Newbe needs info please

[mom_rules]

I am extremely new to this board so please forgive my ignorance. Tell me everything I need to know about researching and booking a cruise. What does your price include, what things are extras and approx costs? Eating recommendations? How does this work? Do you chose your restaurant? I'm confused.
There would be 2 adults an 18 yr old and a 15 year old. Which cruise do you recommend, which stateroom category and rooms would give us the most space (ie. do my kids have to sleep in the same bed? or are there daybeds, bunks, pullouts)? Best time of year?
Thanks-I know I can count on you guys!!

 

[hydster]

AAAHH The joys of learning about cruising! Welcome! You came to the right place that is for sure! I am fairly new to the Disney cruise line but have sailed others like Norwegian, Princess, Disney and Celebrity and in theory they are pretty much the same.

The price of your cruise includes:
Your stateroom accomodations with a host or hostess that cleans it for you every day and also gets it ready for you to go to bed at night. This includes putting down the bunk bed that pulls out of the ceiling if you have a room like that, various towel animals, chocolates and the next days Navigator (tells you what is happening each day)
You get your meals which is pretty much all you can eat anytime and that includes room service (usually all you give is a tip to the person delivering it to you), soft drinks in the sit down restaurants, pizza, hot dogs, you name it.
Entertainment which are shows, movies (at the theatre right now type movies not some show from the late 80's).

On a Disney cruise they have 3 restaurants and you rotate between them. You go to a different restaurant each day and you are assigned a table number which is the same in all 3 restaurants as well as a server and asst. server who also rotate with you through the dining rooms. There are 2 seatings a late and an early. There is also Palo which is an adults only restaurant and it costs I believe $5.00 per person (which is supposed to cover the tip but you can tip more). If you do a 7 night cruise you do all 3 restaurants twice in a rotation.

The stateroom issue is one that is a matter of personal preference. Some like the family staterooms that have a verandah and can sleep your entire family. We did that and it had a couch that was made into a bed and a bunk that came down from the ceiling as well as a murphy bed that came out from the wall. Not all the family suites have the 5th bed. We found it to be ok for 5 of us but have decided to book 2 lower category rooms that connect so you get 2 bathrooms, 2 showers and 2 rooms. Some people opt to go the parents on a balcony room and the kids across the hall..it seems to be a matter of what your family would like.

The best time of the year...well I've only done Disney once but I think the highest prices are at Xmas, the week between Xmas and New Years, Spring Break and I think most of the summer (might be wrong there). I think if it were me I would go to the Disneycruise.com website and plug in different dates and room options just to get an idea of what times of the year cost for your family.

Hope that starts helping!
Heidi

 

[gometros]

Aside from DCL's own site at http://www.disneycruise.com, there are two excellent sites that have been created by DCL veterans:

http://www.castawayclub.com
http://www.dcltribute.com

Also check out the tour guide site:

http://www.passporter.com

 

[ThreeCircles]

Originally posted by mom_rules
I am extremely new to this board so please forgive my ignorance. Tell me everything I need to know about researching and booking a cruise.

Oh, wow. This could take a while! Especially considering that we all have our own nuances and special ways of doing things when it comes to cruising! A good place to start is the <a href="http://www.disneycruise.com">Disney Cruise Line</a> site.

What does your price include, what things are extras and approx costs?

Almost everything is included in the price of the cruise. If something isn't, it is usually clearly marked as being extra. Most entertainment is included. Shows, movies, deck parties, adult and children cabaret shows are all included. BINGO is extra, the Segway is extra, and all shore excursions are extra.

All food is included. This included room service. Alcohol is extra, specialty coffees are extra, some "specialty” drinks (smoothies) are extra, Coca-Cola is free at sit-down meals but extra at all other times.

Tips are not included. Most services at the Vista Spa are extra. The exercise room is no charge and most of the exercise classes are no charge.

Eating recommendations? How does this work? Do you chose your restaurant? I'm confused.

You will be assigned a dining rotation upon check in. You will then start at a specific restaurant and rotate through the others on subsequent nights. You dining room staff will rotate with you. Palo is an adults only (18+) dining experience. You'll need to make reservations if you wish to eat here.

Which cruise do you recommend?... Best time of year?

These are all personal decisions with no one answer. Ask around the boards and you'll find people that love the Western in December and others that only do the three-night Wonder in Spring. Only you can decide the answer to these questions and to do that you'll have to experience each cruise during each month of the year! So, you better get started!

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

Heidi, you're right on the money

There are only 3 of us (my DW , my DD and myself) and of the cruises we've taken, we always book a standard inside cabin. My DD is only 3 so there is plenty of room, and we are rarely in our room anyway. We have booked a deluxe inside room this time (spoiling ourselves a little) it should have a little more room then a standard.
With your kids being 18 and 15, you might consider Heidi's suggestion of adjoining rooms. That will give all of you more room, more privacy and AN EXTRA BATHROOM
All cruise lines will be more expensive during the summer months when more people are vacationing. However, your best bet on a good price is booking as early as possible (if you can survive a long wait )
From a personal (and recent) observation, don't book your cruise online, it was much more expensive than when I called. We decided to go with AAA, it was more discounted.
Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[Scratch42]

It becomes a habit!

Everybody here has already given you plenty of great information!

I think the hardest part is deciding whether 3, 4, or 7 day cruise! As you know, we seem to go during DD's Birthday in January. Makes for a great little break before the real winter shows up!

I'll let you know what the 7 day is like, that is if you don't end up going before us!

They have a great 10-day cruise for next Christmas with great ports added to the usual. I had planned on going but since it leaves the 19th, there was no way that I could get off work.

Have fun planning!

LY, MI!

Scratch

 

[Buckaroo's Dad]

Eating recommendations?

Eat slowly.

How does this work?

Works the same as eating on shore. Chew each mouthful 22 times. Swallow. Don't talk with your mouth full. If it doesn't taste good, it was probably put on your plate by an undetected Carnival subversive...

 

[mom_rules]

LOL!! Great advice.
Thank you so much for all the info-please keep going (I'm a Type A planner). We were thinking to go in Spring 2004. Scratch I'm anxiously waiting to hear!-

What were the cruises you've taken-fav island-things to do onboard? on shore?

 

[mom_rules]

When you talk about two rooms across from one another-one with veranda - the other not-are all decks like this and is there a big difference in $?

 

[DMS_cruisers04]

@ BD again, you are such a riot!!

mom, not all decks are like that, only because not all outside rooms have verandahs, some are just oceanviews (windows only). Definitely big difference in prices. The heirarchy (from lowest to highest priced) goes:
standard inside stateroom
deluxe inside stateroom
deluxe oceanview stateroom
deluxe stateroom w/navigator's verandah
deluxe stateroom w/verandah
deluxe family stateroom w/verandah
1 bedroom suite w/verandah
2 bedroom suite w/verandah
Royal suite w/verandah
check on www.disneycruise.com for deck layouts

Keep asking, we're her for ya!