Help Deciding--October or January

[SamiL]

I'm planning our first Disney cruise--actually our first cruise ever. We're just sort of sticking our toes in the water with a 3-night cruise on the Dream (DH and DS12 are big Star Wars fans). DS is super-smart but young for his age--he likes kid stuff sightly longer than some of his peers, so I think he'll like the Oceaneers Club/Lab.

I also like the 3-days because they are primarily over a weekend, so DS isn't going to miss a lot of school. We're looking at either President's Day Weekend, sail date 01/17/20 (he'll have to miss a Friday) or Fall Break, which for him is two days--October 10 and 11, 2019 (Sail date would be 10/11). He would miss a Monday of school if we do October.

October would be nice because we could leave anytime the Thursday before the cruise leaves. We live in a mid-sized city, so we have an airport, but it almost always requires at least one stop to get anywhere. If we do January we'll have to try to find a flight that leaves after 4 p.m., getting us into MCO around 10 or 11 p.m. Have I mentioned DD will be 2 years old? Well, 1 year old if we go in October.

The October date has the Halloween stuff. I'm not sure if that's an argument for or against it. It piqued my son's interest though. And October makes stops in Nassau and Castaway Cay. January doesn't stop in Nassau, just Castaway Cay, which I'm not sure matters that much to us. We're in it for the Disney experience.

The biggest concern I have about October is Hurricane Season. Should this be a deciding factor? What do we need to take into account if we plan for October? I'll put the deposit on our Chase Sapphire Reserve, I'd like to rely on its trip protection without having to buy separate insurance.

On the flip side, there's always the chance it could snow or sleet in our town in January, but we think if bad weather is coming we would just leave early and get out of town before it hits. In our area, January can be snowy or it can be warmer than Florida. But if I book a cruise, it WILL snow.

You all know the little ins and outs and nuances of cruises. What should I know or consider in making this decision?

I have both on hold. I need to decide by Saturday!

Sorry for all the rambling. If you read this far thank you so much! And thank you in advance for your help!

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

For us - October if it’s a Bahamas cruise.
Mainly because we find Florida too cold in January. Same with Bahamas.
We have been several times in December or January now with daytime highs of 55 in Orlando and 68-70 in Bahamas. Also cold ocean.
It can be warmer than that but generally if you are looking to get away somewhere “hot” in January Florida and Bahamas don’t come to mind.
The one year it was only a few degrees cooler at home than in Orlando when we arrived on Jan 12th. The weather was 54 when we arrived in Orlando, 60 next day when we embarked, then gradually warmer until we hit at Thomas and it was finally 80. CC was 68 and windy.
We will still cruise in January but Caribbean.
October may be affected by a hurricane but not likely. If it’s not, than we find the weather wonderful in Florida and in Bahamas. High 70’s, ocean still warm.
Plus Halloween on the high seas.

 

[Shanti]

I'm planning our first Disney cruise--actually our first cruise ever. We're just sort of sticking our toes in the water with a 3-night cruise on the Dream (DH and DS12 are big Star Wars fans). DS is super-smart but young for his age--he likes kid stuff sightly longer than some of his peers, so I think he'll like the Oceaneers Club/Lab.

I also like the 3-days because they are primarily over a weekend, so DS isn't going to miss a lot of school. We're looking at either President's Day Weekend, sail date 01/17/20 (he'll have to miss a Friday) or Fall Break, which for him is two days--October 10 and 11, 2019 (Sail date would be 10/11). He would miss a Monday of school if we do October.

October would be nice because we could leave anytime the Thursday before the cruise leaves. We live in a mid-sized city, so we have an airport, but it almost always requires at least one stop to get anywhere. If we do January we'll have to try to find a flight that leaves after 4 p.m., getting us into MCO around 10 or 11 p.m. Have I mentioned DD will be 2 years old? Well, 1 year old if we go in October.

The October date has the Halloween stuff. I'm not sure if that's an argument for or against it. It piqued my son's interest though. And October makes stops in Nassau and Castaway Cay. January doesn't stop in Nassau, just Castaway Cay, which I'm not sure matters that much to us. We're in it for the Disney experience.

The biggest concern I have about October is Hurricane Season. Should this be a deciding factor? What do we need to take into account if we plan for October? I'll put the deposit on our Chase Sapphire Reserve, I'd like to rely on its trip protection without having to buy separate insurance.

On the flip side, there's always the chance it could snow or sleet in our town in January, but we think if bad weather is coming we would just leave early and get out of town before it hits. In our area, January can be snowy or it can be warmer than Florida. But if I book a cruise, it WILL snow.

You all know the little ins and outs and nuances of cruises. What should I know or consider in making this decision?

I have both on hold. I need to decide by Saturday!

Sorry for all the rambling. If you read this far thank you so much! And thank you in advance for your help!

Imo dreary January is the perfect time of year to get away from it all and go on a cruise. We've been to Castaway Cay in December and January three times, and it was sunny and warm each time. Since it isn't oppressively hot, it's a great time of year to rent bicycles and explore the island. The Castaway Cay water is chilly, but easy enough to acclimate to. Plus, in January you get the joy of escaping the cold at home by going to a tropical destination. There is a chance that you could hit January during a nasty cold snap and have cooler than optimal weather like that described by the PP, but there's the same chance of a tropical storm or hurricane interfering with an October cruise as too-cool weather interfering with a January cruise.

I would definitely not want to cruise the Bahamas at the height of hurricane season. Your trip could end up being canceled or drastically changed. Who wants to worry about that? Since your son is in middle school & you want to avoid him missing mulitple days of school, you could end up in a bind if your original October dates had to change at the last minute due to severe weather.

Our favorite 3-night Bahamian itinerary is the one that only stops at Castaway Cay. For us, the 3-night Castaway cruise is a true vacation & escape from real life. We have no interest in Nassau, and enjoy the sights and sensations of being at sea all during the sea day.

 

[ahain]

We have cruised during hurricane season and have no issues with doing so. For us, October is a "busy" month with closing the swimming pool, cutting back the flowers/shrubs for winter, etc. Living in Michigan, we are generally very anxious to "get away from the snow" by the time January rolls around. So given a choice between the two, I would choose January.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Which cruise is cheaper? Just wondering if the January cruise is more expen$ive because of the holiday weekend.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Imo dreary January is the perfect time of year to get away from it all and go on a cruise. We've been to Castaway Cay in December and January three times, and it was sunny and warm each time. Since it isn't oppressively hot, it's a great time of year to rent bicycles and explore the island. The Castaway Cay water is chilly, but easy enough to acclimate to. Plus, in January you get the joy of escaping the cold at home by going to a tropical destination. There is a chance that you could hit January during a nasty cold snap and have cooler than optimal weather like that described by the PP, but there's the same chance of a tropical storm or hurricane interfering with an October cruise as too-cool weather interfering with a January cruise.

I would definitely not want to cruise the Bahamas at the height of hurricane season. Your trip could end up being canceled or drastically changed. Who wants to worry about that? Since your son is in middle school & you want to avoid him missing mulitple days of school, you could end up in a bind if your original October dates had to change at the last minute due to severe weather.

Our favorite 3-night Bahamian itinerary is the one that only stops at Castaway Cay. For us, the 3-night Castaway cruise is a true vacation & escape from real life. We have no interest in Nassau, and enjoy the sights and sensations of being at sea all during the sea day.

We also LOVE cruising during January but prefer further south when trying to get away from winter only because I want to go somewhere where it’s guaranteed “hot”
It’s funny because we have also been 3x in January and it was cool or just “warm” CC. It’s a very “it can vary month”
I know it can be hot too... but January is generally the coldest month in FL/Bahamas.
Just goes to show you everyone will prefer different and that’s ok
I should clarify my post that overall I do prefer to go away in January... just further south
I agree January is the perfect time to travel if you live where it can be very cold then...
if I was to choose a quick 3 night to Bahamas only though it’s be October.
Only because I prefer hot when I travel to a beach destinations.
You are 100% right though- if it’s very hot exploring the island is less fun... then you just want to swim haha.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

We have cruised during hurricane season and have no issues with doing so. For us, October is a "busy" month with closing the swimming pool, cutting back the flowers/shrubs for winter, etc. Living in Michigan, we are generally very anxious to "get away from the snow" by the time January rolls around. So given a choice between the two, I would choose January.

We just put in a pool this summer, also closing it this month
I love January travel too for the same reason but that’s why I want more hot than Florida and Bahamas can be in January...
I would go wherever though at any time really who am I kidding

 

[quickcat]

For my family for the Bahamas, I would definitely do October over January. It is too much money to spend to have it possibly be very chilly in January. Sometimes it’s 40 or 50 in Orlando in January- Bahamas wouldn’t be considerably warmer when a cold snap goes through.

 

[pascalspal]

We love January because the sailings seem to be less crowded. If you go during the school break seasons, IMO it can feel much more crowded especially on the larger ships.

Weather is a gamble with either sailing. You could encounter some “colder” temps in January, but the seas shouldn’t be rough and no hurricanes. October is right in hurricane season so that raises your probability of rough seas and storms.

The Halloween cruises are very fun, but tend to have a higher price tag. They seem to be worth it on longer sailings when you have more time to partake in themed activities.

IMO if you are trying out cruising and are taking such a short sailing the January cruise sounds better. You will have so much fun on the ship that you’ll be wishing for more sea days. You can always do a “themed” sailing on another,longer trip if you decide you enjoy sailing.

 

[FSU Girl]

I voted for January. In October there is always the possibility of a hurricane hitting and messing with your plans. January will probably be colder, but it's a great time to sail. We have a cruise booked for the beginning of January of next year.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

We love January because the sailings seem to be less crowded. If you go during the school break seasons, IMO it can feel much more crowded especially on the larger ships.

Weather is a gamble with either sailing. You could encounter some “colder” temps in January, but the seas shouldn’t be rough and no hurricanes. October is right in hurricane season so that raises your probability of rough seas and storms.

The Halloween cruises are very fun, but tend to have a higher price tag. They seem to be worth it on longer sailings when you have more time to partake in themed activities.

IMO if you are trying out cruising and are taking such a short sailing the January cruise sounds better. You will have so much fun on the ship that you’ll be wishing for more sea days. You can always do a “themed” sailing on another,longer trip if you decide you enjoy sailing.

I agree about the Halloween activities, really not enough time on 3 day sailing.
But... we actually had the roughest seas on our January sailings. Each time. Our CC water activities have been cancelled 3x because of high winds in January. Maybe it's just how we lucked out... or not... but our roughest seas have been January.

 

[dcassetta]

The weather will be warmer in October as will water temperatures. It is sill hurricane season,but the potential for serious storms decreases as the season goes on.

I like the Halloween decorations.

 

[pascalspal]

I agree about the Halloween activities, really not enough time on 3 day sailing.
But... we actually had the roughest seas on our January sailings. Each time. Our CC water activities have been cancelled 3x because of high winds in January. Maybe it's just how we lucked out... or not... but our roughest seas have been January.

That is a good point! I guess it just depends on if you get lucky or not! There is really no way to be certain on weather or sailing conditions! We are sailing this coming January so hopefully we will get lucky again!

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

That is a good point! I guess it just depends on if you get lucky or not! There is really no way to be certain on weather or sailing conditions! We are sailing this coming January so hopefully we will get lucky again!

I LOVE sailing in January just prefer it to be further south rather than just Bahamas.
Fingers crossed the seas are calm for you

 

[KashasMom]

We frequently cruise in early November and have stopped cruising the Bahamas mid-Dec to January because the water is too cold. Hurricane season actually peaks Aug-Sept with September being the busiest month, although that isn't a given. There is plenty of warning for a hurricane and the captain will sail around it. You can miss CC for reasons other than a hurricane though if that is all that's preventing you from booking in October. The flip side is coming from possible snow in January. That has definitely played havoc on many cruisers trying to get to port. My vote would be for October. Warmer water/weather and the Halloween part is a bonus.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

We also enjoy mid-January cruises for the tropics and the price. We've had our October experience with Hurricane Sandy, but figured it's once in a life-time occurrence. Both times of the year are great for cruising. Pick what is best for your family's schedule and pocket book ($$$). Anytime Disney is the best time to cruise.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

We also enjoy mid-January cruises for the tropics and the price. We've had our October experience with Hurricane Sandy, but figured it's once in a life-time occurrence. Both times of the year are great for cruising. Pick what is best for your family's schedule and pocket book ($$$). Anytime Disney is the best time to cruise.

Were you on the cruise during Sandy? Wow can only imagine!

We also love January to visit the tropics but don't consider FL or Bahamas tropics in Jan....

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Were you on the cruise during Sandy? Wow can only imagine!

We also love January to visit the tropics but don't consider FL or Bahamas tropics in Jan....

Oh yeah, Fantasy October 2012, W. Caribbean cruise. It was very rough seas during main dining, and second seating was cancelled. Captain Tom wanted everyone to stay in their cabins. We hung on to the bed all night. Ship was totally wrecked in the interior, display cases turned over, bar displays (glasses, liquors) smashed, pictures on walls fell off and broke, plates and glasses broken, shops totally wrecked.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

Oh yeah, Fantasy October 2012, W. Caribbean cruise. It was very rough seas during main dining, and second seating was cancelled. Captain Tom wanted everyone to stay in their cabins. We hung on to the bed all night. Ship was totally wrecked in the interior, display cases turned over, bar displays (glasses, liquors) smashed, pictures on walls fell off and broke, plates and glasses broken, shops totally wrecked.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

The only correct answer here is Both.

That aside, it depends. Are you beach people? We hate the beach (too much sand) so never really go in the ocean (if we do shore excursions, they are usually focused on culture). So January cruises are terrific for us. However, if you want to swim - you will have more opportunities if you take the cruise that goes to Nassau where you can go to Atlantis or a beach and get int he waters at CC as well.