Why welcome back aboard planDisney, Emmanuel!
It's so great to see you sailing in again for more bits of advice and nautical knowledge from the planDisney team. You must be eagerly looking forward to your
4-Night Disney Magic at Sea Cruise from Sydney at the end of the year, and I'm glad you managed to snag one of those highly-sought after sessions at
Senses Spa & Salon! Now as a seasoned sailor who has lived and worked on board the
Disney Wonder myself, I'm happy to provide you with some insight on your Embarkation Day itinerary so you don't miss out on the scheduled happenings that you seek:
- From the information available to Crew Members at the current time, the guest All Aboard time at Sydney's Overseas Passenger Terminal in Circular Quay appears to be set for 4:45 P.M. AEDT (Australian Eastern Daylight Time) with with Disney Wonder expected to leave her berth by 5:45 P.M. AEDT. This should make for some absolutely stunning sunset opportunities as you sail away!
- Looking at the most recent schedules that fellow seafarers on the Disney Wonder have experienced on this year's voyages, once all guests are accounted for prior to All Aboard time the Mandatory Guest Assembly Drill typically takes place which is almost immediately followed by the Entertainment team and some famous friends kicking off the celebrations with Mickey’s Sail-A-Wave Party! They typically make sure that eager deck party attendees have enough time to make their way up to Deck 9 to join in the fun, and this particular deck party currently clocks in at under 9 minutes from start to finish so it looks like you won't have to worry about missing out on this with your current schedule!
- It's important to remember that as with anything on board Disney Cruise Line, times and offerings are subject to change without prior notice and I highly recommend making sure that your Disney Cruise Line Navigator App is updated and refreshed with the latest information once you board so that you can plan accordingly in case there's anything listed that overlaps or clashes.
Frankly from my personal experience sailing around Australia, I would caution against
scheduling any lengthy appointments or services such as an acupuncture session on an empty stomach just prior to dinner after a busy Embarkation day - especially if it's your first cruise. You'll want to take those first few hours to explore the ship and let your body acclimate to the sensations of sailing and being surrounded by so much to see; I would probably opt to shift my appointments for a later time in the evening or when the
Disney Wonder visits Hobart just to avoid any of the potentially active motion of the ocean that the Tasman Sea is notorious for. However everyone's body reacts differently on their first voyages and you just might be naturally well-equipped to sport your sea legs sooner and unfazed by any waves that come your way!
Wishing you smoothest seas and the clearest of skies,
Prince