My dilemna....

[Bo'sMom]

I need help here. My DH and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in October. We have been to Disney quite alot, but have yet to go on a DCL cruise. We have an 11 year old DS who has been to Disney at least 12 times in his life (we've lost count). We spent our honeymoon at the Polynesian in 1980, and again in 1985 for our 5th. Here's where the problem lies. I really love Disney...truly I do. But, I'm struggling with the "extra cost" of a Disney cruise over an RCL cruise. We are doing this trip as a family, and I know my son would like either cruise. Either way, I'm booking this trip "last mninute" in terms of cruising so I know both cruises are going to be more expensive than if I booked a year in advance. Also, my DH, DS and I have never cruised. My DH suffers from terrible motion sickness so I'm thinking a 7 day might not be the way to go. But, what if I do the four night and regret not doing the 7 night, and what if I do the DCL and regret not doing the Mariner. Oy! Help! Give me some feedback so that I can finally put this trip to bed. Thanks.

 

[Jsme]

Well once you go Disney it is really hard to go with another line. While some people love other lines over Disney others are DCL fans. In the last 2 years we have gone on three cruises. DCL, RCCL, DCL (and a 4th plan for September). The RCCL was sandwiched in the middle. The whole time we compared it to DCL. While I am not above going on another cruise line as of right now I love DCL too much. Our 4th DCL is already booked for November 2006. I did check around a lot and got a good deal. We will be on a 4 day Cat 6 with DH, me, DD will be 13, and DS is or will be 11. We paid $2500. I could have booked a RCCL 7 day cruise during the same time period for only $300 more. I still booked DCL.

Do not feel like you can not spend a while online and find a good deal. It might take some time and a little research. It took me about 5 hours one Sunday to save about $600. To me the 5 hours was well worth it.

 

[kcashner]

First, October is slow season, so you should be able to book at a decent rate. Secondly, you have to compare apples to apples. It takes a junior suite on RCCL to equal the square footage in the normal DCL cabin (just one difference).

As to sea sickness--all the newer, large cruise ships have great stabilizers. I puke on my father's cabin cruiser. On my first cruise, I did everything--scope patch, sea bands, etc. and had no problem. Next cruise, I got brave and didn't do all the motion sick stuff--still no problem. Lower and more centered cabins have the least motion.

If cost is the issue, I'd do DCL in a lower category cabin. I've booked the cheapest cabin I could get several times, and always had a good cruise. I really didn't think the verandah was worth the $ (only did that once). DD likes a "window," but isn't really fussy as long as she's on the ship. All that said, we spend very little time in our cabin except for sleeping. If I had to be in my cabin because a little one was napping, I'd want a verandah.

I sailed 2 other ships before the Magic was born. Since then, we've been on the Magic 12 times...and NO other ships. In fairness, I'm comparing "pre-Magic" ships to DCL. I do realize that other lines have newer ships than I sailed on. But, we LOVE the Magic.

 

[Bo'sMom]

In your opinion then, the verandahs aren't worth the money? This was another question for me..whether or not to do the verandah. I am claustrophobic and I'm thinking I would feel like I was suffocating if I didn't have any access to real air. LOL But, I also have an 11 year old son who will probably drive me absolutely nuts threatening to "go over" the railing. He once climbed onto the balconys at the Wilderness Lodge and scared the heck out of me. If I drop down to a category 8, it becomes reasonable, but will I miss the fresh air?

 

[LK03]

In your opinion then, the verandahs aren't worth the money? This was another question for me..whether or not to do the verandah.

We had a verandah and cruised towards the end of May. It was soooo humid and hot we hardly ever used the verandah. We'd go out there and look over the railing and then quickly back inside so we didn't bake anymore, lol. Then again, I was also veryyyyy nervous/anxious to be out there. I was scared I'd somehow just fall right over or lose jewelry or something. I guess I was quite paranoid, so maybe that contributed to the lack of time out there.

 

[Bo'sMom]

That's how I'm thinking I'd feel.

 

[Jsme]

First, October is slow season, so you should be able to book at a decent rate. Secondly, you have to compare apples to apples. It takes a junior suite on RCCL to equal the square footage in the normal DCL cabin (just one difference).

You are so right.

As far as a verandah room, which we normally get, I do not know if it is good or not. I hardly ever used it, but while we were in our room one of the kids or my DH or all were out on the verandah almost the entire time. We normally go the first week in October so the weather is much nicer and not nearly as hot.

 

[#1Mouse]

We've cruised DCL 3 times with another booked in September. We cruised RCCL Mariner last Feb and will be cruising with them again in December. There were things we liked better about DCL and some we liked better about RCCL, but nothing so earth shattering that would cause us to only cruise with this one or that one.

My dd 11 liked the kids clubs on both ships and had a great time at both.

Not sure what the Junior Suite is like on RCCL's older ships, but the JS on the Mariner is considerably bigger than the Cat 5/6/7 on DCL. DCL cat 5/6/7 is comparable size wise to a Cat D on the Mariner.

I guess the deciding factor would be: who's going with us and the price of each taken into consideration.

I like having the verandah, but would rather cruise in a Cat 8 than not cruise at all. Remember if you don't have a verandah, there are plenty of spots around the ship you can go to to get fresh air - like those great chairs on Deck 4! We did cruise in a cat 11 after having a verandah cabin and didn't have any problems - DH is claustrophobic and it didn't bother him. As everyone will tell you - you usually don't spend much time in the cabin.

 

[thomprod]

Bo's Mom, congratulations on your 25th anniversary. Our 25th is also this October, on the 5th BTW.

In my opinion, try a 3- or 4-day cruise first. That's what we did and we loved it. Our second cruise was a 7-day and we now have a third booked which will also be a 7-day. On a 4-day, you will more than enough to do, and if any of you find you don't care for it, you won't be stuck for a whole week. If you do enjoy cruisng, as I suspect you will, you can book another cruise while onboard at a discount.

Read and listen to the advice offered on these boards if you decide to go. There are many helpful people here that will share their experiences with you. kcashner is right about going in October: You'll get a lower base price. And if you book through Dreams Unlimited or one of the other TAs mentioned on these boards, you will often get a discount off the base fare.

Good luck.

 

[westjones]

We have been on 6 Disney Cruise (2-three nights, 2-four nights, and 2-seven nights). We have 11 year old twin girls, and they love the cruise!

We have decided we like the 4 night the best because we like to go to WDW also when we vacation, but if you have decided not to go to WDW as well, the 7 night is heavenly! I really don't think you will be sorry if you do a 7 night. If you want to try the shorter one first, the 4 night is MUCH better than the 3 night for a couple of reasons:

1. It is the only one of the cruises that has the option to dock at Castaway Cay on two different days if the weather is bad (the 3 & 7 night cruises go to CC on the last day, so if it isn't good weather and they can't dock they have to return to Florida the next day).

2. It is the only one of the cruises that gives you a day at sea AFTER visiting Castaway Cay. That way, on your last day on the ship, you can take your time packing and not feel rushed. On the 3 & 7 night, you have to pack up the evening after leaving CC, so you are tired from your day at the beach and then you have to rush around to get packed up that evening.

3. Since you have an 11 year old, you may be going to the Final Farewell Kids Show (some kids decide not to do it, but my kids never miss it). On the 4 night, the show is held on the last day, which is a day at sea. On the 3 & 7 night cruises, the show is held on the last day which is your day at CC. SO you have to leave CC and go back on the ship and have your child clean up to go to the rehearsal which is about 1/2-1 hour after boarding time for CC (we always leave CC early to get back to the room to clean up the kids, but on the 4 night, since the show is on the last day, we didn't return to the ship until the boarding time).

We like the 4 night, also, because we can drive to it. We have a 17 hour drive to and from home, so we can take a 1 week's vacation and still have time to drive (leaving Friday night after work) to Florida and be there in time for the cruise on Sunday (the 7 night cruise leaves on Saturday, so we don't have time to drive there) and we return over the following weekend after spending 2 days at WDW (the 3 night ends on a Sunday, so there isn't enough time to drive home from that one).

Anyway, all of the cruises are nice, no matter which one you pick, you will have a wonderful time!

DJ

 

[musicgirl]

Ok, here's my 2 cents!

We did a 4 night land/3 night sea for our first cruise. I regretted not doing the 7 night.

The next year, we did just a 3 night because we were cheap. I really regretted it!!!

Last year, we finally did the 7 night. yahoo!!!

Now that I've spent my ds-14's 1st year of college, we are working on spending his 2nd year of college in June 2006 on another 7 night!!!! LOL!!!

If I had the choice of a verandah on another cruise line and the lowest cat. on DCL, Hands down DCL would win!!!!

We have always done cat. 11 (room 7127 because it is near the secret aft 7 deck.). We have plenty of room and are never in the cabin except to change and sleep. This includes the ds!!!!

I also feared the motion sickness. On our 1st cruise, we hit a storm the first night. It was our anniversary and they had a cake at dinner. I was sooooo sick. But even as I "swayed" through the hall, I was hooked!!! Please keep in mind that it was a huge storm. DH was one of the few who braved to be out and about. He was the only one in the ESPN club. The CM said that this was the worse he had seen it!!!

On the 7 night, there was only one day that I "felt" the ship rocking. I spent the day in the pool!!!

Happy cruising, whereever you may go!!!!

 

[skibum]

We did a cruise over 20 years ago, and finally did DCL last January. We also honeymooned at Disney, and have been back too many times with DD 13 and DD 8.
You know how some people just don't understand - "it's too perfect, too clean, ...", well, this is how we feel about DCL. Great service, everything is taken care of right. And it is not overly Disney. I would like to go with just my wife, but she says no because she would feel guilty leaving the kids at home.
I know Disney costs more, but in my opinion, they are worth it. I am pretty cheap, and realize that Disney's main goal is to separate me from my money, but I am happy paying for the experience.

 

[lbgraves]

Our first cruise we booked an 11 for the 4 of us & were upgraded to an 8 by DCL. Our second we booked a 10 knowing that we liked the amount of room that the 8 had but didn't want to pay the difference for the porthole. It was fine for us! Our 3rd has us in an 8 because we changed the date and the 8 was the same price as the 10 had been so...since we had already decided to spend that amount, I stuck with it. Our 4th has us in a 10 again...just happy to be going back on the ship. We spend plenty of time outside on deck 9 or elsewhere on the ship. e had just as much fun in the 10 as we did in the 8.

 

[westjones]

I would like to go with just my wife, but she says no because she would feel guilty leaving the kids at home.

I understand this, I am like this too. DH and I have talked about what to do with our 25th wedding anniversary in 2 years, and we have said we would LOVE to go on the DCL just by ourselves....BUT....I would feel too guilty. We can't afford to do a cruise with the kids and one without them, so I would rather take them with us.

Like I told him, by our 35th, we will be alone and we can go and do whatever we want. You only get to travel with your kids while they are young for a short time. I don't want to miss out on any chance to have a family trip.

So to the OP, congrats on your 25th anniversary, and you picked a GREAT trip to go on with your DH and with you child.

DJ

 

[Bo'sMom]

Thanks to all for some great info. So far I am leaning toward the October 22 7 night cruise. That will put us on the ship for our actual 25th wedding anniversary.

What is the secret aft spot on Deck 7?

 

[cntkg1]

Bo's Mom and Thomprod...

Happy 25th Anniversary!!! We too just celebrated our 25th and will be cruising October 15th.

Nancy

 

[Bo'sMom]

Congrats to you as well.