Elka

For many people though, DCL cruises are a once in a lifetime experience. If they don't get to do those things, it may be that their trip is ruined because they won't get another opportunity.

How do you know it will be once in a lifetime, noone knows until that person dies. DCL is a cruise line and people can get that experience as much as they want. Some of the people on my cruise had been to Alaska before with DCL including me. I am leaving in 11 days for an experience that is once in a lifetime, I applied 10 months ago and they select only 175 people for 5 groups of 35 people each year. I have to pay for the tour and get myself there and back. This tour is in Scandinavia. Can I apply again, yes. They won’t choose me again because they give preference to people that haven’t done it before. Maybe also you should read some of the other boards on this site. Some people have taken more than one World Cruise, an experience a lot of people consider once in a lifetime.

I don't know - I'd be pretty cheesed if I was already past my PIF date and found out that I couldn't book specialty dining, special excursions (like on Castaway Cay) or all of the special ticketed events were full. Or the only boarding time left was the last one.

 

For many people it won't matter - they'll be going no matter what.

For some people, it will matter. Lots of times I've seen posted - "I can't get Palo brunch! I can't get parasailing! There are no more Princess Meet and Greet tickets left! My trip is ruined!!!!!"

 

In the past, they could (would is a different matter) cancel the cruise and rebook a different date. Now, sorry but moving forward, you're in penalty phase.

I have seen those posts also, that my trip is ruined because I couldn’t get (fill in the blank). One lady on the Facebook page for my Alaska Cruise in July complained that the only excursion that her parents wanted was sold out, she was able to get it later, but her attitude was oh no my parents can’t get what they want, their trip is ruined. By the time she could reserve activities, she was already in the penalty phase for the cruise. Alaska cruises are PIF 120 days before the actual cruise even before Disney changed their policy on PIF.

My opinion is that anyone getting very upset because they can’t get Palo, PAT, meet and greets and shore excursions that they would like, are people who forget that vacations are a time to enjoy themselves no matter what happens or what they were able to get. I think that it is ok to feel disappointed, but saying your trip is ruined, is an overreaction.

Do Not know if it has changed, however from ‘Hurtigruten, PRACTICAL INFORMATION FOR PORT TO PORT PASSENGERS,

 

Alcohol Policy

Due to strict laws surrounding alcohol in Norway, and for the safety of our guests, alcohol that has not been purchased on board may not be consumed in any public area of the ship or in your cabin. Guests may bring up to two unopened bottles (maximum 1.5 liters each) per person onboard, but will be required to be checked in at the reception desk, and will be returned at the end of your voyage.

 

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I’m not much of an alcoholic drinker. The only thing I can think of that might be required to be checked is that I am flying on KLM. They give a house with some alcohol in it when you travel in their Business Class. I am more interested in the drinking chocolate than any alcohol!

Yes, the hot chocolate from the *bar* (on Trollfjord, just next to the main forward observation area with the wonderful double deck windows). This was wonderfully rich. Yum.

 

 

(But don't bother with the hot chocolate from the little cafe near the main restaurant. That's just the packaged powder, mixed with water, I think. But really nothing special, not good at all.)

 

Which Astronomer will be on your cruise?

We found the lectures very special indeed.

 

GC

The astronomer that you highly recommended, John Mason. I looked after your trip report to see who was on my cruise. My Hurtigruten Cruise is almost a month away. I will come back and write about my experience.

hallasm

 

I am so grateful for the info I have gleaned from your notes and responses here. We are off (after two days in Bergen) for the Bergen-Kirkenes-Bergen round-trip on November 16th, followed by four days in Oslo, flying back to the US on December 1st. Like everyone, we would like to travel as lightly as possible, but understand the climate demands certain "accommodations." And so we are asking for your advice - what clothing and footwear, specifically, will serve us best on our cruise? I also have a dim memory of reading that crampons are advisable for the Winter sailings. Any words of wisdom/experience will be most appreciated. Thanks.

I agree. Hallasm has been so helpful in answering questions about Hurtigruten. I leave in 3 weeks for my trip and am looking forward to my Astronomy Cruise in October. I know that I was constantly asking about luggage, at first I thought I would need an extra suitcase,I will only have one. My travel agent has made sure that I will be met and taken where I need to be. Also a thanks to Geezercouple, you also have given me tips that I hope to tryout! You said that the drinking chocolate was really good, can’t wait to try it. I will be on the Trollfjord.

I love DCL, but they do seem to be oblivious to the objections of long-time cruisers regarding the issue of repeating main shows in the Walt Disney Theatre. Initially, I wrote an email to customer services and received a non-answer to my concern with this new practice. Subsequently, I wrote an email to Christiaan Abbott (christiaanabbott@disney.com), a former Cruise Director and now Director of Entertainment Operations/Creative for Disney Cruise Lines, once again expressing my concern with the new practice. I did not receive a reply to that email. We are leaving Saturday to join the Disney Wonder on Monday for the 9 night Alaska cruise, and I am going to find the Cruise Director (it was Natalie Bailey earlier in the summer) and again express my concern. I hope it is Natalie as she is very approachable.

 

I highly recommend that if other cruise critic readers have this same concern you write to DCL and express your opinion. So far, those opinions seem to have been ignored, which is surprising and inconsistent with my prior experiences in contacting DCL. I am going to look up who is now in charge of DCL and try to email that person next. If anyone has suggestions or the email box of a DCL executive who will listen and respond, please let all of use know.

I am on the same cruise, I heard the Cruise Director for the 9 night in Alaska is Ashley. I had her as an assistant Cruise Director on a Panama Canal Cruise in 2014. She seemed to listen. Hope to meet you on the Wonder on Monday!

On the thread that asks about excursions starting from one stop and ending at another, one post has a link to brouchers and another post has a link to the excursions offered.

If you mean first seating and second seating, both get same entertainment of that night, unless the Cruise Director starts making announcements!

In 2016 I was on the Magic to the Norwegian Fjords. When we were having dinner in AP, we were having the black and white to color show, and Sorcerer Mickey ends it by dancing around the dining room to music. Well, the Cruise Director decided that he had to make the announcement about evening activities just as Mickey made his entrance! It was definitely funny to see the moves Sorcerer Mickey made to the Cruise Director describing both children and adults activities. Anyway, they made up for it another night when we got a do over of Sorcerer Mickey!

which fjiord is better, Geiranger or Hjorundfjord ???.

 

everyone and his brother goes to Geiranger and it looks nice but in June-August crowded and with kids everywhere

 

OR

 

 

However, what would you choose for a first time, I have seen many Fjiords from Alaska and New Zealand to Chile

just not Norway...

I have only been to Geiranger and loved the views. Never been to the other. I would try to do both.

I apologize in advanced if this is the wrong thread. We plan a cruise next year on the Dream. Question about Tiffany's on DCL:

 

My wife has an engagement ring from Tiffany and Co. There is a perk to owning a ring from Tiffany and that is you can get it cleaned at any Tiffany store worldwide AND you can also trade it in for an upgrade. Can you do these things on the Tiffany store on DCL? Thanks in advanced.

The Tiffany store is only on the Fantasy, not the Dream.

The time that you would like to book is one of the most expensive times in the year for DCL. The itineraries for Summer of 2019 are already out. Don’t expect a discount even from travel agents. Research as much as you can, there are other sites besides this one where almost any question is answered. The ships that leave from Florida during the summer are the Dream and Fantasy. The only other advice I can give is, don’t try to do everything, relax, this is supposed to be a vacation and enjoy yourselves!

Just my two cents, but when someone chooses to post their entire life on a public YouTube daily blog, they are inviting the entire world in it. Their actions will be under scrutiny by everybody watching, and everything that they do will be judged, analyzed, and commented on, like on a mini reality show. If something that is considered unfair is posted, chances are that someone will feel compelled to take action, and I believe that’s what Elka is doing.

 

From what I’ve seen and read so far, this is a nice family who chose to make their entire life and vacation plans a little too public. So unfortunately there are consequences with that, which include the entire world getting involved. The mom in question is 22, so very young and probably still learning some hard lessons from mistakes that can be attributed to immaturity. In addition to the lesson she learned about cruising while pregnant, I can only hope that she can also learn that making your life too public is another big mistake.

 

 

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As I have said I have only posted to YouTube comments for them to delete the information they took.

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Elka,

What is it any of your business to get personally involved in this by contacting Disney?

I haven’t contacted Disney. They want the person whose information that they photographed to contact them, the ones who got kicked off, so that the person whose info they got would sue Disney. What would you do?

I have been following this story, she says that someone else booked the cruise 2 weeks ago. I think that she was going to lie about how many weeks she was pregnant, but that someone recognized her and showed the video she made that stated she was 24 weeks. Then she produced the Doctor’s note which they rejected. They will not answer my questions about the online check in,I told them that someone lied on that form. The worst is that her mother has said that they have photos of someone’s information. They want that person to contact them so that they can sue Disney. I told them that they were dragging an innocent person into this and that they were being vindictive.

Geezer Couple, thank you for the reply. I am not in a suite, but good to hear that seating by the windows will be easy to get. I will be traveling a bit before I go to this cruise, and I am not sure what my luggage situation will be. Usually I can travel with one suitcase, but I might need two. That is why I asked about luggage. Did you speak with the Captain of the ship? I have a certificate that I would like signed. Did you do the Midnight concert? I was thinking I may do that. The North Cape excursion, did you do that one? Did you attend any of the lectures? The cruise I am on is called an Astronomy Cruise, I think that is what you were on? Sorry for all the questions, I appreciate that you are willing to answer.

Please post here. I am going on the Trollfjord in October and would appreciate some information. Was check in easy? Were you allowed to give your luggage in Bergen before you actually checked in or hours before you boarded? Did you do the ceremony crossing the Arctic Circle?

Might be a good idea to contact your TA .

I also got the link to 'Travel guide for the Norwegian Coast' and 'Hand book arrival and departure'.

The two hand books at the links are in Norwegian language

... but I found the following in English Language

Arrival and Departure Information

Handbook for voyages before 31 March 2018

Handbook for voyages after 31 March 2018

Thank you for this information. I am going in October of this year. I am not sure if I read the handbook correctly. It said that at Bergen there is a terminal and that you can hand your luggage over at the terminal? I will be traveling for a month and because of what comes before the cruise on Hurtigruten, I will have 2 pieces of luggage even though I am solo. I really appreciate your help.

Thank you, I am going in early October on the cruise. I will look up, as much as possible!

I am taking the RT Bergen to Kirkennes back to Bergen in October. Would I be going through Trollfjord? Also, would I have a chance to see the Northern lights?

I agree with SarniaLo about Geiranger. Stay on the ship from Alesund to Geiranger. The passage is beautiful and well worth it. I was on another line two years ago and was lucky to see it.

I was on the Magic on October 28th. We left at 5. Muster was 4:15. There were no delays leaving, but then we were caught in the storm, rough seas and was late to Castaway Cay on October 31. Then, as I understand, we were late getting cleared by customs in NYC on November 4.

Sorry, just returning to the thread. I should have specified, we'll be leaving from Vancouver for Alaska. Staying at the Pan Pacific, and I know there is a super easy metro that one can take, but with a 6 and 4 year old pulling their own little carry on's and us with probably large wheelies, I'm not excited about the metro. The whole booster seat issue rises as well. I just with there was a nice large Disney bus. :)

Vancouver is beautiful. They have a really nice aquarium. As I said before, you have to arrange the room with DCL and they will deal with transportation. I would suggest that if you can arrange transport with the hotel, inquire about how much it costs and see if it is doable. I am sure someone knows how much a cab costs from the airport to the hotel. See which options would work best for you.

I've been trying to find this information and have been unsuccessful so far. Say you have to arrive at the embarkation port a day early due to flights, will DCL offer ground transportation that day anywhere or are you on your own totally?

Where are you embarking? DCL doesn't take you anywhere, but if you are staying at the hotel that they use for ground transportation to the cruise, they will pick you up at the airport and deliver you to the hotel, you also have to arrange the room with DCL. I know I did it when I went to Alaska. That was in 2012.

A B2B on the Dream will give you the full 7 nights, but a repeat of the shows, menu's in the MDR's and activities, along with the M&G's and any other activities they offer on a 4 day cruise.

 

Just out of interest, why did you chose a Dream B2B rather than a Fantasy cruise?

I can only presume because of dates?

 

ex techie

I picked a back to back on the Dream for a couple of reasons. I have been on the Magic and Wonder. Norwegian Fjords on the Magic, Alaska and Panama Canal on the Wonder. Haven't ever been to Castaway Cay and I would like to go. Never did a back to back before so I want to experience that, as I said I follow a few boards so I am well aware that the menus and shows on the 3 night and 4 night will be the same except for Pirate night. I also picked an inside cabin for the virtual porthole. I also will bump up my status on DCL, will turn gold after the B2B. I want to experience all the ships and the Dream had a good price for the B2B at this time. I paid less for 7 nights on the Dream than my Magic Cruise to the Fjords, I guess I'll miss the views of Norway! but I don't expect everything to be the same. As I also said for the 2 cruises I only have one excursion and one Palo brunch. It will be relaxing and I am looking forward to it.

This is a huge part of it. A 7 night cruise on a smaller ship is hugely different than a 3 night (2 1/2 day) cruise on a larger ship. Even on the Fantasy with 4000 people' date=' it is very different than on the short cruise with the same number of guests.

 

They just can't get everyone to every activity on the short cruises. That's why they don't do character breakfasts, etc.[/quote']

 

I am going on the Dream next month. A back to back and because I already had done the ticketed meet and greets, I decided to not to do them on this trip, so I only have one Palo brunch and one excursion. These cruises will be to enjoy the ship.