When you plan on taking a Disney cruise, it may be a little bit overwhelming to consider all the things you should do earlier than you permit. However making ready prematurely will make for a good higher expertise, so try this record of issues to do earlier than a Disney cruise and prepare to cruise. When you get on board, you’ll need to calm down and luxuriate in your trip.
Disclosure: This submit accommodates affiliate hyperlinks, and buying and/or clicking on a few of the hyperlinks (or calling the quantity) on this submit might lead to a fee paid to us at no further expense to you. We have now traveled on one media cruise and two cruises as a part of Disney Social Media Mothers. I’ve paid full worth for 13 further cruises through the years.
Issues to Do Earlier than A Disney Cruise
Get Your Eating Time Booked
The Disney Cruise Line provides two meal occasions – the principle seating (between 5:45 pm and 6:15 pm) and the second (between 8 pm and eight:30 pm). The primary seating fills up shortly, so if that’s what you need, reserve it early – while you guide your cruise trip.
A ready record is out there in case you can not discover the time you need. Moreover, you possibly can request to change meal occasions as soon as onboard. Nonetheless, it’s best to do it prematurely. Availability will probably be extra restricted while you board the ship.
When you don’t get the time that you really want, don’t fear. We sometimes eat fairly early at dwelling, and as soon as ended up with a later time as a result of we booked our cruise on the final minute.
It was okay, nevertheless. As a result of the nightly exhibits usually run on the reverse occasions as dinner, you’re both going to eat late or watch the present late. There are a lot of locations to seize a fast chew in case you get hungry earlier than your seating.
Plan Your Lodge the Evening Earlier than
If you’re flying into your port of name, I like to recommend arriving the night time earlier than. That method, you gained’t have to fret about flight delays and may schedule an earlier onboard time (if that’s one thing you’ll must do). Throughout our 2022 crusing, our luggage had been left behind in Boston in a single day. It was nice to have that additional day to attend for them to reach earlier than boarding.
You’ll be able to keep in a single day by the port, on the airport, at Walt Disney World (if cruising out of Port Canaveral), or someplace else within the space.
We keep on the Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport after we cruise out of Port Canaveral. See opinions on TripAdvisor.
Throughout my cruise on the Disney Magic, we determined to remain close to the Miami airport at a Homewood Suites. It has a free shuttle from the airport and is a fast journey to the Miami Cruise Port. Alternatively, you might keep in South Seaside, proper within the heart of the motion. We loved our keep on the Marriott Trip Membership Pulse South Seaside.
Disney has a brand new cruise terminal in Fort Lauderdale, and there are numerous nice lodge choices within the space. I loved an evening on the Ritz Carlton Fort Lauderdale throughout my final crusing on the Disney Dream.
E-book Transportation to the Port
If you’re flying to your port, you’ll must get to the port someway. Disney shuttle buses can be found for a further price (relying on the port), or you possibly can lease a automotive and drive to the port your self (keep in mind that parking on the port is out there however prices additional).
Non-public transportation, together with automotive providers or Uber, can also be an choice. For Port Canaveral, I discover that Disney transportation is the best choice, as a result of it’s simple and handy. You may as well guide one-way transportation in case you don’t return on to the airport or Walt Disney World.
Verify-In As Quickly As You Can
While you full the Disney Cruise check-in course of, you possibly can select your onboard time (those that guide transportation via Disney will not select an onboard time) and guide your excursions and particular dinners.
So, when are you able to examine in to your Disney cruise? Silver Castaway Membership members (one cruise) can examine in 33 days earlier than crusing, gold members (5 cruises) can examine in 35 days earlier than crusing, platinum members (ten cruises) can examine in 38 days earlier than crusing and pearl members (twenty-five cruises) can examine in 40 days earlier than crusing.
If that is your first cruise, you could wait 30 days earlier than crusing. Because the earlier onboard occasions are sometimes taken first positive to examine in as quickly as doable.
Moreover, there’s a separate reserving window for reserving port excursions (together with the ever-popular Castaway Cay cabanas), grownup eating, and different onboard experiences. Silver Castaway Membership members (one cruise) can guide 90 days earlier than crusing, gold members (5 cruises) can examine in 105 days earlier than crusing, platinum members (ten cruises) can examine in 120 days earlier than crusing and pearl members (twenty-five cruises) can examine in 123 days earlier than crusing.
Why examine in early? Some excursions and Palo occasions do guide up prematurely, so that you’ll get the very best availability by reserving early. It’s additionally powerful to get a cabana at Castaway Cay, so that you’ll need to strive for one as quickly as you possibly can in order for you one.
While you check-in, you’ll additionally fill out the visitor data type and the fee authorization type in your onboard purchases, and add your passport and headshot. Be prepared with all of these issues in your complete household while you check-in.
Schedule Your Excursions and Any Particular Meals
When your reserving window opens, you too can guide port excursions and meals at Palo and Remy/Enchante (in case your ship has Remy or Enchante). Once more, these are all restricted, so guide as quickly as doable.
You’re normally not charged immediately – however verify that when reserving. Modifications can usually be made, however you’ll need to have a good suggestion of what you need to do, and availability could also be restricted while you return in to make adjustments.
I’d advocate researching your ports of name effectively earlier than your reserving window opens. Resolve what varieties of belongings you need to do at every location. You’ll have a lot of choices, from academic issues to extra adventurous actions. Some households might determine to do a mixture of issues throughout their cruise.
You don’t essentially must do an tour at every port. Some individuals select to remain onboard as a result of the ship could be a lot quieter with most individuals gone.
You may as well decide to do your personal factor – by taking a cab or simply strolling across the port. Analysis that first, nevertheless, since you need to make certain it’s protected, that you simply gained’t get misplaced, and you could undoubtedly make it again to the ship in time for all aboard.
Reserving an tour from the cruise line could be the safer choice on the subject of getting again on the ship earlier than it leaves. It would even be refunded in case your cruise has to overlook that port for climate or different causes.
Particular Providers
When you want particular providers on board, like a Sharps field, a communication package (for visitors who’re deaf or arduous of listening to), or a wheelchair-accessible room, you possibly can fill out a type you’ll discover on-line in the course of the check-in course of. As a result of my daughter has meals allergy symptoms, I prefer to be sure that it’s famous on our reservation.
You’ll additionally need to name when you’ve got any particular requests. Ensures aren’t provided, however you possibly can all the time request a particular eating rotation or server. On our second crusing of the Disney Fantasy, I known as and requested our favourite server who we had on our first crusing.
He was nonetheless on the ship, they usually had been ready to ensure we acquired assigned to him. In fact, crew members are all the time shifting round, so there’s no assure that your favourite will nonetheless be on board.
When you have a particular restaurant you like, and your cruise is at the very least 4 days, you could need to request that you simply eat at that spot greater than 2 or 3 occasions. My children love Animator’s Palate, so we’ve requested to be assigned to that restaurant thrice on a seven-day crusing.
Signal Youngsters Up for Youth Golf equipment
Disney Cruise Line’s children’ membership is free to attend, however you’ll save time by registering your kids prematurely. Don’t fear – you gained’t have to pick attendance occasions! As soon as your children are registered and have their bands, they will go out and in as many occasions as you’d like.
There are additionally open home occasions on the primary day the place you possibly can go in and see what the golf equipment are like.
Fish Extenders
Fish extenders are completely optionally available, however they’re a very enjoyable option to improve your cruise. To take part, first discover your cruise on Fb and be a part of your cruise group.
Then you possibly can join a fish extender trade if somebody is organizing one. Then, you’ll want to purchase/make a fish extender to hold on the “fish” close to your stateroom door.
Lastly, you’ll must make or buy a bunch of enjoyable little treats in your fellow cruisers.
My children love prepping our fish extender presents earlier than we go away, after which all the time get pleasure from coming again to the room for a brand new shock. It’s plenty of work, however could be rewarding.
Right here’s all the things you should find out about Fish Extenders.
Get Decorations for Your Stateroom Door
Numerous households embellish their stateroom doorways earlier than happening a Disney cruise, so try my submit on adorning your Disney Cruise Line stateroom door. You’ll need to buy or make these decorations effectively earlier than your crusing.
When reserving a Disney Cruise, I like to recommend reserving with Get Away At this time. Plus, while you point out Household Journey Journal, you get an additional $25 on board credit score! Give their brokers a name at 877-510-2929.
On a separate be aware: For cruises leaving from Port Canaveral, we keep on the Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport. Verify costs and opinions right here.
