YIKES!! The Disney Cruise Line Site is Packed with Information!

YIKES!! The Disney Cruise Line Site is Packed with Information!

DisneyCruise.com

You have decided to see what all the excitement is about Disney Cursing. You may even be thinking of going on a Disney Cruise. DisneyCruise.com is the perfect place to start looking for information.

Home Page

On the main page you will find a place to put in the date you are thinking of going, what port you wish to sail from and what itinerary you are interested in. You will also be asked how many people in your party and the ages of everyone going. Once you have entered that information you will be taken to a page that gives you options of Inside, Outside or Veranda cabin. This is where you start planning your cruise. You can even book right then. This area is good for figuring out what type of cabin you may be interested in or can afford.

If you are not ready to book or want more information about itineraries, ports of call, port adventures, the different Disney Ships (there are 4 and each is slightly different) shipboard adventures and entertainment or child programs you can look around. It can be a little confusing to find some things at first but well worth your time.

Cruises and Destinations

If you would like to know more about Cruises and Destinations click on the pull down tab of that title. Under that you will find links to the different destinations Disney Cruise Line goes to. Along with the Cruise destinations and departure ports you will find special offers, port adventures, what's new (news about the cruise line) and packages. There is also information for new and experienced. This is also the area to find links to information for each person in your family or group. You will find information on things to do for adults, entire family and kids.

Ships and Activities

If you want to know about the layout of the ships and what activities are available check out the Ships and Activities pull down tab. There you will find a link to deck by deck maps of each of the ships. You can go and do a self guided tour and find out what amenities or cabin styles are on each deck. If you know what your cabin number is you can find it on that map and get an idea of where your cabin is located. This is my favorite area of the site.

Here is where you can find information about the safety systems and procedures. This page tells you what Disney Cruise Line does to insure your safety.

Click on the Services link to see what services are available. From telling you where to find the Guest Services Desk on the ship to links for information on services for Disabled Guests, Internet and Cellular Services, Meeting Facilities for Business and Group meetings, Photography and Shopping. Let me say, the services aboard the Disney Cruise Line is top shelf.

Next section in the pull down menu is Staterooms with two links below it. There is one link for the Magic and Wonder and a second link for information on the staterooms on the Dream and Fantasy. The Magic and Wonder are almost identical and the Dream and Fantasy are almost the same. Each ship has the exact same layout for their cabins. When you go to the Stateroom section you can get a tour of the different levels of cabins on each ship. This is a great place to go to find out what cabin level you are interested in staying in.

The center line of items is called Onboard Activities. Here you can check out the activities available while on the ship. You can find out about Character Experiences, Deck Parties, Dining, Entertainment, Live Shows, Nightclubs & Lounges, Spa and Fitness, Theaters, Youth Clubs and Pools. There is lots of great information here. If you are unsure if Disney is the Cruise Line for you check this out to see what is available for every member of your family/group.

The final row of information is called Onboard Activities Search. Here you can click links to search for Adult, Family or Youth activities. Again a good place to spend time looking at the activities for each person in the group.

Search For A Cruise

In this section you can do pretty much what you can do on the Main Page to find a cruise.

There are four links. They are Find a Cruise, Departure Ports, Specials and Packages. This will help you find the best date and port for your cruise. Here you can also find out about any deals or packages to help save you money.

Planning Center

There are two sections under the Planning Center pull down. They are Already Booked and Still Shopping.

Under Already Booked you will find, My Reservation, My Activities, Packing List and My Online Check-In.

Under My Reservation you can see your reservation information, make payments on your reservation and make changes to your reservation or party.

My Activities is where you can prebook your Onboard or Port Adventures. This is where you can book Palo's and Remy's. I suggest as soon as the date comes to book your Adventures book them. As long as you cancel by the date stated (usually a week or so before you leave) you will not be charged.

The Packing List page is invaluable! There is a lot of information on what you should and should not pack. I suggest you take a good look at this page as soon as you book and again before you start packing. If you forget some minor items, a little black dress for diner, sunscreen and Band-Aids you can purchase them on the ship. This page will remind you to pack any medication and other personal items you may need.

Online Check-In is a quick and easy way to cut through the line at the terminal. Just fill in all the paperwork by the date that you are told to. You will need passport and other ID information, birthdates, full names and a list of allergies for each member of your group. It is important to be truthful about allergies. DCL is really good about fixing meals to your dietary needs. They do not want you getting sick and ruining your cruise because you had a little something that you are allergic too.

Still Shopping

The still Shopping row has links to Cruise-Planning Video, Video E-Brochure, FAQs, In-Room Gifts & Shopping, Passport Information, Videos, Favorites and Saved Cruises.

The Cruise-Planning Video section is the place for ordering one sent to your home. What a wonderful DVD to have at home! We often pull it out just to see the wonderful pictures of the ship and dream of our next cruise. You can pick and choose what you look at. I've noticed that the Deck by Deck area does not work on some Blu-Ray players but does seem to work in DVD players. If you have a problem playing in on  your Blu-Ray or DVD player put it in a computer.

The Video E-Brochure gives you the choice to order a video e-brochure or view it online. Fantastic way to get more information about the cruise line!

FAQs is where to go to find answers to your questions. Check here first to find answers to your questions. This is a fairly easy to use search engine.

In-Room Gifts & Shopping is the place to go to set up a gift for your friend or family member that is going on the cruise. You can order a Bon Voyage package with door magnets and room decorations or a romantic package for the couple celebrating wedding or honeymoon. These items will be delivered to the cabin of the person they were ordered for. They will find them there when they arrive.

Recently DCL started selling DCL exclusive items online. You can click on the shopping to find things you need for the trip and have them sent to your home. It is a wonderful way to surprise people with a Disney Cruise. You can get a shirt, plush or tote bag either with the DCL logo or with a DCL theme and give it to them with a note.

Castaway Club

Castaway Club is a free club for people who have already taken a Disney Cruise. Shortly after getting home you will be sent your Castaway Club numbers. They use to issue some fantastic cards but they decided to go green.

At the center of the top of the page you will find a link to the Castaway Club section of the site. You will have to be registered and put your Castaway Club ID number on your profile to access this area. In this section of the site you will find information and fun exclusively for Castaway Club members. It has a dial that tells you how many Disney Cruises you have taken and what level your membership is at.  You will find it is a great place to find out what the club benefits are. You can find the exclusive newsletter and news. There are also downloads just for members. These include coloring pages you can print and some recopies. Don't get to excited about the downloads because they have not changed since I went on my first cruise in 2005.

Across the bottom of the page you will find lots of interesting links but the one I find most useful is Contact Us in the first row on the left. Use this if you can't get your questions answered. You can send them a message and they usually get back to you within two weeks. Often they respond sooner.

So don't let the fullness of this site scare you off and keep you from checking it out! Have fun poke around and explore all you can find!