DoomsdayFAN

Thanks for the responses!

As far as Allure/Oasis, it doesn't really matter all that much to me. It could be either one. I just picked one because I heard they were nearly identical.

Both look extremely appealing to me. I think the main reason I'm leaning ever so slightly toward's Disney Fantasy is because they seem to have the better (free) food options. (And Castaway Cay)

How would you guys rate the Free food options on Fantasy vs Oasis/Allure?

If you are using a credit card to back your onboard account, it will be charged whenever you reach the maximum that DCL will carry before charging (I think it's something like $300/$500, depending on length of cruise). If you are backing up you account with cash, you will put a set amount down on your account at the beginning of the trip. When you get close to using it up, they will notify you to come down and add more. The onboard account will be settled the last day. If you are using cash, you will have to settle up before leaving the ship. If you are using a credit card, it will appear on your bill.

 

Photographs, bar tabs, excursions, tasting/mixology classes, nursery hours (if you use them), spa, purchase in the gift shops, anything that's charged to your KTTW card will go directly to your onboard account.

Photographs - I'll be taking plenty of those myself. Probably wont use theirs.

Bar Tap - Nope

Tasting/Mixology - Nope

Nursery - Nope

Spa - Get enough of that at home.

Gift Shop - Probably

Shore Excursions - Probably

So say I back the onboard account with cash, say I put down like $300 or something. What if at the end of it all, I get away with only using like $190? Do they refund the rest?

Being a Disney vet in terms of the theme parks, we're pretty good at spending our money wisely.

Do they show you any sort of proof that upon your request, they've turned off the auto-tipping? I'm afraid I'm a bit leery when dealing with people's word. Have been screwed over enough times by different companies promising or advertising something and then not following through. Don't want to repeat that here. What a way to end a nice vacation that would be.

- More on the envelops... at what point exactly are those handed out? Back at the mess hall on the second to last day? Or as you are walking off the ship, do they stand in line by the exit?

And I'm a bit curious about tipping the room service people... are envelops left for them too? Or do they pretty much just go off what you give them per time they come to your room to bring you something?

EDIT: Just read the post directly above me. That answers some of my questions too. lol, it's all just a little confusing at this point. By the time the trip eventually does roll around, I'll probably be an expert. Nothing like starting research early. :p

 

YOU can go to guest services at any time during the cruise and ask to have the auto tip removed.

So just so I'm crystal clear' date=' you can go to guest services at [i']any[/i] time, even the last day of the cruise, and request to be taken off the auto-tip thing?

If I remember correctly, I read somewhere that on Royal Caribbean, if you're going to opt out, you need to do it before the start of the cruise while checking in.

And the reason I want to make sure about exactly when tips can be removed is because I've heard horror stories about guests who removed their auto tip at the beginning and then received poor service the rest of the trip. So it sounds to me like waiting until the 6th day to do it would be a good choice. (Even if the horror stories are rare, I'd still prefer to wait until the last day to cancel it)

Again, that doesn't mean I'm not gonna tip, it just means I'm not into the auto-thing.

Anyway, so I'm leaning toward a Disney cruise right now 60/40. So if I end up on the Fantasy, I hope to be able to wait until the 6th day and then remove the auto-tip. Hopefully the accumulated auto tips up to that point will be washed away. And hopefully guest services wont give me any trouble about it.

I'd prefer to just leave it all in cash on the way out. :)

- One other question.... at the end of the cruise, at what point to do you have to pay your onboard bill? Before you leave the boat? Or is it something you get in the mail 2-4 weeks later? Is it something you can make payments on or is it something that must be paid in full when the time comes?

I assume everything in this onboard bill relates to excursions and stuff purchased or ordered onboard that cost extra?

I am considering booking a cruise through my well known car insurance agency.... but now I am unsure if I should do so. Perhaps I should just do it through the cruise's direct site.

Right now I'm still in the midst of planning my 7 Day cruise. I've basically decided that my vacation will be a Caribbean cruise. I've looked at all the itineraries for both Disney and Royal Caribbean in the area I want and I am satisfied with either one.

These are probably my top picks thus far for each:

Fantasy: Port Canaveral, Key West, Grand Cayman, Cazumel, Castaway Cay, Port Canaveral

Oasis: Fort Lauderdale, Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Marteen, Fort Lauderdale

(Again, not 100%, but maybe 75% sure on both)

As far as ships go, for Disney it's the Fantasy, and for Royal Caribbean it's Oasis of the Seas. So if the itinerary isn't an issue, what would you guys recommend as far as Ship vs Ship?

It will be just me and my significant other, no kids, not worried about alcohol or casino. But we certainly love a ship with plenty of fun things to offer. Both ship choices look good. As far as rooms go I plan on spending as little time in the room as possible, so I'll probably go with a more basic room. No real need for a balcony or window.

Which ship is better, nicer, has more to offer, more fun things to do, and more things for free? In other words, if you had to make an argument for which one overall made for the best experience, what would you choose?

(We love Disney, but we also love things that aren't Disney, so that argument is basically a stalemate)

Thank you for your response. That's very interesting. I had no idea.

Just so I'm not confusing anything... I take it as far as the meal servers go, I can just wait to tip them until the final day and put everything in each of their envelops?

(Do tip envelops come every single day to our room? Or just at the end/last day?)

If so, that actually sounds a heck of a lot easier. Just wait until the final full day and hand out tip envelops. I guess that would beat doing it day by day.

But yeah, I'm pretty much a newb on this stuff so I have no idea what's what. I just didn't like the sound of the cruise deciding where my tips go, or the pre-tip thing. I want to make sure the people who earned it get it, directly from me.

And also, if it is possible to wait until the end to hand out tips for the entire cruise, that sounds great. I just hope that if I do it that way, the servers wont get upset with me thinking I'm trying to stiff them for the first 5-6 days of the voyage.

I've been reading through as many tipping threads as I can find, but I am still unsure about the way things work... :)

Does Disney do the auto-gratuities thing like Royal Caribbean? How does tipping work in general on Disney and how does it differ from Royal Caribbean? I've read you can pre-pay tips and stuff, but I'm not a fan of pre-paying or auto-tipping. I like to tip in person with cash. And that's it. Is that possible?

I do enjoy tipping and I tip well. I just have my way of doing things and don't want to do it the way they have it set up. So is it possible for me to not do the auto-gratuities, not pre-pay tips, and not do anything outside of me myself tipping in person, on the spot, with cash, day to day?

:confused:

(It's so much more rewarding to thank the person you are tipping in person. :p)

And if I can do it the way I want, how will that work with the sit-down dinners? Will I be able to tip them the same way I would tip any other waiter on the mainland? And obviously I can just hand the room service person a tip when they come.

I hope I can do it my way. :o