View Full Version : Top Tips for Cruising
Michelle
16 Mar 07, 12:38 PM
What are your 3 top tips for Cruising?
Bearing in mind we are only on a 3 night cruise. What should we new cruisers not miss out on?
Hmmmmm, ok here are mine Michelle!
1. make your reservstions for anything special online before you go...Palo dinner or brunch, or a spa visit or massge on castaway cay...they can get very booked up....
2. Order your morning coffee from room service the night before to be delivered at your chosen timein the monring. If you have a balcony you can sit and drink while watching the waves go by.....
3. Look out in your 'navigators' for anything you really fancy doing and make sure you sign up for it....that margerita tasting or beer sampling for example....
I'm sure there are more but this is off the top of my head!:wavey:
Michelle
16 Mar 07, 12:45 PM
LOL's Mandy how did I know there would be a margeritta tasting in there ;)
Thanks keep em coming.
mandymouse
16 Mar 07, 12:48 PM
My top 3 tips for a 3 night would be
1. Don't miss the Shows
2. Don't miss the different Restaurants and Menus each evening
3. Take your camera or camcorder everywhere as there is always a photo opportunity with the Characters
For a 4 night
Don't miss Palo brunch (absolutely fantastic food) :d:
Mandy :)
LOL's Mandy how did I know there would be a margeritta tasting in there ;)
Thanks keep em coming.
don't know what you mean!;) :tounge:
Mandy, I agree about Palo brunch....an absolute 'must'!:)
Michelle
16 Mar 07, 01:04 PM
It's making me wish I could of booked the 4 night now.
jdybnsn
16 Mar 07, 01:34 PM
Here are my top tips ..
1/ Make sure you are covered for cruising on your holiday insurance; some cover it for no extra charge, and some make a small charge - either way you must ensure you are covered- don't just assume you are.
Just imagine what being airlifted off the ship off the coast of the US might cost you, if you were not covered in an emergency :omg: !!!
2/ Book a 4 night (that's 3 days) rather than a 3 night (that's 2 days) trip if you possibly can (sorry Tinkershell !! :blush: ) - the extra day aboard is so worth it.
3/ Do book as early as you can, there are so many advantages, and you have nothing to lose ....not even your deposit (in most circumstances up to 75 days before sail date) !
4/ Get to the port for port opening (about 10.15am) to get the earliest boarding time (about 11.45am) - the sooner you are on board, the sooner your cruise starts ! You can eat at the restaurants and swim inthe pools before the crowds arrive.
5/ Pack your swim wear in your hand luggage when you board the ship, so you can use the pools straight away (no need for towels - they are available pool side). You won't be reunited with your luggage until late afternoon.
6/ Don't settle on the first bit of family beach on Castaway Cay keep walking past the main food area another 5 mins to the bit of beach opposite the last line of little shops (these are on your right of the path). The beach here is far less crowded and though you have a little further to walk to the food / drink stations etc., you will not be sitting shoulder to shoulder with the rest of the ship !
7/ Do use room service for breakfast to gain more time to have fun, and more space in your tummy ! Eating on board can be a bit of a marathon !
8/ Do visit the Pirate Museum (with attached pub & shop) at Nassau , especially if you have young kids - cheap, interesting, easy to walk to and good range of pirate goodies !!
Above all have fun !!!
Thanks for the tips guys, they will be invaluable on our 3 night. Keep em coming...
ok, if we're not just doing 3 then......;)
....do make sure you get to know your fellow diners, and enjoy the time with them....we were very hesitant about dining with strangers at our table, but made some lovely friends last cruise :)
Here are my top tips:
1. Take a highlighter pen for your navigators, helps to remind you what not to miss.
2. Opt for early sitting for dinner. You'll then have room to sample the late night buffets.
3. Adult shows - get your seat early. The shows fill up really quickly, and you don't want to miss these shows.
4. Store your empty cases under your bed. If up the mattresses and the suitcases fit in just perfectly.
Heather
great tips Heather, thanks :) I always forget to take a highlighter, last time I managed to blag one from a CM ;)
jules_c
18 Mar 07, 10:32 AM
Here are my 3 top tips:
1.Buy bottled water before you board if you drink it to store in the little fridge, it is small. One of the first things you come across will be Disney selling water packages (Evian) but it is a lot cheaper to DIY.:)
2.If you are booking a Spa treatment (they are lovely) but be prepared for the hard sell afterwards.:omg:
3. Make sure you pack a beach bag for offboard excursions and Castaway Cay (you wont need a towel) and get to CC early if you want to bags a hammock.;)
jdybnsn
18 Mar 07, 10:56 AM
Sorry, just thought of a couple more :blush:
After reading through a Virgin Holiday brochure a looking how much Virgin were charging for the same cruise we took last year :omg:
To save money booking your cruise......
1/ Book direct with Disney Cruise Line, or a reputable US T/A such as Dreamsunlimited, Small World Vacations, Allseasons Travel, Vacations To Go, Costco, Walmart etc (there a few others too). Get quotes from all as they can vary quite a bit.
2/ If booking direct with DCL then you can then transfer your booking to one of the T/As listed above, for an on board credit of anything between $50 - $300 depending on your cruise and the cat. you book. You will still be able to access your booking on the DCL website, and make reservations etc even after transfering your reservation.
3/ Use a Nationwide credit or debit card to pay for your cruise and thereby maximise the £/$ exchange rate - surprising how much £s you will save, when making a large payment ,by paying in this way.
:smile:
Michelle
20 Mar 07, 07:41 AM
Great tips everyone....have started a list;)
ok...more for your list Shell....;)
1. Save time (and effort) and take shirts unironed (or indeed unlaundered!) with you and have DCL launder them for a couple of dollars when onboard...they'll only get creased in your case anyway!;)
2. If you are set on dining at Palo on a particular night (say for an anniversary or Birthday) do take advantage of onlie booking asap
......
3......but if you can't get somehting you want booked up, go straight onboard and try again as they only book a percentage in advance and have some times/days left for people booking onboard!
:thumbs-up
jdybnsn
27 Apr 07, 08:19 AM
Just thought of another tip if anyone is interested, particularly if you have a larger family group ...
If you are a party/family of more than 4 people it is often cheaper (and you get more room !) if you book two of the cheaper cabins side by side (cat 11,10,9 for example), that connect, than booking one expensive family cabins cat4 or higher (ie cat. 3,2, or 1).
There are a good proportion of cabins that connect ie. have a door that can open betweeen the two. which ineffect gives you the run of these two cabins (and it can be very handy to have your kids using a separate area, and also have double the bathroom capacity).
Alternatively, if finances allow, you could book a more expensive outside cabin, and a less expensive inside cabin opposite to the outside one, across the narrow hallway.
NOTE. Officially, you must have one adult per room (you would need to have to book them both), but I know alot of people with older kids, particularly teens, then use them only for their kids...a bit naughty ...but it goes on.
Great thread! :thumbs-up
Mandy - is it really only a couple of dollars for laundry? That would be great for DH, as he tends to wear loose shirts rather than t-shirts, and they always crease in the case. How long does it take to get them back?
I'm not a seasoned cruiser and have never used DCL. But - do they have a wine package? - if you're into wine with a meal. Possibly not for a short cruise. Our Alaska cruise was for 7 nights with Holland America and our Med cruise is for 13 nights with RCI. Both hhad/have wine packages. The package for the Med cruise works out to 15% cheaper than buying bottles on their own.
Also along the alcohol line, most cruise lines do not allow passengers to take on board their own liquor. However, I have read on other forums of passengers taking liquor on board disguised in lemonade-type bottles for consumption in their own cabins. Personally I don't think it's worth it but have to say that our bags have never been checked when we have boarded the ships.
Eeyorefan
28 Apr 07, 05:11 PM
Hi Jan,
Yes there is a wine package, you'll find details on www.Disneycruiseline.com look under he gift section if i remember rightly:)
Have never thought of taking alchohol in disguise before:pgig: I'm sure we brought alchohol aboard from St Martin, the Guavaberry local stuff, we didn't hide it and it went through the x-ray machine fine, it was in a box and clearly advertised the contents.:grin:
jdybnsn
28 Apr 07, 06:13 PM
Hi Jan,
Have never thought of taking alchohol in disguise before:pgig: I'm sure we brought alchohol aboard from St Martin, the Guavaberry local stuff, we didn't hide it and it went through the x-ray machine fine, it was in a box and clearly advertised the contents.:grin:
We bought some bottles of wine from the Publix (just off the main route just, before getting to the port). We didn't disguise it either ....I think its one of those things like taking your own food to the Parks.... Disney does not condone or encourage it...but they don't take action it over it either, as long as you are not doing it 'in their face' so to speak. :smile:
The 'Official' Birnbaums DCL 2007 guide lists one of it's 'Hot Tips' as
"you can bring your own (unopened) bottle of wine to dinner. A $15 corkage charge will be added to your shipboard account for each bottle that was not purchased onboard"
I would guess that Disney must therefore condone bringing your own alcohol on board - just make sure they don't charge you corkage for having it in your stateroom LOL!
jdybnsn
29 Apr 07, 08:54 PM
The 'Official' Birnbaums DCL 2007 guide lists one of it's 'Hot Tips' as
"you can bring your own (unopened) bottle of wine to dinner. A $15 corkage charge will be added to your shipboard account for each bottle that was not purchased onboard"
I would guess that Disney must therefore condone bringing your own alcohol on board - just make sure they don't charge you corkage for having it in your stateroom LOL!
That's a good point Sue. :smile:
Great thread! :thumbs-up
Mandy - is it really only a couple of dollars for laundry? That would be great for DH, as he tends to wear loose shirts rather than t-shirts, and they always crease in the case. How long does it take to get them back?
yep, we got Mark's shirts laundered when we first got on board and they were all back the next day looking beautiful!:) No point ironing them beforehand only to have them all creased again when you open the cases! Its a wonderful service and a really good tip we feel:)
I'm not a seasoned cruiser and have never used DCL. But - do they have a wine package? - if you're into wine with a meal. Possibly not for a short cruise. Our Alaska cruise was for 7 nights with Holland America and our Med cruise is for 13 nights with RCI. Both hhad/have wine packages. The package for the Med cruise works out to 15% cheaper than buying bottles on their own.
Also along the alcohol line, most cruise lines do not allow passengers to take on board their own liquor. However, I have read on other forums of passengers taking liquor on board disguised in lemonade-type bottles for consumption in their own cabins. Personally I don't think it's worth it but have to say that our bags have never been checked when we have boarded the ships.
There is a wine package Jan, we've done it on a previous cruise and it works out ok. We also took some of our own wine this time and just paid the $15 corkage as it was still much cheaper than buying some of their wine on board. Lots of people take their own alcohol by the way...we saw one guy with a crate of beers going onboard!:spin:
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