Planning: ???s abt staterooms/sites

[gypsydoodlebug]

OK, gang. The Dis Boards have never let me down, so here we go again.

DH and I decided last night in bed that we wanted to take a 4-night Disney cruise in Sept. or October. I know that's late for most of you who have been planning for months, but we're pretty flexible on dates since we're leaving DD17-months at home w/ Grams and Pawpaw. Here are the problems: 1) we've never cruised before and 2) we have no idea where to begin w/ a Disney cruise. I know there are different sites where you can book cheaper than @ Disney.

Expedia has a Deluxe Oceanview w/ Navigator's Balcony leaving Sept. 25 for about $1600.26 total (not including flight, which we'll worry about later).

1. How do you choose your cabins and what the heck is the difference between decks?
2. I've seen you guys write about cruisequick.com & allseastravel.com. Can I get a better deal through one of these guys? What about AAA?
3. How do you get from the airport in Miami to Port Canaveral if you are not dri ving?

Seriously. I should not be stressing about a VACATION as much as I am, but I didn't realize how far these suckers book in advance. Any help/advice would be much appreciated, as I really don't know where to begin.

 

[WDWLVR]

Let me see if I can help a little.

As far as choosing a stateroom and deck you just need to decide what is most important to you. Do you want a verandah? or will an inside stateroom do? You mention the navigator's verandah. That is by far our favorite room. It is far aft which makes getting to breakfast, lunch and dinner very easy. It is partially enclosed so I find it much cozier than a regular verandah. I also love the padded bench. My favorite spot for reading a good book.

Many find that being mid-ship is better and many prefer a plexiglass verandah so those are options for you. The only difference between decks is how much you want to walk up for down for things. Some prefer the lower decks to make it easy to get on and off at ports and be closer to decks 3 & 4. Some prefer the higher decks to be closer to the pools and action up on deck. We prefer decks 6 or 7 in the navigators ourselves.

Can't help with the agents you have listed. We either go through DVC Member Services (when using points for the Member Cruise) or through Dreams Unlimited (the sponsor of this forum).

As for getting from Miami to Port Canaveral - if you aren't driving I would suggest a town car. Do you have to fly into Miami? If you fly into Orlando you can use DCL transfers or a town car for a much more affordable rate than from Miami since Miami is so far away.

Hope this helps.

 

[gypsydoodlebug]

As for getting from Miami to Port Canaveral - if you aren't driving I would suggest a town car. Do you have to fly into Miami? If you fly into Orlando you can use DCL transfers or a town car for a much more affordable rate than from Miami since Miami is so far away.

Hope this helps.

Mary:
I didn't know DCL had a transfer! That helps. It's probably cheaper for us to fly from Louisville to Orlando than to Miami. I think I thought Miami was closer. (My geography stinks, LOL!) Do you mean rent a town car in Orlando or take a shuttle car (like a taxi service) to Port Canaveral?

We're looking at a navigator's balcony b/c that's just what Expedia had. I looked at a map of the Magic, but can't tell the difference in rooms or floors.

 

[my3kids]

Yes, you'll get a better deal from www.cruisequick.com. They are GREAT!

 

[WDWLVR]

Mary:
I didn't know DCL had a transfer! That helps. It's probably cheaper for us to fly from Louisville to Orlando than to Miami. I think I thought Miami was closer. (My geography stinks, LOL!) Do you mean rent a town car in Orlando or take a shuttle car (like a taxi service) to Port Canaveral?

We're looking at a navigator's balcony b/c that's just what Expedia had. I looked at a map of the Magic, but can't tell the difference in rooms or floors.

Port Canaveral is only about an hour out of Orlando. I think it is 4-5 hours down to Miami.

If you are flying in the day of the cruise you can get a transfer on the DCL bus (actually run by Mears).

If you make arrangements ahead of time you can tag you luggage and you won't even have to pick it up. They'll take it right to the ship for you. You board a bus and there are even little tv's giving you a taste of what you are in for.

At the end of the cruise if you are going back to the airport you can get the transfers the same way and depending on your airline you can check your bags right at the port.

Another option is a towncar or limo. They will meet you at the airport and take you to the port.

Coming in a day early? If you are coming in late at night stay at the Airport Hyatt and you can catch the DCL bus in the morning from the airport. If you are coming in earlier they also offer busses from many of the resorts or you can do what we do and rent a car and stay near the port. There are many, many options available.

 

[crisi]

1. How do you choose your cabins and what the heck is the difference between decks?

We decided we wanted a veranda and a room that would sleep 4. We called the agent, they can back with a cabin number. I think the Nav's only sleep 3.

2. I've seen you guys write about cruisequick.com & allseastravel.com. Can I get a better deal through one of these guys? What about AAA?

We used DU because they sponsor the boards. The $200 rebate they offered at the time was nice.

3. How do you get from the airport in Miami to Port Canaveral if you are not dri ving?

As people have said, you generally fly into Orlando. Then decide if you want DCL transport, a rental car or to take a towncar. We used Tiffany towncar and it was fine. If you rent, you can park at the port for $10(?) a day - or you can drop off your rental and pick it up when you come back.

One big word of advice is to fly in the day before. If you arrive early enough, you then decide if you want to stay in Orlando or at the port. Flying in late, the Hyatt MCO is right in the airport (or there are less expensive options a hotel shuttle away). We stayed at the Radisson at the port, which was OK, but I should have gone with my first instinct and booked right at Disney for a night.

check www.dcltribute.com for a lot of info

 

[logan1_2000]

Since you are new to cruising, having a handy reference like the Passporter Guide to Disney Cruise Lines might be a big help, and the photos and layouts of the various staterooms could answer many questions for you. In all honsety, there probably isn't a lot of info there that you couldn't find out for "free" here at DIS, but it is handy and reassuring to have the book, and it is all organized rather than doing topic searches.

Also visit dcltribute.com andother sites that you can link to from there for lots of information and photos.

This might be "piling on" in football terms, but let me be the umpteenth--Yes, you want to fly into Orlando, and the night before suggestion is very wise if at all possible (meaning--make it possible).

If you are going to use a Travel Agent (TA on here) then they are going to receive a commission--make them earn it, and by that I mean get some service. Have them answer your Q's--which DU does for me either by email or by sponsoring this Board. Allseastravel has a great website for comparing stateroom category costson the same cruise and also week to week--other sites make you request a quote. Whomever you go with, have it be someone who really specializes in cruises, and it is easy enough to find DCL specialists, too. I have also booked directly with DCL when my shopping around did not get me any better quotes from anyone else for the stateroom and sailing date I wanted. But that is not always the case. And you can also book with DCL directly and then later transfer the reservation to a TA.

Mostly--enjoy the process of choosing, learning, and then enjoy the cruise. Oh, two more words--"Trip Insurance", especially the time of year you are seeking to travel. Hopefully no re-do of '04, and you will have beautiful and warm weather.

 

[WorldlyWise]

Since we are already in a stateroom choosing discussion - I would appreciate hearing anyone's opinion regarding which side of the Wonder offers the best views for the 3 day Bahamas trip.