Ahoy, April! I'm thrilled to welcome you to planDisney and to your first
Disney Cruise Line vacation! How exciting that your parents have decided to hop on board and cruise with you. So many magical moments await!
In most cases, you pick your stateroom as part of the process when you make your reservation. You should be able to see your stateroom number under "
My Reservations." With your cruise so close, you might not be able to modify your reservation online to select a different stateroom, but you could
call Disney Cruise Line and ask if there are any options to make a change.
Even if they cannot change the staterooms, you will have the most amazing cruise and a lot of quality time together. When you are on the phone, ask to have your reservations linked and make sure you are all assigned to the same dining time. Disney cruises have
rotational dining, with a set dining time, table number and restaurant for dinner each evening. With this, you enjoy each of the main dining rooms and your dining team goes with you each night, getting to know you and becoming part of your cruise experience. By linking your reservations, they will try to seat both staterooms at the same table. We did this on a cruise this summer with a family we met at dinner on our cruise a year ago. It was so much fun to see them again and spend each evening together.
Before your cruise, the
Disney Cruise Line Navigator app is great for planning, like signing up for
Port Adventures and
onboard activities. When your cruise begins and you are connected to the ship's wi-fi, it
automagically transforms to onboard functionality. You can see all the onboard activities, entertainment, restaurant hours and menus, and so much more. It is great for planning your day's activities.
One other tip: 30 days before your cruise, you can start your online check-in. When you check in, you upload your
travel documentation, security photos (headshots), and a payment method for onboard charges, which helps speed up your boarding process on Embarkation Day. This is also when you select a Port Arrival Time. If you and your parents check in at the same time, you will be more likely to have the same arrival windows available. If you get different times, you can still board together at the later time. But the moment you step on the ship is magical, and I expect you would love boarding together.
April, I am so excited thinking about your first cruise! If you have other questions on Port Adventures,
transportation,
packing lists, or anything that will help you know what to expect,
planDisney is here for you!
SEAS the Adventure!
Jana