A very BIG newbie.....

[thelittlemermaid]

Hi all! I am not a newbie to DisneyWorld, but a newbie to the cruise side. My DH and I both have never been on a cruise. We have 3 kids in all different age ranges anywhere from 12 all the way down to 2.

Out of the blue DH asks after we take this trip back to WDW in 2009 if I wanted to start saving for a cruise. Well the only cruise I would consider taking with kids is Disney. Well the guys DH works with says that compared to the other cruise lines, Disney is way over priced. I have read some threads on here about comparing Disney Cruise line to others and the others just don't interest me. I told DH if we are going to spend that kind of money on a cruise, I want to do something that is family and kid friendly.

So I need some help getting DH on board {no pun intended LOL!!!} Tell me everything you can about your Disney cruises. Like I said at the beginning, we are a family of 5. I did go to Disney Cruise website and they kept putting us in a Cat 4 stateroom. Is there any other way we could go that is cheaper? Or would everyone have to be crammed into one room? Not sure what year we would go, if I can get DH to go at all cause of the price.

One last question, I have seen on the top of pages about on board credits, just what are those?

Told ya I was a newbie! LOL!!

TIA!

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Hi all! I am not a newbie to DisneyWorld, but a newbie to the cruise side. My DH and I both have never been on a cruise. We have 3 kids in all different age ranges anywhere from 12 all the way down to 2.

Out of the blue DH asks after we take this trip back to WDW in 2009 if I wanted to start saving for a cruise. Well the only cruise I would consider taking with kids is Disney. Well the guys DH works with says that compared to the other cruise lines, Disney is way over priced. I have read some threads on here about comparing Disney Cruise line to others and the others just don't interest me. I told DH if we are going to spend that kind of money on a cruise, I want to do something that is family and kid friendly.

So I need some help getting DH on board {no pun intended LOL!!!} Tell me everything you can about your Disney cruises. Like I said at the beginning, we are a family of 5. I did go to Disney Cruise website and they kept putting us in a Cat 4 stateroom. Is there any other way we could go that is cheaper? Or would everyone have to be crammed into one room? Not sure what year we would go, if I can get DH to go at all cause of the price.

One last question, I have seen on the top of pages about on board credits, just what are those?

Told ya I was a newbie! LOL!!

TIA!

DCL is a bit pricey you are paying for the name and service of Disney, but the reasons why people cruise and cruise again.

The Entertainment
The kids clubs
The staterooms
The Service
Castaway Cay their island in the Bahamas.

I have cruised many lines but these are all the best with DCL.

If booking with a travel agent some give you a rebate on your ship account called on board credits OBC's

Yes for 5 people a Cat 4 and (3/2/1) are the only options, for one room, but you could book two lower Cat rooms.

 

[CC104]

Disney is all about quality - especially for the kids. The kids clubs are fantastic - your kids might not want to leave. It's a great trip for kids & adults, because they can both do what they like.

I'm sure you could go on another cruise and still have fun, but you'll be talking (and looking at photos) of your first Disney cruise FOREVER.

 

[CC104]

One more thing - on board credits is free money! It's money that you have to spend on board (trust me, there are plently of opportunities to spend onboard).

I don't want to scare you away though, you can easily cruise by spending $0 onboard too!

 

[Marciern22]

Just got back from my first Disney cruise.
IT WAS FANTASTIC!!!! I think I'm spoiled now. How do I ever go to another cruise line? It was just Me, my 18 yr old autistic son and my DD 12. She got to go to the teen club cuz her birthday was a month a way. She had a blast!!!
Disney is ALL about the service!!
Your kids will be treated so wonderfully! All the CMs who met my son were nothing but super kind and they truly went out of their way to stop and ask him questions about his day and if he was having fun even though he is hard to understand when he talks, they were so nice.
I can't wait to go again and again.
Yes, you can do it without spending any money on board. But once my boy discovered the virgin Pina Coladas, he was ordering them left and right!

 

[Amlee]

To get around the cat 4 stateroom pricing, book two cabins. There are several options. You can book connecting cabins that are side by side. Or you can book cabins across the hall from each other. 1 outside and one inside cabin.

To do this, you put your name on one cabin and your DH's on another. With the age of your kids, I would suggest a set connecting cabins. You could put the two older kids in one cabin and the other with you. It would basicly be like having a cat 4 only larger and depending on your cabin type cheaper.

 

[cdndizzylizzy]

Don't wait to book - the prices generally go up, not down. So if you are thinking of cruising the Carribbean in 2010, as soon as DCL brings out the itineraries, get a deposit down on your chosen cruise. You won't have to pay the balance until 90 days before you cruise.

In terms of excursions, as other posters have said, you do not have to take excursions or spend lots of additional $$ to have a great time. On our first Western cruise in 2007, we did not book any DCL excursions. We did take a cab on our own to 7 Mile Beach while at Grand Cayman. For us, especially on our first cruise, the Magic was an excursion in itself. There is so much to do on board, and we particularly like staying on board when so many people have left. One of my favorite memories from our 2008 cruise is spending the afternoon in the shade near the Goofy pool, watching the movie Cars on the big screen, eating pizza and drinking beer. The pool was almost empty as most cruisers were taking in Grand Cayman. The sea days are great for this, but everyone is on board.

I agree with the 2 stateroom suggestion. 2 bathrooms, 2 closets - you are in the room to change, shower and sleep - that's it. Also, if your littlest one still naps, then only 1 of the 2 rooms is off limits. With 3 and 2 in the rooms, you could drop all the way down to a Cat 12 (sleeps 3). I bet you will find that 2 Cat 12s are less than a Cat 4. You will want to book the staterooms specifically, as opposed to a "guarantee" booking, in order to make sure that they are across the hall. I don't think you can get any connecting Cat 12's though - I think they start with Cat 10?

Our 2007 cruise was supposed to be a one-of-a-kind trip. Turns out, we are going on our 3rd annual DCL cruise in Feb 2009. It is everything you think it will be, and more.

Have fun planning...

 

[TosaTrio]

In order for a child to go to the kids club they must be 3 and Potty Trained. I would wait to go until she is 3 if it is going to be close. My dd had a blast and never wanted to leave! The cruise would not have been the same without it! We had family time and our own time.