Q.Not a First Time Cruiser- but how do you decide which night to go to an adult only fancy dinner? I'm afraid we'd miss a fun dinner- like Animator's Palate!
A. We usually check Personal Navigators from past cruises to get an idea of what each night has to offer. You can also call Disney (or have your travel agent do it) to find out what night select activities are (like Pirate night, or select ports). You can also request specific dining rotations!
Q.Speaking of Animator's Palate- is it different on each ship? We were a bit disappointed on the Dream- as the wait staff did not change colors, like I'd seen on TV! (But talking to Crush was cool!!!)
A.It is different on each ship! The older ships have a different style and theme but not the new technology
Q.I've heard about the "adult only" portions of the ship/island. What kind of activities can we look forward to in these areas?
A. Great question!! The adult only areas on each ship vary but you'll find pools, a coffee house, nightclubs, bars and the spa. All 18 and over only! On Castaway Cay there is an entire beach for 18 and over...and amazing open air massages!!
Q. That's great to hear about the pools and beach areas! For the spas, do we need to make reservations ahead of time, or can we make an appointment while on board?
A. Spa appointments are recommended in advance although you will be able to book somethings on board the ship depending on availability!
Q. What destination would you recommend for a 1st time family cruise & why? Do the spa treatments & gift shop merchandise go on sale while your in port like other cruise lines?
A. Great question! I usually recommend a 4 night sailing. Not only will you get to experience Castaway Cay but you'll also get a full day at sea to explore the ship! They do offer specials at the Spa on board but not as often in the gift shop. They also have a raffle on departure day for spa packages! Once you board everything has an open house so be sure to stop by and tour!
Q. For a family on a budget what can you expect to spend on a cruise? Little ones are 3 and 1.
A. It depends on so many things. Time of year will affect the price significantly (summer is most expensive). Once you pick that Disney has 4 different types of staterooms (Inside, Oceanview, Verandah and Suites). Once you select that there is a variety of categories. These will be different sizes and locations on the ship I'd be happy to provide you a quote anytime!
Q. Is there a better time of the year to go on a Disney cruise . We have Never have been on a cruise ?
A. Good questions! Budgetwise, fall and early Spring are best but you may find the weather to not be as nice as summer. Fall you can experience hurricanes although Disney rarely cancels a cruise (they steer around the cruise!) And select destinations are only available on select dates (Europe and Alaska are summer only)
Q. Do you have to have a passport for all of the cruises?
A. For cruises that start and end in the U.S. A passport is not required. Just a birth certificate and drivers license. HOWEVER you can not fly back to the U.S. without a passport (think emergency). For internationally departing cruises yes you would
Q. Do you have to pay for every passenger or ia there a price break for kids like under a certain age free?
A.Kids are less expensive but yes, you pay for anyone that boards the ship. The cool thing is kids 3 and older have tons of activities and things to do! The kids clubs are all FREE! The nursery does charge a small fee for those under 3.
Q.What kind of security do they have for if you leave your kids at nursery?
Kennedy has a "bracelet" that went on her ankle plus we had to show our room card and we had a password. Only my husband or myself could take her. They have several Cast Members that watch them AND she had a few visits from some special Princesses!
Q. As far as meal planning goes , how would it work with a picky toddler ? Is there options for snacks vs meals ?
A. There is SO much food to choose from. For breakfast and lunch you'll have your choice of a buffet or quick service (fast food options). They also typically have at least one table service option open. Dinner is rotational dining and you'll be assigned to a different restaurant each night. They are SOOOO accommodating when it comes to food...whether it be a picky toddler or special dietary requirements like gluten free or allergies.
And it's all included in the price! All food with the exception of select snacks and drinks via room service and the adult only dining options...yes room service is FREE!
The price of your cruise includes food, non-alcoholic drinks (with your meal or at the drink station) most of the room service menu, all entertainment, use of pools and more! Minimally the only extra's you'd spend is the gratuities you pay the staff. Then there is alcohol, excursions, spa treatments and adult dining but that's all optional!
Q. Are there options on the boat to buy diapers and wipes for young ones ?
Yup but very limited! I'd recommend either packing them or this a great service where you can order that stuff ahead of time and they'll deliver to the ship!
http://www.babiestravellite.com/disney-cruise-lines...
Disney Cruise Lines - Baby Supplieswww.babiestravellite.com- Q. Do you know of any good ways to get a deal on Airfare to Orlando before the cruise? We just came home from the Dream......Incredible Cruise Experience BTW......and the cost of the airfare from Canada was twice the cost of the cruise! Thank you.....really enjoy your posts!:)
A. I like using Kayak.com. It lets you know if you should buy now or wait and you can set up alerts that will tell you weekly or daily what the price of airfare is!
Q. You said dinner is rotational, so there are different themed restaurants without the extra price? I've only cruised Carnival and unless you go to a specialty restaurant, they are able to serve the same thing, nothing too different.- Oh yes! And on longer cruises they even have specialty menus! There are 3-4 main restaurants on each ship. When you check-in you are giving your rotation and you'll visit a different restaurant each night, with a different theme and menu. The best part is your servers travel with you! Here is more info!
http://www.livingwiththemagic.com/.../disney-cruise-line...
Q. I know there are some kids/teens only areas, but I would love to be able to explore the whole ship. Are there specialty tours available to let me do that?
When you first board the ship everything is open...even the kids clubs! You can take a look around the entire ship. Once you set sail that's when certain areas become restricted. On longer sailing you'll want to check your Personal Navigator for special offerings like ship tours.
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