First, let's go over some of those basic safety protocols that Disney is managing.  Vaccines are mandatory to cruise.  Anyone old enough to be vaccinated has to be, and those that are too young have to have a negative test within 3 days prior to boarding.  Also, everybody gets a quick test at the port.  We waited for about an hour before we were finally cleared to get on the ship.

The other big one to know about is you have to wear your mask inside the ship.  So, anytime you aren't eating, you are supposed to wear your mask.  You do not have to be masked when outside, so we enjoyed spending some time up top for the fresh air.

You can still see a lot of characters but they are socially distanced.  Still no hugs or autographs.  It will probably be a while before we can get close to the characters again.  But it's not all bad, as the lines for photos move quickly.  It was always a little annoying when the family ahead of us would try to have Mickey sign a bunch of things and slow the line down.

We are used to Pirate Night being a big production.  Lots of guests dress up in their best Pirate outfits and really get into the spirit.  The pirate spirit walked the plank on this one.

In order the get off the ship you had to join a Virtual Queue.  It wasn't as bad as grabbing a spot on Rise of the Resistance, but it was odd not being able to just go ashore whenever we wanted.  Though it was nice that the gangway was never crowded to get off the ship, so it has its perks.

The Oceaneer Club wasn't as accessible.  You had to book time slots at the kids club which wasn't hard to do, but not always convenient.  Some times slots didn't match up perfectly causing us to have to take the kids out for a bit before they could go back.  If your time slot ended at 6:15, you wouldn't be able to grab an open slot from 6 to 7.  You would have to either grab a slot at 6:30 or later, which left you with an inconvenient 15 minutes to fill.

The kids still had fun, but there weren't as many kids to play with.  The kids were broken into groups based off their time slot, but if their group only had 2 kids then they didn't have much choice of who to play with.  Though they did get more personal attention from their counselors.
The tween and teen clubs, Edge and Vibe, didn't require time slot reservations.  My daughter turned 11 on this cruise and was very happy to be able to go and check out Edge.

The first major difference here is that these cruises are designed for adult guests only!  No one is younger than 18 and lead guests have to be over 25.  This makes everything feel a bit more refined as everything is made for the adults.  There is also no tipping aboard Virgin Voyages.  Virgin has taken care of the crew so you don't have to.

There are also plenty of areas dedicated to health and rejuvenation.  So if you are into that, there are scheduled yoga and spin classes on top of the 24 hour gym and running track.  The only shape I'm in is squishy, so we didn't spend any time there, moving on...

The ship is very "instagrammable!"  There are lots of great areas to be able to snap pics and lots of seating options.  From stools all the way up to bed-like sofas, there's no shortage of seating.  Every guest has access to the wifi, which worked better than I've experienced on most ships, with Mega Rockstars having access to premium streaming wifi.  Angie enjoys just lazing about with a few TikToks, so she loved having this option.

As Mega Rockstars our room also had a bottomless bar and a curated selection of records to enjoy.  We also had our "roadie" who would handle any requests we made, book things for us, and even took care of our laundry while we were aboard.  We were very spoiled on this trip.

I'm going to have to write a separate blog on just the dining because there was SO much food to talk about.  Till then I'll leave you with pics of all the yummy food.

Plus the signage aboard the ship was highly entertaining...

The cast members who play Jack are always TOP notch, it's always fun to talk them before your picture!

My kids always enjoy going to get their Pirate Makeovers!  The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique becomes The Pirate League for the day and offers full Pirate Makeovers.  The kids get a sword, sash, bag of treasure, a map, and a pretty cool look.  They get to roll the bones and find out their new pirate name.  Niko was Ned Bladecutter and Zoey was Jane Ropewalker.  You can buy costumes there as well, but we prefer to bring our own and just get the makeup done.

All of the main Dining restaurants will be featuring a Pirate Menu on this night.  Your servers will be in their own Pirate gear and greeting you with a friendly "Arrrr!"  You can also expect a little Pirate performance to follow dinner!

After Dinner is when the real fun starts!

When it's time to plan for Disney:
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You won't need to worry about towels or sunscreen, they are included in your cabana.  Equipment rentals are included with the cost of your cabana.  So snorkeling equipment, bike rentals, and floats are normally an additional cost at Castaway.

The cabanas are expensive and yet they still usually get all reserved quickly.  So you really have to want one to try and make it happen.  We enjoyed the many perks and feel it's a splurge worth making some of the time.  I wouldn't try and get one for every tip...

Mouse O'Clock Travel tries to bring you the very best and up to date info when it comes to Disney Travel from our first hand experiences.  We can't wait to get back to cruising, especially once the Disney Wish starts setting sail.

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When it's time to plan for Disney:  It's Mouse O'Clock!

I'm often a little adventurous with my meal choices here , because I know they'll gladly replace my entree if I didn't like it.  But I've loved most of what I have eaten while on a Disney Cruise.  There chefs are top notch and the food selections are pretty varied giving everyone an option they'll be happy with. 

We love to eat!  Our serving staff never question our order. So when I ask for 3 different appetizers or 2 entrees they accommodate my requests.  Trust me, there are some things you just can't pass up on these menus.

Disney Cruise Line has plenty of fun activities for adults.  We've enjoyed a variety of alcohol classes, bingo, massages, spa activities, and pub trivia.  The kind of experiences you would expect on any cruise but all with the extra touches and service you'd expect from Disney.

From Star Wars to Disney Classics, the whole of the kids club is decorated and furnished in ways that will make any kid smile.  There are loads of activities and they make sure to offer the kids food at meal times.  

There are a LOT of extras you can book on your Disney Cruise to really make your child feel like royalty.  You can share tea with princesses at the Royal Tea or get a princess makeover at the ships Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.

I haven't even gotten to talk about Castaway Cay, Disney's private island in the Bahamas.

From snorkeling, petting Stingrays, or going down water slides there is something for everyone at Castaway Cay.

Yes, I said buffet, and I know that may not sound amazing but this isn't your average buffet.  With high-quality freshly prepared seafood, it's a surprise to see such great options on a buffet line.  The sheer number of fresh pastries and high quality cheeses elevate this beyond a simple buffet.

Let us know what your Disney dream vacation looks like.  As always our Disney Travel expertise comes at no-cost to you, we're always glad to help you make your dream vacation a reality.  We'll be glad to quote out whatever you need.

Remember,  when it's time to plan for Disney:  It's Mouse O'Clock!

Once you've booked your DIsney Cruise you need to look for your cruises' Facebook group.  Every sailing has a cruise page/group that you can join.  It's a great way to meet some of the people you will be sailing with.  Some groups will organize meet and greets and other such events, but you can look for sign-ups for FE groups.  People will try and sign-up as early as they can to get a spot in one of these groups, with a deadline of 6-8 weeks before the cruise.  This gives everyone time to finalize a list of who will be included in your FE group.

Groups are usually comprised of 10 cabins/staterooms.  People will be buying gifts for the other cabins in their FE group.  Most people spend between $10-$15 a cabin.  The idea is to have fun and surprise people with little gifts throughout your trip.  You could give a gift for the whole cabin or gifts for the individuals in the room.  The only rule is to have fun.

It really is up to you to decide what you want to give, the only rule is have fun!  Also don't forget to include everyone on the FE, either through group gifts or individuals.  No one wants to feel left out.  There are family FE groups, ornament groups, adult only groups, and others beyond those.  You just have to see what is available on your sailing.  Just keep in mind you'll have to pack your gifts to bring with you.

You'll also need to buy your fish extender.  Amazon has plenty of options to use.  Many people like to personalize and decorate their FEs.  Here are a couple of ones to look for, but you can do your own search for "hanging pocket storage".  Like these:

With some arts and crafts skills you can make some pretty awesome Fish Extenders like the ones we made.  Or you can shop around on Etsy, there are plenty of people selling and personalizing FIsh Extenders.  Just make sure to order yours with enough time before your voyage.  These were a few that we made.

Your FE group will usually ask you for some details to help inspire people for their gifts.  They'll usually ask for the age and gender of each cruiser, as well as things like who your favorite character is.  It can be loads of fun going around and dropping off presents for others.  It makes the whole cruise feel like Christmas, every time we went back to our room the kids would scramble to see if anyone had dropped off anything for us.

Fish Extenders are just another way to add magic to an already magical vacation.  You're aren't required to participate, but if you choose to, it can be a lot of fun.

Feel free to ask us for any travel advice or tips for your next vacation.  We'll help get you setup for a great trip!  When it's time to plan for DIsney:  It's Mouse O'Clock!

The waiters will ask you which tea you would like to be served, giving the children the option for tea or apple juice.  Trays will be brought with fancy little tea sandwiches and tea cakes.  Don't come with an appetite because there will not be a lot of food.  This is High Tea!  You can't be seen stuffing your face.

The children will receive their welcome gifts.  The girls will receive one of the larger Disney princess dolls, a jewelry box, and a charm necklace or bracelet with charms from each of the three princesses.  The boys receive a foam  shield and a set of 3 Disney prince pins.  Both will also get an autograph book with a pen.

This is just one of those magical things you only get to experience on a Disney Cruise.

Let us know how we can share this magic with you all!
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Disney is known for their top notch customer service.  They go above and beyond what I have found with any other cruise line.  So many of these are similar options to what you may find on other cruise lines.  We even took a quick couples cruise and enjoyed the ship just the two of us.  Of course you always have the option to enjoy yourself while the kids enjoy the kids club.

Enjoy a coffee and some live music in some of the Lounge areas.  You could hear violins, pianos, duets, or even some jazz.  There's lots of seats, so sit back and enjoy.

There's the adult only dining options at Palo or Remy's.  I know the Palo Brunch was one of Angie's favorite experiences.  The spread was amazing, I ate so many cheeses I barely had room for the signature waffle that I ordered.

Of course you could always relax in one of the adult only designated areas.  It's a great place to kickback and enjoy a drink.  I personally love the poolside bar and hot tubs.

Saving the best for last is the calm and quiet of the adult only area of Castaway Cay:  Serenity Bay.  I have never been to a calmer beach.  All the adults were just quietly lounging reading a book or relaxing in the water.  This is one of my happy places.

I know I can't wait to go back.  We can tell you all the best tips and tricks to get the most out of your Cruise Vacation.  Let us know how we can help you book one of these amazing experiences.  

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Guests get to spend time with Tiana as she comes to each table.  But she's not the only character of the evening, that big ole gator Louise comes through the dining hall as well.  Unlike Tiana though Louise is so big that he can't really go table to table.  He parades down the aisles and sticks around for a little dancing.  Interactions with him are rather limited because of his costume.

Disney knows how to give you unique experiences.  While the food may not have been my favorite, Tiana's Place is a great dining experience.  I hope you get a chance to cruise on the Disney Wonder to experience Tiana's.

Let us know how we can help you with your next Disney experience.  For more personalized recommendations and itineraries, Contact us for a free quote!  We track down the best deals and discounts to make your Disney dreams come true.