Whats included in your package

[Mainahman]

Comparing the idea of a week in the parks with dining plan vs a week on the seas for our 10th anniversary finally taking a Honeymoon trip. How does food work on the cruise lines? Is it all out of pocket vs a dining plan available in the parks? Sorry to sound cruise dumb but we have never been on one.

 

[flynnibus]

to put it park terms...

All buffets and table service are included. You pay for alcohol.

Bar service is pay.... the two special upgrade restaurants have a upcharge fee per person.

Special snacks (like movie theatre food) are also pay... but you have table service, QSR, and buffet available included.

Table service is fixed time... buffets and QSR are in time windows... drink and ice cream are 24/7

 

[flynnibus]

Comparing the idea of a week in the parks with dining plan vs a week on the seas for our 10th anniversary finally taking a Honeymoon trip. How does food work on the cruise lines? Is it all out of pocket vs a dining plan available in the parks? Sorry to sound cruise dumb but we have never been on one.

To expand on it... I would totally tell you to do a 4 or 5 day cruise for a couple's thing. Cruise is all about RELAX - and pampering.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Don't forget room service is almost completely free.

 

[lostpro9het]

Comparing the idea of a week in the parks with dining plan vs a week on the seas for our 10th anniversary finally taking a Honeymoon trip. How does food work on the cruise lines? Is it all out of pocket vs a dining plan available in the parks? Sorry to sound cruise dumb but we have never been on one.

All food short of Remy, Palo, Vanellope's, and some of the snacks at the theaters and bars are included. So all breakfasts, lunches and rotational dinners are included as well as the food stations on deck. So if its 2:30 and you want a slice of pizza and a gyro, you're covered! Dinners at Remy and Palo require an up charge per guest per night that you want to dine there. Going into Vanellope's is like walking into an ice cream shop and everything will have a price with it.

 

[Mainahman]

wow! That totally clears it up! i didnt realize it included all of that.

 

[EOD K9]

What everyone else said. Basically, in theory, you can go the whole cruise and not pay any extra out of pocket in terms of food. There is a self serve soda/tea/coffee/hot chocolate counter in two places towards the aft of the ship. Room servIce is free except for specifically marked items. We generally tip the person who brings it to our room one dollar per item. Canned soda and candies are extra from RS.
Vanellope’s is only on the Dream, but the prices are reasonable. They do have separate free soft serve ice cream locations however. I’d highly recommend no less than a four nighter. The wife and I went back in 2013 before we had children and did another later in the year for three nights. Three is too short but better than nothing. Please ask if you have more questions.

 

[flynnibus]

wow! That totally clears it up! i didnt realize it included all of that.

For a 'I want to know, but have no starting point..' for DCL... I think the Passporter Guide is a really good resource that covers all dimensions of cruising... from where to stay, what room means what, what to do on and off board, etc. http://www.passporter.com/disney-cruises/home.html - just get the online PDF... its worth it.. years worth of knowledge at your finger tips. Can save you lots of researching and discovering the 'must knows'

 

[NelleBelle]

Would definitely agree with with @EOD K9 about length of cruise being no less than 4-nighter. Our first cruise was a 7-nighter and we will do nothing less (especially after doing 11-nights on a transatlantic). I don't think you'd get as much time to "relax" on the shorter cruises. We've really enjoyed cruising on Disney (the service is beyond anything you get at the resorts). DH and I did the transatlantic cruise sans kids and was very romantic--found lots of "adult" disney-themed activities.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

We have done 3, 4 & 5 night sailings on the Dream. The 5 nighter (a double dip to Castaway Cay) was no questionably the best but we enjoyed the others. The 3 nighter was short but it was a Merrytime Cruise so we enjoyed that it had different things to see. I warn you though...once you cruise with Disney you will start plotting your return immediately!

 

[EOD K9]

We have done 3, 4 & 5 night sailings on the Dream. The 5 nighter (a double dip to Castaway Cay) was no questionably the best but we enjoyed the others. The 3 nighter was short but it was a Merrytime Cruise so we enjoyed that it had different things to see. I warn you though...once you cruise with Disney you will start plotting your return immediately!

Which is nice because you can book another one at the booking desk onboard.

 

[Kingdom Konsultant]

If you do cruise on the Dream, keep in mind that you can order one of the Sundaes from Vanelopes and have it served to you at dinner. You do have to pre-order early. I did this for my daughter on our last cruise. Here is a pic of the go cart sundae that they brought to her

 

[NelleBelle]

I think bar-type beverages are available free of charge in the concierge lounge. Depending on your concierge room type, you are able to order room service from the main dining rooms, including the uncharge restaurants, free of charge.

 

[Phonedave]

Along with what everyone else said, there are no "rules" when it comes to ordering. With the DDP you get an entree, a dessert, and a beverage per TS meal

On a cruise, get what ever you want. The apps look good to you - order 3 or 4 of them. Entree did not fill you up - get a second. As long as you are not insane about it, they will be more than happy to accommodate you. Ask nicely, and try not to waste food. If there is something that interests you, but you don't know if you would like it, ask for a small portion, don't just order a full serving. Also, try not to camp out in the dining room if you have first seating, they do have to prep for the second wave.

There is no lack of included food on a cruise.

-dave

 

[Master Yoda]

Along with what everyone else said, there are no "rules" when it comes to ordering. With the DDP you get an entree, a dessert, and a beverage per TS meal

On a cruise, get what ever you want. The apps look good to you - order 3 or 4 of them. Entree did not fill you up - get a second. As long as you are not insane about it, they will be more than happy to accommodate you. Ask nicely, and try not to waste food. If there is something that interests you, but you don't know if you would like it, ask for a small portion, don't just order a full serving. Also, try not to camp out in the dining room if you have first seating, they do have to prep for the second wave.

There is no lack of included food on a cruise.

-dave

So very true.

On our last 7 nighter it took about 2 dinners for our wait staff to figure out what we liked. By night 3 my wife got creme brulee for desert regardless if it was on the menu or not and my youngest daughter got the roasted carrots she loved with every meal.

My middle daughter and her husband still eat like your average 8 year old and they bent over backwards to get them "normal" food when the menu got too weird for them.

 

[Phonedave]

So very true.

On our last 7 nighter it took about 2 dinners for our wait staff to figure out what we liked. By night 3 my wife got creme brulee for desert regardless if it was on the menu or not and my youngest daughter got the roasted carrots she loved with every meal.

My middle daughter and her husband still eat like your average 8 year old and they bent over backwards to get them "normal" food when the menu got too weird for them.

While not a DCL cruise, on my last cruise l mentioned to our server that I was looking forward towards lobster night, but they are always small (they use spiny lobsters - so no claw meat either). On lobster night, I got a plate with the normal side dishes and a single lobster tail. But somehow, every time I finished it, a new one was magically in it's place. Cruising is NOT good for a diet.


-dave

 

[pezgirlroy]

As far as concierge, yes there is a 'happy hour' in the Concierge lounge from 5-10 each night with free drinks. You can have meals from the main dinning rooms (MDRs) delivered to your concierge room if you have a table in the room.

 

[jaklgreen]

I am late to this post but I would also like to add that the food at the main dining(not the upgraded restaurants) is very very good. You will get filet and prime rib and sea bass. Most other cruise lines you need to pay extra for the "better" cuts of meat. Also Disney cruise is the only one that has the self serve soda/coffee/tea machines for you to use. Other ones sell drink plans and you usually have to wait in line at the bar for a drink. At the dinners, my girls and I usually order our own each meal plus and extra one or two to share, especially if it is something we have not had before. It is a great way to try new foods that you don't want to take the chance and pay for at a normal restaurant.

 

[NelleBelle]

I don’t feel that there is the constant “upsell”’that I’ve found with other cruise lines. When we boarded in Barcelona for our WBTA this past fall, I had to hunt someone down to put an order in to deliver a 24-pack of bottled water to our room. Other cruise lines I felt I couldn’t go 2 ft without trying to be sold something (drink upgrade, drink of the day, souvenir glass, etc)

 

[jaklgreen]

I don’t feel that there is the constant “upsell”’that I’ve found with other cruise lines. When we boarded in Barcelona for our WBTA this past fall, I had to hunt someone down to put an order in to deliver a 24-pack of bottled water to our room. Other cruise lines I felt I couldn’t go 2 ft without trying to be sold something (drink upgrade, drink of the day, souvenir glass, etc)

This post also reminded me of how much Celebrity felt like a flea market. While at sea, they brought out the folding tables and filled them with a bunch of knock offs. Completely tacky and not what I expect when taking a nice cruise, maybe on a Carnival ship, but not on a Celebrity.