Gold and Platinum Castaway Club Onboard Reception

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

We're on the 11 Night Southern this summer (yay!) and I'm looking for feedback on dress for the reception as well as when we should expect it (time of day-wise). Should we expect it on a sea day (I would think so)?

Experience is welcome. TIA

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We're on the 11 Night Southern this summer (yay!) and I'm looking for feedback on dress for the reception as well as when we should expect it (time of day-wise). Should we expect it on a sea day (I would think so)?

Experience is welcome. TIA

Should be on a sea day. All the ones we've been to were typically around 10:00 am, but we had one at 3:00 pm on one cruise. Dress is pretty much daytime cruise casual, in my experience.

The "reception" may not be an actual reception-type format. The last two we did were "sneak previews" of one of the shows in the Walt Disney Theater, with drinks and small finger food passed around before entering the theater.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Sorry, but don't expect the reception to be a big deal. DH got his picture taken with the ship captain and captain Mickey, and that was about the extent of it. The appetizers were few and far between, no rice krispy treats, or Mickey bars. DH and I decided to skip any future receptions. RCCL offers a huge variety of hot and cold appetizers, and desserts at their receptions.

 

[hpsalb]

Sorry, but don't expect the reception to be a big deal. DH got his picture taken with the ship captain and captain Mickey, and that was about the extent of it. The appetizers were few and far between, no rice krispy treats, or Mickey bars. DH and I decided to skip any future receptions. RCCL offers a huge variety of hot and cold appetizers, and desserts at their receptions.

We went to one of the receptions ages ago that was pretty lame like this. So we skipped them for a while after that.

Then we went to one about two years ago that was great. Lots of food, treats for the kids, free mimosas, games. And then they stopped having them on shorter cruises, which is what we usually do. Way to get our hopes up!!!

Dress was definitely cruise casual, if that answers the question. Whatever you would wear to a sit down lunch in one of the MDRs.

 

[ScooterScott44]

Typically it was the first sea day. That statement is based on the old rules of “only on cruises 7 days or longer” and now that it is 8 or more it may have changed.

Agree it may not be terribly exciting. It was usually in The Tube and had small bites to snack on, we did have mimosas or another cocktail option (besides a few non-alcoholic options) at the last one we attended in 2017. Chatting with the cruise staff and the presentation by the captain are probably most dependent on the actual person more than the event.

 

[Marc D]

I think the cruise director changes it based on how many guests are expected. On one cruise, it was in a lounge, with pretty decent finger food and free drinks being offered. It was pretty much a M&G with the officers.

On our British Isles cruise in 2017, there was enough guests that they moved the event to the Walt Disney theater, which was packed. They gave us a background look at how the shows are coordinated, with the traps working and a camera backstage. They had free drinks before the show and Rice Krispies Mickeys, dipped or not, when we left the theater.

 

[Deb T.]

On our last three longer cruises, we had the same experience as Marc D in the post above: everyone in the Walt Disney Theatre to watch how a segment of a stage show is coordinated. Waitstaff roamed around with trays of complimentary drinks. Then, Mickey-shaped Rice Krispy bars were handed out as we left the theater. There was no dress code and we didn't see any officers or characters available for photos.

 

[princessmommyx3]

On our Panama Canal cruise in 2017, it was held on the pool deck. They covered the pool and set up lots of tables and chairs. There were some character appearances, free drinks, finger foods, and the officers mingled. It was so crowded that we just grabbed our rice crispy treats and left.