I need help

[smfritz03]

Ok--we just got back from Disney---now I have a serious case of Disney fever. We have decided to try to the Disney Cruise--possibly the 4 day but keeping our mind open for the 7 day. The cast will be me27, dh27, ds7, dd6, dd6, dd1 (current ages)--we are looking to go either in the summer of 2007 or over Christmas break of 2007. I know this is aways off, but I would like to start saving now and want to get an estimate of what I should be saving monthly. So here are my questions:

1)Will we need a passport for the 4 day or the 7 day or for both?

2)Will I need to book 2 staterooms or is there a larger one I can book?

3)What is included in the prices? I know some cruises include food,etc but it doenst specifically state.

4)What activities are there to do on the boat and at the ports?

And any and all advice is appreciated, this seems way different than just planning any vacation, or maybe I just feel that way because of how easy my Disney vacation came together.

But thanks in advance to all!!!! Also--is there any cruises that doesnt need a passport?

 

[webray]

As of right now, the passport requirement date has been moved. However a passport is always best when traveling out of the country and if you like to travel you might as well bite the bullet and purchase them now.

You can book two staterooms, you must list one adult in each stateroom, and then you can sleep in whichever you want.

Breakfast, lunch dinner, some snacks, quick foods and your meals on castaway cay are included. Meals if you choose to eat in the ports/off the ship are not included. Alcoholic beverages not included. Special coffees not included. Arcade for kids not included. Unlimited soda from drink stations is included. You can not get free soda from bars. Movie snacks not included. Photos are extra. Bingo is extra. Souveniers extra. Auction items extra. Spa is extra.

If you want to be busy on the ship you can be busy all day long..there is so much to do for adults and kids. Or you can just relax. Activities change, so reading old navigators will give you an idea, but don't plan around those times/activites because they won't be the same on your cruise.

As far as ports..you would have to do your own research depending on what ports you are visiting. Disney will also offer excursions..extra cost of course.

 

[smfritz03]

Thanks so much!!! The only problem w/ the passport is we would like to take the stepkids, but there is no way their mother would sign for a passport--she was absolutely furious when we went to Disney, so signing for a passport is out of the question and the only way dh can take them on vacations is if their isnt a passport required. Well--if all that food is included in the price--that isnt a bad vacation total at all and will actually leave quiet a bit of spending $$ from what I was going to allote!!!!
What is the difference on categories that they offer?

 

[ashman]

There are links on this site and the dcl site www.disneycruise.com and others that do a great job of breaking it all down here is a quick and dirty:

Cats 10-12 inside staterooms cat 12 doesn't have the "split bath"
Cats 8-9 outside rooms with portholes
Cat 7 the Navigoator's Verandah, not a full verandah but has a nautical touch to it
Cats 5-6 the "regular verandah" difference here is location on the ship
Cat 4 the Deluxe verandah sleep 5
Cats 1-3 are the suites

hope this helps

 

[TheWog]

Go to the Disneycruise.com site and request the free planning DVD. It is great and a lot of fun to play with. There is plenty to do on the ship and at each ports. The site above goes into details of what you may like. Once we know more of your interests suggestions can be made that would be fun for you. The passport thing can be hard. If you can just get her to sign the consent form you can get the passports without her. They may be required by the time you are ready to travel and it would be terrible if you couldn't go. But as for right now, they are not necessary. Good luck.

 

[DrCavin]

As of right now, the passport requirement date has been moved.

I wish they would come up with their new "proposed timeline" SOON....
This is from the State Departments website:

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by January 1, 2008, travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada to have a passport or other secure, accepted document to enter or re-enter the United States. In order to facilitate the implementation of this requirement, the Administration is proposing to complete it in phases following a proposed timeline, which will be published in the Federal Register in the near future.

Which who knows may end up being the same as the one they had before

 

[awoltoday]

Go to the Disneycruise.com site and request the free planning DVD. It is great and a lot of fun to play with. There is plenty to do on the ship and at each ports. The site above goes into details of what you may like. Once we know more of your interests suggestions can be made that would be fun for you. The passport thing can be hard. If you can just get her to sign the consent form you can get the passports without her. They may be required by the time you are ready to travel and it would be terrible if you couldn't go. But as for right now, they are not necessary. Good luck.

The DVD was great to play with... the first 100 or so times. It should come with a warning to keep it away from your kids unless you don't mind putting it in several hundred times!

 

[txaggie94gigem]

it is my understanding that even if you do not need passports you have to have a letter/consent form signed by your stepkids' mom that says she knows you are taking the kids out of the country on DCL.....

 

[MelissaE1]

Another thing you might want to consider when choosing the date is the age dd1 will be at the time. If she will be 3 at Christmas and only 2-1/2 during the summer you may want to go for the holidays as she will be old enough to enjoy the Oceaneer's Club at that time (assuming she is potty trained). They do have Flounders' Nursery for a fee, but you can only get limited hours there. Since she has older brothers and sisters she may feel left out if she's the only one who doesn't get to go do the "big kids" stuff.

For more information on activities on the ship, you can look at past Navigators (the daily ship newsletter) for both adults and kids. Go to Dave's site at www.dcltribute.com and click on the bottom entry of the "external links" section.

Have fun!