Ideal cruise length for a first timer?

[ratt1345]

My advice has always been go with a 4-night cruise first. As someone else has already stated, you do that to find out if you can handle the motion sickness. If you do that, I would say that there is about a 99% chance you will book a 7-nighter!!!!

 

[E ticket rider]

I apologize if this question gets asked a lot. I could not find a whole lot while searching. Is there a cruise length that you feel is ideal for a first time cruiser?

Family of four and we all love Disney but none of us have ever cruised before. Kids are ages 8 and 6. We are considering either a 5 night Caribbean on the Wonder, or a 7 night Caribbean on the Magic in Feb.

I know everyone on this forum loves DCL, so it may be silly to ask here about cruise length. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!

The only true way to answer this question is to ask another question...

Do you know if you or any family members are prone to motion/sea sickness?

If you are certain the answer to the question is no, then I say go for as long as you can afford to... But that's just me!!!

If you are not sure, they I would suggest a 3 or 4-night cruise as a starter. The 4-night itinerary calls on the same ports as the 3-night itinerary, but with a sea day tacked on. On DCL the 3/4 day itinerary calls on Nassau and Castaway Cay (DCL's private island). If everyone comes through the short itinerary unscathed, then you'll have the confidence to go longer.

The main drawback to a short cruise, especially for a first cruise, is that you might find yourself feeling rushed if you are trying to experience as much of the ship as possible. Currently. DCL's 3 & 4-night itinerary is sailed by the Dream. She is a rather large ship and it would be quite difficult, if not impossible, to fully experience her from stem to stern in 3 or 4 nights.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

Our first cruise was a four nighter and hindsight being 20/20, I would have gone longer. I was sure I was going to hate cruising so that is why we did four nights WDW and four nights cruise. It was way too short. We felt like we were rushing to do everything and knew we couldn't. And for us the more sea days the better. If you do have someone that believes they can't take a cruise longer than four (or five) nights go for the shorter. But it really does feel a lot more rushed.

IMHO

 

[anonymousegirl]

My first cruise ever was back in 2001 and it was a 14 day Panama Canal Miami to LA. Everyone said we were crazy to do a 14 day as our first time, but I knew I was going to love cruising, and I did. DH isn't as enthusiastic as I am, but enjoys it maybe once a year. I now have 20 cruises under my belt and have loved every one of them.
The podcast 5.0 is my next Disney cruise--so excited!

 

[lbgraves]

If you can go for the seven night there more relaxing the shorter ones your off just after you start and no relaxing days.

Completely agree with this. We did a 7-night first and it was perfect. We did not do a 3-night until our 6th cruise and it was incredibly rushed and stressful, even though we had spent a lot of time onboard before. If we had done the 3-night first, I doubt that we would have had the same feeling when we finished the first cruise.

 

[my3luckycharms]

Our first 2 Disney cruises (and the only cruises we have ever done) were each 7 days. It was the perfect amount of time for us. Just the right amount of "at sea" days and in port. I didn't feel rushed at all...although it felt like it went so quick and I was SO sad when it was over.
The next cruise we are looking at is 5 days and I feel like I am really going to miss those 2 extra days . I can't even imagine doing a 3 day.