For the First time..... like ever! DCL Newbie

[LynzGD]

Hey there, Hi there, Ho There! My name is Lindsay and I'm a ** year old single mom who works in an Emergency Department as a tech. Avid Disney fan, just got back from my first ever Disneyland trip and it did not disappoint. To continue my joy and love of all things mouse, I decided to book my first ever DCL cruise for this October on the Magic out of NYC! Now, I've been on cruises before, but nothing like what Disney has to offer. I was so excited to book it that I decided to opt for a balcony instead of the standard ocean view or indoor room that I'm used to. Which leads me to ask..............what should I pack???

I know that we will be celebrating halloween on the high seas and pirate night, but I have absolutely no idea what the heck to wear? Are there any suggestions that you guys have that worked for you? I tend to be that over packer because I believe that my trip will go full Gilligan's island on me.

Any tips and tricks for cruising with DCL is greatly appreciated as well.

Ahoy, and many thanks!

 

[squirk]

Plenty of threads floating around that answer “first-time DCL cruiser” questions. Poke around with the search feature and I am sure you will find a bunch of good info.

Since you’ve already cruised before, then you already know how easy it is to overpack for a cruise.

As far as Pirate Night goes, we’ve never felt compelled to pack costumes. More power to those that do, but we just never wanted to pack full-on pirate gear that we would wear for 2-3 hours total out of a 7-day cruise. We feel the same way about formal night and formal clothing as well.

What we usually did is pack regular clothes - t-shirts, shorts, sun dresses, etc. - that had a pirate theme to them. So we were able to get in the spirit of things, but still be wearing cool, comfortable, functional clothing that could be used all day vs. giant hats and multiple layers of gussied-up synthetic materials that would probably have us sweating bullets in short order.

Again, if you’re the type of family that likes going whole-hog on something like that, go nuts. I don’t think you can overdo it on Pirate Night.

 

[loislane]

We did a Halloween on the High Seas as our first cruise. For pirate's night, we just wore the bandanas they gave us. Plenty of others did the same. And plenty of others got full-on dressed up. Same for Halloween. Lots in costumes (make sure to follow Disney costume rules) and lots without costumes. The bottom line is do what you want, and you'll be fine.

 

[ElenaRN]

We've done HotHS many times and love it!
Count us with those who bring pirate costumes and Halloween costumes.
Its not mandatory-- we enjoy it.
A Pirate themed T-shirt would be just as good and there will be plenty of people with no pirate themed anything on.

 

[auntlynne]

If you will feel underdressed if you see others in a pirate outfit or Halloween costume or nice cocktail dress for dinner, then bring that stuff along.

You will see a range of casual to dressy (but probably not tuxedos, anymore). I think “Cruise casual” has become the standard for dress. I like to wear a dress to dinner (cruising is about the only time I do, now). But I also have at least one night when I wear slacks and a Disney tee-shirt (usually in Animator’s Palette - and my shirt matches the chairs.

Bottom line, wear what makes you happy. (There are some written restrictions on the Disney website):

”Dining Attire
Disney Cruise Line ships feature an array of diverse dining experiences, from casual to upscale. Be sure to follow the dress code for your restaurant:

• Main Dining – Dining attire is cruise casual in all 3 main dining restaurants, meaning no swimwear or tank tops. Guests often like to dress up, but this is optional.
• Adult Exclusive Dining at Palo – To preserve the elegant ambiance of this restaurant, you are asked to adhere to a dress code when dining at Palo. We recommend dress pants or slacks and a collared shirt for men, and a dress, skirt or pants and a blouse for women. Jeans may also be worn if in good condition (no holes). Please no tank tops, swimsuits, swimsuit cover-ups, shorts, hats, cut-offs, torn clothing, t-shirts with offensive language and/or graphics, flip-flops or tennis shoes.
• Themed Nights – On 7-night sailings and longer cruises, the ship offers themed nights—including a formal night—and you're encouraged to dress up and participate in the evening's festivities.”

 

[shananigans]

Hey there, Hi there, Ho There! My name is Lindsay and I'm a ** year old single mom who works in an Emergency Department as a tech. Avid Disney fan, just got back from my first ever Disneyland trip and it did not disappoint. To continue my joy and love of all things mouse, I decided to book my first ever DCL cruise for this October on the Magic out of NYC! Now, I've been on cruises before, but nothing like what Disney has to offer. I was so excited to book it that I decided to opt for a balcony instead of the standard ocean view or indoor room that I'm used to. Which leads me to ask..............what should I pack???

I know that we will be celebrating halloween on the high seas and pirate night, but I have absolutely no idea what the heck to wear? Are there any suggestions that you guys have that worked for you? I tend to be that over packer because I believe that my trip will go full Gilligan's island on me.

Any tips and tricks for cruising with DCL is greatly appreciated as well.

Ahoy, and many thanks!

Hey Lindsay! As an ER tech with the past two years ... you def need a cruise!

We did a Halloween on the High Seas in Oct 2021 and we're doing another this Oct. What I did for Pirate Night was this: white and black striped shirt with a black cover up over (dining rooms tend to be a bit chilly), skinny jeans, a red hair tie (think headband) and black boots (this was an outfit I could wear during the day and just added the boots, jeans, and headband for dinner). Our kids just wore pirate themed t-shirts (convincing the 14 yo was a feat ...). For dress up night - we did nothing - despite packing costumes! We had a Prince Charming, three full on Pirates, and a Maleficent at the table next to us. How much (or how little) you want to participate is up to you and you won't feel awkward either way. Make sure to pack a dirty clothes bag to keep your dirty stuff in a separate area.

Get room service for breakfast at least once. Enjoy your verandah and private time to eat. Also, water package ... just add it now. You'll have waters delivered to your room and they'll be in your fridge when you need them.

Not sure how old your kiddos are (of if they are going to accompany you) - if so - make sure to go to any open houses they offer, it gives you a chance to see the space(s) they will be in and helps them feel better about going to those spaces.

Get a door decoration of some sort (etsy) that helps you (and your kiddos) find your stateroom easier. There are a lot of super cute options out there and you can put First Disney Cruise on it if you want. We love decorating our doors! And you'll see all sorts of super creative ways people do it! Especially for Halloween! Matching shirts are super fun too. Minnie Ears are cute to wear (and you would NOT be the only one wearing them).

Def pay for the DCL transportation. That negates any port arrival time and you won't have to worry about being turned away if you arrive too early.

Bring more sunscreen than you think you'll need. Trust me. Lip balm because nobody loves sunburned lips! Cash for tipping. We always book a hotel room the night before the cruise so we don't miss the boat (I am a nervous wreck about missing the boat) so we always book the night before so the day of we are ready to go.

I tend to pack shoes for every occasion - try to figure out your outfits before you pack and minimize the need for 10 pair of shoes (I have found this out the hard way).

Make sure you save space and plan for any souvenirs you want to buy and bring back. Buy a lanyard onboard the day of - you'll want to have one. On your next cruise you'll be a part of the Castaway Club and they will give you a silver lanyard. I haven't sailed on the Magic since 2006, but the Dream and Fantasy have lights that work only if there is a card placed inside a slot by the door. You can buy one for less than $2 on etsy.

Sorry this is so haphazard, I am trying to think of everything and I am sure there will be more! You're going to have a great time - enjoy your first cruise!