Night 1 - All Aboard: Let the Magic Begin
Night 2 - Twice Charmed (at sea - formal night)
Night 3 - Villains Tonight (at sea - casual)
Night 4 - Pirate Night (Nassau) 9:45 p.m. Goofy's Pool Stage
Night 5 - Walt Disney: The Dream Goes On (Castaway Cay - casual)
Night 6 - Disney World Day (no show)
Night 7 - Disney Dreams (at sea - semi-formal night)
Night 8 - Remember the Magic (at sea - casual)
There should be 2:00 p.m. matinees on sea days for some of the shows, definitely Disney Dreams but I'm not sure about the others. The evening shows should be at 6:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
I haven't heard from my daughter since she left NYC yesterday, I will ask about the matinees.
Countdown
Monday, June 4, 2012
Saturday, June 2, 2012
Packing List Ideas
We brought a small bottle of SOFTSOAP for our bathroom and ANTIBACTERIAL hand gel to take with us on excursions. We remained clean and healthy throughout our cruise!
- Bring wire hangers to hang your clothes (The wooden one take up a lot of room if you have a lot of hanging clothes and 4 persons in your cabin)
- Store suit cases under the bed (even our two largest 30" Pullman's fit)
- Pack your clothes that you don't want to iron on hangers and in dry cleaning bags for your suitbag - you won't have nearly as many wrinkles (your drycleaner will give you extra bags if you ask for them)
- If you have a veranda, bring about 15' of closeline and closepins. there are places high up near the ceiling to tie off the closeline to hang wet items - especially useful after Castaway Key so you wont need to pack wet items (our dried by the time we got back to Port Canaveral)
- Windex wipes to clean your glass on your veranda - the salt spray accumulates and obstructs the view (the 1/4" glass is clear)
- Pack your small item clothes (underwear, socks, kids clothes, etc.) in ziplock bags, much easier to stay organized especially with a full stateroom
- Plug-in Glade/Wizard oil based deoderizer for the bathroom - used mine in the shaver plug on the hair dryer and everyone commented how our head smelled like "apple pie and cinnamon"
- Treat several t-shirts (your sun clothes) with RIT Sunguard - prevents a bad sunburn (our kids didn't even tan through their shirts)
- Take a large hand bag for excursions
- Bring a small memo pad to plan your day - what activities at what times (makes it easier if you have to plan between multiple Navigators - we had 3 kids in different age brackets, plus the adult Navigators to contend with)
- Bring an envelop to keep your Navigators in and organized
- If you're dong Disney excursions sign up online before your cruise (avoid the ressie rush)
- Bring your own movie / show candy (we love Skittles) and brought a gallon bag full of individual serving bags. We had lots of inquiries about where to get those Skittles from our theatre neighbors!
- Hit the pool as soon as you get your Palo & Spa ressies done (wear your swimsuit under your boarding clothes) - Our kids loved being the FIRST in the Mickey pool and slide. We ate at Topsiders Buffet after the swim.
- Bring dishsoap - we washed lots of items in the sink and hung to dry (especially for food stains). We also used it to wash snorkel gear in the bathtub
- They quit serving drinks at the eating establishments (except at the bar on the Family Beach) on Castaway Cay when they stop serving food (when the food outlets close at 2:00 P.M.) Make sure you have enough liquids to last the rest of the day unless you want to visit the bars
- You won't have to rent floats if you are willing to wait until around Noon on CC - by then enough are discarded laying around and floating "free" in the lagoon for your use (we rented one early, then had so many extra drift by... could not locate the owners so we used them)
- Snorkle early (snorkle first thing) at CC - the bottom gets stirred up bad and visibility becomes very limited
- All 10 of the Disney's snorkel vests we tried leaked badly through the valve - you may want to consider bringing your own if you need to rely on these for bouyancy (Note you must wear one in the CC snorkeling area)
- No floats in the snorkle area (I think a very bad policy) would help prevent the bottom from getting so torn up
- Order anything you want off the menu's, your servers will be happy to mix and match menu items, even combining veggies from one entre, with maincourse from others. You can also get multiples (more than one appetizer, main course, dessert, etc. so you can sample more things) - Bring an appetite!
- When you see the Shutter's staff, drag (ask them) nicely over to photograph your kids / you, etc. rather that wait from them to ask - you will have a lot more pictures to choose from later.
- At Shuttlers, stack the pictures you are considering purchasing together each day so you you don't have to search all the displays repreatedly. Shutters staff will keep the stacks together.
- Don't show up just-in-time for movies - the Buena Vista Theatre is small and if your party is large, you may not be able to sit together. Same goes for the Walt Disney Theatre - find your seats early (at leat 5 minutes before the show) so you will be more successful finding good seating and as a courtesy to others.
- Bring several large-mouth plastic bottles (that will fit into your collapsible cooler) for excursions, or for keeping drinks & water in your stateroom beverage cooler. We kept them full of ice/water from the drink station and made our own ice tea, lemonaid, Tang, and Crystal Lite (all sugar free). You can also fill these easily with Ice, water, etc. from the drink station on Deck 9.
- Lemonaid is no longer FREE with room service
- Buy a couple of "dry boxes" from eBay or a dive shop. We spent $1.25 each on ours, and kept our KTTY cards, credit cards, cash (change too) and receipts safe and dry even on snorkeling and diving excursions. You could keep your smokes dry if you are a smoker... Disney sells these for about $7, but you can also get them from Ron Jon's in Cocoa Beach before your cruise or from other sources.
<b>We brought but did not need:</b>
- Change & Laundry soap for washing / drying onboard (did not want to sacrifice time / activities for this <i>chore</i> while on vacation
- 2-Way Radios (didn't use them once)
- KTTY holders (from Walmart, Passporter, etc.) The dry boxes used (see above) worked fine and were not nearly as obnoxious
- Clothing steamer (between the dry cleaning bags for our hang-up clothes and the Downy wrinkle release spray we were fine)
- Extension cord - our laptop, battery charger, and hair dryer could all plug into the two outlets at the desk and the one behind the TV
- Books (never had time to read, except in the car on the way down and back). The other times we were too busy socializing and participating in other activities.
- Binoculars
- Sweaters on a summer cruise - all the dining rooms were comfortable to warm
- Bring wire hangers to hang your clothes (The wooden one take up a lot of room if you have a lot of hanging clothes and 4 persons in your cabin)
- Store suit cases under the bed (even our two largest 30" Pullman's fit)
- Pack your clothes that you don't want to iron on hangers and in dry cleaning bags for your suitbag - you won't have nearly as many wrinkles (your drycleaner will give you extra bags if you ask for them)
- If you have a veranda, bring about 15' of closeline and closepins. there are places high up near the ceiling to tie off the closeline to hang wet items - especially useful after Castaway Key so you wont need to pack wet items (our dried by the time we got back to Port Canaveral)
- Windex wipes to clean your glass on your veranda - the salt spray accumulates and obstructs the view (the 1/4" glass is clear)
- Pack your small item clothes (underwear, socks, kids clothes, etc.) in ziplock bags, much easier to stay organized especially with a full stateroom
- Plug-in Glade/Wizard oil based deoderizer for the bathroom - used mine in the shaver plug on the hair dryer and everyone commented how our head smelled like "apple pie and cinnamon"
- Treat several t-shirts (your sun clothes) with RIT Sunguard - prevents a bad sunburn (our kids didn't even tan through their shirts)
- Take a large hand bag for excursions
- Bring a small memo pad to plan your day - what activities at what times (makes it easier if you have to plan between multiple Navigators - we had 3 kids in different age brackets, plus the adult Navigators to contend with)
- Bring an envelop to keep your Navigators in and organized
- If you're dong Disney excursions sign up online before your cruise (avoid the ressie rush)
- Bring your own movie / show candy (we love Skittles) and brought a gallon bag full of individual serving bags. We had lots of inquiries about where to get those Skittles from our theatre neighbors!
- Hit the pool as soon as you get your Palo & Spa ressies done (wear your swimsuit under your boarding clothes) - Our kids loved being the FIRST in the Mickey pool and slide. We ate at Topsiders Buffet after the swim.
- Bring dishsoap - we washed lots of items in the sink and hung to dry (especially for food stains). We also used it to wash snorkel gear in the bathtub
- They quit serving drinks at the eating establishments (except at the bar on the Family Beach) on Castaway Cay when they stop serving food (when the food outlets close at 2:00 P.M.) Make sure you have enough liquids to last the rest of the day unless you want to visit the bars
- You won't have to rent floats if you are willing to wait until around Noon on CC - by then enough are discarded laying around and floating "free" in the lagoon for your use (we rented one early, then had so many extra drift by... could not locate the owners so we used them)
- Snorkle early (snorkle first thing) at CC - the bottom gets stirred up bad and visibility becomes very limited
- All 10 of the Disney's snorkel vests we tried leaked badly through the valve - you may want to consider bringing your own if you need to rely on these for bouyancy (Note you must wear one in the CC snorkeling area)
- No floats in the snorkle area (I think a very bad policy) would help prevent the bottom from getting so torn up
- Order anything you want off the menu's, your servers will be happy to mix and match menu items, even combining veggies from one entre, with maincourse from others. You can also get multiples (more than one appetizer, main course, dessert, etc. so you can sample more things) - Bring an appetite!
- When you see the Shutter's staff, drag (ask them) nicely over to photograph your kids / you, etc. rather that wait from them to ask - you will have a lot more pictures to choose from later.
- At Shuttlers, stack the pictures you are considering purchasing together each day so you you don't have to search all the displays repreatedly. Shutters staff will keep the stacks together.
- Don't show up just-in-time for movies - the Buena Vista Theatre is small and if your party is large, you may not be able to sit together. Same goes for the Walt Disney Theatre - find your seats early (at leat 5 minutes before the show) so you will be more successful finding good seating and as a courtesy to others.
- Bring several large-mouth plastic bottles (that will fit into your collapsible cooler) for excursions, or for keeping drinks & water in your stateroom beverage cooler. We kept them full of ice/water from the drink station and made our own ice tea, lemonaid, Tang, and Crystal Lite (all sugar free). You can also fill these easily with Ice, water, etc. from the drink station on Deck 9.
- Lemonaid is no longer FREE with room service
- Buy a couple of "dry boxes" from eBay or a dive shop. We spent $1.25 each on ours, and kept our KTTY cards, credit cards, cash (change too) and receipts safe and dry even on snorkeling and diving excursions. You could keep your smokes dry if you are a smoker... Disney sells these for about $7, but you can also get them from Ron Jon's in Cocoa Beach before your cruise or from other sources.
<b>We brought but did not need:</b>
- Change & Laundry soap for washing / drying onboard (did not want to sacrifice time / activities for this <i>chore</i> while on vacation
- 2-Way Radios (didn't use them once)
- KTTY holders (from Walmart, Passporter, etc.) The dry boxes used (see above) worked fine and were not nearly as obnoxious
- Clothing steamer (between the dry cleaning bags for our hang-up clothes and the Downy wrinkle release spray we were fine)
- Extension cord - our laptop, battery charger, and hair dryer could all plug into the two outlets at the desk and the one behind the TV
- Books (never had time to read, except in the car on the way down and back). The other times we were too busy socializing and participating in other activities.
- Binoculars
- Sweaters on a summer cruise - all the dining rooms were comfortable to warm
Bring an over the door shoe holder for the bathroom to hold all of the toiletries.
Don't forget the duct tape.
two-way radios.
Zip lock bags were VERY useful.
Nightlight for bathroom
Bring dryer sheets
soft sided cooler to bring off the ship for excursions and beaches.
-Don't worry about getting to the disembarkation talk, as it will be repeated all evening on your stateroom television.
-Bring swimwear in your day bag. One of the best times for an uncrowded swim is in the period of time between embarkation and the safety drill.
-Seek out and enjoy the secret deck 7 aft verandah
clothes pins to close curtains to keep that morning sun out of your room!
- Extension cord so you can have extra outlets!
- gift basket from the perfect gift - One that includes snacks, juice boxes, sand toys, sunscreen, champagne, beer, etc - so you don't have to pack all of that in your suitcase!
- COMFORTABLE WALKING SHOES!!!!
Beach bag.
Spray on sunscreen for the scalp if you have your hair braided.
Cork screw if you bring wine for the romantic evenings on the verandah
I have also brought some of my own beverages and mixers and cups w/lids to mix the drinks.
We brought 2 shoe bags-one for shoes and the other for toiletries.
bring a luggage carrier or something w/wheels for the soft pack cooler.
My favorite tip was to order room service coffee the night before. It stayed hot in the carafe and I had my coffee ready when I woke up each morning. Yes, it is the little things that make me happy.
Another tip: pack what you think you will need...then take out 50%.
Air freshener for the potty. . . we forgot it
Light up travel clock
baggies
Bonine
cold medicines
cameras
sample bottle of dishwashing detergent and handiwipe for washing out
sippy cups, etc.
beach bag or something to lug stuff out to castaway cay.
Those little laundry, individually packaged, detergent tablets.
Air freshener
Save the plastic bags that your dry-cleaning comes home in. I have a HUGE garmet bag (holds 3 suits and about 20 dresses) and I packed everything in these bags (I doubled and tripled some items in the bags) and I unpacked virtually "wrinkle free" clothes!!!!
Pack one suitcase full of stuff, then put that suitcase inside another one. Then when you get where you're going, you've got an extra, empty suitcase for all the stuff you know you're gonna buy!
Take more film, less clothes.
If you're undecided about that beach towel, or tshirt, or other souvenir... buy it. You'll be mad at yourself later if you don't!
1. If you smoke, buy cigarettes in St. Maarten, about $12.00 per carton.
#2. Individual Shout stain remover packets.
#3. Papaya Enzyme. chewable tablets, helps digest food in case you eat something that doesn't agree with you, THIS IS A MUST.
#4. Correctal, gentle laxative, for men or women. Nothing worse than have that bloated feeling while on a cruise.
#5. On 7nt cruise, Who Whats to be a Mouseketeer show, wait to sit down until everyone else is. Pick out an empty row or one that has very few people. When the computer picks seats for the "Hot Seat" it is done randomly. If the seat is empty they go to the next closest one. So....if your row is practically empty you have a better chance.
#6. Take pictures of everything, if you don't you will regret it once you get them developed and wish you had a photo of it.
#7. To cut down on clothing, bring a nice pair of black slacks. They go with just about everything, and just change tops each night. Plus you only need one pair of nice black dress sandals to go with them.
#8. If you want a Beach Cabana Massage on Castaway Cay go directly to the Vista Spa once you have boarded. The reservations go VERY fast.
#9. If you like the internet, buy the unlimited access, while on board. It is 89.00 but worth it if you on the computer alot.
#10. Relax, enjoy and don't stress......rememeber this is a vacation.
I found a 'folder' to be helpful to keep papers in that you want to take home with you.
Underwater camera is fun too! We took it with us to Castaway Cay and to Stingray City (on the Western Cruise).
Coffeemaker,
ext cord
alarm clock for the room
over door shoe holder
air freshner
2 way radios
zip loc bags
more bathing suits than I thought I'd need
clothes pins
comfortable walking shoes
skin so soft insect repellent
baby spray on scalp sunscreen
aloe for sunburn
sweater for show
individual antibacterial hand wipes
night light
1. Twice the film, money and sunscreen you think you need.
2. Order the 'All Hands on Deck' cheese platter every single night even if you aren't hungry. It is awesome!
3. Get a wake-up call everyday. It is Mickey Mouse calling!
4. Have your bathings suits with you when you board.
1. Roll or 2 of quarters.
2. Shout wipes or stain sticks.
3. Laundry tablets.
3. Little flash lights (more than and pass them out to your family). Also keep 1 in the bath room.
4. Chewable Dramamine if you have little ones and I used it too.
5. Pack 60% less than you think you need.
6. Bottles of H20 and you can refill them with the filtered water on deck.
7. Dish soap.
8. Illuminated night clock.
9. Zip lock bags (large and small).
A Digital Camera is Great
be sure to have a waterproof watch.
Save the tip $ aside before your trip and had them all labeled and in separate envelopes. It made it so nice at the end of the cruise to just take the $ out of the in-room safe and put them into the little tip envelopes. No standing in line at guest services
The counselors in the children's programming are not tipped positions, but appreciate a small gift (phone cards)
You can go to guest services at anytime during your cruise to take care of the tips
The lines at guest services get longer towards the end of the cruise, so make sure you get any business (paying tips, etc) done as early as possible. The same applies for shopping.
There is a change machine in the 2 upstairs laundry rooms. On the 7th floor room you get more time than the 6th floor. Bring our own soap from home pre-measured in Ziploc bags and dryer sheets in another. There are no dryer sheets available on the ship. There is no stain remover on the ship, so pack some. People are CUTTHROAT with the washers and dryers and I had to go the two different decks to find availability. It's better if you wash on a Port day, because sea days are killer in the laundry. Guaranteed that the dryer will take 2 cycles. You can put more than one cycle worth of money in the dryer. i.e. you could put $2.00 for a load and it would dry for 80 min.
Order a pitcher of lemonade from room service each day (no charge) and kept it in the fridge
There is a drink station located aft on deck nine, includes milk, tea, coffee, water, juice and or lemonade
Bring back some fruit from the breakfast buffet and boxes of cereal to snack on.
Fruit and cookies available at Scoops throughout the day.
The best time to find characters is during the sail-away celebration, on deck 10.
In the corridors on the ship, just look at the carpet to find out which way the back or front of the ship is - the anchor on the carpet is two-colored, the red points towards the back of the ship, the blue towards the front.
Don't leave "Disney Dreams" early. This is a "must-see" show, but at the end, don't join the people who leave before the final bows. There is still one more surprise to see.
Allow your kids to participate in the kids program at the end of the cruise. They get free t-shirts.
Don't worry if you don't make it to the disembarkation talk. Although everyone is told to attend, they rebroadcast it continually on the stateroom televisions for the rest of the day. Do something else while everyone is packed in the theater, and then watch it later, at your convenience
Order the cheese tray at night (and room service is free, just tip him a couple of dollars when he brings you your tray)
took an envelope full of $1 bills for room service -
worked out so well - just reached in the drawer by the
door and was ready for room service
phone cards for extra special people - the staff was
so pleased with them - bought a pack at Sam's.
THANK YOU to whoever created the idea of the over-
the-door organizer
- order sandwiches the night before a day on land and put them in your soft-side cooler. Megans Bay in St. Thomas was super expensive for food and wished we had our sandwiches that we had in St. Martin from the boat.
-we kept the light on in the bathroom and shut the door, light came from underneath and worked fine.
-store all life vest under bed to give more shelf space
-bring your own beach toys from Target/Walmart. The kids got so much use out of them even at the pool.
-do your laundry at the crack of dawn cause their always filled. bring along a roll of quarters
-clothes pins work great to hang things from the back of your chairs on balcony if you have one. Stuff, like car seats can be stored out there, too.
A good 'ol fashioned can of Lysol
Bring a couple of rolls of the "new" Dollar coins. They were very uncommon when we did this and the crew seemed to like the uniqueness.
Button hole extenders. On our first cruise DH didn't try on his shirt before we left and he hadn't worn it in quite awhile.
Don't forget to bring a deposit for rebooking your next cruise while onboard!!!
I ALWAYS travel with a small assortment of Plastic Zip straps. (the kind that police are usuing for handucffs). I
Pre-Written address computer labels for post cards.
1) Bring bathing suit in carry on-- so you don't have to wait for your bags to be delivered to your room!
2) Bring extra film, and a waterproof camera. I recommend using disposibles, so you don't have to worry about camera malfunctions. Bring your camera EVERYWHERE!
3) Skip the lunch buffet at least once, and eat at Tritons/Lumiere's
4) Bring an address book, and meet new people! Exchange emails addresses with people (especially tablemates, and you can stay in touch, swap pictures and stories!
5) Bring thank you cards for the staff. Coming from a cast member, it's the little things that keep the pixie dust in your heart alive!
6) Unless you can't live without soda 24/7 DON'T DO THE SODA MUG DEAL. You can get soda for free at every sit-down meal, I always got them at dinner, and even at the sit-down lunch at Tritons. You only need to pay for soda at bars and at poolside really. Besides, when you are swimming and in the sun, it's better to drink juice and water anyway!
7) Save everything, and make a scrapbook.
8) Go to at least one program/activity a day. The cruise staff is great, and you get to meet people other then the ones you see at meals.
9) Play, or at least attend Jackpot bingo the last night. It's a blast. WARNING WARNING WARNING BINGO IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE, but FUN FUN FUN!!
Fanny packs.
We give each kid (got 4) a 24 exposure disposable camera before the trip. Let em take a picture of whatever they want. But once they use it up they are done. They get better with each trip.
Plus they have their own memories.
Straws.
Some hard candy (my favorite is butterscotch).
LOTS of extra batteries.
2 swimsuits for each person. You can wear one while drying the other
Earlier tipsters said to pack a nailclipper in an unlocked outside pocket of your suitcase to cut them off. Also, to leave some wiggle room (don't cinch it all the way) so that you can fit the clippers around the cable
Treat your clothing with wash-in sunscreen. It's cheap (under $3 a washload) and doesn't effect color or feel of the cloth. Works in water (swimming) too. The product is called Sun Guard from Rit.
Collapsible hamper....we found this to be very convenient for putting our dirty clothes in and carrying to the laundry room. Also these ID holders can be found at walmart for only .97.
Make sure you leave a set of clothes out for debarking....people have been known to pack EVERYTHING the night before and leave the ship in their jammies!!!
Bring your sense of humor.....
For those of you traveling with toddlers around the age of 2 who can not go into the pool(and yes they are pretty strict about the non potty trained children in the pool) Bring sand toys, and set up camp by the Goofy pool. There is a railing that separated the pool area from the deck area. Along the railing on deck side are tables and chairs. Using the table, chairs, and railing, create a barrier. Place your child in the middle with sand toys and bucket of water. You can sit around them in the chairs. My son was completely satisifed with this set up and would play for hours.
Save your old socks, underwear, swimsuits, etc and have them make a one way trip with you.
By tossing out old clothes you'll have LOTS of room for souvenirs et al when you pack to come home.
go to the bank before your trip and get $2 bills for tips for room service, etc.
extension cord with mutiple outlets
disposable camera for your child to use
pillowcases for the characters to sign
small scrapbook for autographs. I use a small scrapbook instead of an autograph book so that I can have the picture on one side and the autograph on the other. I can also add as many pages as I want.
your own hairdryer...the ones in the cabins are weak
bungee cord or rope if you have connecting rooms. You need something if/when you want to keep the connecting doors open
We like to take a mesh laundry bag (Wal-Mart) and hang it in the closet (loop over the hanger) and put dirty clothes in there, when we pack, all the dirty clothes are together in one suitcase. Unpacking, all the dirty things are ready to be sorted and washed while the clean items are put away
Bring your own sandtoys for Castaway Cay!
A cutting knife for your room
Crayons, books and plain paper for kids during the down time in the room --- have them make a "picture" scrapbook for when they get back home!
Post it and pens for the room...... great to leave notes for family who "Cross like ships in the night....." or even your cabin steward....
Flashlights that only work while you are holding down the button (Walmart has them in cool colors) This solves the problem of the little angels falling asleep with the security flashlight on and going through a set of batteries every other night!
Large thick trash bags.. Put the dirty clothes in them when you get ready to go home.. gather up the top and hold tight.. have partner roll or smoosh from the other end to get the air out. The dirties take up much less room and no worry that they will infect your left over clean clothes or new t-shirts. I have not been able to find one of those airless travel bags that are large enough to handle all our laundry..... Also makes room for more stuff!!
Use label maker to tag everything that might leave the room... we got a disposable camera back this way..... Make and bring extra labels incase you forget something
We have found some little spray cans of pillow and room scent...... They are by The Healing Garden and can be found at Target/ Walmart. Highly concentrated with a high dollar scent at discount price. ( $4- $6) They are part of a line of bath products. Best choices...... Gingerlily therapy or ZZZZ therapy.... IMHO
If you do not want to get dressed up for your normal dinner seating -- there is always an alternative site available for a served meal in Parrot Cay, Lumiere's, or the Topsider's area (where the afternoon buffet is)."
watches/pagers - anything to tell time for when everyone has to meet up. Extremely useful in parks, but we also found it useful on ship if you could set alarm.
do not disembark early - that is for people who are rushing to catch a plane or other transportation.
if you have nothing to rush to, be the last ones off the ship! do not go to breakfast in the restaurant - go to the buffet, pick up a tray and fill it for everyone in your cabin. back at the cabin, take your time, have a nice shower, breakfast on the verandah in port - relax - the cruise is not over yet!
when you are ready, you can walk off the boat, no crowds, easily find your luggage and cruise through customs.
Bring an extra suitcase filled with bottles of water. You can buy less expensive bottled water at home and, as you drink the water, you are emptying the suitcase for souvenirs to bring home
we always bring (especially if you have a verandah) is a small pair of binoculars. It's great for looking a passing islands, dolphins, etc. Be sure that the kids keep the cord around their necks when they're using them so they don't drop them overboard.
BEFORE you leave on your cruise:
* Arrange to have your mail held
* Stop your newspaper delivery
On Castaway Cay, we came back from the adult beach to eat at Cookies. All around us people had tropical fruit on their plates. I went back to the buffet and looked and looked, but never found any! Figured they had run out. It turned out there was a fruit stand on the other side of Cookies, closer to the ship. By the time I found it after leaving lunch, I was already stuffed. Don't let it happen to you!
Don't forget the duct tape.
two-way radios.
Zip lock bags were VERY useful.
Nightlight for bathroom
Bring dryer sheets
soft sided cooler to bring off the ship for excursions and beaches.
-Don't worry about getting to the disembarkation talk, as it will be repeated all evening on your stateroom television.
-Bring swimwear in your day bag. One of the best times for an uncrowded swim is in the period of time between embarkation and the safety drill.
-Seek out and enjoy the secret deck 7 aft verandah
clothes pins to close curtains to keep that morning sun out of your room!
- Extension cord so you can have extra outlets!
- gift basket from the perfect gift - One that includes snacks, juice boxes, sand toys, sunscreen, champagne, beer, etc - so you don't have to pack all of that in your suitcase!
- COMFORTABLE WALKING SHOES!!!!
Beach bag.
Spray on sunscreen for the scalp if you have your hair braided.
Cork screw if you bring wine for the romantic evenings on the verandah
I have also brought some of my own beverages and mixers and cups w/lids to mix the drinks.
We brought 2 shoe bags-one for shoes and the other for toiletries.
bring a luggage carrier or something w/wheels for the soft pack cooler.
My favorite tip was to order room service coffee the night before. It stayed hot in the carafe and I had my coffee ready when I woke up each morning. Yes, it is the little things that make me happy.
Another tip: pack what you think you will need...then take out 50%.
Air freshener for the potty. . . we forgot it
Light up travel clock
baggies
Bonine
cold medicines
cameras
sample bottle of dishwashing detergent and handiwipe for washing out
sippy cups, etc.
beach bag or something to lug stuff out to castaway cay.
Those little laundry, individually packaged, detergent tablets.
Air freshener
Save the plastic bags that your dry-cleaning comes home in. I have a HUGE garmet bag (holds 3 suits and about 20 dresses) and I packed everything in these bags (I doubled and tripled some items in the bags) and I unpacked virtually "wrinkle free" clothes!!!!
Pack one suitcase full of stuff, then put that suitcase inside another one. Then when you get where you're going, you've got an extra, empty suitcase for all the stuff you know you're gonna buy!
Take more film, less clothes.
If you're undecided about that beach towel, or tshirt, or other souvenir... buy it. You'll be mad at yourself later if you don't!
1. If you smoke, buy cigarettes in St. Maarten, about $12.00 per carton.
#2. Individual Shout stain remover packets.
#3. Papaya Enzyme. chewable tablets, helps digest food in case you eat something that doesn't agree with you, THIS IS A MUST.
#4. Correctal, gentle laxative, for men or women. Nothing worse than have that bloated feeling while on a cruise.
#5. On 7nt cruise, Who Whats to be a Mouseketeer show, wait to sit down until everyone else is. Pick out an empty row or one that has very few people. When the computer picks seats for the "Hot Seat" it is done randomly. If the seat is empty they go to the next closest one. So....if your row is practically empty you have a better chance.
#6. Take pictures of everything, if you don't you will regret it once you get them developed and wish you had a photo of it.
#7. To cut down on clothing, bring a nice pair of black slacks. They go with just about everything, and just change tops each night. Plus you only need one pair of nice black dress sandals to go with them.
#8. If you want a Beach Cabana Massage on Castaway Cay go directly to the Vista Spa once you have boarded. The reservations go VERY fast.
#9. If you like the internet, buy the unlimited access, while on board. It is 89.00 but worth it if you on the computer alot.
#10. Relax, enjoy and don't stress......rememeber this is a vacation.
I found a 'folder' to be helpful to keep papers in that you want to take home with you.
Underwater camera is fun too! We took it with us to Castaway Cay and to Stingray City (on the Western Cruise).
Coffeemaker,
ext cord
alarm clock for the room
over door shoe holder
air freshner
2 way radios
zip loc bags
more bathing suits than I thought I'd need
clothes pins
comfortable walking shoes
skin so soft insect repellent
baby spray on scalp sunscreen
aloe for sunburn
sweater for show
individual antibacterial hand wipes
night light
1. Twice the film, money and sunscreen you think you need.
2. Order the 'All Hands on Deck' cheese platter every single night even if you aren't hungry. It is awesome!
3. Get a wake-up call everyday. It is Mickey Mouse calling!
4. Have your bathings suits with you when you board.
1. Roll or 2 of quarters.
2. Shout wipes or stain sticks.
3. Laundry tablets.
3. Little flash lights (more than and pass them out to your family). Also keep 1 in the bath room.
4. Chewable Dramamine if you have little ones and I used it too.
5. Pack 60% less than you think you need.
6. Bottles of H20 and you can refill them with the filtered water on deck.
7. Dish soap.
8. Illuminated night clock.
9. Zip lock bags (large and small).
A Digital Camera is Great
be sure to have a waterproof watch.
Save the tip $ aside before your trip and had them all labeled and in separate envelopes. It made it so nice at the end of the cruise to just take the $ out of the in-room safe and put them into the little tip envelopes. No standing in line at guest services
The counselors in the children's programming are not tipped positions, but appreciate a small gift (phone cards)
You can go to guest services at anytime during your cruise to take care of the tips
The lines at guest services get longer towards the end of the cruise, so make sure you get any business (paying tips, etc) done as early as possible. The same applies for shopping.
There is a change machine in the 2 upstairs laundry rooms. On the 7th floor room you get more time than the 6th floor. Bring our own soap from home pre-measured in Ziploc bags and dryer sheets in another. There are no dryer sheets available on the ship. There is no stain remover on the ship, so pack some. People are CUTTHROAT with the washers and dryers and I had to go the two different decks to find availability. It's better if you wash on a Port day, because sea days are killer in the laundry. Guaranteed that the dryer will take 2 cycles. You can put more than one cycle worth of money in the dryer. i.e. you could put $2.00 for a load and it would dry for 80 min.
Order a pitcher of lemonade from room service each day (no charge) and kept it in the fridge
There is a drink station located aft on deck nine, includes milk, tea, coffee, water, juice and or lemonade
Bring back some fruit from the breakfast buffet and boxes of cereal to snack on.
Fruit and cookies available at Scoops throughout the day.
The best time to find characters is during the sail-away celebration, on deck 10.
In the corridors on the ship, just look at the carpet to find out which way the back or front of the ship is - the anchor on the carpet is two-colored, the red points towards the back of the ship, the blue towards the front.
Don't leave "Disney Dreams" early. This is a "must-see" show, but at the end, don't join the people who leave before the final bows. There is still one more surprise to see.
Allow your kids to participate in the kids program at the end of the cruise. They get free t-shirts.
Don't worry if you don't make it to the disembarkation talk. Although everyone is told to attend, they rebroadcast it continually on the stateroom televisions for the rest of the day. Do something else while everyone is packed in the theater, and then watch it later, at your convenience
Order the cheese tray at night (and room service is free, just tip him a couple of dollars when he brings you your tray)
took an envelope full of $1 bills for room service -
worked out so well - just reached in the drawer by the
door and was ready for room service
phone cards for extra special people - the staff was
so pleased with them - bought a pack at Sam's.
THANK YOU to whoever created the idea of the over-
the-door organizer
- order sandwiches the night before a day on land and put them in your soft-side cooler. Megans Bay in St. Thomas was super expensive for food and wished we had our sandwiches that we had in St. Martin from the boat.
-we kept the light on in the bathroom and shut the door, light came from underneath and worked fine.
-store all life vest under bed to give more shelf space
-bring your own beach toys from Target/Walmart. The kids got so much use out of them even at the pool.
-do your laundry at the crack of dawn cause their always filled. bring along a roll of quarters
-clothes pins work great to hang things from the back of your chairs on balcony if you have one. Stuff, like car seats can be stored out there, too.
A good 'ol fashioned can of Lysol
Bring a couple of rolls of the "new" Dollar coins. They were very uncommon when we did this and the crew seemed to like the uniqueness.
Button hole extenders. On our first cruise DH didn't try on his shirt before we left and he hadn't worn it in quite awhile.
Don't forget to bring a deposit for rebooking your next cruise while onboard!!!
I ALWAYS travel with a small assortment of Plastic Zip straps. (the kind that police are usuing for handucffs). I
Pre-Written address computer labels for post cards.
1) Bring bathing suit in carry on-- so you don't have to wait for your bags to be delivered to your room!
2) Bring extra film, and a waterproof camera. I recommend using disposibles, so you don't have to worry about camera malfunctions. Bring your camera EVERYWHERE!
3) Skip the lunch buffet at least once, and eat at Tritons/Lumiere's
4) Bring an address book, and meet new people! Exchange emails addresses with people (especially tablemates, and you can stay in touch, swap pictures and stories!
5) Bring thank you cards for the staff. Coming from a cast member, it's the little things that keep the pixie dust in your heart alive!
6) Unless you can't live without soda 24/7 DON'T DO THE SODA MUG DEAL. You can get soda for free at every sit-down meal, I always got them at dinner, and even at the sit-down lunch at Tritons. You only need to pay for soda at bars and at poolside really. Besides, when you are swimming and in the sun, it's better to drink juice and water anyway!
7) Save everything, and make a scrapbook.
8) Go to at least one program/activity a day. The cruise staff is great, and you get to meet people other then the ones you see at meals.
9) Play, or at least attend Jackpot bingo the last night. It's a blast. WARNING WARNING WARNING BINGO IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE, but FUN FUN FUN!!
Fanny packs.
We give each kid (got 4) a 24 exposure disposable camera before the trip. Let em take a picture of whatever they want. But once they use it up they are done. They get better with each trip.
Plus they have their own memories.
Straws.
Some hard candy (my favorite is butterscotch).
LOTS of extra batteries.
2 swimsuits for each person. You can wear one while drying the other
Earlier tipsters said to pack a nailclipper in an unlocked outside pocket of your suitcase to cut them off. Also, to leave some wiggle room (don't cinch it all the way) so that you can fit the clippers around the cable
Treat your clothing with wash-in sunscreen. It's cheap (under $3 a washload) and doesn't effect color or feel of the cloth. Works in water (swimming) too. The product is called Sun Guard from Rit.
Collapsible hamper....we found this to be very convenient for putting our dirty clothes in and carrying to the laundry room. Also these ID holders can be found at walmart for only .97.
Make sure you leave a set of clothes out for debarking....people have been known to pack EVERYTHING the night before and leave the ship in their jammies!!!
Bring your sense of humor.....
For those of you traveling with toddlers around the age of 2 who can not go into the pool(and yes they are pretty strict about the non potty trained children in the pool) Bring sand toys, and set up camp by the Goofy pool. There is a railing that separated the pool area from the deck area. Along the railing on deck side are tables and chairs. Using the table, chairs, and railing, create a barrier. Place your child in the middle with sand toys and bucket of water. You can sit around them in the chairs. My son was completely satisifed with this set up and would play for hours.
Save your old socks, underwear, swimsuits, etc and have them make a one way trip with you.
By tossing out old clothes you'll have LOTS of room for souvenirs et al when you pack to come home.
go to the bank before your trip and get $2 bills for tips for room service, etc.
extension cord with mutiple outlets
disposable camera for your child to use
pillowcases for the characters to sign
small scrapbook for autographs. I use a small scrapbook instead of an autograph book so that I can have the picture on one side and the autograph on the other. I can also add as many pages as I want.
your own hairdryer...the ones in the cabins are weak
bungee cord or rope if you have connecting rooms. You need something if/when you want to keep the connecting doors open
We like to take a mesh laundry bag (Wal-Mart) and hang it in the closet (loop over the hanger) and put dirty clothes in there, when we pack, all the dirty clothes are together in one suitcase. Unpacking, all the dirty things are ready to be sorted and washed while the clean items are put away
Bring your own sandtoys for Castaway Cay!
A cutting knife for your room
Crayons, books and plain paper for kids during the down time in the room --- have them make a "picture" scrapbook for when they get back home!
Post it and pens for the room...... great to leave notes for family who "Cross like ships in the night....." or even your cabin steward....
Flashlights that only work while you are holding down the button (Walmart has them in cool colors) This solves the problem of the little angels falling asleep with the security flashlight on and going through a set of batteries every other night!
Large thick trash bags.. Put the dirty clothes in them when you get ready to go home.. gather up the top and hold tight.. have partner roll or smoosh from the other end to get the air out. The dirties take up much less room and no worry that they will infect your left over clean clothes or new t-shirts. I have not been able to find one of those airless travel bags that are large enough to handle all our laundry..... Also makes room for more stuff!!
Use label maker to tag everything that might leave the room... we got a disposable camera back this way..... Make and bring extra labels incase you forget something
We have found some little spray cans of pillow and room scent...... They are by The Healing Garden and can be found at Target/ Walmart. Highly concentrated with a high dollar scent at discount price. ( $4- $6) They are part of a line of bath products. Best choices...... Gingerlily therapy or ZZZZ therapy.... IMHO
If you do not want to get dressed up for your normal dinner seating -- there is always an alternative site available for a served meal in Parrot Cay, Lumiere's, or the Topsider's area (where the afternoon buffet is)."
watches/pagers - anything to tell time for when everyone has to meet up. Extremely useful in parks, but we also found it useful on ship if you could set alarm.
do not disembark early - that is for people who are rushing to catch a plane or other transportation.
if you have nothing to rush to, be the last ones off the ship! do not go to breakfast in the restaurant - go to the buffet, pick up a tray and fill it for everyone in your cabin. back at the cabin, take your time, have a nice shower, breakfast on the verandah in port - relax - the cruise is not over yet!
when you are ready, you can walk off the boat, no crowds, easily find your luggage and cruise through customs.
Bring an extra suitcase filled with bottles of water. You can buy less expensive bottled water at home and, as you drink the water, you are emptying the suitcase for souvenirs to bring home
we always bring (especially if you have a verandah) is a small pair of binoculars. It's great for looking a passing islands, dolphins, etc. Be sure that the kids keep the cord around their necks when they're using them so they don't drop them overboard.
BEFORE you leave on your cruise:
* Arrange to have your mail held
* Stop your newspaper delivery
On Castaway Cay, we came back from the adult beach to eat at Cookies. All around us people had tropical fruit on their plates. I went back to the buffet and looked and looked, but never found any! Figured they had run out. It turned out there was a fruit stand on the other side of Cookies, closer to the ship. By the time I found it after leaving lunch, I was already stuffed. Don't let it happen to you!
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Saturday, April 28, 2012
Sunday, April 1, 2012
Advice
There are not many clocks on board. If you're like me, you probably don't normally wear a watch anymore, because you use the clock on your cell phone instead, but that won't work onboard, because your cell phone won't be functioning unless you are paying through the nose for "cellular at sea" service. There are many scheduled activities offered throughout the day and you will frequently need to know the time. Bring a watch.
“Cay” is pronounced “key” – so unless you want to sound like a novice, remember this both for Castaway Cay (Disney's private island) and for Parrot Cay (one of the onboard restaurants on the Wonder and the Magic).
You'll present your stateroom key as you board, have a family photo taken, and then your family will be announced as you arrive in the atrium of the ship. After that, the ship is yours!
Most people will head straight to lunch, and if you're hungry, that's a great idea. If you've brought your swimsuits in your day bag, this is a perfect time to enjoy the pool (or AquaDuck on the Dream or Fantasy, if it's running), because the ship is still relatively empty and a lot of people will not have thought ahead. If you still need to make spa appointments, change your dinner rotation, sign up for shore excursions, or book Palo or Remy, now is the time to do that. If it's your first time on the ship, this is a good time to get a map and wander around familiarizing yourself with everything.
When your stateroom attendant provides turndown service while you’re at dinner, he or she will place a Navigator (a daily newsletter listing the next day's events) in your stateroom. Study the Navigator carefully to plan your next day. It will also list the hours of operation for everything from the excursion desk to the restaurants. You may want to bring a highlighter pen on your cruise so you can mark the activities that interest you.
Beverages
You can get milk, juice, tea, coffee, lemonade and soft drinks free with meals in the dining rooms. (Bottled water, smoothies and alcoholic beverages are extra.)
The self-service drink station up by the family pool offers milk, juice, tea, coffee, lemonade and soft drinks for free at all times.
Castaway Cay offers milk, juice, tea, coffee, lemonade and soft drinks for free; alcoholic beverages are extra.
Room service offers milk, juice, tea or coffee free, but charges for soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and bottled water.
There is a charge for all drinks ordered at the bars, including soft drinks.
Consider bringing your own bottled water if you think you'll drink a lot of it on shore excursions, Castaway Cay, etc. Bottled water on the ship is expensive. Consider packing a small suitcase with just bottled water. Then on the way home you'll have room for all those things you didn't plan to buy.
Dine and Play Program
The Dine and Play program is offered for families assigned to second dining, and is open to children ages 3-12. The Dine and Play program allows children to get their meals quicker and adults to check in a child for Youth Activities without leaving the dining room.
Here's how it works: You arrive in the dining room and inform the server that your child would like to participate in Dine and Play. The dining room team brings the child's meal first while serving the adults at a more leisurely pace.About 45 minutes after seating begins, Youth Activities Counselors arrive in the dining room and sign in the child to Disney's Oceaneer Club or Disney's Oceaneer Lab, eliminating the need for you to escort the child to Deck 5.
Adults are then able to enjoy the full dining experience with the knowledge that their children are having a great time in a safe, fun and comfortable environment.
You may want to bring a soft-sided, collapsible cooler. This is handy for shore excursion days or to keep snacks on hand in your cabin.
Skip the talks. The shopping talk is just a "rah-rah" for certain shops that are paying a marketing fee, and you might get a few coupons for free (junky) souvenirs. Both the shopping and disembarkation talks are replayed on the television repeatedly. Don't waste your vacation time attending these lectures in person.
For an inexpensive and yet priceless souvenir, purchase a new pillowcase and a pack of colored Sharpie pens before your trip. Drop it off at Guest Services on the first night with a request for the characters to sign it. Pick it up on the last night of your cruise.
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