second night? (FYI: Your answers may be referenced in later threads.). For that matter, how did you get your first Palo?

Did you consider Enchante?

Palo eventually came up in the app for the first night after several days of trying.

We booked the second night as we’re dining the first night. Palo was 25% occupied at 8PM. Once you’re in, they were very good about a second reservation. The waiter said we could come back every night.