gracey49

Thinking about dining times and show times.  We are on the Jade in March to PC.  Does anyone know what dining time works best with the dinner reservation times?

We will be on the cruise with you. I am packed and ready but we will drive from Towson, MD Monday morning. I'm looking forward to reading your reviews, but... when I get home, since we a going to try NO WIFI? [emoji15]

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I'm packing for our June 26, 5 night New England cruise... is there a formal night? I need to know whether to pack a suit coat for hubby.

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Thanks. Of course we flying Southwest.

What airlines participate with Disney?

Have the grandparents take fun pictures with the baby and add them to the vacation album. Then it can be about look at the fun you had without us. [emoji6]

I find that that people all feel they need to try everything immediately. After a few days the crowds seem less noticeable. However on a 3 or 4 day cruise, by the time everyone has figured it out and relaxed... You get off. [emoji30]

And then, just remember the crowds and lines in the parks. [emoji33]

Does everyone in the group need a ticket? Or is it one per family? Do you need a room key get tickets? I'm trying to figure how many of us need to go to the desk.

So can the Disney gift cards purchased at Target also be used to cover purchases on board? Alcohol, gratuities, etc.

I agree DCL cost more than other cruise lines but... it is more than equal to Disneys deluxe park hotels. At $250/per night per adult, a very full cruise day is less than a night at Grand Floridian ($517/nt) plus meals and entertainment (shows, movies, activities) are included. If you have kids with you it is more, but think of it as paying for their child care/summer camp experience and meals.

As mentioned, the DCL ships have no casino revenue to support the ship and probably less alcohol sales income because of the number of underage passengers and their very liberal policy about briniging alcohol on board. My understanding is that most cruise lines count on those revenue sources to break even.

Like the parks though, if the prices consistently increase they will soon take cruising back to the very days when only the super wealthy took cruises. My extended family Disney cruise is a bucket list item for me, but I could only manage a 3 night one since I am paying for 8. After this it is back to RCCL since we don't gamble or even drink that much; so other passengers will help pay for my cruise.

BTW: I would ordinarily never stay in the Grand Floridian because of the cost, but bucket lists need to be filled and maybe some day that could happen too. :)

Thanks everyone, all very good input. Getting passports for a family of two adult and two kids would cost $480 which is way more than trip insurance and is even less likely to be used and unlikely to be needed again.

I feel like we can control some of the possible risks. We won't miss the ship in Nassau since it is their first cruise and there is so much to do on board, why leave the ship. We will get off at CC, but it should be easy to get back to the ship on time. :) And then we will be back in the USA.

So, if we can get on the ship; and then off in case of a medical emergency.... That should be good. But I will check the travel.gov website as we get closer for any changes to the rules.

My thought is with such a short cruise, there wouldn't be any problem at home that would need us home faster than just finishing the cruise. The only possible issue would be if one of the four without passports would have a serious injury. Since they are all healthy, I doubt a health problem. And there are four other adults in my family group with passports who could travel off the ship as a companion with no problem.

I am wondering if anyone had issues with boarding or needling passport in an emergency situation. I realize times and rules change so I have decided to make the final call 4 months before the cruise when there would still be time to get a passport if needed.

I am planning a 3 night DCL cruise with larger family in April 2016. My daughter's family doesn't have passports because they are usually campers and don't really like to fly. It seems like an unnecessary expense to get 4 passports, when they most likely won't be used again before they expire. The government regulations don't require passports because it is a closed loop cruise.

Has anyone done the short cruise recently without a passport? I know about the driver's license and birth certificates being necessary and they were all born in the U.S.

Any problems boarding the ship? We don't plan on getting off the ship in Nassau, but will get off at CC. Any problems at debarkation in Port Canaveral?