Cruising For The First Time

[Minniespal]

Looking at adding a 7 night Eastern Cruise onto our time in Orlando next year. So for all of the 'Cruisers' out there ~ Would you suggest starting with it or ending the holiday with it?

 

[carolfoy]

Haven't done the disney one but I'd suggest doing it either at the beginning or in the middle due to the last day having to get up early to go do your immigration cards, if you were then leaving the ship to come straight home there'd be a lot of hanging around whereas if you're heading back to DVc you can check in, leave the luggage and go on to a park

 

[saratogagirl]

The first time we did DCL it was in the middle of our holiday which was very nice. Last year was at the end of the holiday, which was very relaxing after the parks, but I was a bit depressed getting off the ship and then having to come home, also there was the delay between getting off the ship and the flight, so we just hung around Downtown Disney all day with no base, which I didn't like much, it also didn't help that Saratoga is our home resort so I could see our house across the lake and wanted to be back there

This year we cruise at the beginning of the holiday, we are doing two nights at ASM and then the 4 night on Wonder before going back to Saratoga, I am not sure how this will work out, but fingers crossed well. I am a born worrier though and have started to fret now about hurricanes delaying us getting out there (which happened to us once before), and literally missing the boat ... Like I say though I am only happy whilst worrying

Whatever you choose you will have a fabulous time, the cruise is magical ...

 

[Boo Boo Too]

DEFINITELY starting the holiday with it.

Are you going to cruise Disney/RCCL from Port Canaveral? If so, arrive the day before, do a night pre-cruise at the MCO Hyatt (well that would be my choice), a hotel at Canaveral (popular with a lot of cruisers) or a night at a disney hotel if you prefer. Then do you 7 day cruise. Then dissembark and you still have 6/7+ days to look forward to in Orlando!

We have only done "cruise then stay" and "back-to-back cruises" (i.e. you stay on the ship to do both the Eastern, then the Western itineraries (or vice versa). Have never done "stay then cruise". BUT can honestly say that I felt "hard done by" the time we did the back-to-back cruises then got on a plane straight home... We had a GREAT two weeks cruise, BUT somehow wanted something more (and maybe a bit of a "wind down") afterwards... (maybe because we had always cruised then stayed before?).

This year we are doing 4 days pre-cruise in Orlando (villa), 7 night Western Caribbean cruise (RCCL) from Port Canaveral, then we are flying to LA for 6 days to visit the in-laws. That also seems like a good balance...

You will have the BEST trip

Boo

 

[cindycastle]

We did 4 nights on the Wonder last October, which was in the middle of our holiday. We liked the fact that we had another 5 nights back at WDW before we headed home. I would recommend doing the cruise and the beginning or in the middle of your holiday. Whichever you decide, you will have a fabulous time!!

 

[florida sun]

We had ours in the middle of our holiday Florence, 3 days on site, 4 days cruise and then 7 days back on site which was wonderful, but as you said you are looking at the 7 day cruise so I would def go for the beginning of your holiday and then have the 6-7 days back on site, although I know a lot of people like to end with the relaxation of the cruise, but I liked the fact that we still had more time back at the parks after the cruise, just my opinion of course.

 

[tigger137]

Looking at adding a 7 night Eastern Cruise onto our time in Orlando next year. So for all of the 'Cruisers' out there ~ Would you suggest starting with it or ending the holiday with it?

I'd say to make the most of the relaxation, do the cruise at the END of your holiday.

Before we went on our Eastern in May, everything I read said to do this but because we hadn't cruised before we decided to do it first. That way, if we didn't enjoy it we still had a week at VWL to look forward to.

We loved our cruise and found it incredibly relaxing. The week at VWL seemed a bit of a come-down after the cruise. Much as we love Wilderness Lodge, we were comparing everything to the cruise. The room didn't seem as comfortable and certainly wasn't as clean - on the cruise our stateroom host cleaned thoroughly twice each day, filled the ice bucket, turned our bed down at night and left chocolates and towel animals, etc etc. Thinking about what to eat and where to eat, and having to pay for everything, was too much like hard work! We had been so spoilt on the cruise that it meant we did not appreciate VWL the same.

If we were to do WDW and the cruise together again, we'd do the cruise last. But next year we are doing just the cruise, another 7-day Eastern, no WDW. We'll spend a couple of nights at the Hyatt MCO before the cruise and then probably spend another night there after the cruise before flying home. Or, if we get a better deal on a flight home the same day we leave the cruise, the Hyatt does day rooms so we'd relax there between cruise and flight.

Ideally though, we'd just keep cruising and cruising and cruising ...

 

[Kevin Stringer]

I'm in the 'cruise first' category.
I cannot imagine getting off the ship and driving to the airport. It would be too much of a return to normality with a bang.

Kev

 

[mandymouse]

Deinitely start your holiday with a cruise. It's depressing having to disembark back at Port Canveral, but if you know you've got WDW to go to, then it makes it a lot better

 

[arieljasmine]

Hi Florence

We did three nights on the Wonder last year in the middle of our holiday and that was just wonderful (no pun intended!) I would also prefer to have the time at WDW to look forward to afterwards. Whichever you choose you will have the best time, I often daydream about being back on that ship! It well and truly converted me (previously, I thought that when you put things down on a cruise ship they would slide back towards you )

ArielJasmine

 

[Minniespal]

Thanks everyone for your comments and your input.

I've decided to start our trip off with the cruise and then have the rest of the time in WDW afterwards.

 

[florida sun]

Thanks everyone for your comments and your input.

I've decided to start our trip off with the cruise and then have the rest of the time in WDW afterwards.

Good choice Florence

 

[Minniespal]

Good choice Florence

Thanks Sue ~ As Tom will be a newbie to WDW, I want to make his first trip as delightful as possible.

 

[Boo Boo Too]

Thanks Sue ~ As Tom will be a newbie to WDW, I want to make his first trip as delightful as possible.

I think that you will TOTALLY SPOIL him!!!

You will have a FANTASTIC trip! Definitely agree with the choice to cruise first

Am still wiating to see a photo of the happy bride and groom...

Boo

 

[Minniespal]

Am still wiating to see a photo of the happy bride and groom...
Boo

Once we get the piccies from the Bellagio ~ I will be doing a trip report

 

[florida sun]

Once we get the piccies from the Bellagio ~ I will be doing a trip report

Cant wait Florence

 

[Boo Boo Too]

Once we get the piccies from the Bellagio ~ I will be doing a trip report

Great hotel - stayed there a couple of years back and REALLY enjoyed it... amazing to be able to see the fountain shows from your bedroom window!

Would recommend the Bellagio to anyone.

Boo

 

[Cyrano]

What a great thought to add to your 2007 trip

 

[jdybnsn]

Hi just thought I'd add my experience as we 'ended' with a cruise ....purely through it fitting in those dates on our fly drive/townhouse holiday, and the fact we wanted to cruise as late as possible with it being February (as the weather is not very reliable).

On reflection, we thought doing it this way had the following advantages;

- we did not have to worry about missing the boat due to flight delays in the UK (especially since we had booked charter not schedule airline).

- we booked our accommodation (townhouse) in one 10 day block and did not end up paying for it whilst we were not there- as you might with a 'middle' cruise.

- we were all ready and packed the last night of our holiday, so this gave us more free time on our last day.

- because we were up so early on the morning of departure ;
a) this gave us plenty of time to get back to Orlando and prepare for our return flight.... and till have time for a leisurely round of crazy golf/ last minute shopping in DTD.
b) the kids (and us !) slept like logs on the return flight and this really helped us re-adjust to the time difference in the UK.


Yes, it was a real 'downer' gettting off the boat and coming straight back home but I'm not sure it was any worse than the last day of any WDW holiday

However one thing for sure ...you will have a great time whatever part of your holiday you slot it into !