First cruise, please advise

[tracyandalex]

We have just booked our first cruise ever. We will be on the Disney Wonder for the 3 night Bahamian cruise in April. We = myself, my husband, and our 17 month old daughter. We have dinner reservations at Palo, a glass bottom boat tour on Castaway Cay, and the Discover Atlantis tour when we visit Nassau. Any advice and suggestions are very much appreciated.

Thanks in advance everyone, :wave:

Tracy

 

[tnemgif]

Congratulations! I've been on a few cruises and have to say that nothing compares to the experience of a Disney Cruise. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to cruising.

Unless you have money to blow, I wouldn't bother doing the glass-bottom boat tour on Castaway Cay. There is so much to do on Castaway Cay, you may actually prefer not to take the tour. It might be more fun for you to do a glass-sided boat in Nassau. Glass-bottom boats are boats with a small viewing area on the floor, while glass-sided boats seat guests below deck in a viewing area with windows looking out (like a submarine). These seem to offer a much better experience unless you're a little claustrophobic.

I've actually done the Discover Atlantis tour in Nassau and have to say I was a little dissappointed. It was very short and didn't offer much (a short tour of the aquarium was all). Nassau may have built up since I was there last, but you probably do want to make sure you have some excursion booked. Other than the shopping area near the ship, Nassau is still a very poor city and you will not want to be venturing off the beaten path. We made the mistake of walking outside the main area in Nassau and were actually warned to go back by a local woman. This was a few years ago, but it's something you may want to avoid.

Make sure you take time to see the shows on the cruise too! Most other cruiselines have some pretty terrible theatrical shows, but Disney does a great job with their onboard shows - on par with their shows in the parks. And it's always very family friendly of course! I hope you have a great time (I'm sure you will)!

 

[Cubs Brian]

If your interested there is a website cruisecritic.com that offers a ton of info on all cruise lines, ports of call and excursions. They are really useful for trip reports and reviews. It's a free site, just have to register to read the forums. We just got back from a Carnival cruise out of New Orleans and received a ton of help and info from that site.

 

[kimmychad]

If your interested there is a website cruisecritic.com that offers a ton of info on all cruise lines, ports of call and excursions. They are really useful for trip reports and reviews. It's a free site, just have to register to read the forums. We just got back from a Carnival cruise out of New Orleans and received a ton of help and info from that site.

cruisecal.com is also a helpful site, letting you about any ship or port.
out of curiousity when did you cruise on the triumph? we were on the feb 20th cruise, and having previously sailed with disney, I was extremely disappointed with carnivals food and customer service.

 

[Cubs Brian]

We were on the same cruise. Had a great time but the food in the buffet especially for breakfast was lackluster at best. MDR food was pretty good though. Service was good but slow especially when ordering drinks. The ship did show its age especially in the public restrooms.Btw, how many times did you hear someone start a sentence off with"youawl or who dat"? I quit counting at about a million lol.:ROFLOL:

 

[kimmychad]

We were on the same cruise. Had a great time but the food in the buffet especially for breakfast was lackluster at best. MDR food was pretty good though. Service was good but slow especially when ordering drinks. The ship did show its age especially in the public restrooms.Btw, how many times did you hear someone start a sentence off with"youawl or who dat"? I quit counting at about a million lol.:ROFLOL:

The whole who dat thing was the most annoying ever. The welcome buffet was a joke compared to the one we had on the wonder in december. lol we ordered 2 diet cokes on the last day while we were waiting to disembark and the server actually said he couldn't get them, we had to go to the bar and sign a receipt. we talked to other couples that said the ship was not up to carnival standards, but we'll never find out what the other ships are like.

if only disney offered better ports to visit.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

You're going to love it! I'm glad you're going to Palo, and that's a don't miss for us.

I also agree about the shows, they're wonderful!

Order room service.

Mickey bars aren't on the menu but can be ordered from room service.

If there is the slightest chance you will cruise again, rebook onboard. The savings and onboard credits are great.

 

[tix2grrr]

Hey Tracy,

I just got back from my first cruise ever and our stop was in nassau. i was on a carnival cruise that parked next to the disney wonder. we were wondering why everyone stayed on the boat instead of going ashore and we found out why. apart from getting propositioned by 10 people on the way out of the port, there really isnt much to see. slums, slums, slums all the way up until you hit atlantis. and the discover atlantis tour takes you the same places you can see just walking around. there is a way to sneak past the areas they block off so you can see the rest of the resort and more of the aquariums if you are interested
but since you have a 17 month old i would just stay on the boat in nassau, but for castaway i have no idea about. the shops at nassau are not that far from any other tourist trap offerings that you can find around florida. hope this helps!

Dave

 

[musketeer]

Hey Tracy,

I just got back from my first cruise ever and our stop was in nassau. i was on a carnival cruise that parked next to the disney wonder. we were wondering why everyone stayed on the boat instead of going ashore and we found out why. apart from getting propositioned by 10 people on the way out of the port, there really isnt much to see. slums, slums, slums all the way up until you hit atlantis.

Slums in Nassau????

I've been to Nassau twice (never on a Disney cruise but that isn't relevant here), and Nassau is one of the nicer port cities in the caribbean. I've walked all around Nassau and I don't remember any slums.

Now Ocho Rios...that is rather shady. But not Nassau.

To the original poster, a few blocks from the port is the Pirate Museum....LOVED it. It was very good. It felt like all that was missing was a vehicle to ride in and it'd almost be a Disney Ride. It is probably offered as an excursion, but it is easy to walk there so I suggest doing it by yourself.

Also, the Ardastra Zoo is very cool too. That one isn't walking distance. Make sure not to miss the Flamingo show if you go there.

 

[tix2grrr]

well within walking distance from the port three things I saw fit my description of slums:

1. several run down, burnt down, or just plain derelict houses/buildings

2. Drug dealers.(prior law enforcement,very easy to pick out.)

3. stray dogs and cats everywhere.

If I had a 17 month old I would not bring my child ashore knowing these things but to each their own.

 

[musketeer]

We were with my brother and sister in law along with their 18 month old. I didn't see any of that in the two visits I made to Nassau. And it was actually 3 days because one day was spent overnight.

Again, sounds a lot like Ocho Rios. Every other step, you are asked to buy drugs, take a taxi, or get your hair braided.

I don't think Nassau is unsafe.

 

[Cubs Brian]

well within walking distance from the port three things I saw fit my description of slums:

1. several run down, burnt down, or just plain derelict houses/buildings

2. Drug dealers.(prior law enforcement,very easy to pick out.)

3. stray dogs and cats everywhere.

If I had a 17 month old I would not bring my child ashore knowing these things but to each their own.

Sounds like any neighborhood near S.O.B.T ( prior experience with law enforcement):lol:

 

[tnemgif]

well within walking distance from the port three things I saw fit my description of slums:

1. several run down, burnt down, or just plain derelict houses/buildings

2. Drug dealers.(prior law enforcement,very easy to pick out.)

3. stray dogs and cats everywhere.

If I had a 17 month old I would not bring my child ashore knowing these things but to each their own.

I haven't been to Nassau for several years (because of this reason), but I think it depends where you go in Nassau. If you stay near the tourist-y area, I think you'll be ok. The markets are fun if you're into bartering.
They usually hold some short info sessions before pulling into port, so you might want to check that out too!

Another thought: Tips can be a HUGE expense. At the end of the cruise you're expected to tip a lot of people (2 waiters, a head waiter, room attendants, etc) per day. These tips can add up very quickly and can cost hundreds of dollars. Just something to plan for before you go.

 

[Phonedave]

Off te top of my head.

1) Do not fly in the day of the cruise. Arrive at least a day early.

2) The Disney transportation to the cruise is super easy. And if you are the least bit worried where to go, then take it. However, if you use the Disney transport, it gets you there whenever it gets you there. You will make it on time to get on board, but you may arrive at 3:00 PM for a 5:00 PM sailing. Meanwhile the ship started boarding around noon. The earlier you arrive at the cruise port, the sooner you get on the ship, and the more time you have to enjoy the ship. You also get first crack at the excursion desk and those elusive Spa bookings. A 3 day cruise is short, you are going to want to get on that ship as early on your departure day as possible. Just remember to pack a carry on bag for your child.

You basically have three ways to get to the cruise port.

1) Disney transport. Easy, but may get you there later than you want.
2) Town car. Easy, gets you there when you want, but for a family of three, more expensive than the Disney transfers.
3) Rental car. Cheaper than Disney transport, gets you there on your schedule. But you have to know where to drive to. You have to pick up the rental, drive a one way rental to Port Canaveral, drop the car off, and take a free shuttle from the rental place to the Cruise port. Not difficult (I have done it) but with a 17 m/o maybe not the most fun.

choices ... choices.

More advice. Room service is free (except for room service beverages) if your child wants to nap, take advantage of the room service (heck, take advantage of it anyway). You should tip the person who brings it though.

As someone else said, see the shows, they are top notch.

Check out the little used deck on the bow of the ship. I think it's off of deck 6 and 7. Not many people know its there. Supposedly, if there is a wedding, that is where it will be held.

-dave