How do you cruise with 4 children inexpensively?

[6IrishDisneyKids]

Hello!

My dh and I have always wanted to take our family on a Disney cruise. The "problem" is that we now have 4 children and we have a limited vacation budget.

What is the least expensive way we could take our 4 children? Would my dh and I each book our own room and have split the children 2 and 2 between us? Dh thinks we will still have to pay for 2 of the children as adults.

Can anyone share any magical secrets with us?! Seems like we will need some "magic" to make this happen...

 

[HooKooDooKu]

DH is correct. All cabins are booked based on double occupancy. If a single person wants to book a cabin, they must pay 1.75 times the single person rate (i.e. if a cabin cost $2000 for a couple, the cost is $1000 per person, but for a single person to book the cabin, they will have to pay $1750).

DCL is required to sell cabins based on it's stated occupancy. Cabins below Cat 4 have a MAXIMUM capacity of 4 people. If you price out cabins, you will generally find that a Cat 4 cost about as much as two Cat 10s.

So the basic answer to your question is to book two Cat 11 or 12s, paying for 4 adults and 2 children in the month of September (the general cheapest time of year).

 

[6IrishDisneyKids]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess we will never be able to do it then...just too expensive. Bummer.

 

[txaggie94gigem]

If cost is a factor, definitely book cat 11 or 12...esp cat 12. You really do not spend much time in your room except for getting dressed and sleeping. If you like to drink a little while on vacation, bring it with you! Make sure you budget and set aside $$ for tips. You can explore the places you visit on your own for a lot less than the excursions cost, esp if you just want to go to the beach. Limit souveniers and picture purchases on board. Try a 4 day before you commit to a 7 day. Obviously it is cheaper, but it also allows you to have a smaller budget and still experience DCL. Travel off season, esp September! Most importantly, get quotes from several travel agents (there are many threads on here that list specific names)...alot are really good and alomst all are cheaper than Disney rack rates but the savings vary from travel agent to travel agent based on your cruise dates. So pick a date and start emailing and calling for rates and plan from there....

then you'll be on

 

[txaggie94gigem]

also since you live in florida i have heard they offer special rates to florida residents on certain cruises...you may check into it...

 

[MelissaE1]

Although it's hard to cruise Disney "inexpensively" it can be done (relatively speaking). For instance, they are now offering "magical rates" that were, at one time, as low as $399 pp for a four day cruise. Right now the lowest I believe is $499 pp. 4-day, $399 pp 3-day. That is for persons 1 and 2, don't know about persons 3+. This is a cat 12 GTY, which basically just means you are guaranteed a spot on the ship somewhere. That info can be found here (along with other ways to go as cheaply as possible):

http://www.mousesavers.com/dcldiscounts.html

Also, you can just save up and wait for Florida resident rates to come out, but they are sporadic at best (September and January are good bets) and are offered more on the 7-day than the 3 and 4 day cruises. You can find current resident rates here:

http://cruises.allseastravel.com/c/5/5738/1147576_5738.htm

(Note: you can book in advance and have your rate adjusted if resident rates come out for that sailing.)

Good luck!

 

[Diznut84]

I used to think it was grossly unfair that DCL didn't offer affordable staterooms for five people, but I've tempered my opinion somewhat now. The mistake that people make in crying foul against large families is that for the additional cost of upgrading a child to an adult, you also get an extra room!

Let's work out an example. It depends, of course, how old your kids, what category you want to sail on, and what season. Let's take the most economical example with a family with four kids ages 4, 7, 12, and 14 traveling with two parents in a Category 12 using Magical Rates (the lowest rates of the year). If everyone could fit in one room in a Category 12 during the best rate season (which would be VERY uncomfortable!), the cost would be something like:

2 Adults $1600
14 Year Old $600
4-12 Year Olds $1200
Approximate Total: $3400 plus taxes

Instead, you would put the 14 year old in with one of the adults in one room (and pay an additional $200) and the 12 year old in with the other adult (for an additional $400). In short, you would pay $4000 plus taxes (or an extra $600), BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TWO STATEROOMS!

Take another look at the feasability of adjoining staterooms! Maybe it's not so bad!

 

[HooKooDooKu]

It looks like the Flordia Residence rates are the cheapest way for family of 6 to go. Here's what's really great about the Florida rates if you can get them...

For a 7-day cruise, It's cheaper to book 2 Cat 9 rooms for 3 people per room ($4000+ total) for September 2005 than it is to book 2 Cat 12 rooms for 3 people per room ($5150+).

So Florida rates seem to be your cheapest rate (and definitely your best bargin).

Unfortunately, by the time you include tips (almost $500 for a family of 6 for a 7-day cruise) and other misc charges (an excursion, suviners, pictures, travel, parking, etc) you'll still have to budget $5000 for the trip.

Suddenly, the $10,000 we spend for our family to do a 2 week Repo in a Cat 6 is sounding cheap.

 

[mackymaddyconnorsmom]

We booked the 7 day eastern in Cat for 5 for $3,500. We actually asked about adding a 6 person (Childs friend) and it was about $350-400 more, so you could do it for $3900. We didnt take out insurance

 

[chasbos]

I guess it comes down to what your budget is and when you want to sail.

We are a family of 6 and we sailed last Jan. 23 in 2 Cat 9's for $3400. We could have gone cheaper but we did not have to. I think if we had have stayed with Cat 11's it would have only been $2800.

Keep looking and you may find a good deal. It is an experience of a life time to be pampered by Disney for 4 days!

 

[DancingBear]

Can you bring a set of grandparents? Then you've got 2 adults in each cabin and your per person rate becomes more reasonable.

 

[logan1_2000]

What is the least expensive way we could take our 4 children?

Least expensive way is to either :1) take the smallest two children in your checked luggage, making sure to cut air holes and using bubble wrap to protect the little cuties during baggage handling; a helmet wouldn't hurt, either; or 2) focus on the three nighter if the budget could possibly cover that, and be willing to take the kids out of school to take advantage of lower cruise prices during such off-peak sailings; or 3) find another couple, childless preferably and who love your kids (grandparents? your siblings, i.e., the kids aunt & uncle? anyone? Buehler?), to go on the same cruise and register two of the children in their stateroom, so the kids don't cost adult price; or 4) try a Royal Caribbean or other cruise line where a shorter cruise on a still nice ship that is not their newest might be more heavily discounted, especially when school is in session.

 

[4ltlTinks]

I realize this probably isn't the solution you're looking for, but it's what we're doing, so I thought I would throw it out there.

We took 3 of our 4 children on the Magic last year (baby stayed with granny and papa.)

Next year, because we just can't afford to take them all at once, we are taking 2 of them (older ones.) Two years after that we are taking the younger two. This way, we can actually afford to take them, just not all at once.

We are very lucky to have my parents! They take care of our children quite a bit which is a big help! Not everyone is so fortunate.

So...it's something to consider if you have someone you trust who is able to watch the other children for you.

 

[CM_Mom]

I'm not sure the words "inexpensive" and "4 children" EVER go together! They're blessings, just NOT cheap.

 

[momoftwodisneykids]

Is a Disney cruise an absolute must for you? While were are really looking forward to our Disney cruise, you can find some fantastic deals with Carnival. We have cruised Carnival several times in the past. The cost is at least 1/3 less than the Disney cruises and I have been totally satisfied with their kids programs. We just happened to find a great deal on Disney that we couldn't pass up, but we had to downgrade from a balcony on Carnival to an inside Cat 11 with Disney. You could also do a few days at Disney World, followed by a short Carnival cruise out of PC. Would give you the opportunity to see the Mouse and still get a cruise in.

Joanne

 

[gydell]

How old are the children? If very young maybe Grandparents could watch a couple of them.

 

[callahanjulie10]

I would suggest looking for the Fl resident rate and pick the least expensive time for your family to go. There aren't any other ways to cruise on DCL that are cost efficient.
You could also check on cruising with another cruiseline that offers a last minute deal.

 

[renaibr]

my family booked a cruise four night on wonder and we are 2 adults 4 kids.
we had to take two cabins. the prices in the first weeks of december were cheap
at 399. the weeks between thanksgiving and xmas are always less crowded and
not as expensive. i have to pull them out of school for a few days, but i feel
that it is worth it just because we are spending time together as a family.
i make sure to get the work from school ahead of time- and before breakfast they get some of it done each day.

 

[Tenorsinging]

Hi,

I am not paid by this site, have no affiliation with and am not being paid for this, but I tried this site 2 years ago when we went on the Magic and it was a lot cheaper than the disney site. You might try this one if you want to see if you can swing going with all of your kids.

Here is the site: www.cruiseshopping.com

I saved several hundred dollars taking my daughter, because since it was just me and her for this particular trip, she was charged as an adult.

Lynne

 

[Mom24Princesses]

We were just getting ready to check in to DCL in late 99 when we learned #4 was on the way. I've been planning since 2000. We both teach so we can't go during "cheap" times. We opened a new savings account 7/04. We put $150 a month for the first six months then uped it to $300. PLUS tax returns this spring. NO VACATION DURING 05. Tax refunds in 06 AND we are doing 7 NT spring break. 2 CAT 10s. NOW $300 per month may be tough for some families so we gave up eating out and fast food. BOY DID THAT SAVE MONEY. Anytime we feel a bit low . . .put in the DCL DVD. If we'd done 4 night it would have saved BUT we've waited 5+ years and I feel it is a once in a life time. For everyone to really enjoy individual activities I felt we needed 7 NTs. We may do it again BUT we are facing teen drivers and college!!!!!!

Good Luck
Melanie
31 weeks to go
14 12 8 6 (the day before we sail)