Need some honeymoon help...

[Disney-Bride2010]

Hi everyone. I need some advice on our future honeymoon plans. My DF and I are trying to plan an early August 2010 DFTW and DCL honeymoon. We were planning on booking a Land & Sea package, adding on a few days at WDW beforehand. I want the wedding date to be August 5, and had planned on leaving for the cruise that Sunday (the normal day a 4 day cruise leaves). I just found out today that DCL is not operating "normal" cruises during summer 2010, since the Magic will be cruising Europe. The Wonder will only be offering 5 day and 4 day cruises, but no Land & Sea packages.

So as DF is not giving me much imput, I've turned to the wonderful DISboards for some advice. My options are as follows:

Keep the wedding on Aug. 5 (or sometime during the first week of Aug) and go on a 5 day cruise (which is looking to be about $1600 more for just a standard inside stateroom )

OR

Push the wedding back a week (to sometime in the second week of Aug) and go on a 4 day cruise (which leaves on a Friday, shortening our time in WDW)

We're trying to keep a budget and booking the 5-day cruise will force me to cut back on other things

Also, the 5-day cruise would go to Castaway Cay twice... Is it worth it to pay the extra money to go to the same place twice??

Anyone have any advice?

 

[nickandlarisa]

Not sure if this helps, but you can book separate land and cruise trips to create your own land and sea package so to speak. We are doing the 4-night cruise in 09 as part of our honeymoon, and wanted to stay before and after at WDW, so we basically have 3 separate trips booked. I've heard on here that some people prefer to book land and sea separately anyway because you have more option in resorts you can stay. With land and sea the resort level is linked to your cabin level on the cruise I believe. Even if you don't have a land and sea package, you can still arrange for DCL transfers to pick you up at your WDW resort and take you to the port or take you back to the resort from the port. So just because land and sea packages aren't offered doesn't mean you can't do the land portion, just need to book it like two separate trips and arrange the transfer. Good luck with everything!!

 

[Disney-Bride2010]

Not sure if this helps, but you can book separate land and cruise trips to create your own land and sea package so to speak. We are doing the 4-night cruise in 09 as part of our honeymoon, and wanted to stay before and after at WDW, so we basically have 3 separate trips booked. I've heard on here that some people prefer to book land and sea separately anyway because you have more option in resorts you can stay. With land and sea the resort level is linked to your cabin level on the cruise I believe. Even if you don't have a land and sea package, you can still arrange for DCL transfers to pick you up at your WDW resort and take you to the port or take you back to the resort from the port. So just because land and sea packages aren't offered doesn't mean you can't do the land portion, just need to book it like two separate trips and arrange the transfer. Good luck with everything!!

Thanks! I've been on a land & sea package before, and was bummed when I saw they wouldn't be offering the option in summer 2010.

I think we've just about decided to stick with our original date and go for the 5-day cruise. It may be more expensive, but I think it'll work out in the long run. I'll just have to cut back in other places that aren't as important.

 

[Tink_Kel]

Don't know if you'd be interested or not, but there are other cruise lines that operate out of Port Canaveral. My DF and I are doing our Honeymoon Sun-Thur at WDW, and then Fri-Mon on a 3 night cruise with a non-Disney cruise ship. They spend one day in Nassau, and another day at some little island they own.

One advantage on going non-Disney, is the other cruise lines have casinos! I'm not a big gambler, but sounds like fun...plus I thought there'd be less kids.

Good luck in your planning...I'm sure you're going to have a wonderful time!