You learn a lot after you cruise with Disney for the first time! Fish extenders, rotational dining, Key to the World, Castaway Club…all the details and jargon can make one’s head spin!
This is why I created a few lists outlining the top enlightening tips and information I wish I had known before I took my first magical voyage! Have you had a chance to read Part 1 yet? If not, head over to the first installment in this blog series!
If you are caught up to speed thus far, let’s continue on, beginning with what I wish I had packed (that really is not super obvious!).
Pack It Up, Pack It In
Ironically, the first recommendation I will give is you need far less than you think for a cruise. My family each had our own suitcase, and additional bags for other paraphernalia like our electronics, beach gear, etc… We ended up using only half of what was packed because, well, those double outfits I thought may be cute and useful per day? Nope – no one wanted to head back to the stateroom to change. We were having too much fun or we literally were just on the pool deck for the majority of the day! Then, besides one night where I got dressy for “formal night,” most of my evening attire ended up as my light sundresses. Those nicer blouses, skirts, and evening dresses all remained untouched in the closet. And, man, leave the electronics at home! There is just so much to do on a Disney cruise that after just a few hours I realized those iPads and Nintendo switches were totally unnecessary and just took up space! And space, my friends, in a cruise stateroom is a valuable commodity…Don’t clutter it more than you need to!
So, what to bring? Moving beyond your normal vacation packing list, the following items were ones I was sure to include on our next cruise once I wised up!
- Inflatable inner tubes, beach toys, and snorkel gear: If heading to one of the beach locations Disney Cruise Line offers, you can save a ton of money by packing some of these items yourself if you know you may want to partake! If any of the items are super cheap, just trash them after use before getting back on the ship.
- An empty gift card or ID card: Your stateroom’s lights turn on when you insert your cruise keycard into a designated slot. This can get a bit annoying when it is the card you use for EVERYTHING aboard (and may be hanging around your neck in a lanyard), so bring an extra that can be left in your room.
- Magnetic hooks and hanging organizers for the closet: Any sort of organization you can bring to the room and anywhere you can create additional storage for loose items is to your benefit! For a family of four or more, the staterooms can be tight, so keeping the floors and counters tidy and finding a “home” will be crucial to your sanity after Day 1.
- Pop Up Hamper: In the same light as the previous point, this is an amazingly compatible tool to keep all dirty clothes in one stinky spot.
- A Tervis tumbler or water bottle: On a Disney Cruise, most beverages including soda, juice, coffee, and more are all included with your cruise fare. However, the drink stations are only located on the pool decks which sometimes can be a bit of a hike from your stateroom. The provided glasses are wee little guys, so bring your own to fill up and be stocked for more than ten minutes.
- Power strip: If you have more than two or three devices, you will thank me later for this tip.
Your Onboard Account
Something I love doing when I am in the Disney parks is providing my girls with their own gift cards to use on whatever they please…ice cream, snacks, souvenirs, etc… They love ownership of their own spending, and I love that they must stick to a certain budget and are forced to be conscious of it!
Guess what! You can actually add gift cards to your cruise onboard account prior to embarkation! This means while on board, you can still use the same gift card concept with your kids – or use it for your whole family to keep you better on track for overall expense purposes! Sometimes it is useful to know in advance how much you have allocated for extra fun, and you can commit to not going over that number!
BYOB and other “spirited” advice
Something many cruise guests are unaware of is that each adult is permitted a certain alcohol allowance they can bring on board. Yet again, what another fantastic way to save a bit of money and bring your beverage of choice. Their generous policy permits guests 21 years or older to bring a max of 2 bottles of unopened wine or champagne OR a 6-pack of beers at the onset of the voyage. No hard liquor or spirits are allowed, however.
Flying in and won’t be able to make a pit stop at the grocery store? Many of the Disney Cruise Lines offer two happy hours a day (to accommodate both dining rotations) with drinks docked down in a specific bar or pub. And do not miss the daily changing drink of the day, often only $5-$6!
Placeholders on Board
Falling in love with Disney cruising is the easy part. Disembarking and saying farewell on your last day is the toughest! We all know that small pit in your stomach as you head home from any special vacation…it is just the saddest! But, if you are like me, I know the remedy for the post-vaca blues is planning something special for the future to look forward to, regardless of how far it may feel. Something to look to and plan towards keeps the magic alive at home, and DCL has made it
One piece that may brighten the end of the trip is the excellent perk/benefit DCL provides guests that actually is exclusively available on the cruise itself. They call it a placeholder booking, where they allow guests the option of paying a $250 deposit to secure a 10% off discount on a future Disney cruise in the next two years from the current sailing. DCL discounts and promos don’t come around a ton, so for those who are hooked on this cruise life, I strongly advise taking advantage of it! And one of the best parts is that there really is no risk as the deposit is refunded if a cruise is not booked in that two year span!
One last important thing to remember with placeholders – you can list a travel agent in conjunction with it when you pay the deposit! What does this mean? You will have someone tracking your timeline of the placeholder so you are aware of its expiration, and your planner will help you pick the absolute best sailing for you when you are ready to take advantage of the discount allowed. Booking a placeholder while on board does not mean you lose a specialist’s free expert help. 🙂
Optimizing Your Trip
Something about a Disney Cruise that is incredible is that there will never be a shortage of fun and activities to participate in. From the included kids’ club and programming, to character meet and greets every hour, the pool fun and games, nightly entertainment in the theater and lounges, port destinations and excursions, and so, so much more, many people may feel overwhelmed they are going to miss something important.
The biggest tip I have here is that the pre-planning for a cruise does not have to be stressful and something to worry over. For one, there is only so much you can pre-plan because the exact schedule of activities and events on board is not available to guests until the day they board. I love this, in fact, because it prevents people from feeling like they need to plan their days to a tee. Something that is so freeing on a cruise is having the ability to be spontaneous and wing your schedule.
What can and should be planned in advance are the additional paid add-on experiences aboard, as well as port adventures. And this is where a Vacation Specialist can be of huge support and help. I, and my fellow travel agents from our sister company, Smart Moms Travel, are total experts at Disney Cruising, and our experience will be to your advantage as we advise you on the ins and outs that are important. The best part? This support and service is absolutely free as Disney pays us with no added fees to support their guests! If you are already booked with a Smart Moms agent, you are in excellent hands! But if you are not and dream of taking a cruise in the next couple of years, I would love to connect with you here to learn about your family, recommend the best destinations and ships based on your preferences, and we will get that ball rolling!
