Always buy in advance vs wait til on board?

[nacdcruiser]

DW and I are looking forward to our first Disney cruise since 2006 (11 Royal Caribbean and a Carnival in between) on the Fantasy in a couple of weeks. No kids – just us two 50 somethings. Any suggestions from our CC friends as to anything we should definitely purchase prior to boarding?

 

 

Understand booking specialty restaurants, cabanas, excursions, etc. – just trying to not miss something obvious that all our Disney friends never fail to do in advance that can’t eventually be done at the same price on board.

 

 

LOVE CC!, but new to asking questions so thanks in advance for your suggestions!!! (and patience as we figure out the posting system).

[Shmoo here]

DW and I are looking forward to our first Disney cruise since 2006 (11 Royal Caribbean and a Carnival in between) on the Fantasy in a couple of weeks. No kids – just us two 50 somethings. Any suggestions from our CC friends as to anything we should definitely purchase prior to boarding?

 

 

Understand booking specialty restaurants, cabanas, excursions, etc. – just trying to not miss something obvious that all our Disney friends never fail to do in advance that can’t eventually be done at the same price on board.

 

 

LOVE CC!, but new to asking questions so thanks in advance for your suggestions!!! (and patience as we figure out the posting system).

 

As you noted: specialty dining (particularly Palo brunch - assuming your on a cruise that has sea days); cabana (if you want one) are the biggies that go real fast.

 

And you don't really "purchase" them ahead, you just reserve them. The actual charge doesn't happen until you board, and then it's added to your onboard account.

 

:)

[nacdcruiser]

Thank you! We booked late, so not much we can do until we get on board to try and get in to the specialty restaurants - but we're not sure if things such as wine packages, photo packages, spa treatments, etc. are really different now rather than on board.

[Shmoo here]

Thank you! We booked late, so not much we can do until we get on board to try and get in to the specialty restaurants - but we're not sure if things such as wine packages, photo packages, spa treatments, etc. are really different now rather than on board.

 

The only thing I can comment on is the photo package thing. Online, precruise you can purchase 10 and 30 credit packages. Once on board your package choices are the 20 and 40 (sometimes 50) credit packages. So, depending on how many photos you think you may be interested in, you would have to decide which way to go.

 

I believe the wine packages are the same price online and onboard, but I'm not absolutly sure.

 

Just a note, generally, most people who have to book the specialty restaurants once onboard are able to get something (maybe not the first choice you have, but you should be able to get something).

 

:)

[nacdcruiser]

This is helpful! Thank you!!!

[Tina0922]

Photo Packages????? Looking at booking first Disney cruise tomorrow and trying to figure out what is what.....never came across this is the brochure. Can someone elaborate please?

 

Tina

[Shmoo here]

Photo Packages????? Looking at booking first Disney cruise tomorrow and trying to figure out what is what.....never came across this is the brochure. Can someone elaborate please?

 

Tina

 

Currently, you can purchase individual photos (6X8 = $9.95; 8X10 = $19.95). or photo credit packages. The photos are 6X8 = 1 credit; 8X10 = 2 credits. The 6X8 photos are the ones with characters in them. The 8X10 ones are the ones taken at the atrium photo locations, dining room roving photographers, and ships photographers on Castaway Cay.

 

You can also purchase a CD that will have all the photos taken by the ships photographers on it. The price on this varies based on cruise length.

 

:)

 

EDIT: There have been reports that the photo package situation is different on the Fanatasy, and that how it's going to be fleetwide, eventually.