Showing posts with label cruising tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cruising tips. Show all posts
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.jpg "viking rhone river cruise- answers to your most frequently asked questions")
Happy Monday friends! Today I am so excited to start sharing about the recent trip to France that I took with my mom through Viking River Cruises. I know I have already shared this before, but this trip was life-changing in deep and profound ways. Traveling on the Rhone River was absolutely breath-taking and I definitely have fallen in love with that area of the world. Experiencing it on Viking was something that I will never forget, and I would recommend everyone take this Rhone River Cruise at least once in their lifetime. It was just simply amazing.
In the next couple of weeks I am going to be sharing all about the cruise, including our stateroom, the cruise itself, the excursions, the people, the incredible crew, and so many fun things, including our entire Rhone River itinerary for those of you that may want to do this exact trip in the future. (And just a side note- right now through May 31st Viking is offering a special 2-for-1 deal on this and many of their cruises and some even include FREE airfare! You can check out this incredible deal HERE!)
To start things off I wanted to spend a little bit answering the most frequently asked questions that I received prior to the trip, during our cruise, and since I have returned. Some answers to questions I was asked you can find on Vikings Frequently Asked Questions Page (HERE) so I am not answering those but am trying to answer questions that aren't covered on their page. If you still have questions after this post please feel free to leave a question in the comment section below and I will answer it! So here we go...
1. I heard that Viking River Cruises are just for seniors or those who are 60+ in age- is this true?
This is probably the #1 question that I received across the board from so many people. I discussed this last time regarding our Rhine River Cruise with Viking, but I definitely got a lot of questions about this. On the Rhine River Cruise I made good friends and there were definitely a mixture of ages that attended. After going on this particular cruise I walked away thinking a couple of different things.
First, in general Viking River Cruises don't have a predominately young crowd but that doesn't mean that there isn't a lot of variety of ages on the cruises that they offer. On the Rhine River Cruise I would say that about 1/3 were over 60 years old, 1/3 was in their 40s through 60s, and a 1/3 were younger. I believe that the wide ranges of ages on that cruise was that it was over the holiday season. On this cruise it was not a holiday season (nor the height of summer season) and so one of the reasons that this didn't have as much of a mixture was simply due to work schedules, family commitments, and a variety of responsibilities that allows people to only travel at some specific times of the year. I think that if you are looking for a mix of ages that the holiday cruises would be the surest bet, but think you will find at least some age variety on each cruise. For this Rhone River Cruise there were maybe about 5 or 6 people my age and the rest fell into an older demographic- so more like 1/2 being 50s-60s and the other half being 60s and above.
Second, while Viking has not marketed themselves as a "college cruise ship" many people of all ages are starting to realize the wise investment that Viking actually is compared to some of the ship offerings of other cruise lines that appear to be cheaper. I will talk about this more in a minute!
Third, I think the real question is whether or not younger people will be bored on the cruise ship if it is for those that are older. That could not have been farther from the truth. Let me answer that question next...
2. Since it appears to be for those of an older generation will I be bored if I take this cruise?
My answer to this question is two-fold. First, I think that it depends on what you are looking for in a cruise. If you are looking for a party ship and want to just head to the Caribbean, lay out on the beach, and not think about anything than you may find this to be a bit overwhelming. Not boring- the exact opposite. Second, the days are so busy that if you are bored it is simply because you picked the wrong type of cruise to come on.
I think it is important to note going into a Viking Cruise that when they say it is a trip of a lifetime filled with amazing sites, amazing culture, and amazing learning they are not being flippant with that statement. This is definitely not the cruise to take if you don't want to be immersed in beauty, culture, inspiration, and see a ton of things.
The days are PACKED full of excursions and opportunities to really delve into the culture of where you are. I "studied abroad" (trip was cut short due to 9/11) in Europe when I was in college and spent only a few days in Paris. For our Rhine River Cruise we spent a day in both Colmar and Strausburg (which I adored), but other than that I would not even come close to claiming I know much about France. For this, I walked away feeling like I had truly seen an overview of the Rhone River area through this cruise and fell in love with it. I participated in nearly every single excursion that was included (plus an additional one that we purchased) and my day often started at 6 am to get ready for the day, then breakfast, then an excursion, then lunch, then an afternoon activity or excursion, then dinner and then there was the option for after dinner activities.
It was full.
It was non-stop.
It was just amazing.
It was full.
It was non-stop.
It was just amazing.
Now many people flexed the schedule and chose to relax or not join in on every excursion (choosing to see the town or village that we were near at their own pace) but either way bored was never a word that was whispered or said among anyone.
3. Viking Cruises look wonderful but they are so expensive that I could never afford one. Is it really worth the investment?
Yes. Yes. Yes.
Honestly as I started to do a comparative cost rate on Viking versus other cruises that I have been on I was shocked to realize how cost effective Viking actually is. On the Rhone River Cruise that we were on we had included excursions for every single day that we were on the boat. While there was the option to purchase additional excursions most people did not and those that did paid at most $289 (for a full day excursion of 9 hours). We chose to do an optional excursion which I will share about and the cost would have been $119 for each of us. Due to a media discount for this collaboration it was discounted 50%, but the excursion was so good I would recommend it completely.
Compared to other cruises that I have done where each excursion ranges from $100 to $500+ the fact that all of the excursions were included is a HUGE selling point to me immediately. In my opinion most people go on cruises to see different places and typically you have to purchase the things that you are doing on top of the cost of the cruise that you have purchased. That quickly adds up and pretty soon you are spending a lot of money simply to get off the boat. That is not the case at all in this situation since there are included excursions each day.
Another thing that is very cost effective about the Viking Cruises is the included alcohol and drinks. Now Viking does offer a package at a discount for day time alcohol/special alcohol or wine products but at every meal (and sometimes even when you got back from excursions!) you have the offering of the house wines and beer that are simply a part of the package. This includes soft drinks and juices for those who are not drinkers. And for those who love water like me there is an unlimited supply of bottled water in your stateroom. Absolutely wonderful!
I think one of the main things that is an amazing selling point also for Viking Cruises is the fact that there are so many deals that they constantly are offering (like their 2-for-1 sales that I mentioned above). On our last cruise there was a couple on their honeymoon and on this cruise there were several celebrating anniversaries and other special occasions. One of the ladies and I were talking and she said that she had compared all of the costs for where to go for their anniversary. After researching, she realized that they could fly to Europe for the cost of one person through Viking and get to see France together (something that they thought they would have to wait another 5 or 10 years to do) for under $4000! They said that they started saving for this trip and it was the best investment that they could have done for their marriage. They were so sweet and they truly made a good point.
4. Did you have access to the internet?
I am giggling a bit as I write this because yes, technically, you do have wi-fi, but it was a little slow sometimes. As this was a collaboration trip, I had planned on posting everyday, making reels, etc... and honestly I quickly realized that I wanted to immerse myself fully in the trip and was so thankful Viking was supportive of that. I personally found the wi-fi to be fine because my focus was on the trip itself, but depending on your needs and desires you may find it a little slow... which is common on any cruise that I have taken.
5. Are you fluent in French? Did you have to know French for this Rhone River Cruise?
The simple answer to this is no. Everything on Viking (including the local tour guides) uses English as the official language.
I am giggling again because if you know me well then you know that I have always wanted to be fluent in French and quietly work on it behind the scenes but I knew immediately that while I was able to understand somethings, I was out of my element. Here is what I found friends...as I took time to explore on my own and spoke with people they were more than exceptionally kind. Everyone that I ran into- even in the smaller villages spoke English fluently and was kind enough to speak that to me (despite the fact that I was in their country). We encountered some of the kindest people on this trip and I am grateful for their patience.
6. What are the other passengers like? Are the other passengers nice? Are the passengers all rich? Etc.
These questions (and a variety of versions of them) made me smile because there were a lot of them. I think that the Viking Marketing team has done an amazing job to show that you will be on a 5-star resort vacation on their cruises. With that comes so perhaps pre-conceived pre-judgment without truly any basis. On this trip I felt like I truly was able to talk with everyone and what was nice was that unlike the last trip, no one knew who I was or that I was a blogger on the trip. So yes, I do admit that there were a handful of people who were proud to just share all about their previous cruising experiences and where they had traveled to, BUT 99% of majority of people on board were sweet and kind people who were excited to have the experience with loved ones and friends.
At the end of the day I think that this is like any cruise or vacation experience- I think you choose who you hang out with and what you take away from any experience- the good and the bad. But if you are looking for the bad you will be hard pressed to find it as it was just amazing.
7. What were the crew on the Viking Delling like?
Incredible. Incomparable.
I do want to say as a disclaimer that this had nothing to do with the fact that I was doing a collaboration with Viking. With the exception of the senior staff no one on the crew really knew that I was doing a collaboration with Viking and it was incredible to watch. It wasn't just me - it was every single person who was treated with respect and kindness. I saw people kindly respond to guests who may have been a bit disrespectful and still were gracious. I saw crew go out of their way to try to bring happiness and kindness. I saw crew go the extra mile not only for the guests but for each other.
Captain Francois, First Officer Francisco, Hotel Manager Daniel, Program Director Nuno, Executive Chef Adam, Maitre D David, and the entire crew of the Viking Delling are nothing short of incredible. I will be sharing more in detail about different crew and roles in the weeks to come, but in the meantime I can't speak enough about this specific crew.
8. You have mentioned several times that the experience was life-changing. How So? Can you please share more?
As the weeks continue I will be sharing more, but for now, please know that both trips with Viking have been incredible... but this one... I have walked away deeply changed.
9. Did you have a favorite town/village/city you visited?
Honestly, this is so hard for me to choose. I loved the whole region and area... each place was so different in unique ways... maybe Viviers, Arles, and Peruges? Hmmm... it is to difficult to pick! *smiles*
10. Do you have some favorite memories from the trip?
There are so many to choose from.... but a few of my favorites were... spending time with my mom, falling in love with the Rhone River region, the charming towns and villages, the incredible crew, extended time on a boat, the unique opportunity to get to spend time with the senior staff, the opportunity to have conversations with the captain, sitting on our balcony cruising, walks in the villages, new friendships that were made, inspiration from so many things, and so many more things...
I hope that these answers helped! If you have any additional questions that I didn't answer please let me know in the comments and I will be happy to answer them for you! I can't wait to start sharing next week pictures and details from the cruise. It was amazing!!
Happy Monday friends!
If you are heading on a river cruise and worried about forgetting something- don't worry! This list below will help remind you of 5 things not to forget in your planning!
1. Local Currency
1. Local Currency
One of the most important things that you can do to prepare and bring on your trip is some of the local currency where you will be going. You can do this ahead of time at your bank or at a local vendor which will result in less fees than if you use a money exchange booth in an airport. While some people would prefer to use their credit cards - which is great, you will still need to have money for tips or for small shops that don't take credit cards so make sure to prepare for this ahead of time. (Also if you are going on a river cruise around the holiday season and plan to visit the European markets, like in Colmar, you will need to have local currency for this!)
Looking for a cute wallet to travel with to hold all of your different cards and some local currency? THIS ONE and I love because it contains a space for your passport also!
2. Passport Holder/Wallet
You will need to have your passport with you and I would definitely recommend carrying it with you at all times while you are on excursions. I use my wallet which is an older beautiful green Travel & Passport Wallet that is no longer available, but is very similar to THIS ONE (I mentioned above) and I love it!
2. Passport Holder/Wallet
You will need to have your passport with you and I would definitely recommend carrying it with you at all times while you are on excursions. I use my wallet which is an older beautiful green Travel & Passport Wallet that is no longer available, but is very similar to THIS ONE (I mentioned above) and I love it!
If you are looking just for a Passport Holder and don't want the entire wallet- there are so many different adorable passport holders that are available today! A favorite I found (for less than $10!) is THIS ONE (which has more than 21,000 amazing reviews and comes in TONS of different colors!!) The best thing is that many of the colors are currently are on sale!
3. OTC Medications
While it is true that you can purchase all different over the counter medication when you are off the ship- it can be more pricey and also be difficult to find depending on where you are traveling. Sometimes on river cruises there is not a doctor but there is a basic first aid kit available. You will want to think ahead and bring some of your own items.
Prone to seasickness when you travel? Definitely check out my post 4 Ways to Prevent Motion Sickness when Traveling by clicking HERE!
Even though river cruising is an excellent choice for those who are prone to seasickness, there were still some people who said the movement on our cruise was difficult to them. A lot of people use Dramamine (or the patch) for motion sickness on a cruise which is a wonderful option, but ginger can be a great natural resource to help with nausea. You can read more about ginger and its health benefits by clicking HERE. I have mentioned this in several posts but I swear by THIS ginger here. It is organic and for less than $13 you can save yourself a whole lot of sickness!
4. Comfortable Shoes/Sandals
I shared this in my post, 13 Must Pack Items for Your Caribbean Cruise, but it is a definite thing to remember. Pack comfortable shoes and sandals!! You definitely want to look cute and have fun, but you don't want your cruise ruined by blisters either so take the time to pick out cute and comfy shoes. On a river cruise you do TONS of walking and you will want to make sure your shoes are comfortable!
5. A Watch
I was surprised to hear this suggestion from those who had done a lot of river cruising but honestly, have now seen the value in having a watch. One of the best parts of a cruise is having the chance to take a break from the "real world" and simply enjoy the moment. But if you are wanting to make sure that you are ready to meet for excursions, meal times, etc. and want to put away the phone, you will want to know the time. I LOVE my fitbit versa and totally recommend it! You can find it HERE!
What about y'all? Any items that you wish that you had brought on your first European river cruise that you would recommend to a first-time cruiser?
Check out more cruise tips by clicking on the links below:
Check out more cruise tips by clicking on the links below:
Curious to find out more about our upcoming trip with Viking or the one that we took with Viking Cruises in 2017? Click on the posts below:
Viking River Cruise (2025): // A Beautiful Upcoming Blog Collaboration //
Viking River Cruise (2017-2018): // Viking River Cruises: Answers to Your Most FAQ's //
// Viking Eir Ship Review // Viking Eir Stateroom 203 Review // Viking Eir Food and Dining Review //
// A Brief History of Old Town Colmar // Saint Martin's Collegiate Church (Place de la Cathedrale)//
As time has gone on and I have done numerous ocean and river cruising I started compiling a list of things that I wished someone would have told me to bring on my first cruise! So if you are packed and ready to leave on your first cruise and are afraid of forgetting something- don't worry! This list below will help remind you of 15 things that most people forget to bring on their first cruise!
I shared this as my #1 suggestion in my post, 16 unexpected things to bring on every cruise, and I still say it is the #1 thing to bring. This is a great way to have dozens of small size compartments for a variety of different things and helps to add extra storage to the small staterooms that exist. I purchased THIS ONE from Amazon for less than $12 and I have now used it on the Disney Cruise, Royal Caribbean Cruise, and the Viking River Cruise and plan to use it on all future cruises!
2. White Noise/Fan
For years I have been sleeping with a fans and have loved the "white noise" that they provide as I am a very light sleeper. Sometimes the walls on a cruise ship can be exceptionally thin (even less than a typical hotel room) and a small fan or white noise machine can be very helpful, especially if you have young kiddos who go to bed before others. There are lots of different options but I have used THIS ONE from Amazon and found it incredibly helpful. You also can't beat the price for less than $45! AND it is less than 3 pounds!!
3. Small Umbrella
Depending on where you are traveling to and your destinations you may want to bring an umbrella. I know that for the New England/Canada cruises I took a few years ago this was incredibly helpful (especially for a day in rainy Portland)! If you forget to bring this some cruise ships do have extra umbrellas so make sure you ask at the beginning of your cruise for this! There are so many adorable ones that are available but I loved THIS ONE in blue that I found on Amazon (it is also less than $14)!
4. Laundry Bags
Throwing in a set of laundry bags makes it incredibly easy to separate your dirty clothes at the end of each day so that when you get home everything is already in the bag and can easily be cleaned. One tip that I learned from a seasoned cruiser was to take several different laundry bags and separate them - one for whites, one for reds, one for darks, one for cleaning, etc. I personally love THIS set of laundry bags from Amazon. For less than $10 you receive 7 different bags and can separate things in a variety of ways making laundry when you return home incredibly easy.
5. OTC Medication
While it is true that you can purchase all different over the counter medication on your cruise it will cost you substantially more than if you brought it on board. Think ahead and bring some of your own. Prone to seasickness? A lot of people use Dramamine (or the patch) for motion sickness on a cruise which is a wonderful option, but ginger can be a great natural resource to help with nausea. You can read more about ginger and its health benefits by clicking HERE. I have mentioned this in several posts but I swear by THIS ginger here. For less than $8 you can save yourself a whole lot of sickness!
6. Comfortable Shoes/Sandals
I shared this in my post, 13 Must Pack Items for Your Caribbean Cruise, but it is a definite thing to remember. Pack comfortable shoes and sandals!! If you are a girly-girl like me you want to look cute and fun, but you don't want your cruise ruined by blisters either so take the time to pick out cute and comfy sandals.
7. A Watch
I was surprised to hear this suggestion from those who had cruised a lot but honestly, have now seen the value in having a watch. One of the best parts of a cruise is having the chance to take a break from the "real world" and simply enjoy the moment. But if you are like me I have grown accustomed to look at my phone for the time and frankly when I cruise I didn't want to use my phone at all so a watch is the best option. I shared in my post, 5 must pack items for a Disney Cruise, that the Disney Cruise Line has less clocks on board than any other cruise line. This is wonderful if you want to live fully in the moment, but you don't want to miss any exciting adventures on the ship either so make sure to throw in a watch and set it to ship time to keep up with all of your fun activities!
I personally have loved my FitBit Versa as it works as a watch but also tracks important health things that I am watching right now. If you are looking for a FitBit I honestly can't recommend it enough and if you are cruising with a chronic illness (see more tips HERE) this is also an excellent way to help monitor everything. A side note for those who are wanting to be connected to text messages but not their phone on cruises this also can be connected (or disconnected if you want) from and to your FitBit.
8. Extra Hangers
Depending on who you are traveling with you might want to bring extra hangers. Many cruise ships will provide more if you request them, but if you are going on a long cruise or like to hang everything instead of using the drawers you might want to consider this tip! I love THESE and the price is a great price at less than $13!
For years I have been sleeping with a fans and have loved the "white noise" that they provide as I am a very light sleeper. Sometimes the walls on a cruise ship can be exceptionally thin (even less than a typical hotel room) and a small fan or white noise machine can be very helpful, especially if you have young kiddos who go to bed before others. There are lots of different options but I have used THIS ONE from Amazon and found it incredibly helpful. You also can't beat the price for less than $45! AND it is less than 3 pounds!!
Depending on where you are traveling to and your destinations you may want to bring an umbrella. I know that for the New England/Canada cruises I took a few years ago this was incredibly helpful (especially for a day in rainy Portland)! If you forget to bring this some cruise ships do have extra umbrellas so make sure you ask at the beginning of your cruise for this! There are so many adorable ones that are available but I loved THIS ONE in blue that I found on Amazon (it is also less than $14)!
Throwing in a set of laundry bags makes it incredibly easy to separate your dirty clothes at the end of each day so that when you get home everything is already in the bag and can easily be cleaned. One tip that I learned from a seasoned cruiser was to take several different laundry bags and separate them - one for whites, one for reds, one for darks, one for cleaning, etc. I personally love THIS set of laundry bags from Amazon. For less than $10 you receive 7 different bags and can separate things in a variety of ways making laundry when you return home incredibly easy.
5. OTC Medication
While it is true that you can purchase all different over the counter medication on your cruise it will cost you substantially more than if you brought it on board. Think ahead and bring some of your own. Prone to seasickness? A lot of people use Dramamine (or the patch) for motion sickness on a cruise which is a wonderful option, but ginger can be a great natural resource to help with nausea. You can read more about ginger and its health benefits by clicking HERE. I have mentioned this in several posts but I swear by THIS ginger here. For less than $8 you can save yourself a whole lot of sickness!
6. Comfortable Shoes/Sandals
I shared this in my post, 13 Must Pack Items for Your Caribbean Cruise, but it is a definite thing to remember. Pack comfortable shoes and sandals!! If you are a girly-girl like me you want to look cute and fun, but you don't want your cruise ruined by blisters either so take the time to pick out cute and comfy sandals.
7. A Watch
I was surprised to hear this suggestion from those who had cruised a lot but honestly, have now seen the value in having a watch. One of the best parts of a cruise is having the chance to take a break from the "real world" and simply enjoy the moment. But if you are like me I have grown accustomed to look at my phone for the time and frankly when I cruise I didn't want to use my phone at all so a watch is the best option. I shared in my post, 5 must pack items for a Disney Cruise, that the Disney Cruise Line has less clocks on board than any other cruise line. This is wonderful if you want to live fully in the moment, but you don't want to miss any exciting adventures on the ship either so make sure to throw in a watch and set it to ship time to keep up with all of your fun activities!
I personally have loved my FitBit Versa as it works as a watch but also tracks important health things that I am watching right now. If you are looking for a FitBit I honestly can't recommend it enough and if you are cruising with a chronic illness (see more tips HERE) this is also an excellent way to help monitor everything. A side note for those who are wanting to be connected to text messages but not their phone on cruises this also can be connected (or disconnected if you want) from and to your FitBit.
Depending on who you are traveling with you might want to bring extra hangers. Many cruise ships will provide more if you request them, but if you are going on a long cruise or like to hang everything instead of using the drawers you might want to consider this tip! I love THESE and the price is a great price at less than $13!
9. Power Strip
What may come as a surprise for first-time cruisers is that there are very limited outlets in each stateroom. A power strip is incredibly helpful for short and long cruises. I purchased and have loved THIS ONE from Amazon because it comes with a surge protector and extra space between a couple of the outlets for larger items.
10. Extension Cord
I shared this in my 10 Must Pack Items for a New England and Canadian Cruise post, but it is helpful for any cruise. Having an extension cord allows you to maneuver to set up your power strip (see #9) where it is convenient for you in the room. This is a definite item that I now bring on every single cruise! I bought THIS ONE (less than $6!) but there are literally so many you could choose from depending on what you are looking for. The one that I use (HERE) is about $5 and just stays in my suitcase (which I LOVE) for all of my travel adventures.
10. Extension Cord
I shared this in my 10 Must Pack Items for a New England and Canadian Cruise post, but it is helpful for any cruise. Having an extension cord allows you to maneuver to set up your power strip (see #9) where it is convenient for you in the room. This is a definite item that I now bring on every single cruise! I bought THIS ONE (less than $6!) but there are literally so many you could choose from depending on what you are looking for. The one that I use (HERE) is about $5 and just stays in my suitcase (which I LOVE) for all of my travel adventures.
What about y'all? Any items that you wish that you had brought on your first cruise that you would recommend to a first-time cruiser?
Looking for more Cruising Tips? Check out the blog or click on the links below for more tips and ideas for a fabulous and cozy luxury adventure!
Looking for more Cruising Tips? Check out the blog or click on the links below for more tips and ideas for a fabulous and cozy luxury adventure!
Disney cruises are hands-down absolutely amazing. Back in 2016 my sister and I went on a Disney cruise to the Bahamas and it was absolutely delightful and one of my favorite cruises I have gone on!
At the time I took that Disney Cruise that was my third time cruising, but my first time cruising with Disney. Every aspect from the ship to our amazing stateroom to the exceptional dining to the fabulous shows were honestly fantastic! At that time my sister had never been on a cruise and I was confident that she would love it and it was so fun to get to experience a Disney Cruise for the first time together and we can not wait for this upcoming one!
Every cruise line is unique and Disney was no exception! When it came to packing for the Disney cruise I referred to my own blog posts for some cruising tips, including the one on the top 13 must pack items for a Caribbean cruise and also my most popular Pinterest Pin of all time, 16 unexpected items to bring on every cruise. (On a side note y'all- thank you so much for helping share, re-pin, and connect on Pinterest and all of my social media sites. I am truly incredibly honored!)
After reading these I still searching for some Disney specific cruise packing information but couldn't find any really helpful specific posts for the cruise to the Bahamas so I thought I would share my top 5 must pack items that I found helpful after taking a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas:
Unlike some of the other cruise lines, Disney Cruise Line has a size specific carry-on luggage requirement. Disney requires that each carry-on luggage can be no larger than 22 inches wide, 14 inches high, and 9 inches deep. If you plan to bring a carry-on bag with you after you have checked your luggage than I recommend making sure your carry-on meets this specific size requirement. As we were embarking we saw people having to turn their bags over to get later on at their staterooms because they were not matching the size specific requirements.
This is my FAVORITE carry on luggage (and it is currently 25% off!!)! I have had it for SIX years and it still acts and looks brand new and wouldn't consider investing in another carry on in the future except for this one! Find it HERE!
A quick side note: The Embarkation process for a Disney Cruise was one of best and easiest I have ever experienced. It was absolutely phenomenal and you can read more about it HERE.
To read more about Disney's Embarkation process check out these posts:
// 7 Tips for a Perfect Embarkation Experience on a Disney Cruise //
A quick side note: The Embarkation process for a Disney Cruise was one of best and easiest I have ever experienced. It was absolutely phenomenal and you can read more about it HERE.
To read more about Disney's Embarkation process check out these posts:
// 7 Tips for a Perfect Embarkation Experience on a Disney Cruise //
(2)A Travel Mug
I mentioned bringing a coffee mug with you on a cruise in my 16 unexpected items to bring on every cruise post, but for Disney think one step above this. On each of the Disney Cruise Line ships there are 24 hour water, coffee/tea, and soft-drink stations available on the pool decks but the cups that are provided are extremely small. Bringing a travel mug with you allows you to fill up and get back to enjoying the ship without having to make numerous trips to refill your small cup.
To read more helpful cruise packing tips check out these posts:
To read more helpful cruise packing tips check out these posts:
(3) A Keepsake for the Characters to Sign
One of the great things about a Disney Cruise is all of the opportunities to live in a magical world for a few days and one of the ways that Disney incorporates this is with character signing. When you get on board the ship, simply stop by guest services and drop it. When you do so it will be returned to you "magically" before you get off! The sky is the limit on what you can have signed but a fun idea would be a picture mat that the characters could sign that you could use to frame a picture from the cruise. (If you want to ensure that you have the "color scheme" that you want used make sure to include your own markers with the item that you are dropping off to get signed!) You can drop off a maximum of two items for each stateroom so choose wisely and leave your item early on in your cruise!
To read more about some of the amazing aspects of a Disney Cruise check out these posts:
// Disney Dream Ship Review //
To read more about some of the amazing aspects of a Disney Cruise check out these posts:
// Disney Dream Ship Review //
(4) A Pirate Costume for Pirate Night
Every Disney Cruise Line ship has at least one pirate themed dinner evening and from everyone that I have talked with people really get into this which is so fun! I was told by everyone that all of the cast and crew also dress in pirate-themed uniforms and to top off the evening there are tons of special shows, lights and fireworks. (Disney Cruise Line is the only cruise line to have its own firework display which is really neat!) And guess what? Every member of your group will receive a bandanna for Pirate night that will be waiting for you in your stateroom when you get on board! If you are looking for fun ideas for Disney's pirate night check out Pinterest- there are so many fun ideas!
(5) A Watch
I was surprised to hear this from several different people that have traveled with Disney but it was so incredibly helpful to wear a watch! One of the best parts of a cruise is having the chance to take a break from the "real world" and simply enjoy the moment without looking at our phones. But if you are like me I often use my phone to let me know what time of the day it is and not using my phone ... well I will need to know what time it is. One unique thing about Disney Cruise Line is that they have less clocks on board than any other cruise ship line. This is wonderful as it lets you fully live in the moment but you don't want to miss any exciting adventure on the ship either! So make sure to throw in a watch and set it to the ship time to keep up with all of your fun activities!
If you know me personally you know I love my fitbit versa 2! You can find it HERE!
Interested in reading all about a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas? If you would like to read more about specific things on our cruise you can read more by clicking the links below:
// Disney Dream Ship Review //
// Disney Dream Ship Review //
Looking for other Cruising tips? Check out my Travel Page HERE for tons of travel tips, inspiration, and cruising tips!
Looking to preserve your memories from your Disney trip or any other travel adventures? Check out my Etsy shop, December Caravan which is a boutique specializing in small heirloom journals that are inspired by a love of adventure and suspending beautiful moments in time. December Caravan has many travel journals available in the shop and every purchase donates a portion to charity! You can find the shop HERE!
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