I don't get why Disney doesn't offer longer cruises...

[JM_97]

@tvguy pegged it.

And not only are Bahamas cruises meh for 2026, this is what they have been offering since I started in 2007 (and probably since DCL started in 1998).

I hold to the idea that there expectation was not to build a large repeat customer base, but to lure people to FL to do a combined WDW + DCL vacation. New visitors are probably more likely to spend dollars (soft sales) than repeaters. That’s a good source of income for all cruise lines (and lower alcohol sales, no casino for DCL).

But a longer Bahamas cruise? I can’t think of anyone who offers that. Nassau, Grand Bahama Island, and the private cruise islands (or beach - Bimini or Princess Cay next to Lighthouse Point) don’t seem to be packaged by themselves. If you get much longer than 3-4, you find the added days are Sea Days to get to Dominican Republic, Virgin Islands, or Mexico, Caymans. I looked up Bahamas cruises for the rest of this year. Beyond the 3- and 4-night offerings, you start getting those additional ports.

Those short cruises allow more people to cruise. Lower price and fit into a week’s vacation. Add a few days before or after in origin city…. It’s been working for years. Seven nights takes more than a week of vacation. I think you understand that from previous post.

You have picked cruising with DCL during a time of pretty big growth. Now it’s time to figure out which ship is going where and how Lighthouse Point works out.

Why offer cruises to both Cays if you have people willing to do two cruises with only one of the beaches offered on each? Probably not the best things from a consumer view.

If you added 2 or 3 nights in San Juan to the 6- or 7-night cruise, you would end up with a longer vacation / use of flight.

As for hitting both Cays on a cruise, maybe in the future. But I think that will be few and far between. Used to be Double Dips were rare. They still might be.

There's a fair amount of 5 night cruises from PC on the Magic and Fantasy that hit both islands + Nassau + 1 day at sea. The "normal" 4 nights usually only do one of the islands + Nassau, but there are a few double dips.

 

[JM_97]

Shorter cruises are more profitable. You are putting more people on the ship over the course of a year. That means you sell more souvenirs. On a 7 day everyone buys their DCL tee shirt. But by using the ship for a 3 day, and a 4 day in the same week, twice as many people are buying that tee shirt. And it makes the cruise more affordable from a fare standpoint. Someone who can't afford a 4 day, might be able to afford a 3 day. Someone who can't afford a 5 day, might be able to afford a 4 day. Someone who can't afford a 7 day, might be able to afford a 5 day.

I'm part of that last group lol

 

[tvguy]

I always thought the rationale is that it just doesn't take very long to get from Florida to the Caribbean/Bahamas... so a longer cruise just means kinda wandering around. And I agree it is also very much about profit.

Even the 14 night WBPC cruise we did in 2022 didn't stop at Castaway

Cruising has changed a lot as it has gotten more mainstream. The SHIP used to be the big destination. My first cruise was a 14 day Caribbean cruise out of Miami in 1980. The ship and being pampered on board was the primary purpose of the trip. The ports were secondary, and an amazing number of people never got off the ship in port. This was on the MS Mermoz, owned by the French Cruise line Paquet. There was at least one sea day between every port. It was a cruise that featured gourmet food and complimentary wine with lunch and dinner. There were no alternate dining options, no fast food places, and just one seating for dinner. And dinner was a 12 course 3 1/2 hour production every night at 6 pm. People now seem to go crazy if dinner takes more than 45 minutes. The entertainment was a singer.......oh.....he was the Captain of the ship......and a comedian was the Cruise Director. Night life? A night club that was packed, despite not opening until 2 am!
Now people want water slides, and amusement parks for the little bit of time they aren't in port, and sea days seem to have fallen out of favor.

 

[auntlynne]

There's a fair amount of 5 night cruises from PC on the Magic and Fantasy that hit both islands + Nassau + 1 day at sea. The "normal" 4 nights usually only do one of the islands + Nassau, but there are a few double dips.

I’m sure that I had a rambling post - probably going off topic.

The OP was talking about a longer Bahamas cruise that goes to both LP and CC and is considered a Bahamas cruise. She did mention any US port.

But I’m taking into account limited windows of vacation time, too. And I was ruling out TA, PC, Southern / Western / Eastern Caribbean - because they aren’t Bahamas.

… If for me, a 5-night cruise to both Cays would be great, any ship. Basically, whichever has the lowest price tag. So your post is info I will tuck into my hat. I have a 25% discount I am itching to use.

 

[Budzooka]

I get it but I can wish!

We did a carnival cruise out of NYC in 2014 that stopped in Florida, two Bahama stops, and back to NYC. When we stopped in Florida my husband and I went to universal. Imagine a Disney cruise that stoped at PC and did a Disney day? I'd love it.

Did a similar cruise on DCL in 2019. Sailed 7 nights out of NY with 3 sea days, 1 stop at Port Canaveral for WDW, next day at Castaway, and then 2 more sea days on way back to NY. Was over Halloween and we had a great time on ship and WDW! Was a great trip.

 

[jimmymc]

I think most families have trouble taking kids out of school for more than a week, so that's what a lot of cruises are scheduled at. DCL also has a higher cost per night than other cruise lines, so many people's budgets are in the 3 to 5 night range.

I personally agree that longer cruises with stops at both private destinations would be great, but I think that would price out a lot of families.

 

[Mle8308]

I wonder if docking space/availability is a factor, too? Especially if you want to add ports that are not "Disney owned". With so many more cruise ships operating now, space to dock may be more difficult to find.

 

[mmouse37]

I get it but I can wish!

We did a carnival cruise out of NYC in 2014 that stopped in Florida, two Bahama stops, and back to NYC. When we stopped in Florida my husband and I went to universal. Imagine a Disney cruise that stoped at PC and did a Disney day? I'd love it.

 

[tvguy]

I wonder if docking space/availability is a factor, too? Especially if you want to add ports that are not "Disney owned". With so many more cruise ships operating now, space to dock may be more difficult to find.

At the home port or ports of call? Port Canaveral is the second busiest home port in the world, and looking today at the webcam, there isn't a single ship in port today. Ports of call they can normally tender into. We tendered in to St. Marteen on the Magic, as did several other ships.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Every so often Publix will have B&J BOGO, so I will be stocking up on Chunky Monkey later this week.

So- we have booked our first Disney cruise which is a 7 night one way from Galveston to San Juan with stops at both islands.

We booked this cruise due to length, ship, and destination.

However we were considering pushing this cruise out another year (changed our minds). But maybe I'm not looking right or maybe they haven't released everything but I feel like the offerings for Bahama cruises is... meh.. for 2026. There is nothing in 2026 longer than 5 nights for the Bahamas or really for any US port. Seems that's pretty standard for Disney cruise? Maybe it's just our vacation style but when you have the fly from the mid west 5 nights in probably the minimum we would do, not the max. And based on how our current cruise has jumped in price and is nearly sold out, I think people want longer Bahama cruises. We will probably fall in love with DCL after this cruise so may deal with the 5 nights but I guess that's something that surprises me as someone new to DCL.

I would like to see longer DCL sailings in general. Not Alaska, Europe. I just like to drive to port & get on ship. I keep hoping that more ships would equal to longer cruises & better itinerary but no luck so far. At least for me.

 

[JM_97]

I’m sure that I had a rambling post - probably going off topic.

The OP was talking about a longer Bahamas cruise that goes to both LP and CC and is considered a Bahamas cruise. She did mention any US port.

But I’m taking into account limited windows of vacation time, too. And I was ruling out TA, PC, Southern / Western / Eastern Caribbean - because they aren’t Bahamas.

… If for me, a 5-night cruise to both Cays would be great, any ship. Basically, whichever has the lowest price tag. So your post is info I will tuck into my hat. I have a 25% discount I am itching to use.

They're in the spring and summer of 2025. It will start out with the Fantasy, and then when she goes over to Europe, the Magic will come to Port Canaveral (for the first time in forever!) and sail those. Either ships with those stops would be fantastic.

 

[Mommb]

I am guessing another reason why 7 night cruises and alternating 3 and 4 night cruises are most common for Disney cruises is that they allow for visiting ports on the same day each week (making it easier to schedule excursions), and allow for cruises that have embarkation, debarkation, or both on a weekend (when school is not in session).

 

[DCLMP]

They probably don't do them because they don't make as much money on them. They make a lot of money off the short PC cruises with first time cruisers. I wish they offered longer unique sailings, but they probably don't have the customer base for it like other cruise lines do. Older retired people with no kids are the ones that like the long cruises. Most working people don't have enough vacation time.

Lets face it DCL is a family cruise line with mediocre itineraries. If your in the mood for that you cruise DCL if you something more exotic you look else where.

 

[holula]

I’m not asking for a longer cruise every month. I don’t think Disney would do that and I think the price point would be too high for a lot of people.

But I’d love one 10 night southern cruise (ideally from PC but I’d take PE too) when kids are in school. If they ran that once a year or even once every few years I think they’d sell out that cruise.

 

[Mommb]

I’m not asking for a longer cruise every month. I don’t think Disney would do that and I think the price point would be too high for a lot of people.

But I’d love one 10 night southern cruise (ideally from PC but I’d take PE too) when kids are in school. If they ran that once a year or even once every few years I think they’d sell out that cruise.

They have something close -- 10-night cruises from Port Canaveral, with stops at both Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay, departing July 25, 2024 on the Fantasy and July 25, 2025 on the Magic.

These are while most kids are out of school, though. When Disney Cruise does special itineraries (such as Hawaii, Panama Canal, and Trans-Atlantic) during the school year, people complain about that too, so they can't please everyone.

 

[holula]

They have something close -- 10-night cruises from Port Canaveral, with stops at both Lighthouse Point and Castaway Cay, departing July 25, 2024 on the Fantasy and July 25, 2025 on the Magic.

These are while most kids are out of school, though. When Disney Cruise does special itineraries (such as Hawaii, Panama Canal, and Trans-Atlantic) during the school year, people complain about that too, so they can't please everyone.

I know they have those July ones, they do them every year, but I don’t want to sail in July. Which is why I want one when kids are back in school.

In 2026 they have scheduled the PC cruise to be over Easter so I suspect there will be more kids than normal on that cruise. With the repo cruises the dates are much less flexible than doing a one off southern though.

 

[obsesseddisneyfan]

My first cruise was the Alaska Cruise and now will not even try a cruise that is less then 7 days. I have two booked. The 7 day you are on. Very excited for the itinerary and so booked opening day. Also booked opening day the 14 days PC cruise for 2026. Both are sold out. Will most likely book TA or TP cruise for 2027. The longer the better. Yes they would sale out better. However I assume that Disney makes more money per person on the shorter ones and with a small fleet are trying to max their profit. Glad they are more then doubling their fleet. We might see some better cruises in the future.

 

[auntlynne]

I’m not asking for a longer cruise every month. I don’t think Disney would do that and I think the price point would be too high for a lot of people.

But I’d love one 10 night southern cruise (ideally from PC but I’d take PE too) when kids are in school. If they ran that once a year or even once every few years I think they’d sell out that cruise.

While this is not what you were thinking, for those who have the time and are okay with B2B and a different starting and port, there were a couple of runs on the Magic that could be stitched together for an interesting vacation.

2024


^^ And, yes, these have passed, but it was just to see what is offered in 2024 & 2025.




2025



No idea how these are priced or are selling. Our May 23 8-night Southern, RT San Juan, offered GTY rooms for ~ $3000 - 3500, oceanview, for 2 guests.

But none of these are coming out of PC. And no cruise that is >7 nights.

 

[Rimmit]

Cruising has changed a lot as it has gotten more mainstream. The SHIP used to be the big destination. My first cruise was a 14 day Caribbean cruise out of Miami in 1980. The ship and being pampered on board was the primary purpose of the trip. The ports were secondary, and an amazing number of people never got off the ship in port. This was on the MS Mermoz, owned by the French Cruise line Paquet. There was at least one sea day between every port. It was a cruise that featured gourmet food and complimentary wine with lunch and dinner. There were no alternate dining options, no fast food places, and just one seating for dinner. And dinner was a 12 course 3 1/2 hour production every night at 6 pm. People now seem to go crazy if dinner takes more than 45 minutes. The entertainment was a singer.......oh.....he was the Captain of the ship......and a comedian was the Cruise Director. Night life? A night club that was packed, despite not opening until 2 am!
Now people want water slides, and amusement parks for the little bit of time they aren't in port, and sea days seem to have fallen out of favor.

It's kinda odd because I've been cruising since 1989 and almost feel it was the opposite. Yes, the ship used to have absurd service. Literally, 5 star insane I know EVERYTHING about you well before you got off the boat, I can anticipate your every need including knowing your exact tastes based on one menu order level service, but the ships before had zero bells and whistles. But I didn't know a ton of people in the late 80's early 90's that were going just for the ship, but it easily could just be the demographic I was around.

They had shuffle board, ping pong, a spa, a gym, maybe a small arcade, maybe a dinky kids club, a buffet, the MDR, the main pool and a hot tub or two and that was it. Like you said, you now have got Icon of the Seas with practically every amenity you can pack in and specialty dining. The main reason people go on a cruise now is for the ship. It's literally a floating resort, whereas before, your options were literally the pool, and not much else to do if you stayed on board.

The service back then was absolutely immaculate though. I do miss that service dearly. They actually seemed to truly care about the guest surveys back then.

The ships used to be ghost towns on sea days on the lines I went on which were Premier, NCL, RCL. Now people have been to the ports so many times the whole reason they go on the cruise is to experience the ship. Maybe for some other lines, but the more main stream, and main stream back in the 80's is nothing like mainstream now, most got off the ship in port.

 

[yowcruiser]

At the home port or ports of call? Port Canaveral is the second busiest home port in the world, and looking today at the webcam, there isn't a single ship in port today. Ports of call they can normally tender into. We tendered in to St. Marteen on the Magic, as did several other ships.

It's a bit more complicated than that... First, port tenders can sure be done... but not a guest favorite and with DCL being so big on safety, that boat transfer does add a risk element, as well as slows down debarkation/embarkation (and ultimately also probably adds to cost). Sure, they do it at Grand Cayman, Cabo and a few European ports... but I can't recall how many times I have been on DCL and we had to skip Grand Cayman as the see was just a little bit too rough for a port tender. Moreover, for ports that are not generally tender ports, if the docks are full, execursion service providers may be at or near capacity.. and I have had change of itineraries before with DCL, especially on Southern Caribbeans, when it looks like things might be a tad too busy in port