Tips for Your First Day on the Disney Cruise Line

We’ve gone on several family cruises over the past few years, and they are always my favorite vacations of the year. I love the uninterrupted time with my family, and since everything is taken care of for you, I enjoy relaxing. But before you can completely relax on your cruise, you need to get through the first day.

The first day can be stressful, and it’s always my least favorite part of the trip (except for leaving). Here are some tips for your first day on the Disney Cruise Line (although these tips can also be applied to other cruise lines).

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Related: Disney Cruise Line Tips for First-Timers

Tips for Your First Day on the Disney Cruise Line

Be patient

This is the most crucial tip, regardless of the cruise line you are sailing on. The first day is filled with logistics and other “boring” activities that help you prepare for the perfect trip.

Set appropriate expectations with yourself and your children, especially during the important evacuation drill before you sail away. Although essential, evacuation drills are some of the worst parts of a cruise.

Stay overnight the day before

Unless you live a short distance from the port, consider staying overnight near the port. That way, you won’t have to worry about traffic, delayed flights, or lost bags. On one of our cruises two years ago, our bags were delayed and didn’t arrive until the next morning. It was good to have an extra day as a buffer.

Getting to the port early is also great because you can start your vacation immediately. Remember that you’ll typically have to follow a specific port arrival time. We stay at the Hyatt Regency Orlando Airport for cruises leaving Port Canaveral. 

Pack a day bag

You won’t have access to your checked bags until later in the evening, so pack essentials for the day in a day bag. Include things like prescription medication, valuables, sunscreen, dinner clothes, and swimsuits. My suitcases usually arrive in my stateroom before dinner, but I always like to have clothes for the evening on me, just in case.

You also won’t be able to access your room until later, so ensure the bag isn’t too heavy. Once, I carried around a day bag that just killed my shoulder. Now that the kids are a little older, I have them bring their own backpacks with their electronics.

If you plan to decorate your stateroom door, you may want to put your magnets in your day bag. We love decorating our room right when we arrive, so we feel like we’ve moved in.

Find transportation to the port

If you aren’t traveling, I recommend scheduling your transportation to the port in advance. Before booking, consider all factors, including price and convenience.

I generally take Disney’s transportation for cruises departing Port Canaveral. It costs extra, but it is very convenient.

Sign up for kids’ activities

On the Disney Cruise Line, you can sign up your children to participate in kids’ activities right in the port. They will receive their bracelets, and you can add essential information, like allergies and other concerns, to their files.

Once you are on board, you’ll be able to attend open houses in the kids’ clubs so you can check them out. If you have kids who are a little apprehensive about going to the kids’ clubs, it’s a good idea to visit them together during one of these open house times.

Have lunch

Once we board our ship, we head right up to Cabanas (or Marceline Market, on the Disney Wish) to grab a table for lunch. It gets crowded, so we arrive early to scout our spot.

Alternatively, there’s often at least one sit-down restaurant that is also open for lunch. Since fewer people know about that, it can be a little more low-key and less crowded. There are few food options, but I prefer this alternative because it isn’t as hectic.

Schedule seminars and dining

If you haven’t already booked beverage seminars, it’s worth trying once you are onboard. I recommend doing this in advance when bookings open, but you can always check for availability on the first day.

Even if you are traveling with kids, it’s worth attending a seminar. The kids will likely love the kids’ clubs, so you’ll probably have more free time than expected.

There will also be the opportunity to try to book adult-only dining at Palo and Enchante/Remy where available (although this is also something you should try to do in advance). Additionally, if you aren’t happy with your dining time, you can request to change it. You’ll want to do all these things when you arrive on the ship on day one.

Decorate your door

Once you have access to your stateroom, have fun making it your own by decorating your door with magnets. Door decorating isn’t required, but it’s a fun idea and a great way to identify your door. We love looking at everyone’s door decorations as we walk around the ship.

Check out this post for decorating ideas.

Download the Disney Cruise Line App

I love the Disney Cruise Line app. It includes schedule information for your entire cruise, port information, deck plans, restaurant menus, and so much more. You can also use the app to communicate with others on your cruise, even if you aren’t using cellular data or purchasing WiFi.

Download it before you set sail so you can still use your cellular data to do it. Then, connect with your friends and family members. We use the app to communicate all the time.

You can also use iMessage at no additional cost if you have an iPhone.

Unpack Right Away

It’s a great idea to unpack your bags as soon as your suitcases arrive. Living out of a suitcase while on a cruise is hard because there isn’t a great place to store open suitcases.

Instead, unpack everything, and store the bags under the bed. I like to make sure my clothes are hung up because there are no irons in the room. Hanging things up right away helps prevent wrinkles.

If I have wrinkled items, I like to walk to the laundry room and iron them on the first night. That way, I can get it over with and don’t have to iron again during my vacation.

Check Port Excursions

Even though you can book port excursions online as soon as you check in online, you’ll find a port excursions desk onboard. If you want to add any additional excursions, I recommend going to the desk on your first day to make changes.

Visit the Spa

The spa typically has an open house on the first day. If you may want to book a treatment, the open house is an excellent opportunity to check it out.

You can also book treatments at this point. I love the rainforest room on the Disney Cruise Line, and you can buy a pass for the length of your trip if you’d like.

Once you’ve completed your muster drill, handled any dining logistics, and unpacked, you are ready to enjoy your Disney Cruise Line vacation!

Have you been on the Disney Cruise Line? What tips would you recommend?