Help me decide! DCL, RC or Nassau?

[elphaba91]

My Mum and I are planning to head to Orlando in April/May to visit my sister who's just started her Disney International Cultural Exchange Program. Because it's so far away (10,000 miles and over 22 hours!) we thought it would be nice to do a side-trip too. Originally we planned on going to somewhere in the Caribbean (likely Nassau because of price/distance), but now we are starting to wonder if a cruise would be better instead.

We are obviously both adults (26 and a young 60!) and have travelled quite a lot together. We do like adventure, but we want this leg of the trip to be about relaxation (ideally we'd be heading to Maui but that's not really an option this trip!). Entertainment-wise, we love musicals (we saw 28 last year!) and detest gambling for personal reasons and are quite content lying in the sun or sipping a cocktail! We will be spending quite a bit of time at WDW this trip (our first time!), with both park and non-park days. Oh, and we've never cruised before!

So, of the following options, what would you choose for us?

1. 4 day cruise on the Disney Dream with stops at Nassau and Castaway Cay.

2. 4 day cruise on the Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas. This is about half the price of the Disney cruise.

3. A trip to Nassau staying at a hotel (not Atlantis, possibly the Hilton). I think this would cost around the same as the Disney cruise.

Any advice at all would be much appreciated!

 

[Marc D]

A lot of people sailing on DCL, with the obligatory stop in Nassau, don't bother getting off the ship there. It is not a very interesting place to visit and crime has been a problem lately. So that would exclude the Bahamas hotel stay for me.

That leaves the two cruises. The choice truly depends on your tolerance to the price difference. We find we get better service and better food on DCL. Have you compared the sq. footage of the staterooms ? DCL tends to offer bigger standard cabins than other cruise lines.

We also justify the cost by the activities available to our son, something that's not a criteria for you. On that subject, Majesty is a small ship by today's standards and it offers very little extra activities compared to DCL or other RCCL ships. The shows on DCL are the best at sea, especially if you are fans of the Disney brand. On DCL, you need to accept that you'll be surrounded by little kids that sometimes run around or cry, but also are often enthralled by the characters and activities. Some people prefer that energy, others like to stay clear. There's an adult-only section on DCL but you won't be able to keep away from kids all the time.

Finally, Castaway cay is our favorite stop on any cruise since it is clean, safe and you can't get much more relaxing than the adult beach there.

 

[dclpluto]

My Mum and I are planning to head to Orlando in April/May to visit my sister who's just started her Disney International Cultural Exchange Program. Because it's so far away (10,000 miles and over 22 hours!) we thought it would be nice to do a side-trip too. Originally we planned on going to somewhere in the Caribbean (likely Nassau because of price/distance), but now we are starting to wonder if a cruise would be better instead.

We are obviously both adults (26 and a young 60!) and have travelled quite a lot together. We do like adventure, but we want this leg of the trip to be about relaxation (ideally we'd be heading to Maui but that's not really an option this trip!). Entertainment-wise, we love musicals (we saw 28 last year!) and detest gambling for personal reasons and are quite content lying in the sun or sipping a cocktail! We will be spending quite a bit of time at WDW this trip (our first time!), with both park and non-park days. Oh, and we've never cruised before!

So, of the following options, what would you choose for us?

1. 4 day cruise on the Disney Dream with stops at Nassau and Castaway Cay.

2. 4 day cruise on the Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas. This is about half the price of the Disney cruise.

3. A trip to Nassau staying at a hotel (not Atlantis, possibly the Hilton). I think this would cost around the same as the Disney cruise.

Any advice at all would be much appreciated!

Well this is the DCL board so most answers will be DCL. Since you asked here I'm guessing your leaning towards DCL. Enjoy disney cruise you both will love it.

 

[elphaba91]

Well this is the DCL board so most answers will be DCL. Since you asked here I'm guessing your leaning towards DCL. Enjoy disney cruise you both will love it.

Lol...that probably is a fair assessment! However, I wasn't too sure what the best place for this thread would be, other than perhaps the Community Board, although the advice Marc provided above is already more useful than anything I've received there!

 

[mevelandry]

What is the itinerary for 2. ?

Half the price would most likely be my choice. With the money you saved you can add a lot of extras to your WDW stay like restaurants you've always wanted to try or special activities or parties.

 

[mevelandry]

Lol...that probably is a fair assessment! However, I wasn't too sure what the best place for this thread would be, other than perhaps the Community Board, although the advice Marc provided above is already more useful than anything I've received there!

Ask the same question in the RCCL section of DISboards.

 

[GatorMomInNC]

Cruise prices in early April will be more expensive than in May, and should be less kids after early April (due to spring break).

Crazy idea, but...could you do the Westbound Panama Canal cruise on the Wonder? Plenty of sun, you can see "Frozen" on the Wonder, and end up in LA for more sightseeing. Itis a fantastic cruise, just not sure you have 2weeks to do it.

Otherwise, I say go for DCL. I would even cut back on WDW, since you want to relax. The cruise is about 10x more relaxing than the parks. And the longer the cruise, the more relaxing. Shorter cruise you barely unpack before you pack again.

 

[elphaba91]

What is the itinerary for 2. ?

Half the price would most likely be my choice. With the money you saved you can add a lot of extras to your WDW stay like restaurants you've always wanted to try or special activities or parties.

Oops, forgot to include that! It's Nassau and Coco Cay, so quite similar.

Ask the same question in the RCCL section of DISboards.

Excellent idea!

 

[mevelandry]

The reviews for Coco Cay are pretty good too. The images I've seen remind me of Blue Lagoon (which we loved).

 

[elphaba91]

Cruise prices in early April will be more expensive than in May, and should be less kids after early April (due to spring break).

Crazy idea, but...could you do the Westbound Panama Canal cruise on the Wonder? Plenty of sun, you can see "Frozen" on the Wonder, and end up in LA for more sightseeing. Itis a fantastic cruise, just not sure you have 2weeks to do it.

Otherwise, I say go for DCL. I would even cut back on WDW, since you want to relax. The cruise is about 10x more relaxing than the parks. And the longer the cruise, the more relaxing. Shorter cruise you barely unpack before you pack again.

No worries, we'd actually be doing end of April/early May. We have a public holiday on 4/25 (1 day less of annual leave!) and my sister's birthday is on 4/29 so would be at WDW for that time. Both cruises depart on 5/1.

The Wonder cruise actually looks magnificent! If only it left a week later it would actually be perfect!!!

And yes, we're definitely not keen to go go go the whole trip! Our last trip (just last September/October, hence why I'm a bit thrown planning a trip again so soon!) we did 3 weeks of full-on tourist then a week of total relaxation and it was perfect.

 

[Shanti]

My Mum and I are planning to head to Orlando in April/May to visit my sister who's just started her Disney International Cultural Exchange Program. Because it's so far away (10,000 miles and over 22 hours!) we thought it would be nice to do a side-trip too. Originally we planned on going to somewhere in the Caribbean (likely Nassau because of price/distance), but now we are starting to wonder if a cruise would be better instead.

We are obviously both adults (26 and a young 60!) and have travelled quite a lot together. We do like adventure, but we want this leg of the trip to be about relaxation (ideally we'd be heading to Maui but that's not really an option this trip!). Entertainment-wise, we love musicals (we saw 28 last year!) and detest gambling for personal reasons and are quite content lying in the sun or sipping a cocktail! We will be spending quite a bit of time at WDW this trip (our first time!), with both park and non-park days. Oh, and we've never cruised before!

So, of the following options, what would you choose for us?

1. 4 day cruise on the Disney Dream with stops at Nassau and Castaway Cay.

2. 4 day cruise on the Royal Caribbean Majesty of the Seas. This is about half the price of the Disney cruise.

3. A trip to Nassau staying at a hotel (not Atlantis, possibly the Hilton). I think this would cost around the same as the Disney cruise.

Any advice at all would be much appreciated!

A 4-night cruise on the Dream, in addition to your WDW trip, would altogether make for a perfect vacation.

 

[PAGA2003]

Is there a time constraint so that you only have 4 nights for that portion of the trip? If not I would suggest a 7 night cruise where you would see several ports. Since you are traveling quite the distance is it your first experience with the Caribbean? If so I think you should look into other destinations rather than the Bahamas. A southern itinerary would be nice but they are very busy and port intensive (Puerto Rico, St. Lucia, Dominica, etc). Otherwise an Eastern Caribbean to see other places like the British and/or US Virgin Islands, and St. Martin or Western to visit Mexico, Jamaica, Grand Cayman. And definitely look into other cruise lines unless you are huge Disney fans and just want to sail with the mouse. There are many other great cruise lines out there at a fraction of the cost. We're heading on a Bermuda cruise with Celebrity this year and can't wait!

Now to throw in one other option since you mention a hotel stay and relaxation, our favorite spot in the Caribbean when we just want to relax at the beach for a week is St. Barth. It does take a bit longer to get to because you have to take a short flight from either San Juan or St. Martin but in our opinion it is worth it! Excellent food, wonderful people, beautiful beaches and great shopping as well. We prefer renting villas but there are many small boutique hotels as well.

 

[angelinaxox]

A lot of people sailing on DCL, with the obligatory stop in Nassau, don't bother getting off the ship there. It is not a very interesting place to visit and crime has been a problem lately. So that would exclude the Bahamas hotel stay for me.

That leaves the two cruises. The choice truly depends on your tolerance to the price difference. We find we get better service and better food on DCL. Have you compared the sq. footage of the staterooms ? DCL tends to offer bigger standard cabins than other cruise lines.

We also justify the cost by the activities available to our son, something that's not a criteria for you. On that subject, Majesty is a small ship by today's standards and it offers very little extra activities compared to DCL or other RCCL ships. The shows on DCL are the best at sea, especially if you are fans of the Disney brand. On DCL, you need to accept that you'll be surrounded by little kids that sometimes run around or cry, but also are often enthralled by the characters and activities. Some people prefer that energy, others like to stay clear. There's an adult-only section on DCL but you won't be able to keep away from kids all the time.

Finally, Castaway cay is our favorite stop on any cruise since it is clean, safe and you can't get much more relaxing than the adult beach there.

I agree with Marc D. I have stayed in Nassau at the Atlantis and really enjoyed it, but prefer cruises. Of the two ships and of the two itineraries, I would choose the Dream and have chosen it over the Enchantment when it was doing a similar itinerary. I have not done the Majesty, but have read a lot on it as I do cruise RCCL. It is one of Royal's older ships with less bells and whistles, which may not be as important to you as you have never been on a cruise, but that ship doesn't appeal to me.

I also prefer Serenity Bay on Castaway Cay to any of the other private island spots. It is perfect for adults. For most of my Disney cruises, I have travelled adult only and I have never been overrun by kids onboard as I enjoy the adult section and the adult activities scheduled. In fact, I prefer Disney to the other cruise lines when I am traveling with just adults but I love all things Disney.

 

[party-of-five]

I would choose a cruise over time in Nassau. I would choose the DCL cruise over RCCL because you mention that you enjoy musicals and dislike gambling. In September, after a week of being at WDW, we took our second 4 night Dream cruise. The cruise was so relaxing, castaway cay is gorgeous, the shows were a lot of fun, and we stayed onboard in Nassau and enjoyed lounging by the pool as well as the many activities they offered throughout the day.

Whatever you decide, safe travels and enjoy!

 

[mevelandry]

Don't RCCL have musicals too?

If you don't like gambling, you don't have to go to the casino. I hate them so I just don't spend time over them when the cruiseship has one.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Don't RCCL have musicals too?

If you don't like gambling, you don't have to go to the casino. I hate them so I just don't spend time over them when the cruiseship has one.

RCCL does have nightly entertainment but it's a real yawner.

 

[Dug720]

RCCL does have nightly entertainment but it's a real yawner.

Some of the Behmoths of the Seas have "Broadway" Shows on them. I put it in quotes because the running time reported on some of them indicate that it is really the Junior version of the show used for Middle Schools.

 

[Sanchez]

RCCL does have nightly entertainment but it's a real yawner.

That is a matter of personal preference. I found the entertainment on DCL to be unwatchable. Conversely, RCCL Oasis was very good. Especially the aquatics show.

 

[disneypolybride2008]

Oasis of the Seas had amazing entertainment, ice skating, central park, grown up vibe, and a 7 night cruise is great. Majesty of the Seas is a smaller ship, Oasis is huge. If motion is an issue, Oasis was so big i could not tell i was moving. DCL we sailed 2x before our kids. We were often bored. The kid pools are for kids, the slide is for kids, the celebration sail away streamers were 'only for kids,' as i asked a CM for one and was not given one. Their elevators are small and packed like sardines. Their prices are extremely high. On Oasis, the service was impeccable. At the buffet on Oasis, the staff was amazing, taking drink orders (even just soda or milk), bringing you chocolate covered strawberrys to your table. Royal Caribbean was WAY better in my experiences. This time we are going on Norwegian Escape, new ship with TONS to do, for grown ups! Grown up slides, gorgeous adult pool, 3 story ropes course for adults, zip lines for adults, amazing food, amazing everything and we got our 7 night cruise for our family of 4 for $2700 with gratuities included for the adults. However, if you book it during your disney world stay, you can book transportation on the DCL bus from your Disney resort. Have you considered Carnival? Their 4 night cruises on their smaller ships go to their AMAZING private island, Half Moon Cay. Watch videos of that, it's so perfect. We cruised in April on DCL and due to winds, the adult beach was covered in beach wood, sea weed, and practically unusable. The water was also chilly. I want to go to Half Moon Cay. WOW WOW WOW. Guys Burger Joint makes up for everything on Carnival. It's so good.
By the way, we picked DCL because it was easier for us to take a 3 night with our Disney World vacation, than going with another cruise line and figuring those logistics out.. which isn't that hard, looking back. Good luck, have fun with whatever you choose. Oh, on DCL for their sail away party, my DH and I picked a table on the top deck, overlooking the fun, which we thought was a good choice. Once it started, parents piled around our table and their kids literally wedged themselves between my chair and the railing. It was beyond rude. I just sat their thinking that, looking back I should have spoke up and told them to move. DCL's buffet on the Wonder was not good either. Kids everywhere, going the wrong way through the buffet and bumping into me. Research the ship you want, pick what fits your needs. I would like to take our kids, now that we have them, on a Disney Cruise, but then i remember all of what it was like, and i don't think it's worth it. The lines for the characters were a mile long. One morning though, we stumbled upon captain Mickey, that was a nice surprise as we pulled into Nassau. After being on Oasis, and Carnival's Breeze, DCL just can't measure up for me.