Deciding to go on DCL

[BigredNole]

I have wanted to take a cruise for the longest time. Unfortunately, we cannot book a cruise for a long while. Things still have to fall into place and many cogs and sprockets need to fit into place. We have to wait for my DD's school schedule assignment (on 9 weeks off 3 weeks) when she starts middle school. Once we have that, we have to bounce that schedule off her soccer schedule. Most give at least 1 good week for taking a cruise. We could swing more 4 day cruises by missing some practices (very frowned upon). The frustrating part is that we have to wait another 6 months or so before we can book. I do not want to book, rebook, rebook again, and over and over.

The good news is there is light at the end of the tunnel. The problem now is I am not close enough to be able to see the light yet.

 

[PlanoNana]

I think one advantage of the book, rebook, etc. is that you can lock in today's prices when you book and then transfer the savings to whatever cruise you need to transfer to based on schedule. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[MUN]

I suggest pulling your daughter out of school, especially in that she is just in middle school. It sounds like soccer might be a bigger deal. Is she on a top level select team? If not, missing soccer for a family trip is no big deal.

Just my 2¢

MUN

 

[Anna Chassereau]

I suggest pulling your daughter out of school, especially in that she is just in middle school. It sounds like soccer might be a bigger deal. Is she on a top level select team? If not, missing soccer for a family trip is no big deal.

Just my 2¢

MUN

I totally agree!! I'd pull your daughter for a few days...family time/travel experiences are important and as long as you make up the work your daughters school should understand

 

[jrabbit]

IF you're Pre - Middle school this year - pull the kids from school for a week or more!!! we really regret that we did not do this more often.

And the SAD thing is they will fall much farther behind in sports than in their actual school work!!!

Travel and especially international travel (yes the Caribbean counts as international travel) is very educational. Especially if you have some time to just walk around the port town (AWAY from the port, and away from the beaches / tourist areas). Our very first cruise stopped in Nassau and we got away from the port and we realized that we were NOT in EPCOT (or Kansas) anymore. This was real!! A few years ago we were in Antigua and walked around the city for a while. We were definitely THE minority, and that was a strange feeling. And it was really interesting to see real people going about their very real, very different from us lives.

 

[Pens Fan]

I think one advantage of the book, rebook, etc. is that you can lock in today's prices when you book and then transfer the savings to whatever cruise you need to transfer to based on schedule. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Actually that is not correct. You only lock in the rates for that particular cruise. You can change categories on that same cruise and get the rate in effect on the day you originally booked. However if you change the actual cruise you want to take you start all over and have to book at prevailing rates.

 

[BigredNole]

Pulling her out of school is not an option because my wife can't get out of teaching as easily. As for soccer, it is as difficult as it is for school. If it comes down to it next year when we can cruise, we can always settle for 4-day cruises and miss 1-2 practices. Missing a game is a different beast. When you have backup to fill in for you, that's great. When you are the only one at your position, it is a massive hole for the team.

 

[PlanoNana]

I think one advantage of the book, rebook, etc. is that you can lock in today's prices when you book and then transfer the savings to whatever cruise you need to transfer to based on schedule. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

Actually that is not correct. You only lock in the rates for that particular cruise. You can change categories on that same cruise and get the rate in effect on the day you originally booked. However if you change the actual cruise you want to take you start all over and have to book at prevailing rates.

Thanks for correcting me. I knew if it wasn't accurate someone would chime in.

 

[MUN]

Pulling her out of school is not an option because my wife can't get out of teaching as easily. As for soccer, it is as difficult as it is for school. If it comes down to it next year when we can cruise, we can always settle for 4-day cruises and miss 1-2 practices. Missing a game is a different beast. When you have backup to fill in for you, that's great. When you are the only one at your position, it is a massive hole for the team.

So it's rec soccer and not select. I still say missing soccer is not a big deal then. It sounds like the school issue is with your wife and not your child. And perhaps the soccer issue is with you as opposed to your child.

MUN

 

[wonderlandwego]

Pulling her out of school is not an option because my wife can't get out of teaching as easily. As for soccer, it is as difficult as it is for school. If it comes down to it next year when we can cruise, we can always settle for 4-day cruises and miss 1-2 practices. Missing a game is a different beast. When you have backup to fill in for you, that's great. When you are the only one at your position, it is a massive hole for the team.

Will they play her in the game if she misses the practices for that week? I agree with @MUN it doesn't sound like select, let her miss, unless it's a post season tournament. At that age someone will be able to fill in a position for 1 game. I'm sure she would be willing to miss one week of soccer for a cruise!