Disney Cruise (Disney Wonder: Magic at the Sea, Sydney)
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(I realised this blog is too long, so I separated the Chinese version)
Yes! I started my new year with a Disney Cruise Trip!
It's the first time ever a Disney Cruise coming to Australia
and I definitely couldn't miss out!
I saw this news more than a year ago
With no hesitation, I went to book on the ticket release date
but it was too crowded and the website couldn't even load
When I went back the next day
it was already fully booked
I was so disappointed 😔
Luckily, after I kept refreshing the website
I found one spot that may have been cancelled from someone
and I finally secured my booking!
I am going to share in this post about
my 2-night trip on the Disney Wonder
"Magic at the Sea"
sailing from Sydney
By the way
I was travelling with my partner only
so the Cruise tips I'm gonna share
may not be as comprehensive for families with kids
Before the Cruise
After securing the booking
you may download the "Disney Cruise Line Navigator" app first
Log in to your reservation
it will show you some information
and you will need this app on the cruise
to stay update with all the activities
About one month before your cruise
you will receive a letter
with the luggage tag provided
it's also the time to check-in
Try to check in as early as possible
so you may board the cruise earlier
to enjoy the most
The earliest time for boarding is 11am
I was a bit late
so we got the 1pm boarding session
Check online to find out where is the port for boarding
and plan for how to get to the port
We always thought it would be at the Circular Quay
and luckily we checked before departure
we were boarding from the White Bay Cruise Terminal
We got a bit confused with the direction
but I have now found the information here
if anyone is going to board from this port too
In regards to what to pack for the trip
you may see here
and of course don't forget all the Disney costumes
and the Mickey Mouse ear headband
Also,
there are 4 voluntarily Disney Cruise tradition activities
that you could join to enhance your cruise experience
You may join the Facebook group for your sailing date
to find out more information
(I found out this the last day before boarding
so I only got the chance to participate in the first one)
1. Door Decoration
After some research only I found out that
there is a tradition for Disney Cruises
where people decorates the cruise door
The stateroom doors (except for some Concierge Stateroom)
are made with metallic material
so we could place magnetic signs on the door
See more details here
The number plate size is 7.25 inches/ 18.415cm
so you could design yours with this measurement
or search online to get the ready template
Some people print the design and laminate it
then they stick the round magnet to it
I was using the Magnetic Gloss Photo Paper
which we got from Officework
It's printable with normal printer
(but the magnetic force may not be as strong)
2. Cruising Duck
Basically, you purchase rubber ducks
make little tags for them
and hide them in any public place on the cruise ship
People love hiding and searching for ducks
However,
there is post stated this practice is no longer allowed
so please check again if you are planning to join this activity
3. Fish Extender
It is named after the fish above your Disney cruise cabin
Participants hang pouches to exchange presents
making it a magical tradition onboard
You may find a group of families to participate in
prior to your sailing date
4. Pixie Dust
You may prepare any sort of small gift or treat to give to other cruisers
just like a magic to surprise people
Have a look online on how people prepare
they usually include a tag written "You have been pixie dusted by ___"
Getting on the Cruise Ship
On your sailing day
make sure to prepare all the necessary documents (ID and Tickets)
and pre-tag your luggage for a smoother boarding process
It's mentioned that returning may be required
if arriving earlier than the designated boarding time
so we went there almost exactly at the scheduled boarding time
Don't forget to take picture with the cruise ship before boarding
then bring your ready tagged luggage to the luggage drop-off area
it's mentioned that the luggage may arrive a few hours later
so consider packing a day bag essential items
Alternatively, you may choose to keep the luggage with you
However, ours had already been delivered to our room
when it was ready at 2pm
Also because we were there just on time
there was no line during our session
we smoothly proceeded with the boarding process
while others with later boarding times
were queuing and waiting for their turn
As you walk onto the cruise
the crew members will ask for your name
and welcome you with an announcement
creating a festive atmosphere
Goofy was also at the lobby to welcome us
If you have any inquiries
you can head straight to Guest Services
located right next to the lobby
Alternatively, you can proceed directly to lunch
We were directed to Cabanas on Deck 9 for the buffet
(more dining details below)
I didn't get a chance to explore other places
but I saw people mentioned that
all dining areas serve the same buffet until 3pmIf you miss the buffet
there is also 24-hour In-Room Dining
and other quick-bite outlets around the pool area on Deck 9
While having lunch
connect the cruise Wi-Fi
to use the app for onboard activity information
There will be a compulsory assembly for everyone on board
and you need to check your assembly station and time
If your boarding time is early
and it is not yet 2pm after lunch
feel free to explore
or even take a dip in the pool
make the most of every minute on the cruise!
Room
The room will be ready at 2pm
It was 2pm when we finished our lunch
so we headed to our room straight away
There are quite a few types of stateroom available
see here for more information
We booked the Deluxe Oceanview Stateroom
which usually includes 1 big or 2 small portholes
This is the sunrise we saw from our room on Day 2
our room is located on Deck 2
while the lobby is on Deck 3
Most of the public areas are situated on Decks 3, 4 and 9
The room key will be placed on top of the fish next to your cabin door
This is what a key card looks like
It will serve as your onboard ID
A short video of our stateroom
It was taken before the cruise departed
so instead of the ocean view
we were overlooking the terminal 😂
The housekeeping cleans the room twice a day
Our toilet was a bit small though
not too sure about other room types
At my height of 168cm
my head was about to hit the ceiling after stepping into the bathtub
I wondered how people taller than 175cm
manage to take a shower in this space😅
You can check the activity schedule on the TV
and of course there are all the Disney movies available to watch
Characters
Taking pictures with the characters
is one of the big things to do
otherwise it will be like you have never experienced the Disney Cruise
The character schedules and locations are all on the app
We wore our Mickey and Minnie Mouse costumes on Day 1
so I planned to complete the mission
of taking a picture with them by the end of Day 1
On the app it said their first appearance time was at 4:15pm
at different locations
while the mandatory assembly was at the same time!
The assembly would only last for roughly 15 minutes
and I figured it was best to arrive later
so you could sit at the back
which is closer to the exit
Mickey Mouse was on the same deck
so I chose to rush to the Minnie Mouse first
We were running so fast
and yet there were always people in front of us
Fortunately,
we successfully took the picture in less than 10 minutes!
We took pictures with Mickey Mouse during the later session
scheduled at 7:30pm
We arrived at 7pm to join the queue
though we were not the first ones
Mickey and Minnie make the most appearances
so choose a time that suits you
and be sure to arrive early!
I recommend arriving 30 minutes before the scheduled time
to secure a spot at the front of the queue
minimising your waiting time
Otherwise
some people waited for up to 1 hour
There was photographer taking photo
(but you needed to pay to remove the watermark)
and they could also take photo with your phone
Each stateroom is allowed 2 photos
Kids can bring a book and pen
for character autographs
A useful tip:
sometimes characters walk around the cruise
outside scheduled times
feel free to ask for a photo together
while there might not be a Disney photographer
there is always a staff next to the character
who can help take a picture
In these cases
there is either no queue or just a few people around
but unfortunately they didn't make an appearance on our cruise 😞
and I couldn't be bothered to take pictures with other characters
Dining
There were 2 dinner sessions to choose from when booking the cruise
5:45pm and 8:15pm
Initially, we were assigned to the 8:15pm session
but we requested a change to the 5:45pm one
The cruise staff arranges your dining schedule
typically ensuring you experience all 3 main restaurants
if you book for 3 nights or more
You will be seated at the same table number in each restaurant
with the same servers each night
enabling them to remember your preferences
and enhance your dining experience
The 3 main restaurants are:
1. Animator's Palate
This restaurant offers a unique dinner show
featuring Disney characters
Guests have the opportunity to draw their own character on provided paper
and it will come to live on the screen
We dined here on Day 1
The servers' uniforms are so cute
The character I drew
The food we had at Animator's Palace
I recommend the Pork Tenderloin
the steak was overcooked
even though we ordered medium rare
2. Tiana's Place
This restaurant is inspired by The Princess and the Frog
featuring live jazz music during dinner hours
We enjoyed both lunch and dinner here on Day 2
The moment when we entered the restaurant during lunch time
The lunch food we had at this restaurant
I recommend the Salt & Pepper Squid
Salad with Grilled Salmon
and the Sundae
The dinner food we had
I recommend the King Prawn
and the Beef Rib
we ordered it rare this time
and it was cooked exactly as we wanted
3. Triton's
Named after the Little Mermaid's father,
Triton's is an upscale restaurant offering fine dining "under the sea"
As we only booked for 2 nights
we didn't get a chance to enjoy dinner at Triton's
but we were assigned to have breakfast there on the last day
Our server told us there is no show for dinner at this restaurant
I had a look at the food others were having
when passing by
they looked quite good
It was an à la carte breakfast
nothing special about the food
By the way
we were seated with two other couples
at a table for 6
and it was so awkward for all of us
I didn't notice any tables for 2 at these 3 restaurants
so if you desire a more intimate setting
you might have to pay extra to dine at Palo
As mentioned above
we had our Day 1 buffet lunch at Cabanas
it is a casual dining restaurant
that also serves buffet breakfast
Probably because I was urgently checking the information
I had no appetite at that time
and to be honest
the food on the cruise was not that good
This is the Mickey waffle that
I got from the breakfast buffet on Day 2
I saw online that people had Mickey Ice Cream
and after asking our server
we were told it was not available on our cruise 😔
I have seen others buy coffee with a Mickey picture on top
perhaps from one of the cafes
While there wasn't any Mickey Ice Cream
unlimited soft-serve was still available on deck 9
The flavours we saw included vanilla, chocolate, and banana
The in-room dining operates 24 hours
so feel free to call them at any time
there is no need to worry if you still feel hungry after dinner
There are still many other places where you can get food
I didn't visit all of them
so I won't be introducing each one here
Shows
The live show performances are another big thing onboard
Live productions are performed at Walt Disney Theatre
2 times each evening
to take dining schedules into consideration
If you have arranged to attend the first dinner seating
then plan to attend the second performance
and vice versa
You can buy popcorn and drinks outside the theatre at additional costs
or bring your own water bottle
and fill it up from Deck 9 beforehand
The shows we watched were
Disney Dream and Frozen
I personally preferred the Frozen show
as it includes puppetry and snow flurries throughout the theatre
ensure you arrive early to secure seats in the front rows
In addition,
there were also deck parties later at night
we had Mickey's Sail-A-Wave Party on the first night
and the spectacular Marvel Heroes Unite on the second night
combining incredible stunts with
dazzling special effects and jaw-dropping fireworks
Truly enjoyable!
A sneak peak at the both shows we watched
Make sure to arrive early for a good spot
I recommend adults be on Deck 10 for a better view
while kids can be in the pool area on Deck 9
to interact with the characters
Remember to wear jackets or jumpers
as it's always windy outdoor
and even cooler at night
Adult Areas
Senses Spa & Salon on deck 9 offers high-end services and treatments
You can make a booking in advance through the app
There was a raffle with a chance to win up to a $500 package
information can be found in the app
we had to go there before the assembly to enter
then went back at 4:45pm to see the result
As my partner's birthday was just two days before the trip
we received a little birthday surprise of $50 credits from the Spa
that was given together with the key cards
We also got informed from the app that
we have won the silent raffle of $50 credits
However, we did not have much time after
so we ended up not going to enjoy the services
At the same area, there is a fitness centre
where you can do exercise while overlooking the stunning ocean view
we totally forgot to bring sportswear
Otherwise, we could have enjoyed some workout time
Early morning on Day 2
after having breakfast
we quickly get changed to enjoy the morning sunshine
by the adult pool - Quiet Cove Pool
There were not many people at this time (around 8am to 9am)
so it was great time to swim
and enjoy the whirlpool spas
The main pool has a depth of 1.58 meters
with a heating function if the temperature drops below 25 degrees
The pool area provides towels
and you can also order cocktails to enhance your experience
Since there was nobody around
I was able to take picture like it's my own private pool
Of course there is also a kids' pool area
with a double-looping waterslide
we took this pic before the pool opened
There are also many other adult after-hours areas and cafes
that we didn't get to experience
so I won't be introducing all of them here again
Another area that is worth mentioning
is the shops
Find specially-designed Disney Cruise Line merchandise
at Mickey's Mainsail and White Caps
both located on Deck 4
next to Walt Disney Theatre
so it's great to visit before or after the show
This is what I bought from the shop
I chose this design because it's in red
and can be used for Christmas as well
so it won't be sitting in the closet forever😄
as a gift for our friend
More Useful Tips
1. Disney Cruise Line Navigator App
Download the app from here
Use it at home to plan your trip and check in online
Once on board,
use it to view your cruise schedule
mark the activities that you are interested in as favourite
and it will push notifications to remind you
There is also chat feature
that allows you to communicate with family and friends onboard
2. Wi-Fi Connection
You can connect to the ship's complimentary DCL-GUEST wireless network
to use the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app
Remember to turn on Airplane Mode after the ship starts sailing
to prevent roaming charges
For other online usage
you will need to purchase internet packages to stay connected
3. Gratuities
Disney Cruise recommend a gratuity amount of $14.50 USD per night
per stateroom guest, including infants and children
and more for guests staying in Concierge Staterooms and Suites
Pre-paid Gratuities are distributed
to the Crew Members in the following roles:
- Dining room server ($4.75)
- Dining room assistant server ($3.75)
- Dining room head server ($1.25)
- Stateroom host ($4.75)
If you did not get a chance to pre-pay before boarding
the gratuities will automatically be charged to the account
Once on the ship,
you can adjust the amount of your Pre-Paid Gratuities
by visiting Guest Services on Deck 3
An 18% gratuity is automatically added to
bar, beverage, wine, deck service tabs and spa services
You will receive these small envelopes in your room
on the last night
along with a sheet of paper to distribute the "tips" into the envelopes
You can personally hand the envelopes to your servers
or they will be distributed automatically anyway
4. Health and Safety
I found the cruise ship was rocking quite a bit
Fortunately I had prepared some motion sickness medicine
to prevent discomfort
There is also a Health Centre located on Deck 1
if any medical services are required
5. Water and Drinks
The unlimited water, soft drinks, and hot drinks station
are located on Deck 9 outside Cabanas
Bring your water bottle with you
to top up water and drinks anytime
so you can enjoy them anywhere else
6. Picture Hot Spots
Here are some of my recommended spots to take pictures on the ship:
The Christmas Tree in the lobby area on Deck 3
Not too sure if the tree will be there all the time
or just during the Christmas season
The little mermaid also in the lobby area
in front of Triton's
There are many of this big portholes
at the hallway outside Azure on Deck 3
The balcony outside Cabanas
we got the chance to take picture
with the Harbour Bridge and Sydney Tower
before the cruise ship started sailing
The pool area on Deck 9
The signature chimney with Mickey Mouse symbol on Deck 10
and yes, I also had my matching nail art done💅
The telephone booth outside Crown & Fin Pub on Deck 3
When sailing back to Sydney on the last day
our cruise went pass under the Harbour Bridge around 6:15am
look how beautiful the sunrise is
Go to Deck 10 Forward to take picture like this
That's all for my sharing of Disney Cruise Trip
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Thank you 😊
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