Royal Caribbean February 2020 Specials
What Makes a Disney Cruise Special–Part One
All cruise lines have some great features and things they do well. But, today, I am going to let you know all the things that I think Disney Cruise does REALLY well. Things that set them apart from the rest of the pack!
Rather watch a video? At the end of this post there is a link to a live video I recorded on what makes a Disney Cruise special. The post and the video aren’t identical.
How Disney Cruise Line Excels–Part 1
Accommodations designed with the family in mind.
- A heavy privacy curtain divides the room between the bed and the couch/drop-down bed which makes the room feel like two rooms. The curtain is so heavy that it really blocks the light from one side or the other.
- Ample storage is provided. The bed is a little higher bed for under storage. The closet is nice and large for hanging items with a small drawer unit inside. Another cabinet is provided in most rooms as well as a desk/mirror area with multiple drawers, mini-fridge, and cabinet. There is room for everyone’s stuff!
- Divided bathrooms (found in most deluxe staterooms) are A…mazing! One bathroom has the toilet and sink and the other has a shower/bath with a sink. Since they both have mirrors over the sink two people can get ready at the same time with loads room to move. They are small but AWESOME!
Dining
- Rotational Dining! Each cruise ship has three different, fantastic restaurants that you don’t want to miss. Upon check-in, you are given your dining rotation between the three dining rooms for your trip. Your servers will move with you to each dining room which means you don’t have to let other servers know your family’s needs and desires.
- Kid specific meals that are more than just chicken nuggets and mac-n-cheese. Plus, kids can order food off of the regular menu if they choose.
- Activity booklets are provided each night to keep your child entertained during dinner. Also, the Oceaneer’s club leaders will come partway through dinner time to take the children back to the club and you can enjoy the rest of your dinner.
- Entertainment in some of the dining rooms. Listen to a jazz band, watch your own cartoons come to life, dance with your servers, or have Disney characters dance by your table. One dining room is quieter and without entertainment.
- 24-hour room service available.
Family Entertainment
- Evening shows are all child-friendly. You do not have to ever be concerned that the entertainment might not be appropriate for your kids (always consider your child’s age).
- Many planned activities for the whole family both in the Oceaneer’s Club and Lab and other areas of the ship. Try a family dance party, family crafts or family trivia.
- Classic and 1st Run Disney movies playing almost all day long in the Buena Vista Theater and the outdoor Funnel Vision.
Fantastic Service
From your Room Steward to your Dining Room Servers to the cast members you see around the boat, you feel like everyone’s mission is to help you have the best vacation ever!
Special Offerings
- Pirate Night on most Caribbean and Bahamian cruises. You can don a bandana or bring your own Pirate garb to get decked out for the evening party. You might even be treated to some fireworks at sea. How awesome is that!
- Frozen Night on Alaska cruises. Join Elsa, Anna, Olaf and friends for a day of adventure on the ship, dine on a menu from Arendel, and sing and dance at the evening deck party complete with “snow”.
- Star Wars Day at Sea. On 7 night cruises, you can spend the day with your favorite characters around the ship and at special meet and greet opportunities (booked prior to the cruise). Indulge your inner child and bring an awesome costume, catch up on Star Wars movies in the Buena Vista Theater, join in special Star Wars activities such as droid racing, Resistance training, and learn the ways of the Jedi. Top the day off with an epic evening with games, music, and a galactic dance party and some FIREWORKS!
- Marvel Day at Sea. Similar to Star Wars Day but geared all toward the best Marvel characters. Even Mickey and Minnie get into the action by dressing up in Marvel garb. Marvel movies and activities ALL DAY LONG!
- Halloween on the High Seas (select cruises in September and October). Bring your costumes to really get excited about all the Halloween activities. Join Minnie and Mickey at the Mouse-querade party, try pumpkin carving, be pulled into the world of Tim Burton during an interactive movie with Jack and Sally, listen to haunted stories and trick-or-treat around the ship. This is only the tip of the iceberg of fun!
- The Very Merrytime Christmas Cruise (select cruises in November and December) is a holiday wonderland. The ships become transformed with holiday spirit. Regular activities take on a Christmas theme as well as some special additions such as the Wonderland Ball and time with Santa.
Watch my Facebook Live on this subject!
What Makes a Disney Cruise Special! Part 1
Next week I will continue with Part 2. There are 7 more really cool things that make a Disney Cruise worth the extra cost. You won’t want to miss outt!
Click here for part 2!
Other Links that might interest you:
- 7 Things I Loved About our Disney Cruise
- Guide to Character Meeting on your Disney Cruise
- Mistakes We Made on our Disney Cruise
Happy travels to you…until we meet again!
Awesome Deals with Ama Waterways 2020 Sailings
Check out these awesome Deals from Ama Waterways and start planning your next adventure!
Exclusive Triple Savings When You Book by December 31, 2019!
Fantastic Mekong River Specials:
2-FOR-1 LAND + PREPAID GRATUITIES + COMPLIMENTARY UPGRADE
See the landmark sights of Southeast Asia and thoroughly entice all your senses on a Mekong River cruise from AmaWaterways. Feel the rush of excitement as you take a trishaw ride down the charming streets of Vietnam or try your hand at making traditional Vietnamese rice paper. Hear the melodic chanting as you explore ancient temples and are blessed by monks in remote monasteries. Smell the intoxicating scent of spices wafting through floating marketplaces and then taste these exotic new flavors.
These are the enriching moments of travel that let you explore more about the cultures and traditions of exotic lands. A journey through the heartland of Vietnam and Cambodia is truly a trip of a lifetime.
Earn exclusive Triple Savings on select Mekong River cruises listed below when you book by December 31, 2019:
- 2-For-1 Land pricing on full cruise and land program
- Pre-paid gratuities
- Complimentary upgrade
FREE ROUNDTRIP AIRFARE
OR 25% SINGLE SUPPLEMENTOn select 2020 sailings throughout Europe
Book by December 31, 2019
Don’t miss your chance to experience some of AmaWaterways’ most popular and scenic river cruise itineraries in 2020! Book your cruise on select 2020 departures by December 31, 2019 and you’ll receive Free Economy Airfare! Or take advantage of our reduced single supplement of 25% on select balconies and suites.
Prefer an upgrade? Now you can receive 2-for-1 savings on business class seats on select 2020 departures!
Possible Sailings:
- Tulip Time–7 day round trip to/from Amsterdam
- Magna on the Danube–7-night cruise from Vilshofen to Budapest or reverse
- Legendary Danube–7-night cruise from Nuremberg to Budapest
- Europe’s Rivers and Castles–7-night cruise from Luxembourg to Nuremberg
- Enchanting Rhine–7-night cruise from Basel to Amsterdam
- Magnificent Europe–14-night cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest or reverse
- Grand Danube–14-night cruise from Vilshofen to Giurgiu or reverse
- Even More Itineraries Available
HOLIDAY TRIPLE SAVINGS
- Save $1000 per person
- Complimentary Stateroom Upgrade
- $50 per person onboard credit
- Check out Ama Waterways for more details, itineraries, and more
- Valid for select Ama Waterways cruises in 2019 and 2020
EARLY BOOKING REWARD
on all 2021 Europe & Asia cruises*
Book by April 30, 2020
AmaWaterways continues to build upon its tradition of excellence by providing the most exceptional vacation experience for you. In 2021, we continue this tradition by introducing a new ship and a dazzling array of new destinations and itineraries offering even more variety and choices for all types of travelers. Book your 2021 vacation early and save on your top-choice balcony stateroom or suite!
5% Cruise Savings on Balconies and Suites
PLUS up to $1,500 savings per stateroom on select departures
when you book your cruise by April 30, 2020
All specials are subject to Terms and Conditions. Contact Me or visit Ama Waterways for more details.
Happy travels to you…until we meet again!
Other posts you might like:
Royal Caribbean November Deals
60% off 2nd Guest + Kids Sail for Less!
Royal Caribbean Cruise line has some great rates on cruises right now. They are offering 60% off the second guest and kids sail for less. This offer is good until December 3, 2019. Don’t miss out on these Royal Caribbean November Deals!
Bonus Deal: Wander Now Sale
**Book November 15-19, 2019 for Stateroom Credit
If you book within the next couple of days you will receive credit to your stateroom as well as the great rates. Stateroom credit can be used on dining, beverages, shore excursions, photographs and other activites. It cannot be used toward gratuities.
See chart below for the amount of credit you can receive! I love this extra Royal Caribbean November deal!
Stateroom Credit by booking November 15-19, 2019
| 5 Nights or Less: | 6 Nights or Longer | |
| Inside/Oceanview Cabin | $25 | $50 |
| Balcony Cabin | $75 | $100 |
| Suite | $75 | $200 |
Ready to take advantage of these Royal Caribbean November Deals? Contact me today!
Happy travels to you…until we meet again!
Other posts you might be interest in:
Guide to Character Meeting on Disney Cruise Line
So many characters to meet, so little time!
As I am typing this Guide to Character Meeting on Disney Cruise Line I am excitedly watching movie on Disney+ (the new streaming service). There were so many choices but I decided to go with one of my favorites, The Apple Dumpling Gang and I am LOVING it!
Now, on to the real reason for this post.
Character appearances are a fantastic part of a Disney cruise. Some people avoid the parks and take a cruise instead. They still get to see the Disney characters but stay away from the madness of the parks. There is no shortage of characters. While on board it feels like they are everywhere! Hopefully you will find this Guide to Character Meeting on Disney Cruise Line helpful!
Where do I go to meet the characters?
The Navigator (paper and app)
Do you wonder how you are going to find all the many characters on your Disney Cruise? Who to meet? When they will be there? Where to go? The Navigator is your complete guide to finding the characters. Each evening you can pick up the paper Navigator at Guest Services and plan for the next day. OR…
Even better, is to use the Navigator App. Download the app before leaving on your cruise. On the app you can search by character or by day to plan your day or even your whole week.
Meet and greets all over the ship
You will find characters all over the ship. Most of the time the characters on our ship were centered around the Atrium on 3 floors. They would also meet and greet outside the Walt Disney Theater, the ticketed gatherings (more later), character breakfast, and of course, the Oceaneers Club.
At the parties, shows, dinner and some excursions
Your favorite Disney characters are also the stars of so many of the shows. It all starts with the Sail-a-Wave Party. Other shows with characters include the Pixar Pals Party (loved this one!), Frozen Deck Party, Pirate Deck Party, sometimes the Family Dance Parties, and the Goodbye party. Mickey, Minnie and Friends also show up at the Golden Mickeys. You also might book an excursion that gives an opportunity for you to spend some time with your favorite characters.
And, of course, you might see characters at dinner or just walking around the ship. At these times the characters do not stop for pictures or autographs. They welcome a high 5 or a wave as they pass by. You might even get really lucky with a quick hug.
When can we interact with the characters?
Meet and Greet
At the meet and greet times the characters will sign autographs, talk with you for a moment or two, and take a picture with you. There is a photographer that will take your picture. They are also happy to use your camera to snap a pic or two. This is your opportunity to bring your autograph books, pillowcases, photo mats, t-shirts or whatever else you might want the characters to sign as a keepsake.
MEET AND GREET DETAILS: The Meet and Greet sessions are scheduled for 15 minutes. A cast member will not allow anyone else to enter they line when it gets close to ending time. Some characters have nice backgrounds. The lines go pretty quickly even when they look long. Remember, the character will only be there for 15 minutes so you shouldn’t be waiting longer than that.
NOTE ABOUT USING YOUR OWN CAMERA: The lighting at the meet and greets is not very good. It can be kind of dark and often a lot of shadowing. I will note that the Disney pictures, while better than mine, were sometimes not spectacular.
Parties
You also get to have a lot of interaction during the parties. For example, during the Pixar Pals Party we could dance with the characters, take pictures and have a ton of fun with them. At the end of the cruise at the goodbye party the characters stood around for pictures and some fun.
Gatherings
The gatherings are separate ticketed events. Prior to your cruise you can reserve a special time to meet the Princesses or Elsa and Anna. Reservations are free and are made based on your Castaway Club status. Platinum members can book 120 days before sailing, Gold members 105 days ahead, Silver members 90 days ahead and first time cruisers can book 75 days ahead. NOTE: If you are unable to get a reservation prior to departure check with Guest Service immediately after boarding to possibly get a time slot.
FROZEN Gathering: This is the only time you have to interact with Elsa and Anna.
PRINCESS Gathering: For us this was in the Atrium. It was nice to be able to see all of them at once. But, you will have a chance to see Princesses at other times. On our cruise we saw Cinderella, Belle, Ariel, and Tiana.
Royal Court Royal Tea Party
This extra special event delights children ages 3-12. During this whimsical tea time your prince and princesses enjoy stories, songs, and dancing with your Tea Party Hostess and Royal Pastry Chef. And, of course, devoted time with Disney Princesses.
In addition, your taste buds will be temped with tea and two delicious courses. Keepsake gifts will be given to remember this special teatime experience.
Cost: $220 for children and $69 for adults
Character Breakfast
This is also a special ticketed event. It is free but reservations must be made. What characters will be at the breakfast is constantly changing. It is an exciting surprise when you get there. We saw Mickey, Minnie, Chip and Dale. Make sure you tell your server if all of the characters have not visited your child.
Is every session with a character the same?
Throughout the cruise you will see multiple greeting times for some characters. There are a couple reasons. One reason is to give many people a chance to visit the characters. There is so much going on during the cruise that there needs to be multiple scheduled times to accommodate.
The other reason is that some characters, mainly Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Friends want to don more than one outfit to brighten up your day. They might show up in cruise wear one day, formal wear on Formal night, pirate garb, rain gear, or local outfits. One day on our Alaska cruise Mickey and Minnie wore Native Alaskan Parkas.
My biggest character meeting tip!
Use your Navigator app to plan out when you want to go and meet specific characters. On the app you can choose favorites and it will remind you at the time. If you do this at the beginning of your trip you can relax knowing you won’t miss out on any characters you really want to meet.
Thank you for reading this Guide to Character Meeting on Disney Cruise Line. I hope you found some helpful tips and tricks for cruise.
Is there a character that you just have to meet? One you would be heartbroken to miss? For me it was Joy! I love her!
Happy travels to you…until we meet again!
Other posts you might be interest in reading: