emerald3582
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2011
Since I have nothing else better to do while on quarantine, I've decided to post a few memories and tips about my past DC. DDs were 13 & 14 at the time. We also combined this cruise with a pre-trip to USF for 2 days. We stayed on property to get the Unlimited Express Pass which was well worth it. I priced out staying off property and purchasing the Pass separately and it was only a $200 difference. Well worth the convenience of being on site. Even without USF, both my kids say their all time favorite trip was the DC. We stayed midship, port side, Deck 2 as I was concerned about seasickness. Ever since I had the kids, I am very sensitive to motion sickness. However, I read somewhere that you should start taking the non-drowsy Dramamine 2 days before a trip (and of course every subsequent day after that). If you try to take it after you get sick, it won't work. The family and I tested this theory on the ferry ride from Vallejo to the SF Giants game. It worked great! I even had a glass of wine on the ferry. I had no issues on the cruise either.
Tips:
1. Buy Disney gift cards from with a Target RedCard. You can buy them online or at the store. RedCard can be linked to your bank debit card (no credit check) or credit card. You'll get 5% off the Disney gift cards. I discovered this before the cruise and wished I'd known about it sooner. I used them at the end of my cruise to pay for all our incidentals, i.e. drinks, port adventures, souvenirs, gratuities, etc. In the future, I will use them for all things Disney!
2. Book Spa passes before your cruise. They are only $16pp/pd + 18% gratuity. This is way cheaper than once you get on board. I booked a total of 8 passes for DH & I. I love, love, loved the heated stone loungers! It is a great place to get away from all the hustle & bustle and just relax. That's why you're on the cruise anyway, right?
3. I highly recommend Remy & Palo. Great food and great service for a fraction of the price that you would pay at an upscale steakhouse or Italian restaurant. Best to book reservations precruise. Once on board, make sure your reservations doesn't conflict with Animator's Palate. If it does, try to change it.
4. I registered my DDs for the teen club, Vibe. Even though one DD was only 13, Disney made an exception since her sister was 14. My kids loved Vibe! I briefly saw them in the morning before DH & I left the room. Then wouldn't see them again until dinner unless it was a port day. After dinner, they would disappear again and come back to the room around midnight/1am depending on what Vibe had scheduled for them. I believe this is what truly made their vacation the most memorable. It was the most freedom they've ever had on a vacation, while I had the peace of mind that they were being supervised by responsible, fun Disney counselors.
5. Download the DCL navigator app. Turn off cellular data, turn on airplane mode, turn on wifi.
6. Not sure if these will be available when you cruise, but there was a free, small data package on embarkation day. I was also able to pack a carry-on suitcase full of water.
7. Bring your own hydro/thermoflask or other insulated drinking vessel.
8. Alcohol is expensive. However, the daily drinks are $5. I did purchase a small wine package to enjoy with dinner. I also purchased these bags.
DH & I really enjoyed the adult trivia games and we all enjoyed the "game show" games. We had one character experience with Darth Vader which was fun. I highly recommend the dolphin swim in Cozumel if you've never done one before. I got a crazy good deal by booking directly with Dolphin Discovery instead of DCL. Castaway Cay, DCL's private island, was another highlight of our trip. I booked the Port Adventure called the Extreme Getaway Package which included a stingray encounter, snorkel, float, and bike rental. Make sure you bike around and explore the island. We got our use out of everything except the floats for DH & I. I prefer lounging on the beach reading a good book.
The food at all 3 dinner venues was outstanding. And the best part is that if you really like something you can ask for more at no cost!!! Appetizer, dessert, literally anything.
I do a LOT of research for each vacation and often get ridiculed by my family. I also have spreadsheets and estimate costs so that I can save up for each trip. Every week I transfer $X to my savings account so that when time comes it's all paid for. This trip was planned 13 months in advance. I booked it with Small World Vacations and got $150 onboard credit. If I had to do it over again, I would probably have booked through Costco Travel as that seemed to have the most value with the Costco Cash card. I hope some of this info helps future Disney cruisers.
Tips:
1. Buy Disney gift cards from with a Target RedCard. You can buy them online or at the store. RedCard can be linked to your bank debit card (no credit check) or credit card. You'll get 5% off the Disney gift cards. I discovered this before the cruise and wished I'd known about it sooner. I used them at the end of my cruise to pay for all our incidentals, i.e. drinks, port adventures, souvenirs, gratuities, etc. In the future, I will use them for all things Disney!
2. Book Spa passes before your cruise. They are only $16pp/pd + 18% gratuity. This is way cheaper than once you get on board. I booked a total of 8 passes for DH & I. I love, love, loved the heated stone loungers! It is a great place to get away from all the hustle & bustle and just relax. That's why you're on the cruise anyway, right?
3. I highly recommend Remy & Palo. Great food and great service for a fraction of the price that you would pay at an upscale steakhouse or Italian restaurant. Best to book reservations precruise. Once on board, make sure your reservations doesn't conflict with Animator's Palate. If it does, try to change it.
4. I registered my DDs for the teen club, Vibe. Even though one DD was only 13, Disney made an exception since her sister was 14. My kids loved Vibe! I briefly saw them in the morning before DH & I left the room. Then wouldn't see them again until dinner unless it was a port day. After dinner, they would disappear again and come back to the room around midnight/1am depending on what Vibe had scheduled for them. I believe this is what truly made their vacation the most memorable. It was the most freedom they've ever had on a vacation, while I had the peace of mind that they were being supervised by responsible, fun Disney counselors.
5. Download the DCL navigator app. Turn off cellular data, turn on airplane mode, turn on wifi.
6. Not sure if these will be available when you cruise, but there was a free, small data package on embarkation day. I was also able to pack a carry-on suitcase full of water.
7. Bring your own hydro/thermoflask or other insulated drinking vessel.
8. Alcohol is expensive. However, the daily drinks are $5. I did purchase a small wine package to enjoy with dinner. I also purchased these bags.
DH & I really enjoyed the adult trivia games and we all enjoyed the "game show" games. We had one character experience with Darth Vader which was fun. I highly recommend the dolphin swim in Cozumel if you've never done one before. I got a crazy good deal by booking directly with Dolphin Discovery instead of DCL. Castaway Cay, DCL's private island, was another highlight of our trip. I booked the Port Adventure called the Extreme Getaway Package which included a stingray encounter, snorkel, float, and bike rental. Make sure you bike around and explore the island. We got our use out of everything except the floats for DH & I. I prefer lounging on the beach reading a good book.
The food at all 3 dinner venues was outstanding. And the best part is that if you really like something you can ask for more at no cost!!! Appetizer, dessert, literally anything.
I do a LOT of research for each vacation and often get ridiculed by my family. I also have spreadsheets and estimate costs so that I can save up for each trip. Every week I transfer $X to my savings account so that when time comes it's all paid for. This trip was planned 13 months in advance. I booked it with Small World Vacations and got $150 onboard credit. If I had to do it over again, I would probably have booked through Costco Travel as that seemed to have the most value with the Costco Cash card. I hope some of this info helps future Disney cruisers.
Last edited:
