Newbie Question - Disney the only choice?

[Im_Chipper_Dale]

DW and I big time Dis fans... been to DW many times; stayed on & off site (on when $ allows) but never did any cruise. We love Dis. No good ideas for xmas so decided to treat each other to cruise... no definite time scedule yet... we live in PA... figured we would do a 4 day but thinking about it... the travel to Fla just to board is a big expense... Would appreciate your thoughts if other cruise lines would be ok for our first... or does the Dis Magic make all the difference to you... if we don't do Dis we could get a much closer boarding port... have you done Dis & non-dis... I been reading the board for a while... I see Dis rooms are bigger... are other lines too small to enjoy? thx for your help Dale

 

[KathyTX]

Welcome to the DIS, Chipper Dale!

We have found that we love to cruise. We have cruised DCL and LOVED it, and we have cruised Princess and Holland America and loved those cruises, too.

I don't think I can say that I liked any one cruise better than the others, but the different ships and cruise lines definitely have different feels.

The Disney ships are DISNEY! Gorgeous surroundings, superlative entertainment, wonderful food and service. We certainly felt the Disney magic onboard.

But on the other lines we have found that we can afford much larger cabins than on Disney (you can really find some great deals out there!) And we have found that they each offer their own kind of special magic.

We will cruise again, both on DCL and on other lines. My advice? Pick a cruise, any cruise! If DCL is difficult to get to, you'll be fine to start with another one. Then you can look forward to your first DCL cruise that much longer!

 

[plutospup]

We're from PA, too. The trip to FL is a big chunk out our travel budget. I'm curious to see how fares go down, however, once Southwest starts to fly out of Philadelphia (May 8th). Generally, our RT from Williamsport, or Harrisburg is 200-250 pp (sometimes we get lucky and find a great deal for about 150!)

 

[SeaSpray]

DH and I took our first cruise this past summer on Royal Caribbean. We loved it and when we got back we decided to take DSs on a cruise next summer. We did a lot of research and we both agreed that the best cruise would be Disney. Our DSs will be 16 and 13 when we cruise next year, but we still decided that Disney seems to offer the best for people and families of all ages. Just like you, we could've gone on one of several other cruises that wouldn't involve flying, but we still think Disney will be the best

P.S. I voted for the last choice "tried other cruises, enjoyed, but want to try Disney cruise".

 

[Im_Chipper_Dale]

Any other replies or votes would be most welcome...

thx, Dale

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

I can't vote- as none of the options given fit me. LOL

But I'll reply. I have never cruised- so I can't say about other non-DCL cruises. But I can say this- I never even considered cruising BUT FOR DCL cruise... so IMO disney makes the difference.

Now I might enjoy it a lot and try other non-DCL cruises in the future just to experience it. But it would have to be if I enjoyed the cruise itself and wouldn't mind missing the "disney" aspect of it. We'll see.... LOL

 

[disney_parrothead]

Let me tell you how much I enjoyed the DC we took in June. I used to post on this Cruise Line board sort of regularly (mostly asking questions, giving very few answers, lol) but after we got back from our cruise and I gave our trip report, I found myself unable to come back to these forums. I just COULD NOT read about how other people were getting ready to leave, knowing they were going to have such a great time and I would be forced to remain back here in St Louis. Now keep in mind, I was not jealous of these lucky and fine people - it was just that it was without a doubt the best three days of our entire lives. My wife and I and my three kids were busy planning our next cruise about five minutes after driving out of the terminal.

Unfortunately, I have been transferred from St Louis to Omaha with my job starting in May, and because of situations beyond my control, no vacations will be available to us during next summer. Since my kids can't go (because they'll be in school), then we're looking at 2005!

As for the comparison, my in-laws have cruised on four or five cruise lines (not Disney). They have heard our trip report and said it sounded great compared to theirs, but these folks are EXTREME penny pinchers, so they'll probably never consider Disney. Basically, they see the ship as a way to get to their destination, not an attraction in itself.

Hope that gives you some insight. Disney is the way to go. Period. My opinion, others may vary.

 

[Luckymommyx2]

Im_Chipper_Dale...have you considered taking a cruise out of Philly or Baltimore? You can get some decent prices and you wouldn't have to worry about airfare.

I was very happy with our Disney cruise in August and actually trying to convince hubby to go back in 2005. I've also been on RCCL and Carnival. They all have their strong points so you really have to research to see what would suit you best. Good luck!

 

[LVTravel]

Having sailed on different lines, including: RCL, Carnival, NCL and DCL over the years you will find that each line has its good and bad points. 15 cruises with 2 on Wonder. Magic in 5 days.

The DCL good points: It's DISNEY. As you said you like Disney this would be a good choice. They are great with kids from 2 to 100 years old.

The DCL bad points: They are a bit more expensive than most of the competition. Sailing only two ships 7 & 3/4 days out of Central Florida. You need to fly or drive. If driving allow plenty of time (2 days to get there to allow for problems) or if flying in winter go down one day early to allow for weather delay. This holds true for any cruise in winter from PA.

The competition good points: Many different embarkation points, New York, Phila., Baltimore, Norfolk depending on time of year and itinerary. Most are cheaper than DCL,

The competition bad points: They are not DISNEY. Most don't handle children as well as Disney. Some don't have as good a food selection or shipboard amenities as Disney.