Guest Services:
1. Bring pillow cases, photo mat, t-shirts, caps, aprons, vinylmations or anything else you can think of to GS on the first night. They will return it to your stateroom on the last night signed by all the characters on the ship, or if you request just the Fab 5 (or 6) or just the Princesses. The Dream restricts the number of items to 2 per stateroom. For photo mats you can use a sticker or sticky note for photo orientation. Put your item(s) in a zip lock baggie with different colored fabric markers, leave out the yellow marker. Prewash the pillowcases, t-shirts, etc.
2. You can get free single use amounts of ibuprofen, Tylenol, Band-Aids, at GS, bonine at the medical center, etc.
3. Request a wake-up call. It's Mickey Mouse who will call you. When you answer, hit the speaker phone button so your entire cabin can hear.
Gratuities:
1. Remember to bring one dollar bills to tip the folks who deliver your room service orders, as well as porters, cab/bus drivers, etc.
2. Pay basic gratuities as early as possible. They can be paid when you pay for your reservation, any time up to three days prior to your departure through
DCL (or via your TA) or at any time on the cruise through Guest Services. You can add to the gratuities to recognize the exemplary service and also fill in guest comment cards as well.
Room Service:
1. Order the fruit and cheese plate from room service before dinner.
2. You can get Mickey bars at anytime from room service and in the dining rooms as dessert after lunch and dinner!
3. Order cookies and milk before bed.
4. Order coffee the last thing before bedtime on the last night of the cruise so you have coffee in the stateroom the next morning (when you can't order room service). It stays warm in the insulated carafe. You can also order a couple of fruit bowls and some cereals on the last night. The cereals are sealed and the milk is in cartons. Fruit and milk go in your Stateroom refrigerator.
Dining Room:
1. Get your pirate night menu signed by your head server, food server, and drink server. Plus some of the menus are so beautiful you may wish to have them framed as art.
2. If you will not be at dinner one evening be sure to tell your wait staff as they will try to serve the entire table at the same time.
3. If you are a "foodie", tell your head waiter and ask for recipes.
Stateroom:
1. Bring some clothespins. They are great for hanging up swimsuits, etc.
2. Bring some Lysol or other "fragrant spray" for the bathroom.
3. Bring an inexpensive hanging shoe rack; use the pockets for tanning oil, cameras, etc.
4. Bring a small flashlight.
5. Magnets only for the doors, no tape, poster stick, etc.
Adult Areas on the Ship:
1. In the evening, snacks are available in the adult areas outside the bars.
2. The pastry in the Cove Café is free!
Other tips:
1. Shower/shave for DH at the locker room, while the rest of the family is getting ready in the Stateroom.
2. Make sure there is contact info on your memory cards just in case you drop them. One easy thing to do is to take a picture of your name and address as your first picture just in case.
3. Check with your cell phone company before your trip to find out if your phone will work in your ports of call and if you are going out of the country make sure you know how to place a call if you need to. Also, ask about what setting your phone should be on so you can use some of its features without paying international fees.
4. Take a photo of your luggage on your cell/smart phone before you depart. If it is misplaced a photo will make it easier to locate.
5. You can bring your own cups for the beverage stations (Deck 11), but use DCL cups to fill it.
6. Coke Float. Why not put some ice cream in the bottom of a coke cup and then top up at the drinks station?
7. Bring prepackaged snacks (candy/chips) to enjoy during the onboard entertainment (packaged goodies can be expensive on the ship).
8. If you don't ask, you don't get. If you have a special event happening in your family, and would like something special - ask! They might say yes, they might say no - but if you don't ask, you don't get.
how did you find out? Email?
