@Alaskan bound. I hope you can get past the issues of Disney IT and planning an expensive vacation. You would think lots of $ should = a wonderful experience.
The experience should come to fruition when you are spending time in Alaska. The cruise really is your floating, mobile room and board. And in this case, with Disney touches and entertainment.
It is very hard for a lot of cruisers - those starting and those with experience - to utilize outside vendors for excursions. But these same vendors are often the ones serving Disney. You can be sitting with your fellow cruisers, but having paid less money. And they won’t leave you by the road and rush the DCL guests back to the ship.
Figure out which sources you trust. TripAdvisor, Viator (those belong to same company), this forum, Cruise Critic… to get information about tours and tour vendors. There are a lot of companies that have been serving cruisers for a long time. I truly believe that a company won’t last long in these ports if they don’t have a good record. Read the reviews!
There are very few activities that won’t be available to you. They even have kiosks at the ports to pick up those last minute planners. (It helps if you know what an alternative activity / vendor would be acceptable at a port. Even ship excursions can be cancelled at the last minute - and it can be up to you to figure what to do.)
I agree with others that a later PAT is not a curse. I do not understand the desire to stand in a line with others who had to get on the boat early. It is exciting to be onboard, even after many cruises, but the first afternoon is not chock full of activities.
You can playin the pools. Wander around, checking out the ship. But the Wonder is not so big nor complicated that you won’t be able to navigate it quickly.
Security screening
Check-in
Boarding photos by photographers (themed with cruise info printed on it. Bypass if truly not interested.
Step aboard and be announced
Wonder where to go
Usually lunch - in one of the Main Dining Rooms (MDR) or Cabanas buffet (on the pool deck #9 aft). It will be open til nearly (or) 3 pm.
You are toting/ pulling around any carryon luggage you brought, until
Rooms ready ~ 2 pm. (if you board late, your room may be ready)
Room key (KTTW card) will be outside your cabin door in a zip- closed envelope.
Kids? There’s an Open House / Sign-Up sometime (we don’t travel with kids)
Spa Open House - they have a few treatment specials for boarding day. Other specials usually on port days, announced throughout the week. Drawing for gift at some point
The pool is usually open during lunch.
Muster Drill - everything closes. Everyone must report to designated location at specified time. Information for location is on the Disney app once at port / on ship. Letter designation for location is on your KTTW card and back of cabin door. You do not even take life jacket with you. Just show up with your room key and listen to instructions.
First dinner seating is often 5:45 or 6 pm. first showtime is about 15 minutes later. You can go to any show seating. No reservations. Usually not completely full.
There might be a free walking tour of the ship held before you can get to it.
(An Alaskan cruise is my favorite cruise. I have only done it on Disney once, in my early days of cruising, but several more times in other cruise lines.)
Excursions do get cancelled, mainly because of weather. If you can appreciate being in Alaska rather than anticipating / hanging your dreams on specific activities, it can go better for you. And weather is variable from day to day / week to week.
It is okay to vent here. Many of us have gone through what you are experiencing. But keep on cruising - and often with Disney. Some people find out they are not cruisers. Or not Disney cruisers. Or not colder-weather cruisers.
