Help-First time Cruiser!!

[princess06]

Hi have have so many questions: First we would like to do a land and sea package for next June 2008. I have talked to two different travel agents and they are giving me about the same price around 7.000.00 for everything! I think this is a lot. The room on the ship has a verandah which is what the whole family wants so I don't want to give that up. Is there anyway to bring the cost down? Also I've been getting conflicting reports about the beverages on the ship are they included or not? All the food is right? Sorry this is so long but I just found this board a couple of weeks ago and I'm hoping you can help me out.

 

[Mickey'sfriend]

Yes, all food is included, with the exception of Palo, and adult-only reservation required restaurant. The charge for that is $10/person. Also all drinks, except alcohol, are included.

You may want to price out your land/sea vacation separately. Many here on the boards find the price to be lower than Disney's package. As far as that, there aren't any other discounts. In fact, the price will continue to go up as time goes on. Book as soon as you can and welcome aboard!

 

[LadyShiva]

Yes, all food is included, with the exception of Palo, and adult-only reservation required restaurant. The charge for that is $10/person. Also all drinks, except alcohol, are included.

A slight tweak on that "all drinks" comment... Soda isn't included for room service.

Here's a link to the "Dining" page for DCL:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/cruise-new/cr-dining.htm#service

Here's the overview page for all info DCL:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/cruise-new/cr-overview.htm

And here's a really neat page to calculate tips for your cruise:
http://cruisetip.tpkeller.com/

Hope that helps!
Brandie

 

[disneycruise05]

Just to clarify on what Mickey'sfriend said about drinks, all drinks with the exception of alcohol are included during meals and at the deck 9 drink station. If you get a drink from the bar or room service, you'll be charged.

I agree about looking into booking the two parts seperatly. This way, you aren't "forced" into staying in a deluxe resort at the parks...you could stay at a moderate for lots less.

Are you looking at getting a cat. 5? Cat. 7? Cats. 1-7 have verandahs. If you're looking at a cat. 5, a cat. 6 is exactly the same, just one deck down and cheaper...usually not by tons, but cheaper.

HTH!

 

[disneycruise05]

Forgot to add...

to the boards!!!

 

[princess06]

Thanks for your responses. The TA suggested Category 6 which has a verandah.

 

[scrapperjill]

$7000 seems high to me...but I haven't done a land sea package nor have I cruised in June. We're doing 4 nights at WDW followed by a 7 night cruise this Sept for around $4000. If I were you I'd check into doing the land on it's own. I've heard quite often that you can save a good deal going this route....but then again I've also heard it can be close to the same or a better deal to do the package. That of course I think has to do alot with the time of year your looking. Any summer months and/or holidays you'll see higher prices....and I'd bet you'd see higher package prices as well.

Is June the ONLY time you can go? If not you could save a great deal by going at a non peak time. I believe June is peak rates at the resorts and higher on the cruise as well.

If there's anyway to talk the family out of a verhanda you could also save quite a bit there. We had a verhanda on our past cruise...but rebooked a ocean view intead...the additional $ it cost for a verhanda just wasn't worth it for us.

To add into the "all drinks" issue. Smoothies are also an additional charge. ONLY sodas, juices and stuff at the drink station on deck 9 are free. As well as basic drinks at meals (soda, coffee, milk, tea). ANY drinks ordered from the bar (even soda) or from a beverage person walking around asking to take your drink order cost something. And MOST drinks ordered from room service...like water, soda and/or beer carry an additional fee. OH...and speciality coffee drinks from Cove Cafe' have a charge.

Just about ALL food is included. Enough that you wouldn't need to purchase any. However like others have said if you go to Palo (the adult only resturant) there is a pp fee....and you have to make reservations to go. There's also a snack place near the movie theater that has snacks for a charge (you can always pack your own if you have to have movie snacks...or stop by one of the other places on the ship and pick up a goodie for free). Other than that for the most part all the food is included. Your able to walk up to any of the quick service places like Goofy's gally and order what you want any time there open...as well as order a good deal from room service 24 hrs a day for free....not to mention the buffets and your regular scheduled dinning rotation.

 

[LadyZolt]

The others are right -- look at booking them separately. What happens when you do the Land/Sea package is that the resort you stay at while doing the "land" portion is correlated to the Category of your cabin aboard the ship. So, you could do it for less if you book a Cat 6 cabin (with the verandah you want) and then a Disney resort. With the Category 6 Land/Sea, you would stay at a Deluxe resort whereas it would be less expensive to book a moderate or a value. Also, with Land/Sea, you get a 7-day Park Hopper that you would have to pay to add the "no expiration" option to in order to use it (since you will only be on "land" for 3 or 4 days, not 7) unless you go right back to Disney World after your cruise (thus within the 14-day window before it expires). If you book it on your own, you could buy the tickets you want. I did the Land/Sea last June (Category 4, stayed at the Beach Club -- four of us, me, DH, DD and DD's 15-year old friend), and while I had a good time, I'm going again next December and have booked the land and sea separately. I do think it's not only more cost effective to book them separately, but you can better customize everything to what you want. Have fun!

-Dorothy (LadyZolt)