how to find your way around the ship

[lidec]

the last cruise I was on, I could never find my way around the ship. By the 7th day I was still confused. What does everyone do to make your way around the ship easier?
Any little secrets?

 

[trimix]

Spend a moment memorizing the deck plans.

No, you don't need to be able to get to stateroom 5518 blindfolded, but a basic idea of what is where will really help. Without looking I can tell you clubs are on deck 5 amidship, movie theater is deck 5 aft. Studio Sea is deck 4 amidship, Animators Palate is aft, shops and WD Theater are forward. Other restaurants and the Promenade lounge are deck 3 aft, with the entertainment district deck 3 forward.

 

[Zandy595]

Carry a map with you.

 

[breakingd_awn]

I had the same trouble on our first cruise. It took me a couple of days to SOMEWHAT know my way around. I would like to make up a "cheat sheet" and laminate it for our upcoming cruise LOL ...no really...I'm serious. The Dream is much bigger so I'm kind of nervous about remembering where everything is .

 

[lbgraves]

Go on another cruise? Our first cruise was 11/15/03. When we boarded there were wreaths and garland hung along the railings in the atrium and halls but that was it. The next morning was our CB and as we passed through the atrium we passed a HUGE Christmas tree. For a little while I thought that I had missed an important detail on the deck plans before the cruise and couldn't figure out where the atrium we had entered the ship was. ROFL!!! There was no way I had missed that tree the day before! A CM told me that they had put it up overnight.

 

[disneydreamin-gang]

I had the same trouble on our first cruise. It took me a couple of days to SOMEWHAT know my way around. I would like to make up a "cheat sheet" and laminate it for our upcoming cruise LOL ...no really...I'm serious. The Dream is much bigger so I'm kind of nervous about remembering where everything is .

I like the idea of cheat sheets. We will be on our first cruise in Sept and wondered how to get around without getting lost.

We are sailing on the Magic if anyone has tips for getting around on it please share.

 

[luvdamouse91]

Saw this video for the Dream;

http://www.youtube.com/user/PassPorterGuides#p/u/19/NzIVQAXJ0Q4

There is a map in a ship's wheel on the carpet - north is the forward of the ship, and south is aft.

 

[truck1]

Heres something else to help on the Magic and Wonder. At each stairwell, is a map of the ship, and what is on that deck. In each elevator, over the doors, is a short list of what is on each deck.The majority of what youll need is on decks 3,4,5 and 9. Eveything else is cabins. Deck 1 foward and aft, are the gangways to the pier, except in Port Canaveral. Its also where the med center is.

Another way is this. Look out a window. Then down at the water. If the water is moving from right to left, your on the port (left) side.To your right is foward, left is aft. If its moving from left to right, your on the starboard (right) side.To your left is foward right is aft(rear)

Heres a quick rundown on terminology which will help. The 4 Disney ships are ships not boats. Boats are something that a ship carries
Bow front or pointy end of the ship
Stern, back or round end of the ship
Port left side when facing foward
Starboard, right side when facing foward.
Midship, the middle of the ship
Foward reference point, towards the front or bow. As in the Walt Disney Theatre, is deck 4 foward
Aft, towards the rear of the ship, as is Topsiders is located deck 9 aft.

 

[turbo teacher]

On the Wonder - If you get turned around inside the hallways of the ship: The pattern on the carpet can help. Blue part of the anchor, points to the bow/front. Red part of the anchor, points to the stern/back.

And the maps near the stairwells will be helpful

 

[lbgraves]

On the Wonder - If you get turned around inside the hallways of the ship: The pattern on the carpet can help. Blue part of the anchor, points to the bow/front. Red part of the anchor, points to the stern/back.

And the maps near the stairwells will be helpful

I thought that some reported on the Magic & Wonder this was no longer the case everywhere due to carpet being replaced in drydock incorrectly.

 

[mmouse37]

On the Wonder - If you get turned around inside the hallways of the ship: The pattern on the carpet can help. Blue part of the anchor, points to the bow/front. Red part of the anchor, points to the stern/back.

And the maps near the stairwells will be helpful

I tested this theory on two Magic/Wonder cruises recently and it does not hold true all over the ship.

To the OP...on the Dream they hand out at check-in a nice little guide book that breaks down each deck and what is on each deck. It came in very handy to find your way around. It is pamphlet size and also has a pull out deck plan, but the best part is each page is a deck and lists everything you would need on each deck.

MJ

MJ

 

[disneydreamin-gang]

I made cheat sheets for the Magic. I did it on 3x5 index cards front and back.
I think I got it all right. Those of you who are cruise vets let me know if there is something I can fix.



Decks
11. Stack (midship)
10. Palo (aft) Outlook Bar (midship)
Wide World Sports Deck (forward)
9. Topsiders (aft) Goofy’s Galley (starboard, aft) Mickey Pool (aft)
Plutos Dog House (aft) Pinocchio’s Pizza (midship)
Goofy’s Family Pool (midship) Cove Café’ (port, midship)
Arcade (midship) Signals Bar (midship)
Quiet Cove Adult Pool (forward) Spa (forward)
8. Public Deck (aft) Staerooms (aft, midship) Bridge (forward)
7. Public Deck (aft) Stateroom (aft, midship, forward)

6. Staterooms (aft, midship, forward)
5. Staterooms (aft) Buena Vista Theater (aft)
Oceaneer Club (midship) Oceaneer Lab (forward)
4. Anamator’s Palate (aft) Shutters (port, midship)
Studio Sea (midship)
Mickey’s Mates (port, midship)
Treasure Ketch (starboard, midship)
Preludes (forward) Walt Disney Theater (forward)
3. Parrot Cat (aft) Promande Lounge (port, aft) Lumiere’s (midship)
Guest Services (port, midship) Rockin D. Bar (forward)
Diversions (starboard, forward)
2. Our room 2629 (aft) Oceanquest (midship)
1. Aft tender lobby (aft) Forward tender lobby (forward)
Medical Center (forward)

 

[disney 2010]

ALWAYS make sure you know what elevators you are on. I would forget I got on Forward ( or aft etc) and then would turn the wrong way when I exited on a different floor. Look at the signs in the elevator to remember what floor everything is on. Use the signs in the room halls to make sure you are on the right side/going the right direction

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

I'd go to this link, that show's what's on each deck separately

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ships-activities/ships/dream/ (Under the tab "Deck Plans)

Print off each deck and put them on little 5X7 cards for cheat sheets.

 

[wvanderark]

Just take a hour or two and walk around, you'll get the hang of it fast.

 

[Scrappy_Tink]

Cheat sheets like this....(you can always write in what the mickey heads are)

 

[disneydreamin-gang]

I did the 3x5 cards because they fit in your pocket. I am more concerned about the kids getting confused.

 

[queenreen]

Saw this video for the Dream;

There is a map in a ship's wheel on the carpet - north is the forward of the ship, and south is aft.

Great tip! Thank you

 

[debdreamsofdis]

We did the Walking Tour offered once onboard and that helped me a lot. They gave us the tip that the Ariel statue in front of Tritons on the Wonder faces toward the front of the ship, so you know which way is which.

 

[Cobrastrike]

If you have a smart phone, take a look at the Ship Mate app. Not out for iPhone yet (he's trying but is having difficulties with the App Store even though the same app for other cruise lines have been approved). I believe the DCL version of the app is available for Android devices though.