It doesn't feel like a Disney cruise...unless...

[Jess_S]

The announcement tone in the hallway.

Also day drinking something that should be classified as dessert.

I agree. Vacation begins when I get my first drink of the day. Usually, I am able to hold out until after lunch. Usually.

 

[RedSox68]

Embarkation lunch makes us feel like we have made it and can now relax! Sail-away from verandah, drink in hand and hearing the horn! Love waving to the people on shore and knowing our vacation is on its way!

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

How crowded does it get onshore with people watching the ship head out to sea?

Not very, nothing like you used to see on The Love Boat. It's mostly people in restaurants waving, a few CMs at the port and then others at the beach as you actually head out to the Atlantic.

 

[MammaMoe48]

The welcome show and the Pirate Party. Also, on our first sea day the boys go off to the top deck to play sports and I sit in Cove Cafe with my Chocolate Martini, mini pastries and my Kindle

 

[RedSox68]

How crowded does it get onshore with people watching the ship head out to sea?

It depends on where you are sailing out of and which side of the ship you are on. When we sailed out of L.A. on the Magic's first PC cruise, the docks were lined with people and they had huge white mickey hands and were waiving; a few times when we sailed out of Port Canaveral, on the port side we saw a lot of fisherman both on shore and in boats and they were enthusiastically cheering and waiving, some even followed us out for a ways. The best though was when we were leaving Galveston in 2004, dozens of dolphins were leading us out and riding along side the boat and that was even better than people waving