If you won't stay in a studio, do you also not cruise?

[bunny]

I read these boards every day, even though I don't post every day, and a recurring theme is how one of the best things about the DVC is the staying in the one bedroom or larger villas. When questioned most people say that don't like staying in studios. We have cruised before and also have an RV. The cabins even on the Disney cruise ships are smaller than a studio and our RV is also smaller. It is only 31' by 8' which is actually average for an RV. So just out of curiosity, for those people who wouldn't stay in a studio, would you also not go on a cruise? Also is it due to the amount of time you spend in your room? I actually spend more time in my cabin when cruising than I do at WDW. Too much to see.

 

[CarolAnnC]

Well I think it is like comparing apples and oranges. I will only stay in a studio for one night, nothing more. We do cruise - I have been on 7 Disney Cruises thus far. We only book two of us in a stateroom (or in a studio for that matter). When we are on the cruise, we have all meals included, as much as you want, gourmet meals,, snacks, etc.

When we are at WDW do not eat all meals out in restaurants. We enjoy some meals in our villa. But most importantly, at WDW our family of 4 always stays in a 2 bedroom unit. We only book a studio for 2 of us if we need one night before vacation. On the cruise our family always has two staterooms.

A cruise is a marvelous all inclusive vacation (except for souvenirs, alcohol and excursions) that truly is not comparable to a stay in a studio at WDW.

 

[crisi]

We stay in normal hotel rooms with our family for other trips. But I have enough DVC points to stay in a one bedroom (at least) and that is the appeal of DVC for us. If I was happy with studios at Disney, we wouldn't bother owning DVC. It much more comfortable to have the kids in a seperate room.

Its a "I'd rather" rather than an "I wouldn't." We stayed in a Villa in Mexico a few years ago and it really spoiled us for vacations as well.

We've cruised twice - once on a four day and once on a seven day. I don't think I'd do a seven day again and one of the reasons is that seven days with four of us in a cabin is too many for a relaxing vacation. However, I also think four days is far too few at WDW - where there is so much to do - but a reasonable amount of time on a ship.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We don't stay in studios nor do we cruise.

 

[theOCdisney]

That is a really interesting question. We never stay in a studio, feels too small. But I love to cruise. My husband does not like cruising as much as I do - feels too claustraphobic. I never related the two together until this post. When we do cruise, it has to be a mini-suite or at least a balcony.

After owning timeshares (Marriott exclusively until this year) it is a step down to stay in a regular hotel room, even if it is a luxury hotel. We just came back from La Quinta resort in CA and while it was nice, it just could not compare to our Marriott DSV resort. The extra space and freedom a kitchen provides are huge factors to us.

Lisa

 

[bobbiwoz]

We stay in studios and we do cruise. For us, it's the balcony that makes the DVC studios something we two are happy in! We do have a balcony on our next cruise as well!

If we had young children we would always use at least a 1 bedroom, we bought into DVC as empty nesters.

Bobbi

 

[WolfpackFan]

This is an odd question in my mind. Kind of like OP is bothered because some folks like the larger DVC accommodations versus staying in a studio. IMO you are dealing with two different type vacations. We will stay at a DVC studio if we don't have enough points to stay in a 1BR, but obviously would much rather stay in the 1BR. On a cruise you really have no choice unless you're willing to pay the really big bucks to stay in a suite. Sure, I'd love to have an OKW 1BR on a cruise ship, but it just isn't possible.

 

[bunny]

Actually we have always stayed in a 1 bedroom and have yet to stay in a studio. I was planning a long trip next year for a couple weeks and my husband would prefer to stay in a studio instead of resort hopping but I am just not sure. We cruise and seem to have no problems with the cabins, so I can't really understand myself why I am unsure about staying in a studio. I was hoping some of you could help me explain better to my husband why it isn't the same thing!

 

[Flyerfan]

I'm just guessing here as our first DVC visit in a 1BR is in Jan 08. We (just DH & I) chose the 1BR because it gives us a feeling of having a "living" area. I personally feel that, when spending time at the resort in our room, I would not want to watch TV and spend a lot of time in the "bedroom". A 1BR would feel more like a home away from home and not just a room. I would stay in a studio for a night or maybe more to save points and then switch. As far as the cruising....We've only gone once and didn't mind our cabin (an inside cabin at that). We would definitely do that again.

 

[Inkmahm]

My DH and I bought DVC thinking that we might stay in a studio or a one bedroom, depending on the trip. That pretty much went out the window when we stayed in a one bedroom and liked it. Now we are doing one night in a studio before the next Disney Cruise just beause we wanted to stay at AKL and wanted to stay concierge (booked that long before AKV was even being sold.) Otherwise, we have plenty of points to always stay in a one bedroom even if it is just for the two of us. We like having that "living space" separate from the bedroom.

As for cruising, we've done Alaska on Princess in a mini-suite and loved it. We also did (and are doing again) the Disney 4 night cruise in a room with a veranda. The room is smaller than the one we had on Princess, but still very nice. It gets a bit crowded even for the two of us, but I'm not paying for a suite on DCL.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We also don't stay in studios nor do we cruise. I never thought of a correlation between these two things, however.

 

[Anthony1971]

I look at it this way.
If I never stayed in a 2 bedroom I would not know I could have that much space and extras on vacation. A studio served us fine and we loved them... Until we stayed in a larger room after a year of owning DVC.. why would I use so many points to stay in a 1 or 2 bedroom
A cruise you expect a small room. I am sure if you stay in a suite on a cruise you would not want a standard room anymore.
a studio is fine and you will not enjoy your vacation any less but you will miss the extra space knowing you can have it...
so it is your own fault for staying in a one bedroom you should have stuck to studios

 

[flyerron]

OK, We own several timeshare units. We do not own a studio, but we have stayed in studios. we Own 1 BDR, 2BDR,& 3 BDR units. When we travel with our kids & grandkids, We give them a 2 bdr & we take a studio. AAHH breathing room!! When DW & I travel alone we generally do a 1 bdr but at times we will do a studio
It all boils down to privacy & space. Everyone is different & there is no right or wrong way.

 

[AKV707]

We will be going on our first trip homw soon. We will be in a studio. It will just be the two of us. We are hoping to book a 1 br for a trip next summer. I am sure that we will stay in a studio again. The ability to cook a few dinners on the trip does make it nice. We have cruised and will cruise again, but as stated above, a different situation because of the meals that are included.

Being new to DVC, a studio will be a significant upgrade for us.

 

[flechette]

Hmmm

I haven't cruised at all yet but that's because I get seasick on big boats (I'm fine on small boats but bigger than a ferry and I get sick)

Hubby and I plan to be in 1 bdrm's mostly cause we want the jacuzzi :grin:

I think there may be a corrolation for some people based on room size, but like with so many things Disney - it won't fit all people the same way lol!

 

[Muushka]

We added on more points after our first DVC vacation in a studio.

We also cruise. Most of the cabins on DCL are 216 square feet, plus veranda puts it at 268 square feet (I think). We have done 2 DCL and another one coming up next year. To be honest, if suites were not cost prohibitive, we would get one. But they are so expensive.

To upgrade from a studio to a 1 BR at DVC is 10 or so points a night, at $10 a point, that is $100 a day extra, give or take. But since I won't rent points, the value is much less.

To upgrade on a cruise from a regular cabin to a suite is at least $200 a day.

So I guess your point is that if you can cruise and stay in a small cabin, why can't you stay in a small villa? For us it all comes down to the mighty dollar. If I had unlimited funds, I would also get suites on cruises.

And while we are on the subject. We had done 2 DCL in the 216 SF cabins. Then we did one last year, non-DCL. The cabin was 161 SF . No No No. Never again.

 

[bunny]

I can see the value of the larger villas if you are planning on using the kitchen or laundry but I am not. I love eating around the world. An important part of my vacation is the food. So much like on a cruise, we eat almost every meal out. BUT... I still would love the space to spread out for those couple hours I am in the villa every night. Now just to convince my husband. Maybe I just need a new husband who is willing to finance both my DVC and cruise addictions.

 

[flyerron]

By the way,We cruise occasionally. A cruise is soooooo much different than a time share unit. Cruise cabins are essentially to change your clothes & sleep, not for hanging out & relaxing. As stated above there is no comparison so don't confuse these two different styles.

 

[bunny]

Flyerron, I disagree. Although I love the larger villas, I don't go to Disney World to hang out in my room. I am not a park commando but there is so much to see and do in Orlando, I truly am only in my room to sleep and change clothes. The DVC resorts especially offer so much to do. In fact I went on a Carnival cruise last year that had less to do on it than any DVC resort does. We really spent more time in our cabin than I would ever spend hanging out at Disney World.

 

[flyerron]

Flyerron, I disagree. Although I love the larger villas, I don't go to Disney World to hang out in my room. I am not a park commando but there is so much to see and do in Orlando, I truly am only in my room to sleep and change clothes. The DVC resorts especially offer so much to do. In fact I went on a Carnival cruise last year that had less to do on it than any DVC resort does. We really spent more time in our cabin than I would ever spend hanging out at Disney World.

That is a bit unusual based on our years of experience. You must have a lot of youthful energy. Enjoy & do what ever floats your boat. Life is too short.