Avoid rookie mistakes: What you need to know before your Disney Adventure trip

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Mickey waffles are served for breakfast at the buffet and sit-down restaurants on the Disney Adventure. — CATHY ROSE A. GARCIA

Disney Adventure guests can book meet-and-greets with Captain Mickey Mouse and other characters on the Disney Cruise Line Navigator App. — CATHY ROSE A. GARCIA

One of the hottest items on board was the Evie towel animal plushie (seen in photo). — CATHY ROSE A. GARCIA

Some guests jazz up their stateroom doors with magnetic decorations. — CATHY ROSE A. GARCIA

The Disney Adventure’s exclusive merchandise includes fans, tumblers, bags and Mickey ear headbands. — CATHY ROSE A. GARCIA

FOR MOST people boarding the Disney Adventure in the coming months, this will be their first time going on a cruise.

The Disney Adventure is billed as a theme park at sea, but the experience can feel more like navigating a floating city.

As a first-time cruiser, I was thrilled to finally board the ship. But even after doing my homework, I still found myself making a few rookie mistakes.

Here are a few lessons I learned along the way:

GRATUITIES
One of the most common questions I was asked after the trip had to do with tipping and gratuities on board.

According to the Disney Cruise Line website, guests can choose to pre-pay the gratuities — at least $16 per night per stateroom guest (including children). The gratuities are distributed to the dining room head server, server, assistant server, and stateroom host.

However, it is best to bring small US dollar bills or even Singapore dollars to give tips for room service. It is recommended to give a tip of at least $1 per plate or $5 per tray for room service.

If you’re happy with your stateroom host’s service (like if he made a whole zoo of towel animals), you can leave a cash tip or go to Guest Services to add more gratuities.

WI-FI
Another commonly asked question is: Is there Wi-Fi?

Guests can access the ship’s Wi-Fi network but only when using the Navigator app, which also has a chat function.

You can purchase an onboard Internet plan starting from $26 a day per device, and an Internet plus Streaming plan from $42 a day.

There’s no cellular service on board, and the Disney Adventure does not allow personal Wi-Fi devices to be brought on board. This could be your chance for a real digital detox while on vacation.

MEET-AND-GREET
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to check out the Disney Navigator App to book your meet-and-greet slots early. Slots for popular Disney characters like Stitch and Duffy always fill up fast. I ended up booking most of my meet-and-greets on the last day of the trip, but it was worth it.

Keep an eye out for surprise appearances around the ship, particularly at the Town Square and Imagination Garden.

FREE CHARM BRACELET
The app is also key if you want to get the free bracelet and charms at the Diamond & Wishes shop. Check the schedule on the app and get there early since the queues are sure to be long.

BRING A TUMBLER
There are drink stations in some parts of the ship, like Imagination Garden and Discovery Reef. There are free-flowing Coke products, water, and tea bags. While there are disposable paper cups, it’s better to bring your own tumbler.

There are also free Bacha drip-coffee and TWG tea bags in your stateroom.

KEY TO THE WORLD
Your stateroom key card, also known as the Key to the World, is literally your pass to everywhere on the Adventure.

It is best to bring a lanyard for the key card to make it easier to tap whenever you have dinner at a restaurant, watch shows at the Walt Disney Theater, buy stuff at the shops, and pay for drinks at the bar.

If you forget to bring one, there are some Adventure-exclusive lanyards at the World of Disney shop.

BEST VIEW OF THE SHOWS
Guests are given pre-assigned bookings for the Walt Disney Theater shows, but seats are first-come, first-served. Arrive early to get the good seats.

For the Avengers show at the Imagination Garden Stage, the superheroes usually go down to meet the fans at the end of the show. So, make sure you’re at the front if you want to high-five Spider-Man or get a selfie with Loki.

There is only one fireworks show per sailing, and it is usually scheduled at 10:30 p.m. Head to the 17^th or 18^th deck at least 30 minutes before the show starts to get a good view. The best vantage point is Deck 18, Starboard side.

MICKEY BARS & WAFFLES
While there are several dessert options at the restaurants, you can also ask your server for the famous Mickey ice cream bar.

There are Mickey waffles at the breakfast buffet every morning. However, the much-talked about Mickey churro waffles are only available at the breakfast buffet on the second to the last day of the cruise.

If waffles are not your thing, you can get a hotdog on a bun at the Infinity Bar on the Marvel Landing.

DRESS CODE
The dress code is “cruise casual,” which could mean anything from linen dresses to shorts and tank tops. It gets hot outside, but bring a jacket as some areas can get a bit chilly with the A/C turned up.

Don’t be shy about wearing your favorite Disney shirts and even Disney-inspired outfits. Buy some fancy Mickey Mouse ear headbands and join in the fun.

SHOPPING
If you’re a big souvenir shopper, go to the shops as soon as they open. Popular items usually sell out fast, and there are no restocks. Shops open around 10 a.m. and close at 10 p.m.

Adventure-exclusive merchandise can be found at the World of Disney store, and guests are limited to two pieces of each item.

At the Duffy store, you can buy the Duffy and Friends Discovery Quest pack, which is an exclusive scavenger hunt on the Adventure. If you complete the quest, you can get a sailor hat for their plush toys.

STATEROOM DECOR
Some Disney Cruise guests love to decorate their stateroom doors with magnetic decor such as Disney characters and personalized designs. Bring your own or buy the magnetic stateroom decor at the onboard shop.

However, do not use stickers or tape to put up decorations. Only magnetic decorations are allowed.

PIXIE DUSTING & FISH EXTENDER
There’s a tradition called “pixie dusting” among Disney cruise-goers, where guests prepare small gifts to surprise other guests. Think of them as random acts of kindness.

On the other hand, the fish extender is a gift exchange organized by Disney cruise guests in advance. Guests participate by hanging a pocket organizer on the fish hook outside their stateroom, where other guests can leave their presents.

Just a reminder — don’t help yourselves to the presents from any of the stateroom doors!

PHOTO SPOTS
There are many photo spots around the ship, with official cruise photographers ready to capture the moment. You can ask the photographers to take snaps using your own phone.

The official cruise photos are uploaded to your personal photo gallery, which you can view on the television screen in your rooms. For unlimited downloads of these official photos, you must pay around $240.

FIRST-TIME CRUISE CERTIFICATE
I found out too late that first-time Disney Cruise passengers can get a complimentary “First Magical Cruise” certificate to remember their voyage. Visit the Guest Services counter to ask for the certificate.

You can also ask for special badges for birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions. — Cathy Rose A. Garcia