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1st time disney cruise question.
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sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
What date/ship/itinerary are you sailing? I think you said the Dream. Or was it the Fantasy? How many nights?
ChuckElias
Well-Known Member
When you look at your reservation online, under "My Cruise Activities", it will list your itinerary for each day. It will include your port that day (or say "at sea") and any shore excursions or specialty dining that you've signed up for. It also tells you which night is Pirate Night on your cruise. There was no formal night on the last cruise I took, so I don't know if it will list formal night for a 7+ night cruise.
ncstate7991
Member
Is there a way to tell which restaurant you will be in on which night? Or do you have to wait until your board the ship?
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
I think formal nights are only on 7+ night cruises. I think 5 nights go as far as a semi-formal. 3&4 night itineraries are cruise casual, pirate night, & dress-up. Dress-up to me is like a nicer, less casual, structured sundress or nice oxford shirts w/khakis vs. a polo for the guys.
On both Bahamian cruises we've been on (3&5 night) pirate night was the day we went to Nassau. I think the 4 night has an at-sea day so dress-up will likely be that day.
On both Bahamian cruises we've been on (3&5 night) pirate night was the day we went to Nassau. I think the 4 night has an at-sea day so dress-up will likely be that day.
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
You can make a request for a restaurant rotation but it won't be guaranteed. When you check-in the day of sailing you'll find out your rotation. If at that time you want to change it you'll need to go wherever is specified on your Navigator to make dining changes/reservations. Like on the Dream I think it's Diversions. Not sure of other ships.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Which is yet another reason to get to the port early. Dining changes are first come first served.
-dve
ChuckElias
Well-Known Member
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Diversions is one of the night clubs on board.
During boarding they set up a desk (they use a table) in one of the nightclubs to handle Dining Rotation requests. You get on the ship, go down to the designated nightclub (they will tell you where it is), go to the table, and say "I want to switch my dining rotation" Either they will do it right there, or if the rotation you want is full they will wait list you. If you get it, you will have a message on your phone by 4:00 PM or so, otherwise you will have your original rotation.
-dave
ChuckElias
Well-Known Member
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
ChuckElias
Well-Known Member
Ain't I a stinker!?!?D-Lounge! Had my ships crossed!
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
sweetpee_1993
Well-Known Member
If you're avoiding "formal" as in the formal or semi-formal dress nights then you'll want to go on a shorter itinerary like a 5, 4, or 3 night cruise. If you were looking to do something for 7 nights an option would be to do a 3 & 4 night cruise back-to-back. You could go on a 7 day itinerary that has the formal/semi-formal nights and just not go to the main dining rooms that night. You can dress down more and hit the buffet or room service those nights. The dress recommendations aren't strictly enforced or anything. You'll see people dressed in a wide array of attire each night regardless. There's definitely options if you want to go on the 7-night but don't want to bring formal attire.
Dining rooms depend on which ship you sail. There will be plenty of planned activities and things to keep you busy no matter which cruise you take. February is a great time to sail because there will likely be good prices and it won't be so brutally hot. And noooooo horrible-canes!
ChuckElias
Well-Known Member
Hi Gerry! Looks like you're pretty new here, so welcome to the forum!
Your message is so short, but there's so many things to say about it. First of all, you're going to love your Disney cruise, regardless of which ship or itinerary you choose. So don't stress too much about other things like dining rooms and formal nights, etc.
Second, there is a formal night on the 7-night itineraries. BUT there is no requirement that you dress formally. It is suggested attire only. You will see lots of people who are in regular pants and shirt, and some people even in shorts and t-shirts, even on formal night. So you can be at formal night without actually being formal. Additionally, if you want a 7-night itinerary (and who doesn't??) but want to avoid formal night completely, you can do that simply by dining at Cabana's (Topsider's on the Magic or Beach Blanket Buffet on the Wonder), which is the informal dining on the upper decks. There's never a formal dress code there.
If you hate even the thought of being on the same ship with people who are wearing tuxedos, then you could take a shorter itinerary, as Sweetpee suggested. There is no formal night on the 3- or 4-night cruises.
Third, you asked about dining halls. If you already know this, then I apologize in advance. On Disney Cruise Line, there are 3 main dining rooms on each ship. You eat dinner in a different restaurant each night. This way, you see all the restaurants at least once during your cruise. Disney calls this "rotational dining". The cool thing about it is that your serving team moves from restaurant to restaurant with you! So you will have the same waiter and assistant waiter for your entire cruise, even in the different restaurants. All of this means that you do not actually have to choose which restaurant you will go to each night. Your "rotation" is assigned to you when you arrive at the port. If you don't like that particular rotation, you can even ask to change it.
Now, you still have options. You never have to feel like you're "locked in" to your assigned dining. There are optional restaurants on the Dream and the Fantasy. Palo and Remy are more upscale and definitely more formal than the rotational dining, so they may not fit your tastes. But they are available for an additional charge per person. (Palo is $20 pp and Remy is $75 pp. Only Palo is available on the Magic and the Wonder.) Additionally, as I already mentioned there is always the informal dining at Cabana's if you don't like the particular restaurant that you're assigned to on a certain night. And finally, if none of those options appeals to you, there is always the "quick service" food options that are poolside. Pizza, chicken fingers, burgers, hot dogs and fries, as well as healthier choices like salads and paninis at Goofy's Galley, are available for lunch and dinner every day.
That's probably more information that you wanted, so I'll stop now.
Any other questions, just post them, b/c obviously somebody here will know the answer!!Thanks for the reply. Yea i plan on travelling in either Feb-April months to avoid the hot and humid weather
being on a vacation, i'd like to relax and be as far fropm "formalities" as possible because you know you are kind of unwinding on vacations so thats how i see it
I'd appreciate if you could suggest about the ships you have had a good experience sailing on so i could loom them up for myself and decide Hi Gerry! Looks like you're pretty new here, so welcome to the forum!
Your message is so short, but there's so many things to say about it. First of all, you're going to love your Disney cruise, regardless of which ship or itinerary you choose. So don't stress too much about other things like dining rooms and formal nights, etc.
Second, there is a formal night on the 7-night itineraries. BUT there is no requirement that you dress formally. It is suggested attire only. You will see lots of people who are in regular pants and shirt, and some people even in shorts and t-shirts, even on formal night. So you can be at formal night without actually being formal. Additionally, if you want a 7-night itinerary (and who doesn't??) but want to avoid formal night completely, you can do that simply by dining at Cabana's (Topsider's on the Magic or Beach Blanket Buffet on the Wonder), which is the informal dining on the upper decks. There's never a formal dress code there.
If you hate even the thought of being on the same ship with people who are wearing tuxedos, then you could take a shorter itinerary, as Sweetpee suggested. There is no formal night on the 3- or 4-night cruises.
Third, you asked about dining halls. If you already know this, then I apologize in advance. On Disney Cruise Line, there are 3 main dining rooms on each ship. You eat dinner in a different restaurant each night. This way, you see all the restaurants at least once during your cruise. Disney calls this "rotational dining". The cool thing about it is that your serving team moves from restaurant to restaurant with you! So you will have the same waiter and assistant waiter for your entire cruise, even in the different restaurants. All of this means that you do not actually have to choose which restaurant you will go to each night. Your "rotation" is assigned to you when you arrive at the port. If you don't like that particular rotation, you can even ask to change it.
Now, you still have options. You never have to feel like you're "locked in" to your assigned dining. There are optional restaurants on the Dream and the Fantasy. Palo and Remy are more upscale and definitely more formal than the rotational dining, so they may not fit your tastes. But they are available for an additional charge per person. (Palo is $20 pp and Remy is $75 pp. Only Palo is available on the Magic and the Wonder.) Additionally, as I already mentioned there is always the informal dining at Cabana's if you don't like the particular restaurant that you're assigned to on a certain night. And finally, if none of those options appeals to you, there is always the "quick service" food options that are poolside. Pizza, chicken fingers, burgers, hot dogs and fries, as well as healthier choices like salads and paninis at Goofy's Galley, are available for lunch and dinner every day.
That's probably more information that you wanted, so I'll stop now.
Thanks Chuck, you have provided much details to help me ahead
And i feel relieved i can be "informal" in even the "formal" nights As for the rotational fdining part, i was unaware of it and it truly sounds like great idea to get to try all the resturants in the single trip. I love good food I'll be sharing all these recommendations with my sister so we can mutuall decide what we want, she shall be accompanying me You have been very helpful. Appreciated!