Please share your Disney cruise secrets !!!

[Ziggy7]

Please share your Disney cruise secrets !!! :p

[DisneyCruiseFansMc]

We just returned from a 7 day (1/14-1/21) & here are a few tips having been our third trip. Book as much online as soon as you are able, you will save alot of time once onboard. Plan to stay the night before (I recommend the Radisson, with free shuttle service, even took us off site for dinner & picked us up...GREAT people there) then take the earliest shuttle (10AM) to ensure being the first onboard & enjoy the lunch & get a feel for the ship & locations. If you are traveling w/ young kids, bring a pillowcase or tshirt w/ a few Sharpie markers, drop them off at Guest Services & the last night they will be delivered to your stateroon w/ character autographs, a GREAT cheap souvenier (not many of those). If you have a little (or big!!) girl who wants to get her hair braided, book ASAP, ask at GS desk where the sign up will be, usually Deck 9 by the Goofy pool the first afternoon. They book fast especially for days at sea. Pack a collapsable duffel bag to use for day excursions then it will double as your extra bag for all those souveniers you swore you wouldn't buy. Again if you have kids that like to play on the beach bring dollar store shovel & pail sets (no need to repack after using!!!) & inflatable tubes (save yourself the $7 rental on Castaway!!!). Make sure you have singles, the only cash you need onboard for Room Service tips & cash for stamps for Castaway Cay. Take LOTS of pics (don't forget those towel animal pics every night!!!) and have fun. Take advantage of the great service while you can, it goes by too fast!!! Already planning our next in 2 years!! Hope I helped.

[Ziggy7]

We just returned from a 7 day (1/14-1/21) & here are a few tips having been our third trip. Book as much online as soon as you are able, you will save alot of time once onboard. Plan to stay the night before (I recommend the Radisson, with free shuttle service, even took us off site for dinner & picked us up...GREAT people there) then take the earliest shuttle (10AM) to ensure being the first onboard & enjoy the lunch & get a feel for the ship & locations. If you are traveling w/ young kids, bring a pillowcase or tshirt w/ a few Sharpie markers, drop them off at Guest Services & the last night they will be delivered to your stateroon w/ character autographs, a GREAT cheap souvenier (not many of those). If you have a little (or big!!) girl who wants to get her hair braided, book ASAP, ask at GS desk where the sign up will be, usually Deck 9 by the Goofy pool the first afternoon. They book fast especially for days at sea. Pack a collapsable duffel bag to use for day excursions then it will double as your extra bag for all those souveniers you swore you wouldn't buy. Again if you have kids that like to play on the beach bring dollar store shovel & pail sets (no need to repack after using!!!) & inflatable tubes (save yourself the $7 rental on Castaway!!!). Make sure you have singles, the only cash you need onboard for Room Service tips & cash for stamps for Castaway Cay. Take LOTS of pics (don't forget those towel animal pics every night!!!) and have fun. Take advantage of the great service while you can, it goes by too fast!!! Already planning our next in 2 years!! Hope I helped.

Wow, great tips! Thanks!

[crazy4themouse]

Bring a plain white pillow case (or t-shirt, hat, whatever -- just with no logo) and a laundry marker, all in a big ziploc bag. Drop it off at the guest services desk with your child's name, and they will get all the major characters to sign it for you, no charge at all. Great souvenir to take home. :)

 

-gina-

[Ziggy7]

Bring a plain white pillow case (or t-shirt, hat, whatever -- just with no logo) and a laundry marker, all in a big ziploc bag. Drop it off at the guest services desk with your child's name, and they will get all the major characters to sign it for you, no charge at all. Great souvenir to take home. :)

 

-gina-

That is awesome! Thanks! :)

[sologrip]

Ship stuff to the Disney warehouse for delivery to the ship. It'll all be in your stateroom when you get there, or soon after...

[Ziggy7]

Ship stuff to the Disney warehouse for delivery to the ship. It'll all be in your stateroom when you get there, or soon after...

You mean you can ship your luggage ahead ??? :)

[sologrip]

You mean you can ship your luggage ahead ??? :)

 

 

Well, yes, your luggage or, more efficiently, things you would consume on your vacation like favorite beverages, snacks, or sailaway presents for fellow cruisers (sort of pre-cruise pixie dust). One-way shipping is best but, if you will be staying at a Disney resort after your cruise you can ship things to the warehouse, collect it in your stateroom, use it on your cruise, then, after the cruise, have it sent on to your Disney resort which will, after your stay there, ship it on to your home... Dozens of us on the inagural Christmas and Repo cruises shipped huge boxes of stuff for gifts or supplies for non-Disney organized activities, or Pixie Dust presents to give anonymously to fellow cruisers....Great fun and very handy...

[sologrip]

Please share your Disney cruise secrets !!! :p

 

 

Make pin-on tropical corsages from silk hibiscus and other flowers purchased inexpensively in bulk and hand them out to little girls and Moms on their way to tropical night dinner...Pixie Dust!

[sologrip]

Take a few little toy balsa wood airplane kits ($1 each at Michael's) to Castaway Cay for non-swimmers to play with on the beach...They're biodegradable... Pixie Dust...

[Ziggy7]

Well, yes, your luggage or, more efficiently, things you would consume on your vacation like favorite beverages, snacks, or sailaway presents for fellow cruisers (sort of pre-cruise pixie dust). One-way shipping is best but, if you will be staying at a Disney resort after your cruise you can ship things to the warehouse, collect it in your stateroom, use it on your cruise, then, after the cruise, have it sent on to your Disney resort which will, after your stay there, ship it on to your home... Dozens of us on the inagural Christmas and Repo cruises shipped huge boxes of stuff for gifts or supplies for non-Disney organized activities, or Pixie Dust presents to give anonymously to fellow cruisers....Great fun and very handy...

That is really neat! I wish all lines did that! Thanks so much for sharing this with us!

 

Great tips too! :)

[APB513]

Sologrip -

 

I was wondering if you could give me some specific information regarding shipping items to Disney's Warehouse.

 

I was wondering if you could tell me: the address of the warehouse, who you used for shipping (i.e., UPS, USPS, Fed Ex, etc), the approximate cost for shipping, what you can ship, what you can't ship, how far in advance to ship, where to indicate stateroom number, how to ship items back home.

 

Or could you tell me where I can go to find this information?

 

If anyone else has information on this topic, feel free to provide your input.

 

Thank you

[stampinshauna]

The coffee table in the staterooms adjusts up and down, that way it can be the right height for kids coloring, eating a snack, etc.

 

Check out disneyshopping.com every few weeks as they have Disney clothes & toys and have great clearance prices. Suprise your little ones with Disney merchandise without having to spend a ton.

 

Be sure to check out the merchandise at Castaway Cay. That is the only place you can get it.

 

Order room service snacks to take to movies on the ship--saves you from buying regular movie snacks.

[mlmoss]

*souveniers and merchandise is cheaper on Castaway Cay than on the ship...wait and shop then...

*get on the waiting list (if needed) before you go for main seating and you will likely be granted your request & you will find out in your cabin when you arrive on the ship.

Have fun!

[cruisamania]

First, Debbie, Where did you get your moving ship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Oh PLEASE are we allowed to just use the ship under our name?????

 

It is the best I have seen!!!!

 

Ok, the idea about the giant zip lock back with a T'Shirt for the kids

to be signed is the best we have heard yet!!!!!!!! Now that is major

PIXIE DUST!!!!

 

Where do you buy a laundry marker that they can use on the t-shirt?

 

Thanks

[Ziggy7]

First, Debbie, Where did you get your moving ship!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Oh PLEASE are we allowed to just use the ship under our name?????

 

It is the best I have seen!!!!

 

Ok, the idea about the giant zip lock back with a T'Shirt for the kids

to be signed is the best we have heard yet!!!!!!!! Now that is major

PIXIE DUST!!!!

 

Where do you buy a laundry marker that they can use on the t-shirt?

 

Thanks

The ship is a banner for our group cruise :) If you join our cruise, then you get the ship :)

 

You can buy laundry markers at Walmart, K-Mart, , some drug stores have them but most big department stores have them :)

[LETSGOCRUSIN]

Sologrip -

I was wondering if you could give me some specific information regarding shipping items to Disney's Warehouse.

I was wondering if you could tell me: the address of the warehouse, who you used for shipping (i.e., UPS, USPS, Fed Ex, etc), the approximate cost for shipping, what you can ship, what you can't ship, how far in advance to ship, where to indicate stateroom number, how to ship items back home.

Or could you tell me where I can go to find this information?

If anyone else has information on this topic, feel free to provide your input.Thank you

 

I have the address for shipping to the cruise line (Disney), but first I would call the LINE that you will be sailing with and ask them if you are allowed to ship first.

 

YES, we did ship ahead of time for the Disney Repo. Cruise to CA in May of 2005, but someone posted somewhere that they were not doing that any longer. Because of the special cruise, they did it for that cruise. I think they let us due to the fact that it was a longer cruise and thus more luggage.

 

We could ship it any method we choose, USPS, UPS, FedEx or otherwise. We had to have our ressie number, cabin no., date of sailing, name and boxes marked 1 of 2 and 2 of 2 and so on. The boxes were in our room when we boarded the ship.

[APB513]

Thank you for the information. I'll look into it.

[live4travel]

How do you get the warehouse address?

[sologrip]

Sologrip -

 

I was wondering if you could give me some specific information regarding shipping items to Disney's Warehouse.

 

I was wondering if you could tell me: the address of the warehouse, who you used for shipping (i.e., UPS, USPS, Fed Ex, etc), the approximate cost for shipping, what you can ship, what you can't ship, how far in advance to ship, where to indicate stateroom number, how to ship items back home.

 

Or could you tell me where I can go to find this information?

 

If anyone else has information on this topic, feel free to provide your input.

 

Thank you

 

Here's how to ship items to the IDS warehouse who will deliver it to the ship for your DCL cruise:

......

You can send your packages as early as you want and by any carrier you prefer. All you have to do is pay the shipping costs to get it to the warehouse and they do the rest...free.

 

Address the packages to:

Disney Cruise Lines

9001 Marlin Street

Cape Canaveral, FL 32920

 

At the bottom left corner of the package put the following information:

ATTN: HOUSEKEEPING

STATEROOM #: (GTY if you don't know your # when you mail package)

PASSENGER NAME: (Name of passenger on reservation)

VESSEL: MAGIC or WONDER

DATE of SAIL:

NUMBER of BOX: (1 of 3, 2 of 3, and so forth)

The boxes will magically appear in your stateroom before you arrive, or soon after.

Kelly at the IDS warehouse was very helpful.

 

One thing I found was that alcoholic beverages cannot be shipped legally to Florida from all states....

I shipped five huge boxes of stuff, others on the cruise sent as many...No problems...very professionally done.

[sologrip]

I have the address for shipping to the cruise line (Disney), but first I would call the LINE that you will be sailing with and ask them if you are allowed to ship first.

 

YES, we did ship ahead of time for the Disney Repo. Cruise to CA in May of 2005, but someone posted somewhere that they were not doing that any longer. Because of the special cruise, they did it for that cruise. I think they let us due to the fact that it was a longer cruise and thus more luggage.

 

We could ship it any method we choose, USPS, UPS, FedEx or otherwise. We had to have our ressie number, cabin no., date of sailing, name and boxes marked 1 of 2 and 2 of 2 and so on. The boxes were in our room when we boarded the ship.

 

 

Do not call the line. The cruise lines have nothing to do with the shipping and will only tell you what DCL told a reader of these boards the last time I tried to post this. "You can't ship things to the ship".

 

That is how the story got started that DCL was no longer doing this...(Well, technically, they never were...It is the IDS warehouse that accepts packages for delivery to DCL).

[Kimmielee]

Have room service deliver a hot pot of coffee at night and it stays hot in the carafe 'till morning... viola... hot coffee while sitting on the verandah in your jammies.

 

Send your clothes for pressing the first night on the ship. It's relatively inexpensive and well worth the line for the iron and the TIME!!

 

Over the door shoe holders (clear plastic kind) to hold shampoos, conditioner, etc... to keep the counter in the bathroom clear of clutter.

 

Even though it's NOT on the room service menu, they will deliver the Mickey Ice Cream Bars! Yummy!!

 

If you have thickish hair... bring your own hair dryer as the one's in the staterooms are not that "high powered".

 

Bring Frebreeze and Downey's Wrinkle Releaser!

 

If I think of more, I'll post again! :)

[cjlkim]

Believe it or not...check out the kids' menus at dinner...they get some really cool stuff too that's not on yours and the wait staff will bring it to you

 

The over-the-door organizer is a lifesaver!

 

If you are driving to port and are heavy bottled water drinkers...take a smaller suitcase of water with you...then you the suitcase for taking the things you buy home.

 

Definitely don't worry about packing your clothes and having them get wrinkled...send them to housekeeping...I wasted too much brain power last year.

 

Seriously...when you pack....after you're done take half back out...it's WAY to easy to overdo. Black slacks for dinner with different tops...you're good to go. During the day you'll probably be in your swim stuff with a coverup...don't worry about tons of "day clothes"

 

Underwater camera is a MUST if you going to snorkel...and if you never have....do.

 

....I'll keep thinking about it. I have to start my "remember to" list for this fall anyways....

[momrek06]

HEY GANG: Is that really true about the ironing...When I get on the SHIP, I can give my ironing to my stateroom attendent or who? And then they will do my IRONING...wow!! Is there a cost, I will gladly pay it for sure as versus wasting time standing there ironing ANY DAY. Post me! Thanks!

Also I love all the tips, LOVE the coffee one esp...so coffee will be HOT in the a.m.!! LOVE IT...:D

[cjlkim]

HEY GANG: Is that really true about the ironing...When I get on the SHIP, I can give my ironing to my stateroom attendent or who? And then they will do my IRONING...wow!! Is there a cost, I will gladly pay it for sure as versus wasting time standing there ironing ANY DAY. Post me! Thanks!

Also I love all the tips, LOVE the coffee one esp...so coffee will be HOT in the a.m.!! LOVE IT...:D

 

Laundry service does include simply pressing items. To me it's worth the cost (it is extra) because it just saves so much of the packing headache. Get to know your stateroom host/hostess....they'll take care of you...just be sure to show your appreciation in your tip to them.

 

On tips...you have the option of charging them to your room or just giving them cash...we went the cash route. It saved the time of waiting at Guest Services. When you pack just put anticipated tips into four envelopes and mark them then you can add to it if you feel it's warranted and put the total into the DCL envelopes and pass them out the last night of the cruise.