First Cruise Advice

[WDWRook]

Sorry for asking a question I'm sure has been asked a million times.

We are planning for our first cruise, Disney of course. We are DVC members and have been at WDW the last three years. Our points need a year to recharge, so it's Cruise time. Unfortunately my wife has moderate motion sickness and she is nervous. Although I've never seen her get sick, and we fly every year and she uses that patch. Due to her concerns we are looking to do a short 4 night cruise. I'd like to visit Castaway Cay.

Family is 4 including DS 12 and DD8 (at time of travel).

Time of the year we are quite flexible. Jan/Feb would be nice to get out of snow country (Michigan) but it sounds like it isn't terribly warm in the Bahamas then. What times of the year are good or bad? Only time I'd likely prefer to skip is summer just because I do t want it crazy hot or busy.

The Dream was the ship recommended by the TA. Agree? I know it's a larger ship, is that an issue?

I assume using a TA is a good idea? Is there any way to save on costs?

Do you recommend staying at a hotel the night you arrive and before departure? We likely would stay somewhere for a couple of nights when we return. Likely DVC somewhere.

 

[Rob1872]

The Dream was recommended by your TA because it is the ship that does 3/4 day Bahamas cruises. All of the East Coast Disney cruises visit Castaway Cay.

Most of the other questions you have are already being answered on the multiple first timer questions on the first page or 2.

 

[biged9973]

I am by no means an expert but I'll try to answer some of your questions from my experience.

The first cruise we went on we didn't use a TA but are for the one we are taking next summer on the Dream. The primary reason for doing so was that Dreams Unlimited gives you an Onboard Credit based off of the value of your booking that you could use towards excursions or anything really. They were really easy to deal with.

The only time of year I would avoid is hurricane season.

Try SeaBands for your wife's motion sickness. I have had a couple bad concussions and don't get motion sickness typically (except simulated motion rides at Universal). I never really felt the motion on the ship at all but the first night at Enchanted Garden we had a table near a window that I could see the ocean through my peripheral vision. Through me right off balance and DD11 too. Threw on the SeaBands and cleared it right up for both of us. A little uncomfortable at first but got used to them quickly.

You could stay right at the Hyatt at MCO and hop on the DCL transportation, however there is a charge for that service, not free like DME. Lots of people stay at hotels in Port Canaveral. We stayed at WDW for our first cruise and will be again though we will take a 3rd party car service instead of the DCL service as the third party services are in the same ballpark cost wise but can get you to the port a lot earlier than DCL does from WDW. DCL run buses earlier from MCO than they do from WDW. Getting on the ship earlier in the day is important to us to allow for the most time possible on the ship. Also getting on the Aquaduck is a lot easier the earlier you embark.

 

[lklgoodman]

You should definitely fly in the day before your cruise. We flew in the morning of our first cruise and almost missed it because of a flight that was delayed. We always fly in the day before now. We live in Ohio, so have similar weather as MI. We cruised last January, we did a West. Caribbean cruise though. When we were at Castaway Cay it was high 70s, beautiful and sunny. The water was a little cool at first but when you got use it, felt fine. We chose to cruise last year in Jan because the prices were cheaper than in March/April. Plus Ohio is grey and dreary all winter long, so it's nice to see some sun! A tip I like to share with first timers is that they don't have sea sickness bags in the the cabins. Once we get on the ship, I always go to one of the restrooms next to the adult bars/lounges. They have the bags next to the sinks. I get several to put in our cabin and carry one with me just in case it's needed. They also have green apples in Cabanas that I take back to the room, they are suppose to help with sea sickness. Honestly unless you hit really rough seas, you don't even feel much movement on the ship.

 

[WDWRook]

Thanks for the tips and ideals. Is the Dream being bigger a problem? Is it considered one of the nicer ships for a cruise or are the other ships preferred?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks for the tips and ideals. Is the Dream being bigger a problem? Is it considered one of the nicer ships for a cruise or are the other ships preferred?

Any Disney ship is great for a cruise. Size really doesn't matter.

 

[antlawn]

We actually prefer the smaller 2 ships. Less people to deal with. We cruised early Jan. a few yrs back and had fantastic weather. Water was coolish, but NOT cold.

 

[tigerchic89]

my advice would be to do a 7 day. Also, do hotel the night or 2 before, but I like to head straight home after. You get off the ship early, so there is plenty of time to fly home straight from the ship.

 

[ahain]

We're from Michigan as well and I absolutely understand the desire to escape the winter/cold/snow. As pp have said, I'd for sure come in the day before the cruise, as you never know what can go wrong with flights, especially in winter!

We actually prefer the larger ships, but have found that the overall atmosphere on the Dream is more "rushed" because people seem to be trying to cram as much activity as possible into 3-4 days. If you can swing it, I'd try for a 7n cruise, which also goes a bit further south, so a bit warmer, although we've done Bahamas ruises in winter and had no issue swimming - just takes a bit to get used to the water.

DH and I both use Scopolamine patches for motion sickness have had had no issues except dry mouth at nighttime (so we take Biotene mouth spray). We prefer Cat 5E aft rooms on deck 9.

We have stayed at the MCO Hyatt pre-cruise, which was very convenient and works especially well if your flight will arrive later in the day (i.e. too late to do any other sight-seeing the day prior). If we have an early morning flight, we hire a car to take us to the Port Canaveral/Cocoa beach area and then do something fun the day before the cruise, have a nice dinner & maybe watch cruiseships leave port. We usually book Disney transportation back to the airport after the cruise - super convenient to use the on-board check-in service so you don't need to mess with your bags.

We would have no issues cruising in February, but historically we've scheduled cruises around DD's school/college breaks.

As others have said, I would go through a TA if for no other reason than for the OBC they offer. Check around, as different TA's offer different amounts of OBC - some don't offer ANY!

 

[kiford]

We use a TA not for the OBC (we don't really get much from ours) but because I drop all of the requirements on her desk from cruise to hotel to transfers to insurance to anything else we happen to be doing and leave. If I have any questions or issues, I can contact her and get it fixed. She reminds us of final payments, makes sure we have everything, and hunts down information for me. I don't have to spend hours on the phone, I don't need to know phone numbers and I have only one person to contact in case of an issue. For me, that's all very important.

If you want to go to WDW for a couple of days, that's nice to do. I definitely recommend coming in at least a day before. I'm always worried about being snowed in. My dad has been delayed several times due to snow because he prefers to travel in winter. I second what others have said - if you're not planning to stay in WDW or close to the port or just coming for one night, stay at the MCO Hyatt. So convenient. And then you can take DCL transfers the next day and they'll handle your luggage for you. Just let the registration desk know when you check in (make sure you've actually booked the transfers first).

We usually do Caribbean/Bahamanian cruises in early to mid December. The weather is changeable but still warm. There's often strong winds which makes the air temperature seem cooler than it is. The water is usually cool - which seems odd to me given its shallowness especially at Castaway Cay - but once you get used to it it's quite nice. It might be a little cooler in Jan/Feb but I guarantee it's warmer than at home.

We've sailed all four ships. Our preference is for the smaller ships, specifically the Magic, but that's a personal preference. There's things I like better about the larger ships and things I like better about the smaller ships. The Dream is a lovely ship. I think it's a good idea to do a 4-day cruise to start. That's what we did first and got hooked.

Can't comment on seasickness at all. We never have issues. And it's really hard to tell if someone will get seasick even if they normally have motion sickness. The ships are so big and have stabilizers. Some people with motion sickness have no issue and some do. Typically, the first night will be the hardest as they pass over the gulf stream and then it gets smoother.

 

[WDWRook]

Thanks for the great replies. We could do a 7n trip; but DW is worried she won't do well and I don't want her stuck on a ship for 7 nights if she isn't doing well.

Similar question, my though was to stay in Florida for a couple days to let the motion effect wear off before jumping on a plane. Is that the right idea, or is it better to come in a few days in advance and head to the airport immediately upon return?

I'm just starting to learn about decks and cabin classes. I was looking into something better than the cheap rooms with a bit more room. Also, I'd love to have a veranda, but I'm not sure people actually use those or if those rooms are better/worse for seasickness. My though, if we get stuck in the room for a bit, or when the kids go to bed, we can at least sit and watch the ocean with a bottle of wine.

 

[Budzooka]

We went on a 7 night Eastern Caribbean as our first cruise in June of 2016. My wife doesn't like to fly and gets motion sickness fairly easy. She was pretty nervous getting on a boat for that long, but she did fine. We used the Sea Bands and the drops behind your ears. We liked it so much we signed up for another while on board and getting set for a 3 night in January.

Definitely fly in the day before. We had a private car service pick us up and drive us down to Port Canaveral. Ate a great dinner and stayed at the Raddison, which provided a shuttle to the port the next morning. We flew out the same day and didn't have any trouble with motion sickness and jumping on a plane.

We got a veranda and loved it. It was great to sit out on the deck and smell the ocean. I got up in the middle of the night and would just sit out there and read for a couple of hours.

This board has a ton of good information. I combed through old threads to help with tips on cabins, dining, kids clubs, excursions, etc. Anything you can think of has been asked before.

 

[bobbiwoz]

For a first cruise, I would do a 4 nighter, because if you are having problems adjusting to cruising, it is shorter. However, I do think that sea days are worth it.

I think the Dream is a very nice ship, and the inside cabins have the virtual porthole which I am glad I experienced. While in theory it is nice to have a balcony to go to while your children sleep, I think you will all most likely to be going to bed together.

I have been to CC in all the months, and I have never not gone in the water because it felt too cold. I am one who has always gotten used to it. I also have never not made it in to CC, I think that’s more likely to happen in winter, so please realize that COULD happen.

We definitely get to FL at least the night before. We would be too stressed out otherwise.

I hope you have a great first cruise!

 

[WDWRook]

What is the difference on the Dream between 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D? Very little price difference.

 

[Sytrace]

What is the difference on the Dream between 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D? Very little price difference.

Those are all family veranda cabins so price difference between those categories is not large as they are the same size and will sleep 5.

The letters reflect location on the ship regarding deck and whether it is forward, midship or aft. .

 

[bumbershoot]

And it's really hard to tell if someone will get seasick even if they normally have motion sickness. The ships are so big and have stabilizers.

YES. So true.

I might get woozy if I’m too hungry or too full and ride Forbidden Journey at Universal, but I rarely feel icky on a cruise.

Typically, the first night will be the hardest as they pass over the gulf stream and then it gets smoother.

Again, YES. Do not pre-judge the rest of the cruise based on the first night crossing that band of water (I’ve also heard it called the Florida Straits). That night I feel tipsy because of the extra motion but that feels disappears overnight.


Those big ships take a lot of the motion out. And there are ways to prepare to take care of motion sickness IF she gets it. Be prepared and don’t worry in advance.

Balcony might help for fresh air, or maybe watching the horizon would bother her. You won’t know until you know.

I’ve had motion issues after getting back on land, and frankly I’d have rather been sitting on a plane rather than walking around parks. At least I wasn’t going to fall over on the plane lol. That said, I do NOT like rushing home and we generally throw a half day or more at Universal (bc we had APs there when we did the bulk of our Disney cruises) after a cruise.

 

[WDWRook]

Those are all family veranda cabins so price difference between those categories is not large as they are the same size and will sleep 5.

The letters reflect location on the ship regarding deck and whether it is forward, midship or aft. .

Is there opinions on which floor is best? We need to stay "midship" to attempt to minimize the seasickness, but I was thinking a higher floor. I'm not sure it matters though.

 

[Minnie - Not the Mouse]

I have done a 5-day on the Magic twice. Loved it. Once stopped in Cozumel and once in Grand Cayman. I get car sick very easily so I was a tad worried. Nada, nothing, not even a hint of sickness, in fact on the one night we had some rolling I slept like a baby in a cradle. Honestly, best sleep I can remember lol. I am doing my first 7 day this Feb and really looking forward to it and escaping the Canadian winter. Brrrrr. One trip was in November, the other late January, we had 80+ degrees every day on both cruises. I would really recommend the 5 day. A lot of them are not much more money than the four day and so worth it. Don't sweat it too much, you will love anything you book. BTW, we don't do WDW anymore, we spend our money on the cruises, so beware of the lure......

 

[Sytrace]

Is there opinions on which floor is best? We need to stay "midship" to attempt to minimize the seasickness, but I was thinking a higher floor. I'm not sure it matters though.

Some folks say Deck 6, 7 , 8 or 9 is best midship for motion sickness. Deck 10 midship is under the pool area and can get loud so I would avoid that. If you can book Deck 7 or 8 on the Dream class ships then that would be good. On the Magic class ship, book on Deck 5 or 6 midship.

We love Deck 10 all the way forward but don't have motion sickness issues at all AND we are under the Rainforest on Starboard side so we have a nice peaceful cabin.

 

[Sytrace]

Thanks for the great replies. We could do a 7n trip; but DW is worried she won't do well and I don't want her stuck on a ship for 7 nights if she isn't doing well.

Similar question, my though was to stay in Florida for a couple days to let the motion effect wear off before jumping on a plane. Is that the right idea, or is it better to come in a few days in advance and head to the airport immediately upon return?

I'm just starting to learn about decks and cabin classes. I was looking into something better than the cheap rooms with a bit more room. Also, I'd love to have a veranda, but I'm not sure people actually use those or if those rooms are better/worse for seasickness. My though, if we get stuck in the room for a bit, or when the kids go to bed, we can at least sit and watch the ocean with a bottle of wine.

A 4 night would offer a sea day at least if you cannot do a 7 night cruise. We always book verandas for every cruise and we make use great use of it. It is a perfect place to go to get away from the hustle and bustle of the other passengers on the ship when you need some quiet time. We enjoy taking pictures, reading, having room service snacks and just relaxing. Also, if you have younger kids who require resting in the middle of the day, or even a grown up child needing some quiet time, the veranda is perfect for that. Put the kid down for a nap or let them decompress with a cartoon or music playing and enjoy some time on the veranda.
I would imagine one would need at least a view of the horizon to combat seasickness, so a veranda would be helpful in that respect. It seems being in an enclosed cabin with no natural light and no visual of horizon would be a bad combo.

Definitely arrive at least one day in advance to offset any travel delays that might come up and stay one or two days after to enjoy a theme park if you want. Cruises are relaxing and WDW is not. lol