Much like you need to download that My Disney Experience app for a Disney World vacation or a Disneyland app for a Disneyland one, it's important to download the Disney Cruise Line navigator app months before the start of your trip! Initially the app's going to show you a trip countdown along with your payment summary, online check-in features and trip modification options but once you go aboard the navigator app is your go-to guide to make sure you're in the know about what's happening on the ship at all times. The app will be able to tell you things like where character meet and greets are happening when deck parties will kick off all the menus for all the dining you're going to be doing and what your itinerary for the day looks like based around your pre-registered activities and what you are interested in. The app also has an onboard chat feature so you can easily message everyone else in your cruising group and keep tabs of where everyone is without having to use paid Wi-Fi .
Generally speaking the further away from your scheduled sale date you book your Disney cruise the better, not only will you potentially save money by using this method due to some limited time saving opportunities we'll talk about later on but booking early also increases the choices of staterooms you'll have. Cruises tend to fill up closer to the sail date so if you put off making a reservation then you might be left with slim pickings and potentially pricier stateroom options when it comes to your accommodations.
You can check in for your cruise starting at 30 days before the cruise sets sail, it could be a little bit longer depending on your Castaway club status, but highly recommend being ready at midnight Eastern 30 prior to your cruise to check in as soon as possible, that way you get to select what boarding time you'd like and the earlier the boarding time the better in my opinion.
If you haven't gotten a passport for your Disney Cruise Line trip yet stop everything and go do that ASAP! There is a high demand for passports right now making the average processing time currently 10 to 13 weeks for standard applications and 7 to 9 weeks for expedited applications so if you don't yet have a passport you'll need to make sure to plan on getting one months before your cruise. I'd recommend applying for one a year out just to give yourself plenty of processing time. You can apply for a passport at government official buildings near you including your local library, post office and clerks of court. I went to my local post office which was super convenient.
So after all that, "DON'T FORGET" to bring your passport with you on the cruise!
When can you actually start booking your excursions, your fancy dining opportunities, your kids club activities and if you're lucky private cabanas? When you get to book all these extras depends on your Castaway Club member status. Now don't let this club member title throw you off, you automatically become part of this club once you book your first cruise. For first-time cruisers you'll be able to start booking those extra activities 75 DAYS before your trip, CHECK-IN 30 DAYS but the more you cruise the sooner you'll be able to start making reservations for things. Silver Castaway club members who've booked two to five sailings can book activities 90 days out, CHECK-IN 33 DAYS. Gold members who have booked six to ten sailings can book activities 105 days out, CHECK-IN 33 DAYS, Platinum members who have booked 11 to 25 sailings can book activities 120 DAYS out, CHECK-IN 38 DAYS and Pearl members who've 26 plus sailing can book activities 123 days out CHECK-IN 40 DAYS. Pearl and platinum members have the best chance of getting those highly coveted cabanas. You can also book activities 120 days in advance if you're staying in a concierge level stateroom which will also give you exclusive access to the ship's private lounge.
So your Disney cruise doesn't just take place on the ship. You're going to be able to get out at a couple or a few ports of call during your trip to do some exploring but every time you leave the ship make sure you take your key card and your ID with you. Your going to need both of these to get back onto the ship. So don't leave them behind in the room! If you do happen to leave your key card back in the room on accident you'll need to go to guest relations to have a new key card issued. You can ask one of the cast members at the front of the ship out at Port to help pull this off but this will deactivate your old key card, so don't worry about taking the first one along with you everywhere when and if you find it again, it's job is done. Now if you are at a port that is in another country then you're going to want to bring your passport as well so you can get in and out through customs.
Booking some of those exclusive activities can be a struggle. Disney even admits on their website that booking a private family beach Cabana on Castaway Cay is quite the feat. These Cabanas are super popular with guest and only have a limited number available at any given time. Beach Cabanas can be pricey, ranging around $399.00 to $1300 depending on the style you book but if you get the chance to purchase one you'll have your own personal space, rental items at your disposal and all-day concierge services. So how can you increase your chances of getting a Cabana rental? First you need to know the earliest time you're allowed to start booking extra activities, as we talked about earlier. As soon as the clock strikes midnight on the day you can start booking your extra activities they'll go live for you to start choosing on the site and navigator app. If you don't get the Cabana reservation you were hooping for your can always go to guest services on the day you board the ship to ask to be put on a Cabana wait list. This doesn't guarantee you'll be able to get a Cabana but it still might be your best shot getting one regardless and if you're on a cruise that makes not just one but two stops in Castaway Cay you'll have a little bit more chance to get a Cabana the second time around, again the odds can still be against you depending on your cruise status but double the Castaway trips means double the chance.
Let's say you want to book a nice meal for one night of your Disney cruise but all the tables are already booked by the time you go on the website to make reservations. When you first board go immediately to the fancy restaurant that you were wanting to book. That could be Palo or Enchanted or Remy's depending on what cruise ship you're on. Talk to a host at the front of the restaurant and put your name on a first come first serve wait list that way if availability does
come up you still might be able to get your classy date night after all. Note: just like the Cabanas this isn't always going to be a guarantee for you but unlike the Cabanas you've got a much higher chance of getting a last minute table by using this walk-up method.
Now something to note, just because you might have been on a Disney cruise doesn't mean you've been on every Disney Cruise because no two Disney cruise ships are exactly alike. There are five cruise ships you can sail aboard! The Magic, The Wonder, The Dream, The Fantasy and The Wish. These ships might operate similarly, they may offer pool deck parties and private kids clubs and all-inclusive dining and musical performances but they're not the same. Each cruise ship has unique offerings and some of these may end up being the biggest selling points for you and your group, overall just make sure you study up on all the different offerings across the ships so you don't end up booking the wrong choice for your family.
So let's talk elevators, they can be a little bit confusing on some of these ships. There are some weird elevator changes when the Disney Wish first set sail, unlike the other four ships the Wish doesn't have a central elevator Bank, instead it only has two elevator banks forward and aft. This is because that central elevator bank on all the other ships gets clogged up, if you've cruised you understand, also keep in mind that only certain Wish elevators will go up to the very top floors, for example; if you're trying to go to floor 13 to Palo Steakhouse and are currently on floor 6 in the aft elevator bank, only the farthest toward the wall elevators are going to take you up to floor 13. The others are going to stop at 11 and 12. So when an up elevator opens check the buttons inside to see if there is a button for 13. If not you'll need to wait for another one or go up to 11 or 12 and walk. One last elevator note, the elevator buttons on the Wish are also touchless which means they are activated by someone just being near them but that means when an elevator is packed which if anyone has cruised on DCL know they always are then someone will inevitably press up against all the buttons to let someone by which means they all light up in Buddy the elf Christmas tree fashion. If you're able, give the elevator button panel some space so you don't find yourself stopping on every single floor.
Alright, so you don't feel like paying for Booze on the big boat. Disney Cruise Line will allow you to bring up to two bottles of wine or two six packs of beer per person those who are 21 year of age and older. But hard liquor is a no-go, now let's say you purchased some real nice tequila or bourbon or something while you're at the Port of Call, if that's the case these purchases will be checked before you get back on the ship and stored by Disney for the remainder of your trip. Once you're back at home Port you can pick up your liquor then and enjoy it in moderation from the safety of your own home post vacation.
There Are Corkage Fees At Restaurants
What if you want to take your own bottle of wine to that fancy restaurant you've booked a reservation for? You can do that but they do charge you a $26 dollars per bottle corkage fee on Disney Cruise Lines. So you may want to think twice before bringing that six dollar Barefoot Wine along with you on your dinner date!
When you're at one of the Disney Cruise Line bars ask about the Sommelier Bin. The Sommelier Bin is designated for open bottles of wine if a guest orders a particular type of wine that hasn't been opened yet then the rest of that bottle will need to be used on the same day to guarantee its freshness and that means you can sometimes get a really pricey glass of wine for base price if you order whatever's in the sommelier bin during the time of your visit.
There are three unique rotational dining experiences you'll be able to try on your cruise and it all depends on which cruise you book. Just to make things easier on you and the cast members on board. Your rotational dining schedule is predetermined after you select your preferred dining time slot upon booking. There are two dining time slots you can choose from, first is 5:45pm the second is at 8:00 or 8:15 pm. Usually the 5:45 sells out the fastest. Now you'll be able to find your dining rotations schedule as well as dining times on the Disney Cruise Line navigator app once you get on board. If you don't know it before you get on board, your schedule will also be printed on your key cards, however let's say you're cruising on the Disney Wish and you see that your restaurant schedule has placed you dining at 1923 on night one, Worlds of Marvel on night two and Arendelle Frozen Dining experience on night three but you were really hoping to start off your trip with the Frozen themed sing-along and end your trip on a classier not with 1923. If you want to switch up your rotational dining make sure to ask about it at Guest Services just as soon as you get on the ship. This shouldn't be a big deal, but once that ship takes off, your schedule is set! One great thing about the rotational dining is that you will have the same server following you between meals so that your server can learn about your specific preferences and food accommodations.
It's nice knowing that your cruise ship wont just stop at one port. If you're cruising on the Wish for instance you're not just cruising to Castaway Cay. You'll also get a chance to get off the ship at Nassau in the Bahamas, but here's the thing, these types of pit stops along the way may not be your favorite part of the trip depending on where you're going. You can potentially see some cool landmarks like Fort Charlotte built in honor of King George III's wife and the Queen's staircase leading to Fort Finn Castle but the shopping streets there are lined with in your face sales folk who can be a little intense and a lot of the stores are the same stores you're going to find in every cruise port all over the Caribbean. Though the Disney Cruise Line will give you quite a bit of time to explore this port and you should at least step out for a little while just to say you did, maybe on the first cruise. I wouldn't spend your whole day here, instead I might recommend getting out for an hour or two then hopping back on board to experience less busy pools and spas. Which is 10 times more relaxing than being shoulder to shoulder with tourists all over the place. If you do however want to explore a certain Port of Call for longer because this could be a once in a lifetime chance to do so. With those overseas locations make sure to research the area you'll be stopping at ahead of your trip and learn about what places may be worth checking out while you're off the ship instead of wandering aimlessly against the crowds
When bringing baby, if you want to use the nursery, you need to book the nursery in advance because the nursery is different from the kids clubs. If you're looking to a massage or enjoy a nice dinner with partner or even just lounge by the adults-only pool undisturbed for a little bit you can take your baby who falls between the ages of six months to three years to It's a Small World nursery on board the ships. Here's the catch though this Nursery does cost extra and you will need to book it in advance. The nursery does book up so it's best to make those reservation as soon as you get the chance. There is a per hour charge with a minimum of one hour and cancellation fees do apply if you cancel your arrangements without at least four hours notice. Parent are required to provide their own diapers, baby, wipes, extra clothing and pajamas, pre-made bottles of milk or formula, baby food and jars, sippy cups and security items like blankets, passes and favorite toys and everything should be labeled with the child's name just like any daycare or child care facility you'd use back home. The nursery counselors use the chat feature in the navigator app to communicate any needs or situations to the parents so you don't have to stress about continuously going back to check on your child once you drop them off.
A great part of Disney Cruise Line are the kids clubs a completely free. Disney's Oceaneer club ages 3 to 12 starts off as a central Hub that splits into different themed rooms with unique theming and activities going on depending on your cruise ship that'll determine what kind of Oceaneer Club room children can experience while on board but they can include areas like Andy's room the Star Wars Command Post, Marvel Superhero Academy,Pixie Hollow Frozen adventures and Walt Disney imagineering lab and several other awesome offerings that'll make your kids basically want to spend all their time there. Disney's Ocean Ear lab lets kids explore their more creative sides with craft Studios media rooms and other various artsy workshops when you arrive on the ship your kids will receive Oceaneer bands which will grant them access to both the Oceaneer club and lab. Just make sure your kids are registered during the check-in process for your cruise reservation. Disney will prompt you when it's time to get them all signed up. According to the Disney Cruise Line website check-in is available beginning 30 days prior to your sailing date and can be accessed via the Disney Cruise Line navigator app or by signing into your account on the Disney Cruise Line website
On a Disney cruise,kids ages 11 to 14 get a chance to hang out with other tween and teens their age while getting the chance to play games have dance or karaoke parties and engaging counselor-led activities. Vibe club ages 14 to 17 is a club built with teens in mind where technology and social media reign supreme! You've got giant screens complete with surround sound for watching films and concerts. Non-alcoholic refreshments and even a private deck area if you're cruising on the Disney Dream or Fantasy. On the Wish, teens and tweens can also enjoy The "Hideaway" a unique third tween/teen space adjacent to Vibe. It's sort of flex space that can be open to the teen club or closed off or tween only events. Hours for this exclusive kids club range between 9: A.M. to midnight according to the Disney website The Oceaneer clubs usually never close early but on some mornings they open an hour or two later, just keep an eye on your navigator app so you'll know the exact Oceaneer Club times for each day of your cruise.
Let's talk about those rides! Rides on a Disney cruise ship like the Aqua Mouse available on the Disney Wish and The Aqua Duck available on the Dream and Fantasy are the star water coaster attractions for their ships and although you're probably not gonna have to wait over two hours to ride these like you might have to do with Rise of the Resistance in Hollywood Studios. The lines can get long for these coasters especially during the heat of the and on your sea day. These rides could open as early as 9 to 10 a.m. but on embarkation day and Castaway Cay day they not open up until 1pm and yet by 12:30 pm on those days the lines are already going to start forming per usual your navigator app will be able give you the specifics for when these rides are going to open for the day an how and long they'll be open for but a good time to ride these coaster is during dinner and the shows. If for some reason you're not into seeing the shows or you ate at Cabanas and you don't feel like going to your rotational dining location this is when these Aqua coasters can be at their most queue friendly.
Speaking of lines let's talk about character meet and greets. Just because they're out to sea doesn't make them any less popular. Lines for character meet and greets on a Disney Cruise ship can can get lengthy like they do over in the Parks. So make sure to prioritize the characters you really want to meet during your cruise. Character meet and greets will happen several times during your trip all throughout the day so at the start of your cruise sift through your navigator app schedule filter for the character experiences and heart the character meeting times that you want to make sure you prioritize. You may also be able to cheat some of the lines by signing up for a royal gathering as one of your pre-registered activities these types of meet and greets signups won't cost you anything extra and they'll give you the chance to meet several princesses in one go without the massive waits. That being said there are some premium character meet ad greet experiences on certain cruises that will cost extra like the Royal Court royalty and Olaf's Royal picnic, again meet and greets happen several times during the course of your trip but the only exception is going to be those specialty party days like we talked about earlier. Party days may be the one and only time you get to rare characters like pirate Daisy or Loki Dale so don't miss out!
On Embarkation day, especially if this is your first ever Cruise and you don't need to go to guest services for anything; what should you do first? Many guest are going to make a beeline to the food court to get a head start on that all-inclusive dining but you're not hungry yet, I'd recommend heading on out over to the pools unless you decide to hang back during one of the ports of call embarkation day may wind up being one of the least busy times to take a dip in the main pools and the adults only pools too but remember you might not be able to get into your room until a little bit after you get on the ship usually they're ready around 3 or 4 pm so bring your bathing suit and your carry-on so you can change in one of the bathrooms and head to the pool.
Each Disney Cruise has an adult's only pool area AKA Quiet Cove but the Disney Wish steps it up a notch by offering an adult's only infinity pool area which can get really popular during the afternoon hours if you want to avoid feeling like you're in the middle of human soup then try hitting up these adults-only pool areas in the early morning as a way to kick start your day with some much needed peace,quiet and swim time. I would go up to the infinity pool around 9 A.M. there's nobody there and it's still warm enough and nice.
Disney Cruise Line prides themselves on being eco-friendly, which is why they strive to save power any chance they get. So in order to turn on the lights in your room, you'll insert a card into the light slot that's next to the door and then use the switches. Disney would like you to use your key card since that forces you to retrieve it and turn off the lights before you leave the room but not everyone always remembers to do that meaning you could very well accidentally lock yourself out of your room, fortunately you don't actually have to insert your DCL specific key into the light slot, any old card will do. Got a used up Starbucks gift card, use that or an expired library card and old card will do. It's still a good idea to retrieve these cards instead of keeping your light on the whole time you're gone but at least if you forget to retrieve it you're not going to accidentally lock yourself out.
The cast members are great at what they do and they do an amazing job at making sure you have a good time while also validating your dining requests. So after getting to know your server you're more than likely going to be thrilled to leave gratuity for them since they're going to go above and beyond to make sure you're taken care of aboard the ship. To customize that gratuity amount for servers, assistant servers and stateroom hosts you'll need to ass prepaid gratuities to your DCL reservation through your Disney account. Now here's the catch if you don't set a prepaid amount for gratuities before your trip, Disney will automatically charge the adjusted gratuity to your onboard account and assume you're A-Okay with that which is $14.50 per nigh per night per stateroom and $15.50 per night per concierge State Room the paces where gratuity is not factored out in advance are for well, any other additional services like the Spas the Lounges and signature restaurants, then the amount you tip will be entirely up to your discretion or in some cases automatically tacked onto your bill.
Congratulations on taking the first step towards your Walt Disney Cruise Adventure! I hope my Disney Cruising 101 has helped! Please fill the form below. The information you enter on this form will be used solely for the purpose of contacting you regarding planning your vacation. When you become a client I'm available to you 24/7!
Open today | 09:00 am – 08:00 pm |
Open or closed, when I receive your Disney Cruise Quote Request Form I will respond back to you ASAP!
Copyright © 2023 Heart's Desire Adventures - All Rights Reserved.
As to Disney artwork, logos and properties: © Disney
© & ™ Lucasfilm LTD. All rights Reserved
Disney Cruise Line - Ships Registry: The Bahamas Universal elements and all related indicia TM & © 2023 Universal Studios. All rights reserved
© Nintendo. Nintendo trademarks are properties of Nintendo.
Powered by GoDaddy
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.