Everyone has their own way of doing things on a Disney cruise, and sometimes the little decisions can make a big difference in how much you enjoy your vacation. Do you book your cruise as soon as itineraries are released or wait until closer to sailing? Head straight for the buffet on embarkation day or find a quieter spot for lunch? And when it comes to Palo, are you choosing brunch or dinner?
On this week’s DCL Show, Chris Vorobek, Elaine Edwards, and Federico Argár are playing a game of “This or That,” sharing their personal preferences and explaining why they make the choices they do. Some of their answers might surprise you, and you may find yourself agreeing with one of them more than the others!
Book Early or Wait for a Better Deal?
Chris is a big believer in booking early, especially when there’s a particular sailing he wants. He’s already reserved one of Disney Cruise Line’s upcoming New York sailings that stops in Boston, where he has family. Whether he’ll actually take that cruise is another question, but he wanted to secure a spot while he figures it out.
Elaine takes a completely different approach. She rarely knows what she’ll be doing months in advance, much less a year or two from now. She often books her own cruises within a couple of months of departure, even though she encourages her clients to reserve their vacations as early as possible.
Federico has a slightly different perspective since all 25 of his Disney cruises have been for work. But if he were booking a personal vacation, he knows which approach he’d take.
Embarkation Day: Buffet or Sit-Down Lunch?
This is where the opinions start getting interesting!
Federico loves heading straight to the buffet when he boards. He can choose whatever looks good, eat at his own pace, and enjoy lunch while waiting for his stateroom to become available.
Elaine would rather skip the embarkation day buffet crowds altogether. She prefers a quieter dining room where she can sit down and relax. Chris has his own reasons for favoring a sit-down lunch, including a particular drink he likes to order to kick off his vacation.
The conversation also gets into port arrival times, and Elaine shares why she actually prefers arriving at the terminal later in the afternoon. It’s a strategy that might sound strange to guests who want to be among the first onboard, but she makes a pretty good case for it.
Palo Brunch or Dinner?
If you’ve ever had trouble deciding between Palo brunch and dinner, you’re going to enjoy this part of the conversation.
Elaine has a clear favorite when she’s sailing on a Wish-class ship, while Chris has a completely different reason for preferring one meal over the other.
Federico also weighs in, and the discussion eventually turns to whether they’d rather dine at Palo or splurge on Remy or Enchanté.
Let’s just say they don’t all agree on what makes a special dinner worth the extra cost!
Early or Late Dinner Seating?
Disney Cruise Line’s rotational dining is another topic where personal preferences really come into play.
Elaine has become a fan of second seating because she doesn’t want to rush back from an excursion or an afternoon by the pool just to get ready for dinner.
Chris has traditionally preferred earlier dining, but his habits have been changing. Federico also shares how dining times affected his experience on Mediterranean and Greek Isles cruises.
They even talk about skipping rotational dining altogether, something that might surprise guests who feel like they need to experience every restaurant on every sailing.
What About Breakfast?
The group wraps up with another simple question: How do you like to start your mornings onboard?
Between room service, Cove Café, and the buffet, everyone has a favorite routine. Chris even shares a breakfast tradition involving his family that he’s continued for years.
Of course, there’s no right or wrong answer to any of these questions. That’s what makes this episode so much fun!
Watch this week’s DCL Show below to hear all of Chris, Elaine, and Federico’s choices, and see how your own Disney Cruise Line preferences compare. You can even play along by visiting the This or That survey at dclshow.com/this-or-that-survey.
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