Things no one told me before my 1st Disney Cruise

[LSUfan4444]

All the swimmers, boats, jet skis, etc definitely churn up all the sand on the bottom so it makes it harder to see what is there as well.

 

[bwvBound]

10. Next time I would save the snorkeling Lagoon on Cast Away Cay for last. We were so tired from it that we didn't enjoy the rest of our time on the island as much as we could have.

What were you surprised at after your first cruise?

Awww, sweet post! Love the review.

Disney Cruise Line's Magic was our first-ever cruise in Sept 1998. She was about 6 weeks old and "sold us!" on cruising. We've since enjoyed countless adventures on many cruise lines and are almost complete on our world-cruise-in-segments. We knocked out the South Pacific last fall with a 25-night cruise from our home port, San Diego, to Sydney, AU. So, I suppose my take-away from the first cruise: Cruising is highly addictive! Beyond that ...

• You will grow a fond attachment for your ship. You will need to take photos of the ship from every angle. If available, you will climb tall hills to get a better vantage point.
• From our second cruise, a 12-night Holy Lands itinerary on NCL's Norwegian Dream, Oct 1999: We loved that the ship allowed us to visit so many places without having to pack/unpack. Our hotel room travels with us. PERFECT.
• Also from that second cruise: The ship offered on-board lecture series! We enjoyed daily lectures about the people, history, culture, architecture, (etc) of each upcoming port. Awesome! We loved the lecture series and booked many NCL cruises influenced by this feature until it the lectures were either removed or watered down in our more recent cruises.

As for Castaway Cay - our Feb 2016 DCL Dream cruise taught us: If I'm going to be happy on Castaway Cay I must be BUSY: Start with the 5k Fun Run! Snorkel immediately following until lunch on the island. After lunch, return to the ship for the AquaDuck and then sauna time. This recipe made for a much better CC day than our prior visits.

Almost all of those things you appreciate = cruising in general. Once you realize that, the world of cruising is open to you (and so is saving money).

AGREED!

 

[MunFam]

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.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

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.

Well, since she said:
12. The outlets, switches, and knobs in the cabin took some figuring out. And the universal outlets threw me off until my husband told me how they worked.

I'm going to guess she's an adult, not a child.

I've read where this has happened on cruises where (usually) mom is busy with small kids (babies) the server will assist in getting the food cut so mom can eat it while hot.

 

[tlprice]

From our second cruise, a 12-night Holy Lands itinerary on NCL's Norwegian Dream, Oct 1999: We loved that the ship allowed us to visit so many places without having to pack/unpack. Our hotel room travels with us. PERFECT.

This! It is why I decided on a cruise to take my daughter on her first trip to Europe instead of doing it on our own. I LOVE that I can visit so many places and my room and luggage goes with me! I have been on land based tours and I hated that you had to pack up your suitcase almost every day and have it out at a certain time to be picked up. Then you had to get used to a new bed in a new hotel room almost every night (and NONE of them were as comfortable as DCL beds!)

 

[mevelandry]

1 to 4 and 6 is why I love cruising (on any cruise line) ...

No. 5 sucks but you have to do it. Bleh.

... and I agree with 8.

 

[mevelandry]

The napkin thing I deal with. Same with pushing in my chair. Seriously, why do servers do this? (I assume because many people like it, which I just don't get)

I think servers did this on the Carnival Victory as well... I think it's nice.

But cutting the food of an adult... hum. No. Just no.

 

[Wdwdreamer101]

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.

I am 22. It was a bit strange, but that is what our server did. I am a small woman, maybe he thought it would be easier for me. Made me feel special either way.

 

[Rabb it]

I thought the same thing about the shops not having a good variety of merch. Even on pirate night, they added some pirate costumed stuffed characters and they were the normal pirate dressed characters you can buy in the park at the Pirates of the Caribbean shop :/

 

[MunFam]

I am 22. It was a bit strange, but that is what our server did. I am a small woman, maybe he thought it would be easier for me. Made me feel special either way.

Well, that is awesome that they did it for you and you liked it. I would have died if someone tried to cut my food. I hope it is not a new "thing" to cut adult's food too (which is why I inquired about your age. There are a few tweens and teens that post here)

 

[FigmentSpark]

Guys! Really! Those steak knives on the ship are crappy! If the wait staff asks to cut my meat, my response will be 'against the grain would be nice. thank you'.

Actually, after two steak knives, our server offered to cut my 6' 14 year old's steak. In the end, he managed himself, but the knives are not that good. And then the CM was mortified that we were complaining about the knife, because he thought he was going to get in trouble and not have an 'excellent', because it's his job to choose the tools for dinner. We had to assure him that it would all be our little secret.

 

[swimfin]

Huh?

View attachment 237475

I LOVE this picture!

 

[swimfin]

View attachment 237563
Personally I live this one with the round stalls. It's in the adult bar area and I feel like the Star Trek bathroom would look like this if they ever showed it.

YES! THIS!

 

[swimfin]

Good read...thanks for the feedback.



regarding this...I think the reason snorkeling is so recommended first thing in the morning is because thats when it is the most clear. You're going to see alot more first thing than you would just before you head back on the ship.

Yes! We always snorkel right when they let you off the ship and we have seen sea turtles both times and are usually one of the first people in the water! LOVE snorkeling 1st!

 

[taggie4]

We have had a server say let me help you and take our utensils. This was only for taking the shells of seafood though. I thought it was very thoughtful also.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

We just got off the Dream Friday, the most amazing trip we've taken!

As a Disney World veteran, I love to do my research and like to know everything so we don't miss the magic!

2. Standing on our Verandah watching the beautiful blue water as we sailed the ocean was the most peaceful feeling I've ever felt. Wake up for the sun rise at least one morning, it's worth missing the sleep!

I'm sure there is more I'm missing.
What were you surprised at after your first cruise?

This is the reason my mother and father in-law say they would HATE an ocean cruise. They have never been on one and say they never will. They did a Mississippi river cruise and loved the fact they could always watch the shoreline slide by and felt they missed things by going to sleep at night.
Needless to say we never convinced them to sail with us; including when we asked if they would like to go when we went over my wife's 40th birthday (nearly 13 years ago).

It's not just the blue water but also the changing colors of blue. Also the clouds off in the distance especially thunderclouds and rain clouds, watching the sea birds flying along side the ship, the islands and other ships off in the distance. Hopefully your lucky enough to see sea life; dolphins, sea turtles, fish, stingrays, whales off in the distance, etc. We always get a veranda stateroom just so we can spend some down time on it watching the ocean slide by. I am an early riser, will walk around the ship for a while before most people are up and moving and before going back to the stateroom; get a cup coffee at the drink station to sit out on the veranda with it and the Navigator and the peace and quiet.

 

[RedSox68]

We have had a server say let me help you and take our utensils. This was only for taking the shells of seafood though. I thought it was very thoughtful also.

Yes, this help I appreciate as I can never gets all the meat out of those dang tails LOL.

 

[mcd2745]

I cannot stand that level of "service". You say royalty; I say "am I an infant?" and would glare. Thankfully no server anywhere has ever attempted to cut up my food. Either they can tell I might stab them or they realize that vegetarian food rainy really require an effort to cut. And we started cruising after DS was old enough to manage food on his own so I'm not the typical harried mom who needs help.

The napkin thing I deal with. Same with pushing in my chair. Seriously, why do servers do this? (I assume because many people like it, which I just don't get)

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?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

People who enjoy snorkeling should generally avoid it on ANY cruise line's private island. Even early in the day. Either they're going to have been stocking sea life to try to make it worthwhile (which if you enjoy snorkeling and have done a bunch of it, do you want the "fake" experience?), or it's going to be very spotty quality due to the volume and scope.

 

[KdKyA]

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?

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.