Need HELP! From cruise experts!!!

[Mousemommy1]

DH came home tonight with a grand idea....let's do a Disney cruise in April!!!

Well, we are complete cruise virgins, but I have been looking into it and have pieced together this scenario....

4/20 - Fly down to Disney - stay at AoA LM room for the night.
4/21 - Ground transfer to Port Canaveral to sail on the Disney Dream - a four night cruise to the Bahamas.
4/25 - return from cruise - ground transfer back to WDW - check into POR/RGR for 3 nights and depart on 4/28 back home.

Total cost would be $3729.48 + we'd bring $1000 for food (when on land) and souvenirs....and airfare will be about $1200, so about $5929.48 for the whole trip...does that sound good???

And how do the ground transfers work...I know we could do ME from airport to AoA, but how do we get from AoA to Port Canaveral??? And likewise, from Port Canaveral to POFQ?

And is there a certain time the ship will usually depart and come back? Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[diz2011]

I'm not a cruise expert, but I can answer your question regarding transfers to the port from a WDW resort. We stayed at the Beach Club prior to our cruise on the Fantasy and used the DCL transfers from the resort. You need to reserve that through DCL and I believe it was $35/person each way (they offer return service to either MCO or a WDW resort). Our bags were picked up from our room @ 8am the morning of our cruise, and we were given a meeting location and time (12pm) for our motor coach. Be sure to keep a carry-on bag with you as your bags won't arrive until much later in the afternoon (I think ours were there sometime around 4:00-4:30pm). Hope that helped to answer part of your question.

Enjoy your vacation!!!

 

[bmer1rick]

Few questions. Is it just you and your DH or do you have kids? Have you been to WDW before?

Cruise itself: Are you concerned about being sea sick? Reason I ask is that many really think cruisers think 4 nights is just to short, you really don't get the time to enjoy the cruise between unpacking day and packing day.. Unless you are really concerned about getting sea sick, I would recommend the 7-day on the Fantasy. You will save on your food allotment, but will add more in tips/spa treatments/etc.. so may break about the $1,000 mark. Looking at the Fantasy, the 7 day cruise is about $3,000 for two with a verandah.

Park: If you go with the 4 day cruise, personally, I would try to do the park first. We find the hectic nature of going to the park quite taxing. The cruise on the other hand is quite relaxing. We enjoy ending our vacation relaxing rather than trying to run around WDW. However, many like going to the park afterwards to relieve the Disney withdrawal you are going to experience getting off the cruise.

Transfers: If you purchase transfers, the ME will take you from your hotel to the port and back also. Really hassle free. If you use the transfers, they will pick your luggage up at the resort and you won't see it again till it arrives at your stateroom onboard.

Ship times: For PC, the ships begin boarding around 11:30am and you must be checked in by 4:00pm. The ship will normally leave port around 5:00pm. The ships normally return to port around 6:00am and depending on customs, debarkation begins around 7:30am. You must be off the ship by 9:00am so the crew has time to get the ship ready for the next cruise.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I'm not a cruise expert, but I can answer your question regarding transfers to the port from a WDW resort. We stayed at the Beach Club prior to our cruise on the Fantasy and used the DCL transfers from the resort. You need to reserve that through DCL and I believe it was $35/person each way (they offer return service to either MCO or a WDW resort). Our bags were picked up from our room @ 8am the morning of our cruise, and we were given a meeting location and time (12pm) for our motor coach. Be sure to keep a carry-on bag with you as your bags won't arrive until much later in the afternoon (I think ours were there sometime around 4:00-4:30pm). Hope that helped to answer part of your question.

Enjoy your vacation!!!

Ok, that helps a bit....when I was on the DCL website though, the only ground transfer options I saw were from airport to port canaveral and back...I didn't see anything to and from the resorts, which is wierd because I know I've seen the DCL buses.

 

[sue]

DH came home tonight with a grand idea....let's do a Disney cruise in April!!!

Well, we are complete cruise virgins, but I have been looking into it and have pieced together this scenario....

4/20 - Fly down to Disney - stay at AoA LM room for the night.
4/21 - Ground transfer to Port Canaveral to sail on the Disney Dream - a four night cruise to the Bahamas.
4/25 - return from cruise - ground transfer back to WDW - check into POR/RGR for 3 nights and depart on 4/28 back home.

Total cost would be $3729.48 + we'd bring $1000 for food (when on land) and souvenirs....and airfare will be about $1200, so about $5929.48 for the whole trip...does that sound good???

And how do the ground transfers work...I know we could do ME from airport to AoA, but how do we get from AoA to Port Canaveral??? And likewise, from Port Canaveral to POFQ?

And is there a certain time the ship will usually depart and come back? Any help would be much appreciated!

I guess I'm confused as to what AoA LM is. I am assuming it is a hotel? Some of the hotels around the Port Canaveral area offer a free shuttle to the pier if you are staying with them the night prior to your cruise.

Should bring along some money to pay for tips onboard the ship, excursions and if you plan on doing the spa or salon.

As far as getting to Port Canaveral with ground transfers you can sign up for DCL transportation to/from any Disney hotel or the Airport. It runs $35 each way per person. Just call DCL to book it.

The ship leaves port around 5pm and returns around 6am, but usually have to wait a bit before you can leave the ship. We usually get off the ship between 8am-9am.

 

[bmer1rick]

I guess I'm confused as to what AoA LM is. I am assuming it is a hotel?

Those are two of the new WDW resorts. Art of Animation and Little Mermaid

 

[Mousemommy1]

Few questions. Is it just you and your DH or do you have kids? Have you been to WDW before?

Cruise itself: Are you concerned about being sea sick? Reason I ask is that many really think cruisers think 4 nights is just to short, you really don't get the time to enjoy the cruise between unpacking day and packing day.. Unless you are really concerned about getting sea sick, I would recommend the 7-day on the Fantasy. You will save on your food allotment, but will add more in tips/spa treatments/etc.. so may break about the $1,000 mark. Looking at the Fantasy, the 7 day cruise is about $3,000 for two with a verandah.

Park: If you go with the 4 day cruise, personally, I would try to do the park first. We find the hectic nature of going to the park quite taxing. The cruise on the other hand is quite relaxing. We enjoy ending our vacation relaxing rather than trying to run around WDW. However, many like going to the park afterwards to relieve the Disney withdrawal you are going to experience getting off the cruise.

Transfers: If you purchase transfers, the ME will take you from your hotel to the port and back also. Really hassle free. If you use the transfers, they will pick your luggage up at the resort and you won't see it again till it arrives at your stateroom onboard.

Ship times: For PC, the ships begin boarding around 11:30am and you must be checked in by 4:00pm. The ship will normally leave port around 5:00pm. The ships normally return to port around 6:00am and depending on customs, debarkation begins around 7:30am. You must be off the ship by 9:00am so the crew has time to get the ship ready for the next cruise.

It is DH and myself and our 2 girls. We have been to WDW many times and were going in April anyways because we have annual passes. We saw this 4 night trip which would fit right into to our vacation timeframe. We've never cruised before so 4 nights seems like a great amount of time to try it out. No concern of sea sickness.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Those are two of the new WDW resorts. Art of Animation and Little Mermaid

Well, technically Little Mermaid is just a section of Art of Animation, not to nitpick.

 

[bmer1rick]

It is DH and myself and our 2 girls. We have been to WDW many times and were going in April anyways because we have annual passes. We saw this 4 night trip which would fit right into to our vacation timeframe. We've never cruised before so 4 nights seems like a great amount of time to try it out. No concern of sea sickness.

Sounds like a good plan then. Welcome to the cruise community, you will absolutely love it!

The kids clubs on DCL are amazing! You may not see your kids for the entire cruise.. Our DS absolutely loved the Oceaneers Club/Lab and now loves the Edge and it is hard to get him out of them.

 

[bmer1rick]

Well, technically Little Mermaid is just a section of Art of Animation, not to nitpick.

 

[sue]

Those are two of the new WDW resorts. Art of Animation and Little Mermaid

Thanks for the clarification Not used to those hotels yet

 

[Mousemommy1]

Sounds like a good plan then. Welcome to the cruise community, you will absolutely love it!

The kids clubs on DCL are amazing! You may not see your kids for the entire cruise.. Our DS absolutely loved the Oceaneers Club/Lab and now loves the Edge and it is hard to get him out of them.

Our kids just tried the kids club at WL for the first time last week and loved it, so I'm glad they had that experience in case we decide to do the cruise....is therein extra charge for the kids clubs??? And how much for spa packages? (mainly massages)???

Thanks for your help!!!

 

[bmer1rick]

Our kids just tried the kids club at WL for the first time last week and loved it, so I'm glad they had that experience in case we decide to do the cruise....is therein extra charge for the kids clubs??? And how much for spa packages? (mainly massages)???

Thanks for your help!!!

No charge for the kids clubs.. That's nice about DCL that some other cruise lines charge if they stay after hours.

As for Spa packages, they offer a few options. On our first cruise, my DW and I went for the couples massage in the cabanas at Castaway Cay and loved it. Here is a link to the prices. Hit the tab that says "treatment offerings"

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/s...c/fitness-spa/vista-spa-salon/spa-treatments/

 

[Mousemommy1]

Are adult beverages included?

 

[bmer1rick]

Are adult beverages included?

Unfortunately no. They do sell wine packages for dinner to lessen the cost a little if you like some wine to go with your meal

 

[triciari]

Are adult beverages included?

But you can bring your own alcohol on board, to be imbibed in your stateroom.