You’ve made the BIG decision.
You are going on a Disney Cruise.
Congratulations, you made a great decision.

Cruising with Disney is always special. Just like visiting a Disney theme park, a few veteran tricks makes the world of difference between being AHEAD of the crowd and being IN the crowd.

Planning before you go is important, but once you board the boat, there are still a few things you can do to stay ahead of the crowd and make your cruise even more magical.

Departure Day - Get To The Port Early

Check-in at Port Canaveral,Florida begins as early as 10:30am on the day of your departure. Getting there as close to that time will pay off a few hours later when boarding begins.

If you planned a flight to Florida the morning of departure day, give serious consideration to arriving the day before. Not only will it allow you to easily arrive at the port by 10:30am on departure day, it provides a little extra insurance to make sure you don’t miss your cruise!

Let’s assume you had a 10am flight for the morning of your cruise departure day and you are scheduled to arrive in Florida at 1pm. You should make it to the port (about an hour away from Orlando Airport) in plenty of time for the scheduled 5pm departure of the boat… but what if the 10am flight was cancelled because of bad weather or mechanical problems and the next flight the airline could get your whole family on didn’t arrive in Florida until 4pm. Sadly, you will most likely be on the dock at 5pm, waiving to the boat as it leaves.

Once you check-in, you will be given a group number. Each group has about 50 people in it and the earlier you check in, the lower your group number will be. The stated boarding time is 1pm but Disney usually begins boarding groups by 12:30pm, sometimes even earlier than that. There are plenty of things to see in the terminal and Disney friends will also help pass the time before boarding begins. If you are in one of the first groups to board, you will have an extra 4 hours or more before the ship even leaves the dock!

Once you board the ship, you will be directed to the lunch buffet. You might want to seriously consider skipping breakfast (or having a really light meal) and by all means, don’t buy any food in the terminal while you wait to board the ship. Once you have seen the lunch buffet, you will understand why.

Depending on how early you board, your stateroom will probably not be ready. Plan ahead and pack a day bag to carry on the boat. You might want to consider wearing or bringing a bathing suit. It is very quiet at the pools as people board the boat. Plan ahead and you could be lounging by the pool with a cool drink while you watch the rest of the guests go through the normal first day hysteria of running back and forth to book excursions and explore the ship.

Sea Sickness - Do Not Let It Ruin Your Cruise

Sea-sickness is not a good feeling and it can ruin your cruise quickly. Don’t be intimidated by it by being ready for it.

Preventative measures and remedies range from wrist bands that use pressure points to alleviate the symptoms, to over-the-counter medications, prescription patches and health food supplements. I highly recommend consulting your doctor and ask them what they suggest for you and your family. My “secret” remedy?… ginger pills! They calm the stomach and are very effective at preventing sea-sickness for me.

Join The Party - This Is No Time To Be A Wallflower

From the moment the ship leaves at 5pm on that first day and the Sail-Away Celebration kicks it off, the entire cruise is one big party. Disney gives you plenty of opportunities to be pulled into the fun. Let them pull you in. Don’t stand on the sidelines and watch people on the dance floor. Get up, grab someone to dance with and make your way onto the floor.

If your cruise has the “Pirates IN the Caribbean” night, dress like a pirate and join the fun! If they ask you to participate, raise your hand and volunteer.

You will be glad you did.

Visit the author’s detailed, illustrated article Disney Cruise Insider Tips for more free tips and tricks from a Disney Cruise veteran… and make sure you spend a little time in Suzy’s Garden - a great place for more gardening and crafting information and fun !

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