Getting a feel for Disney cruise .. first timer here

[bookooz2002]

hi ya'll ! Im kat ! Im a SAHM to 3 kiddos.my Dh and I (well I should say I, I , I lol) are planning a Disney Cruise land/sea for 2005. I know dates arent set yet .. etc.. etc.. But im trying to get a feel for how these work .. we have never been to disney and this is kind of a once in a lifetime thing KWIM >?

Id like to do a land /sea package if possible.. whats the best way to go on those ?
We might be taking a set of grandparents with us.. it depends on how they are feeling ..
Im starting out the new year w/ big plans for saving for this trip as we are on a super tight budget! Id love to see some expenses to kind of knwo what kind of ballpark I need to be in $$ saving wise..
THanks to you all !I think this place is great
hugs kat



Okay update ! DH and I have been talking and he said he would like to do it w/ just US .
(as in him and I )
so this will help LOL Im currently checkign stuff otu !kat

 

[my3kids]

Go to www.disneycruise.com and click on Reservations. Then click Get a Quote. You can put in different dates to see the price. With a family of 5, you can only fit in category 4 or above rooms, or in 2 cabins in lower categories. Rooms in category 10 and up have options for connecting rooms. With 2 rooms, you pay the full fare for the first 2 people in each cabin though, so 2 of your children would be paying the "adult" fare. If you take grandparents along, you could do connecting rooms with 4 in one room and 3 in the other, then all the children would pay the reduced rate. If you select the category 4, you'd have one room at a deluxe resort at WDW. If you pick 2 rooms on the ship, you'd get 2 rooms at WDW also.

The Land/Sea Package is a very convenient way of doing WDW and the cruise, but you can always book the 2 portions seperately and likely save a bit of money. Just a thought if you don't mind planning trips and setting up things.

As far as money on board, most essentials are included. You'll need to plan for gratuities for the staff, any excursions off the ship. All your meals, even burgers and ice cream on deck are included, as is room service. Soda at seated meals is included, but there is a charge for soda at other times. Alcohol is extra, as are tips for the people who bring room service.

 

[dianthus]

Land/Sea by DCL is usually more expensive than booking it separately on your own. WDW, then cruise. The big advantage to doing the DCL land/sea pkge. is you only need one KTTW card for the entire trip & DCL takes care of most of the details. If you've never been to WDW, you may want to stay more than 3, or 4 days first, or after the cruise. Doing it on your own allows you the flexibility if you wish. If it's a once in a lifetime trip, it's worth really planning for...

These boards are a tremendous resource. Read the cruise line threads to glean info, most of your questions can be answered by reading through existing threads or posting questions. Go over to the Theme Park/Resorts boards for more info on WDW.

There are some other terrific websites to go to for info besides DCL:

www.mousesavers.com great $$ saving strategies
www.dcltribute.com just terrific - concise, unbiased info
www.castawayclub.com just terrific- 35 cruises and a plethora of DCL knowledge

If you are on a tight budget, these sites and the boards will help you get the most for your $ & have a wonderful vacation. You are wise to start planning early. You will be overwhelmed by the amount of info/tips you will learn here.

Welcome and have fun planning your big trip!

~ Linda

 

[Dreamer04]

Hi Kat. Welcome to the DIS! Check out the trip reports. Lots of people post reports on the Land/Sea combo.

Also, the travel agency I use-All Seasons Travel-offers these packages. I don't know if it as cheap or cheaper than booking each leg seperatly, but it will be cheaper than booking with Disney directly. Their website is allseastravel.com

Good Luck

 

[kcashner]

If you are taking a set of grandparents, you might want to consider booking one child in their cabin. That way, you have 2 cabins that sleep 4, with 2 adults in each cabin. It will save you major $ over going to a category 4 (to sleep 5 people) or 2 lower categories for your 5 plus a grandparent room. Where the kids actually sleep is up to you, but you can only book 4 in a cabin.

Since you referred to it as "once in a lifetime," I trust that money is an issue. If you can cruise "off season" as in when school is in session, you can save major $. If you need to cruise on school vacations, it can easily double your costs.

You can usually do the land portion cheaper on your own than the land/sea package. Of course, it depends on season of year and what specials Disney might be offering. You can also consider a 7 day cruise with some added WDW time (it doesn't cost a lot more to do a 7 than a 4 day.)

Other thoughts...with 7 people, it will be much cheaper to take a private limo to the port than to use DCL transfers--the break even point is about 3 adults. Less than 3, DCL is cheaper. More than 3, private limo is cheaper.

As to money on board...you can spend a very lot or a very little, and still have a great cruise. We limit DD to one shore excursion each time, and let her choose. Many of the shore excursions can be booked privately at a significant cost savings over booking them thru DCL. You can do more with that when you know which cruise you're planning. Take lots of your own pictures and buy only the ones you really like and don't know if you got....limit the kids to soda in the dining rooms (where it is free), and punch/lemonade/milk other times (always free). Recommended tips run about $11 per person per day, and a person includes children.

Keep reading here, and ask questions.....have fun....
Kathryn
10th Magic cruise in one month!!!!!YEAH!!!

 

[fredms]

Good luck with your planning!

Three points:

1- Try to book as early as possible as (especially for the cruise) the earlier you book the more you will save.

2- Price the vacation together and seperately, you may be able to get cheaper rates from going with a TA other than Disney.

3- Consider some of the "reclassified rooms" on the cruise where you get a view or balcony for cheaper - like the secret porthole rooms and the navigator's verandah.