Disney Dream Questions...

[G00fyDad]

I have looked in the FAQ and cannot find these answers. I am trying to determine how we are going to eat on the first day of the trip. We will eat breakfast at home before the plane ride to Florida, but lunch on day one is kind of up in the air.

#1, Do they have a character breakfast/Lunch/dinner for the 3 night Dream cruises?

#2, (This one was not clear) I see that I can check in as early as 11am. What does that mean? Can we go on-board at that point? Are they already serving lunch at that time? Or should we try to find something to eat elsewhere and then go on-board?

#3, Is there anywhere to eat lunch at the port before getting on-board the ship?

#4, If there are no places to eat lunch at the port then how difficult is it to eat on the other side of Canaveral Barge Canal and get back across? Or is that even possible?

 

[EOD K9]

I have looked in the FAQ and cannot find these answers. I am trying to determine how we are going to eat on the first day of the trip. We will eat breakfast at home before the plane ride to Florida, but lunch on day one is kind of up in the air.

#1, Do they have a character breakfast/Lunch/dinner for the 3 night Dream cruises?

#2, (This one was not clear) I see that I can check in as early as 11am. What does that mean? Can we go on-board at that point? Are they already serving lunch at that time? Or should we try to find something to eat elsewhere and then go on-board?

#3, Is there anywhere to eat lunch at the port before getting on-board the ship?

#4, If there are no places to eat lunch at the port then how difficult is it to eat on the other side of Canaveral Barge Canal and get back across? Or is that even possible?

1: No

2. They start the boarding process at 11. Depending on when they call your boarding group, you may get in then or a tad later.

3. Cabanas on Deck 11 and one other restaurant (usually Enchanted Garden on deck 2) is open. As soon as you get on board, head over there and get some free (by which I mean no upcharge and already paid for) food.
I don't think there is really anywhere to get anything of major substance in the terminal.

4. No clue.

Have a great trip!

 

[Tom]

I have looked in the FAQ and cannot find these answers. I am trying to determine how we are going to eat on the first day of the trip. We will eat breakfast at home before the plane ride to Florida, but lunch on day one is kind of up in the air.

#1, Do they have a character breakfast/Lunch/dinner for the 3 night Dream cruises?

#2, (This one was not clear) I see that I can check in as early as 11am. What does that mean? Can we go on-board at that point? Are they already serving lunch at that time? Or should we try to find something to eat elsewhere and then go on-board?

#3, Is there anywhere to eat lunch at the port before getting on-board the ship?

#4, If there are no places to eat lunch at the port then how difficult is it to eat on the other side of Canaveral Barge Canal and get back across? Or is that even possible?

1) There are no character meals.

2) Yes, the buffet and one sit-down restaurant will be serving lunch during the boarding process. Check-in at the terminal, get a Boarding Group number, hang out in the terminal, then board when they call your group. Unless you board after 1pm (when the rooms are ready), you'll want to pack as lightly as possible for boarding because you'll have to carry anything with you that you carried on board. This becomes a challenge when trying to eat.

3/4) Don't waste money eating anywhere other than the ship that day. You've already paid for that lunch, and the buffet is really good, so just plan on eating on the ship. Definitely don't worry yourself with trying to find a place to eat before registering and boarding - no need for that stress.

 

[G00fyDad]

Thank you for the replies. This sets my mind a little more at ease.

 

[ScoutN]

Check in as early as possible. You could get boarding group two or twelve. Check in time does not directly correlate with boarding time.

 

[G00fyDad]

I wish I knew how to get a boarding time as early as possible. I really don;t want to eat breakfast at home at 06:00am and then have to wait until a 3:00pm boarding time.

 

[Tom]

I wish I knew how to get a boarding time as early as possible. I really don;t want to eat breakfast at home at 06:00am and then have to wait until a 3:00pm boarding time.

Just get there as soon after 11am as you can. But even if you arrive around 1pm, you'll board shortly after you check in. We've sailed 3 times with DCL, arriving at different times each time, and have never really had to wait in the terminal very long.

 

[ChuckElias]

Just get there as soon after 11am as you can. But even if you arrive around 1pm, you'll board shortly after you check in. We've sailed 3 times with DCL, arriving at different times each time, and have never really had to wait in the terminal very long.

We've been cruising DCL since 2001, and they didn't have arrival times or boarding numbers back then. They just had a line and the sooner you arrived at the terminal, the sooner you got into the line. And then they'd announce boarding at noon or so and it was a mad crush. The first couple times we sailed, we arrived early and got a spot in line and just sat on the floor in the line for a couple hours to wait.

Boarding numbers were a big improvement!

 

[G00fyDad]

Thank you all for your responses. It is making me feel a lot better. Now... I just need to figure out this tipping/gratuity situation! LOL I am going to go back over the FAQ for that info later today.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Thank you all for your responses. It is making me feel a lot better. Now... I just need to figure out this tipping/gratuity situation! LOL I am going to go back over the FAQ for that info later today.

I prefer pre-paying the gratuities, makes it very easy. If anyone goes above and beyond, we just add a little extra cash in the envelope.

 

[G00fyDad]

Nice FAQ.

Tips
Tips are expected for your head server, server, assistant server and room steward. These tips are paid at the end of the cruise with envelopes provided by the cruise line.

Disney will charge them to your stateroom account unless you stop by guest services and ask them not to. You can also prepay your tips before arrival by calling DCL or your travel agent. Tips work out to about $12 per passenger per night of the cruise. You will also want to tip the following people - Tip the porters who take your luggage when you board and if you use them when you disembark. When your room service is delivered, it's customary to give them a few dollars. Tips are automatically added to bar tabs. Tip excursion operators and taxi drivers if you use them in ports.

Stateroom Charges
Charges for excursions are charged to your stateroom. So if you provide a credit card at the start of the cruise, all your stateroom charges (excursions, drink charges, purchases in the ship's shops, Palo/Remy's meals, etc.) will get charged to the credit card.

If you prefer not to have these charges applied to a credit card, you can provide cash, traveler's checks or gift cards to Guest Services in the main Atrium to be applied to your stateroom account.

In addition, if you would like to give yourself an "onboard credit" so to speak you can do that anytime after your cruise is paid in full. Just let your travel agent know, or call Disney and have them charge it.

So I am at least looking at $108 in tips for 3 people on a 3 night cruise. I will bring porter and room service tip money as well.

How much should those be? Porter = $5 or $10? Room Service = $?? Is that a % of the food cost requested?

 

[EOD K9]

Nice FAQ.



So I am at least looking at $108 in tips for 3 people on a 3 night cruise. I will bring porter and room service tip money as well.

How much should those be? Porter = $5 or $10? Room Service = $?? Is that a % of the food cost requested?

Your stateroom host brings your bags to the room. Generally, when portering to and from the ship, one doller per bag is the going rate. As far as room service, I will also usually tip one dollar per item (I will make it worthwhile for room service though).

 

[Nastory4]

I prefer pre-paying the gratuities, makes it very easy. If anyone goes above and beyond, we just add a little extra cash in the envelope.

I personally like to hand my gratuities to the cast members. Just feel better knowing that they are indeed getting the money I am leaving for them.

 

[NelleBelle]

This!

 

[Phonedave]

I wish I knew how to get a boarding time as early as possible. I really don;t want to eat breakfast at home at 06:00am and then have to wait until a 3:00pm boarding time.

As others have said, don't bother eating anywhere else, the food is on the ship.

However, lets say you ate at 6 AM and now you are starving. There is a coffee shop in the terminal. Nothing special, but it is there - maybe you need a muffin to tide you over until you get on the ship.

Also, the port security is not like airport security. Port security is just making sure you don't have any "real" weapons. Guns, ammo, knives, swords, etc. You can walk in with a snack and bottle of water if you want. You could pick up somthing like a bag of trail mix at the airport and snack on it at the terminal while you wait. Just remember, you will have many many many opportunites to eat on the ship.

-dave

 

[EOD K9]

Just remember, you will have many many many opportunites to eat on the ship.

 

[ChuckElias]

Yes, Jefe. . .

 

[G00fyDad]

View attachment 153460

 

[LongLiveTheKing]

I wish I knew how to get a boarding time as early as possible. I really don;t want to eat breakfast at home at 06:00am and then have to wait until a 3:00pm boarding time.

I don't know what the food policy for bringing food and drink on board but if you're allowed to I'd bring snacks in the bag you should have with you when waiting for your room if you get a freak late boarding time.

Also btw you should have a bag with you for when you are forfeiting your luggage and can't be in your room.