Review: “Passporter’s Disney Cruise Line and Ports of Call” Invaluable For New Cruisers (And Useful For Everyone Else!)

Hi everyone!

We were sent the book “Passporter’s Disney Cruise Line And Its Ports of Call” to review. The book came at a perfect time as we we were just about to set sail on the Disney Dream earlier this month (February 2014). I’ve been a fan of the “Passporter’s Walt Disney World” book since the first edition, but Jeff and I are in the parks several times per week and a guide isn’t too necessary. On the other hand, we don’t cruise nearly as often – the last time we sailed was on the Disney Dream media cruise in 2011, so having up-to-date information in our hands was very helpful. I went to the book numerous times even during our cruise, since the internet didn’t work at all (we were told that DCL had just switched providers).

“Passporter’s Disney Cruise Line And Its Ports of Call” starts out by offering a lot of helpful planning information, including about booking a cruise and rules regarding passports. Back when I was an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, we were told each year that passports would be required for all cruises soon. That never fully happened, and I learned from the Passporter that “closed loop” cruises were exempt from passport regulations. That said, I recommend (as the Passporter does) to pick up a passport instead of just bringing a birth certificate/drivers license. If anything happens while on the cruise and you need to fly home, you will need a passport.

Another great tip is arriving a day early and staying offsite. One of the couples we sat next to during our dinner would not have made it to Florida on the morning of the cruise due to snow. They left one day early, and it was smooth sailing. The Passporter lists nearby hotels with information about each.

“Passporter’s Disney Cruise Line” is going to benefit anyone that cruises, but in different ways. Each guest’s experience on the Disney Cruise Line is unique – we didn’t try any shore excursions this time around, so that portion of the book wasn’t needed this trip. Here is some of the important information we did look in the book for while sailing:

– Gratuities For Room Service and Palo/Remy. We haven’t used room service in the past, and I wasn’t sure what was customary on the Disney Cruise Line. And we struggled a bit with what to give our servers at Palo and Remy; while both charge a significant upcharge to dine (Palo was only $5.00 in 1998 when I first cruised), the $25.00 Palo cost and $50.00/$75.00 brunch/dinner charges for Remy do not cover a full gratuity – for Palo, the Passporter says that $5.00 is divided among the staff. Tip: Palo information is on page 163, which isn’t included in the index.

– Surfing the Internet. When we had internet trouble in our room, we went to the Passporter for hot spot information. Unfortunately I was only able to get online for a few minutes total, the internet is the one real complaint I have about the cruise. It was much easier to get online in 2002 in the Disney Magic internet cafe. But I was glad that I had those few minutes to make a connection!

– Packing. We almost forgot a few items that we needed, it was great to have a packing list.

We have each cruised 4 times and live in Florida, and still found advice in the book extremely helpful. For those who are first-time cruisers, this book will be invaluable. There is information on staterooms, upgrades, shore excursions, activities onboard, celebrating special occasions, and so much more. There are also tips for getting the best deal and receiving stateroom credits.

Passporter’s Disney Cruise Line And Its Ports of Call will hold your hand through the entire process, from figuring out how to book a cruise, to packing, to boarding the ship and eventually disembarkation, and everything in between!