Disney Alaska Cruise - Day One (Embarkation Day)

We’ve spent the last couple of posts taking a break from talking about Disney Cruise Line and our trip to Alaska – but now we’re back! There’s a lot of information out there about DCL and their cruise to the Caribbean and the Bahamas, but there isn’t much out there about the Alaskan cruise… so over the next few posts we’re going to give an overview of each day aboard the ship.

Today we’re going to talk about Embarkation Day! The start of your cruise…

Online check-in is available 75 days out and it is highly encouraged that you do it as soon as possible. It takes about 15-20 minutes and involves filling out passenger information. At the end of check-in you will be prompted to print out your forms. You will need to sign these and bring them with you on the day of your cruise – they will make the check-in process go smoothly and quickly. During online check-in you will also choose your check-in time for the cruise terminal.

Our check-in time was 11am and we got there at about 10 after because there was a huge line at the rental car return up the street. Once you arrive at the terminal you will make your way downstairs. The first step in the process is dropping your bags off.

Be sure that anything you will need before 5:45pm (medicine, diapers, passports, documents, camera, and bathing suits) are in your day bag which you will carry onto the ship with you. Also make sure that the orange luggage tags that have your stateroom number on them are attached to each bag that you are dropping off.

After you drop off your bags you’ll head upstairs – well up the escalator – to check-in. For our check in there was about 15 check-in stations separated into three categories (regular, suite, and Platinum Castaway Club). We only waited in line for about 10 minutes.

Once we made it to the front of the line we handed the cast member our documents and passports. After everything was checked over and scanned in our photo as a group was taken for security purposes. We were handed our Navigator for the day which outlined the entire cruise as well as activities for that night. We were also handed our Keys to the World (room keys) and dining tickets and told our boarding group.

From here we were instructed to head downstairs where security and U.S. Customs awaited us. Security was the standard – take everything out of your pockets, have your bags go through the x-ray machine, and walk through the metal detector. Simple. U.S. Customs is also simple – we handed over our passports, the nice man matched our faces to the pictures and we were good to go.

The next step involves waiting. Boarding begins at noon – our check-in in time was 11 and even though we had arrived late we had checked in and made it through security and customs by about 11:30. Our boarding group was also 11. While you wait you can study the navigator and there is always a character for pictures – Pluto was there on this particular day.

Once boarding begins they announce each group. After they reached 11 we made our way to the cast member collecting the boarding slips and into the long hallway. Here you can have your photo taken if you so desire. Following the photo you will scan you Key to the World and then make your way down the gangway!

As you enter the lobby your family will be announced!

Now is the time to explore the ship, grab some lunch on the pool deck, check out the waterslide, change your dining seating, sign up for Palo or tastings, sign up for character meets, and/or sign your kids up for the kid’s clubs. The kids clubs all open around 6:30pm on the first night so that the kids can join in the fun as soon as possible.

We had to change our dining seating which was done in Triton’s. After that we made our way up to deck 9 and grabbed some food. After lunch we found our way to our stateroom to check it out. Staterooms are ready around 1:30pm. Your bags will also be delivered to and set outside your stateroom by 5:45.

We hung out in our room until the life boat drill which takes place just before the Sail Away Party. Everyone on board must participate.

Following the party the ship pushes off and you’re on your way to Alaska! Be sure to hang out on deck for a while so that you can take it all in.

Since our seating for dinner was at 5:45 we stayed up on deck for a while before making our way back downstairs.

At dinner you will meet your service team and of course get to enjoy some amazing food!

Also on the first night, and every night, there are two showings of the live show so that everyone can be able to enjoy either before or after dinner. You can also watch the live Broadway style shows on the TV in your stateroom! We did this for all of the shows since Christian’s bedtime was between 8-9 and the show started at 8:30.

We returned to our room to find the next day’s Navigator which told us what would be taking place all over the ship throughout the next days as well as what the attire would be for dinner.

Following the show we went to bed so that we could explore all that the Wonder had to offer on our first sea day the next day. Next time we’ll be talking about our exciting day at sea!