Questions regarding first day on ship

[WDWgirls]

Hello everyone - 7 DAYS TILL MY FIRST CRUISE!! - okay now I feel better. Anyway, my first question is - how soon can you go to your cabin after boarding the ship? Are the cabins ready right away or do you have to wait. Also, I want to wait in line for ressies to Palo as soon as possible. Will they make me go to the buffet first or can I go right to the ressie line? I am on the 4 day Wonder cruise and my 9 year anniversary falls on the Wednesday that everyone wants for Palo so I want to be early. Lastly, I read on the Magical cruise guide that you can go to Cadillac Lounge to request dinner time changes - will they change you for the first night? Will they actually change you or is this just a waiting list (that I'm already on). Thanks

 

[Doctor P]

Based on our experience, you will not be able to go to your cabin until after 1:30 pm. We were on a 7 day cruise on the Magic in July, and at least then we were able to get Palo and spa reservations before we headed for the buffet. Given that food is served until at least 2:30 pm, you should be able to go to get your reservations first. Good luck!

 

[WDWLVR]

Doctor P is right - you most likely will not be able to get to your room until 1:30. Some people have had success going and just dropping things off, but we've never even tried.

Depending on the size of your group you may want to divide up and take care of reservations. For example when we cruised in May I had my in-laws with us. We brought 2-way radios and I took care of the Palo reservations while DH and his parents went up to lunch. We've also done it where DH would get Palo reservations while I went and got spa reservations.

 

[vgaskin]

When we were on the Wonder, we had late seating and were on a wait list to be changed before going. We were on the land/sea so were no where near the first to board, I think 1:30 or so. We went to to wear the navigators said for dinner changes at the time it said. We were put on an already long waiting list and said we would be called if we got it. We were called about an hour or so later telling us we had early seating for the rest of the cruise and what are new table # was. We were still at our rotation they gave us when we first boarded.

 

[WDWgirls]

Wow you guys are fast! Thanks for all the responses. I will probably send the family off to lunch while I get ressies. I now have hope for early seating - I can't remember the last time I was up until 10PM let alone eating dessert then. I'm early to bed - early to rise. Thanks again.