My first cruise About This Page:

[joe.hurley]

Well, the plans are made! I've got a land-sea vacation booked (thanks Small World Vacations for making it insanely easy!) at WDW and the Disney Dream!

Dates: November 7, stay at Sheraton at Bradley International Airport
November 8-11 play at WDW and stay at Pop
November 12-16 4-night Very Merrytime Bahamian Cruise on the Dream!

I hadn't thought much more about it since making the reservations -- it is after all almost eight months till I go -- and then I got an envelope from the Disney Cruise Line in the mail. It contained a brochure called "Disney Cruise Line Planning Guide," and the inside starts "We're thrilled you're joining us for a magical voyage. We hope you're as excited as we are!" I'm sure it's sent to everyone, but it made me feel really special - like the crew are looking forward to me coming as much as I am looking forward to going!

Now, having never cruised before (longest boat ride ever was the Woods Hole to Martha's Vineyard Ferry - no joke!) I would love to have any advice, suggestions, etc., from the very smart and very experienced cruisers (is that a word? other than referring to police vehicles) on this board as to when/what I need to do to make my plans.

So here's my first question...

One thing I read online is that, since my cruise is four nights, there will be one day on which Palo serves brunch. I wanted to reserve this, rather than dinner, as I've never done a "fancy" dinner at anywhere Disney. But I don't know which day they will have it, or when I can reserve, etc. Is it possible to find this out, and when should I/can I try to reserve it?

Also is there anything else I need/want to reserve in advance for this cruise?

Oh my gosh, I'm so excited.... Ever since reserving the trip, I've found myself singing "Join the Disney Parade" in the car! Oh, I so can't wait! (Where's that time machine so I can skip ahead to November? Oh, no, wait I don't want to do that, because between now and then I want to see the UConn women's basketball team win its 12th national championship in Columbus!)

Joe

[mamajab]

Welcome to the world of Disney cruising! Don't blame us if you get hooked! The at-sea day on a 4 night cruise tends to be the 3rd day, so in your case, Nov 14. You can book it 75 days prior to embarking, but it is very popular, so you might not get it. Don't be discouraged though, because you have a shot once you're on board. I think the first day's Navigator will tell you how.
And lucky you for going on a Merrytime cruise! Disney does holidays so well, and DCL is no exception. We've done both a Christmas time and a Halloween cruise, and they were both magical.
Here's an option to think about: if you have been to the Bahamas before, or just aren't that interested in the excursions, don't get off the ship. Take advantage of the less crowded atmosphere and explore the Dream, or ride the AquaDuck a gazillion times! Whatever you do, I know you'll have fun. And if you find yourself booking another cruise while you're on board, don't say I didn't warn you!

[joe.hurley]

Thanks for the info mamajab. I have not been to the Bahamas, but will consider your idea about the Nassau day. My parents have been there and said that the town didn't have much to recommend it. (They were staying at one of the resorts near Atlantis, and just stayed at their resort mostly, except to buy a few souvenirs.) So my thinking would be to go into Nassau to see the main town and buy a few souvenirs (I have a habit of buying a fridge magnet from every place I visit and putting it on, wait for it, the fridge I have near my bedroom in the house! I mean, where else will I put a FRIDGE magnet? ) and then a postcard or two to mail back home and to the office. Then, once I've done that, I'll go back to the ship and enjoy some quiet time on the ship (maybe a perfect time for a spa experience -- a massage, manicure and pedicure sounds nice; when we visit the Philippines, my mom and I do that at a spa near our hotel on our first day, and there it's relatively inexpensive at 55 Philippine pesos to one dollar).

So thanks for the suggestion, and please do keep them coming.

One new question -- i reserved this trip through Small World Vacations. Can they help with making that Palo brunch reservation, or am I on m own?

Joe

[mamajab]

Originally Posted by joe.hurley

One new question -- i reserved this trip through Small World Vacations. Can they help with making that Palo brunch reservation, or am I on m own?

Joe

Probably. My TA (from Mouse Fan Travel) did offer to help me, but I'm too much of a control freak so I did it myself. However, if you do leave it to your TA, as you are a first time cruiser, you still aren't eligible to reserve until 75 days out. TBH, we actually were not able to book the brunch ahead on our first cruise, but we did book dinner. When we showed up at the restaurant for dinner, we just asked if there was any availability, and we lucked out.

[MsLydia]

Checking is as we are considering trying a cruise.

[feonag]

I have been lucky with getting Palo brunch the day I board. Make sure you are one of the fist in line. And brunch is not as fancy as dinner, so you would be fine in a blouse and capris.

[joe.hurley]

So my 75 days day was this past Wednesday, so I went online at like 6:30 a.m. and Palo brunch was already sold out for my cruise! I don't get how this is possible, since I couldn't reserve more than 75 days before. Are there lots of people getting up at 3 am to do this??

Anyway, what are my odds of getting a reservation on the ship, since the online ahead-of-time reservation obviously won't work.

Any suggestions? I was really hoping to do this on my "day at sea."

Thanks in advance

One very excited Joe

[chezp]

Originally Posted by joe.hurley

So my 75 days day was this past Wednesday, so I went online at like 6:30 a.m. and Palo brunch was already sold out for my cruise! I don't get how this is possible, since I couldn't reserve more than 75 days before. Are there lots of people getting up at 3 am to do this??

Unfortunately that doesn't surprise me. It's hugely popular and platinum Castaway Club members can reserve at 120 days out. I can't remember now how far out gold and silver members can book at, but I seem to recall 105 and 90 days, so they have the jump as well. There may have been a few tables left - I'm never 100% sure if Disney keep some back for each group. Some people say they do, but I've heard so many reports of people jumping online the second booking opens and brunch being full that I'm not convinced.

Anyway, what are my odds of getting a reservation on the ship, since the online ahead-of-time reservation obviously won't work.

Any suggestions? I was really hoping to do this on my "day at sea."

Thanks in advance

One very excited Joe

The good news is that multiple sources have said that Disney do keep tables back for booking on board, so as soon as you're board, go and see if you can grab one.

[Pris]

Definitely go as soon as you board to the designated place (consult the Navigator that you will receive when you check in at the port) to see if you can get a Palo brunch. They will have some available on a first come-first serve basis. With only 1 at sea day, there certainly will be a limited amount though, so getting to the port early might be worthwhile if possible.

[joe.hurley]

Thanks all for the advice. As to getting to the port early, I will be entirely at the mercy of the DCL Bus on that score. I've reserved the transfer from Pop Century to Port Canaveral, and from there back to the aiport on return.

Ooooh I am soooo excited about this trip!!! I haven't been this excited about a Disney trip since I was planning the post-law-school-graduation-extravaganza back in 1999! (Which was my best trip ever to date; one whole week at the World, starting the morning after graduation.)

Please keep those suggestions coming! The next thing I'm going to figure out is port excursions. I think the only one that really interests me is the short tour of Nassau, where they show the old British colonial sites; I'm a bit of a history buff and find places like that interesting. If anyone has any other suggestions for a first-timer who isn't an adventure or thrill seeker, I'm open! My initial plan is just to go into Nassau, do that short tour, and then find somewhere to have lunch, and then return to the ship.

Keep those great suggestions coming!

All the best,
Joe

[manticorjenn]

Unless things have changed since 2016, I would highly suggest doing the DCL excursion and then go back to the ship. Especially if you are traveling solo. This area had a lot of hawkers at the port and really did not feel safe to walk around. So much so that when we got done with our tour and had to walk back to the ship we didn't look at anyone or anything just to avoid having to deal with them. Even on the tour that we took we did not feel comfortable at times.

[chezp]

Originally Posted by manticorjenn

Unless things have changed since 2016, I would highly suggest doing the DCL excursion and then go back to the ship. Especially if you are traveling solo. This area had a lot of hawkers at the port and really did not feel safe to walk around. So much so that when we got done with our tour and had to walk back to the ship we didn't look at anyone or anything just to avoid having to deal with them. Even on the tour that we took we did not feel comfortable at times.

I couldn't agree more with you about that. We got off the ship at Nassau on our first ever cruise back in 2004 and we really disliked all the hawkers so much so that we've never got off again there on all our return visits, as we just didn't feel comfortable either.

[joe.hurley]

Okay, so plans are starting to come into focus. I found a nice excursion to take in Nassau. It's called Nassau Forts Discovery, and is a three hour tour of several of the old British colonial forts and other sites in Nassau. The US having erased almost all vestige of its British colonial period (Revolutionary War and all that), I think it would be interesting to see some of the old forts in Nassau, since it was a British colony until quite recently. Then, I figure I'll just pick up a fridge magnet and a postcard or two to mail to home, office and sister, and then go back to the ship.

As for Castaway Cay, I think a nice beach day will be in order. haven't had one of those in ages.... Just relax in a comfy chair on the beach, maybe go and dip my feet in the ocean (something I also haven't done in ages). And of course a nice barbecue lunch! And while I'm there I'll mail those postcards bought in Nassau so my friends and family can get the Castaway Cay postmark!

So to heighten the excitement, I've taken to watching youtube videos of other people's cruises on the 4-day merrytime bahamian cruise on the dream. And, Oh My! The guidebooks and descriptions do not do it justice!! I was floored when I saw a family boarding and there's a gentleman or lady at the door who asks their name, and announces, "Please Welcome, the (name) Family!" Not sure what they do for a single traveler, but we'll find out! And then the last night they have a farewell gathering with the crew and characters, and they sing the classic Mickey Mouse Club farewell song.

My next big idea is to go on November 1 to the temporary Halloween stores that they have in the shopping center and buy some pirate costumey stuff to wear on Pirate night.

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, I'm so excited for this trip!!! If it turns out as good as I'm hoping, everyone on here who said I'd be hooked may turn out to be right! If so, my next idea is to do an Alaska cruise out of Vancouver. My parents visited Alaska (not by cruise) a few years back, and took a train from Anchorage up to the park with all the glaciers and said it was gorgeous, and I'm sure it would be quite stunning from the deck of a cruise ship. I see on their website that they have round trips from Vancouver through the inside passage that you can see these things. So I think that would be next on the list if this works out well. Oh, I do hope it does....

Well, do keep the suggestions coming. I am trying not to overplan this cruise. I want to just wake up in the morning, look at the navigator over breakfast and say, "Well, that looks like fun -- let's give it a try!"

55 days and counting... Oh, could it please come sooner?

Joe

[manticorjenn]

I truly hope you enjoy your cruise. Your idea of shopping for pirate items is great. Just remember that Disney does not allow any knife or gun props, but, you can get the scarves, earrings and eyepatches.

We just did the Alaska cruise this summer and it was great. We really enjoyed Ketchikan because the ship docks in the middle of town. It made it very easy to get off the ship and do a shopping tour of town. If you want to read more about the Alaska Cruise look at Cheryl's (chezp) TRs. She has done several Alaska cruises and covers them very well.