I’ve noticed that there seems to be a TON of first time cruisers out there eager to learn what exactly they will be experiencing and aren’t quite sure what to be expecting on their first magical voyage at sea. I’m not sure if this is a big void to fill, I’m sure other blogs discuss these same matters but I’m hoping to put all of your biggest unanswered questions about your first Disney Cruise all in one place. If I don’t cover something that you’d like to know, let me know in the comments and I will be sure to add it to the post!
What should I wear to dinner?
The answer is pretty flexible. Basically don’t wear swimsuits, and preferably not sport shorts and a t-shirt. Your cruise is what you make it and dressing up for dinners is part of the fun. Longer cruises include a formal night where almost everyone dresses in their “best” but many people choose not to participate and dress down, but I would say a majority of cruisers are wearing dresses (I usually wear shorter dresses and a sweater) and suit and tie (some men do pack tuxedos but it is not necessary).
Cruise Casual. What does this mean? Basically, they want you to change out of the bathing suit you’ve been wearing all day to a sundress, nice shorts or pants and a clean top. I’ve gone to “cruise casual” dinners in anything from shorts and a t-shirt to a dress. We usually take advantage of the ship board photographers and dress up for most dinners so we can take photos before or after we eat.
Essentially, wear whatever you are most comfortable in. If you don’t want the pressure of having a seating time for dinner, feel free to go eat at Cabanas (or whatever the top floor buffet is called on your respective ship).
However, if you go to Palo or Remy, you are encouraged to dress up. I’ve never seen anyone eating there not in at least semi-formal wear (suit pants and coat for men and dresses for women). Keep in mind Palo brunch is casual, so if you are on a shorter cruise- no need to bring formal wear!
How does the Rotational Dining work?
Rotational dining is something unique to Disney Cruise Line, basically what it means is instead of eating all your meals in one large restaurant for the whole trip (unless you pay extra to go to a specialty dining location) as some of the other cruise lines have their dining set up, you and your dining team rotate between three amazing restaurants throughout the cruise. Animators Palate is on every ship and is always a guaranteed unique dining experience and is sure to be a favorite.
Your dining team consists of a head server, a main server, and an assistant server. These people will follow you from dining room to dining room and will learn what you like and don’t like in order to better recommend what you should eat for dinner! If you consistently order the same drink, soon your favorite beverage will be waiting for you as soon as you get to the dining room! How magical!
You are encouraged to ask for whatever you’d like for dinner (even if it is not on the menu) and they will accommodate any allergy you may have. Your party member with special dining needs may be asked to choose a complete meal the night before so they can better prepare your meal for you and ensure that it is allergen free.
If you are trying to stick to a diet, don’t fret, if you don’t see something you are comfortable eating, ask, if you are at dinner they will have low calorie options and again if you’d prefer, just ask for what you’d like! Just because you are on vacation doesn’t mean you need to gain 15 pounds, feel free to continue to eat healthy, and there are more than enough healthy options, or you can eat til you can’t eat anymore, it’s all up to you!
Beer and wine packages are available on most cruises, your server will tell you more information about them when you go to dinner on the first night. They are an excellent deal if you intend on consuming a lot of wine or beer. We tend to just buy by the drink, and the drink of the day they have at the pools and in your navigator is also available at dinner, so that is usually what I get or one of the specialty drinks that is themed along with the dinner theme.
If you’d like to try more than one meal your dining team will gladly let you tailor your meal to what you’d like. For example, one night I really liked the sound of a pasta dish, but they had lamb as well- so I got pasta with a side of lamb chops! You paid an arm and a leg for this cruise, take advantage of the fact that you pre-paid your meals and eat your heart out! (there is a workout facility on board as well!).
Remy and Palo are great adults only options. You must be 18 and over to eat at these dining locations, but expect a meal you will never forget. I’ve never been to Remy but can only expect that it is dining at its very finest. Palo is to die for, as a Platinum cruiser we get a meal at Palo for free once a sailing, and what a wonderful perk that is! If you don’t want to leave the kids for a meal, don’t worry, the food you’ll get in the regular dining spaces will be top notch as well, but Palo and Remy are in a league of their own.
Room service is also available, a menu will be in your stateroom and you can order at all times of day! Remember to tip the server that brings your food though! Having a stack of ones handy is always a good option to hand a tip.
How much luggage can/should i bring and what should i pack?
You are allowed two checked bags per person as well as a carry on and a backpack/purse. However, keep in mind that there is not all that much room for all that luggage once you are on board. I find that if you pack smartly a carry on and a backpack as well as one large checked bag per person (adult) is adequate.
What you should bring depends on what cruise you are going on. If you are going to Europe bring walking shoes and weather appropriate clothing for sight seeing (keeping in mind that most churches require you to cover knees and shoulders before entering). If a week long Caribbean trip is your destination than probably swim wear and comfortable clothing will be your go-to. Basically pack like you would going on any other trip.
Shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and lotion are provided for you in your stateroom and will be replenished (you can always ask your stateroom host or hostess for more). Other toiletries are available for purchase in the gift shops should you forget anything.
Laundry facilities are on board but can get quite crowded, so go early morning or late night if you must (or if you choose to stay on board during a port day). There is also a laundry service if you prefer.
First time cruisers are not provided with a complimentary lanyard for your Key To the World Card, but the gift shop will have some to purchase, or you can bring along your own.
Be sure to bring along a sweater or sweatshirt because the ship can be quite cold for dinner and shows, so if you tend to be someone who is cold all the time be prepared with a shawl or sweater to top off that evening look!
Plugs on board are standard U.S. plugs, so if you are from a part of the world that uses a different power port be sure to bring a converter to charge your devices. (I’m unsure if they have converters on board or not).
how do I join the castaway club?
You go on a cruise. It’s as simple as that. You don’t buy anything extra at all. When you return home you will be a Silver Castaway Club Member. All it means is that you’ve been on a Disney Cruise before! The next time you join Disney on a cruise you will get extra perks including a gift per stateroom and a lanyard. You also will be able to book cruises and shore excursions before the general public. Perks get better as you go up the ranks and the highest rank of Castaway Club is Platinum.
There is a Castaway Club party for returning guests and a special party for Gold and Platinum where the ship’s officers come and mingle with you, it is a great chance to meet the people who run the boat and ask any questions and voice any concerns you may have had so far on that cruise.
Are there things for adults to do on board?
Disney gets press for being the best ship for families, but do they focus all their energy on making sure the kids have the time of their lives while the adults who paid for it just sit at the pool waiting for their kids to return from the Oceaneers Club? No way! Adults have their own special areas and their own programs! Check the on board Navigator you receive daily to see what is going on just for adults. Activities range from cooking classes, special tours of the ship, art sales, alcohol tastings, and more! Don’t forget the spa and the fitness areas, there are fitness classes for those of you that can’t go a day without exercising as well as a full gym that is open for adults to use. The rainforest room is a great way to use the spa without paying an arm and a leg, be sure to stop by the spa upon embarking day to get a pass for the whole cruise, they sell out fast! Also embarkation day is a great day to get better deals on spa treatments, so stop by there for sure!
The perks of being an adult are endless on Disney Cruise Line- wonderful places like the adult pool areas and Satellite Falls on the Disney Fantasy is an added bonus- we spent hours up there just relaxing in the quiet no-kids-allowed area. Another bonus is the adults only Serenity Bay beach on Castaway Cay where no-kids are allowed and there is even a place to get lunch without going back out to the family areas- very peaceful and cast members come by every so often asking if you’d like a tropical drink brought to you, nothing better!
There are so many fun things to do while on board like wine tasting and mixology classes as well cooking demonstrations, ship tours, educational talks and more- see the personal navigator on board for more information on what all there is to do on board for you!
Palo and Remy are also adults only areas so that is another wonderful thing to enjoy without the little ones, it is an additional charge but it is worth every cent! If you are platinum you get one free meal at Palo per voyage as a platinum cruiser!
There are also lots of adults only (18+) shows, many of the regular family performers will have a special adults show as well. There are also dance parties, game show like activities such as match your mate, and karaoke. No matter what you like to do there are sure to be events that you will enjoy! There are also usually educational speakers on board that will teach you about the ports you are going to visit, especially on the European cruises, and they are often very interesting and worth a stop!
how do the shows work?
Every night either before or after dinner there will be a show for you to enjoy. Disney has Broadway style performances as well as entertainment acts to keep you entertained and in the spirit of Disney throughout your trip. A welcome aboard show and a farewell show are usually included and on the longer voyages they have more variety of shows.
If a Disney owned movie happens to be coming out during your trip, Disney Cruise Line will show it to you first! Also recently released movies from Disney are almost always able to be seen in the movie theater!
You do not need tickets for any of the shows, but if you’d like a large group to sit together, probably get there early, at least 15-20 minutes before the show starts!
Depending on which ship you are there are on there are different shows, all are equally amazing but it is very fun to try each ship to see all the shows! They do not change very often as they are Broadway style shows and are not inexpensive to produce, so they get a lot of ‘life’ so to speak out of the different shows.
The unique shows are:
Wonder – “Toy Story”
Dream – “Believe”
Fantasy – “Wishes” and “Aladdin”
Magic – “Twice Charmed,” “Let the Magic Begin” (after the sail away party), and “Remember the Magic” on the final night.
Also, if Disney or a Disney owned company is releasing a movie while you are on board you will have the opportunity to see it!
How can i contact my family while on board?
You have two options. Wave phones (two per stateroom) or download the DCL app and there is a new messaging feature that uses the wifi on the ship without charging you!
Wave phones are basically old cell phones that you can use to text or call people if you know their stateroom number. A charging station and directions will be found on the desk in your stateroom.
The app is new, and I have yet to try it out, but the messaging feature allows you to text within the app.
Themed nights, what do i wear?
Pirate night is unbelievably fun! This is a night where you can dress up like a pirate all night and most of the boat will join in the fun! You wear your costume to dinner if you’d like (most people do if they dress up) or you can just wear the free bandana you get at dinner, or not. It’s your vacation, do whatever your comfortable with and what makes you happy!
Some people go all out buying pirate costumes and bringing them from home, or you can just buy a mickey pirate hat or bring an eye patch or something. Whatever you want, it’s Disney, let loose and have some fun!
The pirate party is a blast, and if the weather cooperates you’ll have fireworks at sea! Afterwards there is a late-night buffet for you to enjoy, usually with crepes, desserts, and other treats!
Can i bring liquor on board?
Effective for cruises embarking on or after September 30, 2015, Disney Cruise Line Guests 21 years and older may bring a maximum of 2 bottles of unopened wine or champagne (no larger than 750 ml) or 6 beers (no larger than 12 ounces) on board at the beginning of the voyage and at each port-of-call.
Guests wishing to consume wine or champagne that they have brought on board in one of the dining rooms will be charged a corking fee of $25.00 per bottle. Please note:
These beverages must be packed in carry-on (not checked) bags or luggage.
Any alcohol packed in checked luggage will be removed and stored until the end of the cruise.
Any wine or champagne in excess of 2 bottles or beer in excess of 6 beers will be stored until the end of the cruise.
Bringing liquors and spirits (including powdered alcohol) on board is prohibited. These items will be stored until the end of the cruise.
Guest MUST retrieve any stored alcohol at the end of the cruise. Items not retrieved will be destroyed, and no compensation will be offered.
Alcohol brought on board may not be consumed in any lounge or public area.
Please note that the Disney Cruise Line alcohol policy is subject to change without notice.
What is the best stateroom to stay in?
Depends on your needs. Ideally a midship room on a middle decks (6 or 7 on Magic or Wonder or 7, 8 or 9 on the Dream or Fantasy) are ideal and centrally located. This is ideal for the pool area and for the dining and show areas on lower decks.
If you stay forward or aft there will be more ship movement, so if you are prone to sea sickness probably try to stay away from these areas. However, for less noise a very forward or a very aft room is great! Less chance of free range children running down the halls!
how does tipping work?
At the end of your cruise you will be given tipping forms to thank the amazing staff for a job well done. If you are displeased you can ask that the automatic gratuity be taken down or you can add you your forms if you feel you had above and beyond service. We see many of the same staff from cruise to cruise and they really appreciate the tips, so if you are happy with your service, show it!
Also for room service you are expected to tip each time, bring some one dollar bills if you intend on getting room service as this is the easiest way to tip!
Shore excursions, pros and cons?
When you book a shore excursion through Disney that means they have vetted the vendor so to speak and think that you are getting a good and safe trip. It also means that if it is running late the ship has to wait for you before it leaves because you are on a Disney sponsored excursion. If you go off by yourself and get delayed, bring your camera to get a photo of the ship disappearing into the sunset…they will not wait for you.
If you are at a port where there is lots to do right where you dock, feel free to go off on your own, just be sure to get back on board in time! If you are somewhere that requires transportation of any kind of a significant amount of travel time, I would recommend paying a bit extra to be sure the ship is still there when you return to the port! Unless you like to live on the edge, then be my guest and go off on a private tour company just keeping in mind that if you are not on a Disney tour the ship will NOT wait for you.
When do you sign up for classes and other events?
Usually anything that needs tickets you will sign up for upon embarking the ship. In the dining rooms and some of the lounges will be staff ready to answer questions and take your key to the world card for pre-payment if necessary for special events. On the bigger ships this is also when you get tickets to special meet and greets for characters. Just ask a cast member if you are confused where to go.
How do i learn my way around the huge boat?
There will be maps everywhere as well as upon embarking a few tours of the ship to get the idea of where everything is. In general the main dinner dining rooms are on the 2,3,4 decks, the buffet is on the top. A cast member once told me, ‘Fun in the front, food in the back’ and that’s still how I remember where things are on Disney ships! You’ll soon find your way to everything and don’t be afraid to go exploring there are lots of hidden surprises around every corner!
do my kids have to go to the kids club?
Of course not, but it would be silly for them not to give it a try! Many kids activities are designed to get them interacting with each other and the staff is out of this world amazing, many families complain that they can’t get their kids out of the kids club! If your little one wants out early or to be retrieved before the parent said they would be back a staff member will contact you via wave phone, so don’t worry if your kid needs you they will be able to contact you!
What about teens?
There is a special teens area that they can call their very own, and on the Dream and Fantasy there is a special teens only pool! The staff has a variety of teen activities that includes special teen workout classes to scavenger hunts to just hanging out with new friends, playing video games or getting special non-alcoholic drinks just for them! Teens will love their space and just like the kids they don’t have to go to the teen area if they don’t want to!
Is there a casino?
Nope, this is Disney! But they do have some intense Bingo games that the cast members and the cruisers alike get really into with some big jackpots! There is an arcade if your looking to blow some money (so be sure your kids with charging privileges on their cards know that the arcade is NOT FREE!).
Should I decorate my door?
Many families bring along door magnets to decorate their door, things like Disney characters, Mickey ears, turning your door into a Disney creature, let your imagination loose! Etsy stores have a wide variety options that you can personalize with family names and such. Dry erase magnets are useful as well so you can leave friends messages on their doors or tell people in your group where you might have gone for the day or that you went to a movie or something, very useful!
Fish extenders. This is something we have never participated in. The DIS boards have some good information about these. Basically you join a group (like on Facebook) and you exchange room numbers with a group of people or you could just do it within a family group or a group you traveled with and every day or a predetermined amount of times you ‘secret santa’ gifts for those in your group. It’s basically a gift exchange. It’s called “fish extender” because there is a little fish by your door that you can stuck messages in, this essentially extends your fish. Many people have pockets for each member of their family, some people make their own, but you can purchase these on Etsy as well!
Do i have to check-out of the ship?
You will get a final statement either morning of or the final night of the ship, if you have any questions about charges go to customer service right away that night or before you disembark the ship. Otherwise if there are no problems you scan your key to the world card one last time and you are essentially “checked out” of the ship. There is nothing in particular you have to do, all the arrangements for payment and everything are made when you check-in at the port terminal prior to embarkation at the very beginning of your magical journey!
Also note that everyone must be off the ship by 9 A.M! You have the option to eat breakfast upstairs at the buffet or at your dinner dining room from the previous night so you can see your servers one last time if you’d like. Once your luggage tag (that magically appears in your room) has been called you are free to disembark, but if you have an earlier flight you can get off as soon as the ship has been cleared by customs.
Your cruise director will have a recorded program that will play on your tv that will answer any questions you might have and you will receive literature that tells you what forms to fill out and such. Luggage will be picked up the night before by outside your stateroom door at a pre-determined time (10 PM on all the trips I’ve been on) and it will meet you in the cruise terminal to go through customs with.
What if I get seasick/ will i get seasick?
Everyone is different when it comes to seasickness, there’s no way to tell if the motion of the ship will bother you. If you are concerned about motion sickness be sure to come prepared, wear a patch or bring medication in case you do get sick. Better to be prepared than not! If you get motion sick on roller-coasters or small boats you may be motion sick on a cruise, but not always. It really depends on the person and you don’t know til you go!
If anyone has any other questions about general Disney Cruising feel free to ask in the comments, I didn’t mention Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island in this post but look for another blog coming soon about what is so special about Disney’s private island!
Hope this blog answered some questions you might have had and convinced you to cruise DCL! (They should give me some sort of perk for free advertising LOL!)
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