Lots of questions. 1st Disney cruise since 2009

[TinkerbellTris]

We took a long break on Disney cruises so this is our first cruise on Disney since 2009. We booked a 4 night Mexico cruise out of San Diego April 2024 on the Disney wonder. Here are my questions I am hoping someone can help answer.
I booked with dreams unlimited as that is how I had previously booked all of our Disney cruises. That part was a breeze. It will be myself, husband and our son who will be 25 at time of cruise.
1. Phone calls to home and internet: we need to have our cell phones working and internet access in case of any emergency. Is it better/cheaper to book internet packages through Disney or through AT&t as that is our carrier?
2. Will we have access or will there be times our phones do not work on either service, Disney or AT&T?
3. When can we book shore excursions or palo?
4. Can you still carry on alcohol like beer? Is there a limit?
5. Is there a cost to use the gym daily? If so how much?
6. How do the tips work? Who do we tip and how much per person per day?
7. Is there a lobster night on a 4 night cruise? Is there an additional cost?
8. Can we request a dining table to ourselves? As much as I enjoy people I am still worried about Covid and just want to dine by ourselves. Please no negative comments.
We’ve not ever experienced Disney cruise adult options, meaning bars, night clubs or anything else offered. We’ve only experienced palo before. Our son was young when we did our Disney cruises so we did all the kid and family stuff only. So we are looking forward to experiencing Disney cruise as all of us being adults. Is there any other tips you can share with me that might be something that has changed since 2009?

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

3. When can we book shore excursions or palo?

Activity pre-booking windows are based on your Castaway Club membership, so it depends on how many cruises you have previously been on

• Pearl 123-days before departure date
• Platinum 120-days before departure date
• Gold 105-days before departure date
• Silver 90-days prior to the sail date before departure date
• First time cruisers may begin booking 75-days before departure date

4. Can you still carry on alcohol like beer? Is there a limit?

Yes every adult can carry on 2 bottle of wine or sparkling wine or 6 beers on embarkation day and at every port.

5. Is there a cost to use the gym daily? If so how much?

No cost to use the gym

6. How do the tips work? Who do we tip and how much per person per day?

Tips are now $14.50 per person in the stateroom per night. I have created a thread all about the tips
For First Time Cruisers Info About The Tip Envelopes

7. Is there a lobster night on a 4 night cruise? Is there an additional cost?

No

8. Can we request a dining table to ourselves? As much as I enjoy people I am still worried about Covid and just want to dine by ourselves. Please no negative comments.

Yes, it can be done in the App before the cruise.
Go to Special Requests, then click through to Table Requests, then you will see an option which says Please Select Where You Prefer To Be Seated and then select one of the following

1. Near a Window
2. In a Quieter Location
3. Near a Screen for Entertainment
4. At a Private Table
5. Near the Center of the Dining Room

We’ve not ever experienced Disney cruise adult options, meaning bars, night clubs or anything else offered. We’ve only experienced palo before. Our son was young when we did our Disney cruises so we did all the kid and family stuff only. So we are looking forward to experiencing Disney cruise as all of us being adults. Is there any other tips you can share with me that might be something that has changed since 2009?

Everything is through the App now. Download it and get familiar with all the sections before the cruise. All the onboard activities are now in the App, the daily paper Navigator is gone. Go to Disney Cruise Blog and search for your cruise from previous years to see the list of activities. Depending on your budget, theres things like the alcohol tastings, and Rainforest Room, as well as Spa treatments.

Check In is now online and based on your CastAway Club membership. It can be done either through the App or on the desktop website. You will need a head shot photo for each person, which is different to the photo on your ID. This used to be taken at check in on embarkation day but its now done in advance at home.

Online check-in process open for

• Pearl 40-days before departure date
• Platinum 38-days before departure date
• Gold 35-days before departure date
• Silver 33-days before departure date
• First time cruisers may begin check-in 30-days before departure date

Key To The World cards are now in the Fish / Starfish holder outside your stateroom so you dont get them before you get on the ship.

Lanyards and Castaway Club member gifts are in your stateroom when you arrive.

Dining Rotations are now in the App, not on the Key To The World cards

 

[TinkerbellTris]

Thank you so much. This is great information. So much has changed. We have done 4 Disney cruises 2007-2009 so this will be our 5th which means we are silver still. I appreciate your link you added as well. Looks like I’ve got some reading and studying to do thank you!
The head shots we have to send in, can that be taken with your cell phone or is that like a passport photo head shot we have to have done at say, Walgreens?

 

[Mommb]

The head shot can be taken with a phone camera.

 

[IrishCowboy]

Yes, it can be done in the App before the cruise.
Go to Special Requests, then click through to Table Requests, then you will see an option which says Please Select Where You Prefer To Be Seated and then select one of the following

1. Near a Window
2. In a Quieter Location
3. Near a Screen for Entertainment
4. At a Private Table
5. Near the Center of the Dining Room

Where can you find special requests on the app?

 

[Mommb]

Where can you find special requests on the app?

There is a section called Review Your Cruise Options in Next Steps, above Know Before You Go, which you can click through. It goes through topics including insurance and ground transportation before it gets to special requests.

 

[Dznypal]

I was curious about this also--
is this on the app--when I go into the DCL app my choices are at home or at the port
if I click on at home all that comes up is our resveration

I was hoping that there was somehow practice this
just like when we finally went to WDW this past Jan I was so thrilled I could practice ordering food

I just hate having to do everything on the phone though not very relaxing when your on vacation

 

[Mommb]

In the DCL app, after you choose At Home and see your reservation, you should be able to click on the reservation box and see information about the ship and your plans. (You may need to log into your Disney account for the information; to show.)

The app looks and behaves completely different if you are at the port or onboard and choose At the Port. In that case, you will use your name and stateroom number to log in rather than your Disney account information.

 

[geneparmesan]

Yes, it can be done in the App before the cruise.
Go to Special Requests, then click through to Table Requests, then you will see an option which says Please Select Where You Prefer To Be Seated and then select one of the following

1. Near a Window
2. In a Quieter Location
3. Near a Screen for Entertainment
4. At a Private Table
5. Near the Center of the Dining Room

If you request a Private Table, does it apply to your stateroom guests only? Or does it include any linked reservations? My family of two is travelling with my two parents-in-law. Our reservations are linked, but I don't want to request a private table and end up just having the four of us instead of all six. Thanks!

 

[auntlynne]

I was curious about this also--
is this on the app--when I go into the DCL app my choices are at home or at the port
if I click on at home all that comes up is our resveration

I was hoping that there was somehow practice this
just like when we finally went to WDW this past Jan I was so thrilled I could practice ordering food

I just hate having to do everything on the phone though not very relaxing when your on vacation

You pretty much learn in real time. But you won’t be using it like / as much as you would at WDW. You are not trying to schedule rides or get food ordered.

It essentially replaces (poorly, to many of us) the paper version of the daily schedule. But even that was only delivered each night for the following day. (Others report being able to get paper versions from their stateroom host. Also Guest Services May have them.)

Your meals are going to be at fixed times. Most food venues keep similar (or same) hours daily.

You can see dinner and sit-down lunch menus on the app before you arrive to the restaurant. But will probably also be handed the traditional hardbound menus, as in the past.

> The most significant lesson I had to learn about the app is to slide the list of categories to get more options.

See where it says DAILY ACTIVITIES CHARACTER GREETINGS … you can slide left or right to change the category.

At the top of the screen is the day of the cruise. You can look at other days. Thatis one way to see menus for the restaurants later in the week.

In the past, you found out your dining rotation when you got your room key. It was a string of letters denoting the dining rooms. Now, I think you just look at “My Plans“ on the home page.



If you want a primer, check out this website. There are others out there, too.

https://touringplans.com/blog/step-by-step-using-disney-cruise-line-navigator-on-board/

 

[FastPasser.]

In the past, you found out your dining rotation when you got your room key. It was a string of letters denoting the dining rooms. Now, I think you just look at “My Plans“ on the home page.

The dining rotation has been on my ID card. It’s a different format but it’s there.

 

[Louise97]

For requesting a private table, definitely do it in the app but check with the dining team when you get on board. There will be a place set up for dining queries (on the Dream it was outside Enchanted Garden, not sure where it will be on the Wonder).

We requested a private table on the app and checked when we got on board. Our seating was full so they couldn't accommodate private tables - we'd been seated with three other couples who'd also requested private tables. They offered us the option of changing to the other seating where we could get a private table which worked out really well.

 

[auntlynne]

The dining rotation has been on my ID card. It’s a different format but it’s there.

Apparently, experiences may vary.

I have had it both ways since the restart; I actually only remembered the latest.

(Photo added more for my benefit than to start a debate. It confirmed my memory - always watching for that slip into dementia.)

 

[FastPasser.]

Apparently, experiences may vary.

I have had it both ways since the restart; I actually only remembered the latest.

(Photo added more for my benefit than to start a debate. It confirmed my memory - always watching for that slip into dementia.)

Wow, our two cruises are only about two months apart and one has it and one doesn't. Seems that uniformity hasn't been one of Disney's virtues lately.

Could it be that it varies from ship to ship or even cruise to cruise? Or was it added recently?

Your memory is fine because I thought it had been eliminated but I looked at my card and there it was.
And what could be the reason for eliminating it, it's very useful.

 

[auntlynne]

Wow, our two cruises are only about two months apart and one has it and one doesn't. Seems that uniformity hasn't been one of Disney's virtues lately.

Could it be that it varies from ship to ship or even cruise to cruise? Or was it added recently?

Your memory is fine because I thought it had been eliminated but I looked at my card and there it was.
And what could be the reason for eliminating it, it's very useful.

View attachment 788664

I’m on the Fantasy this Saturday. Looking forward to the special 25th anniversary card (ours is the last Fantasy cruise to celebrate).

I appreciate having the dining info on the card, as I am old school and would rather not do so much on the app. That said, I can’t just leave the phone in the room, since it is the camera and we’re on vacation.

As for reason to why some cruises and not others? I can’t even hazard a guess.

Now I am curious: what is the meaning of PRA (if you wish to share)?

 

[FastPasser.]

Now I am curious: what is the meaning of PRA (if you wish to share)?

Sure, it’s the code if you have transfers, Port, Resort, Airport.

The 25th anniversary Platinum card/lanyard comes with a nice card holder. I might even keep this one. Can’t say that for the framed Mickey print though.

This Saturday on the Fantasy, hmm, is that the cruise that’s being changed because of the storm? We had that happen last year. I think it was on the Fantasy. We’re doing a Dec Fantasy cruise.

Needless to say, enjoy your cruise.

 

[MomOTwins]

On questions 1-2, the Wonder is the only ship that does not yet have upgraded internet. The belief is that the Wonder will get the upgraded internet during a drydock this fall. Assuming that happens, you can but an internet subscription and enable wifi calling on your phone to be able to place and receive calls over the internet. Prices are below—I did ok with basic surf but it was a but slow and spotty at times.

Basic Surf Package

• $24/day when purchased for the full voyage
• $28/day when purchased for 24 hours

Premium Surf Package

• $34/day when purchased for the full voyage
• $42/day when purchased for 24 hours

 

[RACHEL_GB]

Mine is missing too - seems random!

 

[FastPasser.]

Mine is missing too - seems random!

As I alluded to earlier, uniformity and Disney don’t mix that well.

 

[auntlynne]

Sure, it’s the code if you have transfers, Port, Resort, Airport.

The 25th anniversary Platinum card/lanyard comes with a nice card holder. I might even keep this one. Can’t say that for the framed Mickey print though.

This Saturday on the Fantasy, hmm, is that the cruise that’s being changed because of the storm? We had that happen last year. I think it was on the Fantasy. We’re doing a Dec Fantasy cruise.

Needless to say, enjoy your cruise.

The current sailing started in Saturday. It was scheduled to be a Western. Now it is an Eastern.

There are no waves coming off the coast is Africa nor the Cabo Verde Islands. I am hoping nothing new just crops on this side of the Atlantic. These two should have blown across Bermuda by the time we should be boarding. (Edit: just hours later, we have Depression #11 and a wave of Africa! Face palm.)

Got my fingers crossed and National Hurricane Center website in an open tab in my search engine.

…And I have learned some more code secrets. We only have DCL transfer to the port - so I don’t expect my card will be marked.

We are using the new card holders as luggage tags. They look great when hung on the back side of the new bags. A carabiner works nicely for attaching.