First Cruise

S

stitchlilomom

New Member
We leave for our first cruise on Disney Cruise Line Dec. 1. I am so nervous and excited. Any advice or tips would be great from you guys that have been before.
 
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tiaragirl

tiaragirl

Well-Known Member
Ah, so much fun =) My friends and I are going in May and we CANNOT wait. The countdown is on already.

Don't get caught ANYWHERE without sunscreen. The results are not good. Similarly, keep hydrated. In retrospect, I had an awful case of sun stroke.. And I'm a lifeguard, so I'm careful. Haha.
 
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Michael Hall

Michael Hall

Member
We went on our first cruise the last of September. Disney Wonder. It was fabulous. Our 7 year old son loved being a part of the oceaneers club. I loved almost everything. If I would say anything negative it would have been on our cruise only. We were the last cruise before the Disney Wonder was to be refurbished. They started the last night of our cruise. Stripping the floors on some of the decks. My wife almost fell once. They hammered and knocked all night long. Castaway Cay was great.
 
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Shadowdawn

Shadowdawn

Member
Set up a daily breakfast order of coffee, tea, etc..Every morning our order would be there right at 8:30 unless we called to ask for it to be earlier.

Get dressed up for the Pirates in the Caribbean party. It's really fun.

Order the cheese steak from room service.

Most importantly, if you are in the Adult pool and they announce that they are going to play some games, get out of the pool as quickly as possible, run I tell you. Especially if you have a significant other that will volunteer you.
 
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Disneyfalcon

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
I second the room service recommendations. Order as much as you can stand!

Board as early as possible. Pack your swimsuits in your carry on and swim right after you eat. It will be the only time the kid's pools are empty!

Do not - I repeat - do NOT, sit in the front row at one of the comedy shows for adults. It bears repeating - don't do it. :eek:
 
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Phonedave

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
1. Book using Kingdom Konsultants - sorry for the plug, but I just finished booking my third cruise today (its my second with KK). Marie is so much of a help.


2. While you may be able to do WDW without planning, the cruise really does require some planning. Unfortunately is not something you can do ahead of time. Luckly they give you a wonderful tool. You will get a newsletter each night, showing the next days events, laid out much like a TV Guide. USE IT, take 10 minutes a night to go over it with your family and circle the things you want to do. There is so much to do that if you never look at it, you will find yourself missing things you did not even know about.

3. Try to get to the cruise port (and then onboard) as early as possible. This means more time for you to relax. You get first crack at the excursions desk and the Spa bookings. If you pack a carry on with swimsuits, then you get to relax and enjoy the ship while all the others are still on line in the terminal.

-dave
 
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Disneyfalcon

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
sueuk said:
We've cruised before - but not with Disney. Would you recommend Disney cruises for adults (no kids)?
Click to expand...

Absolutely! One of my Disney cruises was a girl's only cruise. Four women, we had a great time.:sohappy:

One benefit to Disney is the adult only areas. Adult only pool, adult only restaurant, etc. Many other cruiselines don't have as many kids, but they also don't have areas where you can get away from them either.
 
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disney4life2008

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
I am going on my first cruise in January (not with Disney but with Carnival). I do plan on taking a Disney Cruise in the future but I can not afford their rates even with discounted deposits.
 
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Laura

Laura

22
Phonedave said:
2. While you may be able to do WDW without planning, the cruise really does require some planning. Unfortunately is not something you can do ahead of time. Luckly they give you a wonderful tool. You will get a newsletter each night, showing the next days events, laid out much like a TV Guide. USE IT, take 10 minutes a night to go over it with your family and circle the things you want to do. There is so much to do that if you never look at it, you will find yourself missing things you did not even know about.
Click to expand...

Also, after you've marked and folded the heck out of your navigator, you can go to the guest services desk and grab a fresh copy to keep as a souvenir. I always bring 4 different colored markers (the mini sharpies) and each person in the family has their own color and circles all the things they want to do. Helps me stay organized and know who is where, when.
 
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Laura

Laura

22
Oh and also, you can drop off markers and a personal item to guest services when you first board (photo mat, pillowcase, t-shirt, etc) and at the end of the week they'll deliver the item back to your stateroom signed by all the characters.
 
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tiaragirl

tiaragirl

Well-Known Member
Laura said:
Oh and also, you can drop off markers and a personal item to guest services when you first board (photo mat, pillowcase, t-shirt, etc) and at the end of the week they'll deliver the item back to your stateroom signed by all the characters.
Click to expand...

SERIOUSLY? That is so cool!
 
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D

dcartwr

New Member
First Cruise Too

We are heading off for our first cruise in February for 4 nights with the spouse and 7 year old daughter. Having a hard time deciding whether to do a shore excursion or not in Nassua. Has anyone done the dolphin adventures? Hoping to do Palo the last night of the cruise. What do others have planned?
 
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Phonedave

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
dcartwr said:
We are heading off for our first cruise in February for 4 nights with the spouse and 7 year old daughter. Having a hard time deciding whether to do a shore excursion or not in Nassua. Has anyone done the dolphin adventures? Hoping to do Palo the last night of the cruise. What do others have planned?
Click to expand...


I have done the Swim With the Dolphins in Nassau and the Stingray Adventure in Nassau

I can't recommend the Stingray adventure. It was very nice and loads of fun, however - they take you hostage. You take a launch out to Blackbeard Cay, which has the stingray area, a lunch place, a tourist trap gift shop, and a beach. You spend about 2 hours, tops, with the stingrays. It's not that they kick you out, but how long can you swim around with sting rays. And then you are stuck there until they decide to ferry you back to port. We got back just in time to shower and make it to dining. We spent about 3 hours just wandering around on the island, hot and thirsty with nothing to do but spend money.

Now, the Dolphin Swim was different. Thats expensive (a lot more expensive) but the swim was so worth it. When else in your life are you going to know what its like to stand on the heads of two doplhins and ride them across a lagoon? (wear a bathing suit that cinches tightly :) ) There is a lot to do on that island as well. There are a lot of view stations for other animals. There is a touch tank. There is a very nice beach. And, there are a series of launches (about one every hour) that take you back to port. So you get to go back when you want. We were able to get back and wander around Nassau for a while and then get on the ship and relax before dinner.

There is a sting ray adventure on Castaway Cay. I have never done that one, but our table mates did it one trip. They raved about it. And it's on Castaway Cay, so when it's over, you are not held hostage.

Oh, my daughters were 6 and 8 for the stingrays, and 8 and 10 for the dolphins. They enjoyed both of them. But they were asking to go back to the ship after being stuck on the Stingray island after a few hours as well.

If you want to do the Dolphins, book it quickly, it fills up fast.

-dave
 
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