 By Mindy Sheldon So you’ve taken the leap and booked your first Disney Cruise. Congratulations! You’re about to experience a vacation unlike any other. Disney Cruise Line does things a bit differently than other cruise lines. Disney’s focus is on creating magical experiences and quality family time while still giving adults plenty of opportunities to relax and enjoy themselves. Now that you’ve booked the cruise here are the things you should know about what you should do and how the cruise will progress; Insurance One of the most important decisions you'll make after booking is whether to purchase travel insurance. The time to seriously consider insurance is when you make a payment that becomes non-refundable. For Concierge guests, that's typically at deposit. For everyone else, that's usually at final payment. There is one exception: if someone in your traveling party or an immediate family member has a pre-existing medical condition, you may want to purchase insurance at the time of deposit to maximize your coverage options. Keep in mind that while your Disney Cruise Line deposit may remain refundable until final payment, travel insurance generally is not refundable once purchased. Whether you purchase insurance through Disney Cruise Line or a third-party provider, make sure you understand what is covered. Travel insurance can protect you against:
Documentation If you're traveling with a passport, check the expiration date now—not the week before your cruise. Many countries recommend that passports remain valid for at least six months after your travel dates. If you're sailing on a closed-loop cruise (one that begins and ends in the same U.S. port), you may be able to travel using an official certified birth certificate and government-issued photo identification. Make sure the birth certificate is an official stamped or raised-seal copy. Most states now issue Real ID-compliant driver's licenses, which can be used as your government-issued photo identification. For international sailing, passports are required. Depending on your itinerary, you may also need a visa, so be sure to check entry requirements for any countries involved in your trip. Booking your “Extras” Extras are my term for Port Adventures (excursions), spa appointments, alcohol tastings, adult dining, nursery appointments, Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, Cabanas on the private islands and anything that is bookable in advance on your cruise. Disney Cruise Line allows you to book these things after your final payment at 75 days prior to your cruise as a new cruiser. Disney Cruise Line uses a tiered loyalty system, so repeat cruisers receive earlier booking windows. Platinum Castaway Club members can begin booking as early as 130 days before sailing, which means some popular activities may already be full when your window opens. The good news? Disney doesn't charge you for most pre-booked activities until you're onboard. That means if your plans change, it's usually easy to cancel and rebook without penalties. Online Check In Make sure you download the Disney Cruise Line app to your phone. At 12 am on the 30th day before your cruise you can complete your online check-in. The earlier you do it, the better your port arrival time will be. Getting on the ship as early as you can on port arrival day allows you to enjoy the amenities of the ship earlier. Do the on-line check in on the app. To do this you will need the following:
Packing Here are some unique items you might want to think about in advance:
Embarkation Day The day has finally arrived! Arrive at the port during your assigned Port Arrival Time. Disney has become much stricter about arrival times in recent years, and guests arriving significantly early may be asked to wait until their scheduled time. Have your port arrival form and all your forms of identification ready to check in with. Once you are in the terminal, you will check in, be given a boarding number and go through a security screening. You are allowed to carry on 1 bottle of wine or a 6 pack of beer per adult in your party. Please review the banned items list on DCL as any banned item will be confiscated until the end of the cruise. In the terminal there are usually restrooms, places to have a pre-cruise photo taken and places to register for the kids’ clubs if you haven’t already done it. If you are sailing concierge, you will be taken to your own private waiting area. Once it's your turn to board, you'll scan your boarding documents and be welcomed aboard by name. It's a simple touch, but it's the moment when the vacation suddenly feels real. The first thing I recommend doing is connecting to the ship's Wi-Fi and opening the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. This app will become your best friend for the rest of the cruise. You'll use it to:
Time for lunch! Concierge guests can head to the Concierge Lounge or the designated Concierge welcome lunch. Everyone else can enjoy a sit-down meal in one of the open restaurants or head to the buffet. And just like that, your Disney cruise adventure officially begins. Settling In After lunch, take some time to explore the ship, grab a drink, or head to the pool while you wait for your stateroom to be ready. If you're staying in Concierge, your stateroom will typically be available between noon and 12:30 p.m. Guests in all other stateroom categories can usually access their rooms between 1:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. This is a great time to start getting familiar with the ship. Walk around, locate the kids' clubs, find the adults-only areas, and maybe even ride the AquaDuck or AquaMouse if the line isn't too long. Muster Drill At approximately 4:00 p.m., all guests are required to participate in the mandatory muster drill. Simply check the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app or look at the information posted on your stateroom door to find your assigned muster station. You do not need to bring your life jacket with you. The drill only takes a few minutes and is an important part of the ship's safety procedures. Sailaway Party Once muster drill concludes, it's time for one of the most exciting moments of embarkation day is the Sailaway Party! Head to Deck 11 on the Dream and Wish Class ships or Deck 9 on the Magic and Wonder. Mickey, Minnie, and many of their friends will be there to officially kick off your vacation with music, dancing, and plenty of Disney magic. My best advice? Get there a little early. The deck fills up quickly, especially on shorter sailings and during school breaks. There's just something special about hearing the ship's horn play Disney melodies as you pull away from port. For many guests, this is the moment when vacation truly begins. Rotational Dining Before dinner, take a moment to review your dining rotation in the Navigator app. Disney Cruise Line is unique because of its rotational dining system. Instead of eating in the same restaurant every night, you'll rotate through the ship's themed dining rooms throughout your cruise. If you're a first-time cruiser, don't you worry, you won't lose your servers. One of the things that makes Disney dining so special is that your serving team follows you from restaurant to restaurant each evening. By the second night, they'll often know your favorite drink, remember how you take your coffee, and may even have your favorite dessert waiting before you ask. It's one of the reasons so many Disney cruisers form lasting connections with their serving teams. By the end of the voyage, they often feel less like servers and more like part of your vacation family. Now that you’re settled in here are some tips, tricks and things I wish every first-time Disney cruiser knew before they sailed. You Don’t Have to Do Everything One of the biggest mistakes first-time cruisers make is trying to do everything. Open the App and “favorite” the activities that are must-do’s for your family. Then give yourself permission to skip the rest. There will always be another trivia game, another movie, another character meet and greet. What you can’t get back is the chance to sit with your family, relax by the pool or enjoy a quiet conversation. Remember, this is a vacation not a competition. Dining Tips Disney Cruise Line’s dining experience is one of the best at sea, so don’t be afraid to enjoy it. A few things first time cruisers don’t realize:
Character Meet and Greets Character lines can get long, but there are times when they are much shorter. The best time to meet the characters is:
Pirate Night One of the most frequently asked questions I get is “What exactly is Pirate Night?” Pirate night isn’t just an evening event, it’s really an all day celebration. You’ll see characters dressed in pirate costumes, special pirate themed activities, guests dressed up as pirates, pirate themed menu in the dining rooms and a Pirates of the Caribbean Deck Party. The evening typically culminates with an incredible deck party followed by fireworks at Sea. The exception is Alaska and Norway sailing where fireworks are not permitted due to local wildlife regulations. Whether you go all out and dress up or you just go as yourself, it’s one of the most fun nights on the cruise. Disney’s Private Islands Whether your itinerary include Castaway Cay or Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point, or both, there are a few things you’ll want to know. Before leaving the ship, make sure to bring: Bring off your key to the world card A government issued id Sunscreen A beach bag, and anything else you’d need for a day at the beach The good news is that Disney provides towels when you disembark, so there’s no need to take any from the ship. A complimentary barbecue lunch is served on the islands, so there’s no need to return to the ship to eat. Other things to know: Island exclusive merchandise is available for purchase You can purchase alcoholic beverages on the island. They have floats, snorkeling equipment, and bicycles for rent On Castaway Cay, there is unofficial 5k you can do and get a medal There are photographers all over the island There's a family beach and an adult-only beach (Serenity Bay) and you can take the trams to get to either of them There are cabanas for rent on both beaches – they are booked when you book your extras. Adult Only Spaces Many first-time cruisers assume Disney ships are only for families with young children. Well, they’re not. Every Disney ship ahs adult-exclusive areas where guests 18 and older can relax away from family activities. These include: Pool area Cove Café – where you can buy specialty coffee and they have free little bites Adult exclusive entertainment and game shows. Most lounges and entertainment venues become adult only after 9 pm Adult only restaurants. All ships have Palo an Italian Steakhouse, and some have an Remy or Enchante a French inspired restaurant usually having a tasting menu. Spa and fitness facility Even if you’re traveling with children, I highly recommend finding some time to enjoy some of these spaces. Quick Service Dining If you’re hungry between meals, head to the pool deck. Quick service location typically offer: Burgers Chicken Sandwiches Sandwiches and Wraps Pizza Salad Some ships also feature specialty options such as: Shawarma Barbecue Mexican inspired food All Disney ships also offer: Complimentary soft serve ice cream Complimentary soft drinks coffee, tea and water at the beverage stations Most quick service locations close in the late afternoon but pizza is available into the evening. Gratuities Gratuities are one of the most important ways to thank the Cast Members who help make your vacation magical. They can be prepaid up until 3 days before your cruise or automatically charge to your on board account. They are shared between: Your stateroom host Your server Your assistant server Your head server If you are in Concierge, there would also be: Your assistant stateroom host and The concierge team in the lounge On the second to last evening of the cruise, you’ll receive envelopes and gratuity slips to distribute on your final night. If someone goes above and beyond, feel free to add an additional cash tip. One thing my family enjoys doing is bringing small treats from home, such as candy or ramen noodles, to give to crew members. Many crew members spend months away from home and work long days and don’t always get to eat dinner. It’s amazing how much joy a small, thoughtful gift can bring. Disembarkation Day and the night before Unfortunately, every cruise must come to an end. The evening before you will receive tags for your bags with Disney characters on them. If you’d like Disney to handle your luggage: Place your bags outside your stateroom by 10 pm to pick them up in the terminal. You can also roll your own luggage off if that’s preferable. Make sure to keep clothes, underwear and toiletries out to wear the next day and have a bag to put all your dirty clothes and toiletries in when getting off the ship. If you’d prefer, you can keep your luggage and participate in Express Walk-off, carrying everything off the ship on your own. If you want to go to the dining room for breakfast, you will be at the same dining room you were at the night before. For early seating breakfast starts at 6:30 am and for late seating at 7:30 am. You can also go to Marceline Market or Cabanas. There is no room service available. Concierge guests may have a continental breakfast in the concierge lounge. You will be called to disembark by the character on your luggage tags used the night before. Chip and Dale is concierge so they will be first. Once your character is called. you can disembark anytime after that. They would like everyone out of their rooms by 8 am and off the ship by 9 am so they can turn it over for the next cruise. The planning may seem overwhelming at first, but that’s why you’ve got your Tink’s Magical Vacations Travel Planner. We’ll help guide you through every step from booking and online check in to dining reservations and shore excursions, so all you need to do is enjoy the magic. Now all that’s left to do is countdown the days until embarkation.
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