Your most important tip for a first time cruise

[wdwwishes]

For our first cruise I read the Passporter DCL Cruise guide cover to cover twice. We did a 4 night vs. 3 night and that was great to us hooked on cruising. I'm sure there's lots of great advice here and tips and if this is a repeat, sorry.....Enjoy the ship that first day on board. enjoy lunch, wander the ship taking photos etc. until the room is ready, unpack, and relax until the Sail Away Party. If you're a photo taker like me, I find this to be a great time to get lots of ship photos using my DSLR, that way the rest of the cruise I can leave it behind and bring along my point and shoot for some extra shots and candid family shots.

 

[bakerworld]

Ok, since this a a first time cruiser thread I am going to ask a question that is probably going to sound nuts but here goes. We went on one cruise and the only place we saw for lunch was a QS around the pools that set up around noon and closed at 2p. Is there a Table Service place to have lunch? We're not dressing but we're not QS people. I don't like the whole, "you save the table, I'll find us some food" experience.

 

[Off to Neverland 7]

Don't buy wifi!! Live in the moment with your family and really enjoy the time spent. This was our most favorite part of the cruise was unplugging from the outside world.

 

[Jenick29]

Amazing board! Just discovered this today! Our first DCL is in 1 month and the tips here are amazing! Thank you so much for all the great questions and answers. I will be watching closely for more great info.

 

[Starwind]

Ok, since this a a first time cruiser thread I am going to ask a question that is probably going to sound nuts but here goes. We went on one cruise and the only place we saw for lunch was a QS around the pools that set up around noon and closed at 2p. Is there a Table Service place to have lunch? We're not dressing but we're not QS people. I don't like the whole, "you save the table, I'll find us some food" experience.

Yes, there is an MDR option for lunch (and breakfast).

On day 1, the MDR is usually open for lunch from 1200-1400 (shorter hours than the QS places). On our cruises, Enchanted Garden was the one that was open for this. The lunch is buffet-style .

On our cruises Royal Court was open for the other days for lunch, from about 1200-1330, again shorter hours than the QS places. It is sit-down with a menu.

For breakfasts both Royal Court (sit down with menu) and Enchanted Garden (buffet) were open. Each had different hours, and one was much shorter than the other.

For the last day, MDR breakfast is off a menu and is in the MDR you had for the last night's dinner. It is at assigned timed based on if you are early or late dinner dining.

SW

 

[JenPinks]

Well, my number 1 tip would be "Anything less than a 7 day is too dang short!"
Sunscreen: reapply, reapply, reapply.
Food: try new things! This is your chance to find out if you really like that thing you never ordered before because either it was too expensive or you were worried about wasting food.
Take the stairs: Unless you are in heels or otherwise hampered, anything less than 2 decks up or 4 decks down, you're going to get there faster if you walk, and burn off some of that food!
Timing: Don't show up to dinner early, you'll just have to wait in line. Don't show up to dinner too late, you'll put your servers off their schedule (especially true in Animators Palate). Try to get to dinner either right on time or within 10 minutes of the start time.
Pools: Kids and family pool are at their busiest when you most want to go, because that's when everyone most wants to go. Instead, try during dinner/show time, early in the morning, or while in port.
Finally: It isn't really vacation until you've had something to drink that is unnaturally colored in a souvenir cup. It's our tradition to get the Drink of the Day on the first afternoon and just enjoy the moment of 'this is when our vacation starts'.

Loved that!! I have read numerous times about the sunscreen........Will start stocking up now!! Thanks!

 

[FLpixie]

Ok, since this a a first time cruiser thread I am going to ask a question that is probably going to sound nuts but here goes. We went on one cruise and the only place we saw for lunch was a QS around the pools that set up around noon and closed at 2p. Is there a Table Service place to have lunch? We're not dressing but we're not QS people. I don't like the whole, "you save the table, I'll find us some food" experience.

Your Navigator will list what all is open and when. One MDR will be open for lunch as well as the buffet - and of course, the quick service places. Additionally, there is always the room service option.

 

[DISNEYFAN3260]

10. Get the larger container fof popcorn for 7.50 the first night and keep it to refill. Otherwise on night 3 you'll wish you had gotten it on the first night.

I don't remember this from previous cruises....is there a cheaper price on popcorn refills? This is a great tip!

 

[BelleWannabe4]

I like those...possibly in off-topic mode, though, but for us first-timers --- should we carry our passports to port or just make photocopies and carry THOSE, and then leave the passports in our cabins? I keep making my kids watch "dock runners" on youtube and have told them in no uncertain terms I want to be on the ship at least 1-2 hours EARLY, but just in case we should have something on us. I'd worry about the passports being safe the whole time, though. Do folks actually take them or just copies? Thanks!

While cruising (and in any foreign country generally), I always leave my passport in the safe. You are able to get on and off the ship with your key card as it is connected to a photo and your passport information. You must have the key card to get off/on the ship. Personally, I think this is a lot easier - Disney will probably be able to help you out if you lose your key card, but not if you lose your passport in a foreign country.

 

[Kemette]

Great tips - thanks everyone!

 

[JTBE]

There is a video on youtube by destination Amercia on the re-imagined Disney magic- may help get you excited for your trip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_vbuR9iB2o.... Sorry meant for a different thread but can't find the delete button

 

[topo gigio]

My suggestion- trust in the Mouse, be careful that you don't overreach with your expectations, because you will miss the magic... Just as when at WDW, take time to smell the roses, figuratively... There is no perfect excursion, no perfect meal, no perfect on board experience ( ok, maybe Fireworks at sea is perfect) but just let the magic happen, don't force it, don't be one of those parents that lose it because they missed out on something... Be that person or family that just enjoys what is in front them, and goes home with the memories of the most awesome cruise ever... And I also suggest 7 days, 3-4 days is just a teaser...

Can I bring you with me?

 

[undertheradar]

Amazing board! Just discovered this today! Our first DCL is in 1 month and the tips here are amazing! Thank you so much for all the great questions and answers. I will be watching closely for more great info.

 

[Cruise-n-2015]

So many "tricks" that first time users would never know. I love it.

 

[lbgraves]

The one thing I would tell someone planning their first cruise is to not try to do everything, because there is no way you can do that. We have been on several cruises and I still haven't done everything on my list.

 

[dittymau]

Can I bring you with me?

Let me check with my wife...

 

[JMHDisney]

This is the part where I can't understand how DCL management doesn't get that harranguing people for excellent customer satisfaction scores is counterproductive to customer satisfaction. It is literally the only thing I am dreading about my first cruise.

I never got the excellent service speeches on my first cruise and couldn't understand what people were talking about (I also didn't get particularly excellent service, but that's another story). On our cruise a couple of weeks ago, it seemed at least one server per meal mentioned that they wanted to provide us with excellent service and to let them know if anything wasn't excellent. It was definitely over the top, but rather than be bothered by it, we immaturely made it a drinking game - drink any time anyone mentions "excellent service." We weren't getting drunk or anything, but it did make us laugh every time we caught each other drinking because they said it. It's definitely not worth dreading.

 

[DISNEYFAN3260]

DOCUMENTATION: Make sure that you have all required documentation gathered, checked and available LONG before you leave for your cruise. Make sure it meets the requirements.... like passport is valid for 6 months after your trip

Whoa...you caught my attention! Can you tell me where I can find more about needing a passport to be valid for 6 months after your sail date? I had not heard of this and that will be an issue for me in August if I don't renew beforehand. I haven't had any luck finding details about this. Thanks for any help!

 

[ajgardner]

Whoa...you caught my attention! Can you tell me where I can find more about needing a passport to be valid for 6 months after your sail date? I had not heard of this and that will be an issue for me in August if I don't renew beforehand. I haven't had any luck finding details about this. Thanks for any help!

For a Caribbean cruise this shouldn't be an issue. You don't even need to have a passport for those cruises, just a birth certificate - so as long as your passport is valid it will be fine for those cruises. If you are going on a European cruise, then definitely check your passport because in order to fly out you have to meet the requirements of the country. My husband and I didn't know that there were these type rules until my husband got to the airport to go to Germany for a business trip and was told he couldn't fly because his passport expired in 3 months - we always assumed that as long as the passport hadn't expired we were good. But if you're passport is close to expiring, might as well get it renewed.

 

[DISNEYFAN3260]

For a Caribbean cruise this shouldn't be an issue. You don't even need to have a passport for those cruises, just a birth certificate - so as long as your passport is valid it will be fine for those cruises. If you are going on a European cruise, then definitely check your passport because in order to fly out you have to meet the requirements of the country. My husband and I didn't know that there were these type rules until my husband got to the airport to go to Germany for a business trip and was told he couldn't fly because his passport expired in 3 months - we always assumed that as long as the passport hadn't expired we were good. But if you're passport is close to expiring, might as well get it renewed.

Ohhhh...That makes sense! I couldn't figure out why that would be the case and never heard about it before, but we've only done Bahamas, Mexico, and Caribbean sailings so far. Great to know for the day when we finally do some longer European sailings. Thanks so much for the additional details. That's one less thing for me to have to do now before August!