What have you learned from previous sailings?

[Jennifer777]

Couldn't you also get hot water through room service? I believe they send it if you order tea. If so I could just order it with my regular fruit/pastry/juice order for the kids.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Couldn't you also get hot water through room service? I believe they send it if you order tea. If so I could just order it with my regular fruit/pastry/juice order for the kids.

Yes, you can do that. How hot it actually is once it gets to your room, now, that remains to be seen.

 

[southerngirl528]

Couldn't you also get hot water through room service?

Thats a good idea! If they send hot water in the same carafes they send coffee in, it should stay quite hot. I've ordered coffee for breakfast room service many times, but I've never ordered hot water.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thats a good idea! If they send hot water in the same carafes they send coffee in, it should stay quite hot. I've ordered coffee for breakfast room service many times, but I've never ordered hot water.

If they send the hot water in the same carafes that they send the coffee in, be aware, there's often a left-over coffee taste to that water. Could taint your favorite brew. I know it does when I tried to make tea using that water.

 

[southerngirl528]

If they send the hot water in the same carafes that they send the coffee in, be aware, there's often a left-over coffee taste to that water. Could taint your favorite brew. I know it does when I tried to make tea using that water.

Bleh! Thanks for that heads up, PrincessShmoo! I'm not a tea drinker, (well, only ICED tea! LOL) and likely would not bother with a french press myself for a week long cruise, but that's just me. When we vacation for a few weeks, I DO love having my French Press!! Thank you for that info, good to know.

 

[CrawfordMomof3]

It wasn't until our second cruise that we realized Cabanas was open for breakfast on the last morning. We thought our only choice was the MDR which wasn't a great experience (dealing with carry ons at the table, rushed service, etc). Since then, we leave our carry on bags in the room, have a nice quiet breakfast at the buffet, then retrieve our stuff and head off the ship. For us it's a much more relaxed and pleasant way to spend the last morning.

I also agree about not worrying so much about dressing up on formal nights. We still make a bit of an effort, but nothing at all like we used to. We've found that there is so much variety in what other passengers wear now, that you don't feel out of place whatever you decide.

Good to know about breakfast the last morning. Thanks!

 

[CrawfordMomof3]

Cruise number 13 scheduled in 4 months and 14 in 13 months and we are still learning things. You can always pick up some new detail.

I think one of the most important things we have learned is taking a few minutes to chat with some of the staff. If you start to have some casual conversations with bartenders, servers, stateroom host or just about anyone eventually they will share details that can be helpful.

Good to know. As my husband says, “I’ll never meet a stranger.” I talk to everyone so this was right up my alley.

 

[Ruben Anthony]

Okay, I'm not really a coffee drinker unless it is a really good coffee, freshly ground and pressed. I leave a French Press in my "owner locker" for our TS, so I get it completely. My question is: where do you get the hot water?? And if its the beverage station on Deck 11, is that a pain?

You can order hot water from room service. Order the the night before and it stays hot in the carafe over night. I use a Java Presse to grind my beans. (Its manual, easily travels and easy to use)

 

[Narnia_girl]

I'm not a newbie but I don't think I'd classify myself as a "seasoned" cruiser quite yet either. We've taken 4 Disney cruises (5 and 6 will be completed by next spring) and each time we learn new things that we carry over to improve our next experience. Some of these include;

- Using the pool and aquaduck after 8:00 pm when the crowds are usually gone.
- Scheduling our Palo dinner on the last night, in part to avoid the "excellent" sales pitch as much as possible but also so the last thing I eat is the chocolate soufflé (yum!).
- Skipping the MDR on Pirate night since it's our least favorite menu and so we can enjoy the pirate buffet.
- Telling our servers on the first night that we like to get in and out quickly so we aren't stuck in the MDR for over an hour each night.
- Recognizing that there's limited real estate in my stomach and saving my appetite for the things I really enjoy rather than stuffing myself with bread and pizza before I even get to dinner.

I know a lot of this is subjective, but I still want to know. What have you learned from your previous cruises that has helped you improve your future experiences?
I'm interested in hearing about everything from pre-departure to post-cruise. TIA!

I just learned something from you! I had never really thought about letting our servers know that we don't want to spend a really long time at dinner. We enjoy the meals, but would be just as happy if they took a little less time. Thanks

 

[tlprice]

I've learned to just relax. Like others have said, Disney cruising is addictive, so if you don't do something this cruise, maybe you'll get to it the next cruise or some future cruise.

I also had no idea where to find the room service menu on my first two cruises and was too embarrassed to ask, so I obviously didn't use it. Now I LOVE room service and use it quite often. Oftentimes we just like to get room service and lay around and watch TV for a while.

Deck 4 loungers are also my favorites. I'm not a big sit in the sun person and they are always shaded, comfy, quiet, and very rarely crowded. I have taken some nice naps out there.

 

[southerngirl528]

I also had no idea where to find the room service menu on my first two cruises and was too embarrassed to ask, so I obviously didn't use it. Now I LOVE room service and use it quite often.

They don't make it easy to find if you're not one to look at all the literature in your stateroom! For those that have not cruised DCL, the room service menu is in the hard bound book found in your stateroom that has all sorts of miscellaneous information about jewelry stores in port, and various articles.

 

[NZMUM]

We have leaned that it is ok for everyone to do their own thing, there is no need to keep the group together. So we go off and do what we want, if others join in that's great, if not, that's ok too.
That it is ok to sit on my veranda in the afternoon and watch the water go by. Once you get over the "I must be doing something" feeling, it is a nice quiet place to be.
That we can go to Cabanas for breakfast on the last morning - we didn't find that out until around our 6th cruise. Since we do main diinng, going to breakfast at 6.45 is not ideal.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

I've learned to just relax. Like others have said, Disney cruising is addictive, so if you don't do something this cruise, maybe you'll get to it the next cruise or some future cruise.

I also had no idea where to find the room service menu on my first two cruises and was too embarrassed to ask, so I obviously didn't use it. Now I LOVE room service and use it quite often. Oftentimes we just like to get room service and lay around and watch TV for a while.

Deck 4 loungers are also my favorites. I'm not a big sit in the sun person and they are always shaded, comfy, quiet, and very rarely crowded. I have taken some nice naps out there.

It is SO relaxing and it’s good to just sit back and take it all in. I totally forgot to mention the deck chairs on the promenade. Such a great suggestion because many people hardly go out there plus it’s a throwback to the good ‘ol days of sailing.

I’m another one who had no idea room service was included. I’ll be sure to take advantage of it on my upcoming cruise and order the all hands on deck.

 

[dcassetta]

They don't make it easy to find if you're not one to look at all the literature in your stateroom! For those that have not cruised DCL, the room service menu is in the hard bound book found in your stateroom that has all sorts of miscellaneous information about jewelry stores in port, and various articles.

I can't recall from my last cruise, because I'm not sure I looked for it. But, it is the room service menu also in the app?

 

[tlprice]

I’m another one who had no idea room service was included. I’ll be sure to take advantage of it on my upcoming cruise and order the all hands on deck.

I knew it was included (from reading here on the boards), but had no idea it was located in the big huge book that mostly looks like ads. Order SEVERAL All Hands on Decks. I order one before muster on the first day and usually one every day when we get back from excursions. My daughter likes to order a Mickey Bar and chicken strips. The cookies and key lime pie are good too.

 

[southerngirl528]

I can't recall from my last cruise, because I'm not sure I looked for it. But, it is the room service menu also in the app?

Hmm, dcassetta. I last cruised 2.5 years ago, so the app was not as developed as now, but I don't recall the room service menu on there. It could have been though....

 

[southerngirl528]

I’m another one who had no idea room service was included. I’ll be sure to take advantage of it on my upcoming cruise and order the all hands on deck.

You know where to find the Room Service menu, don't you Mike? (see my post above, post #31) I love ordering from room service!! I always take a roll of dollar bills to give a few bucks to the server that delivers room service.

 

[tvguy]

Study the Navigator every night to make sure you don't miss something you want to do the next day.

LOL about the coffee. Coffee is what I drink when I am at work. There is no coffee in my vacation plans.

 

[southerngirl528]

Okay, here's something I learned after a couple of cruises back that I had not known before. And from what I see with piles of dirty dishes in the hallways, lots of other cruisers don't know either......

After you have ordered room service, all you need do is give room service a quick call again and let them know you are finished with your meal so that they will come and pick up all those dishes! Only if I am in a big hurry to get to something that is scheduled, will I leave the dishes out side my door, but I let them KNOW.

I think folks believe there is a DCL fairy that swoops through all the corridors picking up any used room service dishes. For those that have done FE's you KNOW how many hallways, corridors, stairs and decks there are! And how long it takes to cover all that monstrous area!

It sure keeps a stateroom tidier to get all those trays and dishes OUT. And not to have to worry about stepping in someone's (or my own) leftovers.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

You know where to find the Room Service menu, don't you Mike? (see my post above, post #31) I love ordering from room service!! I always take a roll of dollar bills to give a few bucks to the server that delivers room service.

I sure did. In the random book containing jewerly ads; it’s no wonder I missed it the last two times.

I’ve pre-paid my gratuities already but I’ll likely give the servers and room attendant some more cash on the side. I figure $20-30 tip for Palo brunch. I plan on giving room service server $2 per dish or order based on how much and what I order.

Speaking of room service, do you have a favorite must-order dish?