3 vs 4 night?

[PSULion]

We've never cruised before, as I'm not the best on boats, but we've decided to give it a try this Oct, in conjunction with a trip to Disneyworld.

Aside from the obvious, (price, extra day at sea) are there any major differences? Does the 3 night feel like you don't have enough time to enjoy stuff on the ship?

Not sure which way to go here... Any input welcome. Dates/days of the week don't matter.

 

[BlondieinFL]

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[BlondieinFL]

3 nights is short. If you don't get off in Nassau, it's better - you'll have more time to do stuff on the boat. I've only done the 3 and 4 night cruises, and having the 4th night is much better, IMO. 3 nights is like you blink and it's over. But, since it's your first time, 3 is fine - but, again, I'd stay on the boat in Nassau.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We've never cruised before, as I'm not the best on boats, but we've decided to give it a try this Oct, in conjunction with a trip to Disneyworld.

Aside from the obvious, (price, extra day at sea) are there any major differences? Does the 3 night feel like you don't have enough time to enjoy stuff on the ship?

Not sure which way to go here... Any input welcome. Dates/days of the week don't matter.

Well, I'm firmly in the camp "longer is better". So, given those choices, I'd go with the 4 night. The 3 night cruise, IMO, really doesn't give you long enough to settle in. Think about it - you board on day 1 (only afternoon/evening), have 2 days, and day 4 you're up at dawn and off the ship by 8. Really only, at best, 2 1/2 days onboard. With a 4 night cruise, while it's still short - 3 1/2 days, you do get the sea day for that experience also.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Our first cruise was a 3 night after a few nights at WDW. The time flew by! We didn't even see the entire ship.
If you can do the 4 night, do that. If not, try to board the ship as early as possible. We used DCL transfers and weren't on the ship until after 3:00pm the first day. The lunch dining was over and we only had junk quick service for our late lunch. The next 2 days we were in the ports for most of the day. The next day, we had to get off the ship bright and early.

 

[krisinparis]

Definitely 4 nights! There are so many things to do onboard!

 

[PSULion]

This is what I figured you'd all say. I'm just so scared of being seasick!!!

 

[JackieT1182]

We've done both a 3-night and a 4-night. The 4-night was noticeably longer. Since you mentioned that dates don't matter to you, I'd do a 4-night. I'd definitely prefer a 4-night over a 3! However, in our case, the Dream's schedule for the 3-night is easier for us to work around since we miss less work (Friday to Monday vs Monday to Friday).

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

We've done both 3 and 4 nights and obviously given the choice we'd pick longer (4) over a 3 nighter. Sometimes the decision for us is the school calendar and also the price. Cruising during higher peak times it's often at least another $1100 for that extra night and I'm not usually willing to pay that. If you are cruising non-peak times and depending on your family size you might find the price gap smaller between the 3 and 4 night sailings.

Since we've cruised several times on the Dream (and others) we don't get off the ship in Nassau and this past cruise in December we didn't even get off the ship at Castaway! We wanted this to be about doing things onboard, relaxing, etc. so the 3 nights for us after 3 nights at WDW was awesome but they ALL always end so fast.

Enjoy,
Heather

 

[lovedisney123]

Most of the time (not always), on the 4 night you have a day at sea on your last day and that is when you pack. On the 3 night you are at Castaway Cay and then you have to pack a few hours later (so take zip lock bags for wet suits). That makes it stressful. So the 4 night is worth it just to avoid that 'stress'. Of course, saying all of this, we are about to do a 3 night only because of the days of our spring break and everyone's jobs and our desire to spend more time at Disney World. So we opted to go to WDW first (less points for staying at the Vacation Clubs on those nights also) and then do the 3 nights. But if everything else is equal, the 4 night is so much better so you do not have to pack up on Castaway Cay.

 

[OKW Lover]

The problem with a 3-night cruise is that there are really only 2.5 days to enjoy yourself. The day you board (even if you get on by 11:30) is a very disjointed day since you won't be into your cabin until 1:30 and you won't get your luggage until sometime after that. Throw in exploring the ship and doing the lifeboat drill and before you know it you are heading down for dinner. The next day you are in Nassau. Many do not get off the ship there, but if its your first visit you may want to do that. The following day is Castaway Cay which is a wonderful experience. Unfortunately, that night you have to pack since you'll need to put your suitcases out by 10pm. The last morning you will be off the ship by 9:00 am. All in all, a very short cruise and not a lot of time to see if you really like cruising.

 

[PSULion]

Hadn't thought about the packing... Very good point. Might have to just suck up the seasickness fear and book 4 nights!

 

[missyp]

I was petrified of getting sea sick. I get car sick, I can't ride amusement park rides. I bring every precaution on the market. I wear sea bands 24 hours a day and I am fine. I always bring patches, Dramamine and ginger pills but I have never had to use anything other than the sea bands, they do the trick for me. Go for 4 days, you will regret it when you have to get off the ship after 3. We were sad after our first cruise ( 4 day) when we had to get off, now we never do less than 5

 

[lovedisney123]

I get motion sickness too. I have been on 2 seven night cruises and have decided it is not worth it. The Bahamas have not been much of a problem for me. If there is a storm it will be rough, but if the weather is fine the water is fine. I only notice it on the first night when it crosses that 'bad spot' around 7-8:00. But once you are past that area, it isn't bad. So don't skip the 4 night for worries about motion sickness. It usually is fine.

 

[Bishoparc]

If you have time and can afford the 4 day then my vote is definitely for the 4 day but if you all have time or money for is the 3 day, you will still have a fantastic time. We've done two 3 days because that's all we've been able to schedule time wise so far and they were both fantastic. No regrets.

Here's another thread from recently as well about the 3 day cruises you might want to check out too - http://www.disboards.com/threads/how-are-the-3-day-cruises.3481019/

 

[TrySomethingNew]

If seasickness is your main worry, do a search on Disboards and you will come up with many threads.
Seasickness was a key concern for me, and it is true that crossing the rough area when the ship leaves PC is often the worst area. There are many solutions people swear by, so read the posts and talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you want more info (or decide you need a scrip for the patch and/or nausea med like Zofran).
We went on the Disney Magic last summer, crossing the North Sea between Norway and Iceland and Scotland- it was rough one way and my nightly Bonine tablet was enough every day, but during the rough times, I did need to lay down for a little while and I felt better. For the record, I carried with me pretty much all over the counter remedies and 2 prescriptions, so I knew I was prepared for whatever motion I was going to encounter.
Length of cruise - 4 day gets my vote.

 

[PSULion]

Thanks all. Bit the bullet and booked 4 days! Got a mid-ship veranda room. Bonine does me good on planes, trains, and amusement rides, so I'll be trying that, getting some sea bands, and hoping for the best!

 

[cruisehopeful]

Bonine will probably work fine for you. I've had to use it my last couple cruises. I take one when I board and then every 24 hours. There is unlimited free mint tea onboard, too.