Need help with honeymoon! Disney cruise and WDW

[DJ Disney Kid]

Ok, Im a pro when it comes to Walt Disney World, but I dont know anything about cruises. Im just gonna ask a couple questions I have and maybe someone can help me:

1. This is our honeymoon, so we want to spend a couple days at sea and a week at WDW. I know they have land/sea packages, but is it cheaper to just book everything seperate? Do they even have 3 days at sea and 7 days on land packages?

2. Where is the best place to go? What are the differences in the cruise destinations?

3. If Im going to book each thing individually, do I just call the normal reservation # or is their a reason to specifically call the honeymoon reservation #? Also, is their any benefit to booking it as a honeymoon? Like free perks that I wouldn't get if I did it all seperately? My concern with booking a package is that they are going to want me to buy theme park tickets, but doesn't Disney give you and your bride free AP's if you have a Wishes wedding ( which we are )?

 

[CelticBelle]

I booked our seperately. Just call the normal reservation line and make sure they mark down that its your honeymoon.

Ive heard this from many people, do your stay at wdw first and then the cruise last. This will be my first cruise so im also a little clueless, but apparently its a bummer when you relax on the cruise and have to go back to all the crowds at the park. Plus that way well be all relaxed and rested for our return to reality.

 

[hulagirl87]

I booked our seperately.

Ive heard this from many people, do your stay at wdw first and then the cruise last. This will be my first cruise so im also a little clueless, but apparently its a bummer when you relax on the cruise and have to go back to all the crowds at the park. Plus that way well be all relaxed and rested for our return to reality.

That's what we did. We had our Disney World stay first and then went on the cruise. I think it worked out better that way. The cruise is one of the most amazing things I have ever done. So much fun and so relaxing. Castaway Cay is gorgeous!!!!

 

[sambycat]

we are going on a 4 night cruise for our honeymoon. we booked the cruise before we got engaged. the key to the honeymoon issue is just to tell everyone - travel agent, disney agent - whomever! - that its your honeymoon. there will definitely me disney magic for you! may not translate into $$, but definitely into surprises and congratulations that are well worth it!!

generally, booking land and sea together is better because i think you get more "bang" for your deposit? especially if you might have a pre and post WDw stay around the cruise. not sure entirely, but i know when i cruised alone before and added a stay after later, i had to make 8million more deposits and transfer things instead of just having it be done at one time. not sure it COST me more in the end, but it was like nickel and dime before the trip!

i think the "land" postion is whatever you want it to be, where as the cruises are of certain prescribed lengths. all i have ever done is the 4 night, which is very nice. i am sure many folks will have recommendations here - i think all that matters is budget and your time available and what you want!!

whether it is disney or a travel agent, i've never had anyone bug me about buying tickets - of course they will all ask you, but you will just say you will be an AP holder when you check in thats the end of any pressure, so no worries!!

congrats and enjoy!!

 

[CelticBelle]

Do they still discount land and sea packages? I thought they pretty much got rid of the package deal and you just booked them seperately? Just curious.

 

[ColeV]

Definitely do "land" before "sea". If you do the cruise first, it can be dangerous to fly in the day you leave (weather or a missed connection can mean a missed ship). So we always came in a day early, but then you have to get a room somewhere anyway! If you sit and watch the port you'll see people running to catch the ship from their bus in the last fifteen minutes. By then, we've explored the ship, ate lunch, and found a good place to sit on deck for casting off and the party!

If you let them know it's a honeymoon when you book, that should cover it. They even know if you're celebrating a birthday and give you a treat at dinner!

As for destinations, the three day will take you to Nassau and their private island. Nassau is very much a tourist destination, with a huge port catering to cruisers. It's a good basic trip, but if you can go longer, do it! I do like the Eastern Caribbean more than Western, but that's my preference. And really, you can't have a bad cruise...

 

[erin.w]

We are doing both - arriving 2 days before the wedding and staying for two days after the wedding, then going on a 3-day cruise (our first cruise ever), followed by another 5 nights on land at WDW. Not that that helps you but we'll see how it goes!

 

[daisygirl902]

I book mine seperately and then contact smallworldvacations.com and have them take it over....they normally have an OB credit for the cruise, depending on the length!!

If I had a choice I would also do land first, then cruise....our wedding/honeymoon trip we're kind of spoiling ourselves...going for 7 nights to Disney, 4 night cruise, and then 5 days back at the parks....I can't wait!