aboveH20
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2010
- Messages
- 2,146
I've gotten so much good information that I've actually started writing down notes. Thanks again to all who have contributed.
Definitely open to other cruise lines. In addition to DCL we've done Princess, Norwegian, and Viking (Rhine River, like yours).
I've also considered Road Scholar (formerly Elderhostel). We've done a couple tours with them and appreciate (most of the time) that they make us get up and get going, no chance of slacking off and sleeping in. Also many exceptional lectures.
Thanks for the info about MSC. I'm not familiar with them.
You're right, I have to keep in mind that's there isn't just one answer. I know I would love either one. Part of me is wondering if this might be our last trip to Europe. I just hit a zero birthday and my husband is 8 years older so he's staring down an ever bigger zero birthday. We loved our Viking river cruise and I've looked at their itineraries but most are 15 days. Wonderful for me, less appealing to my husband or our dog.
We have been to both Italy and Greece on land tours/vacations and both were spectacular. I, personally, would never do the Med on a cruise. The ports are quite far from the towns/cities you will most likely want to visit and those areas are very, very hot in the summer. We have done 3 DCL cruises - 1 Norway cruise, 1 Norway/Iceland/Scotland cruise and 1 Denmark/Germany/Sweden/Norway/England cruise - they were spectacular and the weather was fantastic in the summer. Not hot, not terribly rainy and we docked right in town/cities where we wanted to tour (or had a short bus ride at one port to get to Jelling in Denmark). We also just did a Rhine Cruise with Adventures by Disney/Amawaterways this past August and that was spectacular. Are you sold on doing DCL or are you open to other cruise lines?
Definitely open to other cruise lines. In addition to DCL we've done Princess, Norwegian, and Viking (Rhine River, like yours).
I've also considered Road Scholar (formerly Elderhostel). We've done a couple tours with them and appreciate (most of the time) that they make us get up and get going, no chance of slacking off and sleeping in. Also many exceptional lectures.
We’ve done Princess for Alaska and British Isles (different combinations of family members). My sister and I did a Southern Caribbean last year - after which, she stated she didn’t need Disney for port intensive cruises in the future. Hence, this year, she sailed Cunard in Alaska.
I don’t think you are going to see cruise prices, as a whole, go down to those reasonable ones we used to see. (But definitely keep looking! No one would have expected the DCL Europe discounts a few years ago).
And the Baltic states, near Russia, aren’t happening until Ukraine is settled. Sort of like the Eastern Med and the Suez Canal area are on hold.
I also look at $$$ when picking cruises! Not just the cruise fare, but also flights and pre-cruise hotel and land transportation. And, like Alaska - port excursions.
If I could find a Norway fjords cruise that starts in Copenhagen, it would be top of the list. I was going to start a cruise there, but it got cancelled. The city offers history, charm, reasonably priced hotels. Plus Tivoli Gardens - the inspiration for Disneyland, but so different. (You don’t pay a big admission fee!)
…Found one. Actually, a lot. Muktiple cruise lines. I just stopped looking with the first, earliest one in May. These are prices pp (tax included). Some Americans dislike MSC. I am comfortable with them, especially for the price. You could stay in a suite (more benefits than Disney’s Concierge) for about half the price of Disney’s lower-level cabins (a month earlier.).
I just watched a favorite YouTuber, Emma cruises, review her experience on this ship. It is new as of last year. My Disney Platinum status got me MSC’s top tier level.
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I use Vacations To Go to find ships and itineraries.
I hope you pick something! Often, there is no single right choice - and you may enjoy it so much that you do the other or a different vacation later.
Don’t forget river cruises!
Thanks for the info about MSC. I'm not familiar with them.
You're right, I have to keep in mind that's there isn't just one answer. I know I would love either one. Part of me is wondering if this might be our last trip to Europe. I just hit a zero birthday and my husband is 8 years older so he's staring down an ever bigger zero birthday. We loved our Viking river cruise and I've looked at their itineraries but most are 15 days. Wonderful for me, less appealing to my husband or our dog.