Things no one told me before my 1st Disney Cruise

[RedSox68]

LOL, I get why they do it on cruises with kiddos and the pull down bunks. For safety issues they need to set it up and it's nice not to have to put the beds together for the kiddos at night. It's not something I would specifically request. You can ask your stateroom host not to do turn down service if you really don't like it that much though. They are still required to use the key to get the bunk down if needed though.

We do this when my daughter is sailing with us -- we ask the room steward not to turn the couch over for sleeping as we like to sit on it after dinner and watch TV. They always show her how to do it and she takes care of it when she's ready. Plus, on some cruise lines once you pull the couch out, it blocks the verandah door.

 

[cadien]

The trouble with turndown service on a cruise is that then your kid expects towel animals in hotels...

Getting the next day's itinerary is appreciated. In a hotel, I don't see the point at all.

 

[RedSox68]

The trouble with turndown service on a cruise is that then your kid expects towel animals in hotels...

Getting the next day's itinerary is appreciated. In a hotel, I don't see the point at all.

I do love having time to look over the Navigator for the next day.

 

[ILoveMyKellen]

I'm curious how old the OP is...I have never had a server cut or offer to cut my food...only my 4 year olds food.

My husband is 48 and the head sever cut his food up for him. Made my husband uncomfortable but it cracked me up when I saw what was happening. Only strange thing in an otherwise glorious trip.

 

[Doofenshmirtz513]

There are a lot of those "service things" (be it on a cruise or at a hotel) that people seem to like that I just don't get, nor do I need or want. Tops on the list...turn-down service. Why is that even a thing? Would people struggle to figure out how to get in bed without it?

Turn down service isn't just about turning down the bed. It's essentially a second service of the room, whether that means clearing out items from earlier in the day (such as room service plates), closing the blackout curtains in hotels, filling in the ice bucket, removing decorative pillows from the bed, setting out a breakfast menu to hang on the door, replacing towels, turning on soft music, putting out chocolates, etc. It's luxurious because the cruise ship or hotel has had room attendants come by another time to do something beyond the minimum.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

Turn down service isn't just about turning down the bed. It's essentially a second service of the room, whether that means clearing out items from earlier in the day (such as room service plates), closing the blackout curtains in hotels, filling in the ice bucket, removing decorative pillows from the bed, setting out a breakfast menu to hang on the door, replacing towels, turning on soft music, putting out chocolates, etc. It's luxurious because the cruise ship or hotel has had room attendants come by another time to do something beyond the minimum.

This! The turned down bed, and the towel animal, are like the visual sign that your cabin steward has been there for the second time. Service twice a day! We felt so pampered. A cruise is so much different than a normal hotel stay. We went back to the room several times a day because it was so close by. No need to pack "a days worth of everything" when you leave the room in the morning. Or indeed even for everyone to leave the room at once, like in a normal hotel situation. Plus we had a verandah, so the room itself was an attraction. The second service gave us another chance to talk to or leave messages for our steward too. We requested wine glasses on the second day. He brought 4 shrink wrapped onto plates, removed them as we used them, and later in the trip we asked him for more. Also, since room service is included, we used it WAY more than in a normal hotel room. If we left some empty trays in our room, he would always clear them. Last thing: the cabin stewards were so friendly. They talked to you, said hello in the halls, etc. It didn't feel that they were just cleaning your room. They were there to help you enjoy your vacation, like all the CMs on the ship.

 

[RoseSanti]

I'm curious how old the OP is...I have never had a server cut or offer to cut my food...only my 4 year olds food.

At first I only thought they did this for kids too. Until one night I had trouble cutting something I had ordered. As another poster had mentioned the "steak knives" they give you are more like butter knives. My husband was picking on me (inside joke between us) and the head server took notice and offered to cut my food for me. I was to embarrassed to say anything but my husband politely declined for me and asked to have "that butter knife" replaced with a "proper steak knife". I was really happy to see that he brought me back an actual steak knife with a serrated blade, something that will actually cut.