NEED Cruise Veterans HELP!!!

[hygienejean]

Hi! Next year (May 2005) My family and I plan to cruise DCL. My kids will be ages DS 4 3/4 and DD 2 3/4. (actually she will be 3 3 weeks afterwe cruise)

I have a few questions..........

How long of a cruise would you recommend with children this age? Is 4 days too long or would you opt for 3? (we plan to combine this with a stay at WDW.

Do you usually book the DCL land cruise package or do you get the components separately? If you do it separately do you rent a car or do you use transfers???? Do you sava alot of money this way? Is it a hassel in any way?

I would love a veranda but are they safe for little ones? Are the bars covered with plexiglass or are they open?

Since my DD will be 3 weeks away from being 3 is there any way she could do one of the children's programs? Are they strict about the ages?

Have you ever used a babysitter?

that's all I can think of now......I am sure I'll come up with more to post later. Any help is appreciated!!!!

 

[TheWog]

I would recommend 4 day. They will love it. 7 is the best, but do what fits your family.

I hear you save money booking separetely, but have no experience with that. Transfers are good for leaving right from the resort as you don't have to deal with luggage, but others can give you more info on that. sorry.

Verandahs are very safe. Plexiglass blocks the bars low and railings are high enough. Just don't let them climb on the chairs.

I believe you are ok as long as she turns 3 within a month. Check the disneycruise.com website I think they have age limits there.

No babysitter used, sorry.

Ask away these boards are great and very useful. People are real friendly too. Good luck and have fun.

 

[Mysticalbeauty3]

Well everytime i have cruised so far we have booked the land/sea package....we havnt done it seperately i hear it is cheaper....but IMO i wouldnt book it any other way then together...It makes you feel less stressed hoping to rent a car....being on time....etc. when we arrive at MCO a DCL person is waiting for us holding a sign!!and we just wait for others to also land around the same time then they bring everyone to the DCL bus and you get taken to your hotel at WDW....its just alot less stressful and its a vacation!! who wants to worry about little things...also when your time at WDW is up...the DCL bus once again comes and picks you up and you watch a DCL video and it seams to really get all the little kids all excited! especially when you get to see the boat from miles away!....and when the cruise is over...the bus takes you back to the airport....worry free your whole vacation...you just follow the lead! and bout the verandahs....i think they are pretty safe you can always get one that has no bars at all...but i dont think it should be a problem...but have fun!!! May is an awesome time to go!

 

[hygienejean]

Have you ever added a day to your land package? Can you do that? If I do the 4 day cruise (which sounds great!) 3 days at the parks just doesn't seem to be enough. (It should be though! we are going to stay for 8 days at BWV this October!) I might like to add a day to the package if it is possible. Maybe 3 days is fine too????? Is it enough?

Tell me about the travel day also......Do they like you to check out before 11:00? When does the bus come to pick you up to bring you to the ship?

thanks everyone!

 

[Mysticalbeauty3]

umm not too sure if you can add a day im sure you can on your own....but it wouldnt be included in the package....you do get checked out early though to bored it might even be earlier than 11 im not quite sure i forget....but its a decent bus ride....i think its earlier...but you spend that day on the ship...you get on early enough to get lunch

 

[Mysticalbeauty3]

and bout Disney....i seem to make it through all the parks in 3 days....but we jump to certain things because we go almost every year....but this year there is a new baby coming along...so its going to be a whole different story!....ill write to you after to let you know if we got through everything....but im sure we will you j ust have to plan right...and if your going in oct. if you miss something you just make sure thats the first thing then!

 

[cristit14]

We just booked our first land/sea package. Our TA booked it through the cruise lines for us. We did add an extra day onto ours.
I thought that 3 days at WDW was too short also considering that the first day we probably won't even get to the hotel until mid to late afternoon. We are doing their transfers also. It probably does cost more, but I didn't want to have to worry about anything on vacation.




Cristi

 

[hygienejean]

which travel agent did you use? Do you guys recommend anyone?

cristit14, are you getting transfers? Will the DCL bus still pick you up at the airport???

 

[cristit14]

We are getting the transfers. From what I understand they will pick us up at the airport. This is our first trip so I don't know exactly what to expect, but we are getting very excited! ! We used a TA here in Denver. It is the first time to use her, but some co-workers of my DH have used her before. When are you planning your vacation for?


Cristi
July 21-29, 2004

 

[hygienejean]

We are hoping to go 5/2005. It is over a year away but I am a planner! It will be for our 10 year anniversary. we honeymooned in WDW at the Poly for a week and then cruised for a week so this trip will "sort of " relive it (the honeymoon...except we'll have our little ones in tow!). yes I am bringing the kids...I just can't bear to leave them home (even with my mom) for a week! I think we will all have fun though!

We'll be there this October with the whole family. (my parents and sister and her family) You'd think I'd get sick of the place but it only makes me want to go again and plan the next trip! LOL!

 

[Greysword]

I have some additional questions.

On a 3/4 Land/sea, dows the 1st day of the land begin the day you arrive?

Does the 3rd day of the land count as the trip to the ship?

That would be poopie

 

[cristit14]

Originally posted by Greysword
I have some additional questions.

On a 3/4 Land/sea, dows the 1st day of the land begin the day you arrive?

Does the 3rd day of the land count as the trip to the ship?

That would be poopie

The first day of the package is the day you land. With us coming from Colorado, I don't expect to be there too early, so we booked an extra day there. The third day doesn't count the day to the ship so that is good.


Cristi