New to cruising and have some misc. questions :)

[linzjane88]

Ok I have read quite a few pages around here but I am still left with some questions about cruising. . We're looking at eastern Caribbean cruising, about 7 days, and while I would love a Disney cruise I don't think I want to pay for one. My first thought when researching is, holy cow is it difficult to compare apples to apples on different cruise lines! We will be a family of 4 (DD's 9 and 5 by cruise time) and it is really difficult to find estimates for the third and fourth person in a room. Not to mention my head starts spinning when I see credits, free drinks and internet, free tips, etc. Are there any of the "freebies" that are worth it or is it easier to just stick the basics?

1) What extras do you pay for that are not shown in the prices advertised? It looks like taxes/port fees are about $100 per person and tips are about $12 pp per day.

2) Are port days "rushed"? It just seems like 2-4k people getting off of a boat to see the nearby area in the AM and getting back on in the evening would take up the majority of the allotted time. I envision crowds like MK after fireworks---I am sure I am wrong though. Can you just go relax on a beach somewhere?

3) Rooms-- would a family of 4 survive in a inside cheapo cabin or do I need to upgrade to be comfortable? I keep seeing pictures that show two twin beds so I can't figure out where the others (kids) sleep and I *kinda* want to share a bed with my husband .

4) Food- What is cruise ship food comparable to? Eating is one of our favorite hobbies . We don't typically like buffets and I am not sure how I feel about sitting at a table with other people (what if the other people are weirdos? ).

5) Cruise lines- looking at Disney, Celebrity, and Princess. Disney would be first choice but it looks like I can find deals for about $2400-$2600 on the other two and I just don't know that I can justify a 40% Disney upcharge. I am a hardcore Disney fan but is it worth the extra couple grand?

6) Is there more 'rif-raf' (for lack of better term) on a 3-4 day cruise? We aren't looking to be surrounded by obnoxious drunks/partiers.

Thank you to anyone that survived reading all of that. I guess I am just looking for advice on thoughts from experience cruise go-ers. I always hear people raving about cruises so I think they must be very different from how I envision them!

 

[Justacruiser]

Ok I have read quite a few pages around here but I am still left with some questions about cruising. . We're looking at eastern Caribbean cruising, about 7 days, and while I would love a Disney cruise I don't think I want to pay for one. My first thought when researching is, holy cow is it difficult to compare apples to apples on different cruise lines! We will be a family of 4 (DD's 9 and 5 by cruise time) and it is really difficult to find estimates for the third and fourth person in a room. Not to mention my head starts spinning when I see credits, free drinks and internet, free tips, etc. Are there any of the "freebies" that are worth it or is it easier to just stick the basics?

1) What extras do you pay for that are not shown in the prices advertised? It looks like taxes/port fees are about $100 per person and tips are about $12 pp per day.

Taxes/Fees and tips; purchases from the gift shop, alcohol, popcorn, canned pops, adult dining, excursions.

2) Are port days "rushed"? It just seems like 2-4k people getting off of a boat to see the nearby area in the AM and getting back on in the evening would take up the majority of the allotted time. I envision crowds like MK after fireworks---I am sure I am wrong though. Can you just go relax on a beach somewhere?


If you book an excursion they get you off and on the ship quickly and a lot of folks sign up for those in ports other than Castaway Cay. Castaway Cay we usually eat breakfast before we get off the ship so we aren't in a hurry and can pretty much walk off the ship and lines back on, although sometimes can be a little long, move quickly.


3) Rooms-- would a family of 4 survive in a inside cheapo cabin or do I need to upgrade to be comfortable? I keep seeing pictures that show two twin beds so I can't figure out where the others (kids) sleep and I *kinda* want to share a bed with my husband .

Would recommend an Overview at a minimum. I like the Verandah myself.

4) Food- What is cruise ship food comparable to? Eating is one of our favorite hobbies . We don't typically like buffets and I am not sure how I feel about sitting at a table with other people (what if the other people are weirdos? ).

Evening dining I would rate a A-, the breakfast and lunch in cabanas is a buffet and the MDR's have a menu. We always request a table for just our party when we cruise. And although it is only a request, you always get what we request.

5) Cruise lines- looking at Disney, Celebrity, and Princess. Disney would be first choice but it looks like I can find deals for about $2400-$2600 on the other two and I just don't know that I can justify a 40% Disney upcharge. I am a hardcore Disney fan but is it worth the extra couple grand?

You get what you pay for in some cases. We are more than satisfied with the DCL product so we haven't ventured away to this point even with the higher prices.

6) Is there more 'rif-raf' (for lack of better term) on a 3-4 day cruise? We aren't looking to be surrounded by obnoxious drunks/partiers.

I recommend the 7-Night cruise. To me, everyone on the 3-4 Night cruises are rushing around trying to get everything done. Things are more relaxed on the longer cruises, IMO.

Thank you to anyone that survived reading all of that. I guess I am just looking for advice on thoughts from experience cruise go-ers. I always hear people raving about cruises so I think they must be very different from how I envision them!

 

[bumbershoot]

1) What extras do you pay for that are not shown in the prices advertised? It looks like taxes/port fees are about $100 per person and tips are about $12 pp per day.

Espresso-types of drinks on any ship (unless you're concierge level and they generally, though I don't know about all lines, have espresso machines). Booze, though sometimes you'll get a free drinks package, etc etc. Tips are almost always pre-charged now, but regardless you know how much the base tips will be in advance and can budget for it. Port fees are charged with the fare.

On Disney if you need popcorn for a movie/show that'll have a charge. Canned soda on just about any line. Premium ice cream (cheap softserve is free generally). That sort of thing.

3) Rooms-- would a family of 4 survive in a inside cheapo cabin or do I need to upgrade to be comfortable? I keep seeing pictures that show two twin beds so I can't figure out where the others (kids) sleep and I *kinda* want to share a bed with my husband .

We don't know what pictures you'er seeing, so that's hard. As far as I know Disney ships all have queen beds and then a sofabed, a pulldown bed from the ceiling,and some rooms have a murphy bed from the wall. Royal has beds that can be either queen or pull apart into two twins, then they'll have a sofabed, maybe a pulldown bed.

 

[linzjane88]

Thank you both!

We don't know what pictures you'er seeing, so that's hard. As far as I know Disney ships all have queen beds and then a sofabed, a pulldown bed from the ceiling,and some rooms have a murphy bed from the wall. Royal has beds that can be either queen or pull apart into two twins, then they'll have a sofabed, maybe a pulldown bed.

I have looked at so many rooms on different cruise lines I don't even know what I am seeing at this point. HA! But good to know there is different bed configurations.

 

[missyp]

1- extras that you would need to pay for varies by cruise line. Disney includes all food except adult only dining has an up charge. Soda is included, except cans. The dream has a new ice cream/ candy shop that charges for candy and ice cream but they have the free ice cream as well in the dining rooms, room service, and by the pool.

2- Everyone definitely does not get on and off at ports at the same time. Excursion times vary so some people won't leave until the time of their excursions. Some people are early risers, some late sleepers, people's breakfast times vary as well. Many do not even get off the ship while in port. I would not at all compare it to lines at Disney world. Even a full ship at peak time of year doesn't feel anything like that.

3- I can't answer your room question. We like to have a large room with a veranda ( 2 teenagers). I haven't been in a smaller room.

4-we are a family of foodies. We love good food. Is cruiseline food excellent , no. PAlo and Remy offer very good food for adults only at an up charge. My family very much enjoys the regular dining room food. There are specific things we look forward to eating, but is it outstanding- no. Celebrity cruiseline has somewhat better food ( IMO) than Disney but I would not recommend it or Princess for little kids. Not as good an experience as Disney or even Royal Carribean for kids. As far as sitting with other people we have found it to be hit or miss whether it was a great experience or not. We now ask to be seated alone, and our request has always been honored ( but they do not guarantee that it will be)

5- my answer is yes it is worth the extra money for a Disney cruise, but what something is worth to one may not be the same to someone else.

6- we have never experienced " riffraff" on a Disney cruise. Most people have been polite and respectful. I did not see any difference on a 4 night dream and a 7 night Alaska on the Wonder. Disney cruisers tend to be family oriented, not out of control partiers.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Ok I have read quite a few pages around here but I am still left with some questions about cruising. . We're looking at eastern Caribbean cruising, about 7 days, and while I would love a Disney cruise I don't think I want to pay for one. My first thought when researching is, holy cow is it difficult to compare apples to apples on different cruise lines! We will be a family of 4 (DD's 9 and 5 by cruise time) and it is really difficult to find estimates for the third and fourth person in a room. Not to mention my head starts spinning when I see credits, free drinks and internet, free tips, etc. Are there any of the "freebies" that are worth it or is it easier to just stick the basics?

1) What extras do you pay for that are not shown in the prices advertised? It looks like taxes/port fees are about $100 per person and tips are about $12 pp per day.

2) Are port days "rushed"? It just seems like 2-4k people getting off of a boat to see the nearby area in the AM and getting back on in the evening would take up the majority of the allotted time. I envision crowds like MK after fireworks---I am sure I am wrong though. Can you just go relax on a beach somewhere?

3) Rooms-- would a family of 4 survive in a inside cheapo cabin or do I need to upgrade to be comfortable? I keep seeing pictures that show two twin beds so I can't figure out where the others (kids) sleep and I *kinda* want to share a bed with my husband .

4) Food- What is cruise ship food comparable to? Eating is one of our favorite hobbies . We don't typically like buffets and I am not sure how I feel about sitting at a table with other people (what if the other people are weirdos? ).

5) Cruise lines- looking at Disney, Celebrity, and Princess. Disney would be first choice but it looks like I can find deals for about $2400-$2600 on the other two and I just don't know that I can justify a 40% Disney upcharge. I am a hardcore Disney fan but is it worth the extra couple grand?

6) Is there more 'rif-raf' (for lack of better term) on a 3-4 day cruise? We aren't looking to be surrounded by obnoxious drunks/partiers.

Thank you to anyone that survived reading all of that. I guess I am just looking for advice on thoughts from experience cruise go-ers. I always hear people raving about cruises so I think they must be very different from how I envision them!

1) Extra costs include gratuities, photos, excursions, adult dining, transportation costs to/from cruise, alcoholic drinks, tips to baggage porters, spa, nursery among a whole slew of other stuff.
2) Yes, there are often excursions that include beach breaks, or you can just head for a beach yourself. Just be sure to be back by the all aboard time.
3) The queen bed in the room sleeps 2. There's a sofa bed (back folds down over seat) sleeps one, and a bunk bed (above the sofa bed) sleeps one.
4) I've found the food onboard to vary from excellent to not so good. It's basically much like banquet food. If you are seated with others and don't "hit it off" you can request to be relocated (either to a table by yourself or with others).
5) Only you can decide whether Disney is "worth it" to you. If you're just going for a "cruise experience" you certainly can find cheaper fares.
6) For the most part, 3 & 4 night cruises on other lines do tend to be more "party cruises". Not so much on Disney. But they are pretty rushed - with many people trying to jam as much activity in as they can in the short time they are onboard.

 

[mevelandry]

1) What bumbershoot and PrincessShmoo said.
2) I have only been to Nassau & Castaway always from 8:00-9:00 to 4:00-5:00 so I never felt rushed.
3) Some rooms have bunk beds and the couch is also a bed and you can close them during the day. Also, the amount of time are you going to spend in your room should make a difference on the cabin you pick.
4) You can ask to get your own table. They never guarantee but DH and I had it every time. I'm told you have more chances during second seating.
5) In my opinion, while I can find a certain value on a 3/4 nights cruise, I don't see it on a 7 nights cruise because I could book a whole WDW trip with that "40% more" premium.
6) I saw one (possibly) drunk idiot on embarkation day two hours before the fire drill on my first DCL 3 nights cruise. It was my only encounter with such specimen during my two "short" cruises with DCL. Yes, they go by fast but we've never felt rushed (and even got to be a little bored once) because we love action. LOL

 

[WolfPack09]

Family of four. We stayed in an inside cabin, no problem. Two of us shared the queen bed, one the pull out sofa, and one the pull down bed (in ceiling). Housekeeping pulled out the sofa bed and pull down bed every night and put them away every day.

We spent money on drinks, souvenirs, excursions, nursery and tips.

Five night cruise. Did not notice drunks.

Disney was worth it to us. Kids loved meeting the characters. Disney goes above and beyond. The trip was wonderful. We are paying to go on Disney again although others are cheaper.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

Read a few trip reports about the itinerary you're interested in. A good one will be full of photos, including the Personal Navigaors, which lists the days scheduled activities.

 

[linzjane88]

Ooh thanks for all the replies everyone! The more I look the more I think I would like it. We want to do a Disneyworld/cruise combo so that's why we were considering cruising with a 'cheaper' brand.

Hmm. Lots to think about. I really *really* would prefer DCL but a couple grand is significant. I will look through the trip reports. There are so many options it's crazy. We live near Seattle (1.5 hours south) so the Alaska cruises look enticing. The ease of 2 hours of drive time vs flying cross country is compelling. Except for the minor detail that I only like vacationing to tropical places . Not to mention I have a lot of family in AK that I am close with. It would be kind of odd to go there and not see them.


Confession: I am most interested in vacation planning right now because we leave for 11 days in Disney on Wednesday night and it depresses me to not have another Disney-related travel plan lined up . How demented is it to not even leave for vacation and already be sad about coming home?

 

[michellekcm]

.

 

[rhinodadz]

1. As others have already noted above.
2. Disney excels at moving large numbers of people in the most efficient manner possible. We've never had an issue getting off or on the ship on a port day.
3. Based on your kids' ages you should be fine in an inside cabin. As they get older, not so much. When our DDs hit the teen years we opted for 2 cabins.
4. Food is very good, even the breakfast & lunch buffets in Cabanas. Make sure to plan for a "date night" at Palo or Remy if you are at all into food.
5. Again, based on your DDs ages, the price difference will probably be worth it for the kids clubs/programs. It was for us.
6. We've done several 3/4 nights on the Dream and have never experienced anything close to the stereotypical "booze cruise" found on other lines.

 

[Ofinn]

Ive never had to wait in line to get off or on the ship. Ive never seen lines at other cruise ships in port either. People come and go at different times.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Ive never had to wait in line to get off or on the ship. Ive never seen lines at other cruise ships in port either. People come and go at different times.

This was in Dublin on our EBTA this May (returning to the ship at the end of the day):


The wait to reboard was about 45 minutes, and the ship departed close to an hour late. There were at least 3 busloads of DCL excursions that missed the ship and had to be ferried to Liverpool to catch up.

 

[willijen]

I can answer some of your questions from a Royal Caribbean standpoint, which is the only other cruiseline that I've been on, and probably the only other one I'd consider taking kids on.

1)Most of the answers above are the same. On DCL, soda/pop is included from fountains, but on Royal Caribbean you must pay for it. Iced tea and lemonade, standard coffee and tea are all included.

2)The ships are surprisingly good at getting people on and off efficiently, though you can probably imagine there are sometimes bottlenecks when people are first let off at port. You don't have to take an excursion in order to get off the ship, and many ports have a beach nearby. Sometimes the beach is free, sometimes it isn't. Also keep in mind that at some ports with some ships, you will have to tender to port (take a small boat back and forth from the ship).

3)Most cruise lines have rooms with either a double or queen size bed or two twins that can be securely fastened together. Some rooms also provide additional berths, in the form of a convertible couch or chair, murphy bed or pull down from the ceiling. The size of the inside room varies by line as well. I would NOT get the smallest inside room for a family of 4. DCL rooms are a little bigger. I'd probably only take a family of 4 with those ages (if it were me) in the deluxe (bigger) interior DCL room, not the RCC interior rooms. But it would be tight.

4)It depends on the cruise line and what you're used to, but in my experiences with the two cruise lines, the main dining room food is better than your average family restaurant, but maybe not as good as high-end fine dining at a major US city. I think it's pretty good considering how many plates have to be served all at once. And yes, the food in the adult-only upcharge restaurants is better, on both RCC and DCL.

5)Royal Caribbean is significantly cheaper for a comparable cruise on DCL. BUT. My DH and I happily pay the premium for DCL when we are cruising with our kids because of the unbelievably wonderful kids clubs and counselors. We both agree that when cruising alone, RCC is just fine. YMMV

6)I haven't really seen a noticeable difference in type of people on RCC between a 3, 5 or 7 night cruise, they were all fine. I've only been on 4 night cruises with DCL, and it seemed comfortably free of rif-raf.

I hope that helps!

 

[FigmentSpark]

This was in Dublin on our EBTA this May (returning to the ship at the end of the day):
View attachment 190947 View attachment 190948

The wait to reboard was about 45 minutes, and the ship departed close to an hour late. There were at least 3 busloads of DCL excursions that missed the ship and had to be ferried to Liverpool to catch up.

Why was there such a line up and why were the busses late? Was it just that great a port stop or were there other factors?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Why was there such a line up and why were the busses late? Was it just that great a port stop or were there other factors?

Just everyone arriving at the same time, I suppose. The stop in Dublin was fairly short, so most people tried to use all the time they could onshore. Everyone was arriving back at the ship at the same time. And, even though
we were late leaving, there were buses that just didn't make it back in time.

 

[Juddster]

We took a 4 night cruise and did not see any 'rif-raf'

 

[DisneySunPrincess]

Confession: I am most interested in vacation planning right now because we leave for 11 days in Disney on Wednesday night and it depresses me to not have another Disney-related travel plan lined up . How demented is it to not even leave for vacation and already be sad about coming home?

Ummmm.....well, I can honestly say that I have been right there with you. When I am planning, I am happiest. I prefer to have my vacations planned at least a couple years out. I live in Orlando, so they are not always Disney (it's my backyard) but, I am always planning for the next vacation. I can say with great confidence that while the vacation itself is sooooo much fun, for me, a lot of the joy is in the planning and anticipation. That is why I get involved in Fish Extender groups, etc. So much more time to enjoy the impending vacation. I have definitely been known to catch a tear from my cheek as I start a Disney Cruise, because I know it is already almost over. Yep....I am demented too!

 

[jlynch924]

1) What extras do you pay for that are not shown in the prices advertised? It looks like taxes/port fees are about $100 per person and tips are about $12 pp per day. If you purchase specialty drinks or alcohol, souvenirs, specialty coffees in the coffee shop or after dinner, go to Palo or Remy, have spa services or *some* fitness center activities.... those are all "extras" you'd pay for.

2) Are port days "rushed"? It just seems like 2-4k people getting off of a boat to see the nearby area in the AM and getting back on in the evening would take up the majority of the allotted time. I envision crowds like MK after fireworks---I am sure I am wrong though. Can you just go relax on a beach somewhere? I've never felt "rushed" so to speak, even when we're only in a port for 4 hours (Key West seems to always be a short stop), it's not rushed. Of course, we don't do long excursions. I might feel compelled to only do short ones if I'm in port for a small amount of time. As for lines getting back on the boat, I've only ever experienced a long line when returning to the boat at the very end of the Castaway Cay day. Usually, I try to get back on the boat when there's still an hour or so left in port. No long lines then.

3) Rooms-- would a family of 4 survive in a inside cheapo cabin or do I need to upgrade to be comfortable? I keep seeing pictures that show two twin beds so I can't figure out where the others (kids) sleep and I *kinda* want to share a bed with my husband . Pretty sure all the boats now have queen beds, and your two kids would be in the convertible sofa and the pull down bunk or murphy bed.

4) Food- What is cruise ship food comparable to? Eating is one of our favorite hobbies . We don't typically like buffets and I am not sure how I feel about sitting at a table with other people (what if the other people are weirdos? ). We always request to have a table to ourselves when dining because I'm not a fan of small talk with strangers (repeatedly over several days). Thus far, our request has always been granted. The food is terrific. If you order something and you don't like it (from experience, the escargot was not spectacular), you can always get something else. You will not go hungry. Ever. Ever.

5) Cruise lines- looking at Disney, Celebrity, and Princess. Disney would be first choice but it looks like I can find deals for about $2400-$2600 on the other two and I just don't know that I can justify a 40% Disney upcharge. I am a hardcore Disney fan but is it worth the extra couple grand? For those of us who have repeatedly cruised with DCL, the answer is YES. The quality of everything is terrific.

6) Is there more 'rif-raf' (for lack of better term) on a 3-4 day cruise? We aren't looking to be surrounded by obnoxious drunks/partiers. We've done long and short cruises. I don't think the riff raff obnoxious partier people would even spend the money to go on a short DCL cruise. They're all paying $199 for three days on Carnival. No fears.