Has anyone not enjoyed cruising?

[FreeTime]

It is almost time to make our final payment and now I am having second thoughts about going on DCL. We have never been on a cruise before and have a 4 & 5 year old. We thought it would be great fun for them. But what do the adults do while the kids are in the kids club? We are into activities. I can see us now just watching the paltry few TV channels because there is nothing to do. I read Birnbaums DCL book and watched the video, but nothing stands out. Also, our kids won't be old enough to do the shore excursions. I am thinking that maybe we should cancel and wait until they are old enough to do everything. I would much rather lose our insurance payment instead of lose an entire vacation with nothing to do. Our usual trips always involve some type of theme park, be it WDW, Paramount, indoor waterparks etc. Is a cruise too laid back for us? BTW I also priced US / IOA and can get the same number of nights for $1000 less. This is enticing, but I am not worried about them money, I just want to make sure that we will hav efun. Help please!

 

[Cricket538]

I, too, love to keep active, while my husband would rather lay low and read a book. The great thing about cruising is that it satisfies us both.

There are SO MANY activities on board there's no way you'd find yourself bored!I 've always found myself with so much to do - so little time, but that's just me!

I suggest going to the web site, DCLTribute, and downloading a few navigators - particularly for the Days at Sea (ex: Monday and Thursday on the Western Magic). It will show you all the events that are planned.

Good luck on your decision, but I'd say GO FOR IT!

 

[tvguy]

What is there for adults to do while the kids are in the clubs?
1) Go to a show
2) Go to a movie
3) Go swimming in the adults only pool
4) Have a quiet drink in the lounge
5) Go to the spa
6) Play Bingo
7) Eat
8) Enjoy some time together alone with your sweetie in your cabin.
9 ) Nap
10) Go to wine tasting
11) Go to the shopping presentation
12) Work out
13) Walk the deck and watch the ocean go by
14) Have a cup of speciality coffee
15) Lay in a lounger
16) Shop
17) Take a galley tour
18) Take a bridge tour
19) Take a class on towel folding
20) Play ping pong, basketball or shuffleboard
21) Surf the net
22) Take part in the talent show
23) Try and sneak a peak inside the Walt or Roy Disney suite
24) People watch
25) Play cards
26) Go to a friends of Bill W. meeting
27) Read
28) Watch TV in your cabin.

There are a few suggestions. And why do you think your kids are too young for an excursion. Are you going on the Wonder, or the Magic? And if on the Magic, Western, or Eastern? Coral World for kids your age is perfect in St.Thomas on the Eastern.

 

[*Fantasia*]

26) Go to a friends of Bill W. meeting

Hi, I just wondering what this is about.

Like tvguy listed, there's so much to do. Sometimes it even conflict with the times! I want to do this, but I want to do that too and it's going on at the same time. There's plenty chances for character meeting. What I enjoyed the most is every nite at the pool there's music, dancing and singing. It is sooo fun!! What I want to try next time is to actually check out the adult clubs. One night it was the 80's themed/music. Then the other night it was the 70's. I didn't get the chance to do this, I was probably doing something else. I didn't even get the chance to do bingo. I wanted to take my kids to do this and watch, I think they would enjoy helping me put the chips on the card.

Then there's so many activities you can choose from when you get to the port. And there's the Castaway Cay!! You have to experience this one. This island is paradise!! Enjoy!!

 

[wdwoldtimer]

You probably want to throw a few more "Eat"s in that list to be accurate.

As someone who was once skeptical as well, I can say I can't imagine anyone not enjoying a DCL cruise.

 

[Muushka]

26) Go to a friends of Bill W. meeting

Hi, I just wondering what this is about. Snip....

Bill W. is the man who started the AA meetings.

 

[ivanova]

Hi, I just wondering what this is about.

Friends of Bill W meeting = Alcoholics Anonymous meeting

 

[*Fantasia*]

Thanks Muushka. Thanks ivanova, I didn't know what AA meant, now I know.

 

[disneybride96]

Oh My!
My husband are DINKS (dual income, no kids) and have cruised on DCL twice. We did the 4 day...not enough time. So, we did the 7 and and still feel like we didn't have enough time. We are taking our nephews (4 years) next trip, and have already picked some excursions like Coral World that we can all enjoy together. There are excursions that the little ones can enjoy too. Don't count that out.

 

[8 Ears]

We did a Land/Sea in December and just a 1/2 hour ago I got off the phone with our TA to book a 7-day Western in 2006. Trying to sneak in a 3 or 4 day before that though. Gotta go, gotta go, gotta go back to DCL....

 

[ClarabelleCow]

freetime - your kids are probably at one of the best ages for this cruise, they will have an absolute blast, you will have no problems enjoying the adults only pool, and even serentiy bay! on castaway cay!

Don't cancel, go and enjoy!

 

[two-foxes]

We do not have children, but I was VERY concerned about being on a hunk of floating metal with nothing to do....it should be said that I have difficulty just not doing anything. The only thing I can say is that any concerns I had flew off deck 10 the second we left Port Canaveral. There really is sooooo much to do for adults that you will leave wishing you would have done more! I don't know if you are doing a seven night or a 3-4 night, but I don't know if I'd be so concerned about the kids and shore excursions. You should be able to find a "beach day excursion" on any cruise that will suit your whole family. Go on the cruise. Enjoy some down time with out your kids...get a massage, enjoy a drink by the pool. I doubt you'll regret it!

 

[FreeTime]

Thanks for the replies everyone. DH, the kids, and I just got done rewatching the video. DH, who can watch the WDW video over and over said this video is boring but the cruise looks like fun. We are going on the 4 night. The kids can't stop talking about it. So, not to disappoint them I guess we will give it a try. Afterall, I'd rather go and not like it then wonder what I have been missing.

 

[Tay N Evie's Mom]

We took our twins on DCL at ages 3, 3 1/2, and 4 with our next cruise planned for Nov 2005 and they will be 7. What I loved about DCL is that there is family time, couple time and alone time. I took advantage of the spa, adult only pool and I made sure that DH and I had a few sit down lunches by ourselves while our kids ate lunch with the kids clubs. DH agreed to the first cruise only because we took our kids for their 3rd birthdays, I don't think he intended to really like the cruise. Well, he liked it so much we went on 3 in 16 months! We always joke that DH is the spitting image (only thinner and better looking) than the guy on the DCL comercial where the whole family has things to do while the dad is shown sleeping in every scene. After each cruise we always say "we didn't get to do ___ on this cruise, we'll have to do it next time". Even after 3 cruises we haven't done everything. I'm looking forward to going to the adult dance party and trying the REAS package. I still want to get to the adult beach and take the bridge tour. I also haven't made it to Palo's brunch and only ate at Palo's once out of 3 cruises. Only you can make the decision whether to give the cruise a try, but I don't think you'll be disappointed if you do.

 

[disneypilots]

We thought we loved Disney World untill we took our first Disney cruise. Boy were we wrong. DW and I have as much, if not more fun than the kids. The care and service is the best, ahead of all other cruise lines. Do the right thing, you will love the Disney Experience on water.
Mark

 

[mousebrat]

I agree that the video is lame from an adult's perspective. We have to be going and doing all the time, and the video just doesn't do it for us. Studying the Navigators on Dave's site convinced us however that there would be plenty to do, or not do depending on how we felt.

 

[Philadisney]

i loved the cruise i went on (wonder 3 day land/4 day sea) for the unique experience and memories it provided me with but wouldn't do it again. this is partially because although castaway cay was AMAZING i didn't enjoy nassau at all and found myself bored on the ship at times, especially on the day at sea. BUT i have no kids (was traveling with a cousin) and i was on a limited income (so the bingo, spa & other things that cost $$ were out). also i'm not really into sunbathing. and i was frustrated that although there were many things to do, they were usually all happening at the same time! (and i won't get into the creepy divorced dads who kept hitting on my very gorgeous cousin when their kids were practically our age....not cool.)
but the shows were awesome and so were all the meals. we met some fascinating people from around the world, and castaway cay is one of the most beautiful places i have been in my life (serenity bay especially). some nights i enjoyed just standing on the deck and watching the water watch by.
so i think yes, you should take a disney cruise at least once. i can't say if you'll want to do it again - everybody is different of course - but i'm sure you won't regret it. especially since you have kids, they will probably love it.