Early risers, what's open/available?

iloveeeyore

DIS Veteran
Joined
Aug 12, 2003
Happy Thanksgiving!

DH and are are taking our first DCL cruise, Fantasy Western in January. We like to get up early and drink coffee while we watch the sun rise. What venues are open for an early breakfast and cup of coffee on the Fantasy? Also, I read somewhere that the Navigator isn't delivered to state rooms any more...where can we find them?

Thanks!
 
Early risers unite.

we hit the gym first thing and them breakfast. That kills a little time. We’ve also do the first available massage after our gym time. I recognize that isnt for everyone, but I do second the absolute lack of options early in the AM. Horrid drink station coffee or sleep in.

As I write this, room service on a veranda or take your room service tray (ordered the night before) to the deck and enjoy the sunrise. There just isn’t a lot for us AM people.
Respect though.
 
Cove cafe and Cabanas both usually open at 7AM. Until 7:30, breakfast there is only continental. The only venue opened before that is the gym. I usually hit it right when it opens at 6, then join the family for breakfast at 7:30. We are a family of early risers. Not many people on deck at those hours, unless it is a port day.
 


You can order room service the night before and have it delivered to your cabin. There is no charge for room service but you should tip a few dollars
In the desk drawer of your cabin there is a hang tag.
Fill out the form and hang it on your door the night before
You can also call in the morning but there could be a wait

Coffee is available all the time at the drink station on the pool deck
51057503-78E0-445C-B61D-FF13315C5324.png
 
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For some reason I am wide awake at 5:30/6:00. I go up on the top deck at the front of the ship and take sunrise pictures. I also wonder around the ship and get pictures with no one in the background. By the time I am done taking pictures and drop the camera back at the room Cabanas is usually open. As others have said there is also room service.
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I think I slept in on my Disney cruise lol. My last RCCL cruise I would wake up early to hit the various fitness classes (usually dance fitness which was fun) or go for a jog around the track. What about reading a book on deck or in the library? Play a board game?
 
Also, I read somewhere that the Navigator isn't delivered to state rooms any more...where can we find them?

Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.

You can ask your stateroom host/hostess on embarkation day if they could delivery the navigators to your room each evening for the next day. They have been more than happy to do this for us on our last few cruises. And of course, we show our appreciation at the end of the cruise with a little additional for their efforts ;)
 
Early riser here too! Don't want to miss a minute of my cruise! lol. Gym or run or walk. Grab the camera for sunrise pictures. Shower. By then, thankfully, Cove Cafe is open and I can grab a coffee!
 
We were late risers, and out late. I think what we did at 1 am.........being on deck and watching the islands and sea go by......would work for those who are up early.
All I would ask is if you have kids, keep them quiet. I think kids running in the halls and screaming at 5:45 am ON A SEA DAY is a bit out of line. Happened on every sea day on that cruise.
 
My husband and daughter sleep later than I do. I brought Starbucks Via packets with me for coffee. I'd run up to Cabanas and grab food for me and my daughter with a cup of hot water for my coffee, then sit out on the verandah and enjoy the peace with my coffee and breakfast. We used the app to keep track of activities on the ship. You can tag things you know you want to attend and sort by type of activity, like character meets.
 
Like 71 Truck, I will get up early and walk around the public areas of the ship. Even if you don't want to take pics, it's the best time to see all the art work. And make sure you look everywhere(carpets, ceilings, lights, etc), there's wonderful Disney touches on places you wouldn't notice when there's a ton of people in the areas.
 
On our last cruise cruise in July, I asked our room steward to deliver the Navigator every night and she did.
 
We were late risers, and out late. I think what we did at 1 am.........being on deck and watching the islands and sea go by......would work for those who are up early.
All I would ask is if you have kids, keep them quiet. I think kids running in the halls and screaming at 5:45 am ON A SEA DAY is a bit out of line. Happened on every sea day on that cruise.

HAHA we are travelling without kids this trip, so I promise, no kids will be running out of our room and screaming at 5:45. Can't promise the same about DH though!:D
 
Early risers unite.

we hit the gym first thing and them breakfast. That kills a little time. We’ve also do the first available massage after our gym time. I recognize that isnt for everyone, but I do second the absolute lack of options early in the AM. Horrid drink station coffee or sleep in.

As I write this, room service on a veranda or take your room service tray (ordered the night before) to the deck and enjoy the sunrise. There just isn’t a lot for us AM people.
Respect though.

Horrid drink station coffee? Is it that bad?! I'm an addict, so I'm not too picky, but it has to be a bit above horrid!
I'm leaning toward room service pots of coffee and croissants at 0530 every morning to get the day started. DH will definitely be using the gym. Thanks for the advice!

Coffee and watching the sun rise ona verandah... Sounds like heaven to me!

I agree! Can't wait. We booked a verandah stateroom for this reason.

Cove cafe and Cabanas both usually open at 7AM. Until 7:30, breakfast there is only continental. The only venue opened before that is the gym. I usually hit it right when it opens at 6, then join the family for breakfast at 7:30. We are a family of early risers. Not many people on deck at those hours, unless it is a port day.

Does Cove Cafe have any free coffee available? Pastries in the case are included in the cruise fare, correct? And on the day we arrive in port at 0730 will breakfast be available earlier?

You can order room service the night before and have it delivered to your cabin. There is no charge for room service but you should tip a few dollars
In the desk drawer of your cabin there is a hang tag.
Fill out the form and hang it on your door the night before
You can also call in the morning but there could be a wait

Coffee is available all the time at the drink station on the pool deck
View attachment 455441

Thank you for this advice! Sounds like a tradition being born!

You can pick up a copy of the navigator at guest services, they are usually located in a holder on the wall or on the counter.

Aby

Thanks, will do!

For some reason I am wide awake at 5:30/6:00. I go up on the top deck at the front of the ship and take sunrise pictures. I also wonder around the ship and get pictures with no one in the background. By the time I am done taking pictures and drop the camera back at the room Cabanas is usually open. As others have said there is also room service.
View attachment 455447

View attachment 455448

Thanks for sharing the gorgeous photos!

I think I slept in on my Disney cruise lol. My last RCCL cruise I would wake up early to hit the various fitness classes (usually dance fitness which was fun) or go for a jog around the track. What about reading a book on deck or in the library? Play a board game?

We have cruised some recently on RCCL also, but this is our first Disney Cruise, so we are unfamiliar with what to expect. Don't worry, we won't have any trouble finding something to do! We love walking, reading, taking photos, just wandering around or soaking up the scenery. Just wondering where we could find free coffee and a snack until the other venues are open for full breakfast.

Happy Thanksgiving to you as well.

You can ask your stateroom host/hostess on embarkation day if they could delivery the navigators to your room each evening for the next day. They have been more than happy to do this for us on our last few cruises. And of course, we show our appreciation at the end of the cruise with a little additional for their efforts ;)

Great idea! Hope to make friends with the steward early in the sailing!

Early riser here too! Don't want to miss a minute of my cruise! lol. Gym or run or walk. Grab the camera for sunrise pictures. Shower. By then, thankfully, Cove Cafe is open and I can grab a coffee!

Agree, the early morning hours on the ship are too amazing to miss!

My husband and daughter sleep later than I do. I brought Starbucks Via packets with me for coffee. I'd run up to Cabanas and grab food for me and my daughter with a cup of hot water for my coffee, then sit out on the verandah and enjoy the peace with my coffee and breakfast. We used the app to keep track of activities on the ship. You can tag things you know you want to attend and sort by type of activity, like character meets.

So do you find the coffee on DCL that bad that you need to bring the packets? I'm getting a little nervous now. We drink A LOT of coffee, we're talking a LOT of packets we'd have to pack.

Like 71 Truck, I will get up early and walk around the public areas of the ship. Even if you don't want to take pics, it's the best time to see all the art work. And make sure you look everywhere(carpets, ceilings, lights, etc), there's wonderful Disney touches on places you wouldn't notice when there's a ton of people in the areas.

Thanks for this tip! We hope to comb the whole ship from top to bottom to find all the little touches you refer to. I doubt we'll find all, but will put forward a great effort!

On our last cruise cruise in July, I asked our room steward to deliver the Navigator every night and she did.

Doing this, thanks for the tip!
 
I second the Starbucks Via suggestion above. We have done it a number of times....not the best solution, but certainly better than the ship's coffee machine stuff that has been really, really bad. We will be on the Fantasy next June and will see if they upgraded their java. Alas, 5:30am is a bit too early for "happy hour."
 
Does Cove Cafe have any free coffee available? Pastries in the case are included in the cruise fare, correct? And on the day we arrive in port at 0730 will breakfast be available earlier?
No free coffee in Cove. The drink station is the only place to get it, but you can order a pot from room service. The pastries in Cove are included. We often skip dessert in Cabanas and head there.

On disembarkation, they do not advertise it but Cabanas will be open from around 6:30 if my memory is correct.You’ll be assigned a breakfast time in the dining room based on your seating. You can ask for the other time if it’s better for you or go to Cabanas.
 
We like to do that early Cabanas debarkation breakfast instead of the MDR. It really is a much better option.
I don’t know about you, but I found Cabana’s coffee better than the drink station. I don’t see why anyone couldn’t just wander into Cabana’s during the day and grab a cup. By better, I mean not brown water or burnt sludge.
 

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