planning first Disney Cruise-- Questions

[LeeSeeBabe]

Hi all!

I am planning my first Disney Cruise for October! My boyfriend and I are going on an "FSU Alumni" Disney Cruise as there are no other 2 things we both love more than Disney and FSU!

I know there will be multiple questions I will have in the upcoming months, but I want to ask them as soon as they pop in my head!

First question: I've read they have 'professional photo opportunities' onboard... is that referring to fastpass? If so, Do they have PHOTOPASS [edit] CMs on Castaway Cay?

Also, if I were to make a reservation at Palo, can I choose what restaurant it would take the place of?

 

[Ceekling]

:wave:

We took the 4 day cruise in 2004 and loved it!

Professional photo opportunities means they have a photographer on board who will take candids from the days activities and excursions. I think you meant to say Photopass rather than Fastpass? If so, yes, it's like the Photopass you experience in the parks.

And, yes, you can choose which night you want to dine at Paolo's. Keep in mind, that you'll find out which night you're at which restaurant before the cruise, but can't book Paolo's until you get on the ship. Depending on how many people get on before you, you might not get your night of choice.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

You're going to love it! The photographers onboard do take candids all over the ship and on Castaway Cay. They also take posed photos with the characters, and there's some portrait sitting opportunities also.

It's not like photo pass in that you can't see your photos online, or buy the digital files. You can't buy a CD of all your pictures. They print most of the pictures onboard for you to see, and there are others that are on your Key to the World card. You insert your card into photo kiosks and you can see and order those pictures there.

You can book Palo at midnight 75 days before your cruise (90 days before if you've cruised disney before, or 105 days before if you are concierge or booked the Romantic Escape package). Most Palo reservations will be gone at 75 days out.

The good news is, they hold some times to book after boarding. If you board early and go to Wavebands immediately, you shouldn't have any problem getting the night you want.

You will find out your dining rotation when you arrive at the terminal and then you can decide what you would like to miss.

How long is your cruise? On the 4 night, you repeat restaurants the 2nd and 3rd night, so one of them is a good night to miss. The one you do not want to miss is your first night in Animator's Palate. They only do the show the first night you eat there.

If it's just the two of you, you will probably eat at Triton's the first night, Animators the second and Parrot Cay the third. If you're on a 4 night, you will repeat Animators the second and third, and go to Parrot Cay the 4th.

I have a trip report in the cruise section from a 7 night a few weeks ago. It's got tons of pics if you're interested.

I had a million questions my first cruise, so ask away!

 

[Ceekling]

You're going to love it! The photographers onboard do take candids all over the ship and on Castaway Cay. They also take posed photos with the characters, and there's some portrait sitting opportunities also.

It's not like photo pass in that you can't see your photos online, or buy the digital files. You can't buy a CD of all your pictures. They print most of the pictures onboard for you to see, and there are others that are on your Key to the World card. You insert your card into photo kiosks and you can see and order those pictures there.

You can book Palo at midnight 75 days before your cruise (90 days before if you've cruised disney before, or 105 days before if you are concierge or booked the Romantic Escape package). Most Palo reservations will be gone at 75 days out.

The good news is, they hold some times to book after boarding. If you board early and go to Wavebands immediately, you shouldn't have any problem getting the night you want.

You will find out your dining rotation when you arrive at the terminal and then you can decide what you would like to miss.

How long is your cruise? On the 4 night, you repeat restaurants the 2nd and 3rd night, so one of them is a good night to miss. The one you do not want to miss is your first night in Animator's Palate. They only do the show the first night you eat there.

If it's just the two of you, you will probably eat at Triton's the first night, Animators the second and Parrot Cay the third. If you're on a 4 night, you will repeat Animators the second and third, and go to Parrot Cay the 4th.

I have a trip report in the cruise section from a 7 night a few weeks ago. It's got tons of pics if you're interested.

I had a million questions my first cruise, so ask away!

Wow, sounds like quite a lot has changed since I went 5 years ago. Disregard my comments above as this is obviously a more up to date answer!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Wow, sounds like quite a lot has changed since I went 5 years ago. Disregard my comments above as this is obviously a more up to date answer!

Yes! Sorry, Ceekling I was going to say a few things had changed. Palo online reservations just happened a couple of years ago. You did used to have to book it onboard.

You need to go again!!:sohappy:

 

[mpoppins217]

Congrats on making Disney your first cruise! You'll love it and become addicted very easily to warn you ahead of time! I took my first cruise in February and already have my next one booked for August (yay $99 bounceback!)!

I was beat to the punch by the others but I'll try to help when I can with any other questions you have. Just to add on a little extra, Wavebands opens at 1pm for Palo reservations. When I went I had already booked Palo online and then we got our dining rotation at the terminal and had to change it because we would have missed our night at Animator's Palate and had absolutely no problems (of course, we also headed straight there and were about number 3 in a line of 20+).

If you're going for 4 nights then you won't miss any of your rotation, but if it's a 3 nighter then you're going to have to choose which restraunt to miss. So I would read the menus online in advance to get a feel for which one you wouldn't mind not eating at (and remember, there's always next time for eating there! ).

And I have to give credit to Disneyfalcon, most of my knowledge came from her when I had all the questions planning my first cruise! So thank you!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Congrats on making Disney your first cruise! You'll love it and become addicted very easily to warn you ahead of time! I took my first cruise in February and already have my next one booked for August (yay $99 bounceback!)!

I was beat to the punch by the others but I'll try to help when I can with any other questions you have. Just to add on a little extra, Wavebands opens at 1pm for Palo reservations. When I went I had already booked Palo online and then we got our dining rotation at the terminal and had to change it because we would have missed our night at Animator's Palate and had absolutely no problems (of course, we also headed straight there and were about number 3 in a line of 20+).

If you're going for 4 nights then you won't miss any of your rotation, but if it's a 3 nighter then you're going to have to choose which restraunt to miss. So I would read the menus online in advance to get a feel for which one you wouldn't mind not eating at (and remember, there's always next time for eating there! ).

And I have to give credit to Disneyfalcon, most of my knowledge came from her when I had all the questions planning my first cruise! So thank you!

Ahhhh! Thanks mpoppins!!

And you are totally right. They are completely addictive!!

 

[RobnRachal]

We booked our first Disney cruise (any cruise for that matter) for December. It's our 15th wedding anniversary :sohappy: So if it's OK, I'm gonna ride your coattails on this one....

 

[LeeSeeBabe]

Thanks, guys!

And I did mean Photopass not fastpass lol.

I will be on a 3-night Cruise, and I think we are planning to skip Triton's.

Disneyfalcon, I have already been enjoying your trip reports and they've been extremely helpful in answering a couple questions I've already had!

I am almost nervous about planning the cruise because I don't want to miss something just because I didn't know about it! My boyfriend has never been out of the country or on a cruise (or on a plane for that matter) so I've been showing him pictures of the Caribbean waters and he's getting so excited!

RobnRachal, Congrats on booking your first Disney Cruise, too! I know I will be having many more questions as the months come along, and I will probably ask them in this same thread!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Thanks, guys!

And I did mean Photopass not fastpass lol.

I will be on a 3-night Cruise, and I think we are planning to skip Triton's.

Disneyfalcon, I have already been enjoying your trip reports and they've been extremely helpful in answering a couple questions I've already had!

I am almost nervous about planning the cruise because I don't want to miss something just because I didn't know about it! My boyfriend has never been out of the country or on a cruise (or on a plane for that matter) so I've been showing him pictures of the Caribbean waters and he's getting so excited!

RobnRachal, Congrats on booking your first Disney Cruise, too! I know I will be having many more questions as the months come along, and I will probably ask them in this same thread!

Ask away!

 

[Disneyfalcon]

There's some new information on photos onboard. Apparently DCL is starting to offer a CD with your digital files on it. Right now it's $400 on the Magic and $300 on the Wonder.

As crazy as that sounds, there are definitely people that spend that much.

Right now, they are saying it's all the files associated with your cabin. So no splitting the cost with other cabins.

I'll let you know how this develops. It's exciting that they are moving in the right direction!

 

[Phonedave]

Thanks, guys!

And I did mean Photopass not fastpass lol.

I will be on a 3-night Cruise, and I think we are planning to skip Triton's.

Disneyfalcon, I have already been enjoying your trip reports and they've been extremely helpful in answering a couple questions I've already had!

I am almost nervous about planning the cruise because I don't want to miss something just because I didn't know about it! My boyfriend has never been out of the country or on a cruise (or on a plane for that matter) so I've been showing him pictures of the Caribbean waters and he's getting so excited!

RobnRachal, Congrats on booking your first Disney Cruise, too! I know I will be having many more questions as the months come along, and I will probably ask them in this same thread!

Just in case, I will state the obvious

Get your passports now


-dave

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Just in case, I will state the obvious

Get your passports now


-dave

Although you don't need passports to sail on a closed loop cruise (one that starts and ends in a US port), phonedave is right, it's not a bad idea to have them.

 

[Phonedave]

Although you don't need passports to sail on a closed loop cruise (one that starts and ends in a US port), phonedave is right, it's not a bad idea to have them.

True - you do not NEED one.

But you never know - if you have a birth certificate they think does not look quite right, that may be trouble

or

if for any reason you have to fly - illness, ship trouble, miss the ship, etc then you do need a passport.

Just play it safe and get one.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

Recent passengers have said they could share the CD with linked cabins. So large groups could split the cost.:sohappy:

 

[mpoppins217]

There's some new information on photos onboard. Apparently DCL is starting to offer a CD with your digital files on it. Right now it's $400 on the Magic and $300 on the Wonder.

Wow. $300 is quite a bit of money. Although, I had so many great pictures at the end of my first cruise I believe I spent about half that buying them! So it's probably a good deal, especially for larger families. Let's hope this is a step in the right direction and will eventually decrease to the photopass CD cost!