Is a 4-night Disney cruise Enough?

[AlvaroLuis]

Hi all! We've cruised only once before and it was a 7-night eastern caribbean cruise with Carnival, and we loved the ship and the ports...but, being the Disney fans we are, we have decided that our next cruise is going to be on DCL. Been checking what's available for Jan '06 and the 4-night Bahamian cruise with a day at sea sounds right for us.

My concern is that a shorter cruise might not feature all the amenities of a 7-night cruise on the same cruise line...would that be the case with Disney Cruise line? We really want to see all the shows and participate in all sorts of activities on board.

We won't be spending much time ashore in Nassau, probably a couple of hours...we want to enjoy the ship as much as possible.

A longer cruise this time is not an option. It will be the end of an already way "too long" vacation (2 weeks at Disney and 1 week in Colorado), but sounds like the perfect way of relaxing before going home.

Alvaro from Panama

 

[alexandrew]

you'll definitely enjoy the 4 day....

if I recall, the only thing you dont get on the 4 day vs the 7 day is the character breakfast and traditional formal and semi-formal nights

 

[logan1_2000]

I did the 4 night Wonder this January, 2005. What you don't get on the 4 night, compared to the 7, in addition to formal and semi formal nights and character breakfasts, is the chance to get farther outh than the Bhamas, which can be hit or miss in January. It was in the 60's and windy--like 20 knots--for most of our cruise, so not much in the way of swimming weather. Now just a week or 10 days earlier, it had been close to 80 degrees and much nicer. We did the 7 night eastern in January 2003, had awesome weather in St. Thomas and St. Martin, but too cold to swim on CC, though it was a lovely day for other activities on the island and still much better than being in the office or school.

As a result of that trip, our next 4 night cruise, which will be with friends who prefer to make cruises their trips to get away from the children, will be on RCCL because they have a 4 night itinerary from Ft. Lauderdale down to Cozumel and Key West, which we feel gives us better odds of better weather in winter (Feb. '06) than the Bahamas. Not guarantees, just playing odds. Oh, and we couldn't bear to go on DCL w/o our DS--he'd be so mad and I wouldn't blame him.

So if you say that 7 night is not possible on this trip, then go for the 4 nighter with expectations that have been adjusted to the practicalities--and then I hope you get a lucky break on the weather, having your 4 days be "hit" rather than "miss", and enjoy DCL. And regardless of anything in this reply that sounds like a complaint--yes, a "bad" day on DCL is much better than a good day at work, and "bad" is only a relative term, meaning there have been better days on DCL, thats all.

 

[AlvaroLuis]

Thanks Alexandrew and Logan. We were in Orlando last January too (3-18) and the weather was incredible until the last couple of days...then it got really cold (at least for us, being used to 85-95F all the time).

Going farther out than the Bahamas is not a big concern this time. For all I care, they could "re-position" the ship in the lake in front of MK and I would stay on-board gladly for as long as they would let me!!!

Not having formal or semi-formal (I'm not sure what is this!) is not a bid deal...less clothes to carry around!

And, Logan, that RCCL cruise down to Key West and Cozumel is in my wish list...w/o kids...