So you've booked your first Disney Cruise with Enchanted Escapes. While you can always email us with your questions, here’s a handy little list 10 essential tips to help you prepare for your cruise:
10. Don't Forget to Put Your Disney Cruise Luggage Tags on Your Bags
Don’t worry, it’s not really a problem if you arrive at the airport without them. You will have to pick up your luggage from baggage claim at the airport if you forgot to put on the DCL luggage tags. Just bring your luggage with you to the Disney Magical Express and the porters will be able to create tags for you on the spot. The bags will arrive in your room as planned. When you remember to put on your DCL luggage tags you can skip baggage claim altogether. The bags will be picked up upon arrival by DCL and delivered to your stateroom that evening. Using the luggage tags allows you to check your bags at the airport and begin your vacation a bit quicker.
9. Pack a Day Bag
You won't have access to your checked luggage right away because it won't be delivered until sometime that evening. You're going to need to bring some carry on bags to get through the afternoon. You also won't be able to go to your room immediately since it will be closed for cleaning. This means you need to choose your carry on luggage wisely. We recommend bringing a backpack or a small rollerboard suitcase. You don’t want to be encumbered by an unwieldy bag when you want to explore the ship and start having fun. Leave your bulky bags for the checked luggage, simplicity is key!
8. Pack the Essentials in Your Day Bag
Sometimes it can take into the early evening hours to have your checked luggage delivered to your room. Make sure you aren't caught without the essentials by bringing them with you in your carry-on luggage. You'll need a change of clothing for each member of your group and don't forget your swimsuit. The pools are open as soon as you board. Make sure you bring all essential medications with you in your carry-on.
Bring your cruise documents and don't forget your passports, you can't board without them. It's also good to bring your sunglass with your carry-on, hopefully it will be sunny up on deck as you wait to depart. Speaking of the sun, don't forget sunscreen, you're going to need more than you think. It's available for purchase on the ship but can be quite expensive.
7. Pack Layers and Bring a Light Jacket
Bring along a few warmer clothes even if you're on a Caribbean itinerary, just in case. Remember the ship is moving, you can expect a constant breeze during Days at Sea. Night time out on deck can get a bit chilly so pack a few extra layers or a light jacket so you’ll be comfortable no matter what the weather ends up doing.
6. Bring a Refillable Drink Bottle
Each ship offers 24 hour access to the soda and ice machines as well as water and coffee machines but they are all located on the top deck. The provided paper cups are small and you'll probably find yourself going back and forth from where you're sitting on deck to the machines. We recommend bringing along refillable bottles suitable for both hot and cold drinks and that way you can fill ’em up and be set for a while.
5. Remember The Wind
On days at sea the wind can really pick up, especially on the upper decks. Make sure you pack hats that fit snugly on your head or they will blow away and be lost to Davy Jones. Sundresses and coverups are very popular choices for deckwear, but the wind can create some havoc with them also. We recommend always wearing a bathing suit or a pair of shorts underneath. If you or the kids have long hair, bring headbands and plenty of hair ties to keep your hair from becoming a mess of knots.
4. Don't Forget the Dinner Dress Code and Formal Night
You don't have to dress up for dinner in the main dining rotations if you don't want to. Cruise casual is the name of the game on most nights. That means no swimwear or tank tops – anything else goes. Many guests will take advantage of the cruise environment and dress up for dinner though. Plan on at least one formal night, and on longer cruises a semi-formal night. These nights are totally optional but are always popular. You can expect to see everything from cocktail dresses and tuxedos to shorts and a t-shirt. We absolutely recommend taking full advantage of the formal night. Dress to the nines and get your portrait taken before or after dinner.
If you have reservations at one of the adults-only restaurants such as Palo or Remy then the dress code is a bit more serious. Please be aware that jeans, shorts, flip-flops, and tennis shoes are not allowed. At Palo, men are expected to wear dress pants and a dress shirts with optional jacket. Women are asked to wear a dress or pantsuit. At Remy the dress code is the most stringent, with jackets required for men. Pack accordingly depending on where you plan to dine!
4. Door Decorations
We're not sure this is a thing on other cruise lines. But on a Disney Cruise you will see lots of decorated stateroom doors. You can go all out and cover your door with themed decorations or do something far less extensive. Grab a few cute Disney magnets from the dollar store (or Amazon) or make them yourself with old-fashioned paper and magnet tape. Decorations always bring a smile when you return to your stateroom. It also helps kids (and adults!) see just how far down to go as they run ahead of you in the hallways. Visit Traveling Mom for some inspiration, we're not affiliated, but we think her post is cool!
3. You Can Bring Your Own Wine
This one is for the adults. Disney Cruise Line has a very generous alcohol policy. Each adult 21 years and older in your party may bring a maximum of two bottles of wine (750 ml) on-board at the beginning of the cruise. This is a great way to save money on the wine you have with dinner. You can even bring another two bottles on per adult at each port of call. If you choose to bring your wine to the dining room to drink it with dinner, Disney will charge you a corkage fee for each bottle. Disney does make changes to their alcohol policy from time to time so make sure you ask us for the most up-to-date information before you depart for the cruise.
2. There is A Pirate Night on Most Sailings
And yes, it's ok to dress up, even if you're an adult! Starting in the afternoon, there are pirate-related activities in the kids clubs and chances for families to meet Mickey and friends -- in pirate costume, naturally -- for photos. Everyone onboard is encouraged to dress up, and many passengers bring costumes with them. If you didn't bring a costume don't fret. You can purchase costumes at the on-board gift shop, or sign your kids up for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for a complete pirate makeover.
Dinner in all three main dining rooms features the same pirate themed menu and the entire wait staff dressed in character. After dinner venture up to the pool deck to dance off dinner with your favorite Disney Characters during Mickey's Pirates IN the Caribbean deck party. Enjoy an entertaining pirate show, as well as interactive games with some special surprises. Afterwards, hang on to your hats for a special appearance by Captain Jack Sparrow...we won't ruin the show but it ends in the most spectacular fireworks display at sea!
As if the deck party wasn't enough, take a break to refuel and check out the special Pirate late-night buffet. Enjoy all your favorites including the famous jumbo turkey legs. After eating your fill you can head right back out to the funnel vision deck for the pirate night dance party that goes until late.
1. Download the DCL Navigator App
At Enchanted Escapes, we encourage everyone to use the the time on their Disney Cruise to disconnect from the internet. Internet access is available on the ship but it's very expensive (you are at sea after all). The one exception is the DCL Navigator App. You’ll want to download the app before you depart for your cruise. At that point, the app doesn't do much of anything. You get a cute countdown timer to let you know how close you are to your vacation.
The app becomes a wealth of information and tools as soon as you get on board however. First, you’ll need to connect to the ships Wi-Fi to be able to access the app functionality. Worried about burning through data? The DCL app doesn't cost anything to use, and doesn't count towards a paid data plan. Once set up, the app will give you access to the complete schedule of activities for the day. You'll also be able to access deck plans, your stateroom folio, and dining information. There is also a great chat feature that lets you stay in contact with other members of your party or friends you make on the trip!