New to DCL or cruises for that matter, any suggestions?

[amjrsj]

I am new to cruises, but think I did the right thing by making my first a DCL one! We sail in late March and will be on the Wonder. I hope by then all the dry dock issues (if there are any) have been resolved.

I booked via USAA travel site, and have a few questions. In the past I have always used Disney to book my park vacations. Do you log in to My Disney Experience for cruises? What do you need to plan on a cruise? Will the shows be easy enough to just walk into or do I need to make reservations?

We got second dinning shift, we have an 11 year old so I think I am fine with that. Should I know anything special about the dining room? Do we have choices?

I have searched the board but keep coming up with more questions. I guess if you have any advice you wish you knew before your first cruise that is what I would love to hear!

Thanks in advance, and I am so excited!

 

[Flossbolna]

You can use your My Disney Experience log in to log into the DCL website: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com

On the right hand side there is a tab "My Disney Cruise" and under there you have "My Reservations". Your reservation most likely is not there yet since you did not book through Disney directly, but there is a "Add reservation" button. You need your DCL confirmation number and your birthdate and with that you should be able to get your reservation. Once you are 75 days from your cruise you will be able to do online check in there and also reserve port adventures, adult dining, some character events and similar things.

You might also be able to change dining there if you want to. If main dining is already sold out for your cruise, you can call Disney and asked to be waitlisted. Or have your travel agent call them to do that (there are some things regarding the reservation that need to be done through the travel agent you used to book).

You will eat in all three main dining rooms. You will get a ticket in your stateroom indicating which day you will eat in which dining room, but there are also letters on your room key card (Key to the World like at WDW) that indicate the dining rooms. Not sure how it will work after the refurb since what is now Parrot Cay will be Tiana's Place. Currently it would be something TPATP or so. T for Triton's A for Animator's Pallet and P for Parrot Cay. If the new one starts with a T as well, that could be confusing, but I am sure by the time you sail in March, the DISboards will have it figured out!

 

[clten]

No, you can't link your cruises to My Disney Experience. You can access your reservation on the DCL website. You just need your 8 digit reservation number and a birthdate of someone booked on the reservation. There aren't a lot of moving parts of a cruise vacation like there are a WDW vacation so there is not a lot of planning for once you are onboard too far in advance. (If you look at your reservation, it will give you the date you can begin to book onboard activities and shore excursions -- for first time cruisers, that's usually 75 days before sailing.)

For shows, you don't need reservations. It is scheduled so you can see the show opposite your dining time. Since you said you had late dining, you would see the show early (around 6/6:15) and have dinner after. You just show up at the theater and find seats. If you really liked the show and want to skip the Main Dining Rooms, you can even see it at the late show time -- again just show up after doors open and find a seat. The same is true of most activities on board but there are a few exceptions and these are the things you can make reservations for 75 days before your sailing -- some Character meets (usually Princesses and Frozen), Character Breakfast (if your sailing has them), Spa. There are other activities that have a fee that you would have to sign up for once you are onboard (mostly Adult Beverage Seminars).

As far as dining choices, not sure what you are asking. You will be assigned a dining rotation (the restaurant you will have dinner in the first night and the order of the other restaurants you will eat in each of the following nights) and a dining table in that restaurant. Each night you will be at the same table number but in a different Main Dining room. For example you might start in Triton's and be in Animator's Palette the next night. Your serving team will be the same each night -- the rotate restaurants with you. Each night will be a different menu so if you are in the same restaurant twice on your cruise, you will have a different menu each time you are in there. Again, using Triton's as the example. One time you are in there, you will have Triton's signature menu. If you are in there a second night, that is typically a theme night (like Pirate Night) and all the restaurants will be serving the Pirate Night menu.

 

[lklgoodman]

Just wanted to mention we had a cruise booked with USAA and got a great photo package, given over $200 free photos taken by the ship's photographers. It's been over two yrs since our cruise, so don't know if USAA still offers this or not, but thought I'd mention it.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I am new to cruises, but think I did the right thing by making my first a DCL one! We sail in late March and will be on the Wonder. I hope by then all the dry dock issues (if there are any) have been resolved.

I booked via USAA travel site, and have a few questions. In the past I have always used Disney to book my park vacations. Do you log in to My Disney Experience for cruises? What do you need to plan on a cruise? Will the shows be easy enough to just walk into or do I need to make reservations?

We got second dinning shift, we have an 11 year old so I think I am fine with that. Should I know anything special about the dining room? Do we have choices?

I have searched the board but keep coming up with more questions. I guess if you have any advice you wish you knew before your first cruise that is what I would love to hear!

Thanks in advance, and I am so excited!

As noted you handle your cruise specifics directly on the DCL website, however you can access it via My Disney Experience.

If by "shows" you mean the production shows, there's no reservations for those, there are plenty of seats for everyone during the shows, as each one is done twice each night. They are run during the dinner seatings. If you have second seating for dinner, you will attend the show before eating. First seating attends the shows after dinner.

The dining rooms has been explained.

Just wanted to mention we had a cruise booked with USAA and got a great photo package, given over $200 free photos taken by the ship's photographers. It's been over two yrs since our cruise, so don't know if USAA still offers this or not, but thought I'd mention it.

USAA ended their relationship with DCL a couple of years ago. So, while you can still book through them, they offer no perks, like other Travel Agents might.

 

[amjrsj]

Thanks to everyone! I had no idea that you rotated dining rooms. Very good information provided! I feel so silly not knowing those things. I did compare several TA quotes and even with the on board credit USAA seemed the best price.

 

[DisneySunPrincess]

You will eat in all three main dining rooms. You will get a ticket in your stateroom indicating which day you will eat in which dining room, but there are also letters on your room key card (Key to the World like at WDW) that indicate the dining rooms. Not sure how it will work after the refurb since what is now Parrot Cay will be Tiana's Place. Currently it would be something TPATP or so. T for Triton's A for Animator's Pallet and P for Parrot Cay. If the new one starts with a T as well, that could be confusing, but I am sure by the time you sail in March, the DISboards will have it figured out!

If I were to guess....and that is all it is....since Triton's can't really be anything but 'T', my guts says they will keep the same dining rotation alphabet and the 'P' will stand for "Place" in Tiana's Place. Just a shot in the dark.

 

[Luvmypetz]

(If you look at your reservation, it will give you the date you can begin to book onboard activities and shore excursions -- for first time cruisers, that's usually 75 days before sailing.)
The same is true of most activities on board but there are a few exceptions and these are the things you can make reservations for 75 days before your sailing -- some Character meets (usually Princesses and Frozen), Character Breakfast (if your sailing has them), Spa. There are other activities that have a fee that you would have to sign up for once you are onboard (mostly Adult Beverage Seminars).

.

Is there a charge for character breakfasts? Only been on short 3 day so off ship more than on. Next cruise is 5 day but not sure it's worth a charge for me. TIA

 

[DisneySunPrincess]

Is there a charge for character breakfasts? Only been on short 3 day so off ship more than on. Next cruise is 5 day but not sure it's worth a charge for me. TIA

No, they don't charge for the character breakfast. You do, however, have to get "tickets" for it. But there is no cost.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Is there a charge for character breakfasts? Only been on short 3 day so off ship more than on. Next cruise is 5 day but not sure it's worth a charge for me. TIA

No, they don't charge for the character breakfast. You do, however, have to get "tickets" for it. But there is no cost.

As noted, there's no charge for the Character Breakfast. But it's only on cruises of 7 nights and longer.

For those cruises that have the Character Breakfast, you can pre-book them now during your online checkin/excursion booking process when your window opens.