First Time Cruiser - Help!

[Dreams0308]

Hey everyone! I am a WDW vet. and LOVE Disney, however I have never been on a Disney Cruise. My Husband and I would like to go on a Disney Cruise, and I'm just starting to try and plan, but I'm feeling lost. I have no idea where to start because I know SOO little about DCL. Is there a good "Cruise beginners" thread out there with some very basic info?

I've heard bits and pieces about the cruises here and there through the podcast and other things, but I feel like I don't have a solid foundation to really understand how it works and to start to plan. Without some help, I feel like I will prob end up missing some KEY planning things that others know and I would have never thought of. Help me DIS boards!!

PS: The trip is just my Husband and I (both 24 not kids).

 

[Bear3412]

A lot of this may be dated , so verify here, but I thought this was well done. Courtesy of "truck1"

https://docs.google.com/document/ed...W-ujCIl659TaeX9A&authkey=CLOKgaoF&hl=en&pli=1

Also;
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/cruise-new/cr-plan.htm

HTH

 

[jrabbit]

i posted this on a recent thread ... I hope that it helps you get started .....

The Beginners Guide to DCL

• Least expensive prices are weeks when there are not any national holidiays, and school is in session. Spring Break, June, July, August, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years are most expensive. Presidents week / MLK weeks both have a bump up in price from the surrounding weeks. Not sure about Veterans Day week.
• Room Categories: 11 least expensive, 4 most expensive, Concierge ... astronomical (be sure to thank these people for spending so much on their cruise - so I don't have to spend as much on mine)
• Room Category Sub Divisions: A = more expensive, D least expensive. (5d cheaper than a 5A). Usually based on Location.
• Split Bathrooms: category 11 does NOT have split bathrooms (toilet, sink, tub in the same room). Split Bathrooms are 2 separate rooms: one has toilet and sink the other has the tub and a sink.
• Basic Room Types: Inside, Oceanview (1 large porthole (most) or 2 small porthole (few rooms)), Veranda (enclosed with porthole cutout, solid wall or Plexiglas wall), family staterooms (sleeps 5) and the Suites w/ veranda
• Dinning: 3 main dinning rooms with rotational dinning. There are two seatings per night, Main (early) and Late. You will be assigned to either early or late seating, a table number and a dinning room (your dinning room changes throughout the cruise, early/late and table number does not change). Tables are set up for 4, 6, 8, and more. Odds are you will be eating dinner with fellow cruisers (the are only strangers until you meet at the first dinner). As you "rotate" through the dinning rooms your serving team rotates with you. In my opinion you do NOT have to worry about what dinning rotation you get (there are a lot of people that stress over this ... for no good reason, but I digress)
• Public Areas: are open to all cruisers (some age restrictions). Does not matter if you book the most expensive room or the cheapest, everyone shares the common areas.
• There are not any casinos ... the kids clubs fill those spaces ... but they do have BINGO - seems to be a big deal (never participated in 15 cruises)
• Entertainment: there are shows every evening in the Walt Disney Theater - two per evening. If you have early dinning, you have the late show, If you have the late dinner you have the early show. "In between" the dinner seating (and show) - there are a lot of family activities or shows. These are always a good. and short to fit in between the dinner seatings. "Late Night" in the adult entertainment district there are the "Adults Only" shows / activities. The overriding thing to remember is that this is still Disney - so it's not too "adult" - never have heard an entertainer drop an F-bomb.
• Kids Clubs: From the youngest (under 3 - daycare for a fee) to the 17.999 year olds Disney has spaces dedicated to the different age groups. Note: if you turn 18 while on the cruise, for your birthday you get locked out of the Teen Club and will not be allowed back in for the duration of the cruise.
• Ports of Call: You can stay on the ship, get off and tour independently, or can book a guided shore excursion through DCL. Sticking with DCL is safe - they take care of you if you miss the ship sail away time, if you are on shore independently and don't make it back to port before the ship sails - well you've just missed the boat and are on your own to meet up with it later!! (don't be that guy!!)
• The Areas: there are 3 broad areas on the DCL ships: The Kids areas, the Family areas and the Adults only areas. Some of these are restricted at all times and others are dependent upon the time of day. My kids are grown and I still cruise DCL. If I stay in the adults area by the pool, in the spa or stay in the Adult Entertainment District after 9pm, I don't have the be around "all of those kids" - Nope, that doesn't happen - I'm a big kid at heart and enjoy a lot of things that they do ... but I do not get to go into the kids club (for numerous perfectly good reasons)
• Gratuities: "ALL" cruise line's dirty little secret is that they do not really pay several groups of employees: Your Serving Team which is made of of the Head Server (manager), Server (takes your order and brings your food) and the Assistant Server (takes care of drinks). Additionally your room steward does not get paid by the cruise line. These four people that you will interact with on a daily basis (mostly / usually) and they are working HARD for you and therefore you are expected to Tip them at the END of the cruise. Disney makes this "easy". They will charge your onboard account at the end of the cruise for the "standard" tips. What you need to know is that the amount currently is $12 per guest per day (ie. 4 guests on 3 night cruise at $12 equals a charge of $144 for the cruise). Many people tip more than this ... your discretion.
• OnBoard Account: all of your purchases will be charged to your room. When you complete your boarding paperwork, DCL will want to know how you entend to pay. If by cash, you will "prepaid" on your account (I don't know how this works), Same with Debit Card. I've always used the Credit Card. DCL has a limit of charges that they allow on your room. Once you've hit that limit, they charge your card (you never have to stop spending) So on a 7 night cruise they may actually send charges off to the credit card several times (depending upon your spending activity)
• What you need to Cruise: A way to Pay, and Identification. The ID can be either a valid Passport or one of each of the following: Government Issued Photo ID and Certified Birth Certificate. IMHO just get a passport and use it for travel.

I guess that's more than enough for a start .... have fun exploring, asking questions and then finally enjoying your cruise!!

 

[sambycat]

pass porters makes a great guide book and i think it is great for a never cruiser - it gives you plenty of info. i would have found the information here way too overwhelming my first time! so much to do! try not to overplan!

 

[abitagirl916]

pass porters makes a great guide book and i think it is great for a never cruiser - it gives you plenty of info. i would have found the information here way too overwhelming my first time! so much to do! try not to overplan!

I also recommend the Passporter's Disney Cruise Line guide book. I always purchase mine directly from www.passporter.com. I purchased my first Passporter book before my first DCL cruise in 2007 and it helped a lot with my planning and what to expect.

 

[JimGA]

Lots of great info above ^^^^^.

But to simplify it a tad. Pick a date or a time frame you want to go, shop the dates and prices on the DCL website along with the itineraries. It you like large and newer ships, go for the Dream or Fantasy, if you like the smaller ships that are a lot older, pick the Magic or Wonder.

Pick what you like. if you book it through a travel agency, lots are mentioned here, they give you shipboard credits, free money

After you have booked then start researching the ins and outs of what to do and the tips or tricks while on board.

You will go crazy absorbing all the information here before you pick a date and itinerary.