Don’t forget to check these Disney cruise features before you sail
A Mom and The Mouse, Featured, Kristin Ford — By Kristin Ford on April 30, 2010 at 10:47 am
If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know that my family is going to set sail on our first Disney cruise next month. So, of course, I’ve been reading guidebooks, Web sites, message boards and personal navigators to make sure we don’t miss out on anything.
Much of the advice was repeated in several sources, but there were a few things I learned that even experienced cruisers didn’t tell me about.
Wishing for an upgrade
Guests can book a GTY room. This means your stateroom is guaranteed to be in the category you booked, but you do not pick the actual assignment. The tradeoff is that you have the possibility of being upgraded. Unfortunately, there is no way to influence if you will be upgraded. It largely depends on whether the ship is overbooked for the lower-category rooms.
What the heck is an FE?
Fish Extenders is a popular Secret Santa-type activity for people who meet beforehand, most often on roll-call threads online. A Fish Extender is a decorative holder that hangs from the metal fish outside a stateroom door. It is usually Disney-themed and has small pockets for gifts. Using a list of participants from those who expressed interest online, guests will place inexpensive gifts in each other’s extenders during the cruise.
Postcards, autographs for kids
There is a cool thread on disboards.com for cruisers with kids. Cruisers can request to have a ship postcard signed by a character sent to their children to help build excitement for the trip. Requests are filled by returning cruisers who have brought back the postcards.
If the character request is known ahead of time, the postcard can be left at Guest Services for the autograph and it will be returned to the owner’s cabin by the end of the cruise. This applies to other products, too, such as posters, pillowcases, T-shirts and hats. Cast members will have the items signed by all characters on the ship if you wish.
If you have some unusual tips for first-time crusiers like me, tell us in the comments below. We’re all ears!
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Tags: Disney Cruise Line, Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Fish extenders
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13 Comments
Mickey Bars aren’t on the DCL room service menu but that doesn’t mean they arent’ available!!! Mickey Bars are our favorite room service snack. Just ask and you shall receive.
My kids will really appreciate this tip! Thanks, Tonya.
Be sure and take advantage of the beverage islands located around each deck/pool area outside. This gives you and your kids the opportunity to grab a steaming hot cup of anything (hot chocolate, coffee, teas, and all the fixings) during late hours when restaurants and snack bars are closed. Self-service at its best as only Disney can provide.
I’m also counting on the beverage islands for my Diet Coke fix. Thanks, 407del!
So Kristin, in the interest of fair disclosure, are YOU paying for your cruise or is Mickey helping a bit? Just curious?
Nerdly: I am paying every penny myself.
Kristin, we’ve been on 4 DCL cruises so far and #5 is booked. You’ll have a ball! Re: the “beverage islands”, there’s only one, located on the 9th deck, port side aft, near the kid’s pool.
My wife and I have also been enticed by the great rates and are taking our 2 boys (ages 4 & 6) on our first cruise in just a bit over a week. I have been following your threads and also trying to read everything I can to get my little Disney fans ready. I am just nervous about the fact that I get motion sick VERY easily but I have my tube of dramamine and my hopes high. I did book the Dolphin Experience at Nassau but we are winging it for Castaway Cay. Does anyone know if we should bring our flippers with for snorkeling or just mask/snorkels?? This is going to be great!!
We loved cruising, you will have a ball. We participated in a Fish Extender swap and my kids loved coming back to the room to see what they got. They also enjoyed delivering gifts to others!
Spoonces: It is up to you, but in the big snorkling lagoon at CC, they provided flippers with our snorkling gear (part of the rental). Because the area is so big, I wouldn’t want to snorkel without them.
CC is so wonderful, so much so that we already booked our next cruise as a Double-dip to CC on the Dream!
Spoonces,
If you really want to snorkle, you will definitely either want to take your fins or rent them at Castaway Cay. Either way is fine; it just depends on how much you want to pay to not deal with hauling your fins around. I can’t remember the rental price but it’s not outrageous. The best snorkeling is farthest from the beach, straight out to the rock barrier. There is current there and many large fish! There are sunken relics there as well. Take note!!! It is a long swim and I wouldn’t advise it without fins. Also, lather up with sun screen (especially your back!!!) and wear a white t-shirt. Your back is going to be exposed to the Caribbean sun for an extended period of time and you will fry if unprotected!!!
Great tips for going on a disney cruise! i have never been on one, but they sound like fun, especially for young children. if i ever go on one i will keep your comments in mind!
We are WDW veterans that tried DCL for the first time last summer. It was a great cruise and worth every penny. My wife said the spa was fantastic if you want to pamper yourself. They have a kite painting class where the kids got to color their own kite and flew them on CC. The snacks from the counter service food counter next to the kiddie pool offered so many interesting finger foods and deserts as well. I forgeting a million things, but you will never run out of things to do.
We will soon be departing on our DCL trip 9/2010… I am looking for more info. On the F.E. How do you get in a F.E group, How many people are in a group, I can see it getting taxing if you have to find 30 staterooms while trying to enjoying your vacation. Also, I would love more information on the post-cards my BG would love that. One other question-what type of toys, trinkets should I buy ahead of time so that the 3 year old is not needing everything out of the gift shops. I was thinking- Some glow in the dark necklaces, her mouse ears from DL last year, bubbles t-shirts from Disney store.IDK, I am such a freak about being prepared for anything. Thanks in advance