Great unknown tips or secrets!

[CastleCreations]

I am repeating this from a post I made in 11/06. Sorry if it is a repeat in this forum.

When we took our first cruise in November 2006, we had more baggage then we ever take on vacation. We don't usually bring evening clothes, pirate costumes, snorkeling gear etc. Needless to say with three of us, we had 6 checked baggage and 3 carry ons. When we found our luggage in the port terminal after disembarking, we began to connect the smaller bags to the larger bags so that my dh and I could handle most of the luggage and our dd(9) could handle her bag and her carry on. It was very difficult moving and then we saw the long line to go through customs. We decided to get a porter which is something we really don't usually do. Who needs the added expense. Besides the stingray encounter on Castaway Cay, it was the best expenditure we made outside of the cruise itself. The porter loaded up all 9 of our bags and took our customs card and moved us right up to customs on the left of the long line. We were out to our airline check in counter within 5 minutes. So if you have money left and you have a lot of baggage, I highly recommend this. Since many people check their luggage at curbside at the airport, and have access to carts when picking up luggage at baggage claim, you don't realize how difficult a large quantity of luggage really is. We over tipped since we didn't know any better. According to what I read now, it should be $1 ot $2 per bag. Even though we gave the porter $30, I still think it was money well spent.

I have to second this. We were out of there in like 5 minutes and the line was long. Our porter led us right up front and handed over our information to the guy at the computer and out we went. He even loaded the car for us. My mom tipped him, and I didn't know and I also tipped him. So he made out pretty good...No wonder he was so smiley.

 

[Jillpie]

One other thing...if you are a control freak about your budget. I went down to guest services at least once a day to zero out our balance. I used travelers checks, you can use whatever you want to pay, but I just loved to know every morning that we are starting out as all paid up. Then we walked off the ship owing nothing.

 

[Kimmielee]

Subscribing for helpful hints!! Keep them coming!

 

[bobbi565]

Subscribing! Great thread...

 

[mickeyworld]

We love to plan surprises for the kids when they get tot he stateroom. It gets us excited(as if we needed more!) for the cruise and my kids can't wait- it is like a little bit of Christmas! Also, it saves lots of money in the long run!
We have made teeshirts and Sophies with iron one cruise logos, pillowcases with pictures of the boat, but the best so far was finding cute canvas bags at Walmart, having their names embroidered on them, then filling them with lots of goodies. My girls are now teens and they always use their bags for the beach or whatever. I get character disposable cameras, candy bars, Disney dollars for them to put on the account, all sorts of goodies you find out shopping. Then when everyone is at Topsiders, we go to the room, ask to be admitted early from our stateroom host, and decorate the room. The kids love it and I love it too!

 

[JLSE50]

Hi guys -- someone mentioned wearing a t-shirt while snorkeling to prevent sunburn. While this is a great idea - I have one better. A regular t-shirt does not protect as well as a SPF ® T-shirt. Here is a link to a great new site for great, comfortable and affordable Sun Protective t-shirts for SPF conscious familys :

http://www.spftshirts.com/

"We’ve taken America’s favorite 100% cotton t-shirt, added top-rated SPF® UV protection and priced them the same as regular t-shirts. In fact, we offer t-shirts for as low as $8.99 for short sleeve t-shirts and $14.95 for long sleeve t-shirts! Our t-shirts offer better sun protection than you get from a “Sun Protective” nylon/polyester UPF-30 rated shirt selling for $35 to $80!

About SPF® t-shirts
• Available in over 70 Colors!
• 100% Cotton, Soft & Comfortable
• Pre-shrunk for a perfect fit, wash after wash
• Block in excess of 97% of ultraviolet rays
• Machine washable and dryable
• Double stitched for extra strength to last for seasons to come
• Dyed and UV finished in the U.S.A.
• Comfortable 1/2 inch ribbed collar with shoulder to shoulder taping that insures the seams lie flat."

Check this sight out in the coming months - I am told they will be adding sunglasses, all natural sunscreen, hats + much more!

Take care,
Sherri

Besides these or the wash-n SPF protection already mentioned, one can go the old fashioned way and wear a dark shirt. When a white shirt is wet, it lets the sun right through we were told, but a navy, black or other dark color is a protection.
Jan

 

[KimmyDisneyNerd]

We love to plan surprises for the kids when they get tot he stateroom. It gets us excited(as if we needed more!) for the cruise and my kids can't wait- it is like a little bit of Christmas! Also, it saves lots of money in the long run!
We have made teeshirts and Sophies with iron one cruise logos, pillowcases with pictures of the boat, but the best so far was finding cute canvas bags at Walmart, having their names embroidered on them, then filling them with lots of goodies. My girls are now teens and they always use their bags for the beach or whatever. I get character disposable cameras, candy bars, Disney dollars for them to put on the account, all sorts of goodies you find out shopping. Then when everyone is at Topsiders, we go to the room, ask to be admitted early from our stateroom host, and decorate the room. The kids love it and I love it too!

Will you adopt me?

 

[JennL]

A plastic file folder for all the driving directions, bording info, copies of pasports, and a place to put the navigators and keep them flat. For our Honeymoon, whe had three, one for the road trip down and back, one for the cruise, and another for our time at WDW.

Love ziplocks, and our rolling duffle bag, almost flat when not filled, it stores great on trips and can be pulled.

Also love rash guards (a shirt made from swimsuit material) helps keep my back and sholders unburned!

 

[DisneyFreak71755]

Subscribing... AWESOME thread!!!

 

[FatCat]

That DCL Landyard that lots of people buy in the terminal.
Wait a few hours and get it tax free when at sea.

 

[JsMom2]

That DCL Landyard that lots of people buy in the terminal.
Wait a few hours and get it tax free when at sea.

I don't think they sell them in the terminal - although I could be wrong. Castaway Club members are given lanyards at embarkation. Also, sometimes people have some from previous cruises.

 

[GOVAC24]

A cool way to help you keep in touch with your new DCL friends: On the last day of the trip I go down to Guest Services & grab a handful of the luggage tags. All different colors. Then I put our name, address, email, phone # etc on it & give them out to the folks we hope to stay in touch with. It's colorful & different way for your new friends to remember you.

I really like these ideas. Keep'em coming!

Lisa

 

[zimaaaaah]

Don't want to miss any of these great tips before our first cruise so subscribing now!!

Ziploc bags RULE! The new extraextra big ones are kind of pricey, but boy did they come in handy when we were at the beach in May

 

[FatCat]

When arriving at terminal. Send one member as rabbit to security screening and up the escalator. May make a difference in what boarding group you are in.

 

[JennyW]

A cool way to help you keep in touch with your new DCL friends: On the last day of the trip I go down to Guest Services & grab a handful of the luggage tags. All different colors. Then I put our name, address, email, phone # etc on it & give them out to the folks we hope to stay in touch with. It's colorful & different way for your new friends to remember you. Lisa

I've found an even better way. It's more of a general thing, not Disney related. Make little business card sized cards with your contact info on one side and a photo of your family on the other. That way they'll remember who you are!

 

[Donald & Daisy Duck]

subscribing

 

[dlgrn3]

Subscribing.......thanks for the great tips.

 

[JsMom2]

I know that none of us on this thread are taking extra luggage tags for other than personal reasons. However, may I respectfully suggest just taking one tag of each character and scanning in when you get home? That way you only need to do it once, and you can personalize the tags for your scrapbooks.

And I LOVE the idea of making small business-type cards before you leave! So much easier than scrambling for something to write your info on.

 

[JLSE50]

we go to the beach alot in the Summer.. how i deal with sand.. is a cheap paint brush in a ziploc.. let the sand dry and then brush it off.. put the paint brush back into the ziploc.. (I have a smaller one for my camera and camcorder jic..) which i also keep them in ziplocs too, when not in use.

if they quit making ziplocs, i'll have to re-evaluate my life.

I agree. Zip locks are the greatest. I hope whoever invented them is living large.
Jan

 

[JLSE50]

double post--deleting this one--read the next one it is longer than this one was.
Jan