Help a first time cruiser pick our cruise!

[saywhatnow]

Please!

I'm looking to book our first time cruise EVER and want to go with a Disney cruise. It will be myself, my husband and our 2 kids (5 and 7 at cruise time). Looking at Jan. 2017. I'd like to do concierge level as my husband travels extensively for work and is now used to the perks that come with that. I'm having to convince him that a cruise is going to be a good vacation for us, so I want to make it as amazing as possible. However, OMG...WOW at how much more concierge is than a regular room.

I'm looking at 4 day cruises out of Miami or Port Canaveral. Here are our 3 options right now....please let me know which you think would be best. Any thoughts or other ideas welcomed. Thank you so much in advance!

Option 1:
Disney Dream to Castaway Cay and Nassau in a Concierge Family Room ($5136)

Option 2:
Disney Dream to Castaway Cay and Nassau in a Concierge One Bedroom ($6568)...obviously a bigger, nicer room but worth almost $1500 more???

Option 3:
Disney Magic to Castaway Cay, Nassau and Key West in a Concierge One Bedroom ($5444)

 

[FFMatt12]

I can't suggest much on the topic of Concierge but I can assure you that the 4 night is a nice way to get acclimated to cruising. You finally learn the ships insides and outs by the final day, leaving you to desire a 7 night for cruise #2! It's the "dip your toes in the water" type of analogy to test out cruising. I took my first a few weeks ago on the Dream and now I am hooked.

 

[TeaBee]

We felt like we had plenty of space in a standard room with a family of four (the kids were 10 and 14). We were in a deluxe oceanview with verandah. When it came time to choose a cabin for our next cruise, we stuck with the same category because we honestly didn't feel like we needed more room. On a four day cruise you will probably not be in your cabin all that much anyway, so I'd go with option 1.

 

[bethy]

After doing the same exact thing: Our very first cruise ever - young children - 4 nights, etc here are my thoughts:

1. If you are really looking for a family *vacation* then do 7 nights. 4 nights to me is not a vacation - especially for a family.

2. Book 2 connecting verandah rooms - non concierge - so you have the space.

3. Then instead of doing concierge, "upgrade" your experience throughout the cruise but doing the adult dining, ordering champagne delivered to the room, nice excursions, the spa, etc.

Maybe I'm pedestrian but for me, even after years of vacations at very nice condo resorts on beach (e.g. Aulani, Marriotts, Hyatts) the Disney cruise itself felt to me like a white glove and decadent experience. No cooking! No logistics! No hassle! CM's helping me with my 3 kids constantly!

In other words I'd spend the money on a longer cruise versus a concierge upgrade.

 

[bethy]

Also, a four night cruise in January doesn't travel very far. There are no guarantees it will be very warm in the Bahamas at that time. You can still have fun with a cruise when it's chilly out but is that what you want for your family vacation? You might prefer a 7 day that can travel further south.

 

[iloverags2]

If a 4-night cruise is what you are able to do time-wise (meaning you cannot swing taking 7-nights away from home), then I would go with option 3 on the Magic. I adore the classic ships...they are much more intimate. We sailed in the 1-bedroom suite on the Magic a few years ago and absolutely LOVED it!

 

[okstate_angel]

Another "non-concierge" option that's kind of a secret (only 12 on the whole ship), but you can get it this far out because we just booked one in January on the Dream is a Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom (8A) split layout.. only on 5 & 6 forward and sell out quick... deck 5 has the wall and 2 TVs, deck 6 has a pole. For the 4 night Dream it would be $2864.28...and the room is actually over 300 sq feet with 2 HUGE amazing windows you can actually sit it... Google Dream 5522 and there are even videos out there. Just an option.. No matter which room you choose Disney does things so well the whole ship feels like a 5 star resort... and you'd have lots of money to blow on extras and special things in port... you wont spend much time in your room and if you do, you'll have amazing space!

 

[Quellman]

If you are really into the perks of concierge, you will want to compare the Dream perks and lounge with that of the Magic. They are quite different, even since the refurbishment. I like sea days but have not been to key west (which I hear is mostly kid friendly).

 

[disnygirl55]

We sail concierge. With those options, I would first try for the Magic and see if one of the mid-ship Category T's are available (8532 is my favorite). There are only 4 of those on the ship, and the sideways layout makes it seems huge - also has a triple-wide verandah. For a first-time cruiser with kids that age, it would be a wonderful vacation! I hear that the new concierge lounge area on the Magic is fantastic, and you can get treats like on the two newer ships (Dream and Fantasy). I really love the extra space in the one-bedroom category, and the kids and adults can have their own areas. The living rooms in the sideways midship Category T's on the older ships are big open spaces and perfect for little ones to run around in.

Then.... if you absolutely fall in love with cruising with the family, I would graduate to a 7-day on the Fantasy. Just my opinion - but remember, there is no bad Disney cruise. I'm excited for you!!