I think I'm out of my league

[Fargoman2]

After 3 consecutive summer trips to WDW, I asked people on another thread to talk me out of a 4-peat. One of the posters suggested I consider a cruise.

I thought that might be possible since we already have free airfare for our family of five. But after testing the waters on pricing today--even for a 3 night cruise--boy am I in over my head--$3,300 for 3 nights-throw me a life vest.

Unless any of you know about some discounts I seem unable to locate, I'd better check back into reality.

 

[westjones]

I haven't booked with them, but I love how they lay out the cruise prices. Check out the website and look at prices and times. Prices are very different at different times of the year. We sail in September (the least expensive time).

http://www.allseastravel.com

We are also fine with Cat. 11 rooms. We never spend much time in the room, and these are fine for us.

DJ

 

[Hygiene99]

Well since there r 5 of u u either have to Get Cat 4 or higher
or 2 staterooms Cat 11 connecting, and i believe the 2 cat 11 rooms would cost u less..... and transportation for your family would cost a small fortune through disney if u book a private town car service will only cost u about $160.00 verses the 65.00
per person DCL charges.....


U need this site actually 2 sites www.dcltribute.com and
www.castawayclub.com .... there r ways of getting the price down I sent u a Personal message......

 

[EmmasGrammy]

Don't give up the ship (pun intended) yet. Call your travel agent or AAA to check out specials. Dreams Unlimited Travel who sponsor this boards has some pretty good deals. Check out their website and look over on the budget boards. I am sure you can find a better deal.

Don't go with the rack rates from the Disney Cruise website. There are plenty of deals out there. We got a special with AAA for the land/sea package [3 days @ WDW & 4 days cruise] including transfers and flights for about $4,500. We are in a cat. #9 oceanview cabin. That's for 3 of us flying out of Pittsburgh. I think this is a great deal.

You have to keep in mind that all of your meals and entertainment is included in the price, so no need to budget alot extra for these things.

 

[musicgirl]

I'm not sure how far away the cruise you looked at is, but remember the farther out you book, the cheaper it will be.

I booked ours about 1 year ahead. To book it now, it would cost at least $600 extra if not more.

Just for comparison, our 7 night is about $4000 for three in June. This does not include transfers.

edit: When I first read yours, for some reason I thought you had 3 in the family. Oops! It must have been the 3-night and the $3300. So I guess the comparison doesn't really help!

 

[westjones]

I didn't realize there were 5 of you. If you can talk a family of '3' into going with you, that helps. Then you can put one person in their room. Otherwise the least expensive room would be 2 Cat. 10s adjoining.

It is going to be expensive though. The DCL is not easy with families of more than 4 people. BUT it is a trip of a life time if you can swing it. Maybe plan it for 2005, book now, and start making payments. It is a dream vacation.

DJ

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Uh, don't give up yet!
For our family of 5, booked over a year in advance, for TWO staterooms -cat 9's (cheaper than getting cat 4 or 3/2/1 concierge suites) for SEVEN day cruise- grand total of $4037 for the cruise. (we booked with allseastravel- the price is already higher now for the week we are cruising- the further ahead you book, generally the cheaper it is)
We could have gotten it even cheaper if I wasn't trying to go the exact week our children are out for a week vacatiom from school... the week before or after would have been much cheaper for us... but then they'd miss more of school....

There's no way I'd pay $3300 for our family of 5 for a 3 day cruise. Uhuh... no way.

 

[din]

As the other posters stated, the key is plan and book early. We booked 650 + days out and the last I looked the price have gone up about almost $800-$1000.

Of course that would mean that you would have to spend $200-$250 per person to book, but that is all fully re-fundable if you cancel before the 60 day mark.

 

[iluvtink]

Another advantage to booking early is that it gives you more time to save for the big Kahuna payment 60 days before your cruise. I strongly suggest you contact www.dreamsunlimitedtravel.com. They are really on top of discounts and such, and sometimes they offer an extra rebate. Every cent counts!

There is a wonderful thread on the Budget Board entitled "You HAVE to try this!! EBAY your way to DISNEY!!" It's an incredibly long thread, but it has some really good ideas on it. Depending on how old your children are, they can really get in the spirit of earning and saving money. We have a big change jar and when Dad comes home, he empties his pockets. I empty the change that I throw in the bottom of my purse in there. Even my youngest finds pennies and puts them in the jar. We also use it for extra incentives ... do a small extra chore, throw a dollar in the jar. Skip a movie, throw the money we saved by not going in there, too. And... I'm going to try that e-bay myself.

It's taken us 3 years to save up again for a land/sea cruise, and it is worth every single penny! I hope your family will pitch in and help swing it, if not this year, surely next year. Go for it!

Kim

 

[confal1]

Don't forget all your meals are included, with a family of 5 at Disney that could get pricey, also you will be saving on park tickets. I highly recommend the cruise to anyone who will listen. It is so Disney, yet so relaxing all at the same time. Good Luck.

 

[bhawks9]

We have six in our family, and we paid just over $6,000 for a 3/27/04 7 night western cruise that we booked in 4/03. That is 2 in a cat 8 and 4 in a cat 11 (next to each other not connected) That did not include transfers or airfare. If you fly in go with the car/van service (we used Tiffany Towncar). It is much cheaper.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

That's exactly what I was going to say. We are DVC, and even though our accomodations are taken care of, we still have to spring for tickets, airfare and FOOD which adds up. At least if you cruise all of your food is included and you don't need tickets!
We have 5 too, so I know how you feel. Thank goodness my youngest is going to room with my parents so we can get category 6 rooms!
Robin M.

 

[mermaidlady]

check online cruise sites we booked about 400 days in advance wht cruises.com and saved $700. we could have saved more if we went for the adjoining room but DH wanted the verandah. Also I like the idea of saving instead of getting things. in the store the kids are always asking for little things and I remind them every unneccesary toy we get now ccuts down the amt of $$ they have to spend on the boat. We are also a family of 5

 

[robby69]

We booked at cruisevalue.com. They had the best price on a
4 day Wonder cruise, 9-month advance purchase I found.
3 people, CAT-5 $2300 (Booked 6/03)

 

[D'AngelosdoDisney]

Sorry posted new thread rather then respond to yours. See about titled post for my response

 

[goofysgirl]

Do not give up...check Costco and Sams's for their discounts. Try a seven day I found the value to be a quantum leap when you figure in the whole week of food that you do not have to purchase while on the ship. Get two cat 11' s side by side they do not have to connect unless you feel you need to have them connect, or cat 12's if they are cheaper at the time of booking. You do not spend a lot of time in the room and we have cruised twice in cat 4 once in cat 10 adjoining and once in cat 11 side by side. I found I like the 11's the best. We had them on deck 7, and had some rocking and rolling of the ship on our last cruise. Believe me if I had a room where I could see the ocean I would have been a whole lot sea sicker!!! We re-booked while on board for the same cat 11 and received a 10% rebate and $200 shipboard credit per room. Keep that in mind if you want to go again which I have not doubt that you will....
You can really make this work if you are thinking creatively. Check with DU I switched our own board ressies to them and got an additional rebate! Do not use Disney Transfers rent a car at the airport and drop off at the port this can be done for about $50 or less! Check Icruise and Allseasons and never give up dreaming....sending pixie dust your way to help you book that first unbelievable magical cruise.

 

[Keggy]

Please don't flame me...

I love the Disney Cruise Line - I was even married at Castaway Cay. But my DH and I want to go on a cruise this fall and we decided to go on another cruise line! (EEEKKKK!) We will hopefully be cruising on the Mariner of the Seas out of Port Canveral. For a verandah stateroom and on a 7 day Eastern we are paying less than what we would have paid for a Category 10 for the 4 day - the same week.

So - we are sucking it up and trying a different cruise line. If we had the money we would definitely go on DCL - but we don't. So we are trying something different.

Kelly

 

[westjones]

Kelly,

I understand totally. We love DCL and I really have no desire to go on another cruise line. BUT it is getting very expensive. We have a 7 day cruise this year and it many very well be our last 7 day. We will probably go for the 3/4 day cruises in the future (we always cruise so that we are on the ship for our twin DD's birthdays, so depending on which day their birthday is we would choose the 3 or 4 day cruise).

I am even considering to eventually start going to Vero Beach instead of the DCL (we are DVC members, only own 150 points, but that can go a long way in a studio room in September).

We will probably continue to use DCL until our daughters are no longer in the Oceaneer Lab (they will turn 11 this year), but once they are teens we are thinking of changing our trip plans.

I wish DCL was not so expensive, and to the OP, it is worth doing it just once if you can possibly swing it. It is the most wonderful vacation we have ever experienced. But it does appear that the time is coming when it will be 'out of our price range' too. We could NEVER go in the peak season, NEVER! And going in September is still very tight.

DJ

 

[CheapMom]

If your 3 kids are old enough you acn book 2 cat 11 or 12 rooms that are next to or accross from 1 another. The littlest on could stay in the room with the parents. Also- I have to say I have a family of 5 and we are doing the cat 4 room (off season- 2nd week od Dec) and we are paying $1000 less than your quote. (Costco) This is the best website for browsing prices www.allseastravel.com It show all the different categories and you can look at the price for 5 people in a cat 4 or you can add 3 +2 in cat 10, 11, 12 and so on. It gives a price for each sailing.

 

[dzneprincess]

www.allseastravel.com has got a few sailings left his year for cat11 I booked the 4 day wonder for Sept 19th, 2 adults cat 11 $764!!!!!!!!!!!!