Planning a surprise cruise

[FSU Girl]

Do any emails go to your wife or they only go to you since you’re the one who booked it? I love doing surprise trips for my husband. Haven’t done that with a cruise yet

 

[gammo]

Do any emails go to your wife or they only go to you since you’re the one who booked it? I love doing surprise trips for my husband. Haven’t done that with a cruise yet

I've checked each time and have been told that only myself will receive notifications as there are no other details, bar my own, on the booking.

I've also asked if DW would receive any notifications re CC level changing and that to was a no.

Hopefully nothing will be added to the WDR booking re the ground transfer - to double check, I'll be approaching the guest service desk first before she checks us all in.

As I've highlighted above, it's the documentation I need to try and grab first before she sees it - this is where our Ring doorbell will come in handy so I can see if anyone has posted anything

 

[CM Dad]

I've also asked if DW would receive any notifications re CC level changing and that to was a no.

CC level wouldn't change since that doesn't happen until after you complete your cruise

 

[CM Dad]

What a great surprise! How many people does the WD Suite sleep? If all of your family couldn’t fit, that’s hard to decide who gets bumped.

The Royal suites on the classic ships can sleep 7. We only had 3 booked in ours (Me, my wife and our 26 yo son). Our family traveling party was 15 people, so I had booked 3 verandah rooms for the remainder. 2 Families of 5, and one couple.

Our suite also stored the strollers for the youngest in each family. Took all the adults (minus our son who had no interest) to dinner at Palo. The son babysat all the grandkids in our suite while we had re. That worked out OK until the 3 month old was crying and he could not comfort her enough. Called us on the wave phone, and my daughter ended up going back to the room. Palo did send her dinner back to the room with her.

 

[gammo]

Update.
We are now all booked (although 3 out of 4 of us still has no idea ) and fully paid off. Ground travel from the WDW Resort has been arranged and paid for as has the onboard gratuities in advance. Travel insurance for the cruise has also been paid for as non US bookings are no longer covered by the VPP.

I've indicated that the booking is for a birthday celebration (although there's nowhere to note it's for a 50th birthday) so I guess I'll head to guest services once on board to leave more details.

So, what else do I need to do/complete/print off from this point? I've got pictures of everyone's passport, ESTA, and a headshot picture of each person (different picture to the one in the passports). Am I able to begin loading documents or am I still too far out?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[RedHead0186]

Update.
We are now all booked (although 3 out of 4 of us still has no idea ) and fully paid off. Ground travel from the WDW Resort has been arranged and paid for as has the onboard gratuities in advance. Travel insurance for the cruise has also been paid for as non US bookings are no longer covered by the VPP.

I've indicated that the booking is for a birthday celebration (although there's nowhere to note it's for a 50th birthday) so I guess I'll head to guest services once on board to leave more details.

So, what else do I need to do/complete/print off from this point? I've got pictures of everyone's passport, ESTA, and a headshot picture of each person (different picture to the one in the passports). Am I able to begin loading documents or am I still too far out?

Many thanks in advance.

You're not cruising until next summer, so way too early to upload anything. (Technically the headshot photos are supposed to be within 6 months, but I know people that reuse old ones with little issue). You'll be able to do online check in at 33 days out from sailing (you said you'd done a staycation cruise on DCL, so I'm assuming you're a silver castaway club member-online check in is tied to your CC status).

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

It’s only during online check in that you can upload any documents and photos.

If you’re looking for more to do, (more money to spend) you could go on DCL’s home page and look under the tab Already Booked. From there, look under Onboard Gifts. There are so many things to choose. You could have the cabin decorated with a Happy Birthday theme. It will be there when you first enter the cabin. These can be brought home post cruise. If you prefer something simple or not so flashy, you could pre-order a bottle of wine, sparkling wine, or champagne, with or without chocolates.

I believe these can be added up to 3 days prior to sailing.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Keep in mind, the chocolates are “Disney chocolates”.
That might be a huge disappointment coming from Europe.

 

[Moonspinner]

Update.
We are now all booked (although 3 out of 4 of us still has no idea ) and fully paid off. Ground travel from the WDW Resort has been arranged and paid for as has the onboard gratuities in advance. Travel insurance for the cruise has also been paid for as non US bookings are no longer covered by the VPP.

I've indicated that the booking is for a birthday celebration (although there's nowhere to note it's for a 50th birthday) so I guess I'll head to guest services once on board to leave more details.

So, what else do I need to do/complete/print off from this point? I've got pictures of everyone's passport, ESTA, and a headshot picture of each person (different picture to the one in the passports). Am I able to begin loading documents or am I still too far out?

Many thanks in advance.

It’s only during online check in that you can upload any documents and photos.

If you’re looking for more to do, (more money to spend) you could go on DCL’s home page and look under the tab Already Booked. From there, look under Onboard Gifts. There are so many things to choose. You could have the cabin decorated with a Happy Birthday theme. It will be there when you first enter the cabin. These can be brought home post cruise. If you prefer something simple or not so flashy, you could pre-order a bottle of wine, sparkling wine, or champagne, with or without chocolates.

I believe these can be added up to 3 days prior to sailing.

Get the birthday decorations in onboard gifts!! We got it for our teen son and he loved it. We thought he would think it was silly, but he really loved it. It looked great in the room and is all set up when you open the door.

 

[gammo]

Get the birthday decorations in onboard gifts!! We got it for our teen son and he loved it. We thought he would think it was silly, but he really loved it. It looked great in the room and is all set up when you open the door.

Went ahead and added the birthday package to the room I had to do it over the phone because for some reason, when I logged into my reservation and tried to add this to my booking, it said that my reservation couldn't be found (even though I was already in it ).

 

[gammo]

I've now added to photo package to my booking and it states that pictures are taken entering the ship. Do the photographers get the info of who has a photo package by their PAT?

Only wondering because I know you have to abide by your alloted PAT but we are using the resorts cruise line transfer so there's a chance we would be earlier than our PAT (and I've read that using that transfer may allow you to board before your PAT). If we did board earlier, would we still be captured by a photographer?

I know this might seem like a little bit of 'panic' but I just want to make sure that the boarding reaction by my DW is captured.

 

[RedHead0186]

I've now added to photo package to my booking and it states that pictures are taken entering the ship. Do the photographers get the info of who has a photo package by their PAT?

Only wondering because I know you have to abide by your alloted PAT but we are using the resorts cruise line transfer so there's a chance we would be earlier than our PAT (and I've read that using that transfer may allow you to board before your PAT). If we did board earlier, would we still be captured by a photographer?

I know this might seem like a little bit of 'panic' but I just want to make sure that the boarding reaction by my DW is captured.

You'll give them your stateroom number.

To clarify, lots of people will have the same PAT as you, it's not a unique identifier. PAT is also different than Boarding Group. PAT is the time you can arrive at the terminal, Boarding Group is the group you board the ship with. If you're arriving via DCL transportation, you won't have to worry about your PAT, as you'll be allowed in the terminal whenever you arrive. You will have to wait to board when your Boarding Group is called, you don't get to skip that.

 

[Mommb]

I've now added to photo package to my booking and it states that pictures are taken entering the ship. Do the photographers get the info of who has a photo package by their PAT?

Everyone boarding the ship will have the opportunity to have photos taken, whether or not they have a photo package. You will give your stateroom number to the photographer, which links the photos to your room and to a photo package if you have one.

 

[gammo]

Thank you for your replies. Apologies for the multiple questions (never planned anything this big or exciting before so I'm buzzing).

Once everything is completed regarding the online check in process, how soon do you receive your documentation and how? Wondering as we will be travelling to WDW two weeks prior to the cruise date so we won't be home should any documents be sent there.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Once everything is completed regarding the online check in process, how soon do you receive your documentation and how? Wondering as we will be travelling to WDW two weeks prior to the cruise date so we won't be home should any documents be sent there.

First time cruisers do online check in at 30 days in advance.

You will get your Port Arrival document during check in. You need to save this on your phone or print it out, as you will need it on the day to board the ship. This document will tell you what time to arrive and your boarding group number.

Disney send out a cruise document with luggage tags approx 3 weeks in advance. This is just a basic overview of your cruise, names, ship name, cruise date and destinations etc. Disney also send printed luggage tags, which are similar to airline luggage tags. They will also have your details printed on them.

You put these luggage tags on your checked luggage on embarkation morning before you arrive at the cruise terminal.

However, do not worry if you do not get this letter and luggage tags form Disney. Its very common for it to arrive late and many people arrive at port with no luggage tags. Disney will have CM's at the port who have blank luggage tags and you just go to them before handing over your checked bags.

My luggage tags for my first cruise were waiting for me when I got home after the cruise.

 

[gammo]

First time cruisers do online check in at 30 days in advance.

You will get your Port Arrival document during check in. You need to save this on your phone or print it out, as you will need it on the day to board the ship. This document will tell you what time to arrive and your boarding group number.

Disney send out a cruise document with luggage tags approx 3 weeks in advance. This is just a basic overview of your cruise, names, ship name, cruise date and destinations etc. Disney also send printed luggage tags, which are similar to airline luggage tags. They will also have your details printed on them.

You put these luggage tags on your checked luggage on embarkation morning before you arrive at the cruise terminal.

However, do not worry if you do not get this letter and luggage tags form Disney. Its very common for it to arrive late and many people arrive at port with no luggage tags. Disney will have CM's at the port who have blank luggage tags and you just go to them before handing over your checked bags.

My luggage tags for my first cruise were waiting for me when I got home after the cruise.

That's great to know, thank you.

Hopefully they'll turn up earlier than we leave home purely because it would be great to have them to attach to the luggage at the resort as we will be using the Disney Cruise transfer bus (which I believe you have to leave outside your room fairly early on the morning of departure - although I'm not sure of that time).

All that would be left then is to tell the DW not to collect the mail from the postman/lady