I found the best way to avoid the "reservations" scramble ....

[wdwobsessed]

Go on your cruise with little to no money

We don't have to worry about trying to book the spa, or Palo's or anything really. Maybe a night at Flounders.

Aren't we lucky!

lol

wdwo

 

[perdidobay]

 

[imgoingtodisney]

think of those people who cant even afford to get on the ship
enjoy what you can of your cruise

 

[wdwobsessed]

I wuz being silly ....

Making a joke of a situation we wish was better???


I am VERY GRATEFUL that I am even going on my cruise .. and I KNOW I will have a wonderful time even without all the extras.

But ... I do WISH we had more spending $$.

I wuz just making a silly.

wdwo

 

[DVC1996]

Originally posted by wdwobsessed
I wuz being silly ....

Making a joke of a situation we wish was better???


I am VERY GRATEFUL that I am even going on my cruise .. and I KNOW I will have a wonderful time even without all the extras.

But ... I do WISH we had more spending $$.

I wuz just making a silly.

wdwo

It may just be a "silly" but your remarks were sorta like one of those "light bulb" moments for me. For instance......I can't understand booking a room at Atlantis for the day and spending those big $$$ when you've already spent $$$$ for a vacation on a magnificent cruise ship Please don't flame me for saying this because I'm sure this is a great chance for some people to use the facilities at Atlantis who otherwise wouldn't be able to vacation there on their own. I just mean this choice wouldn't be right for us and your post made me realize this. Thanks for the post

 

[lespaul55]

I didn't do the reservation scramble on my 3 day cruise last summer. I didn't know about Dis boards then. You hear all these things on this boards and think your cruise is not complete if you don't do Palos and spa treatments [specific treatments at specific times or days, no less!]

Well, guess what!! You can have a great cruise without all those extras. Pretend like you don't know about them [like me last summer!] and you'll be fine. On the 3 day cruise, you need to miss one of the dining rooms to do Palos anyway. My friends and I wanted to try all three so Palos was out.

Of course, I doing a 7 day in June and I'm thinking about Palos and the surial bath [hubby's coming this time!] But if we don't do them, I'll still have a great time. Cause I'm on a cruise!!!!

No cooking, no cleaning, laying out in the sun, fun, fun, fun!

Leslie

 

[wdwobsessed]

Originally posted by DVC1996



It may just be a "silly" but your remarks were sorta like one of those "light bulb" moments for me. For instance......I can't understand booking a room at Atlantis for the day and spending those big $$$ when you've already spent $$$$ for a vacation on a magnificent cruise ship

I so agree with you, especially if it's your first time going. I guess if it's like, your 3rd cruise or something, and you are looking for a new thing to do, then maybe.

I had already ruled out excursions ... snorkeling at CC is enough for me this time around.

I had already ruled out Palo's - only $10, but we would miss one of our other dinners (or have to eat twice in one evening) .. plus I don't feel like getting that dressed up anyway

The spa? Well, I would like to do this. Maybe I will be able to do a little something....if not .. oh well. I'll just go eat some of that ice cream that I already paid for.

lol

wdwo

 

[tecdavidt]

My hubby and I have been on 4 DCL cruises and we never have been to Palos or the Spa! We rarely do shore excursions. We love the ship! Do we feel we are missing out? No. So if you can't spend the extra cash on the spa or Palos or the shore excursions don't feel like you are missing out. If you can and want to good for you. I know people who never get off on the islands. That is the best time to be on the ship. Kathy

 

[dbcruise]

I never do the spa on a ship we have a local beauty college here where they offer hour massages from $15.00 that are woderful and a manicure -pedicure $12.00 .I would rather treat myself to 5 or 6 of these treatments here at home as hour escapes from life at home instead of only getting 1 treatment on board ship when I am already relaxed and have escaped normal day life. I always do what I really want on vacation but I always manage to stay in my budget . Happy cruiseing to us all .

 

[ruvidu]

We have been on 3 Magic cruises with #4 coming up. We have never seen the spa and have never had a meal at Palos. Oh yeah, we can afford it but we don't have the desire.
While everyone else is running around trying to make those all important ressies Miss Vivian and I are having a relaxing lunch at Topsiders and then sit on our varanda relaxing or sitting by the pool waitng on life boat drills. Life is just too short for too much planning. Carpe Diem to us is just relax and watch life and the ressie hunters go by.

 

[mikeymars]

Scramble? What scramble? We just returned today from the 3/23 Magic cruise. When we boarded last Saturday, I was up on deck 10 by 12:40pm and walking into Palos with no absolutely no lines and no wait whatsoever. There were three people in front of me, and it was clear listening to them that none had done their homework (ergo, thinking in advance about when they wanted to eat, they were going back and forth with the staff on "palos 101" ergo how seatings there worked, etc.) Since I already knew what our 1st, 2nd and 3rd choices were, I walked right past them up to the "res tables" and made our reservations in about 30 seconds. My wife had basically the same experience at Spa (no lines, no rush, etc.) We were enjoying a nice lunch up on 9 by 12:50. And all this despite the fact our servers at dinner later told us "there are over 600 past DCL cruises on this sailing" - ergo, where were all these supposed DCL experts when we boarded? (not rushing to Palos or the Spa, I can tell you that).

 

[nedleycan]

We want to eat at Palos and we definitely want to do the Surial Bath. I have been dreading the big rush and possible disappointment. We have a 5 yo and 3 1/2 yo, and running through the ship and standing in line for 1 hour didn't sound possible. Hopefully our 11/30 cruise will be a similar reservation experience as yours.

 

[wdwobsessed]

Perhaps the "scramble" is a little less on a 7 day?? Then on a 3 or 4 day?? (more time choices for the same amount of people)

Also .... I find it interesting that you were able to book that early. They are "supposed" to start taking them at 1:30 and even on this boards people say to go about 1/2 hour early ... but not an hour early.

Maybe you all just lucked out ... you went early and got in.

wdwo

 

[MICHELLENDEAN]

Agree! I'm glad I'm traveling with a 2 year old...kinda leaves you to be up in the air and plan on making NO plans!! It's our first cruise and we'll probably just get off the boat and enjoy what's literally 10 feet away..the sand, sun and scenery! We're doing NO excersions and we're going to play it by ear with spa or palos stuff..if Emily enjoys being at Flounders (which we doubt!) we'll have some alone time..but we plan on her being attached at the hip.
Without her around, DH and I probably would have gone crazy trying to see and do everything..having a two year old slows you down to just enjoy "being there".
So, I get it!

 

[Hygiene99]

this will be our 4 th cruise on may 11,2002
we have not been to the spa .
we did do dinner and brunch at Palos recommend u try..
and we have not been on Any shore excursions
or atlantis just not interested ..
we stayyed on the ship in Nassua
been there done that ......
have been to St. Thomas many time before we new how to get to St. John and we went there for the day.
they have beeen great times........
Peter

 

[aalan]

my wife and i enjoyed our lst (but not our last) cruise 3/23 thru 3-30. we boarded the ship at around 12:45, we went to topsider's and had a nice lunch, dropped our carry-ons in the room since it was ready, and then went to palo and the spa for reservations. palo had no line and only 2 other couples there. one sea day was already booked full, but there were plenty of other times open for dinner and the brunch. the spa was a bit busier, and they had only 4 times left for the cabana massage on castaway cay. we didnt feel rushed, and while the "free" food was very good, the $5 extra charge for dinner in palo is the best deal on the boat: we had a terrific meal there. the $12 charge for brunch was also very reasonable (we tipped acorddingly, too). some folks like chicken tenders, some folks like grilled veal. some folks hate wearing a suit or nice dress, others like to dress nice. to each his own. its great that the magic and wonder have options for everyone.

 

[Werner Weiss]

On the 3/23 cruise, we enjoyed brunch at Palo on Sunday, dinner at Palo on Wednesday (while our kids dined at Lumiere's without us), and high tea at Palo on Thursday.

The Palo brunch and dinner were outstanding! The food, service, and ambience were all top-notch.

My wife and I have been spoiled by high teas at places such as the Palace in San Francisco and the Pump Room in Bath, England, and, unfortunately, the high tea at Palo just didn't measure up.

As aalan wrote, "to each his own." But anyone sailing on Disney Cruise Line should at least be aware that for just a modest service charge (plus an optional additional gratuity), they have the option of having a truly memorable brunch and/or dinner.

 

[JAN ENOS]

I really want to try Palos, but this is our first Disney cruise and
we are going with my daughter, her husband and our three little
grandchildren. My problem is I don't understand how people know when to book Palos. What night and what time? Do you have to give them more than one choice of time? Also how do you know how well the girls are going to do in the clubs and whether you should wait a couple days for their adjustment or book for one of the first couple nights? I am really lost on how you pick. Please help!
Jan

 

[rccruiser]

I'm not sure what the temperature is going to be in May but with the humidity and small children it is going to feel Warm. Excursions are great for first timers or even repete cruisers, but like many of the previous posts, I would have to agree. Excursions are not the always the best part of cruising. I've had more fun renting a car and going off to do our own thing as a family. The kids can make all the noise they want and nap. It's nice to stop off and shop or do what ever we want to do any place around the Islands.

Sometimes the best time to be on the ship is when everyone is gone doing something else.

About the spa... Well I've had better rub downs for about 1/4 the cost. Many of these girls don't apear to be proffesionals or just don't have the strenth in their hands to give a really good massage (IMO). I've been on 5 Cruises (none with Disney) and I would have to say that the spas are about 70 percent Bull Crap (excuse my french) and 30 percent product. It's always nice to use a spa treatment now and then just to feel special. but I don't feel they have any real claims to their sales pitch type products or medicinal values.

Enjoy cruising for what it is... Cruising. The boat the sea and the ocean Air. Everything else should only enhance the experience.

Happy Cruising!

 

[GoofyDisney]

wdwobsessed - no matter what other replies and what other helpful information you get, i just wanted you to know that when I first read your thread I laughed out loud. Thanks for the good chuckle!