1st time Disney cruise

[dyanna72]

We will be sailing the Magic for the 7 day So Caribbean on Sat Sept 20 2014. This is also our 1st cruise with Disney. Our daughter will be 7 at time of sailing & her 1st ever cruise!

 

Does anyone know how long it would take to get from the airport to the cruise terminal in San Juan?

 

Booked the late dining as we are used to eating at home around 7:30 8. Would this be too late for DD on the ship due to excursions & ship activities. Not sure if she will tire out sooner due to such.

 

If DH & I choose to leave DD at the kids club while we eat dinner will the kids club feed her or have her eat first & then drop her off?

 

How many formal/semi formal nights will be on a 7 day cruise? What is the attire difference for such? Are shorts allowed in dinning rooms? Im not talking jorts but dressy shorts, khakis etc.

 

Someone mentioned a fish extender. What is it as I never heard of one before.

 

Any other info for this So Caribbean cruise along with excursion ideas would be helpful & welcomed!!!

[Shmoo here]

We will be sailing the Magic for the 7 day So Caribbean on Sat Sept 20 2014. This is also our 1st cruise with Disney. Our daughter will be 7 at time of sailing & her 1st ever cruise!

 

Does anyone know how long it would take to get from the airport to the cruise terminal in San Juan? Sorry, don't know the answer to this one. I'd suggest posting it over on the Ports of Call board. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=100&f=68

 

Booked the late dining as we are used to eating at home around 7:30 8. Would this be too late for DD on the ship due to excursions & ship activities. Not sure if she will tire out sooner due to such. My guess would be if you're used to eating that late, it shouldn't be a problem. You'd be a better judge of how much activity she can take before she poops out.

 

If DH & I choose to leave DD at the kids club while we eat dinner will the kids club feed her or have her eat first & then drop her off? They do serve dinner (and lunch) in the kids club, BUT it's at a set time (not necessarily when your dinner time is). If she isn't there at that time, there's no food. I will point out that the meal they serve is pretty basic (cheese sandwich, fruit, drink) not what you really expect for a meal on a cruise ship. Since you are doing late dining, I will point out that you will have the Dine n Play option. Let you server know that you are participating in the Dine n Play, and you daughers entree will be brought out with your appitizer. About 45 minutes (or so) into the dinner seating time, the kids club CMs will come to the MDRs and pick up the kids that are doing Dine n Play. That way you can finish up your meal adults only. Just be sure to keep an eye out for the CMs, sometimes they're real quick in and out of the MDR.

 

How many formal/semi formal nights will be on a 7 day cruise? What is the attire difference for such? Are shorts allowed in dinning rooms? Im not talking jorts but dressy shorts, khakis etc. On a 7 night cruise there's a formal and semi-formal night. These generally occur on nights 2 and 6, respectively. DCL does suggest dinner dress be cruise casual (no shorts, tank tops, swim suits for dinner). You will see people who feel "It's my vacation, I'll dress as I like" (even on formal night). You will not be turned away wearing shorts, but it's not DCL suggests - your call. Khakis would be fine. Personally, I pretty much dress the same for formal & semi formal nights (maybe fancier jewelry on formal), since I generally wear the same dress for both nights.

 

Someone mentioned a fish extender. What is it as I never heard of one before. It's sort of a secret Santa gift exchange. If there's a cruise roll call (or cruise meet) thread started for your cruise, that's where it would be discussed. Basically, outside your door there's a fish note holder that you make a hanging pocket bag (sort like a shoe holder). On your roll call/cruise meet, some may decide to participate and you go around and leave little gifts for those participating. If you google "fish extenders disney" you'll find more detailed answers to this.

 

Any other info for this So Caribbean cruise along with excursion ideas would be helpful & welcomed!!!

 

See my answers in red.

[Scrapnana]

My 7 year old granddaughter took her first cruise in December. We had late seating and she did fine. Normally, she goes to bed around 9 but she didn't seem to run out of steam until 11 or 12 on the ship. She went to the kid's club one night after eating in the MDR with us but after that she preferred to stay with us.

 

On the formal and semi-formal nights I saw a mixed bag of clothing. I did not see any shorts in the MDR but most people were not too dressed up. Some did have on the stated dress code. If I were to do another

Disney cruise I would just take dressy black pants and a pretty top or a LBD and leave the formal at home. My daughter wore sundresses a number of nights to dinner.

[LeeW]

Airport to either port is around 20 minutes in good traffic and around $24 by cab (varies slightly by luggage). The agent at the cab stand will give you a paper to give to the driver telling them where to go in case they don't speak much English.

 

I would highly recommend flying down a day early and staying in the Isla Verde area (just north of the airport). Nice protected beaches, lots of fast food, both local and US chains within a couple of blocks. Pueblo grocery is next to the Embassy Suites and has a large wine department. We've also stayed at the adjacent Verdanza when it was a Holiday Inn.

 

Not sure where Disney docks - the main docks are right across from Old Town and the city bus garage is right there. The other dock is across the bay at an old airport.

 

Watch for large iguanas on the runway!