Big fam (6 kids.) Can someone give me the short version of most affordable way to do this?

[lcoult]

Hi!

The first year Disney went to the Mediterranean, we took the cruise with a baby and a 2 year old. We were stationed overseas with the military and it was actually really affordable because of that!

Fast forward... I am no longer married to military man. Remarried.. 6 kids. Like the Brady Bunch. In 2017.. they will be 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, and 8. (I'm not sure if age matters as it does at WDW).

I understand the ins and outs of traveling at WDW.. but I am totally starting over and trying to plan a cruise for our crew. I am assuming the most cost effective way to do this is to book 2 inside connecting cabins? My husband is a painter, I am a teacher. I am trying to find the best deal/best way to plan to make this a reality in 2017 or 2018 dep. on how far you have to plan. Being a teacher, I'm limited to breaks.. I am assuming Summer break is better than spring or xmas break but please tell me if I'm wrong!

Any place I should start? Is there a cruise that's cheaper than the others? I think my kids would like anywhere tropical (bahamas or carrib.. i've never been to either) or Alaska. We're coming from Chicago area so flights aren't *horrid* but we could drive to FL easily.

I guess q's to make it easy:
- Is summer my best bet price wise over holiday/spring break?
- 2 inside connecting cabins prob the best bet?
- I understand with WDW, there's the 6 month dining window, and for us because of our family size.. we either have to stay off property or be online at 6am to book free dining the day it comes out in order to afford to stay ON. How is the booking process with cruises? Do you really want to book like the day they come out or is it better to wait,etc. Is there a dining window or anything like that?

THANK YOU!! SO overwhelmed.

 

[smiths02]

I can't answer all your questions, but I do know that with DCL especially, the cruise is cheapest on opening day and gets more expensive the longer you wait to book it. There are very few discounts offered (and one of them is sometimes military, but you don't qualify anymore). Booking opening day and going through a travel agent (or costco) to get an on board credit is probably the cheapest way to go.

 

[lcoult]

Thank you!! that helps! I have a costco membership!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi!

The first year Disney went to the Mediterranean, we took the cruise with a baby and a 2 year old. We were stationed overseas with the military and it was actually really affordable because of that!

Fast forward... I am no longer married to military man. Remarried.. 6 kids. Like the Brady Bunch. In 2017.. they will be 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, and 8. (I'm not sure if age matters as it does at WDW).

I understand the ins and outs of traveling at WDW.. but I am totally starting over and trying to plan a cruise for our crew. I am assuming the most cost effective way to do this is to book 2 inside connecting cabins? My husband is a painter, I am a teacher. I am trying to find the best deal/best way to plan to make this a reality in 2017 or 2018 dep. on how far you have to plan. Being a teacher, I'm limited to breaks.. I am assuming Summer break is better than spring or xmas break but please tell me if I'm wrong!

Any place I should start? Is there a cruise that's cheaper than the others? I think my kids would like anywhere tropical (bahamas or carrib.. i've never been to either) or Alaska. We're coming from Chicago area so flights aren't *horrid* but we could drive to FL easily.

I guess q's to make it easy:
- Is summer my best bet price wise over holiday/spring break?
- 2 inside connecting cabins prob the best bet?
- I understand with WDW, there's the 6 month dining window, and for us because of our family size.. we either have to stay off property or be online at 6am to book free dining the day it comes out in order to afford to stay ON. How is the booking process with cruises? Do you really want to book like the day they come out or is it better to wait,etc. Is there a dining window or anything like that?

THANK YOU!! SO overwhelmed.

As you've figured out, with that number of people, you'd probably need 2 rooms. That would be mom and 3 kids in one room, and dad and 3 kids in the other. Usually 2 connecting inside rooms would be the least costly way to do that. You could also look into a verandah with an inside room across the hall. That way you'd also have one larger room, with a verandah for hanging out on. Be sure to price both combinations.

As the the other questions:
-summer prices would be similar to holiday/spring break prices. After all, that's when most people want to travel.
-already answered about the 2 inside rooms.
-you don't book dining on cruises, unless you want to book one of the adult dining venues. Every guest (passenger) is assigned to a specific dining rotation and table for the duration of the cruise. There are 3 dining rooms onboard the ships and you will be assigned to each of them in a certain rotation during the cruise. There's also a buffet for breakfast & lunch, as well as one of the Main Dining Rooms will be open for those meals (sit down service). Also poolside quick serve food locations.

 

[jdb in AZ]

There is no dining window, as all meals are included. Unless you and your DH want to escape to an adults only restaurant.

Not all school districts have spring break at the same time. If your break is slightly different from the norm (why be normal?) you might be able to score a better rate. Christmas is always expen$ive.

 

[lcoult]

Thank you!! So really.. you just need to get in early for the pricing to be lowest and have some choice in rooms. But the dining is covered.

got it.

 

[Hundredacre]

Hi!

The first year Disney went to the Mediterranean, we took the cruise with a baby and a 2 year old. We were stationed overseas with the military and it was actually really affordable because of that!

Fast forward... I am no longer married to military man. Remarried.. 6 kids. Like the Brady Bunch. In 2017.. they will be 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, and 8. (I'm not sure if age matters as it does at WDW).

I understand the ins and outs of traveling at WDW.. but I am totally starting over and trying to plan a cruise for our crew. I am assuming the most cost effective way to do this is to book 2 inside connecting cabins? My husband is a painter, I am a teacher. I am trying to find the best deal/best way to plan to make this a reality in 2017 or 2018 dep. on how far you have to plan. Being a teacher, I'm limited to breaks.. I am assuming Summer break is better than spring or xmas break but please tell me if I'm wrong!

Any place I should start? Is there a cruise that's cheaper than the others? I think my kids would like anywhere tropical (bahamas or carrib.. i've never been to either) or Alaska. We're coming from Chicago area so flights aren't *horrid* but we could drive to FL easily.

I guess q's to make it easy:
- Is summer my best bet price wise over holiday/spring break?
- 2 inside connecting cabins prob the best bet?
- I understand with WDW, there's the 6 month dining window, and for us because of our family size.. we either have to stay off property or be online at 6am to book free dining the day it comes out in order to afford to stay ON. How is the booking process with cruises? Do you really want to book like the day they come out or is it better to wait,etc. Is there a dining window or anything like that?

THANK YOU!! SO overwhelmed.

We are close to you with kid numbers and this probably isn't the answer you are looking for but I would look at another cruise line. The prices on disney have practically doubled over the last couple of years making them very hard to justify. While wdw and Disneyland are irreplaceable, dcl is not. If you start looking at other lines, you will find the prices are in many cases 50% less. We had three dcl cruises booked for next year and have replaced two with other cruise lines. We are in the process of considering dropping our only remaining booking next year with dcl. The prices are just ridiculous for the average consumer. Even off season. And even if you get them day one.

 

[lcoult]

I totally get that ^^ We were thinking that even with WDW anymore. Unless we get free dining.. or stay off site (but then I just feel like I'm cooking and driving and no one wants to leave the parks to go and cook!) it's like UGH! The tix alone for our fam are crazy now.

I'll look into the others. It's hard because I have only ever been on ONE Disney cruise and appreciate that it wasn't smokey, filled with casinos,etc. I felt like it was nice to not have a ton of nickel and dime charges (I am addicted to diet coke for one), like it was just easier. But... 50% is a LOT of money!!! Thanks... I will def check some others out too!

How far in advance do you guys generally book? If they say they tend to need to be booked right away.. am I needing to start looking like a year out or !?

 

[cmph]

Not all school districts have spring break at the same time. If your break is slightly different from the norm (why be normal?) you might be able to score a better rate. Christmas is always expen$ive.

I was going to say the same thing! We're sailing out of Galveston over New Year's, which is far cheaper than the prior week, b/c my kids' winter break goes late this year. It was cheaper than summer rates but I didn't compare spring break rates. You might check out sailing out of Galveston. For us, it's cheaper to fly into than FL; I know it's a terrible, boring drive from Chicago but possibly shorter than driving to FL.

The way the dates lined up, it wasn't as big of a price difference compared to other cruise lines this year, but prices jacked up for sailings beyond our dates... so yeah, to echo the above PP - you'll probably want to check other lines with a family that big. My kids are desperate to try DCL, but I have a feeling we'll have no choice but to go back to other lines purely for financial reasons after this.

I booked 11 months out and absolutely know that was later than ideal.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I totally get that ^^ We were thinking that even with WDW anymore. Unless we get free dining.. or stay off site (but then I just feel like I'm cooking and driving and no one wants to leave the parks to go and cook!) it's like UGH! The tix alone for our fam are crazy now.

I'll look into the others. It's hard because I have only ever been on ONE Disney cruise and appreciate that it wasn't smokey, filled with casinos,etc. I felt like it was nice to not have a ton of nickel and dime charges (I am addicted to diet coke for one), like it was just easier. But... 50% is a LOT of money!!! Thanks... I will def check some others out too!

How far in advance do you guys generally book? If they say they tend to need to be booked right away.. am I needing to start looking like a year out or !?

Typically, the prices are lowest on opening day for any given itinerary. As the space fills, the prices rise. So the further out you can book, you'll usually get the lowest price. That said, that price will still be higher than a comparable room on another cruise line. But the other cruise line will probably have the casino. Smoking has pretty much be relegated to outside areas on most cruise lines that allow smoking. Even Disney. Most itineraries are released about 18-24 months out.

And, of course, you won't get the Disney touch on another cruise line - characters, movies, production shows, general themeing onboard the ships.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

You can also compare prices in the "opening day pricing" threads - prices can be very different for the same itinerary depending on things like holidays and school breaks.

Two inside rooms are the way to go. You have to have an adult over age 18 in each room, but if you have connecting rooms (with the door that opens between them), Mom and Dad can sleep together.

I believe the sideways inside rooms have a one-piece bathroom, rather than a split bathroom (DCL's split bath has one room with a sink and toilet and a second room with a sink and shower). Having split bathrooms could be helpful getting everyone cleaned up and dressed for dinner.

 

[pillow]

Is Thanksgiving week an option for you? Are you thinking 3/4 nights or 7?

Also, do you mind if I ask your budget? or ballpark?

 

[jahber]

The short version is, there's no affordable way to sail DCL in the summer with 6 kids, as others have said . We have 4 kids, so I sympathize. We moved to the Freedom of the Seas, which was less than half of DCL for the same week/room type. That would buy a LOT of Diet Coke . Other than soda, there's nothing else you would pay for on Royal that you wouldn't also pay for on DCL.
But if DCL is the only way to go for you, the others have given you the best advice: book on opening day. You may have to book 2018 to be able to afford it--that's what lots of people do. They save up two or more years for the cruise. But I have 4 kids at home all day with me. I can't wait two years between vacations!

 

[scgustafson]

The cheapest way would be that each parent selects their favorite kid and travel as a family of four. Barring that, it will be two cabins of 4, preferrably connecting (use that phrase with DCL as adjoining does not mean the same thing, they will only be next door to each other and not necessarily connected by a door). If you can con some more relatives in coming along (like grandparents), maybe you can spread the kids out across more cabins and get your family down to one cabin with you, spouse, and 3 kids.

 

[bumbershoot]

I am assuming Summer break is better than spring or xmas break but please tell me if I'm wrong!

Summer and xmas are generally the same basic time. But spring break is spread out over nearly 2 months over the country. So if you have an alternative schedule with their schools, and could zig when other school breaks are zagging, you might find something.

but I do know that with DCL especially, the cruise is cheapest on opening day and gets more expensive the longer you wait to book it.

Yes.

It's hard because I have only ever been on ONE Disney cruise and appreciate that it wasn't smokey, filled with casinos,etc. I felt like it was nice to not have a ton of nickel and dime charges (I am addicted to diet coke for one), like it was just easier.

No mainstream cruiseline is *filled* with casinos. If you truly cannot stand the thought of a casino, DCL is it for you. If you can handle seeing one and don't want the smoke indoors, try Celebrity. NO smoking indoors at all.

Celebrity is next on our list to try. For now we are enjoying Royal Caribbean, and we really like Freedom class (though our next cruise is on Adventure which is Voyager class so we'll see how we like that).

I find no nickel and diming. Since we do NOT drink soda, DCL irritates us because we are subsidizing the soda that others are having. But everything else we pay for on Royal, we also pay for on Disney. Espresso, spa, tips, etc. The only thing that comes to mind that's extra on other ships is soda; and let's be real. We are paying for the "free" soda on DCL. Come on. $8/day for unlimited soda doesn't come near the difference I have personally found between Disney and Royal.

The one semi-exception of "pay for on Royal but they don't even have it to pay for on Disney" is gone, since they are putting in Vanellope's supposed-premium ice cream shops.

 

[Vijoge]

The cheapest way would be that each parent selects their favorite kids and travel as a family of four.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

The one semi-exception of "pay for on Royal but they don't even have it to pay for on Disney" is gone, since they are putting in Vanellope's supposed-premium ice cream shops.

But the Disney ships still have the "free" ice cream station on the pool deck, in addition to Vanellope's (on the Dream only currently).

 

[ldo]

depends when you spring break is. Week prior to Easter is the most $$. If you are earlier in March, prices aren't so bad. 2017 is already out, and prices might be higher than they were on opening day. Sometimes, an OV is not that much more than an inside, and Magic/Wonder tend to be cheaper. If you fly, closer to Easter will also be $$$ for airfare.
Not to discourage DCL, but, if $ is a factor, I would also advise looking at other cruiselines. RCCL offers a wide variety of ships with lots to do. We sailed in a room for 4 persons over Easter on Navigator of the Seas for 1/3 the price of DCL. Look for Freedom and Voyager class ships, which are a bit older, but still have tons for kids/teens, and tend to cost less than the newer ships. You can buy a soda package for yourself, if that matters. I never spend much more on RCCL than DCL.
I'd give our last RCCL cruise a solid B with DCL being an A. DCL has better food, entertainment, cabins, but for the price, we were fine with RCCL.
Princess also sometimes has good pricing for 3rd/4th in cabin, esp. on 5 day getaway cruises. Two years ago, we had 2 OV cabins for 7 people for under $3K for a 5 day cruise in March. I'd give Princess a B+, esp. for their evening pool movies and good food.

 

[MUN]

The cheapest way would be that each parent selects their favorite kid and travel as a family of four.

I like this idea! You can make a contest out of it and have the kids ranked on a pyramid like they do in Dance Moms.

 

[pillow]

Look at Dec 15, 2017 out of Galveston (should be close to same driving distance for you as Port Canaveral) - 7 night cruise. Inside room for 4 = $5,391. Sadly this is considered a decent price for holiday time. If you book with Costco, you'd get roughly an 8% rebate post cruise. Also, you could open a Disney Vacation account and get a $20 bonus gift card for every $1000 you spend out of the account. Additionally, if your heart is set on Disney, you could take on the part time job of finding Disney gift cards at a discount (many simply purchase them from Target with their Red card for 5% off - there are other more lucrative ways, but they take some research/work). I load my gift cards to my vacation account as I purchase them. The following does not take into account port parking, onboard spending, or travel costs to/from . . .


$10,783 2 rooms
$672 gratuities FOR 8
$(860) Costco rebate
$(220) DVA bonus
$10,375 TOTAL

Good luck!