Opinions on the 14 day transatlantic cruise...?

[keltshan]

It would be DH, myself, DS7 and DD6

I have did a 4 day Bahama cruise, no one else has been on a cruise.

Should we start with a shorter length? Do kids this age tolerate being on a boat at sea for this duration (I believe it is 5-6 days straight with no port stops)? Plus, we would be pulling them out of school....both are excellent students and I consider this a "learning experience"

Anyone with similar aged kids do this trip, any advice appreciated!

 

[NancyIL]

Are you thinking about the April 2010 Transatlantic? It has a great price right now for the cat. 12 cabins. I was tempted by it, and booked and canceled it several times! If your goal is to enjoy quality time on a Disney ship at a cheap price - this cruise fits the bill.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Before I would book a 14 day Transatlantic, I would do a short cruise with the family. I would hate to find out that one of the kids gets seasick!!

 

[calmpets]

There are lots of cures for seasickness, so I wouldn't worry overly about that. I'd suggest checking out the meet thread for whichever transatlantic sailing you are looking at. Lots of those travelers sailed on previous TAs, and can give you great advice!

 

[HallsofVA]

We are doing the westbound transatlantic this September. DS and DD will be 6 and 3, respectively, on that cruise. (I concur with the pulling them out of school part as do their teachers!) But the kids have been on 3-4 prior Disney cruises and haven't had any problems so I don't worry about them too much.

I did originally book the Eastbound transatlantic in April, then switched to the Westbound for several reasons, hoping that the weather will be smoother and warmer in Sept vs April, gaining rather than losing an hour each day going across the atlantic (due to time zone crossings), and because I'd rather get the big flight out of the way at the front of the trip rather than at the end. We're spending an extra 2 days in Barcelona to help them acclimate to the time shift before the cruise starts (and also to explore the city some!)

I have absolutely no worries about the kids staying engaged and entertained on a 14 night cruise - we've never been able to do all there is to do on the 7 or 4 night Disney cruises we've taken. And with younger kids, I love sea days since our port excursions are still limited by the 3 yr old.

If you have no sense of how the kids will do on the ship, I might consider a shorter cruise first, but I don't think that would really give you a good basis to judge since the schedule and locations are so different. So you'll have to go on your gut and what your prior cruise experience tells you.

 

[goingsouth]

Our 1st Disney cruise was the TA from Barcelona in 2007. We had taken shorter cruises before. Maybe we lucked out, but the water was so calm, seasickness was never an issue. My kids were 9 and 11 at the time and were never bored. They loved it. The longer cruises let them settle in and feel comfortable. I'd recommend it.


joanne

 

[Brooklyn]

Our first cruise ever was the EB TA in 2007. DD's were 2 & 6. The LOVED it! Still some of the greatest memories ever!!!!

As pp stated the time change is the worse part of the EB TA. We were sleeping in later and later but DCL adjusted the times of the activities accordingly.

The kids will not be bored at all!!! There was so much to do that we missed so much!

I get very sea sick and the seas were rough but I was fine! I took medicine when needed (which was not often) and all was great!

 

[makelifehappen]

Thanks for this thread and questions!

I am so tempted to cancel my booking for the Dream to go with this one, however since we have never cruised before my husband is a little leery.

6 Days at sea on our first cruise scares him. We have done road trips and traveled for weeks on end, but in all of our travels we had the opportunity to break from the madness when we wanted.

Wonder if I can convince him on our 5 day to book the 14 day Anyone know if we get the discount on these longer ones if we book before the end of our cruise?

I say DO IT, if you can. I was completely floored at the price!

Wonder what our kids teachers will think of us if we pull them out for 2 weeks?!!!

 

[Brooklyn]

Thanks for this thread and questions!

I am so tempted to cancel my booking for the Dream to go with this one, however since we have never cruised before my husband is a little leery.

6 Days at sea on our first cruise scares him. We have done road trips and traveled for weeks on end, but in all of our travels we had the opportunity to break from the madness when we wanted.

Wonder if I can convince him on our 5 day to book the 14 day Anyone know if we get the discount on these longer ones if we book before the end of our cruise?

I say DO IT, if you can. I was completely floored at the price!

Wonder what our kids teachers will think of us if we pull them out for 2 weeks?!!!

The last TA was our first cruise ever. It was AMAZING!!! Teachers tend to be supportive bc it is such an amazing experience. I think if it was 2 weeks in the caribbean they would be less likely to be as supportive. It is such a learning experience.

The 6 days at sea were PACKED with things to do. I was sooooo worried about being bored bc I am a person who needs to go go go all of the time. That never happened. There was soooooo much to do we could not fit it all in.

Yes, you can rebook your Dream vacation on board for a discount plus a ship board credit! Maybe that would be incentive for DH.

 

[HallsofVA]

Wonder if I can convince him on our 5 day to book the 14 day Anyone know if we get the discount on these longer ones if we book before the end of our cruise?

I say DO IT, if you can. I was completely floored at the price!

Wonder what our kids teachers will think of us if we pull them out for 2 weeks?!!!

The rebooking incentives apply to the transatlantic cruises the same as other cruises. They're on par with the 7nt cruise benefits. We got a $200 OBC and 10% discount for rebooking while onboard, and 1/2 price deposits. The transatlantic cruise fares are a bargain, but you do have to factor in the cost of the one-way international fare. We got lucky and were able to book our flights to Barcelona for $401 from Washington, DC, versus the $1000 that DCL wanted.

My son is moving to a new school this fall for 1st grade and will miss 2 1/2 weeks just a week and a half into the school year. We asked the teachers at the new school if that would be a problem and they said not at all, and that they strongly encourage travel for all the benefits and learning opportunities it affords.

 

[lmb]

We're going with our DD4 and DS3 and have been on the Western and the Eastern before. I am looking forward to lots of sea days and seeing some interesting ports. I can't wait!

 

[Pluto 2]

the transatlantic can get rough. i was on the aug 07 repo we had it nice very good seas. but the apr or may 07 repo forgot what month they left got hit hard by the seas very hard. but the price is great.

 

[misseulalie]

the transatlantic can get rough. i was on the aug 07 repo we had it nice very good seas. but the apr or may 07 repo forgot what month they left got hit hard by the seas very hard. but the price is great.

It was May... Seas were rough until about mid way through the Atlantic. We hit 20+ swells a few days. There was one night (about 4 days in,) where it seemed that half the passengers were standing in line at the clinic for sea sickness medicine!! Including our daughter who never gets sick!!!

They had to cancel a few deck parties and the pools were closed a lot. It was really cold on deck.

We had a great time and would do it again, but just be prepared for the weather and rough seas in April/May.

 

[misseulalie]

Hallsof VA,

I love love love your Valentine Cards!!!

Did you cut a little slit on the top and bottom of the fist to slide the lollipop through???

Great idea!

(off topic, sorry!!)

 

[HallsofVA]

Hallsof VA,

I love love love your Valentine Cards!!!

Did you cut a little slit on the top and bottom of the fist to slide the lollipop through???

Great idea!

(off topic, sorry!!)

Yes. and Thanks! Though the kids are still waiting to have their valentine parties at school since today was their first day back in school in over a week due to the snow.