You know you are CastAway Club when ...

[PurplePencil]

When you walk into a bar and the bartender stops his Cognac Tasting seminar to come out from behind the bar to give you a hug. Or when you walk in the dining room on the first night's dinner and Head Waiters and Servers cause a big commotion because they are happy to see you.

And to me....THIS is what makes DCL special.

various CM's and officers that you met on previous cruises remember you and your kids and give hugs too.

My story:
Went on a family cruise one year with DD, DSiL, DGS (Teen), DW and me had Typhoon from Turkey as our server. 16 months later DW and I made a last minute reservation, went to PC for embarkation lunch, Typhoon saw us walking up to PC, and he came out of line from where the servers were escorting the cruisers to their tables. He served us lunch. We went to the table assignment change meeting, requested Typhoon as our server and it was granted. Typhoon had gone home twice and gotten married during those 16 months, yet he still recognized us.

I have a similar experience, Mertha (don't remember where he's from) remembers me so well that on our past 3 cruises, whenever my favorite ice cream flavor is out (pineapple? I think) he grabs a bowl and gives me a heaping bowl of ice cream! Always nice to be treated like royalty.

 

[mrsjoannh13]

DCL newbie here. I'm extremely goal oriented, LOL. How do I get to be a Castaway Key member or Gold or Platinum? I understand it involves cruising with some frequency but didn't see any details on the DCL site. Thanks!

 

[Sytrace]

DCL newbie here. I'm extremely goal oriented, LOL. How do I get to be a Castaway Key member or Gold or Platinum? I understand it involves cruising with some frequency but didn't see any details on the DCL site. Thanks!

The CC member levels are as follows.
2-5 cruises is Silver membership
6 to 10 cruises is Gold
11 and up is Platinum.
There are different perks to each level.

 

[ImDMous]

Our next cruise will put us at Gold, so I'm super excited for my next-next cruise to get to do Gold stuff. Which is ridiculous because I'm perfectly capable of buying myself a cocktail.

 

[ScooterPie]

When you are the second person, after the "cruise family" to get on the ship from the terminal.

 

[Trera]

When our 3 year old DD gets a Platinum lanyard when we check in now!

 

[com_op_2000]

When you are the second person, after the "cruise family" to get on the ship from the terminal.

One of my favorite DCL moments:
Went on the Magic the very first year of service back in '98. Everyone was checking in but no one was getting in-line, this was back before the boarding numbers and cruise family. I told DW that at a certain time if no one was going to start the line I would. At that time I went to the head of the line, DW had the video running, and you should see the line form, people running from all over the terminal to get in-line. DW and I were the first people introduced on that cruise.
Anytime we want a good laugh, we bring up that video.

 

[phinz]

You proudly display your membership magnet in a prominent position on your fridge for all to see

And when you have a stainless steel refrigerator you use tape so it can go on the front.

 

[phinz]

When you walk into a bar and the bartender stops his Cognac Tasting seminar to come out from behind the bar to give you a hug. Or when you walk in the dining room on the first night's dinner and Head Waiters and Servers cause a big commotion because they are happy to see you.

And to me....THIS is what makes DCL special.

I get this completely. We've had servers and head servers come across the lobby or dining room to hug us, and we've had bartenders come out from behind the bar to do the same as soon as they saw us. There are a couple of head servers who go out of their way to help out our family members and friends in places like Cabanas. My father's first DCL cruise was this past November and we introduced him to a couple of our favorite head servers on the first night, who proceeded to stop what they were doing to help him out whenever they saw him in Cabanas by himself (he doesn't get around very well). He was blown away by it all and can't stop talking about how amazing DCL was.

Then again, this is the type of service we have come to expect from DCL. They have regularly exceeded our expectations and never stop surprising us. At the risk of sounding like the fanboy I am, the Cast Members are the magical experience we all hear about. They rarely disappoint.

 

[ScooterPie]

One of my favorite DCL moments:
Went on the Magic the very first year of service back in '98. Everyone was checking in but no one was getting in-line, this was back before the boarding numbers and cruise family. I told DW that at a certain time if no one was going to start the line I would. At that time I went to the head of the line, DW had the video running, and you should see the line form, people running from all over the terminal to get in-line. DW and I were the first people introduced on that cruise.
Anytime we want a good laugh, we bring up that video.

Wonderful! I bet people scrambled like crazy!

 

[Dug720]

...when you get off your first DCL cruise. That is all that makes you a CC member.

 

[IceSkatingPrincess]

You take your first cruise and 2 months later suddenly have a booked schedule of three cruises in 8 months....

 

[Marc D]

When a server from a previous cruise recognizes you, is clearly happy to see you, says "hey, you lost weight! You look great" then goes to get your previous assistant server all the way at the back of the MDR and he's also happy to see you and gives you high fives while remembering your son's name. Incredible considering the number of people they meet a year.

 

[Amunet]

You proudly display your membership magnet in a prominent position on your fridge for all to see

Did they stop giving these out? I've been on 3 Disney cruises and haven't received one.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Did they stop giving these out? I've been on 3 Disney cruises and haven't received one.

You receive the magnet after your cruise. It's sent to you following whatever milestone cruise it is (after your 1st for Silver; 5th for Gold; 10th for Platinum).


If you are between milestones, you should be receiving an art card of the ships.


BUT, the Castaway Club post cruise mailed gifts are often hit or miss.

 

[Amunet]

You receive the magnet after your cruise. It's sent to you following whatever milestone cruise it is (after your 1st for Silver; 5th for Gold; 10th for Platinum).
View attachment 214937 View attachment 214938

If you are between milestones, you should be receiving an art card of the ships.
View attachment 214939

BUT, the Castaway Club post cruise mailed gifts are often hit or miss.

Ah thank you!
My first Disney cruise was in 2012 and just got off my third in September. Should I contact them you think?

What's weird is that I did receive an art print after my second cruise.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Ah thank you!
My first Disney cruise was in 2012 and just got off my third in September. Should I contact them you think?

What's weird is that I did receive an art print after my second cruise.

The program just started in 2014. Since you were already Silver when it started, you should have received one of the art cards after your 2nd & 3rd cruises. You won't receive the Silver magnet, since you had already passed that milestone cruise.

Seriously, IMO, the art cards aren't really anything worth getting upset about not receiving. Just a little 3X5 card with a color picture of some artist's rendition of a Disney ship.

This was copied from the Castaway Club website when the program started:
A New Way to Show Our Thanks
We value our Castaway Club members. And beginning in February 2014—to show our thanks—you'll receive a small token* of our appreciation when you return home after each cruise.

We commissioned 5 artists to create a series of Castaway Club-exclusive art cards. Collect one after each cruise.* There are 5 cards that you can collect. Each card was designed by a different artist using our Disney ships as inspiration—and showcasing the artist's unique medium and creative vision.

And if you're celebrating a Disney Cruise Line milestone—like your first Disney cruise or your Castaway Club status turning to Gold or Platinum—you'll receive a special car magnet* (in lieu of the art card) to celebrate your milestone and show off your new Castaway Club status.

The designs are a secret for now, so you can look forward to a fun surprise in the mail after your cruise.

*Limited to one gift per stateroom.

 

[Amunet]

The program just started in 2014. Since you were already Silver when it started, you should have received one of the art cards after your 2nd & 3rd cruises. You won't receive the Silver magnet, since you had already passed that milestone cruise.

Seriously, IMO, the art cards aren't really anything worth getting upset about not receiving. Just a little 3X5 card with a color picture of some artist's rendition of a Disney ship.

This was copied from the Castaway Club website when the program started:
A New Way to Show Our Thanks
We value our Castaway Club members. And beginning in February 2014—to show our thanks—you'll receive a small token* of our appreciation when you return home after each cruise.

We commissioned 5 artists to create a series of Castaway Club-exclusive art cards. Collect one after each cruise.* There are 5 cards that you can collect. Each card was designed by a different artist using our Disney ships as inspiration—and showcasing the artist's unique medium and creative vision.

And if you're celebrating a Disney Cruise Line milestone—like your first Disney cruise or your Castaway Club status turning to Gold or Platinum—you'll receive a special car magnet* (in lieu of the art card) to celebrate your milestone and show off your new Castaway Club status.

The designs are a secret for now, so you can look forward to a fun surprise in the mail after your cruise.

*Limited to one gift per stateroom.

Thank you
Ah that makes sense, yeah, my second cruise was in 2015 so that's why I got the art card (which is the one of the five I actually like!).
This past one was my boyfriend's first cruise so maybe I can steal his magnet if they send it lol

 

[NZMUM]

You receive the magnet after your cruise. It's sent to you following whatever milestone cruise it is (after your 1st for Silver; 5th for Gold; 10th for Platinum).
View attachment 214937 View attachment 214938

If you are between milestones, you should be receiving an art card of the ships.
View attachment 214939

BUT, the Castaway Club post cruise mailed gifts are often hit or miss.

And if you live far away overseas you get nothing in the mail

 

[scgustafson]

...when you get off your first DCL cruise. That is all that makes you a CC member.

Dug, you totally posted what I was going to.