What's your typical/ideal Embarkation Day routine?

[BCV23]

One of the dining rooms - the one in the lobby on Fantasy/Dream, Tiana’s/Rapunzel’s on Magic/Wonder - is opened to Concierge guests on embarkation day. The menu is pretty much the same as the one in the regular sit-down dining room, with the addition of a lobster salad and maybe another dish. They offer complimentary drinks - we always get a Bellini. The Concierge hosts greet you and go over your plans for the cruise. They used to do that in the lounge but it got overcrowded and the lines were often too long.

Which MDR is now open for non-concierge guests these days on the classic ships? We haven't been on the Magic or Wonder for over two years but that dining room was our choice every single cruise. Different name then, of course.

As I recall, there was also a chocolate lava cake on the menu on the Fantasy this January on our only concierge cruise.

I just took these on February 1st on our way into the terminal for our Fantasy cruise.....from the Bridge from the parking garage to the terminal.

View attachment 476170View attachment 476171

MJ

We had just disembarked.

 

[JM23457]

We like to board early, change into our bathing suits right away and go on the Aqua Duck before the line built up. Then have some lunch, shower & unpack completely for the trip. Turn our cabin into a home away from home.

 

[Marc D]

Which MDR is now open for non-concierge guests these days on the classic ships? We haven't been on the Magic or Wonder for over two years but that dining room was our choice every single cruise. Different name then, of course.

As I recall, there was also a chocolate lava cake on the menu on the Fantasy this January on our only concierge cruise.

On the classics, they offer the embarkation lunch in the atrium MDR (Lumiere’s/Triton’s).

Here’s the concierge menu, which is the same across the fleet.

 

[auntlynne]

Roasted beef tenderloin and a molten pot w/ gelato? Sort of a teaser for a Palo. Wish they had that the few times I cruised Concierge.

 

[BCV23]

On the classics, they offer the embarkation lunch in the atrium MDR (Lumiere’s/Triton’s).

Here’s the concierge menu, which is the same across the fleet.
View attachment 512994

Thanks for your reply. So the dining rooms are flipped re classic vs Dream class? Wonder why? I am very glad the embarkation lunch was moved from Enchanted Garden. One member of our family uses a wheelchair. Getting an elevator was always a challenge. Sometimes an officer would help which was awesome.

I guess my daughter must have had the Molten Pot not a lava cake. I know it was chocolatey goodness for her.

Roasted beef tenderloin and a molten pot w/ gelato? Sort of a teaser for a Palo. Wish they had that the few times I cruised Concierge.

Not sure if the name is the same but the MDR menu for non-concierge guests has something similar or maybe identical to the tenderloin. My daughter always orders it.

 

[auntlynne]

...Not sure if the name is the same but the MDR menu for non-concierge guests has something similar or maybe identical to the tenderloin. My daughter always orders it.

I haven’t sailed in years; the last time I chose a dining room location over Cabanas, they were still doing the buffet lunch with a similar selection of foods. The servers brought you drinks.

And Concierge was just a reception with finger foods In the Cadillac Lounge. While you nibbled, you Chatted with a host about any needs you had. I think the Dream used the Concierge Lounge.

I think I would do sit-down service if they offered the tenderloin. Although I enjoy the open air, sea view of Cabanas.

 

[BCV23]

I remember when that buffet was offered at Parrot Cay and Enchanted Garden respectively. It was always our choice but I was thrilled when the buffet became a la carte.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm curious to see what you experienced cruisers plan for a perfect embarkation day! Do you wing it or have a checklist of things you want to get done (ex. tastings reservations) and things you can't wait to get back to (ex. Cabana's)? Do you have any tips for how to avoid the crowds or fun things to do the first day/evening? Any advice on how to make the first day magical?

First I should mention that it's been a couple of years since we sailed on DCL. We pretty much sail RCL (and occasionally Celebrity) now. But when we do sail DCL, we have a few things we plan on embarkation day.
1 - get to the port about 11:30 so we can board right away but not have to wait in a crowded terminal. We are Platinum so we are able to board in the first (or is it second?) boarding group.
2 - If we haven't gotten Palo/Remy reservations before hand, head to the designated spot to book dining
2A - Go to the MDR for lunch. We prefer that rather than the buffet.
3 - go to the Cove Lounge for a tropical beverage
4 - head to our cabin when they become available
5 - fret about how long it will take for our luggage to arrive - then unpack it as soon as it does
6 - nap and enjoy our veranda (perhaps ordering an "all hands on deck") until muster drill
7 - get to muster drill station about 15 minutes early
8 - watch the scenery go by as the ship sails away (no, we don't do the deck party)
9 - get cleaned up and dressed for dinner that night
10 - go to one of the lounges (typically Meridian on the Dream/Fantasy) for a pre-dinner beverage.

ETA: Forgot I hadn't mentioned lunch so had to insert a 2A.

 

[BritneyBelle]

We usually get to the port early so that we can stand around and do our impersonation of the Mervyn's lady (yes yes, showing my age). Once onboard, it's mimosa, food, kid's club situating, pool time and then unpacking as soon as the luggage is there. Yes, all in that order. Mimosa is always priority #1.

Oh my god, another person who knows what the Mervyns lady is! I swear I’m the only one in my family and work place who remembers that ad and they all look at me like I’m crazy when I go “open*open*open”

 

[BritneyBelle]

We have only had 2 cruises, but our 2nd one established what I think will be our normal routine going forward -

Wake up in the hotel and have a leisurely morning.
Head to a restaurant for an early lunch and beverage (11 or 11:30am) - we went to Kelsey's at PC and it was great!
Be pulling into the parking deck around 12:45pm, and go through security and check-in.
Board with no wait at all.
Head directly to the room and open a beer that we have carried on.
Sit on veranda and watch activities at the port.
Unpack carry-ons and suitcases once they arrive.
Check out kids clubs. Go to fitness room to check out activity schedule & sign up for things. Maybe order something from room service.
Muster drill.
Watch sail-away from veranda.
Show (or else wander around the ship) and then dinner.

We don't enjoy crowds. This was a really pleasant and calm way to start our vacation. We will definitely go this route again. I have no problem sacrificing 90-120 minutes of ship time to have a more relaxed start.

I’m SO with you on this. We’ve only been on one cruise but I bought into the “get there early for more ship time” hype and never again. We are both not crowd people and it was miserable. The point of a vacation is to enjoy yourself, not get the maximum number of hours on a ship. When we do our Alaska sailing next year (fingers crossed) I have every intention of doing breakfast at the hotel and leisurely making our way to the port so when we get to the ship we can go straight to our room.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Since most of our DCL cruises have been out of Port Canaveral, I look forward to sailing out of the channel. I look for birds, dolphins, people waving, and I just feel happy to be sailing away!

 

[Clojel]

One of the dining rooms - the one in the lobby on Fantasy/Dream, Tiana’s/Rapunzel’s on Magic/Wonder - is opened to Concierge guests on embarkation day. The menu is pretty much the same as the one in the regular sit-down dining room, with the addition of a lobster salad and maybe another dish. They offer complimentary drinks - we always get a Bellini. The Concierge hosts greet you and go over your plans for the cruise. They used to do that in the lounge but it got overcrowded and the lines were often too long.

Marc D - do all concierge guests have to go to the MDR now? The last time we cruised, we still had the “option” to go to the concierge lounge instead....which we did bc we weren’t interested in a sit down lunch. Has that changed?

 

[BritneyBelle]

Are the onboard ship stores open once the ship embarks?

I think those don’t open up until the sail away party is over.

 

[Marc D]

Marc D - do all concierge guests have to go to the MDR now? The last time we cruised, we still had the “option” to go to the concierge lounge instead....which we did bc we weren’t interested in a sit down lunch. Has that changed?

You can also go to the lounge, Cabanas, the regular MDR or the food windows around the pool. However, all three hosts are in the MDR. Another CM is manning the welcome desk in the lounge, but he/she does not have your itinerary so you would have to wait for one of the hosts to come back up to get your initial meeting.

 

[Starwind]

On the classics, they offer the embarkation lunch in the atrium MDR (Lumiere’s/Triton’s).

Here’s the concierge menu, which is the same across the fleet.

The non-concierge MDR embarkation lunch menu is nearly the same.

This is from the Dream in December 2019, MDR for embarkation lunch is Animator's. For some reason I have two versions, though I am guessing the two column one may have been the sign outside the restaurant as the single column one I know is the paper menu they give you.

 

[Clojel]

You can also go to the lounge, Cabanas, the regular MDR or the food windows around the pool. However, all three hosts are in the MDR. Another CM is manning the welcome desk in the lounge, but he/she does not have your itinerary so you would have to wait for one of the hosts to come back up to get your initial meeting.

Oh that’s kind of a hassle.....but I guess we can make do with the lunch! I mostly just want my mimosa, my itinerary, and then DD and I peace out to hit the aqua duck! Thanks for the info!

 

[Disneyloverliz]

I love these threads.

We go straight to Animator's for lunch. Love looking through the Navigator as we enjoy a quiet lunch. If we want to add or change a Palo reservation, we head there next and then go to the cabins. Unpack our carryons, and by then the other luggage has usually begun to arrive. On recent cruises, we also order the Prosecco as our platinum gift and All Hands on Deck as we unpack. Muster drill and then back to the cabins for sail away while we enjoy the wine, cheese and fruit.

Ahh....wish we were doing it today!

what is a Prosecco?

 

[Disneyloverliz]

Board around 11 am
Lunch at the buffet (but now it might have to be somewhere else)
Walk around the ship to explore
Unpack in the room
Get a drink/more food
Muster drill
Vacation begins!

Is the buffet at cabanas?

 

[Disneyloverliz]

Oh my god, another person who knows what the Mervyns lady is! I swear I’m the only one in my family and work place who remembers that ad and they all look at me like I’m crazy when I go “open*open*open”

Oh THAT Mervyns ad! I loved those commercials.

 

[Calantha]

what is a Prosecco

A kind of Italian champagne - I liked it mixed with juice (like a mimosa).