OK, I advise: wait a while, then try a longer DCL cruise. Here's why:
DH & I got married at WDW in 2005 and were there for 2 weeks. In the middle of our stay, we booked a 3-night cruise on the Wonder.
Ugh. It was not only crowded, it was a whirlwind. Honestly. The DCL buses dropped us off at 2pm, we went to our stateroom (didn't even know lunch was available!!!), and had to try to get Palo scheduled, found out we never got the "Romance Package" that we requested for our honeymoon, and then it was already time for the Sail Away Party and dinner! The next 2 days were also crazy and we didn't see 1/2 of the ship! That was in 2005 and on the Wonder! (Also, I remember thinking how expensive it was....)
It took us 5 years to try DCL again and we got re-hooked (this time we had a DD to take along). We booked a 5-night Double Dip (2 stops to CC) for Aug 2010 on the Wonder and loved every minute. Every single minute. So much, that we booked another 5 night double dip on the Magic for Jan 2011. Cruising off-season is amazing.
The best cruise? The 7-night western Caribbean cruise on the Magic. It is SOOOOOOOOOO different from a 3-night cruise, from clientele, to wardrobe, to everything. People aren't trying to pack in everything, they are
relaxing. We have four 7-night cruises scheduled (2 Easterns, 2 Westerns between this and next year).
A crazy thing happened. We decided to book a 3-night cruise (leave Thurs). DD is off school Friday, so she only misses 1 day of preschool, and we were able to get FL resident rates making it a bargain. It will be our 5th DCL cruise and get us to Gold status, and we can check out the new ship/get the lay of the land before heading on the Fantasy. Plus, we can say we've been on all 4 ships. I am expecting to "enjoy" the pools & Aquaduck on Nassau day, but am fully expecting what you encountered. We are not looking forward to 4,000 people on the ship or at our beloved CC. I guess you can say I am lowering my expectations. To me, a 3-night cruise is like WDW during peak periods, which as an annual passholder who goes twice a month, we avoid every peak season possible and don't even drive thru Orlando on I-4 from Dec 21-Jan 2nd
That is a 3-night cruise.
(Also, and this is true, we NEVER EVER take the elevators. Ever. Stairs all the way. Helps save the waistline, too. DD loves them as well and never complains.)
It took us 5 years to try DCL again. Wait a while, decompress, try a longer one, and my opinion, try one on the Magic or Wonder. I would never say never......
ETA: And, furthermore, our DD, who will be 5 in March, would love to spend every waking minute in the Kids Club, but we don't let her. She gets about 1 hr a day, if that. Palo time, and then we let her pick out a few things on the Navigator here and there that she'd like to attend. I can only speak to the most recent 3 cruises we took - the majority of the kids were very well behaved. Honestly. 3 night cruises are a whole different animal.....