How to justify the price to my hubby?!

[Hmk012]

I've cruised with Disney before...almost 7 years ago and LOVED IT! I'm trying to talk my husband into sailing on the Dream in June 2011! He's having a hard time on the price. We are looking at a balcony room (he won't do anything else) and it's $5400 for 5 nights. He can't understand why it's so much when we just spent $2700 for 5 nights at Disney at the GF Club Level including Park Hoppers....
I've told him DCL is very different from others...we've done NCL and Princess. How do I talk him into this? I do agree DCL is much more than most lines, but it's Disney and isn't everything more with them anyway!?

 

[auntsue]

Good luck! We're going on our upcoming cruise only because it was the incentive for buying BLT and DH has already told me, "It's our first and last Disney cruise." Everytime I say, "Maybe next time" he reminds me of that.

I'm just hoping it will be so great that he'll be blown away, because it is a lot more expensive than others, we don't have kids, and he's not the Disney fanatic that I am. We live in FL and I've mentioned about getting a last minute Florida resident deal on the DCL in the future, but even that didn't get him to change his mind.

I think for your kids it will be unlike any other cruise you've ever been on. It just sounds so great that I can't wait to go.

Maybe others in your same circumstances can give you some ideas. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

 

[plyeng2ff]

I've cruised with Disney before...almost 7 years ago and LOVED IT! I'm trying to talk my husband into sailing on the Dream in June 2011! He's having a hard time on the price. We are looking at a balcony room (he won't do anything else) and it's $5400 for 5 nights. He can't understand why it's so much when we just spent $2700 for 5 nights at Disney at the GF Club Level including Park Hoppers....
I've told him DCL is very different from others...we've done NCL and Princess. How do I talk him into this? I do agree DCL is much more than most lines, but it's Disney and isn't everything more with them anyway!?

Anyone that has to justify the price of a trip anywhere is never going to come out ahead. The person is going to find fault because of the price.

 

[codygirl5150]

This is my first post ever on the DCL forum! I'm planning our first cruise ever!

We were originally thinking about a Chrismas 2011 cruise, but I was disappointed to find out about the not so favorable weather at that time of year. My sis is going in June 2011, and after seeing that we will save about $800 if we go at that time I was sold (and DH too)! Maybe you should show him the quotes for a christmas cruise and then he may not think it's that bad of a deal!

 

[williamson_ja]

I have an easier time convincing my dh on such things when I can get a really good deal. If I can say, "BUT it's normally this outrageous price, and we're only paying this much less outrageous price", he'll usually go for it. So, my suggestion is to look for a good deal.

 

[Edd]

You can't justify that price for 5 nights. That is an outrageous price. I hope there is 5 or 6 in your group, especially when you can get a 7 day cruise for 2 (balcony) on another cruise line for $2500.00.

 

[Fatima1922]

I don't know your flexibility but maybe looking at a different time of year which maybe less expensive. I know it is hard when you have children in school but maybe you can look at Spring Break or here in NJ we have winter break in February. The only way I got my DH on a cruise was to just book and pay for a 3 night cruise in December. It was my treat. We had bad weather which I thought was a deal breaker on future cruises but he actually booked a 4 night cruise in March 2011.

 

[lovethedream]

I've cruised with Disney before...almost 7 years ago and LOVED IT! I'm trying to talk my husband into sailing on the Dream in June 2011! He's having a hard time on the price. We are looking at a balcony room (he won't do anything else) and it's $5400 for 5 nights. He can't understand why it's so much when we just spent $2700 for 5 nights at Disney at the GF Club Level including Park Hoppers....
I've told him DCL is very different from others...we've done NCL and Princess. How do I talk him into this? I do agree DCL is much more than most lines, but it's Disney and isn't everything more with them anyway!?

We have sailed twice with DCL (Wonder) and once with RCCL FOTS. For us, we no longer have any problems paying the higher prices for Disney. Even if it takes us a little longer in between cruises to save up for it. It was the same for my in laws after sailing Carnival. We are all looking at Disney again for 2011. We just enjoyed the Disney cruise that much more.

It is a major drive to Florida for us to catch DCL while RCCL and Carnival have ships much much closer to where we live. So for us it is more than just the cost of the cruise. It is also the cost of getting there.

I will agree with one other poster that if you have to justify the price, you may have issues, but you won't know until you try it. Maybe trying a shorter cruise initially to help with the cost? Or going at another time.

For us, it is DCL all the way.

 

[KYDIZFAN]

Disney doesn't have a casino, the enertainment is a major expense that doesn't produce revenue. Also over half of the passengers are not of legal drinking age thus cutting in to another revenue stream.

 

[neenslovesdisney]

I agree with the previous posters, look for a better deal if you can be flexible about the dates. Disney cruises are definitely better than the rest imho! What I do with my hubby (who is notoriously cheap) is to tell him I found a cruise for x amount of dollars and then a few days later tell him I found the same cruise for half the price. Works every time and a little white lie never hurts anything.

 

[ThePedersonFamily]

OMG that does seem quite pricy! I'm going to have to agree with the previous posters...try different time frames. We are paying a couple hundred dollars less for the 14 night TransAtlantic cruise in Sept. We have a room with a window, not balcony, but on our last cruise my parents had the balcony room and found it to be a waste of money...so little time is actually spent in the room! We have been on the Magic for 2 week long cruises and both times we went in January and paid a little over $3000 for a family of 4. I can easily justify that when you factor in that all of our entertainment, food and childcare were included. Sounds cliche, but the memories you make are priceless!!

 

[Goofy Mum]

The great thing about DCL is you can pay out your cruise over time so anyone can afford to go.
For us. There's no way in the world I could have ever gotten a better deal anywhere and that's why we're going.
We took advantage of the kids sail free offer in May. 4 of us going, 10 nights on the Med for $1998 PLUS an extra $100 each OBC, plus the original $25 OBC I got when I booked online. No way could you get any vacation anywhere for that length of time all inclusive not to mention anything Disney!

 

[Goofy Mum]

I agree with the previous posters, look for a better deal if you can be flexible about the dates. Disney cruises are definitely better than the rest imho! What I do with my hubby (who is notoriously cheap) is to tell him I found a cruise for x amount of dollars and then a few days later tell him I found the same cruise for half the price. Works every time and a little white lie never hurts anything.

LOL I love this!!!

 

[NancyIL]

That's a ridiculous amount of money to pay for a 5-night cruise to the BAHAMAS, and I DON'T think DCL is better than the rest! I don't know how many people you are cruising with, but $5400 would more than pay for the 12-night British Isles cruise for my 2 daughters and me on Princess this June!

Occasionally DCL has some good values, like the May 2010 Med cruises (in cat 12) that Goofy Mum mentioned. The Feb. 2011 4-night Dream cruise I booked was a little less expensive than the Dec. 2010 4-night Wonder cruise I was going to take - but I stay in the much less expensive inside cabins.

 

[tchrmom]

We too were HUGE Disney fans.......and sailed her ships 9 times. However, once my kids were middle/high school.......we could not go in the affordable times. (October....etc) So.......that FORCED me (kicking and screaming) to try another line. We LOVE the Freedom class ships on RCCL. HOWEVER....my kids are older. The magic of seeing Mickey waving to us as we board is no longer there for them. I think you have to look at the age of your kids and remember that Disney "magic" needs to be calculated into the price of your trip. If my kids were young......I would take them out of school and go during a value season.....no questions asked.
I am sailing on The Freedom of the Seas on 6/13. I have 2 adjoining rooms (interior) for 4 people....7 day cruise.......$4125.00.
For us......that is a great deal.
Good Luck.....and enjoy your cruise! As the mother of a high school senior, I can tell you they sadly grow up WAY too quickly!

 

[Goofy Mum]

As the mother of a high school senior, I can tell you they sadly grow up WAY too quickly!

Promise? My 14 year old son is nothing but a hairy, zitsy,hormonal mess who doesn't even speak to me anymore he just replies in a series of grunts! He refused to go on a Disney Cruise and opted to stay home. He told me if I make him go he'll just sit in the cabin playing his DS or watching TV (rolls eyes) so Im taking the younger ones and my husband is staying home with the troll.
I love him dearly but I wish he would get over whatever it is he's going through! I have four sons and I hope they don't all follow in big brothers massive size 13 footsteps!

Sorry back to original topic...

 

[lmhall2000]

I've cruised with Disney before...He's having a hard time on the price..... How do I talk him into this?

You've got a couple of issues, he wants his cake and eat it too...now there are a couple of ways to get around this. Travel off season, book the really amazing deals (they ARE out there) and forego the Dream (which is only a 5 night anyhow) and go for the better bargain on the Magic...we just got the same deal Goofy Mom got, we have 7 going and the 10 night cruise just cost 4k...plus we have over $1300 of OBC..we are going at a slower time for demand so chances will be more likely that we could upgrade before or at the port for a better cabin selection. It's a chance, but we would likely save over $10,000....so could I have talked myself into a $15,000 trip? No. But, am I flexible and willing to settle for an inside non verandah view for 1/4 that cost, sure..it's the Mediterranean!!! It's so port intensive that most days we'll be exploring Europe. If you're locked into sailing only the summer months when the majority of families can go, then those deals are much harder to find but they do come up.

Hope you find a way to make it happen!

Tara

 

[Edd]

You might think about not imposing your preference on him when it comes to cruising. The Disney ship is not a lifer as there are to many other ships with a lot more new and exciting adventures aboard them. You might consider giving him a chance to climb a rock wall, go ice skating, ride a fantastic zip line, learn to surf or boogie board aboard a ship or play some competive basketball or dedgeball with his ages. The Disney ship is not a whole lot of fun for teenagers or those who are tired of the Disney. Fighting the kids and adults in the pool area is not a whole lot of fun. Remeber teens are not allowed in the adult area. Most teens his age are cruising on the other ships which provides better entertainment and excitement for teenagers.

Why don't you let the two that staying home cruise on another line and bring you back a report or just schedule a cruise, for the whole family getting them together, on one of the newer ships that offer many more things to do for everyone.

You might find out you can book a longer cruise and on a bigger ship for maybe half of what you pay to cruise Disney.

 

[Anal Annie]

I say drop the balcony!! We have done both. Have you done both? Do you know how much time you're NOT out there?

Granted we have a rebooking discount to apply, but we have a 10 night Med cruise booked on the Magic for July 2011 for under $6K in a Cat 10 (no deals out yet for 2011). I DID price a balcony just to compare...$2K more! Ummm... NOT!! That's like 2 or 3 days worth of excursions!!

Sometimes cruising is like buying your first home. It's either not where you want, it's not as big as you want or it's neither...but it's your first.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Just tell him "thats the deal" LOL>

But seriously, you dont need a balcony.