Never cruised...please help?!

[torres_fan]

Hi Everyone,

Myself, my husband, 4 year old son and my parents are looking at doing our first Disney cruise.
Firstly we haven’t booked yet and the first bit of advice is where is the best place to book?

We are looking at doing the cruise from Southampton on 25th August 2019 - the Norwegian Fjords.
We live in the U.K. and so far have prices from Vigin but they seems so expensive.

So what do I need to be doing and any tips or need to know things.

My little boy will be 5 by the time we go and he loves Mickey and toy story.

Thank you all

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi Everyone,

Myself, my husband, 4 year old son and my parents are looking at doing our first Disney cruise.
Firstly we haven’t booked yet and the first bit of advice is where is the best place to book?

We are looking at doing the cruise from Southampton on 25th August 2019 - the Norwegian Fjords.
We live in the U.K. and so far have prices from Vigin but they seems so expensive.

So what do I need to be doing and any tips or need to know things.

My little boy will be 5 by the time we go and he loves Mickey and toy story.

Thank you all

As a first time cruiser, you'll probably do best by using a Travel Agent. They can answer all sorts of questions and, sometimes, you can get added perks for using one.

I prefer to book directly, but have, on occasion, used a TA.

As to suggestions/tips - just look through the various threads here and get a good idea of what to do/know. Oce you've got a specific question that you haven't had answered, ask here. Lots of people here happy to help.

 

[Geomom]

I check the prices/stateroom availability on the Disney Cruise Line website first, and then I book with a travel agent who gives on board credit (OBC). We're in the US and use Dreams Unlimited who is a sponsor of these boards. The cheapest prices are during the first week or two of when the itineraries have been released. I believe the ones you're looking at were released in March, so the prices have been rising ever since then...and will continue to rise.

Think about the type of stateroom you'd be willing to book. For the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder, the verandah rooms can cost thousands more than oceanview rooms, and inside rooms generally cost less than oceanview. For us, DD18 and I are a bit claustrophobic--so we need an oceanview as we feel better just being able to look outside. We've done 2 Disney cruises in a deck 2 oceanview (2116 and 2108) and have been very happy with them! Deck 2 (and above) have 1 very large porthole. Deck 1 has 2 small portholes. If we want to spend time outside, the deck 4 promenade is only 2 decks away, and a quick elevator ride will get you up to decks 9/10.

Best of luck with your decision! We've loved our 2 Disney cruises--Alaska and Northern European (Baltic Sea). Yes, it costs more than other cruise lines, but for us we weren't 'cruise' people, it was the Disney aspect that got us to book as we love all things Disney, and the itineraries were interesting to us.

 

[MomOTwins]

Definitely check out the Disney Cruise Line website. Once you find the cruise you want in the booking page, it has an interactive map of the ship where you can first browse by room type (interior, ocean view, verandah etc.), and then ship location, to get a better sense of what the exact price ranges are. The cruise you chose is definitely among the more expensive ones. If you can be flexible on the dates, I noticed that it is a LOT less expensive on the September 1 Norwegian cruise from Dover.

 

[torres_fan]

Thank you for all your replies. I have looked at the Disney cruise website and got a good idea on prices just wasn’t sure if there were better websites to book through?

My parents will get a balcony room but we will just get the cheapest possible as apart from sleeping won’t be doing much in the room.

I did look at the September ones but my little boy will start back to school that week and I don’t really want him missing the first day of the new school year.

So we will book this week and then what is there to do after this? I really have no clue how things work. Do you have to book things? Can you meet the characters? Can you dine with any characters? How does dining work do you book? Do you get 3 meals a day?

I don’t know where to look for for the kind of basic info?

Thanks so much for all information so far you guys have been great x

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thank you for all your replies. I have looked at the Disney cruise website and got a good idea on prices just wasn’t sure if there were better websites to book through?

My parents will get a balcony room but we will just get the cheapest possible as apart from sleeping won’t be doing much in the room.

I did look at the September ones but my little boy will start back to school that week and I don’t really want him missing the first day of the new school year.

So we will book this week and then what is there to do after this? I really have no clue how things work. Do you have to book things? Can you meet the characters? Can you dine with any characters? How does dining work do you book? Do you get 3 meals a day?

I don’t know where to look for for the kind of basic info?

Thanks so much for all information so far you guys have been great x

All these, and more, questions are covered in the many other threads here on the board.

You could look into an inside room across the hall from your parent's verandah, if you want to be that close. That would be the cheapest option.

After you book, not much to do except research what's available to do/see - excursions, activities, adult dining all require reservations, but you can't do those until your activity booking window opens at 75 days prior to cruise.

There are character meet & greets onboard, some you can prebook when you activity booking window opens, others are just line up to see the characters (those will be listed in the daily Navigator as to location/time for each).

Only character dining is the Character breakfast (only available on cruises of at least 7 nights), or the Royal Tea (extra cost for that one)

There are 3 Main Dining Rooms onboard the ship. You will be assigned to a specific order (rotation) to dine in those.

There are breakfast hours, lunch, and dinner (assigned seating). The buffet is available for breakfast & lunch, and as a sit-down table service for dinner. There's typically a main dining room available for breakfast and lunch (sit down table service) besides the buffet.

 

[Geomom]

Thank you for all your replies. I have looked at the Disney cruise website and got a good idea on prices just wasn’t sure if there were better websites to book through?

My parents will get a balcony room but we will just get the cheapest possible as apart from sleeping won’t be doing much in the room.

I did look at the September ones but my little boy will start back to school that week and I don’t really want him missing the first day of the new school year.

So we will book this week and then what is there to do after this? I really have no clue how things work. Do you have to book things? Can you meet the characters? Can you dine with any characters? How does dining work do you book? Do you get 3 meals a day?

I don’t know where to look for for the kind of basic info?

Thanks so much for all information so far you guys have been great x

There won't be any cheaper places to book--the Disney prices are what they are, but some travel agents can give you on board credit (free money to spend on the ship), or some other freebies--but the cost of the cruise will be the same.

When you book, you should try to book the dinner seating you'd prefer--main (6PM) or late (8:30PM)--if the one you want is already full, ask to go on the waitlist. At the opposite time from your dinner, you could go to the nightly theater show if you wish. Disney has it so that you rotate through 3 main dining rooms with the same waitstaff. Each night will have a different menu. You can order as much or as little as you'd like--it's all included. And really...you can eat as often as you want on a cruise--all day long. There is 1 sit down restaurant open for breakfast and lunch, the buffet is open for both, and there are multiple food stations (salads/sandwiches/fruit/burgers/chicken nuggets/fries/pizza/shawarma/soft serve ice cream, etc.) open up on the pool deck pretty much all day--the hours are listed in the daily personal navigator. Room service is also free for most items, but you should tip the delivery person.

Take at look at www.disneycruiselineblog.com for lots of information on Disney cruises, it is an unofficial blog. There are personal navigator's listed from previous cruises--so you can see the types of activities offered during the day/night. He also has lots of menus listed on his website.

At 75 days before your cruise, you'll have online check-in. At that point you pick your port arrival time, can book disney port adventures, can book the free character breakfast (Europe usually has Mickey/Minnie/Goofy attending), and can book free tickets for 2 of the character meet and greets--Princess Gathering and Frozen. There are plenty of other characters meeting daily--some are listed in the daily guide, and you just get in line to meet them. Some characters are just wandering around the ship, and you'll see them that way! (You can also book the upcharge adult (18+ only) restaurant Palo for brunch or dinner or book beverage tastings ($).)

Standard gratuities--since you've never cruised--at the end of the cruise, they'll add gratuities to your onboard account--$12/person/day--so for a family of 3 that is $36/day. The $12 is broken down as $4 for the stateroom host, $4 for the server, $3 for the assistant server, and $1 for the head server. While they're stated as 'optional', theses gratuities are the industry standard--and most servers/stateroom hosts aren't paid that well and rely upon tips.

Enjoy your cruise! DD18 would love to do a Norway cruise, the timing hasn't worked for us yet!

 

[torres_fan]

Wow these threads move quickly.

I’ve found some prices and will see if my TA can match when I go in next week.

Thank you for all the information it’s so daunting when you haven’t done it before. One of the ladies I spoke to for a quote was telling me about sail away parties and pirate parties and even this is all new to me. So very different from going to the parks.

Are you given times to get in the ship? Also what does it mean when I’ve read threads about being platinum, or gold or silver etc?

I’m worried as this is our first the things like breakfast with the characters and meet and greets and other activities will be gone by the time we get to book.

Thanks again for all your help. x

 

[TiggerBouncy]

I’ve found some prices and will see if my TA can match when I go in next week.

If a TA gives you a base price that is more than you find on the Disney website, walk away. They should be giving you the same price (match). The TA gets paid by Disney and should not be charging you anything. (shore excursions, Palo / Remy, Spa and a few other things will cost a little extra).

Thank you for all the information it’s so daunting when you haven’t done it before. One of the ladies I spoke to for a quote was telling me about sail away parties and pirate parties and even this is all new to me. So very different from going to the parks.

True, but there is actually a lot less to plan in advance for a ship than the parks. You will have lots of time to figure things out after you book. For now, worry about the itinerary, ship and cabin. Also:
Any interest in holiday cruises (there are 2: Christmas and Halloween).
Any interest in specialty cruises - Marvel Day at Sea, Star Wars day at Sea.

Then you have time before your activity planning date to think about and plan shore excursions and on-ship activities.

Besides the pirate party and going away party, there are lots of other fun activities. Remember "there's more to see than can ever be seen, More to do than can ever be done". (Movie reference?)

Are you given times to get in the ship?

General boarding usually begins around noon or so (depending) and you must be on the ship by 4pm or you will be watching it leave. If you plan to fly in, I recommend you fly in the night before and stay locally. More than one family has missed a cruise because of a late flight. When you actually get on the ship depends on when you arrive at port. You will be given a boarding sequence number when you check in. they go quickly.

Also what does it mean when I’ve read threads about being platinum, or gold or silver etc?

That is referring to the Castaway Club. You need to nothing to join other than board a ship! When you have completed your first cruise, you are automatically a silver member!
You will be promoted to gold after you complete your 5th cruise and platinum after your 10th.
Look here for the benefits of each level
hhttps://disneycruise.disney.go.com/castaway-club/membership-benefits/

I’m worried as this is our first the things like breakfast with the characters and meet and greets and other activities will be gone by the time we get to book.

remember to sign up for onboard activities as soon as you are able. Remember as well that you can usually sign up for many of these activities as soon as you board the ship too (they reserve slots for people to book on board).

 

[Geomom]

Wow these threads move quickly.

I’ve found some prices and will see if my TA can match when I go in next week.

Thank you for all the information it’s so daunting when you haven’t done it before. One of the ladies I spoke to for a quote was telling me about sail away parties and pirate parties and even this is all new to me. So very different from going to the parks.

Are you given times to get in the ship? Also what does it mean when I’ve read threads about being platinum, or gold or silver etc?

I’m worried as this is our first the things like breakfast with the characters and meet and greets and other activities will be gone by the time we get to book.

Thanks again for all your help. x

For a Norwegian Fjords cruise there will not be a pirate party, they will have a Frozen Deck party instead--they're not allowed to do fireworks in any of the Northern cruises--Alaska, Baltic, Norwegian Fjords, British Isles, etc. Yes, you will have a Sail away party. They have a variety of activities during the cruise. On a 7 nt cruise, day 2 usually has the 'Captains reception' in the atrium before each dinner time--free alcoholic drinks! On the 7 nt cruise there is usually a formal and semi formal night, the rest is 'cruise casual'...which for us pretty much meant wearing whatever we had on in port (if it was still clean!) The formal/semi formal are optional, most people will at least dress up a little--most people are NOT wearing tuxes/ballgowns. 2 of the main dining rooms have shows going on while you dine--which we really loved!

When you do online checkin at 75 days out, you'll pick a PAT (port arrival time), when you checkin at port, you'll be given a boarding group--our first cruise we had boarding group 13, the second one was group 7--once they start boarding it goes by pretty quickly--generally you should be on the ship by 1PM--they have a sit down lunch in Lumieres and buffet in Cabanas, (and all the pool deck food counters are open.) Note that you HAVE to be on the ship by 4PM.

I don't think you'll have an issue getting a character breakfast, as long as you book it at 75 days out when you can. If you wanted a Palo reservation, spa treatments, or beverage tastings--the online spots might be filled up before you checkin. I've heard that they do reserve spots to book when you get on the ship though, either guest services or wherever it's recommended in the personal navigator you'll receive at checkin. Also, an August 25th cruise is too late for most US families--kids are either in school already, or would be starting school soon, so I think you'll find that the ship won't have as many families as a July cruise would.

Yes, it's completely different from the parks. The ship is your hotel/restaurant/transportation/entertainment. We've loved unpacking once and exploring new ports every day and coming back to the ship for dinner/show/entertainment! I will say that the Disney 'magic' is greater on the ship than the parks--a lot more spontaneous interaction with characters. Read a few trip reports for the Magic--definitely some Norway ones if you find any, but any of the European ones would probably be good for you to look at. We did the Northern European (Baltic) one this summer--there's a link to my trip report in my signature.

 

[FSU Girl]

Make sure your reservation and your parents reservation are linked so you'll be at the same table for dinner. Until your booking window opens there won't be much to do. Everyone above gave great advice.