Magical Disney Cruise Guide Your Unofficial Guide to Having a Magical Voyage Aboard the Ships of the Disney Cruise Line® (DCL)
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The Magical Disney Cruise Guide Your Unofficial Guide to Having a Magical Voyage Aboard the Ships of the Disney Cruise Line® (DCL) January 2005 Edition You can’t help but to have a terrific time on a cruise ship. There’s abundant, delicious food, top-quality shows, breathtaking scenery and the highly attentive staff. You can take shore excursions, wander around on your own or stay on the ship and lounge around the pool. There’s so much to do that you can’t possibly do it all. The onboard activities are as numerous as are the decisions that you must or should make before, and during your cruise. To help you plan and maximize your enjoyment on the cruise, the Magical Disney Cruise Guide (MDCG) was born. MDCG was originally created to assist the people on the Cruise Critic’s Disney Cruise Line® board looking for help and tips to make their trip easier and better. As the popularity of cruising increased, so did interest in the MDCG. After creating and spending several years updating the guide, the original author, Mickey Morgan, transferred the rights to the MDCG in March 2004 to AllEarsNet.com® and Deb Wills. It now has a permanent home as part of the AllEarsNet® family. We’ve got some exciting features in store for the MDCG, so be sure to check back periodically for the latest version! In June, 2004 we asked Disney cruise veteran Tim Larison, to review the guide. Tim ([email protected]) moderates a Disney Cruise Forum on Yahoo, maintains the http://www.cruisetalk.net website. -- Thanks for your help, Tim! Over the last few months, Sandy Fielder assisted in updating the guide, thanks Sandy! Because the cruise experience is always changing, this guide is also constantly changing. We ask that you keep us informed of these changes so that others may continue to get the most out of their vacations. A quick note or a lengthy trip report is always welcome. We want to hear about the good and the bad and the little things that made your cruise magical. We thank everyone for all the submissions that we have received. Send your reports to: http://allearsnet.com/forms/contact.html You can find the freshest revision of the MDCG at: http://allearsnet.com/cruise/cruise.shtml Bon Voyage and have a Magical or a Wonderful day. What’s New in this Version? January 2005 Section 2.1 Cruise Itinerary changes for some 7 day sailings and new 2006 cruise itineraries. Section 2.2 Updated the WDW Resorts participating in the land/sea packages Section 2.1.3.2.1. Replaced refillable soda mugs with onboard credit for AAA perk Section 2.3 Military Discounts for January – February 2005 Section 2.5 Updated new cancellation policy (now 75 days in advance) Section 3.5 Television Channels updated Section 4.1 New Pirates of the Caribbean themed night Section 4.2 Clarification of Palo dress code Section 5.2 New Show debuts 2005 on the Magic Section 6.1 Vista Spa reorganized and updated Section 7.2 Updated Kids Programs for 4 Night Cruise Section 7.3 Updated Teen Programs for 4 Night Cruise Section 8.2 Nassua shore excursions updated Section 10.5 Castaway Cay Excursions updated NEW Section 13.17 Celebrating US Holidays onboard SEPTEMBER 2004 Section 2.0 – New Deposit Policy for all Cruises Section 2.1 - The 14 Day Panama Canal Itineraries have changed! Section 2.1 – Added the one time 6 night Cruise offered on the West Coast Section 7.2 – Updated Programming for Kids 3-4, 5-7, 8-9 and 10-12 year olds Section 7.3 – Updated Programming for Teens NEW Section 13.16 – Special Needs 1 Table of Contents: 6.7 ART TOUR ................................................. 38 0 DISCLAIMER ...................................................... 3 6.8 PIN TRADING............................................. 38 1 HISTORY AND OVERVIEW ............................... 5 6.9 CHARACTER GREETING ......................... 38 6.10 RELIGIOUS SERVICES........................... 38 2 BOOKING AND ADVANCE PLANNING............ 5 6.11 ELONGATED COINS ............................... 38 2.1 3, 4 OR 7 DAY CRUISES ............................. 6 6.12 CARD COLLECTING................................ 39 2.2 WALT DISNEY WORLD ............................... 8 6.13 INTERNET CAFÉ ..................................... 39 2.3 STATEROOM COSTS AND DISCOUNTS ............... 9 2.4 TRAVEL INSURANCE................................ 10 7 KIDS .................................................................. 39 2.5 CANCELLATION POLICY .......................... 11 7.1 TODDLERS (UNDER 3)............................. 40 2.6 DCL BROCHURE AND VIDEO .................. 12 7.2 OCEANEER’S CLUB / LAB........................ 44 2.7 THE WEATHER.......................................... 12 7.3 TEENS........................................................ 49 2.8 CRUISE DOCUMENTS .............................. 12 7.4 SINGLE PARENTS..................................... 52 2.9 DISNEY VACATION CLUB ........................ 13 7.5 SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS.............................. 53 2.10 MAGICAL TREASURES............................ 13 8 THE BAHAMAS & EASTERN CARIBBEAN ... 53 2.11 GETTING TO WDW AND THE SHIP ........ 14 8.1 BAHAMAS INFO......................................... 54 2.12 YOUR CARRY-ON BAG……………………14 8.2 DISNEY SHORE EXCURSIONS................ 54 2.13 BOARDING AND THE RESERVATIONS SCRAMBLE 8.3 EXCURSIONS ON YOUR OWN ................ 57 2.14 BOAT DRILL .............................................. 19 8.4 FREEPORT .................................................... 3 STATEROOMS ................................................. 19 8.5 ST. MAARTEN............................................ 60 3.1 INSIDE OR OUTSIDE CABIN? .................. 20 8.6 ST. MAARTEN EXCURSIONS................... 61 3.2 CATEGORIES ............................................ 21 8.7 ST. THOMAS.............................................. 63 3.3 CONCIERGE SERVICE ............................. 21 8.8 ST. THOMAS EXCURSIONS..................... 63 3.4 HANDICAPPED ACCESS .......................... 21 8.9 VIRGIN ISLANDS ON YOUR OWN ........... 65 3.5 TELEVISION CHANNELS .......................... 22 9 WESTERN CARIBBEAN................................... 66 4 DINING ............................................................... 22 9.1 KEY WEST ................................................. 66 4.1 DRESSING FOR MEALS ........................... 24 9.2 KEY WEST SHORE EXCURSIONS .......... 66 4.2 PALO........................................................... 24 9.3 GRAND CAYMAN ...................................... 67 4.3 RESTAURANTS AND DINING ROTATION 9.4 GRAND CAYMAN SHORE EXCURSIONS 68 4.4 CABIN SERVICE, SNACKS & DRINK MUGS26 9.5 COZUMEL .................................................. 70 4.5 EATING HEALTHY..................................... 27 9.4 COZUMEL SHORE EXCURSIONS ........... 70 4.6 CHARACTER BREAKFAST ....................... 27 9.5 COZUMEL ON YOUR OWN ...................... 73 5 ENTERTAINMENT............................................ 27 10 CASTAWAY CAY ........................................... 73 5.1 BEAT STREET/ROUTE 66......................... 28 10.1 THE BEACHES ........................................ 74 5.2 WALT DISNEY THEATER SHOWS........... 29 10.2 THE WATER............................................. 75 5.3 BUENA VISTA THEATER .......................... 30 10.3 THE LAND ................................................ 76 5.4 ESPN SKYBOX ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT 10.4 CASTAWAY CAY TIDBITS ...................... 76 DEFINED. 10.5 CASTAWAY CAY EXCURSIONS ............ 76 5.5 STUDIO SEA .............................................. 30 11 DISEMBARKATION ....................................... 78 5.6 DECK PARTY ............................................. 30 11.1 TIPPING.................................................... 78 5.7 7-DAY CRUISE ENTERTAINMENT........... 30 11.2 CUSTOMS................................................ 79 5.8 7-DAY CRUISE THEMED EVENINGS....... 31 11.3 GETTING TO… ........................................ 80 6 RECREATION................................................... 31 12 WEBSITE LINKS AND RESOURCES .......... 80 6.1 THE VISTA SPA ......................................... 32 6.2 WINE TASTING .......................................... 37 13 OTHER ............................................................ 81 6.3 THE POOLS ............................................... 37 13.1 DISNEY CRUISE LINE®® CONTACT INFO81 6.4 SHOPPING ................................................. 37 13.2 DISNEY MAGIC AND WONDER 6.5 QUARTERMASTERS - THE ARCADE ...... 37 SPECIFICATIONS............................................... 81 6.6 CIGAR AND BRANDY SOCIAL.................. 38 13.3 SMOKING................................................. 82 2 13.4 GAMBLING ............................................... 82 13.13 BUBBLES ............................................... 87 13.5 MONEY..................................................... 82 13.14 SPACE SHUTTLE LAUNCHES ............. 87 13.6 THE CASTAWAY CLUB........................... 82 13.15 SHIPBOARD PHOTOGRAPHY ............. 87 13.7 WEDDINGS HONEYMOONS AND REUNIONS 13.16 SPECIAL NEEDS …………………………83 ............................................................................. 83 13.17 HOLIDAYS……………………….. 13.8 COMMUNICATING AT SEA..................... 85 13.9 HIDDEN MICKEYS.................................. 85 13.10 BRIDGE TOURS..................................... 85 13.11 SEA SICKNESS...................................... 85 13.12 MEDICAL FACILITIES............................ 86 0. 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