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It’s generally best to bring a mix of cash and other forms of payment when cruising with Disney. You will be assigned a Head Server, who will check in with you and ensure you are satisfied with your dining experience, and oversees the other servers. An Orlando local for nearly 20 years, I've worked in the theme parks, visited them daily (1,000s of visits!) and worked onboard Disney Cruise Line.
Your kids can (maybe) get into an older club
Chartering the course together: Four family members make magic with Disney Cruise Line - Life at Disney - Disney.com
Chartering the course together: Four family members make magic with Disney Cruise Line - Life at Disney.
Posted: Fri, 16 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Surprisingly, the hardest aspect of cruise ship life for me was the strange sensation of feeling like I was living in a foreign world, even though I spent so much time in Port Canaveral and on a Disney ship full of Americans. As I mentioned before, I was one of only a handful of Americans to be working onboard the Disney Wonder. My immediate boss was also an American and had worked at the Walt Disney World Resort, too, so we had a great deal in common and I had someone that I could easily talk to.
Disney Cruises: Onboard Activities
Every sailing was a new and different experience that was entirely shaped by the people who chose to set sail with us on that specific voyage. We were also fortunate to be able to take over the Spa late one night. We weren’t able to enjoy spa services, but we could utilize the steam showers and saunas. At that point, a full size shower was definitely a luxury experience.
Pay with points or discounted Disney gift cards
Senses Spa & Salon offers a wide range of spa services, including massages, facials, and other pampering services. Unfortunately, the cost of spa services is not included in the Disney cruise nor its per-night automatic gratuities (though we still consider spa treatments at Senses to be a worthy splurge). Regarding tipping, an 18% gratuity will automatically be applied at dinner at Palo & Remy. However, you can also add additional gratuity if you feel that the service warrants it. For brunch, tips are included in the dining charge, but you can add gratuity if you desire.
Your sailing has a Facebook group and it's worth joining
Disney Cruise Line cast delivers magic in The Bahamas - Life at Disney - Disney.com
Disney Cruise Line cast delivers magic in The Bahamas - Life at Disney.
Posted: Wed, 06 Mar 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
We reported to duty at the fire training offices used by all of the cruise lines at Port Canaveral. After hours of classroom training and instruction in the use of fire extinguishers, we were ready for the hands-on training. We then took a tour of the ship’s bridge, where a large electronic chart of every square foot on the ship was mounted on the wall. A myriad of different colored mini lights represented sensors throughout the ship that were monitoring heat, electrical currents and water levels, constantly scouring the ship for any small problem that might occur. We inspected life boats and completed training in evacuation procedures.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. Most guides and drivers are very familiar with the customs of their home country, so they can be a valuable resource for information about what to see and do during your trip. They may also be able to provide insights into the culture that you wouldn’t get from reading a guidebook. You should also tip people who assist you with your luggage, whether they’re unloading your bags from a bus or bringing them to your stateroom. For those staying in a Concierge-level room, additional tipping is customary for the Stateroom Assistant Host and the Concierge Lounge staff. 20 years ago there was NO WAY that I would have been allowed to take video or photos or document my life on DCL the way that YouTubers can now.
I thought that crew member life would have gotten better in the two decades since I was a Disney Cruise Line crew member. Some sailings were more boisterous than others, some were more subdued, yet each took on a different feel depending on who checked in on embarkation day. Included in your monetary compensation will be non-cash compensation such as food and rooming. So you won’t be charged for that, but they consider the value of that as part of your compensation package. While I was so happy that I would be able to spend time with him, once again the intricate laws of the cruise line would limit our time. Frustrating isn’t even the word to describe what it feels like when you can’t see friends or family who are so close, yet so far, in the bureaucratic red tape of sailing in international waters.
Do You Get Any Time Off When Working on a Cruise Ship?
It’s also possible to purchase a specialty beer mug at the pub onboard, which can then be refilled across the ship. Much like Disney’s popcorn buckets, your beer mugs entitle you to cheaper refills on all your beer. The cheapest cost for two guests to Alaska from Vancouver is $2,983 in mid-September, while the same cruise will cost you $4,607 if you sail over the Fourth of July holiday. The cheapest rate we found — the previously-mentioned $1,958 — is for a cruise in late January, a time when those with school-aged children might have trouble getting away. Meanwhile, the most expensive period for this cruise takes place over the Christmas holiday and rings in at $3,737 for an inside stateroom. These are unlike many jobs in the travel industry in that everything is flexible and you need to roll with it, from the work schedule to job duties to location.
For all destinations, if you’d like to save money, avoid peak periods and search all available dates to find the lowest rates. This is true even on less popular cruises, such as those sailing up to Alaska. Disney cruises tend to be more expensive than the average cruise. Currently, for example, the cheapest cruise departing from Port Canaveral is a three-night trip to the Bahamas, which costs $1,958 for two guests.
Sometimes, you can find discounts closer to the sailing if certain room types aren't selling as hoped. Twice nightly in the 977-seat Walt Disney Theatre, performers on the verge of Broadway put on fantastic stage extravaganzas, and there’s a new show to see each night. You don’t need to reserve a ticket or pay anything extra—just show up and grab a seat at any of the Disney cruise shows. First up is the “Adventures Away” party—after you check out your stateroom and attend a mandatory assembly drill, you head up to the top deck for a high-energy bon voyage celebration, starring Mickey, Minnie, and friends.
Occasionally, crew members were allowed to “take over” guest areas. The Cruise Staff and Children’s Programming Department routinely had parties in the area that used to be the ESPN Club the night before members of our staff left the ship at the end of their contract. Since this occurred quite frequently, we could easily have gatherings in the Club late in the evening on the nights before disembarkation when guests were busy packing their suitcases and weren’t staying in the clubs too late. With only six to eight people on staff at any time, we all worked around the clock. And not end until well after midnight, especially if you were hosting a deck party or acting as DJ for a club. You'll get all that, plus you can board the ship first and skip the lines when disembarking.
Though there are plenty of places onboard the ship for guests to get a quick snack whenever they want, it was not like that for the crew. The Crew Mess was essentially your one-stop dining destination, and if you weren’t eating food there (especially when they were closed periodically throughout the day), then you had to rely on food you bought in port. Disney cruise ships offer two dinner options — early or late seating.
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