DCL Birthday celebration package worth it?

[dreaming-of-disney]

My dd will turn 13 while we are on our disney cruise. I would like to have the birthday celebration package for them to decorate our room the morning of her birthday. It doesn't look like much for $49. Is it worth it? Because I know last time we were on DCL her birthday was 3 days before we even boarded the ship and they insisted on giving her a cake at dinner one night. So it seems a lot for a banner, centerpiece, door magnet and the cascade thing. I was just wondering if anyone else had ordered this.

 

[cmclaura]

I'm cheap. I would bring my own decorations and spent a third of the price.

 

[camikey]

I'm doing my own thing as well. $49 is a bit much. I am having them sing and bring toe moose like dessert. It is only the two of us. I'll decorate the room the day before while she is in the kids' club.

 

[Mmketeer]

Well, I just got off the Dream and my birthday actually fell on the last night of our cruise. I asked the reservationist to note the celebration on our reservation when I booked this.
I personally decorated my door in honor of my birthday that day, but didn't really get anything from DCL until that night at dinner. I lucked out and got Animators that night and got to have Crush and everyone in my section humm me and everyone else celebraing a birthday the birthday song. They also gave me a DCL button to wear that said "today is my birthday." The waiters came over and sang a quick birthday thing and they gave me a small little personal sized chocolate dessert that said 'Happy Birthday'. From what I had heard from my table mates I would be getting a cake to share, but that didn't happen. They must have stopped doing that on the new ship. That night CM's that saw the button acknowledge my birthday and luckily I had early seating, but otherwise if you have late seating I don't think you'd have as much time to be recognized.
So, there you go. This is what happened to me for my birthday, hope this helps you decide what will work for you.

 

[calmpets]

It used to be worthwhile IMHO when it was $39, but only if you wanted your room to be decorated upon arrival. If the celebration is anytime after you've already boarded I'd just bring my own decorations and do it myself. Also, I believe they've stopped providing celebration cakes in the dining room at no charge, so if you want a cake you'll need to buy it or bring your own. They will still sing, I believe, if you ask them to, but they use one of the regular dessert items.

 

[dreaming-of-disney]

Oh I was hoping they would still have the celebration cakes Those were so cute.

 

[camikey]

Oh I was hoping they would still have the celebration cakes Those were so cute.

It is supposed to come with the $49 it is listed on the site. I just figured since we have second seating and she'll be going to kids club early that it wasn't worth it.

 

[psimon]

I am also perplexed as to what to do. We board the Dream on the 19th and my son and daughter (twins) turn 16 on the 22nd. Do I bother with the Disney package? Do I do it myself?

As we are a party of 5, we have 2 rooms, with DD in one room with us and DS in other room with another adult.

On top of all that, WE are celebrating our 30th anniversary (10 days after we leave the ship) AND this trip was supposed to just a trip to celebrate my older DD graduating college. Everything all at once!

Any suggestions as to how to celebrate everything?

Many thanks...


---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[mousetravel]

We are leaving in 3 weeks for our trip on the DCL to celebrate my DD's 16th birthday. I AM planning to order the B-Day celebration package. I know that the actual materials and cake are not gonna be worth that much money, but to see my DD open the door to see the room decorated for her 16th birthday, will make it worth it to me!

 

[mickeyfan1]

I thought that all ships decorations were done for arrival. For me, just being on the ship is the celebration. You can get a special dessert at dinner, it will be a small thing, 2 people would each get 2 bites, it has the chocolate ribbon with it saying happy birthday or anniversary. If you really want to have cabin decor, you might be better off doing it yourself.

Frankly, I think the reason the cakes have been stopped is because everyone was celebrating birthdays all the time, once again, when the word gets out, some people get over zealous. If there are 80 tables in each dining room and 50 of them have celebrations? You can see why it has been scaled back.

 

[kittyscrap1]

I am also perplexed as to what to do. We board the Dream on the 19th and my son and daughter (twins) turn 16 on the 22nd. Do I bother with the Disney package? Do I do it myself?

As we are a party of 5, we have 2 rooms, with DD in one room with us and DS in other room with another adult.

On top of all that, WE are celebrating our 30th anniversary (10 days after we leave the ship) AND this trip was supposed to just a trip to celebrate my older DD graduating college. Everything all at once!

Any suggestions as to how to celebrate everything?

Many thanks...


---Paul in Southern NJ

You sound like us...so many celebrations..20 yr annvy..16th bday..8th grade graduation..an actual bday on the ship DS12..welcome home..promotion. We too have 2 rooms. I'm thinking of just bringing my own decor and while they are asleep decorate the room for when they wake up. I know the last time our son had his actual bday on the ship they covered the bed in pixie dust and it took us forever to get it out so he could sleep. But it was a fun surprise. I don't think they do that anymore.

I'll be subbing....

 

[HiMagicFan]

I decided against buying their birthday package and spent half that amount going to the dollar store, target and wallmart and getting disney banner, table cloth and cupcake holders as well as confetti for our room. Turned out cheaper. The only drawback to doing this is that you gotta pack and bring it yourself. So maybe for the price part of what you are paying for is the convenience. I would also hope for that price they would put up the decorations and stuff.

Aww..am I reading you all correct in that they Do Not give little cakes for birthdays anymore? We are on the wonder and will be celebrating Dad's bday on his special day and i told my mom we wouldn't need to worry cuz we would get a cake at dinner for him.

Anxious to hear, otherwise I gotta make other plans!

 

[BetzW]

We booked our cruise thru Disney and were able to ge a celebration cake for free. We sail in 2 1/2 weeks . So I do think they still have them guess we will see when we r on the cruise

 

[TChrist05]

Hopefully I will not get long winded about this....but we did the Birthday celebration package 2 years ago. Just under 3 years ago, my mom passed away from cancer. After all the bills were paid, their was $12000.00 left to be split between myself and my brother and sister. My wife and I decided that we would take this money and do something we liked to do--not pay any bills with it. We booked a 7 day cruise on the Disney Magic with the money - and it just so happened that the date the cruise left was February 28th...which just happened to be my moms birthday. My wife and I invited her mom to join us also. Since it would have been moms birthday, I had the stateroom decorated for her birthday....and I did not tell my wife or her mom that I did it. It was magical to say the least....the stateroom looked great....the cake was great and it was decorated the whole time we were on the cruise. We still have the decorations and we celebrate moms life each February 28th with her decorations....sorry I was long but to me...it was well worth the money I spent....just Magical!

 

[dreaming-of-disney]

Hopefully I will not get long winded about this....but we did the Birthday celebration package 2 years ago. Just under 3 years ago, my mom passed away from cancer. After all the bills were paid, their was $12000.00 left to be split between myself and my brother and sister. My wife and I decided that we would take this money and do something we liked to do--not pay any bills with it. We booked a 7 day cruise on the Disney Magic with the money - and it just so happened that the date the cruise left was February 28th...which just happened to be my moms birthday. My wife and I invited her mom to join us also. Since it would have been moms birthday, I had the stateroom decorated for her birthday....and I did not tell my wife or her mom that I did it. It was magical to say the least....the stateroom looked great....the cake was great and it was decorated the whole time we were on the cruise. We still have the decorations and we celebrate moms life each February 28th with her decorations....sorry I was long but to me...it was well worth the money I spent....just Magical!

I love that story. It just warms my heart thinking about how special that must have been for ya'll.

 

[dreaming-of-disney]

I thought that all ships decorations were done for arrival. For me, just being on the ship is the celebration. You can get a special dessert at dinner, it will be a small thing, 2 people would each get 2 bites, it has the chocolate ribbon with it saying happy birthday or anniversary. If you really want to have cabin decor, you might be better off doing it yourself.

Frankly, I think the reason the cakes have been stopped is because everyone was celebrating birthdays all the time, once again, when the word gets out, some people get over zealous. If there are 80 tables in each dining room and 50 of them have celebrations? You can see why it has been scaled back.

Well I know that they are trying to make it extra special for the guests but last time we sailed on DCL. DD's b-day was 3 days prior to arrival and they insisted on her having a cake one night at dinner. Well before they could bring the cake out 1/2 of our family was gone. So then they insisted on bringing another cake out the next night for dinner. Not necessary even for the first one since we weren't actually celebrating her birthday on the ship. So I think the cruiseline or waitors have something to do with all of the cakes as well.