First Time Cruiser - Just back

[pixarmom]

Okay threads like this make second, third, fourth guess my FIRST CRUISE on the Fantasy next summer. I would hate to spend all that money and have all sorts of things go wrong. I am going to try and book Beach Club on DVC points for AFTER the Cruise for a few nights... where we can get plenty of pool time in..so if the pools are packed on the cruise... that won't be so bad.

When I started figuring out which cruise to take, how many nights, which ship..... I thought a shorter cruise might be best to start out with.. Then people told me to go for the 7 so you get the extra sea days to ENJOY the ship...hmmmm wondering how enjoyable those sea days will be???

Same here. We're first-time cruisers on the Dream in August (but we're trying just a three night) and I'm wondering if this was the right decision. We're doing 2days/1 night at BC after the cruise so we know we'll have plenty of pool time then (and we don't consider SAB in the summer too crowded at all.)

 

[papamouse1]

Thanks for your review. I will be a first time cruiser and I may feel the same way about the crowds. I think I need to keep my expectations realistic and I'm sure I will enjoy it, as you said. Any advice on shortest aquaduck waits?

My understanding is the best time is on the Castaway Cay day while so many people are ashore

 

[edk35]

We have been on just one cruise, and thought the same way... shorter cruise just in case we lacked the "sea legs" to enjoy a cruise. I have to tell you. I can't WAIT to do a 7-day. I look back and I am utterly amazed at all the cool things we never even had a chance to try. I hear people talking about the different activities they did that we missed out on and I am so jealous! Trust me, those extra sea days will fly by!!

I think your thinking on BCV is brilliant! I will say the crowded tiny pools on our first cruise felt vey odd and I thought my kids would be disappointed (they are both like fishes), but honestly we went to pool for a couple hours one day and they never even asked to go back! They were so busy doing all the other incredible activities they really didn't miss it. And as for my wife and I, we did Palo on the evening of our 20th anniversary and it was maybe the single most amazing "date" we have ever had. I can't wait to try Remy in November!

Yes I had already thought that we would do a few nights at BCV just for SAB.

 

[teach22180]

I will ditto what some pp have mentioned. If swimming in a large pool is important, cruising really isn't the vacation for you. I cruised on Royal Caribbean last summer and the Wonder in 2006, and the pools were small. I plan on doing my swimming in my 2 days at Castaway Cay!

The best part of Disney cruising IMO is the shows. I really didn't enjoy the ones on the RCCL ship last summer, kept comparing them to Disney! Personally, I'm also looking forward to a cool movie outside on the big screen because they didn't have that the last time I was on the Wonder. The family activities in the clubs are really fun, too, and not as prevalent on other cruise lines.

And yes, 3 and 4 night cruises are hard to get comfortable on the ship. I would recommend everyone taking a longer cruise when you can afford it. My 9 night one was just about perfect; I was getting tired of the ship!

 

[camikey]

Thanks to everyone who has sailed on the Dream for giving some great suggestions about avoiding the crowds. This will be our first cruise (we sail on 3/6) and we are all VERY excited (myself, DH, DSs 4 and 8). Mickey Mouse called our house last night and my boys were thrilled!

I am fully expecting it to be crowded but am also not going to let it "ruin" our vacation. I will follow all the advice on here!

As far as a Palo ressie, I, too, couldn't get anything. I checked back every week or so and sure enough about 3 weeks ago, got a 7 pm. reservation.

Thanks again for the good advice!

How do you arrange a call from Mickey?