Cruise During Certain Holidays
Disney goes all out for Halloween and Christmas cruises. While the sailings around Christmas are more expensive, they start celebrating as early as November 8. Halloween festivities start as early as September 7. Whether you prefer to have an excuse to wear your favourite ugly Christmas sweater or come up with an amazing themed family costumes. You wont regret it.;These are several things to keep in mind, as you put together your Disney cruise.
Taking advice from others who vacationed before you is one of the best ways to make your magical dreams come true! You can have someone take care of all this for you. Let an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, like OMC Blogger,;Jeremie from Pure Magic Vacations. They will work with you and offer port excursion suggestions for your family and even book them for you, if you want. Its all free!
Use The Small World Nursery
One of the main reasons that we decided to book with Disney was because of the Disney cruise nursery on board. The nursery is called the small world nursery and it was amazing for our children. Childcare for babies and toddlers is hard to come by at other resorts and having this service was amazing! We got to enjoy an AH-MAZING evening at Remy and we also booked our 8-month-old in for a few hours while we were at Castaway Cay with our older son. 8-month-old babies just dont really care for sand, unless they are eating it, and this way we got to have a little date with our older son.
The ladies at the small world nursery on the Disney cruise are amazing. They were all so caring and clearly very experienced with young kids. I loved that they gave me a full report on how my son did when we would come to pick him up. As I was still nursing they also had a nice area for me to sit and nurse my son when he got hungry. It was perfect. The small world nursery does cost extra, but given the cost of the cruise, it was a small fee to pay for an amazing service!
Check out this youtube video by PassPorter Guides that details the entire nursery space.
To Bring A Stroller Or Not To Bring A Stroller On A Cruise
Oh, we debated this one. With a family of five we had limited space in the stateroom, and I worried about the stroller being in the way. In the end, we brought it, and it was invaluable for getting on and off the ship. Getting on the ship she rode in style keeping our hands free. Getting off the ship, she wanted to be held so the stroller held all of our bags. Both times, I was glad to have it.
That said, once on board the ship we stowed the stroller under the bed and never pulled it back out. We saw many families with babies using their strollers around the ship, but we found it was easier to just carry her. Glad I brought it, but we really didnt use it on board.;
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What Do You Need To Take To Its A Small World Nursery
We suggest that you book as far in advance as you can. There are only 4 infants and 16 toddlers permitted in the Disney Cruise Nursery at any one time. This is subject to staffing levels of the Counselors.
The Its a Small World Nursery is very nicely decorated with a brightly colored Mary Blair influenced theme. The main area has lots of toys to play with.
Each Nursery also has a quiet area at the back of the room where your baby or toddler can sleep. There are full-size cribs available.
Things such as a favorite toy or blanket often help a child to settle in an unfamiliar environment.
You do need to bring your own diapers, wipes, spare clothes, formula, and food. It is also a good idea to bring anything which is likely to make your toddler or baby feel more at home.
Food is provided for lunch and dinner in the Nursery. However, this is only solid food. If your baby or toddler does not eat solid food you will need to bring your own.
The type of food provided is the usual toddler fare of mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. There will also be crackers and juice available for snacks. If you want your child to have anything different you need to provide it.
As you would expect, Disney cruise lines are very good when it comes to accommodating food allergies. Tell the Counsellors if your child has any special dietary requirements. Nuts and peanuts are not allowed in the Nursery or Kids Clubs.
Request A Crib Before You Sail
Disney Cruise Line will provide a free crib for your room if you request it. Theyll provide the bedding for it as well.
You can reserve a Pack n Play once your cruise is all paid by calling 800-951-3532. You can also request one at Guest Services once you are on-board, but since they are available on first come, first served basis, Id definitely make a reservation as early as you can.
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What You Will Need To Make These Cruise Door Decorations
To cut these Mickey and Minnie Halloween cruise door magnets by hand
Simply scroll down for the link and download, you can print these Cruise Mickey files on magnetic printable paper and cut out by hand or use print and cut with a Cricut or Silhouette machine.
To cut these Mickey And Minnie cruise door magnets out by hand you can print onto card and laminate, then cut out by hand, you will need to attach magnets to the back with this method.
If You Want To Use These Free Disney Cruise Door SVG Letters And Numbers For Cricut Or Silhouette?
Click the image below to get your free downloadable Disney Cruise Door Letters Free SVG/PNG files;and;follow these instructions;to add to Cricut Design Space.;If youre printing off and cutting out by hand you will need the JPEG version.
Cutting Your Disney Mickey and Minnie Halloween cruise door magnets On A Cricut or Silhouette
When you send your Disney Cruise Door Alphabet Free SVG/PNG files to your Cricut to cut, ensure you use your;brayer;to roll the paper, vinyl or;card;to adhere to the mat.;Movement will affect the cut.;What you will need;
- Magnetic printable paper
- or card and magnets
If your cutting mat looses its stickiness this will affect the quality of cut.;Also make sure your mat is in good condition.
Transferring Reservation To A Travel Agent
Disney has a policy for reservations booked directly with them and transferred to a travel agent.;This policy includes Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, and Aulani. Disney must approve all requested transfers.
- Reservations paid in full are not eligible to be transferred.
- Reservations that are not paid in full may only be requested within 30 days of the initial booking. .;
- If you booked your DCL reservation within the last 30 days, you could;;to see if they can save you money or apply a Shipboard Credit to your booking! *Deposit paid. Not paid in full. Other Restrictions Apply
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Save On Your Disney Dream Cruise
Do you want to save money on your Disney Dream Cruise? Of course you do! Call our partner,;Get Away Today;or visit them;online;to book your Disney Cruise vacation. In addition to the best information, you can get bonuses like extra on board credits and Mickey and Minnie plushes when you mention Travel Mamas sent you.;Book your Disney Cruise with Get Away Today now!
What Time Is Dinner Served On Disney Cruise Ships
Each evening on a Disney cruise, there are two seatings for dinner, the main or early seating, and the second or late seating. The early seating begins sometime between 5:45 PM and 6:15 PM . The late seating begins between 8:00 PM and 8:30 PM.
Your assigned seating time will be noted on the dining tickets youll find in your stateroom on embarkation day.
Want to change your seating time for your cruise? You can submit a request through DCLs;Planning Center.
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Things To Consider Before Cruising With A Baby
Most Cruise lines have a minimum age that must be met on embarkation day. For sailings of 7 days and under with no consecutive sea days it tends to be babies can sail from 6 months old. For more exotic itineraries and itineraries where there are consecutive sea days the minimum age is likely to be 1 year old. We recommend checking with your line their policies before booking a cruise with baby.;
For more tips on cruising with a baby or cruising with a toddler click on the post titles.
Disclaimer: Be sure to check rates and minimum of age for sailing with your chosen cruise line before booking.;
Its A Small World Nurserys Policies & Procedures:
I spoke with Manda, one of the lovely staff members, about the policies that Its a Small World Nursery follows. For infants aged 14mos. and younger, the ratio of staff to babies is 1-4. For older babies aged 14mos. and up, the ratio is 1-6. There is usually a staff of 8 standing by, but they can always call someone in if things get busy. On the Disney Dream, the maximum number of babies they could manage was 28. Manda anticipated the same for the Disney Fantasy. Reservations are recommended, but they can take walk-ins as capacity allows.
As with the Oceaneer Club and Lab, you can pre-register your kids online. Check under My Cruise Plans in your online cruise profile for the option for registering. Wristbands are not given for the little ones. The Its a Small World Nursery is open from 9am to 11pm sometimes opening at 7am and they offer open house time during the first two at-sea days.
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What Baby Equipment Does Disney Cruise Line Provide
2. Your Disney cruise provides a lot of FREE baby equipment
Disney Cruise Lines will provide the following baby items for free for your use while on board your ship:
- Crib and bedding
- Stroller with a canopy
- High chair in dining rooms
- Wagons at Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island that’s visited on Disney cruises in the Bahamas.
How to reserve baby equipment for a Disney cruise
You can reserve all of the baby items listed above after you have paid for your Disney cruise in full. You just need to call Disney Cruise Line guest services at 951-3532 and speak to a representative.
If you decide to bring your own stroller, I suggest an umbrella stroller or a compact folding stroller like the gb Pockit. Space in your stateroom is limited so packing as light as possible is a good idea.
Disney Cruise Line Pricing And Reservations
It is absolutely impossible to predict the price youll pay for your Disney Cruise, as there are several factors that influence this. First is the time of year that you will be cruising. Spring and Fall are usually the best time to find deals.;
Your best bet is to book your cruise as FAR IN ADVANCE as possible. Disney Cruise Line offers tier pricing, and you can find the best savings if you book early enough. There are also other discounts available on some Disney Cruise Line sailings.
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Most Cruise Cabins Don’t Have Bathtubs
Book Disney or a suite for bathtub access. Otherwise baby better like sponge baths or showers. Mine discovered during his first sponge bath in the shower that he could remove the drain cover and reach inside the dark recesses of the drain. That was the end of the sponge bath, and I’m not sure he ever got entirely clean for the rest of the cruise. Again, consider the inflatable tub/pool. Then again, as long as you wash baby’s hands and face, she can probably get away with a week of no bathing.
How Dcl Pricing Works
All cruises are priced based on two adults in the stateroom. So, even if you are one adult traveling with a child, the price is the same as two adults in the;stateroom. After the two adult prices, the third and fourth passengers in the stateroom are charged a lower rate. If you are traveling alone, DCL will charge you 100% of the second adults cruise fare ;in addition to;the full fare for the first adult.
**NOTE**;Teenagers will be Charged adult fares . Child rates apply to ages 3-12. Children ages 0-2 pay 50% of the child rate.
This does not impact access to areas of the ship that are designated as 18 and over .
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How Do I Feed My Baby On A Cruise Ship
Some cruise lines will mash or puree food for babies; others don’t offer this service. Check with your cruise line before you sail. If cruise ship restaurants won’t provide purees, you can either bring your own pre-packaged and unopened jars or pouches of baby food onboard or see if the line offers in-cabin delivery of baby food through its Gifts program.
Either way, you might want to bring a supply of food — particularly snacks — for use during shore excursions and as a backup if your baby is a fussy eater. Cruise ship restaurants have highchairs available.
If your baby is a milk or formula drinker, you should double check that your ship carries the type of milk your baby likes. You will need to bring your own formula onboard. Also, research in-cabin refrigeration options, especially if you plan on storing breast milk. Minibars don’t always run as cold as your fridge at home. You may bring distilled water for use with powdered formulas, but most lines have it for sale as well.
Note that you are on your own for bringing — and washing — your bottles, sippy cups, baby spoons, bibs and other infant feeding essentials. Though some lines, such as Disney, offer sterilizers for in-cabin use.
Complimentary Items Available Onboard
To make packing easier and parents worry much less, you can find all of these items onboard to use, completely free of charge.
- Diaper disposal units, bottle warmers, bottle sterilizers, cribs and playpens are available upon request from the stateroom host/hostess.
- Strollers are available at Guest Services.
- Pack-n-Play portable cribs are available. Your stateroom host or hostess can set the crib up and take it down for you each day.
- High chairs are available at all of the restaurants onboard.
- At Castaway Cay, Disneys private island in the Bahamas, complimentary wagons are available to facilitate navigating the islands sandy beaches.
- Fresh pureed vegetables can be prepared at the main dining rooms and through room service, upon request.
All complimentary services and amenities are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Your Waiter Will Puree Or Cut Up Food For Your Child
Again, the principle of just ask works wonders here. Just ask your waiter if he or she is able to puree your infants food Remember, they cater to families, so this is a pretty common request for them. This can be a big saver of luggage space!
This is only available in the three main restaurants. Also, you can add a note to your stateroom reservation preference letting them know youd like this done.
Tip: you might want to bring small plastic containers with lids. Each night there will be more pureed food than your child can eat. Put the leftovers in your containers to keep in your stateroom refrigerator.
Items Available For Purchase
So youre onboard on Day 1 and ready to have a magical vacation with your family when you realize you left a few things at home that baby will need. No worries! Disney Cruise Line has a wide selection of baby items available for purchase at the onboard merchandise stores. These include the following:
- Diapers
- Infant formula
- Bottles
- Baby lotion
- Baby powder
Please note: Guests may bring baby food and formula onboard the ship as carry-on items as long as they are pre-packaged, unopened and do not require any food preparation from the kitchen .
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Disney Cruise Food For Toddlers
There are so many great choices of food on a Disney Cruise you will not know where to begin! However, we all know that toddlers are not always the easiest of ones to please when it comes to food.
Not to worry there are plenty of options for even the pickiest of eater on a Disney Cruise.
You may already know that Disney cruises do dining very differently to other cruise lines. On each of the Disney ships, there are 3 main dining restaurants. These restaurants operate on what is known as the Rotational Dining system.
What is Rotational Dining? It means that each night you will dine in a different restaurant. As most of the Disney cruises are at least 3 nights long this means that you will dine in each restaurant at least once.
There are two seatings for dinner. Early dining starts at 5.45 pm and late dining is at 8.15 pm. Most families with young children will want to choose the early dining time. There are not many toddlers who are going to want to wait past 8 pm for their meal!
Early dining is the most popular choice, which may mean it is not available at the time you request it before your cruise. As soon as you book your cruise you will see online whether or not early dining is still available.
If early dining is not available online then you can request to be put on a waitlist. Disney cruise lines will do everything possible to help guests get the time they want. However, sometimes you have to wait until you are on board to see if this request will be granted.