Important Dates BEFORE Cruise?

[ZephyrJG]

Hello!

My family and I are the kind of people that like to plan things as far in advance as possible so we don't have to worry about it later.

What are some of the important dates we should know about before our cruise? (Departing June 30, 2018)

I know some things are like 3 months before that date, or 150 days before, or 6 months before, or something like that. But I don't know the exact numbers (And we would like to put them on our calendar so we don't forget).

So.... How far in advance can we:

- Find out what the excursions are? (we are first time cruisers)
- Book excursions?
- Sign up for the ship tours?
- Sign up for beach cabanas on CC? (yes, I know the likelihood of actually getting one is small)
- Dinner reservations on the ship?
- We only want to sit with our own party at meals (there are 6 of us). When/how do we request this?
- Find out the schedule of events on our ship? (When will Pirate night be, formal night, etc.)
- Book plane tickets?

Or anything else you know of that I might have missed!

Thanks!

 

[clten]

The good news is if you have an account on DCL's website, you add your reservation under "My Reservations" it will give you the countdown to your cruise and when your reservation opens for bookings (excursions, certain onboard activities, spa, etc.)

Find out excursions - you can look under port adventures on Disney's website now to see the types of excursions that are offered in your ports of call. You won't know exactly what is offered for your sailing or the times for them until excursions actually open for booking.
Book excursions - first time cruisers can book excursions 75 days before their sailing (unless you are sailing concierge)
Sign up for Ship tours - you don't sign up for the general tours of the ship, you just show up to the meeting place at the designated time. If you are asking about things like the galley tour. That you do once you are onboard by going to Guest Services to see if they are even offering them on your sailing.
Cabanas are booked as an excursion so you can start looking at 75 days
Dinner reservations - the only dinner reservations you need to make are if you are going to Palo or Remy. These again open at 75 days before your sailing
Dining alone - you call DCL or your travel agent and ask that they put a request on your reservation (if more than one reservation, have them linked) that you want to be seated with just your party. That note can be added as soon as you have made your reservation. I recommend you have it on there at least 2 weeks before sailing.
Find out schedule of events - to know for sure, you won't know until you are on board. To get an idea, you can look at navigator's from similar cruises or you can call DCL (typically no earlier than 120 days before sailing, when things open up for concierge/platinum castaway club guests to start booking). Online, if you go into your reservation, it may show "Ship Activities" to give you an idea when Pirate Night is scheduled.
Plane tickets - 11 months in advance

I assume you got your paid in full date from Disney or your travel agent (that varies based on what sailing you are on).

 

[TiggerBouncy]

I found the hard way that you can't plan for a cruise the same way you do for WDW. I kept wanting to plan things, and there just isn't much to plan! The posted above me covered the essential dates. They take a few minutes and then you kinda sit there going "what else? I feel like I should plan something, but what???". That alone causes me to pack and repack my bag about 50 times over the course of 2 months because it was the only thing I felt like I could plan!

 

[ZephyrJG]

The good news is if you have an account on DCL's website, you add your reservation under "My Reservations" it will give you the countdown to your cruise and when your reservation opens for bookings (excursions, certain onboard activities, spa, etc.)

Find out excursions - you can look under port adventures on Disney's website now to see the types of excursions that are offered in your ports of call. You won't know exactly what is offered for your sailing or the times for them until excursions actually open for booking.
Book excursions - first time cruisers can book excursions 75 days before their sailing (unless you are sailing concierge)
Sign up for Ship tours - you don't sign up for the general tours of the ship, you just show up to the meeting place at the designated time. If you are asking about things like the galley tour. That you do once you are onboard by going to Guest Services to see if they are even offering them on your sailing.
Cabanas are booked as an excursion so you can start looking at 75 days
Dinner reservations - the only dinner reservations you need to make are if you are going to Palo or Remy. These again open at 75 days before your sailing
Dining alone - you call DCL or your travel agent and ask that they put a request on your reservation (if more than one reservation, have them linked) that you want to be seated with just your party. That note can be added as soon as you have made your reservation. I recommend you have it on there at least 2 weeks before sailing.
Find out schedule of events - to know for sure, you won't know until you are on board. To get an idea, you can look at navigator's from similar cruises or you can call DCL (typically no earlier than 120 days before sailing, when things open up for concierge/platinum castaway club guests to start booking). Online, if you go into your reservation, it may show "Ship Activities" to give you an idea when Pirate Night is scheduled.
Plane tickets - 11 months in advance

I assume you got your paid in full date from Disney or your travel agent (that varies based on what sailing you are on).

Thanks!

 

[ZephyrJG]

I found the hard way that you can't plan for a cruise the same way you do for WDW. I kept wanting to plan things, and there just isn't much to plan! The posted above me covered the essential dates. They take a few minutes and then you kinda sit there going "what else? I feel like I should plan something, but what???". That alone causes me to pack and repack my bag about 50 times over the course of 2 months because it was the only thing I felt like I could plan!

Haha yes! That is the boat I am in right now!

(no pun intended)


(ok, it was kinda intended...)

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Haha yes! That is the boat I am in right now!

(no pun intended)

(ok, it was kinda intended...)

I absolutely love cruising. And I love WDW. However, the two vacations are NOTHING alike. You are kinda forced to learn to relax on a cruise. That's not to say there is not a lot to do on the ships - there are! But you learn to take them at a different pace.

I hope you have an excellent cruise, wonderful weather, and a terrific time!

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

The biggest thing I found you need to deal with in advance is before and after the cruise. As others have covered, things during the cruise are easy.

You mentioned airline flights. That's a good start. Are you coming in the morning of or the day before? A lot of us like to come in the day before so there is less rushing to get on the ship and less chance of missing the boat.

If you choose to do that, you'll need to think about where you want to stay that night. Near the Port, or in Orlando. Also, there is transportation to the port. Are you leaving from Port Canaveral? Keep in mind, Orlando Airport is about an hour from the port. Some people use Disney Bus ($35/per person each way) others use a car service, a shuttle or rent a car. On the way back it easy to fly out on the same day, but we chose to stay overnight at a hotel then too, to relax more.

Also, there is trip insurance. We used a third party company. It is not only good if you have to cancel, but can also cover medical expenses that your normal health insurance may not cover if you are out of the country.

 

[ZephyrJG]

The biggest thing I found you need to deal with in advance is before and after the cruise. As others have covered, things during the cruise are easy.

You mentioned airline flights. That's a good start. Are you coming in the morning of or the day before? A lot of us like to come in the day before so there is less rushing to get on the ship and less chance of missing the boat.

If you choose to do that, you'll need to think about where you want to stay that night. Near the Port, or in Orlando. Also, there is transportation to the port. Are you leaving from Port Canaveral? Keep in mind, Orlando Airport is about an hour from the port. Some people use Disney Bus ($35/per person each way) others use a car service, a shuttle or rent a car. On the way back it easy to fly out on the same day, but we chose to stay overnight at a hotel then too, to relax more.

Also, there is trip insurance. We used a third party company. It is not only good if you have to cancel, but can also cover medical expenses that your normal health insurance may not cover if you are out of the country.

We are already planning on arriving the morning before and spending the day/night at Port Orleans French Quarter.

Then taking Magical Express to Port Canaveral on the morning of.

We also plan to stay at Port Orleans Riverside the night after the cruise.

 

[Dug720]

We are already planning on arriving the morning before and spending the day/night at Port Orleans French Quarter.

Then taking Magical Express to Port Canaveral on the morning of.

We also plan to stay at Port Orleans Riverside the night after the cruise.

Magical Express is the free transportation service between WDW and MCO.

Between MCO or WDW and the port is paid Disney Cruiseline Transfers. It's $35/person. You need to add that on at least three days prior to your cruise.

 

[ZephyrJG]

Magical Express is the free transportation service between WDW and MCO.

Between MCO or WDW and the port is paid Disney Cruiseline Transfers. It's $35/person. You need to add that on at least three days prior to your cruise.

Good to know. Thanks.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

The biggest thing I found you need to deal with in advance is before and after the cruise. As others have covered, things during the cruise are easy.

You mentioned airline flights. That's a good start. Are you coming in the morning of or the day before? A lot of us like to come in the day before so there is less rushing to get on the ship and less chance of missing the boat.

My first cruise, we took a 7am flight to MCO landing at 9. PLENTY OF TIME we thought.

The plane was broken. The flight cancelled. they deboarded us all for hours. We made the ship with barely time to spare. Lot's of stories like that - I know we are nothing unique. However since then we always fly down the day before. It's worth the extra expense.

 

[lbus42]

Planning for a Disney cruise is nothing like planning for WDW. There are no dining reservations to make 180 days out, fast pass reservations, etc.. The only dates that you need to be concerned about are your online booking date and your PIF date. Since you are a first time cruiser, your online booking date will open 75 days before your cruise date. You will then be able to log onto the Disney cruise web site and book meet and greets, adult dining reservations, BBB, Royal Tea, excursions, etc.. Cruisers who have sailed with Disney before will be able to do this anywhere from 90 - 120 days before the cruise. This is why Cabanas are all but impossible to get. The PIF (Paid in Full) date is the day your cruise must be fully paid off (I believe that mine was about 105 days before the cruise).

As far as your party being able to sit together at meals, you will need to make sure that all of your party's reservations are linked. You can do this yourself on the website or you can call your travel agent and ask them to do so. Once the reservations are linked, you will be treated like one big group. You will have the same dinner seating and the same dining room rotation. Also you would have the ability to book activities for everyone in your party once your booking window opens.

 

[RobinVanellope]

Magical Express is the free transportation service between WDW and MCO.

Between MCO or WDW and the port is paid Disney Cruiseline Transfers. It's $35/person. You need to add that on at least three days prior to your cruise.

Is that one way or round trip?

 

[FishyMom]

Is that one way or round trip?

This is one way. $70 per person round trip.