Prepping for First Cruise!

[katiec786]

Hello!

My new husband and I are cruising on the Wonder in May to Alaska for our honeymoon, and now the wedding is over I am in full planning mode. We’ve agreed on our desired excursions and started booking some 3rd party, but there are a few things I’m still trying to wrap my head around and would love some tips:

- Palo. We’d love to try and go for both Brunch and Dinner if we can manage it, but as first time cruisers I know that brunch especially might not be available. As its a 7 night cruise am I right in thinking that we’ll hit each rotational dining option twice (and one a 3rd time) so we don’t have to worry too much about missing out on something when we book Palo for dinner?
- How do we know when special events like Pirate Night are happening on our cruise? Do the Alaska cruises even have a Pirate Night? Or is it Frozen?

We are booking our Juneau and Ketchikan excursions via 3rd parties which have come previously recommended (Helicopter/Dog Sledding and Seaplane over Misty Fjords) and will book our Glacier Viewing and White Pass Railroad via Disney when our window opens, but if anyone has any ‘must do’s’ in any of our ports we are happy for suggestions!

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

- Palo. We’d love to try and go for both Brunch and Dinner if we can manage it, but as first time cruisers I know that brunch especially might not be available. As its a 7 night cruise am I right in thinking that we’ll hit each rotational dining option twice (and one a 3rd time) so we don’t have to worry too much about missing out on something when we book Palo for dinner?

For a seven night, you'll get first and second night menus in both restaurants, as well as a Frozen night menu. So, if you do Palo dinner, you will miss one of those.

- How do we know when special events like Pirate Night are happening on our cruise? Do the Alaska cruises even have a Pirate Night? Or is it Frozen?

For Pirate Night, you can tell because that's the night that bibbidi bobbidi offers pirate makeovers. Once the app opens for onboard/excursion bookings, that's where you can see which night it is. But, Alaska is Frozen, not Pirate, so I don't know if there's a comparable Frozen-only experience that's pre-bookable that is the clue in Alaska. Someone else will have to chime in here.

I'd strongly recommend checking out Disney Cruise Line Blog to any first timer. People will submit their Personal Navigators from prior cruises so that you can look over what menus, shows, activities were offered. Obviously, past cruises aren't a guarantee of future offerings, but they are often very similar. It looks like he's got a least one seven night on the Wonder loaded from this summer that you can peruse.

 

[holula]

The Wonder has four evening shows - two in Tiana’s and two in Animator’s. The only nights with no dinner entertainment would be in Triton’s (the first night is my favourite menu though!) and the Frozen evening. Like the pp said every night will have a different menu in the rotational dining restaurants.

I did dinner in Palo on my first cruise (which was also Alaska) but there was only one dinner show back then. I’d want to see the dinner shows for my first cruise.

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

Congratulations! If you can’t get brunch and don’t want to miss dinner, you can eat some of the offerings, like the pizza (not sure what else), from the bar. Our server said very few people do this so there’s often plenty of seating.

 

[cruisehopeful]

If you can't book Palo brunch ahead of time, go to the dining requests pop up after you board. It'll either be in a lounge or in a dining room. You can request it there. I've always been able to get it when doing that.

 

[asgur5]

If you arent taking disney transportation to the port then makesure you are ready to go a month out at midnight to book the earliest possible port arrival window.

Then once you are on the ship go straight to the restaurant booking section to book palo brunch and dinner. You have a good chance with a 7 day cruise of getting palo this way if you are efficient. Probably wont be able to on the app as those bookings will be gone by the time they open them for first time cruisers.

Also, once you get on the ship (actually just before you get on the ship) go onto the app and you will see what days you have been allocated each restaurant. For palo dinner try to book on either triton restaurant nights or pirate night. Dont want to miss tianas and animators dinner shows.

If you dont have kids palos is a must and both dinner and brunch are very different. Service in palos is amazing. Make you feel like you are on your honeymoon

 

[katiec786]

Thank you all!
Great shout on the DCL Blog, I looked at various previous navigators and it looks like nights 1 2 and 4 are generally the better options to try and book Palo dinner, but given that we won’t really know what we’re missing I think we’re happy to take what we can get lol.
When our booking window opens it will be 5am London time which is gonna hurt but hopefully we can snag something. Cannot wait!