Is $16,500 too much?

[Tonyspad]

I have been thinking about the cost of our seven day 07/01/06 cruise and have been wondering if it is really worth $16500.
I am booked into a Cat 3 (yes I realize I could book a lower cat to save $) for $11500, airfare $1000, spending $3000 plus mis expenses $1000. We have been on three 3 day Disney Cruises and loved our trips. We then thought it would be great to spend an entire week on a cruise for some true family time but 16,500! I was thinking we could spend five days in Disneyland and CA then take a separste trip to WDW or other FL location for the same $$$.
Any thoughts??

 

[Hercules10]

How many in your family going?

 

[Sue Sullivan]

Well, it depends, on your income, how many people are going etc. For me, that would be impossible. I could pay for 4 cruises for my family of 4 with 16,000, not that we could ever afford 4 more cruises. I consider myself very lucky that we have taken our kids on three tips to Disney and gone on one cruise, way more vacations than I ever had my whole childhood. All depends on your personal situation. If you can afford it and want to go, then it is worth it for you.

 

[TheWog]

holy c$%p!!!!

 

[ldb1030]

YES! You SHOULD go on 7/1/06!! We are on that cruise!
Now, having said that......that is alot of money but I suppose if you have it, spending in on Disney Cruise would be what I would do!
You said you had been on 3 three day disney cruises, we will be going on our 3rd, seven day and can't wait! I can not save for household emergencies but I can sure save for disney cruises!!
Hope you will join us!
Any kids on board with you?

 

[ldb1030]

holy c$%p!!!!

 

[Tonyspad]

We are a family of 4. And yes I am able to afford the price, it just is soooooo much money. I would pay any price for quality family time. Have any of you who went on a seven day with your family have any regrets?

 

[mommyz]

We went this past March and loved it can't wait to go back.

 

[my3kids]

I love cruising and agree family time is wonderful. I would enjoy my family just as much on another ship for less than $16,000 though. We had a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite on Royal Caribbean for a peak seaon summer cruise for WAY less than HALF what Disney is charging you. So no, I would say it isn't worth it at that price....my opinion, of course!

 

[ldb1030]

In all our disney cruises, NOT ONE REGRET!!! What would there be to regret!!??
We get the cabin we can afford, you spend very little time in there anyway, but we've always, always had a wonderful time! I think of the cruises often and the memories make me sooo happy!
Even our last cruise this past Sept., we were between Ivan and Jeanne and did not get to all our ports and still had a wonderful time!

 

[TheWog]

We definitely have no regrets. We went in a Cat. 6 room and didn't keep an eye on the shipboard account. We just went and had a great time. Will do it again and not worry about it. The time we had with our son was definitely memorable and wouldn't take it back for anything. Go and have a great time !!!!!!!

 

[mmouse37]

We have cruised DCL 13 times with most of them 7 day cruises....we never regretted one cent spent on those vacations....usually in a Cat 9 sometimes a Cat 4....but....spending that amount is a personal decision....if you can afford it then go for it. Only you can determine if that much money spent is worth it compared to your ultimate experience onboard.....

 

[RonnieJo66]

I TOTALLY agree that you should spend the quality time! My only suggestion to you is that you may want to change dates. You can get (when available) The Roy Disney or Walt Disney suite for a 7 day for the same amount you're spending on a "summer" cruise. We go every October (although I understand if you don't want to or are not able to take kids out of school)...Last year we were in the Roy O Disney suite...this year its Walt's room .

We have a great time...big room and cheaper prices! Just a suggestion.

Hugs,

RonnieJo

 

[Disneybridein2k3]

...for a car??????????

 

[goofymama]

We are a family of 4. And yes I am able to afford the price, it just is soooooo much money. I would pay any price for quality family time. Have any of you who went of a seven day with your family have any regrets?

That is a heck of alot of money! I spent $7,000 for a summer DCL cruise last year, and while we had a WONDERFUL time, I just can't justify spending that kind of $$$ again. But we love DCL, so next time we are going in January in a category 11 and we should spend appx. half of what we spent last time.

Is a category 3 that important to you? Or is going during the summer, that important to you? Everything on the ship is the same rather you book a Category 1 or a Category 12 or whether you go in June or November. The only difference is the size of the room that you sleep in and the weather.

Good luck on making your decision. Also, be sure to check prices with several different TA's. Maybe 1 can get you a slightly better deal.

 

[mommasita]

The financial side varies from person to person. If you can afford it, and want to spend it, then do it.

Even if I could afford this amount, I wouldn't spend it. Having sailed in different categories, we always spend the minumum on our room, and then enjoy ourselves onboard. I watch myself all year, so the week on the boat, we buy what we want, of course to a degree...

I guess what I mean is that, I am frugal, and spending that amount of money would have to be for a month or so....

 

[poohssmum]

Since you can afford it, I say GO FOR IT! We've been on 2 seven-day cruises and have a 3rd one booked for November, 2005. IMHO this is the BEST vacation for my family (2 ds's ages 5 and 8 right now). For us it's the perfect combination of entertainment for the kids (pools and club/lab), family time (dinner, islands, pool, shows, etc.), couple time for DH and I (quiet cove pool, dinner at Palo, dinner when the kids would rather be in the club, Diversions, Adult Caberet shows), and the ever-important, and rare, ME-time. I'd have to say that DH and I both got a fair amount of time to only have to worry about ourselves. I could lay by the pool with my book. He could wander the ship, play in the arcade, swim ... whatever.

 

[BethC1952]

I agree with those people who say go on the cruise, but not in such an expensive room, even though you can afford it...unless you plan to spend a lot of time in your room. The rest of the cruise is exactly the same. If all you plan on doing in your room is sleeping, showering and changing, spend those $$$ on something else! There's all those great drinks, and coffee at the Cove Cafe, and souvenirs, and excursions....

Beth

 

[bratray]

wow, to me that is a heck of a lot of money to spend on vacation- if your heart is set on DCL then go for it....but do you have any objection to checking out other cruise lines?

family time is very important to me too but justifying spending $16,500 for a 7 day cruise seems a little much for me.....just my opinion and keep in mind i am a bargain hunter

 

[NYDisneyMom]

You could probably stay in an "owner's suite" on another cruise line for less than $16,500!! If you've already done a DCL cruise, why not try another cruise line and save some money...you'll have more choices of the ports you can visit and maybe even take a longer cruise.

I took my boys on a 10 day Southern Caribbean cruise in January for a LOT less than our 7 day DCL cruise last May. We enjoyed both cruises very much.