What information do you know prior to boarding

[abuck75]

I'm wondering if there is any information known prior to boarding outside of ports of calls.

I know dining rotation is found out on the ship.

Do you know the special menus ahead of time, or find out once you board? Do they tell you prior to dining, or do you find out if it's "rotational vs Prince and Princess" only when you sit down? I don't see anything on old navigators.

Do you know any of the shows or variety acts in addition to the normal prior to boarding? Any indication as to which day each falls?

Obviously, if you are on a Eastern or Western on the Fantasy, there is a lot of history to speculate from, but I'm wondering if anything is released before hand. We are doing a 7 day western on the Wonder from PC and best I can tell it's the first time she's ever sailed this route.

 

[Mommb]

The show schedule is typically listed in the Navigator you receive at boarding. Dinner themes are listed in the Navigators you'll receive each night for the next day. Beyond ports of call and events booked in advance, the only information I've seen announced before boarding is Pirate Night. I haven't done any "special" cruises, such as Star Wars, Marvel, or holidays, so I'm not sure if more information is given about events on those.

 

[Mr. Drauer]

You can find out a lot of info from the Day 1 Navigator that you pickup in the terminal, but that is not really in advance. Some of the events are listed on the activities page when you are booking at your open time slot (pirate night, special night/day like SWDAS or MDAS). Certain activities are always Day at Sea activities (princess meet and greets, mixology/tastings, Palo Brunch), and the show order is pretty much set for each ship unless there is a change in itinerary which might shift it as the theatre has to prepare the sets to be on stage for each night. I would guess that the order will be similary to other 7 nights on the Wonder in terms of the order - maybe look at the 7 night Navigators from Galveston Sailings or Mexican Riviera sailings for the most recent show schedules. Dinner menus are available on the cruise line app which activates on board.

 

[Dug720]

Mixologies and tastings are not always on sea days. They could be later in the afternoon or at night. Yes, there are usually more on sea days, but they are not exclusive to those.

 

[abuck75]

Is Palo brunch only on sea days?

 

[Dug720]

Is Palo brunch only on sea days?

Yes.

They did a trial of offering it in Nassau day ONLY for 3-Night cruises. They may have made that permanent - not sure.

 

[abuck75]

That stinks, I wish we had more than 2 sea days now on our 7 night cruise*

 

[abuck75]

Also, looking through old Navigators, where does it say the menu. I can't seem to find, but sure I'm just missing it.

 

[kiford]

If you use the online Navigator app, you'll have access to all of the menus for all days as soon as you board and connect (make sure you have downloaded the app before you board). Each day they also post that night's menu outside the restaurant, so if you know where you'll be, you can check it out. They typically start with the rotational, restaurant-themed menus for the first 3 nights and then it goes to a different theme each night where every restaurant has the same menu. The one exception is the special show at Animator's Palate which has its own menu for that night; what night that is depends on your rotation so that it also doesn't interfere with Pirate Night. I think that the printed Navigators usually have the menu theme on the front page at the top on the banner where it also tells you if it's formal, semi-formal or cruise casual.

 

[Mommb]

Also, looking through old Navigators, where does it say the menu. I can't seem to find, but sure I'm just missing it.

The 4-page printed Navigators used to indicate the menu type on the first page, but apparently now that the Navigators are only 2 pages, they no longer show that information. The suggested evening attire is indicated in the upper right of the first page, though. I'm sorry to have misspoken. (I thought I remembered seeing dining information on the Magic in July, but I must have been remembering previous cruises.)

As noted, the Navigator app available after you board does show the menus for each restaurant for each day of the cruise, subject of course to change.

 

[KdKyA]

Actually your dining rotation can be found before you board. After you check in and get your key, the dining room assignments are on the card. So you will know which restaurants you will be at for each night of the cruise before getting on the ship.

 

[CM Dad]

Mixologies and tastings are not always on sea days. They could be later in the afternoon or at night. Yes, there are usually more on sea days, but they are not exclusive to those.

We are booked for a Mojito & Caipirinha Tasting on Castaway Cay day. They hold it on a bar on the island

 

[abuck75]

Thanks, very helpful

I'll ask this hear as opposed to starting another thread.

We're sailing on the Wonder and I'm curious if it's easier to secure or change a reservation in Palo on board when you are sailing concierge? We're on a 7 day western with 2 sea days, which leaves the following:

- Only two days for Brunch, the first full day (which we'd prefer not to do as we are getting familiar with our first cruise), pushing us to the 2nd to last day (day before castaway cay) so we'll schedule brunch that day and wouldn't likely want to have dinner there the same day.
- The desire to definitely do Animator's palate with the kids, and see Tiana's MDR
- While Pirate night would be good from a menu perspective we may be dressing the part, and not sure it's worth the hassle to change from semi-formal'ish to pirate costumes.

Therefore, my question basically is, if I book a dinner and find out we picked "the wrong night" will it be relatively easy to change on board, or will it likely be booked and difficult to change. Does the answer change by the fact we're sailing concierge?

 

[mareed]

Also, looking through old Navigators, where does it say the menu. I can't seem to find, but sure I'm just missing it.

Unfortunately, it's no longer included on the one-page daily Navigators, and it's something I miss in addition to the sunrise/sunset times! It would be so easy to squeeze these things in around the border of the one-page Navigator, but they don't do it.

 

[TDR32]

If you check the ports of call for your cruise on the website you may see the themed days. This is a more recent addition and I have seen the sail away party, pirate night and Marvel/Star Wars days.

 

[abuck75]

Thank you. After looking through several, this leads me to believe the 7 night cruises out of PC on the Wonder will not have a Pirate night. It seams like all sailing from San Diego and Galveston show pirate night, and the Caribbean on Fantasy show a pirate night, but ours only shows as "sail-a-way" party. Looks like my "Once upon a time" captain hook costume may not get a second use.

 

[TDR32]

Thank you. After looking through several, this leads me to believe the 7 night cruises out of PC on the Wonder will not have a Pirate night. It seams like all sailing from San Diego and Galveston show pirate night, and the Caribbean on Fantasy show a pirate night, but ours only shows as "sail-a-way" party. Looks like my "Once upon a time" captain hook costume may not get a second use.

Our cruise in February does not show a pirate night but based on past itineraries it does. I would think that yours does have a Pirate Night if it is in the Caribbean.

EDIT: I would think that it is on your Grand Cayman port day.

EDIT #2: Scratch what I said about Grand Cayman. I feel confident that you will have a pirate night. We only show a sail a way party and are on a Marvel cruise. I think Disney is adding these as the cruises get closer. Maybe there is a platinum cruiser in your meet thread that will know on 10/14 when they can start booking activities for the cruise.