What was your worst DCL rookie mistake?

[Beth06015]

Food safely yes.

But medicine - we are "allowed" doses at like half of what they are in Europe for some OTC meds especially. Our OTC strength for Claritin and others (at least the last time my friend checked because it was NOT working for him here while it was in England) is HALF the strength they are allowed. Which is why if one does not work for me I have zero issues taking two.

When I was in France years ago, I went to the pharmacy to get some allergy meds because I was a wreck over there (apparently there is some pollen only in Europe that I react very badly to!). I got a simple sudafed pack from the pharmacist for like $2 or something crazy like that....and I was knocked out asleep at the table at dinner a few hours later! I left my food at the table, I was so out of it. I felt better the next day but I was out of commission for like 15 hours. It was crazy! The do not make things the same over there....

 

[Brians_myth]

Not booking the longest possible cruise.

 

[ChicosWife]

Not booking the longest possible cruise.

Right!

 

[richmo]

Not booking the longest possible cruise.

And related to that...not so much with Disney, but the 3 night Bahamas cruises on other carriers are often the "booze" cruises. If not on DCL, try to go for at least a 4 nighter.

 

[Karen71280]

I will try and remember this !!

 

[Karen71280]

Overpacking and not booking a longer cruise (our first was a 3 nighter). Best thing we did was rebook on board, did a lot of meet and greets as now we can't get him to do them. Son went from can't keep him in the kids club on first cruise to now can't keep him out! The first cruise can be overwhelming when your trying to find your way around.

First time cruiser here - January 2018 planning on the 3 day. Is it 3 nights ? Or 3 days? Adding 5/6 days at WDW to either the end or beginning. Do you think a 3 day or night is a good "beginner" cruise?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

First time cruiser here - January 2018 planning on the 3 day. Is it 3 nights ? Or 3 days? Adding 5/6 days at WDW to either the end or beginning. Do you think a 3 day or night is a good "beginner" cruise?

Typically cruises are counted by "nights". Thus a "3 night" cruise is 4 days long. You board around lunch on the first day (night 1), cruise for 2 days (nights 2 & 3), then debark early on the 4th day. Coming out to about 2 1/2 days actually cruising.

My preference no shorter than 7 days for a cruise. That said, we've done shorter, a 4 night Dream cruise followed by B2B 7 night Fantasy cruises, for example. So the whole trip seemed like a longer cruise.

 

[Karen71280]

So mine is embarrassing and I felt so bad when I realized my mistake. First, the non embarrassing. We booked a 3 night concierge on the Dream. didn't know anything about sending a letter in at 125 days out. Didn't even know about any of the perks like a Cabana on CC. So around the 75 day mark I checked in because I had read first time cruisers was 75 days. Thankfully they were holding a few cabanas still, or someone had cancelled. Either way, we got one. I didn't realize until later that those were extremely hard to get!

Now the embarrassing part. We got off the DCL bus to get to the ship. The CM said we could jump in front of the lines and go right to the concierge desk. So we went in and pushed through everyone and got to the front and realized that wasn't the line the CM was referring too. That was just the security line and the perks for concierge didn't work in that line. We had a lot of angry looks and it was so crowded we couldn't go backwards so we went through. I felt so bad for doing that. I wish the CM would have said AFTER you go through security go to the front. Ugh, that was a bad rookie mistake!

The other mistake was not applying sunscreen to my back and snorkeling at CC for over an hour. OMGOSH! Never had I been so sunburned in my life. I was a lobster, but only on my back. I had blisters all over it was so bad. I couldn't sleep all night and we had to get off the ship the next day. In addition, we had one more day at WDW in the heat of late June. I was so miserable.

There will be only 2 of us staying concierge- do you suggest a Serenity cabana ? I hate spending that much for just us two but I love the thought of the snorkeling equip. Being included. It is right? Sorry about your back. I am pale but don't blister- but I've never been to the Bahamas!

 

[Karen71280]

Typically cruises are counted by "nights". Thus a "3 night" cruise is 4 days long. You board around lunch on the first day (night 1), cruise for 2 days (nights 2 & 3), then debark early on the 4th day. Coming out to about 2 1/2 days actually cruising.

Thanks!! I am clueless. Any post you suggest reading? I have googled and scoured the internet for everything I could think of ....

 

[PrincessShmoo]

There will be only 2 of us staying concierge- do you suggest a Serenity cabana ? I hate spending that much for just us two but I love the thought of the snorkeling equip. Being included. It is right? Sorry about your back. I am pale but don't blister- but I've never been to the Bahamas!

I don't think the Serenity Bay cabanas include snorkel equipment. Only on the Family Beach.

 

[Dug720]

I don't think the Serenity Bay cabanas include snorkel equipment. Only on the Family Beach.

We did not have and snorkel equipment in the cabana a couple of weeks ago. Floats yes. Snorkel, no.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We did not have and snorkel equipment in the cabana a couple of weeks ago. Floats yes. Snorkel, no.

Well, there you go....thanks.

 

[Karen71280]

I don't think the Serenity Bay cabanas include snorkel equipment. Only on the Family Beach.

I read that too. It is more for the family beach cabana than the adult beach one. Do you know if you can split the cabana with others? Like maybe another couple on the same trip? I don't know anyone else going but that would be great.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I read that too. It is more for the family beach cabana than the adult beach one. Do you know if you can split the cabana with others? Like maybe another couple on the same trip? I don't know anyone else going but that would be great.

The base price on the cabana (Family beach) is for up to 6 people. If you find someone else on your cruise to share the space with, and they are willing to split the cost with you, it's been done. Whether you all share the cabana for the whole day, or split it with one room taking it the first X number of hours, and the second room the last X number of hours, that's your call.

Usually one room will just go ahead and pay for it, and the second room will reimburse them.

 

[DisneyMaleficent50]

My mistake was not shopping early. I did the Halloween on the high seas. I did my shopping on day 4 of 7 and the special pin for that cruise was sold out.

For people looking for ginger. Walmart has natures valley ginger root with supplements by the pharmacy. You can also find crystalized ginger in the produce department of grocery stores.
I get severe motion sickness. For cruises i have to use the patch. Put it on 24 hours before you board and leave it on for 24 hours after you get off. For those who's is not severe i recommend Bonine. That is what i use for bus or car trips. One tip though....and this was from an RN traveling on our bus tour.....it says take one to two tablets. Take 2. You need 50mg of meclizine for it to be effective. There is 25 in each tablet. I could not believe the diffence in taking the 2 vs starting with one.....i own that woman a debt that can never be repaid!
Also the dining rooms on DCL are on the lower decks. My 7 day fantasy was the first cruise i never got sick during dinner. Other cruise lines i have had to leave many meals. And if you feel sick the worst thing i can do is try to lay down in my room. Find somewhere cool preferably with an ocean breeze hitting your face. The fresh air really helps.

 

[DisneyMaleficent50]

Companies named in lead-tainted foods suit

99 Ranch Market: Red Lantern Plum Candy, Sliced Sweet Ginger, Sweet and Sour Prune, Sweet Fruit Dried Plum, Dried Plum, Dried Seedless Plum, Kan Rose Plum, Preserved Plum
Food Market: The Ginger People Baker’s Cut Crystallized Ginger Chips
Island Pacific Supermarket: Dried Salted Prune
JFC International: Dynasty Sugar Ginger
Kam Lee Yuen: Ginger Candy, Plum Candy, Red Plum Candy
Lion Supermarket: Sweet Fruit Ginger, Seedless Plum, Sweet Fruit Sweet Plum, Sweet Fruit Dried Plum
Marina Food: Sweet Fruit Ginger, Sweet Fruit Licorice Lemon Ginger
Reed’s: Reed’s Crystallized Ginger
Target: Archer Farms Crystallized Ginger
Trader Joe’s: Uncrystallized Candied Ginger
Whole Foods Market: The Ginger People Baker’s Cut Crystallized Ginger Chips, Whole Foods Bulk Ginger

 

[texasgingerbread]

Companies named in lead-tainted foods suit

99 Ranch Market: Red Lantern Plum Candy, Sliced Sweet Ginger, Sweet and Sour Prune, Sweet Fruit Dried Plum, Dried Plum, Dried Seedless Plum, Kan Rose Plum, Preserved Plum
Food Market: The Ginger People Baker’s Cut Crystallized Ginger Chips
Island Pacific Supermarket: Dried Salted Prune
JFC International: Dynasty Sugar Ginger
Kam Lee Yuen: Ginger Candy, Plum Candy, Red Plum Candy
Lion Supermarket: Sweet Fruit Ginger, Seedless Plum, Sweet Fruit Sweet Plum, Sweet Fruit Dried Plum
Marina Food: Sweet Fruit Ginger, Sweet Fruit Licorice Lemon Ginger
Reed’s: Reed’s Crystallized Ginger
Target: Archer Farms Crystallized Ginger
Trader Joe’s: Uncrystallized Candied Ginger
Whole Foods Market: The Ginger People Baker’s Cut Crystallized Ginger Chips, Whole Foods Bulk Ginger

Great list my list was only half that. I did find these to make if anyone is handy in the kitchen. http://www.healthy-holistic-living.com/ginger-chews.html?t=MAM

 

[RedSox68]

Companies named in lead-tainted foods suit

99 Ranch Market: Red Lantern Plum Candy, Sliced Sweet Ginger, Sweet and Sour Prune, Sweet Fruit Dried Plum, Dried Plum, Dried Seedless Plum, Kan Rose Plum, Preserved Plum
Food Market: The Ginger People Baker’s Cut Crystallized Ginger Chips
Island Pacific Supermarket: Dried Salted Prune
JFC International: Dynasty Sugar Ginger
Kam Lee Yuen: Ginger Candy, Plum Candy, Red Plum Candy
Lion Supermarket: Sweet Fruit Ginger, Seedless Plum, Sweet Fruit Sweet Plum, Sweet Fruit Dried Plum
Marina Food: Sweet Fruit Ginger, Sweet Fruit Licorice Lemon Ginger
Reed’s: Reed’s Crystallized Ginger
Target: Archer Farms Crystallized Ginger
Trader Joe’s: Uncrystallized Candied Ginger
Whole Foods Market: The Ginger People Baker’s Cut Crystallized Ginger Chips, Whole Foods Bulk Ginger

UGH -- this is scary.

 

[My_Pooh]

My rookie mistake was applying a new motion sickness patch "transdermal-SCOP 1.5" everyday for the first 4 days ... had I read the pharmacy instructions, right on the bag they came it, it stated one patch every 72 hours. For about 3 hours I couldn't read anything because my eyes were blurry plus I wasted about $30 dollars... lessons learned... I read all prescriptions now! They really work just in case anyone is looking for motion sickness medicine... just make sure to avoid my mistake!

 

[Bellechin06]

On our first cruise, I think our mistake was not bringing motion/ sea sickness medication.

During the time we went (2014) there was a crazy thunderstorm the Captain was trying to avoid so water was REALLY choppy as the ship was going full speed. Brother got sick the first 2 nights, I had to skip on Pirate night and BF had to lie down early on our last night. So PACK THOSE MEDS!

Note: We did go to the Health Centre and grabbed something there. The motion sickness wrist bands my cousin brought along were also super helpful. Just a tip!