Just booked 1st cruise ever, nervous!

[madelinesmum]

Fellow Diser's,

Maybe you can help me ease my anxiety. Last night I booked and paid in full, our 1st Disney cruise and first cruise ever.
I have some silly questions and do keep in mind that I am as nervous about cruising as some are about flying. As a former flight attendant I feel I have a right to get nervous about something....right?
Please remember when reading and answering that I am a huge Disney fan, plan trips for people and know almost everything there is to know about WDW but feel like a complete idiot for not knowing the first thing about cruising.
DH-41
me-35
DD-6
MIL-74

We're booked for a 4 day cruise (cat12) Oct.26th.
1)How is the scheduling, for ex; I'm a planner and want to know what to expect. How are we able to see alot and rest and relax as well.
2)Does a cat12 mean that we will feel the rocking/swaying more?
3)What to take at ports?
4)How does the dining work if you can eat anywhere at anytime but they asked if we wanted early or late dining, we chose early.
I just don't know what to expect and I've read alot just still feel lost!
Please feel free to send me any info you think will be helpful in planning.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

If you are a big-time planner, I'd recommend the Passporter book. It's got just absolutely superb info, and you can have most every question you've raised answered there. I highly recommend it.

Regarding planning ... if you go to www.disneycruise.com, you can pre-book a lot of things - Palo, shore excursions, etc.

I just honestly wouldn't worry about feeling ship movement. You can feel movement anywhere you are. Typically, the further forward you are, the more noticable the motion.

At ports, what you take depends on your plans. Swimsuits, obviously, for beaches/snorkeling, etc. Comfy shoes for shopping. Sunscreen. You'll need your picture ID and your Key to the World card (aka cabin key).

Dining ... when you sign up for a time (late or early), you are restricted to that time at dinner in the three main dining rooms. BUT - if you opt for a buffet, or Palo in the evenings, then you do have some flexibility. Palo is, of course, reservation only. The counter service options are just about always open and available. At the sit-down restaurants, it's open seating for breakfast and lunch.

Hope this helps - this may have been a little vague, but feel free to PM me with any specific questions (I tend to be an obsessive planner and researcher.) Besides, you're dealing with a fellow Southerner here!

 

[tinkerbell34]

I TOTALLY understand where your coming from. I also booked my family and I on our first disney cruise and first cruise ever. I am also a big time planner and know many many things about WDW (use to be a cast member) but felt TOTALLY out of my element here. I bought the passporter book as mentioned above and it is a wealth of information! I highly recommend it! I learned LOADS from this DIS board and I would read everything you are able to here. I have a coworker who has traveled twice on the Disney Cruise line and I was telling her things that I had learned on here that even she didn't know! I guess a few things I would never have known of that I will pass along.....if you bring a pillow case, shirt, or matting for a frame and put it in a zip lock baggie with a sharpie you can give it to guest services and they will give it back to you at the end of the cruise with all the characters signatures. I also learned to bring an extra power strip to plug in, cameras, phones, ect into. Bring a over the door shoe organzier to help put all your tolitries in and keep them out of the way. If you haven't already, get the free disney cruise planning DVD. That gives you a good overview and then for the nitty gritty details get the passporter and read lots and lots on here. I can't share any experience with you but I'll be glad to pass on things that I've learned if I can. Have a great trip! Oh, and I would recommend joining a cruise meet on here. I did and have met some great people I'll be cruiseing with already as well as learning many things!

 

[tinkerbell34]

Fellow Diser's,

Maybe you can help me ease my anxiety. Last night I booked and paid in full, our 1st Disney cruise and first cruise ever.
I have some silly questions and do keep in mind that I am as nervous about cruising as some are about flying. As a former flight attendant I feel I have a right to get nervous about something....right?
Please remember when reading and answering that I am a huge Disney fan, plan trips for people and know almost everything there is to know about WDW but feel like a complete idiot for not knowing the first thing about cruising.
DH-41
me-35
DD-6
MIL-74

We're booked for a 4 day cruise (cat12) Oct.26th.
1)How is the scheduling, for ex; I'm a planner and want to know what to expect. How are we able to see alot and rest and relax as well.
2)Does a cat12 mean that we will feel the rocking/swaying more?
3)What to take at ports?
4)How does the dining work if you can eat anywhere at anytime but they asked if we wanted early or late dining, we chose early.
I just don't know what to expect and I've read alot just still feel lost!
Please feel free to send me any info you think will be helpful in planning.

Now that I'm not at work, I can answer what I have learned about your questions. I'm sure I will repeat the knowledge of the previous poster. #1...you get a daily navigator that tells you exactly what is going on. Bring diffrent colored highlighters to highlight what diffrent people are interested in. You can find previous navigators on this website to help give you an idea of what to expect. #2, sorry I really don't know but have read several places that the lower the deck and mid ship the less motion you feel. Also, on this website you can look up reviews of your exact stateroom number. #3 still figure that one out myself. To bring a stroller or not to bring a stroller that is the question I ask. #4 You are assigned a resturant every evening. You will get your rotation when you check in. Of course, you don't have to eat there, you can eat at Beach Blanket/Topsiders buffet, room service, or Palos (with a reservation...one per stateroom)
I hope I'm being helpful. I remember how overwhelmed I felt when I first booked. If you have any other questions (I know I still have many), I'll be glad to share what I have learned from the wealth of knowledge here.