My Thoughts on Disney Cruises

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Justacruiser

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Aug 29, 2011
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Well I finally get to use both hands when counting the number of times the family has taken cruises on DCL. October 1, 2011 will be our sixth cruise. Actually, this is the only cruise line we have traveled. Why you may ask, because I want the family to be in a safe, fun filled environment without having to worry about what I or the family is seeing, eating, smelling, hearing or doing. Yes, there is a price different, but my expectations are high and they have been met thus far. My family does not drink or gamble and so we are not really interested in being on cruises that attack such activity.

Being less than a month out, i have paid for the cruise, booked the early dinner, selected the room number. And yes, you can go on line and get your own room number and even change if available IF you purchased a specific room when booking the reservation. If you purchased a "GTY" room, you are subject to the DCL to assign you a room. If you do not mind the location or the "GTY" it is well worth it. My recommendation is to be prepared to be assigned the lowest Caterogy Room within the "GTY". Do not purchase the "GTY" to expect an updrade. You might be disappointed.

I have also booked all my activites during the cruise prior to sailing. That is where your Silver, Gold and Platinum Level can be a real asset. Depending on your level, you can schedule the activities you desire well in advance of the cruise to ensure that will be able to do the activity you desire. I have tried to book an activity the first day of the cruise just to find it already booked. The reservations for activity will be added to you account on the ship which can be paid with the credit card or cash.

Ensure you complete the On-Line Check In as soon as possible. It is during that On-Line Check In that you can request your time to be at the Terminal. No that does not ensure that I get on at the requested time, but it does insure that they will be expecting me. I always eat a light breakfast before getting to the terminal. You never know what could slow down the boarding process. There is no vending machines in the Terminal. I will discuess more on the boarding process later.

If you are interested, take a small carry on with suntan lotion and suites for swimming. I have found it a good time to take a quick swim or ride the Aquaduck! More than likely, your stateroom will not be ready when you arrive on board. So, you will not have access to you luggage. Actually you will most likely be allowed in your room with the luggage coming later in the day. Prior to 4pm, so you should be able to change for dinner, if desired.

My next plan is to take enough extra money on board to sign up for at least 1 DCL cruise. My experience that I can book a room and save 10% and recieve an OBC which is given by Level. That means on a cruise with my DW I can save a minimum of $400, just by booking on board. Some call that booking a "Dummy Cruise". The advantage is that I can change categories and add cruisers, and change cruise dates without penalty as long as you are outside the 75 day cancellation restrictions. I have determined that if I really like DCL I could save thousands when I book on the cruise.

BRB
 
You are going to have the time of your life on your Disney Cruise. WE took our first one in February 2011 and it was by far the BEST VACATION EVER!!!! Remember that your in good hand with Disney!! Enjoy and have a great vacation!! :thumbsup2
 
Seems like only yesterday I was booking the cruise. Now it is just two weeks away. DW getting the hair cut this weekend and most likely purchasing last minute clothes to pack in her already stuffed suitcase. My DW always takes a light sweater or jacket, no matter the season. To my DW the theaters and restaurants are generally a little cool, so if she gets cold she can grab something extra quick.

We do our very best to budget our cruise. I go ahead and budget $12 per person, per day for tips. Also, by booking or at least looking at the price of excursions online, I can kind of figure what I need for intertainment. Depending on where you are and what exciting things you want to do, the prices will vary. Add in the drinks that you purchase along with other odds and ends and the budget is done. You can get a copy of your bill 24-7 at the Customer Service Counter on Deck 3.

Lets cover boarding, since we all do that first. I checked in online before the cruise and printed off a copy to give the CM upon arrival inside the terminal. This saves a couple of minutes upon arrival. But before that, you should arrive at the Termial a few minutes before your Terminal Time assigned IF you did your Online Check In. You will be able to drop off luggage and family at the Terminal entrance and then part directly next to the terminal (tip is appreciated). Parking is $15 per day for automobiles.
Then I will walk just accross the street and enter the complex. There may be a line going into the Terminal. Have your Passport or ID ready to help speed up the process. Once inside the Terminal you will go through a security screening and then off you go to the Check-In counter. When you first get passed security a CM will greet you. They will ask if you have your ONline Check In sheet. If so, they will hand you a boarding number. If not, you will spend a couple of minutes filling out a check in form before you can proceed. There are two lines to Check in, the previous Disney Cruisers will then go into one line and newbies in another. Lines are generally about the same length, so don't worry. At the counter you will get checked in.

Once boarding begins around 1130-1200, boarding numbers will be called in sequence beginning with the number 1. It appeared to me it took about 10 minutes to load a single number, you can do the math from there. There are no snacks or drinks available in the Terminal area. A few tv's loaded with Disney Clasics around for kids and pictures can be taken with some characters. Rest rooms and water fountain is available.

Once they call your boarding number, you will procede to the far end of the faciity to board. You are requred to have your key that was issued when you checked in at the registration counter ready for view. They will scan your card and then you are officially boarded. Before stepping foot on the boat, they have a picture taken for your group. They will need to scan one key for the group to identify you. The have several CM taking pictures, so it moves very smoothly. After that, the gangway to paradise! Upon boarding the ship, you will be family name will be announced over the intercom system and cast and crew will welcome you aboard.

Upon arrival on board you can do numerous things. My first thing, paying cash, I go to the customer service counter where i will hand them some cash for the cruise. I always want them to have a positive amount on my account. If you choose to pay cash like myself, there is a limit of debt that you can carry on your stateroom. If you are a credit card holder, you can skip this part. My other goal is to ensure that my adventures are scheduled. If you did not do that on line, do this immediately upon boarding. There truly are adventures that get full quickly, like Remy or Palo along with some excursions. After that, I go on the top side to do a wonderful lunch buffet. It is there that you can see the port and wave good by to your car. If you took my advise, you packed your swim suit or have it on under your clothes, and you can nowtake a dip in one of the pools or ride the Aquaduck. If you boarded early, this is a GREAT time to ride.

You will be told when you can go to your room at your check in. Do us all a favor and wait till the designmated time to go below. DC have a lot to do between the morning departure and you arriving in your room. DOn't spoil the excitement by pushing the CM to hurry. If not, someone will have to stop preparing rooms to ask you to leave until the proper time. Your luggage gets there by around 4pm so you will have plenty of time to change prior to the early dinner or show. You will have the safety brief at appoximately 4pm, (various parts of the ship) followed by the deck party on the top deck. Go to the party and enjoy yourself. Watch up pull away from the dock, see the big Mickey hands wave goodby.

Ealry Dinner is at about 1730 and late is at around 2030. When you get your ID it will have you assigned table number and list your restaurant order in the lower right hand corner. It is a set of initials that represent each restaurant. I like to get to dinner right on time, especially with my MAIN Seating. The wait staff on your first night will travel with you throughout the three locations while you cruise. After the first night, DC will have your names, drinks and even some of you habits down. It makes it truly an enjoyable time. Do not worry if you can't find anything on the menu, the servers will do everything possible to get want you want. On other blogs, i have seen where cruisers select mulitiple(s) of a particular course. Haven't done that yet, I think you get enough anyway, but I will be trying that this cruise. Then, off to the show. If you have the late dinner, the early show would come first.

Get to the show a good 15 minutes early. On the Dream, I would actually say more like 20-30 prior. Especially on the Disney Production nights. All of the shows are of the highest quality. Then, generally it is off to the top deck for a free soft drink, hot drink and a slice of pizza. Great stuff. If you go to bed hungry, it is your fault.


 
Balcony or no Balcony? I see a lot of blogs about that. I enjoy the balcony because I have a retreat of my own. If my better half is getting ready or a kid is down for a nap, changing clothes for dinner; all that I am on the balcony. Now, with that said, depending on the time of year, the daylight is a little limited.
 

I love this thread. You are making me so excited for my first cruise!! I booked a balcony because I have never been on a cruise and want to experience it all. I have become addicted to the disboards. My saikling mates think I habe lost my mind. :dance3:

Please keep writing I want all the inside tips from a person who has gone on alot of disney cruises. :cheer2:
 
Yes by now it is only 17 days till cruise time. Trying to finish up all the loose ends.

On with my previous blog......

Let me back up a minute, in your stateroom when you arrive you will find your first Navigator, Disney Daily Planner. There are actually some blogs that will show you examples. Pretty neat to be able to look at everything to do on the ship. Begging late evening of the first night on board, my DW and I will sit and plan the next day after the our evening show, the navigator for the next day arrives at turndown. To mention, your room is visited 3 times per day for clenaing, then fresh towels, and then lastly at turn down. If you do not want a particular service. Let the CM know, don't blog that you didn't like it after the fact.

While reviewing our plans in the evening, this is a point we can sit on the balcony and listen to the waves. We have even left the door to the Varanda open overnight to hear the waves. Pretty cool! I have heard since my last cruise to call room service in the evening and order cookies and milk to the room. I think I will do this in 17 days! I hear you are supposed to tip, so I will take several $1 dollar bills to tip. I have heard $1 per item is customary for tip.

To let you know the beds on the Dream are to die for. Everyone on the cruise and several blogs I have seen state the mattresses are wonderful. I heard exciting news that the Magic is undergoing a referbish while at sea. I am hoping that the mattresses have been changed in the room we are staying in 17 days from now. All of the rooms, even if on the older ships are maintained extremely well.

Now to some specific reviews from me. No particular order.

Breakfast - The three restaurants where you eat dinner serve a breakfast, you might check if they have a buffet or menu. Generally we go on top for the buffet and sit along the top of the ship and eat. The first time I do the buffet breakfast I walk around the entire room to ensure that I see all the tempting items before I eat. It took me 2-3 days to realize they had an omelet table where they will cook eggs to order. I really like the buffet, I know there are people with the fobias out there, but there are CM's there always watching the patrons for spills and drops. And the hand sanitization stations at the door are pretty nice to have. You are handed a hand wipe by a CM prior to recieving your tray. Nice!!!

Lunch - We generally do lunch on the boat at the same buffet on top. They have alot of items and change the cuisine daily. If you ask at the door, they will tell you the cuisine for the day. If you don't want that, we eat the fast food up on the top deck and apparently some of the restarants are open below. On the top deck you can find sandwiches, fruite, wraps, pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, check strips, fish sandwiches (really good), tacos (also good), and fries. I really like sitting in the outdoors as much as possible. That brings me to day at sea.

How crazy!!!!! Let me advise, if you want a spot, get there early. I am all for everyone enjoying the day, but folks are rediculous. They save a spot and leave for hours, leaving towels or drinks with no entention of returning till they are good and ready. That forces everyone else to walk around waiting on someone to leave to enjoy a spot. I do everything I can to stagger my cruise long activities so that the day I am on the ship, I am away from the madness deck. I try to plan the in room movies, theater movies, bingo and other events on that day. Aquaduck, expect to wait 30 minutes a ride. As I stated before, go on the first day prior to 4pm and then on excursion days like the dreaded Nassua. During meal time is also a good time to go. Alot of folks eating or attending shows.

While I am on the subject, I want to enterject on the word stagger. First, if you want to know the movies that are playing in the theater before you arrive. You can ask your disney reservations support agent at 1800-951-3532. You can ask them for the specific movies playing on your cruise. You can also look in your Navigator to see all of the daily activities. With that said, on a 3-4 day cruise, there is no way you should be board. But on the longer 7 day cruises, you may be at sea 3 days. That's when some time management can help, if you are one that always has to be doing something. Spread out those activities and always be building events for future days. My goal is to have soemthing different to do on the days I have at sea. That especially if you do not want to take my advise and get on the top deck early for the sea days. On the very top deck, there are always seats available, but they are all direct sun. I really wish the tanners would go up there rather than sit and tan by the pool. On the very top deck, you can see and hear the pool. You also get a bit more privacy.

Ok, real quick. Excursions. Lets talk about them for a minute. When you review an excursion. Look at the travel time. Folks are signing up for beach day and they travel more than they are on the beach. Often times, you can grab a taxi or walk to the events you are wanting to go to. Look at the total trip time and subtract breaks, driving time, time for everyone to consume a meal if included, and then look at what you are actually doing. Most of the activities such as jetski, parasailing and so forth may be worth the money just because you will need Disney support to schedule. Most CM's have been on at leat a few excursions, especially the excusion CS Staff.
 
We have done rebooking on the ship in the past but I have a few questions regarding your booking 3 cruises for around $400.

Do you only book for one person, not the entire family? Do you book the category you want?

Have you had problems adding people or changing categories if this is what you do?

We booked a dummy date on the last cruise but did do it for the category and # of people cruising.

Since we are going in about a month and looking to do a 2013 cruise any little bit helps.
 
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We have done rebooking on the ship in the past but I have a few questions regarding your booking 3 cruises for around $400.

Do you only book for one person, not the entire family? Do you book the category you want? yes only one person, you can add later. no, i do not book the right category, you can change the category also. The only stipulation is the person on the reservation must cruise to get the discounts.

Have you had problems adding people or changing categories if this is what you do? No problem

We booked a dummy date on the last cruise but did do it for the category and # of people cruising. great, you paid more of a deposit than me, that's the only difference.

Since we are going in about a month and looking to do a 2013 cruise any little bit helps.
Check with the reservationist on board, but the 10% and other discounts are for any future reservation or transfer.
 
We have done rebooking on the ship in the past but I have a few questions regarding your booking 3 cruises for around $400.

Do you only book for one person, not the entire family? Do you book the category you want?

Have you had problems adding people or changing categories if this is what you do?

We booked a dummy date on the last cruise but did do it for the category and # of people cruising.

Since we are going in about a month and looking to do a 2013 cruise any little bit helps.

To pay the least amount of deposit the onboard booking agent usually will just book you the lowest category on the shortest itinerary (if you plan on moving this booking in the future). If you know what you want for 2012 then they can book that actual cruise for you and you would pay the deposit based on that cruise cost amount. For example. We just booked onboard the Wonder for a cruise we plan on taking in 2013. Since those dates have not been released yet we just deposited for the lowest inside cabin on a 3 day cruise (our deposit was only $90 for two people). When the 2013 dates are released we will move that booking to a 7 day cruise in an oceanview and then pay any additional deposit required. If you booking a dummy date or also called a placeholder cruise....you can save on the deposit by just booking the minimum category and itinerary. You should have no trouble moving it to the date and category you want later on as long as you are not on the penalty phase.

Be careful about booking only 1 or 2 people in a cabin on a placeholder cruise and wanting to add more people later...sometimes lifeboat capacity or kids club capacity will already be reached by the time you want to add people and then it can't be done. I always advise to book for the amount of people you will be cruising with.

MJ
 
We have done rebooking on the ship in the past but I have a few questions regarding your booking 3 cruises for around $400.

Do you only book for one person, not the entire family? Do you book the category you want?

Have you had problems adding people or changing categories if this is what you do?

We booked a dummy date on the last cruise but did do it for the category and # of people cruising.

Since we are going in about a month and looking to do a 2013 cruise any little bit helps.

To pay the least amount of deposit the onboard booking agent usually will just book you the lowest category on the shortest itinerary (if you plan on moving this booking in the future). If you know what you want for 2012 then they can book that actual cruise for you and you would pay the deposit based on that cruise cost amount. For example. We just booked onboard the Wonder for a cruise we plan on taking in 2013. Since those dates have not been released yet we just deposited for the lowest inside cabin on a 3 day cruise (our deposit was only $90 for two people). When the 2013 dates are released we will move that booking to a 7 day cruise in an oceanview and then pay any additional deposit required. If you booking a dummy date or also called a placeholder cruise....you can save on the deposit by just booking the minimum category and itinerary. You should have no trouble moving it to the date and category you want later on as long as you are not on the penalty phase.

Be careful about booking only 1 or 2 people in a cabin on a placeholder cruise and wanting to add more people later...sometimes lifeboat capacity or kids club capacity will already be reached by the time you want to add people and then it can't be done. I always advise to book for the amount of people you will be cruising with.

MJ
Thanks! Great information, honored you are reading my blog! Let us know if you have any more thoughts!
 
Shows - All of the Disney shows are outstanding. They all are 1 hour long and most if not all shows are full. I recommend getting to the show 15-30 minutes early. Get there 30 minutes prior the first night for sure. And please, do not save seats! Bathroom break fine, but really....... There are drinks and snacks available as you enter the theater. They do charge for this and there are also CM inside the theater to ask you if they can get you something.

Non Disney Acts - My experience with the past 5 cruises is that the acts are hit and miss. Alot of them are comedy acts and they actually can be seen at other venues during the cruise. So, that might be a night to do Aquaduck or something else. Check your Navigator for alternate times and events and performance times for the missed acts. The Comedy acts are a little more family freindly during the Theater performance.

Movie Night - For longer crusies, there will be a first run moving in the main theater. Again, depending on how long the movie has been out will have a direct impact on number of seats filled. If you think, wow I really can't believe this is playing on ship, get there early. Otherwise 15 minutes prior should be adequate. There are also movies playing during the day and at the movie theater. There are also first run movies playing in this theater. Check your Navigator for schedule.

Customer Service - One of the very top reasons I only cruise Disney is due to the customer service from CM's. From the second you hit the port, I believe there is a different attitude of employee. IF you run into a CM that is not, notify someone immediately. However, these crew members are few and far between. Set clear your expectations up front and they will meet or exceed them.

Departation/Luggage Pick Up - The last night of the sailing you are required to have your luggage outside by about 10:30 pm. Please have it out there for the CM's. Not only do they have to gather it all up, they have to ensure that it is ready to go downstairs. Oh, and by the way, they don't get off the ship with you the next day. They must get the rooms ready for the next cruisers. By the way, your CM's work 12-15 days without a break. That for their entire 3,4, or 6 month contract. Some contracts are even longer. Anyway, departation is a bottleneck first thing in the morning. Usually around 0730 the ship starts allowing cruisers off the ship. Not only is there a long line getting off the ship, it backs up the luggage pickup and the parking/toll area. Not saying to still till 0900, but look at the 0815, 0830, 0840 times to be out of your rooms. Still gives the CM time to clean the rooms and allows the bulk of the passengers to get off the boat. Eat a nice breakfast and leave the ship between 0900-0930. At that point you will literally walk of the boat, gather you laggage quickly, speed through customs and off you go, WITHOUT the headache. Just saying.........

This is the end of my blog, at least for now. I will monitor daily to see if anyone has comments or questions. Looking forward to my next blog 1st part of October.



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