What are your first 5 stops onboard?

[lolainkent]

My first cruise was with 15 other people, 2nd just with DH, third with 16 people in just over 2 weeks (eeeeek!!!) but I know it'll be...

1. Send DH and kids up to the pool to get a couple of chairs, send kids into swim; I'll be getting tickets for character meets
2. Lunch from Cabanas
3. AquaDuck as soon as it's open (swimsuits on under clothes)
4. Drop off carry-ons once rooms are ready // hang FE
5. Take my DD to kids club (she was nursery age last time) to get her familiar with it

I'm guessing various family members will be with us for these things!

 

[jenpink]

1. Eat at Cabanas or quick service by the pool.
2. Sit out on the deck above the pool deck
3. Sign my daughter in at Edge
4. Sit in chairs inside above the lobby (deck 4) and watch new passengers board and be announced.
5. Go to cabin

Not very exciting, but this has been our routine for at least the last 3 cruises.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

What time are you all arriving at the ship to do several things before lunch?

 

[JJsmama]

Anna & Elsa meet & greet
Princess Gathering
and (on some itineraries) Character breakfast (could be either Disney Jr. characters or the Fab 5)

When will we know if the breakfast is with the Fab 5 and not Disney Jr? Will it be printed in navigator at embarkation or stand in line and ask at Guest Service or do you not know til you get to breakfast? (surely not the last one, with preschoolers involved...)

 

[Aby]

excuse me while i hijack this thread... we somehow never ate at the buffet place (beach blanket?) on the wonder on our first cruise. what type of food is typically available at cabanas? is it open all day long?

Beach Blanket Buffet has pretty much the same food available as in Parrot Cay for lunch on embarkation day, but some say it's a bit more extensive. During the rest of the cruise, BBB is open for breakfast and dinner hours, and on more nights of the cruise is also open as a sit down venue for dinner hours.

Aby

 

[bceagle76]

1.Drop off Bag in room or Go to to Lunch at Cabanna's
2. the other
3. Grab a Lounge Chair on Deck 5 and read and relax
4. Last cruise they had the DVC mixer before the muster
5. Unpack if the bags show up to the room or go back to Deck 5 after the Muster

 

[esue72]

I leave in 5 weeks for our very first cruise! Great tips! On the Magic, where do you typically pick up tickets for meet and greets and princess gatherings? Thanks!

 

[DIS_Ag]

I leave in 5 weeks for our very first cruise! Great tips! On the Magic, where do you typically pick up tickets for meet and greets and princess gatherings? Thanks!

They are in different places cruise to cruise. You will be given a Navigator in the terminal before you board and the location will be listed.

 

[JediFam]

Speaking of food...do we request in advance if we'd rather sit alone at dinner or just ask each time we're seated?

 

[kiford]

That's great for some people but I've discovered I'm a relaxer. I like to mosey on board around 12:30 when there's no line, get lunch at Carioca's/Parrot Cay with some wine, head over to my room and drop stuff off, hit the muster drill, and head up to the sail away. No rushing, no lines...And while I like tastings, I typically check on availability when there's no line because I don't really care if I get them. I'm super lazy on vacation and it's awesome.

What time are you all arriving at the ship to do several things before lunch?

I'm with JMHDisney on this - we take DCL transfers and get there 12:30-1:00. We still have time to drop off our bags, get tickets for tastings and check our excursion tickets and fix them if necessary and have time for a leisurely lunch. We've never had problems getting the tasting tickets that we want. I like to get there at that time because there's no line in the port and I can immediately go to my room and don't have to haul my bag around.

Speaking of food...do we request in advance if we'd rather sit alone at dinner or just ask each time we're seated?

You sit at the same table every night (different restaurants but same table number) so you'd have to request it in advance. They don't seat you randomly when you arrive for dinner. Unless you're referring to breakfast or lunch in which case you'd ask when you're being seating. However, if the dining room is busy you may not have a choice. Sometimes we get seated on our own and other times with other people. It tends to depend on the time you go and whether it's a port day or not. On non-port days the dining room tends to be busy at lunch but it also tends to be open longer.

 

[Sinders]

Great topic! Here is what we'll be doing:

1. Head to the pools/aquaduck. It's not a vacation if the kids don't hit the pool first thing! Bathing suits on under clothes.
2. I will head off to get tickets to the meet & greets.
3. This is the first time I will be going to the tastings ... looks like I might want to book those early too!
4. Lunch at Cabanas, and ice cream from Eyescream.
5. Head to state room to drop off carry on/unpack if bags are there.
6. Kids club if time, then muster.

Sometimes if I have prefilled the onboard booking in the terminal I'll drop it off


First time I have cruised with the new tickets for meet and greets. Are those lines crazy long when you board?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I'm with JMHDisney on this - we take DCL transfers and get there 12:30-1:00. We still have time to drop off our bags, get tickets for tastings and check our excursion tickets and fix them if necessary and have time for a leisurely lunch. We've never had problems getting the tasting tickets that we want. I like to get there at that time because there's no line in the port and I can immediately go to my room and don't have to haul my bag around.

So helpful -- thank you!! I believe we have a 12:15pm port arrival time and I was getting nervous that this was too late!!

 

[phinz]

1. Get a drink at Bon Voyage. Do not pass go. Get ready to spend more than $200.
2. Go to La Piazza (or wherever they are doing tasting signups) and sign up for whisky tasting, mixology, rum tasting, tequila tasting and cognac tasting.
3. Go to the Cove Bar and get another drink.
4. Drop off bags in room.
5. Go to Cabanas while everybody else is in their room unpacking.

 

[JediFam]

I'm with JMHDisney on this - we take DCL transfers and get there 12:30-1:00. We still have time to drop off our bags, get tickets for tastings and check our excursion tickets and fix them if necessary and have time for a leisurely lunch. We've never had problems getting the tasting tickets that we want. I like to get there at that time because there's no line in the port and I can immediately go to my room and don't have to haul my bag around.



You sit at the same table every night (different restaurants but same table number) so you'd have to request it in advance. They don't seat you randomly when you arrive for dinner. Unless you're referring to breakfast or lunch in which case you'd ask when you're being seating. However, if the dining room is busy you may not have a choice. Sometimes we get seated on our own and other times with other people. It tends to depend on the time you go and whether it's a port day or not. On non-port days the dining room tends to be busy at lunch but it also tends to be open longer.

Thanks! Who would I tell about dinner seating?

 

[egesicki]

My plan for next time, maybe not in order...
Spa raffle
Tickets for character breakfast
Sign up for however much free WiFi you can get
Lunch
Kids club sign ups
Read Navigator
I realize that's six! Probably the Navigator will be a constant companion all day and I will be multitasking reading while doing any or all of the other five!

 

[hanscarlet]

1. Port Adventures for Meet and Greet and Character Breakfasts
2. Lunch (preference in sit down like Cariocas)
3. Kids Club Check in
4. back to the stateroom to unwind before muster
5. relax

however I need work in head over to lumeire's for dining arrangement (we want to add a Palo buffet) and I want to sign up for chocolate tasting so I may switch it to this for April:

1. Port Adventures Tickets
2. Lunch
3. Kids Club
4. DH to watch kids in room while I go to Guest Services for wine tastings and then Lumiere's for Palo
5. Relax before muster

 

[hanscarlet]

also where do we go to enter Spa Raffle?

 

[hanscarlet]

So helpful -- thank you!! I believe we have a 12:15pm port arrival time and I was getting nervous that this was too late!!

We had a 12:15 PAT and I was able to get tix no problem

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

however I need work in head over to lumeire's for dining arrangement (we want to add a Palo buffet)

Newbie question: is there a reason not to book Palo online ahead of time? Do they open up more times once onboard?

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

We had a 12:15 PAT and I was able to get tix no problem

Awesome!! Fingers crossed... THANKS!!!