Beginning to think about a cruise

[Ravenne]

We always take an excursion the first time we visit any port. Usually one of the basic "have a look around/get acquainted" tours. Some people book independently. We usually book ship's excursions. Either option is fine.

In suggesting excursions - I usually avoid it. I don't know you. I don't know your interests. Or your toleration for active/inactive excursions. I'd suggest having a look at the excursions on the DCL website that have been offered in the past for the cruises you're interested in to see if anything looks good to you.

Completely ditto.

To the OP: First time in any port, we like to look around, and do something as well.

While I appreciate excursion reviews, it's hard to say what you should and should not try without knowing what you and your family would like. Many people here love the walking tours with shopping, while my family prefers active adventure types of excursions. DCL's website is a great start to get an idea of what's available in terms of excursions, but don't be afraid to do research on your own as well to see what any given port may offer. I often poke around Trip Advisor to see what other people do in any given port. If you were to narrow it down to say, adventurous, active excursions in Tortola, then it would be easier to give you ideas. When we started planning our first cruise we started with figuring out how long we want to sail for, then what itineraries fit that time frame that would interest us...and we would look at excursions offered in each itineraries to see if they interest us, and went from there. And we've had excursions we had our hearts set on, and it got dropped from the itinerary too. If that happens, you can decide to go it independently, or book another excursion. There are some ports where I feel comfortable booking independently, and others, I prefer the safety blanket of DCL contracted ones. I think it's generally a good idea to check the State Department for any travel advisories to areas you may be going to in any itinerary.

 

[fredandkell]

Personally, I would choose another cruise line for both Alaska and the Med, since DCL is outrageously expensive on those itineraries and they are very port-intensive, thus you don't spend a lot of time on the ship. (The only reason we are sailing the Med in July on DCL is it was what we rebooked after our Irma-out-ed Eastern, so we had already PIF and that was the only date that worked for us.) Now DCL does do a mean Caribbean cruise and I wholeheartedly recommend them for Caribbean itineraries.

 

[ChicosWife]

I guess where I'm at right now is gathering general information.

1. The best time of year to go? I am a substitute teacher and my husband gets lots of vacation and we have no kids so we really can go at any time of year.
2. Is one ship better than the other?
3. I think we would probably go with an Inside Room to save money. How do you choose where your room is at?
4. Are most things included in the price?
5. I'm leaning more towards Caribbean, but I could see DH saying Alaska. Is there a good price range to expect for those destinations say for 4-5 nights?

Thank you!

1) Best time of year will depend on where you are going and what you take into consideration, when you say "best". Do you mean weather-wise? Water temperature? Crowd level? Expense?
2) Again, this depends on what you are looking for. I have only been on the Dream and the Fantasy, which are the newer ships and a little bit bigger. I have read many posts on here though that love the intimate size of the Magic and Wonder.
3) If you do go with an inside room (we did on the Dream), I would suggest sailing on the Dream or Fantasy because they have the magic portholes. It really feels like you have a window view and you get the "magic" of seeing an occasional surprise pop up.
4) Yes, the food, most activities on the ship, soda, etc. are all included in the price and if you sail on an itinerary that goes to Castaway Cay, all of their food and some activities are included as well.
5) I haven't done an Alaskan cruise, but I can whole-heartedly recommend the Western Caribbean itinerary. We just sailed the 7-night this past November and it was honestly, an amazing trip of a lifetime!

 

[Geomom]

Our first ever cruise was a DCL Alaska one in August 2016. (We loved it!) If you're interested in the Alaska cruise, feel free to look at my trip report in my signature--the Wonder was refurbed in the Fall of 2016, so the inside of the ship looks different now. If you do Alaska, I'd recommend a 7 day sailing--the 5 day misses some of the best ports of Skagway and Juneau. (Actually in general I'd recommend a 7 day sailing...the time passes so quickly!)

One difference between DCL's Alaska and Caribbean sailings is that in Alaska they do NOT have Pirate night and no fireworks. They have a Frozen deck party instead. Northern Europe/Norway also has Frozen night and no Pirate night--but the Meditteranean cruises DO have a Pirate night and fireworks. I believe it's something to do with preserving nature in the Northern areas.

Timing--I'd avoid the Caribbean in the summer--between the heat, the crowds, and hurricane season--if you can travel the Caribbean when kids are in school in the winter--that would be best! For Alaska--if you can travel in the shoulder seasons of May/early June or late August/early September--it will be cheaper. For Alaska, also look at getting an oceanview room vs. Verandah as the verandahs can cost $1000's more on those sailings.

Ship--it depends on what you're looking for. The larger Dream and Fantasy have more bells and whistles--mini golf, midship detective agency, Aquaduck, 2 'surcharge' adult restaurants in addition to the 3 free main dining rooms. The Wonder and Magic are smaller, more intimate, and have more interesting itineraries for my family. There are also different theater shows on the ships--so that might help you decide what ship you'd prefer.

***If you want to research more about DCL--go to Scott's blog: www.disneycruiselineblog.com He has tons of info, menus, personal navigators from previous sailings, etc. It's a great resource!

 

[Haley R]

Hope that helps you decide if Disney is right for you. It's a big and tough choice and can be overwhelming. Keep at it.

After talking with DH for a LONG time tonight we are leaning towards a 4-night cruise to Castaway Cay and Nassau in October. Our main reason is because my birthday is November 1 and we really want to see the Halloween party at MK before the cruise. The ship would be the Disney Dream which is good because I either wanted that one or the Fantasy (that Aquaduck looks awesome!).

1. We are looking at a Deluxe Verandah Category 6B although I really am not sure what category to pick. The only thing we would love is a bigger verandah. I'm looking on Disney's website and it doesn't look like they have any large verandahs left. Are there not very many available? We wouldn't want to be RIGHT next to an elevator because we've had that noisy experience before, as well as fire doors. We also wouldn't want a connecting door because we wouldn't need one.
2. I have been looking at all seas travel. I'm not sure how legit that site is, but they have the October 29 cruise for a Deluxe verandah as low as $2466. We thought that seemed like a pretty good price for a verandah room. Do you know anything about this site?
3. I think we would most likely want the late dinner. It seems like it would be quieter and we could use the pools while everyone else is at the early dinner. Does that sound like a good plan?

 

[Haley R]

Completely ditto.

To the OP: First time in any port, we like to look around, and do something as well.

While I appreciate excursion reviews, it's hard to say what you should and should not try without knowing what you and your family would like. Many people here love the walking tours with shopping, while my family prefers active adventure types of excursions. DCL's website is a great start to get an idea of what's available in terms of excursions, but don't be afraid to do research on your own as well to see what any given port may offer. I often poke around Trip Advisor to see what other people do in any given port. If you were to narrow it down to say, adventurous, active excursions in Tortola, then it would be easier to give you ideas. When we started planning our first cruise we started with figuring out how long we want to sail for, then what itineraries fit that time frame that would interest us...and we would look at excursions offered in each itineraries to see if they interest us, and went from there. And we've had excursions we had our hearts set on, and it got dropped from the itinerary too. If that happens, you can decide to go it independently, or book another excursion. There are some ports where I feel comfortable booking independently, and others, I prefer the safety blanket of DCL contracted ones. I think it's generally a good idea to check the State Department for any travel advisories to areas you may be going to in any itinerary.

It would just be DH and I. We are pretty active and can't sit still for very long. I imagine we would want some time on the beach, but would like some kind of active excursion that isn't overly pricey. We already think the cruise itself will be pricey so we don't want to add too many extra costs. I'll have to go look at some good excursions at Castaway Cay and at Nassau since those would be our two stops. I think we will probably book any excursions through Disney. I agree with you about the safety blanket.

 

[Haley R]

***If you want to research more about DCL--go to Scott's blog: www.disneycruiselineblog.com He has tons of info, menus, personal navigators from previous sailings, etc. It's a great resource!

Thank you for responding! We are thinking about doing the 4-night cruise to Castaway Cay and Nassau on October 29. Is October a good time for a Caribbean cruise?

Also, we are having trouble picking a room. I was hoping we could get an oversized verandah, but I don't know which rooms have those.

 

[Scherzermk]

• We are looking at a Deluxe Verandah Category 6B although I really am not sure what category to pick. The only thing we would love is a bigger verandah. I'm looking on Disney's website and it doesn't look like they have any large verandahs left. Are there not very many available? We wouldn't want to be RIGHT next to an elevator because we've had that noisy experience before, as well as fire doors. We also wouldn't want a connecting door because we wouldn't need one.

• I have been looking at all seas travel. I'm not sure how legit that site is, but they have the October 29 cruise for a Deluxe verandah as low as $2466. We thought that seemed like a pretty good price for a verandah room. Do you know anything about this site?

• I think we would most likely want the late dinner. It seems like it would be quieter and we could use the pools while everyone else is at the early dinner. Does that sound like a good plan?

A 4 day is a great first cruise! Once bitten by the bug though, it's hard not to go back for more.

1. You won't believe how much room you will have. Hands down best room room layout and size of other cruise lines.
2. All travel agents will have same price as Disney. You can always verify with Disney online. Easy to price a cruise. We love our dreams unlimited agent. The have best onboard credit options too.
3. The pools will be empty, but it's because you can't miss the shows. The shows are what make a Disney cruise a Disney cruise. Go to your assigned show then assigned late dinner then the hot tub. You won't regret it.

 

[Haley R]

A 4 day is a great first cruise! Once bitten by the bug though, it's hard not to go back for more.

1. You won't believe how much room you will have. Hands down best room room layout and size of other cruise lines.
2. All travel agents will have same price as Disney. You can always verify with Disney online. Easy to price a cruise. We love our dreams unlimited agent. The have best onboard credit options too.
3. The pools will be empty, but it's because you can't miss the shows. The shows are what make a Disney cruise a Disney cruise. Go to your assigned show then assigned late dinner then the hot tub. You won't regret it.

Someone just told me they are doing a Carnival cruise in October for $600 and we are considering paying $2500 for Disney. Are Disney cruises really worth that extra $$?

I'm going to look into dreams unlimited and see what I can find with them.

 

[wanderlust7]

Thank you for responding! We are thinking about doing the 4-night cruise to Castaway Cay and Nassau on October 29. Is October a good time for a Caribbean cruise?

Our last cruise was around that time. It's still during hurricane season, but not the peak. I was a bit nervous following all the hurricanes, but it was all over by the time we sailed and weather was actually quite nice. Travel insurance would be a good idea.

If you shop at Costco, they give 8.5% Costco cash card of the cruise fare. As PP mentioned, the price is the same everywhere, just the perks differ. Costco is the best deal I've seen if you don't need personalized service (book online or call center - you'll get a different person each time).

Someone just told me they are doing a Carnival cruise in October for $600 and we are considering paying $2500 for Disney. Are Disney cruises really worth that extra $$?

$600 I would guess is one of the older ships? If you want to consider other cruise lines, I would compare to the newer ships (but Disney will still be more expensive).

It would just be DH and I. We are pretty active and can't sit still for very long. I imagine we would want some time on the beach, but would like some kind of active excursion that isn't overly pricey. We already think the cruise itself will be pricey so we don't want to add too many extra costs. I'll have to go look at some good excursions at Castaway Cay and at Nassau since those would be our two stops. I think we will probably book any excursions through Disney. I agree with you about the safety blanket.

No need for excursions at Castaway Cay - there is enough to do, especially on a first visit!

 

[Haley R]

Our last cruise was around that time. It's still during hurricane season, but not the peak. I was a bit nervous following all the hurricanes, but it was all over by the time we sailed and weather was actually quite nice. Travel insurance would be a good idea.

If you shop at Costco, they give 8.5% Costco cash card of the cruise fare. As PP mentioned, the price is the same everywhere, just the perks differ. Costco is the best deal I've seen if you don't need personalized service (book online or call center - you'll get a different person each time).



$600 I would guess is one of the older ships? If you want to consider other cruise lines, I would compare to the newer ships (but Disney will still be more expensive).



No need for excursions at Castaway Cay - there is enough to do, especially on a first visit!

We aren't members of a Costco. Would we be able to use someone else's card?

It was for Carnival Liberty. I don't think I will go with anything besides Disney. We wanted to do the parks and Halloween parties before the cruise, but we may have to scale back a bit to save money. We also were looking at a verandah, but now I'm considering going down to oceanview or inside to save more money there, too.

Thank you for the information about Castaway Cay! I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm interested in the Atlantis excursion at Nassau. I've always wanted to go to Atlantis!

Would a 3 night cruise be enough time to see and do things? We thought the 4 night might be better since there is a whole day on the ship, but at this point I am looking more into saving money than anything.

 

[Ravenne]

It would just be DH and I. We are pretty active and can't sit still for very long. I imagine we would want some time on the beach, but would like some kind of active excursion that isn't overly pricey. We already think the cruise itself will be pricey so we don't want to add too many extra costs. I'll have to go look at some good excursions at Castaway Cay and at Nassau since those would be our two stops. I think we will probably book any excursions through Disney. I agree with you about the safety blanket.

Caribbean itineraries have a LOT of snorkeling. You can snorkel in each port. That's pretty much a given. It's also heavy on beach and relaxation.
Don't feel like you HAVE to get off the ship and do an excursion. You don't have to if you don't want to. For Nassau, you can get your passport stamped right on the dock if you'd like, though you don't need a passport to do the 3 and 4 night cruises to the Bahamas as long as it's closed loop. We did a dolphin excursion at Blue Lagoon and had a great time. Atlantis is also there, but it's not cheap. Otherwise, Nassau isn't the prettiest city, so you wouldn't be missing too much by staying on the ship and enjoying her.

We aren't members of a Costco. Would we be able to use someone else's card?

Would a 3 night cruise be enough time to see and do things? We thought the 4 night might be better since there is a whole day on the ship, but at this point I am looking more into saving money than anything.

According to Costco's Terms of Service, no, you may not use someone else's card, especially for travel since their name wouldn't be on the travel reservation, and they would send the Cash Card to the member. You might want to consider doing the math and see if you'd come out ahead by joining.

I personally think a 3 night cruise is just way, too, too short. You don't even get a sea day to breathe, and pack your bags. You get on, and pretty much get off the ship. Embarkation day, which is really only 1/2 a day counts as night #1. Nassau, 2, Castaway Cay, 3.

 

[MelSpees]

We aren't members of a Costco. Would we be able to use someone else's card?

It was for Carnival Liberty. I don't think I will go with anything besides Disney. We wanted to do the parks and Halloween parties before the cruise, but we may have to scale back a bit to save money. We also were looking at a verandah, but now I'm considering going down to oceanview or inside to save more money there, too.

Thank you for the information about Castaway Cay! I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm interested in the Atlantis excursion at Nassau. I've always wanted to go to Atlantis!

Would a 3 night cruise be enough time to see and do things? We thought the 4 night might be better since there is a whole day on the ship, but at this point I am looking more into saving money than anything.

I think a 3 day would be way too short if you really want to enjoy the ship. But then, we only do longer cruises. We love Oceanview rooms.
You might want to do some more looking through the threads here. Many of the questions you have are discussed in length in some of them. There is a fairly recent one about doing Atlantis you might want to look at. Have a great time, whatever you decide to do.

 

[wanderlust7]

Another way to save money is if you have one those credit cards with rotating 5% cashback categories that includes warehouses. BJ's has discounted Disney gift cards.

We also were looking at a verandah, but now I'm considering going down to oceanview or inside to save more money there, too.

Would a 3 night cruise be enough time to see and do things? We thought the 4 night might be better since there is a whole day on the ship, but at this point I am looking more into saving money than anything.

The inside compared to ocean view won't save a whole lot on the Dream because it has the magic porthole. Longer is better, but 3 nights is better than no nights!

 

[TestingH2O]

• We are looking at a Deluxe Verandah Category 6B although I really am not sure what category to pick. The only thing we would love is a bigger verandah. I'm looking on Disney's website and it doesn't look like they have any large verandahs left. Are there not very many available? We wouldn't want to be RIGHT next to an elevator because we've had that noisy experience before, as well as fire doors. We also wouldn't want a connecting door because we wouldn't need one.

• I have been looking at all seas travel. I'm not sure how legit that site is, but they have the October 29 cruise for a Deluxe verandah as low as $2466. We thought that seemed like a pretty good price for a verandah room. Do you know anything about this site?

• I think we would most likely want the late dinner. It seems like it would be quieter and we could use the pools while everyone else is at the early dinner. Does that sound like a good plan?

In my opinion, I think you pick your room type, in this case verandah, and go with it. No need to worry about specifics of cat 4,5,6, etc. After you cruise you can consider if there are other things you'd like to have.

Because pricing is the same no matter where you book, pick an agent who gives good on board credit. Dreams unlimited sponsors this board. Small world vacations gives the same credits. Those credits can be used for tips, excursions, drinks, store purchases, etc. In some ways it's like getting a discount on your cruise. I've never heard of the site you mentioned.

You won't have trouble getting late seating. Early fills first. We've recently started doing late seating and really enjoy it. Seeing the shows first and relaxing a bit before dinner had been great for our vacation mindset.

 

[Dug720]

For a 4-night, the Fantasy is not an option. With rare exceptions she sails 7-night itineraries.

 

[TikiThunderPirates]

After talking with DH for a LONG time tonight we are leaning towards a 4-night cruise to Castaway Cay and Nassau in October. Our main reason is because my birthday is November 1 and we really want to see the Halloween party at MK before the cruise. The ship would be the Disney Dream which is good because I either wanted that one or the Fantasy (that Aquaduck looks awesome!).

1. We are looking at a Deluxe Verandah Category 6B although I really am not sure what category to pick. The only thing we would love is a bigger verandah. I'm looking on Disney's website and it doesn't look like they have any large verandahs left. Are there not very many available? We wouldn't want to be RIGHT next to an elevator because we've had that noisy experience before, as well as fire doors. We also wouldn't want a connecting door because we wouldn't need one.
2. I have been looking at all seas travel. I'm not sure how legit that site is, but they have the October 29 cruise for a Deluxe verandah as low as $2466. We thought that seemed like a pretty good price for a verandah room. Do you know anything about this site?
3. I think we would most likely want the late dinner. It seems like it would be quieter and we could use the pools while everyone else is at the early dinner. Does that sound like a good plan?

1. There are not many large verandahs (if you mean the oversized ones) and thats one of those advantages of booking early is picking out those "extra" special rooms. That being said, our first cruise was an inside room in Alaska. We figured for the money we saved we could just walk to deck 4,9, or 10 (Wonder) to go outside. What ended up happening is we were so busy enjoying the ship and the ports we slept, changed and dumped our stuff in the room. We hardly ever spent any time in there. The inside room was plenty big enough for us (besides the shower height) and we really enjoyed it. When your thinking about the category of the room to book, consider how much you think you'll spend in the room vs. price. On a first cruise that is only 4 nights are you planning to try to do everything this ship has to offer so you won't be spending much time in your room anyway? Or are you looking for a sit and relax type of trip? We thought we'd have oodles of free time on our first cruise and packed books, games etc. Ha. We never cracked a book other the in the Rainforest room for a few minutes, and had to make time to play one game in an adult lounge area (something we had looked forward to doing). 7 nights didn't seem hardly long enough.

2. I have not used all seas travel so I can't comment here. But travel agent prices are the same as Disney. If they aren't I'd be worried.

3. If you are interested in the nightly broadway style shows or comedy/magician/music acts they put on in the large theater remember that if you hate Late dining these happen for you during early dining (and for early dining while your at late dining). If you skip dinner and eat at the buffet you can go to either show, it's not ticketed to your dinner, but if you want to see the shows and enjoy the pools and eat dinner, it will be tough to do all three during the "dining hours". If you don't care about the shows, then sure going to the pools during early dinner works. Remember that the adults only pool area is much less crowded in general anyway than the water slides etc so unless you want the water slides you can go to the adults only area and expect less crowds anytime.

It would just be DH and I. We are pretty active and can't sit still for very long. I imagine we would want some time on the beach, but would like some kind of active excursion that isn't overly pricey. We already think the cruise itself will be pricey so we don't want to add too many extra costs. I'll have to go look at some good excursions at Castaway Cay and at Nassau since those would be our two stops. I think we will probably book any excursions through Disney. I agree with you about the safety blanket.

A lot of people choose not to disembark at Nassau and treat it like a "sea day", staying on the ship and enjoying it. On a 4 night cruise if you think you'll want more time to enjoy the ship, this is always an option.

Someone just told me they are doing a Carnival cruise in October for $600 and we are considering paying $2500 for Disney. Are Disney cruises really worth that extra $$?

I'm going to look into dreams unlimited and see what I can find with them.

When looking at other cruise lines and prices don't forget to see if they are inclusive or do add on charges ( like drinks, onboard activities etc). Disney will probably be more expensive, but maybe less so then you first thought.

We aren't members of a Costco. Would we be able to use someone else's card?

It was for Carnival Liberty. I don't think I will go with anything besides Disney. We wanted to do the parks and Halloween parties before the cruise, but we may have to scale back a bit to save money. We also were looking at a verandah, but now I'm considering going down to oceanview or inside to save more money there, too.

Thank you for the information about Castaway Cay! I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm interested in the Atlantis excursion at Nassau. I've always wanted to go to Atlantis!

Would a 3 night cruise be enough time to see and do things? We thought the 4 night might be better since there is a whole day on the ship, but at this point I am looking more into saving money than anything.

Decide what is most important to you, length of cruise vs room type vs cost vs sail date. Do you want to go this Nov. if it means an inside cabin for a 3 night cruise? Or save up and go in Nov of 2019 for a 7 night cruise with a verandah? Then go with what you decide. Length of cruise is always a point of discussion and everyones answer will vary, as will verandah vs oceanview vs inside stateroom. Just remember that lots of people cruise in those inside staterooms, there is nothing that says you have to have a balcony or porthole, and if thats what gets you on the ship there is nothing wrong with it. Once your onboard no one will know or care what type of room you have (other then maybe you). Also if you are trying to "see the ship" remember that ports are optional. You can just stay on the ship. But if you want ports and ship time, then 4 nights is probably better than 3 to give you more time on the ship. Either way you will not see or do it all on the first cruise. We kept moving from morning until night, never seemed to sleep, and we had a 7 day first cruise and didn't see it all. We literally were double "booked" for some of the things we wanted to do on the ship and ended up splitting up. It was like a marathon! We were always busy and loved it! Could we have just made time and said were just sitting on the deck chairs for hours? Sure. But there was plenty for us to do that we wanted to do that kept us busy. Cooking demonstrations, towel folding, trivia games, theme park design lectures, and port days we were in port all day. In the end whatever you decide will be your perfect first cruise, because it's your first cruise! You never get that magic of a first time back. Once you pick, enjoy it and have no worries!

 

[ChicosWife]

Are Disney cruises really worth that extra $$?

YES! You will pay more, but you will NOT regret it, once you see and get what you pay for, with DCL. For a $600 cruise to be "worth it", you will need to lower your expectations.

 

[Haley R]

Caribbean itineraries have a LOT of snorkeling. You can snorkel in each port. That's pretty much a given. It's also heavy on beach and relaxation.
Don't feel like you HAVE to get off the ship and do an excursion. You don't have to if you don't want to. For Nassau, you can get your passport stamped right on the dock if you'd like, though you don't need a passport to do the 3 and 4 night cruises to the Bahamas as long as it's closed loop. We did a dolphin excursion at Blue Lagoon and had a great time. Atlantis is also there, but it's not cheap. Otherwise, Nassau isn't the prettiest city, so you wouldn't be missing too much by staying on the ship and enjoying her.

According to Costco's Terms of Service, no, you may not use someone else's card, especially for travel since their name wouldn't be on the travel reservation, and they would send the Cash Card to the member. You might want to consider doing the math and see if you'd come out ahead by joining.

I personally think a 3 night cruise is just way, too, too short. You don't even get a sea day to breathe, and pack your bags. You get on, and pretty much get off the ship. Embarkation day, which is really only 1/2 a day counts as night #1. Nassau, 2, Castaway Cay, 3.

If I did anything at Nassau it would be Atlantis because I've always wanted to go there. Otherwise, we might just stay on the ship. I'll have to look at Costco and see if that is cost efficient for us. I was thinking a 4 night cruise would be better so we may just stay in a value resort and do one Halloween party. I was hoping to do two parties, but I'm probably being too greedy lol

 

[Haley R]

Another way to save money is if you have one those credit cards with rotating 5% cashback categories that includes warehouses. BJ's has discounted Disney gift cards.
The inside compared to ocean view won't save a whole lot on the Dream because it has the magic porthole. Longer is better, but 3 nights is better than no nights!

We usually buy gift cards from Target since we have a Target red card and get 5% back on that. That saved us a bunch on our last Disney trip! I was looking at oceanview and saw some great ones on the front of the ship that are huge! I think we will most likely end up doing 4 nights, but we will just have to see what our budget will be. Thanks!