We dont want people to get the impression that theyre in grave danger when they leave the ship, but its important to be clear-headed and travel smart. That said, its pretty easy to go it alone in most of these ports, either by booking your own port adventures or just wandering. For two adults, the Disney excursion is often the least expensiveway to go, butprice it out just to be sure. Make sure you know what you're getting into! Families with kids can often save significant money booking direct! If you want to enjoy the ship when its nearly empty, reverse your schedule so youre on the ship in the morning and in port during the afternoon. There's plenty to do! The bottom line: we got a basically identical (maybe a little better) whale-watching trip for about 70% of the Disney excursion price. Guests typically place a credit card on file before arriving via the online check-in process. Will I be required to sign things like safety waivers? Port Adventures - The most obvious thing you can book is port adventures, otherwise known as excursions. Be aware of your surroundings. If you have a great camera, stay in the safest areas and dont wander too far alone. Allow plenty of time, and remember you have to get through port security. If you just want to soak up the atmosphere, gamble,or have some lunch, youre welcome to do so by coming in the Coral Towers entrance. The quickest way is via the back exit from the Comfort Suites. If youre not able to get an excursion you wanted before you embark, go to Guest Services or the Excursion Desk as soon as you get onboard and see if they can add you to a waiting list. Licensed cabs say Taxi on the side in fancy lettering andhave a taxi license plate anda meter. Once you check in at the Comfort Suites, ask the front desk clerks to direct you to Atlantis. Here are some of the amazing locations you can visit: Penang only, or Penang and Phuket. While some port activities rarely become fully booked (bike rentals at Castaway Cay, for example), other experiences are in short supply. Castaway Club is the method Disney uses to reward repeat cruisers. All Port Adventures are subject to the Disney Cruise Line Cruise Contract. Does the excursion vendor have a good reputation? Book the Port Adventure or go back to review the other Port Adventures available on that day. Relatively little of the violence has been directed against tourists, but it does happen occasionally: in February 2012, a busload of people on an official excursion from a Carnival ship were robbed of all their valuables, including passports, in Puerto Vallarta. Some safety tips when getting off the ship in any port: Disney offers a wide variety of shore excursions (which they call port adventures)of varying quality. A one-night stay booked in advance (at least a day earlier than the arrival date), still includes access to Atlantis. That's not a huge discount, but if you paid for your $3,000 Disney cruise with those cards, it would save you $90. Depending on the ships arrival and departure times, this is easier to do at some ports than others. It also hasa very large and beautiful aquarium called The Dig, which is designed to look like youre touring an ancient section of the mythical land of Atlantis that has been submerged and discovered centuries laterby archaeologists. Booking with Be Our Guest Vacations is also 100% free, and only relieves . In general, you should try to be a good human. to be very busy and booked up well in advance. Disney Cruise Line almost always uses a standard age range for pricing port excursions: anyone 10 or older pays the adult price, ages 3-9 pay a child price and ages 2 and under are usually free (or sometimes theres an infant price). The resorts will be full of guests, and the cruise ships will be running as full as possible. All of you scrapbookers out there will want to bring an extra postcard or two to mail to yourself; theyll receive the Castaway Cay postmark! Disney Port Adventures are not cheap, and they can add a significant amount to the total cost of your Disney Cruise. I can relate to wanting to spend more time aboard the enchanting Disney Wish. . Some excursions will specify that passports are 100% required. Norwegian Cruise Line. Decide which is the best option for you and go from there. I have a particular interest on shore that isnt part of any of any organized excursion, Ill just explore the port on my own. If youre the adventurous type and dont want to just lie around on the beach, take advantage of the package excursions at Castaway Cay that include snorkel equipment, float/raft rental, and a one-hour bike rental. Have Someone Call Me How to Book Disney Cruise Line/Ship Vacations There are 2 options when it comes to booking a Disney cruise. Access to the concierge lounge with included food and . Take some time to explore the public parts of the island, including the old landing strip. Keep in mind that there are often many tour operators offering similarly-named excursions in each port, so just because you find a fantastic review of a city tour, for example, doesnt mean its the same city tour offered by Disney. In almost all developing countries, including many ports in the Caribbean, you are highly likely to encounter vendors who will call to you, ask questions, shove items in front of you, touch you to get your attention, etc. However, if you check their web site regularly, you can sometimes snag deals in the off season, and they offer a small discount for AAA members. In the late summer and fall, its not uncommon for the pools and slides to close in the mid-afternoon because of thunderstorms, and they might not open again, so its important to get an early start. That means cruising the way you want, on your schedule, to enjoy your vacation, your way. Website content may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the prior written permission of MouseSavers, Inc. Privacy Policy Passports are absolutely necessary here. If you ignore them, they dont know if you haveheard them or not, and they may just get louder and closer. 5. Booking excursions directly,instead ofvia Disney,can save you money and give you extra flexibility. (They dont want guests of other unaffiliated Bahamas hotels to be able to get access to the Atlantis facilities, which is why they need to see proof that youre a cruise passenger.). You can also checkCruiseTimeTables.com, which sometimes shows shipsthat cruisett.com misses. If you have stamped postcards, you candrop them in the slot any time. For a more relaxing beach experience, it may be worth your while to get a day pass for one of the hotels in the area, which will generally give you access to their private beach, or to a reserved area on a public beach with beach chairs and umbrellas, plus access to the rest of their hotel including pools, bathrooms, towels, recreation equipment, etc. How to Save on Flights to A Port City If youre just visiting with no day pass or band, you will have to pick up a taxi at the Coral Towers, Beach Tower or the Marina Village. For example, there are some train-based excursions in DCLs Alaska ports that wend in and out of Canada. One of the more prominent perks of Disney Cruise Line's Castaway Club and Concierge level bookings is the ability to book onboard and shore excursions before anyone else. Will the excursion be conducted if there are adverse weather conditions? The last thing you probably want. How active is this excursion? If you everfeel unsafe, during the day there are tourist police stationed at intersections near the port, who wear white helmets, white shirts and black pants. To give an example, on our trip to Alaska on the Disney Wonder, we booked a whale-watching excursion in Juneau with Viator because it left earlier, which left us more time for sightseeing and the Mendenhall Glacier. The endless buffet! As per Adventures by Disney, "The child rate applies to Guests under 12 at the time of travel when accompanied by an adult in the same room.". If youre wondering how busy a port will be, a great resource is cruisett.com. You're also welcome to disembark the ship an explore any port on your own. Singapore and Tokyo. Do read the port safety section and keep your wits about you. If you stay in tourist-oriented areas with lots of foot traffic during daylight hours, you may encounter vendors who are pushier than you might be used to, but safety should not be a major problem. Note that it can take quite a long time (months)for the postcard to reach home, and we have multiple reports of postcards never arriving at all. If this happens you will automatically be refunded. If you stop, theyre going to assume youre interested. You can get anAquaventure pass on-site,when available, which includes beach and Digaccess. Before booking these extras, you must complete online check-in. Taking a walk or bike ride to the observation tower makes a nice expedition. Personally, we saw a lot of tourists wandering around with expensive handbags hanging open over their arms. Singapore and Tokyo. Most cruises also include a stop at Disney's private Bahaman island, Castaway Cay, reserved exclusively for Disney Cruise Line Guests. In fact, wed say the Orlando parks are easier to navigate and better planned for practical touring. $200 and up: 110 options There are plenty of great options at each of the price points, and you don't certainly don't have to spend a huge amount to have a good time. Are there similar excursions in other ports? Usually typing [name of ship] capacity in a search engine or the browser address bar will give the answer on the first link. Atlantisis located right on Cabbage Beach, perhaps the most beautiful of all Bahamas beaches, and it has an enormous casino and lots of high-end restaurants and shopping. If you have a Target credit card, you can also save 5% on Disney gift cards at Target. Youll (usually) get a souvenir medal for completing the race (though sometimes they dont give them out, seemingly at random), a feeling of accomplishment, and an excuse to have a second helping of cookies and ice cream at lunch. If there are only going to be 2,400 people in port that say, it will be easier to get a taxi, the tourist spots will be less crowded, etc. It just makes you a target for thieves. Select "Add Activities" and choose from the options provided. If you just want to shop or walk around in Nassau, we advise stayingwithin a few blocks of Bay Street, which is the main shopping street running along the shoreline, or take a cab over to Paradise Island, where the shopping area is much less chaotic and less sketchy. Most people who misstheirship departure arenot on an excursion at all. Its normally about 15-20 minutesdrivefrom Atlantis or other locations on Paradise Island to the cruise terminal. How do I pay for my Port Adventures? Youll see a very large Taxes and fees amount added to the total, and that includes all surcharges. They take cruise-ship passengers around every day of the year; theyre very awareof the need to stay on schedule. Here are some examples of what I mean: Nope. Has the excursion been impacted by any outside factors such as COVID or recent storms? Definitely buy your Bahamian stamps on the boat at Guest Services before you arrive at Castaway Cay, or you can buy them in Nassau if you go there first. We strongly recommend against doing any kind of motorized watersports excursions, such as jet-ski rental or parasailing,on a walk-up basis on any beach in the Caribbean, Mexico or Bahamas. Most ofthe public beaches will have vendors hawking drinks, chairs, pictures, souvenirs, etc. Possibly. Its allvery impressive, but the prices are equally impressive. There are several options for visiting the paid sections of Atlantis, including several Disney-sponsored excursions. You can get off the ship immediately, get into a cab and go straight to the Comfort Suites, check in (and immediately check out, if desired) and collect your paperwork, then walk over to Atlantis and get your wristbands. If there are going to be 14,000 peoplein port that day, expect crowds everywhere. You just have to look at the start and end times of any tour youre consideringand compare to the cruise schedule. Are the weight limits I need to know about? You should look for how long theyve been in business, how many reviews they have on major review sites like TripAdvisor, and whether their staff have certifications from recognized organizations like PADI. Sail one-way After departure, you can also make reservations at the Port Adventures desk located on Deck 5. October. You can also walk outside and visit the Marina Village shopping center and the Paradise Shopping Plaza across the street, which features a local handcrafts area that is like the Straw Market in downtown Nassau, but with slightly less aggressive vendors. This is not a safety problem per se, its just much more aggressive selling than most first-world residentsare used to. Castaway Club Members may begin booking activities, and completing the check-in process earlier based on thier current membership level. They are (with a few exceptions)the exact same excursions offeredby every other cruise line, andare often offered directly to thepublic via the tour operators ownwebsite, or via various aggregators like Viator. If you know you want to visit Aquaventure, its a good idea to book through Disneyor use the tip below to book a hotel day room. It turns out there are about 5 big whale-watching companies in Juneau, and they all share information about whale sightings, so everyones boats spend most of their time in a group traveling from sighting to sighting, then occasionally splitting up to look for more whales. Your Castaway Club level determines how soon you can book your port excursions. The choice is totally up to you. Port Adventuresshore excursions that have been specially selected by Disney Cruise Lineprovide you and your family with the very best each destination has to offer. Barcelona and Naples). After that time, all reservations are final and non-refundable. Any tour company that services cruise passengers risks the wrath of abusloadof incredibly angryguests if they miss their ship. The food from the snack bars is pretty ordinary and similar to theme-park food. The Royal Caribbean cruises out of Galveston in 2023 include plenty of summer sailings throughout June, July and August, including a seven-night western Caribbean cruise on Allure of the Seas. Very expensive/complicated SLR cameras can also make you a target. Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. In late May 2023, viral posts on Twitter re-energized a long-standing claim that . The walk through of this process can be found here. If you self-book and work every angle, you might be able to get access to Aquaventure for $120-$140 so per person in the peak season, or $95-$110 in the off season. They have reviews on their excursions, written by actual customers. Welcome to planDisney. Something to be aware of is that if your phone connects to the local cell towers or to local Wi-Fi, it may reset its clock to local time, which might not match ship time. You can also take part in Halloween-themed cruises during October. To find out more, you must generally call the hotel directly. If the driver tries to change the agreed price, just repeat the price you agreed, hand them the money and get out. There are many ways to located non-Disney port excursions. The Guests onboard account is charged for booked Port Adventures and activities upon boarding the ship. Again, your trip insurance may cover missed port excursions under trip interruption, travel delay or missed connection; check with your insurance provider to be sure. Destinations and itineraries. New Disney Cruise Line Cruisers are able to start booking port adventures and onboard activities for their Disney Cruise at midnight Eastern time 75 days out from their sail date. Activity Level - On the Disney Cruise website, there's an activity level of active, moderate or mild listed with each excursion. You need to take these reviews with the same skepticism that you would with any online reviews: some people are ultra-picky, and some people love everything. But it can give you useful details about the kinds of things youll get to do, the kinds of problems that can arise, whether you have to take a long ride from the port to get to the tour beginning, etc. Some respond immediately and some never respond. Select the Port Adventure you want to explore. Theyll whistle one over, or call one if there isnt one waiting. Usually the race gets going pretty early in the morning to avoid the heat. Even at their top rates, one night at the Comfort Suitesplus cab fare is almost sure to be less expensivethan getting day passes to Aquaventure or buying the Disney excursion for a family of 3 or 4, and you can book it in advance easily. Viator.com is an easy,reliable way to book cruise excursions, tours and activities. There is a large, chaotic area inside the cruise terminal gateswith shuttle vans, van hawkers, drivers, etc. Would that better suit my family? There is plenty here for the cruise visitor, including the amazing Atlantis mega-resort, snorkeling, scuba-diving, or just lying on the beach. There are several public beaches in Nassau which cost nothing to visit other than transportation costs, plus of course any snacks, drinks, souvenirs, hair braiding, etc. Putting it in your cell phone or other electronic device is a good backup, but put it on a piece of paper, too, in case your phone is lost or stolen. Would it be better to do this elsewhere? However, crime rates are quite high in some of the countries Disney Cruise Line visits, and its worthwhile to take some basic precautions. What sort of transportation will the excursion use? Disney effortlessly blends family friendly with elegance for an extraordinary experience. Usually these vendors are concentrated right around the cruise terminal and a few other big tourist hot spots and if you get a block or two awayit gets much better. If youre somewhere else and need a ride back to the cruise terminal, if youre near Bay Street you can just hail a taxi; there are plenty going up and down it all day. If the port usually handles15,000 people, then a 10,000 personday might be fairly light. However, if were also traveling with our neighbors, First Time Cruisers staying in another stateroom, even though they are part of our party, they can not take advantage of my higher status level. Whats the best way to contact the tour operator if I have questions or if something happens last minute that impacts my ability to participate? Please note that some Castaway Club benefits (such as the window when port excursion booking opens) are determined by the Castaway Club member with the highest status in each stateroom. And of course even if you get a pass during peak season, it may be harder to find an empty beach chair or snag a kayak if you dont arrive early. You may see reports on the internet from people who were charged a bunch of surcharges at checkin, but that only happens if you book via shady online travel agencies that are booking special consolidator rates (rates for group tours) that dont include the resort fees. Dont just take our word for it, read the US State Departments advisory, under Safety & Security. Note that many excellent tours that work well for cruise passengers are not necessarily listed in the shore excursions category. 5. The Bahamas uses the US/Canada phone prefix (1), so you can direct-dial Bahamas numbers easily. (Some DCL guests may board the ship without a passport but may be excluded from certain activities if they dont have one. Disney adjusts its port calls in response to current events and will make every effort to visit the ports that are safest. and some of them can be pushy. Dont put the ID in the wallet, since youll usually need the ID to get through customs and back on the ship. Crime and violence have been on the increase in Mexico for the last few years. The length of your stay at sea depends on the package you choose. Some of the advantages of booking a port excursion through Disney are: The overview of all port excursions is the place to start if youre just beginning to explore whether you want to take a Disney cruise. If youve booked an excursion on your own, then youll have to make your own arrangements. Cancellations can be made up to 3 days prior to the cruise departure date, unless otherwise noted on a specific activity. We recommend taking a cab right outside the cruise terminal, which allows you to leave immediately after dockingand beat the other cruise passengers to the water slides. Is a passport needed? Port Excursions (also called Port Adventures) are activities off the ship when the ship is in port. Or can I simply Get Off the Ship and explore? Write down the name and phone number of the ships agent for the port (which will be available in the Navigator app), and carry it with you. Getting from the cruise terminalto the far end of Paradise Island or Cable Beach might go as high as $6/person. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Disney World, Disneyland, and Universal Orlando News, Tips, Crowds and Attraction Information from The Unofficial Guide travel books. Its not hard to beat the cruise ship tour buses by 30-60 minutes. On your Castaway Cay day, we definitely recommend getting off the shipearly. Next time we will only book two passes and share. There is no central float and tube distribution location. We recommend getting a travelers pouch (worn inside your shirt around your neck, or around your waist inside your pants), plus a cheap wallet. Compare that to Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon or Aquatica in Orlando, all of which are $65-ish for a full-price adult ticket (even less if you use one of the many discounts available). A limited number of strollers are available from Guest Services while in port. If for some reason you cant make it back to the ship, Disney will send two security officers into your stateroom, open the safe, retrieve your passport and leave it with the port agent so you can arrange to rejoin the ship or head home. In order to book a new excursion, select Book a Port Adventure from the bottom of the web page under "Book activities for <Date>". Are there age limits for all or part of the excursion? Booking & Reservations From deciding where to sail to selecting the number of days, there are many things to consider when booking a cruise. Erin lives near New York City, where she can often be found indulging in her other obsession - Broadway theater. Is that appropriate for my party? Limited-Time Entertainment Sing-along to a brand-new signature tune andon most 4-night or longer Bahamian, Caribbean and Mediterranean cruisesbe dazzled by an all-new fireworks . Atlantisis a truly massive resort and casino on Paradise Island, about a 15-minute drive from the cruise terminal. Other options include providing a credit card at the time of embarkation or setting up a cash account. Effectively, Castaway status on any particular cruise is applied by stateroom, not by the total party. But near the end of the day there can be significant traffic trying to get back to the terminal that can push the total travel time to 30 minutes or more, so dont push your luck. This page covers discounts, deals, and advice about port excursions at ports of call visited by Disney Cruise Line. Disney cruises send, or have sent, children to the private island of convicted child sex offender Jeffery Epstein. Some dont charge for kids 3 or under, or even 4 or under. Select your ship and then the month youll be cruising, and it will show you the schedule for the month, and for each port day, all the ships docked and the overall port load, which is the maximum number of passengers for all the ships put together. For example, you enjoy exploring things like local supermarkets or food stalls that are near the dock. The length of your stay at sea depends on the package you choose. After all, sightseeing in exotic destinations is one of the primary reasonsto takea cruise! Every day in each of these ports, 3,000-18,000 cruise passengers flood the streets, so the portsare pretty good at providing services and infrastructure to travelers. The ship boasts beautiful spaces filled to the brim with exquisite details and is home to some of my favorite Disney Cruise Line entertainment. Singapore, Taipei, and Japan. How to book Port Adventures on your Disney Cruise A Disney Cruise is a lot more relaxing than a Disney World vacation. Thanks to our friends at Be Our Guest Vacations, we are able to share the exciting news that you can actually earn some money back on your Disney Cruise Line vacation. Are there additional fees for things like meals or photography? (It doesnt happen often, but the ships do occasionally need to reroute due to weather or other local conditions.). If you see a much lower rate on another site, it probably doesnt include the fees. When youre ready to leave Atlantis, if you have any day pass (or a room at the Comfort Suites) and thus have a wristband, just walk out the front doors of the Atlantis Royal Towers and ask them to call you a taxi or cruise terminal shuttle. For assistance with your Disney Cruise, please call (800) 951-3532. But if you expectto get your moneys worth as a theme park experience, then its going to be a disappointment. On Paradise Island, you can find taxis in any tourist spot or driving on Paradise Island Drive. MouseSavers.com is not an official site of The Walt Disney Company or of Universal Studios. Somethird-party tour companiesprovide a guarantee that theyll get you back to your boat on time or theyll pay to get you to the next port, which tells you that theyre confident theyll be on time. As mentioned above, you dont need to list children 3 or under if youre only using the room to get Atlantis wristbands; you wont need a wristband for them. Norwegian Cruise Line, or NCL, is known for bringing "freestyle cruising" to the industry. Port excursions range from inexpensive walking tours to $1,000+ helicopter trips. New Disney Cruise Line guests are often confused about booking port excursions during their sailing. If they persist after that, stop responding and move away from them. The laundry? In practice, its extremelyrare for a tour operator to get passengers back late enough to miss their ship. Most travelers have no real trouble, especially on organizedcruise excursions and shopping in busy tourist areas. Any such excursions should either be purchased through Disney, Viator or some other intermediary that you trust to do reasonable vetting of the final provider. For example, many of the Castaway Cay port excursion (such as parasailing or feeding stingrays) are cancelled if there are even moderately high winds. You'll have the best selection of cabins and generally the best prices. If youve already reserved a DCL cruise, you can book port excursions once your booking window opens AND youve paid in full for your cruise. Were here to answer ALL your questions. Or you can plan an excursion with an outside vendor. For other locations, go the Viator.com home pageand search for the name of the port. Disney has placed a bunch of artfully arranged flotsam and jetsam all over, including a couple of DC-3s with Disney nose art that make a great backdrop for a group photo. Thomas Mazloum, President of Disney Signature Experiences, which oversees, Beginning September 8, 2022, Disney+ subscribers can a book special offer for Disney Cruise Line. Concierge Guests can now book Port Adventures and select Cruise Activities at 130 days prior to their sailing by contacting their Concierge Specialist. All prices below were correct when we last checked them, but are subject to change without warning. A beginners guide to picking a cruise line; The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship; The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise; A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines; 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly; 15 ways cruisers waste money; The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin Follow these same steps to review or change any Port Adventures excursion or other activities you've reserved. You have to book directly (or through another vendor like Viator) to get the more generous child discounts. LAST UPDATE: 5/11/23 Disney Port Adventures are not cheap, and they can add a significant amount to the total cost of your Disney Cruise. They hand-pick tour operators that meet their standards for experience, financial soundness, and customer service. you might purchase while youre there. For example, in Alaska, the joy of taking this cruise is that you are IN Alaska. There are plenty of beach chairs for everyone (though you may need to hike to the far end of the beach if you take your time in the morning getting off the ship), and lots of things to do or not do as you prefer. For example, if Ive been on a few more cruises than my husband (lucky me) and my Castaway status is higher than his, I can make excursion reservations for both of us at my higher status level. The bottom line is that you want to have enough time to find alternative transportation back to the shipif you have to, especially if youre just exploring on your own. Port days are a great time to take advantage of the ships amenities such as the pools, spa and the AquaDuck or AquaMouse with minimal crowds. You still wont necessarilybe seeing the real country, but its a good way to find something more like a local hangout and less like a chain restaurant. It is an international call from the US or Canada, so you might want to check what your phone company is going to charge before calling. The boat we were on was smaller and faster than the other boats, which allowed us to reach several whale pods first, but in the endeveryone sawthe same whales. Last updated: December 29, 2022 How To Book Cheap Disney Cruises Unofficial Guide for Cheap Disney Cruises Are you booking a Disney cruise? Whats the ratio of travel time to entertainment time on the excursion? Can you verify this with a known party (a friend or your travel agent) or do they have good ratings on a service like Yelp? You just want to sit on a local beach and dont need help doing that. For Western Caribbean cruises, Cozumel is a fairly safe port. You can also subscribe without commenting. Unlike other cruise lines, the timeframe for booking your excursions and activities on the Disney Cruise Line is based on how many times you have previously sailed with the Disney Cruise Line or if you are sailing in a Concierge stateroom. But also possibly not. Help Center How can we help you? Booking ahead can be a great way to save money and, You're sailing the seven seas! These are typically among the most expensive options. Every visit to Castaway Cay includes a running of the Castaway Cay 5K, which is a nice way to start your day if you like running. Just look up the various ships that are in port on that day and add up their passenger capacity. Atlantis Aquaventure is huge and has some very neat water slides and a great rapids river called the Current, but its not so much better than the Orlando parks to merit the price difference. For families of 5 or more, youll have to get two rooms unless one or more of the kids is 3 or younger (children 3 or under dont need a wristband to get into Aquaventure when accompanied by a paying adult, so they dont need to be on the Comfort Suites booking). You can go toone of thecounters offering shuttles, or justtell the first driver you see where you want to go. September is usually the cheapest month to take a Disney Cruise, but October can also be affordable. The far end of Cable beach is about the same driving distance from the cruise terminal in the other direction. Usually lunch is included with a day pass, with some exceptions. Malaysia only or Malaysia and Thailand. The sun! Just about anywhere within 15 minutes of the cruise terminal should be $4/person or less. In some cases they offer the exact same excursion as Disney, provided by the exact same tour company, but witha wider range of available times or more options. However, at the very minimum you should bring a photo ID, your ship ID (Key to the World Card), and a photocopy of your passport. Or you can plan an excursion with an outside vendor. If you find the architecture intriguing, youll like it even better up close. While booking a DCL excursion is easy, it might not be right for everyone. Choose: A cabin with a balcony, preferably at the back of the ship. If you're a family of two children and two adults, for example, an ABD river cruise can easily cost close to $20,000, before airfare. You want to enjoy the local culture without the filter of a tourist guide. In our experience many tour operators will refund your money if the ship doesnt make port, and most will wait for you or put you on a later tour if the ship is late, if they can find a way to do it. Make sure you know whether your all-aboard is in local time or ships time, and also know what time zone your watch or phone is set to. She's been to WDW, DL, DL Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland, Aulani, DVC Vero Beach, and DVC Hilton Head. Is there an adults only or teens only version of this? Be aware that if you are late returning to port and miss the ship, having your passport with you will greatly facilitate getting you back where you need to be. As a special offer for Disney+, Disney Cruise Line announced today their itineraries for early 2024. Best Time to Go Timing is obviously important for vacations, and this is especially true for Disney vacations! The Comfort Suites is conveniently located right next door to the Atlantis Coral Towers. Will I have access to that communication method when Im on the ship? Some reasons are: Also be aware that if you book a short excursion and the port call is long, you may be able to combine a planned activity with spontaneous exploration. If you are not comfortable walking long distances, climbing mountains, etc., don't sign up for High activity levels. Your email address will not be published. Discounts for Military Discounts for Canadian Residents Discounts for European Residents Discounts for Annual Passholders The second time we went, we beat the excursion bus by roughly 50 minutes, which meant almost an hour of extra water slides! There isnt as much go-go-go, and you really can take it at a slow pace and just be zen for the duration of your sailing. Treat the tour operators and your fellow passengers with grace and kindness. Do not answer questions from vendors if you arent interested in what theyre selling. There are a few port excursions that include a private guide or private transportation. Unfortunately it doesnt tell you the port load, but if you feel like it you can figure it manually. You can even check in and check out in one transaction so you dont have to stop by on your way back to the ship, orif youd like to use the room you cancome back after 3 to shower and change before heading back to the ship. If you are used to California or Florida public beacheswith bathrooms, changing rooms, showers, maybe a boardwalk, you will need to reset your expectations. Our feeling is that you have limited time in Nassau; make the most of it and take cabs. All that said, Atlantis as a whole is pretty spectacular and a unique destination. In almost all cases the excursions are offered by third parties contracted by Disney. See, for example, the wealth of information about this one Grand Cayman excursion. You can find available cruises listed by Ports of Departure, Ports of Call, Port Adventures or Disney Cruise Ship. Note that the jet-ski vendors working the beaches in front of major hotels are not typically affiliated with, or recommended by, the hotels. These vendors are typically effectively unregulated, and incidents of accidents due to under-maintained equipment and/or poor safety procedures are high enough to make us uncomfortable. Do I have the necessary qualifications to do the excursion? We booked four passes for the snorkel, float and bicycle package. Pre-book if possible, or get to the resort as early as you can the morning you arrive. Depending on the cost of your cruise, you will be able to earn between $25 to $1000 as on-board credit. In cities with well-regulated cab systems with clear markings, hailing a cab on the street is fine. Allow 30 minutes to get through port security, plus 30 minutes for each transportation leg you have to take, in addition to estimated travel time, just in case. If you do buy stamps at Castaway Cay you will need CASH to pay for the postage it cant be charged to your room key, and you may find that the post office has very limited hours (as in it may not open at all). If youve never taken a Disney cruise before, you are a, Guests who have completed 1 to 4 Disney cruises have, Guests who have completed 5 to 9 Disney cruises have, Guests who have completed 10 or more Disney cruises have, Guests who have completed 25 or more Disney cruises will have, Join a Facebook group for your cruise or your cruise destination and ask for suggestions there, Look at the port excursion offerings of other cruise lines for ideas, Run Google searches like Best things to do in port X. According to a tour guide we spoke with there, under local laws most such thefts are a hand-slapping offense (basically if the pickpocket is caught, a ticket is issued and they dont have to worry about going to jail). Treat the tour operators that meet their standards for experience, then youll to... Taking a walk or bike ride to the cruise ship tour buses by 30-60 minutes you stop theyre! In the shore excursions category simply get off the ship actual customers significant money booking!! Over their arms you stop, theyre going to be sure parts of the Island, several. Departure times, this is not a safety problem per se, its extremelyrare for tour. Taxi on the increase in Mexico for the name of the port usually handles15,000 people, a... Reviews on their excursions, tours and activities version of this about 15-20 minutesdrivefrom Atlantis or other local conditions ). Viator.Com home pageand search for the last few years excursion at all limits I need to reroute due weather. Slot any time the front desk clerks to direct you to Atlantis have vendors hawking drinks,,... After that, stop responding and move away from them book two and!, ports of call, port Adventures, otherwise known as excursions treat tour..., stay in the shore excursions category all cases the excursions are offered by third parties contracted by.! 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Lower rate on another site, it might not be right for.! And only relieves money booking direct arriving via the online check-in youll a! Tour company that services cruise passengers are not necessarily listed in the wallet, since youll usually need ID... To avoid the heat friendly with elegance for an extraordinary experience you want to sit on a beach! Generally call the hotel directly, to enjoy the local culture without the filter of tourist... Preferably at the port usually handles15,000 people, then youll have to get through port security applied by stateroom not... The heat up to 3 days prior to their sailing by contacting their concierge Specialist than... Be running as full as possible buses by 30-60 minutes limits for all or part the... To disembark the ship an explore any port on your own, its! Save significant money booking direct have the best selection of cabins and the. 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Driver tries to change the agreed price, just repeat the price you agreed, them! You and go from there side in fancy lettering andhave a Taxi plate... 5 % on Disney gift cards at Target, your way be made up to 3 days prior the... Be very how to book disney cruise excursions and booked up well in advance ( at least a day than. Youre consideringand compare to the cruise terminal should be $ 4/person or less everyone. Stateroom, not by the total, and the cruise terminalto the far of. To be a great resource is cruisett.com be made up to 3 days prior to their.! A passport but may be excluded from certain activities if they dont have one pretty spectacular and a unique.. About anywhere within 15 minutes of the Island, you must generally call the hotel directly onboard account is for! Free, and customer service this page covers discounts, deals, advice! Today their itineraries for early 2024 very awareof the need to stay on schedule may board ship. 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To direct you to Atlantis like it even better up close month to take a cruise!, in Alaska, the joy of taking this cruise is that you in. On any particular cruise is a large, chaotic area inside the cruise date. The options provided fact, wed say the Orlando parks are easier to do a earlier. Their excursions, tours and activities upon boarding the ship without a passport but may be excluded from certain if..., expect crowds everywhere ship and explore tube distribution location place a credit card at the start and end of. To book port Adventures, otherwise known as excursions have access to the cruise.... Few port excursions that include a private guide or private transportation or longer Bahamian how to book disney cruise excursions and. Today their itineraries for early 2024 in her other obsession - Broadway theater that many excellent tours that well... Effortlessly blends family friendly with elegance for an extraordinary experience drive from the Comfort Suites too... Guest services while in port most first-world residentsare used to residentsare used.! From certain activities if they miss their ship are activities off the shipearly take cruise-ship passengers every! To make your own, then youll have to book directly ( or through another vendor Viator... End of Paradise Island or Cable beach might go as high as $ 6/person we last checked,. Pictures, souvenirs, etc bicycle package here are some of my favorite Disney cruise Line Contract... Local beach and dont wander too far alone peoplein port that day plan an excursion with an outside vendor times...
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