Please don't think I'm un-greatful,but...

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Originally posted by tammydel
Do you think your DH would like to take me instead?

Tammy~ you little opportunist you!

(mad that I didn't think of it first!)

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[yvettpal]

After booking our land/sea vacation, I was also unsure about how much we would enjoy the cruise. But after reading the cruise board on the DIS and visting other websites to get more information on the cruise I got more excited about it. We actually enjoyed the cruise more than the parks and rebooked another cruise while onboard.

Another site you may want to visit is www.castawayclub.com. There are navigators posted which lists the daily activities on the ships and also pictures, menus, and trip reports.

Hope you enjoy your cruise!

 

[copper0426]

Chatty, I really didn't want to cruise either. We have a 6 year old and we have only left him once for 2 nights when we went to Naples for our 11th anniversary, it is about an hour and half away from where we live. This past April for our 12th Ann. we couldn't decide what we wanted to do or where we wanted to go. About a week before our ann. Hubby says I got a price for the Wonder Cruise, how about seeing if they have a FL RES rate, I did, wow, it was half the price he'd found. Let me tell you I went through a whole bunch of different emotions. First, I was very unsure about being so far from our son, what if something happened, how would we get back to him, then we couldn't find DH's b/c so I was thinking about just saying hey we don't have your b/c we can't go. Just a bunch of reasons not to go. DH really has wanted to do a Disney Cruise every since Disney started in the cruise business. I just kept vetoing it. I said, I didn't feel that our son would enjoy himself or I'd be worried about him on the boat. Well since it was our ann. and DS would be staying with my mom. Hubby wouldn't let me use that excuse and said let's check it out for him.

I cried when we left him, I'm a sap, but DM lives right nextdoor to us and takes very good care of him. After we got down the road a bit Litterally down the road about 2 miles, we got a couple of cappuccinos and it was like the days before we had our DS. We were out on an adventure, as long as DH and I are together, we can get through anything, (and Have). Well, from the moment we got to the port butterflies were in the stomach. Checking in went fairly easy. We had heard about Palo and how you had to get in line to make ressies. Hubby said you go to the room, and I'll make the ressies. Well, we both went back to the room. Hubby left to make ressie. What a room it was I think probably the best of the ship What a veranda it was huge. When hubby came back he said he made Palo ressies and that we have a couples massage in like an hour. I have never had a massage, just never thought I would like it OH BOY WAS I WRONG. It was a couples massage. Half way during the massage he asked me, "did I create another monster, like I did with the Cappaccino. " OH yeah, see I'd never had a capp, until were in Disney in December, now I'm hooked. with the massages too. Well, on our last day, he also reserved the Surreal bath. WOOOOHOOOOO that was nice too. We went to Wave Bands at night, a club, saw a couple of shows as well as a movie one night.

Things were good. I had a great time. I was also worried about eating, but everything was great. We had a nice couple that we ate with two nights, It was their first anniversary. So we did meet some nice people too.

Sorry if you are sleeping now. I just wanted to let you know there are a bunch of things to do. We even worked out one morning. If you have any other questions, just ask. My mind has been changed. I will go again and will bring our son and prob. DM next time too.

Oh yeah, even though there were kids on board very rarely did we even hear them. So many things for adults to do.

Diane

 

[tigercat]

It's really funny. My dh said he never wanted to do a cruise. Our 25th Ann was my trip though (the honeymoon was his idea, a cabin in the woods where I cooked and cleaned) and I wanted a cruise. We decided to go to Hawaii from Vancouver a 11 night cruise. I dragged him kicking and screaming. Guess what? The 3rd day in he was getting books to see where else we could cruise to. We have been on 3 cruises and are set for our 4th in Jan. For someone who would only camp in one spot this is incredible. Go, you might be surprised.
tigercat

 

[Dancind]

I'm another one that thought no vacation could be better than WDW. But we had extra points to use last year, so I booked the 7 day Disney Cruise. After reading through the DCL board, especially the trip reports, we got really excited. My Dh certified to scuba dive, and we did a wonderful snorkeling excursion in St. Thomas. Castaway Cay was heavenly. Believe me, I am not a beach person (redhead skin), but get there early and get one of the hammocks under an umbrella. Then call "waiter" and get a Conch Cooler! I loved being spoiled on the ship, and there was so much to do! DD12 would rather cruise again than go back to WDW! We're booked to go again. Try it, you might really like it! Diana

 

[cpl100]

I love cruising and I think you will too if you give it a fair chance. You don't have to do what everyone or anyone else does on the cruise (although I guarantee you will eat! lol).

I hope you find that you enjoy it immensely.

 

[LovesHauntedMansion]

I would probably try to make the trip as "Disney" as I could.
1)Wear my pin lanyard.
2)Wear Disney t-shirts/hats.
3)Lay by the pool on my Lion King beach towel.
Are there any Disney characters on board? If so I'd bring my autograph book.
This way I'd still feel like it was a Disney vacation.

 

[cyndilou01]

Chatty,
If you are going on The Disney Magic... Let me tell you it is MAGICAL, from the moment you step on the boat it is very beautiful and there is so much to do you will forget that you are on a boat. we went two years ago and I am ready to go back as is my entire family....
Let yourself have a good time nothing says you cant stop off in orlando on the way home that would cap of a wonderful week... the boat comes in on Saturday morning and you have the rest of the weekend....
Enjoy....

 

[chrissyk]

DH and I are the veterans of a "cruise from h@ll". It was not a Disney cruise, don't worry! Anyways, I really, truly wish that our 1st cruise was on DCL, because I'm sure that we would have fallen in love with cruising if it was. As it is, our 1st cruise was our last cruise. I regret that, because of this awful cruise, my kids will never go on a DCL cruise with me and DH I've seen one of the DCL ships, and it looks magnificent! I don't see how you could NOT have a blast on one of the Disney ships I didn't think that I'd have fun on some of the non-Disney trips that we've been on, and I had a great time on most of them I say go and enjoy that Disney magic on the cruise ship!

 

[erikthewise]

I was never interested in cruising, but really enjoyed the 3-day Disney cruise.
However I'm still not sure if I'd want to do the 7-day cruise.

I also think you should push HARD for DH to compromise on a land-sea package. The 3-day cruise is so short it will be over before you know it, and if you like it you can then consider longer ones. I think a 7-day cruise is a lot to ask of someone who doesn't want to go on a cruise.

 

[missypie]

Good luck. I think you're either a "cruiser" or not ... hopefully you and DH will be the same (either both love it or both hate it), so you'll either both want to go on another one or both never want to go again.

 

[gdulaney]

Like several of the other folks who posted, my DH did NOT want to take a cruise. He just didn't believe he'd find enough to do and didn't want to bored/seasick/etc. We ended up doing a 7 night land/sea (3 days on the ship) and on the very last night of the cruise portion, we were packing and he said "3 days just isn't enough, they really need a longer cruise." Well, the very next year the 7-night was unveiled and yep, you guessed it...DH was ready to go!

There are so many Disney touches (the characters, the character breakfast...no worries about booking PS extra early, the decor, etc) that you almost feel "at home"...just like you would in a park. There aren't any rides...but there is a great spa, unbelievable excursions and shopping...well, shopping could be a post all by itself!!

You really may find that you aren't a "cruiser" and that a good roller coaster is your cup of tea....but, you may also find that you love cruising and that the spa seaweed wrap is more relaxing that 1 Lion King show and 2 spins on Space Mountain! I hope you have fun either way!!!

Ginny

 

[CRSNDSNY]

When we got married DH wanted to cruise for the honeymoon and I wanted WDW. So to compromise we did a DCL 7-day Eastern and a week in WDW. Well, since then we have planned and will only plan a WDW visit as long as it has a Disney cruise attached to it! We LOVE the cruises!

 

[rae519]

I always said that I would NEVER EVER be on a ship - excuses were "Titanic....seasickness....bored....not interested...." But after our first 3 nighter with the Wonder - DH, DS (who was 5 at the time) and I were hooked! That's when we started doing the 7 night DCL!

The only time we found it disappointing was this past Christmas when we went on a 3 night land (Poly) and 4 night sea vacation - we really missed those extra nights on the ship and WDW just didn't do it for us anymore.

I even got my Mom hooked - last year at the young age of 73, she had her first airplane ride and first cruise. She was completely overjoyed with the entire experience and went with us again in May!

At my age, 48, I guess you can teach an old lady some new tricks! And cruisin' is one of them!!!!!!! Wish we had started sooner but glad we got hooked on Disney!

Rae

 

[angelam]

We (dh, ds(8), dd(4) and myself) just took our first trip to WDW and our first cruise on the Disney Wonder in May. I wasn't against cruising, but was aprehensive. I get sick on small boats and many rides and wasn't sure how I would like being on a ship for four nights. Well, we absolutely loved our cruise. All of us, including the kids enjoyed the cruise more than the parks. There is so much to do that you sometimes forget you are on a magnificient ship, sailing in the middle of a vast ocean. I wish I would have spent more time just looking over the railing, taking it all in.

We enjoyed the food and the dining rooms very much. We don't go to fancy restaurants at home, but it was a fun experience. Our kids enjoyed all of the attention from the servers in the dining rooms.

Our cruise was the BEST vacation we have ever taken and are hoping to go on the 7 day cruise someday. A Disney Cruise offers something for everyone, so it would be difficult for me to imagine somebody who could disembark the ship without having had a great time!

 

[missypie]

Angelam, how did the price of your 7 day Disney cruise compare to the cost of a 7 day WDW vacation?

 

[angelam]

We stayed 5 nights at the Beach Club (took the upgrade from POFQ, due to the closing for renovations), had Disney round trip transfers, park hopper passes, and took the 4 night cruise for $3600. We went through a Travel Agent. We probably could have done better on price if we had purchased things separately, not as part of a package, but that was before I became aware of the Disboards!

We haven't gone on a 7 day cruise yet......just dreaming about it and hoping that we can do it soon. Depending on the time of year, a family of four should be able to find a 7 day cruise price that is comparable to 7 days at WDW. Plus, on the cruise your food is included!

Angie

P.S. Oh, I should mention that our four night cruise was in a
Cat. 10 room. It didn't have a porthole, but that was fine with us, since we were only in the room to sleep.

 

[ohiominnie]

I'll chime in here too....I haven't read all of the replies, but I want to give my $0.02. Feel free to give me change if it's not worth the $0.02!!

Prior to May 2002 I SWORE I would never take a cruise...EVER!!! My biggest complaint was I didn't want to get dressed up for dinner. After that it was "I'm not a drinker, smoker, gambler, so what am I going to do all day." Thirdly, I get motion sick....on rides, in the car, in my dad's small boat--who wants to be sick on vacation??? The fourth big excuse was I didn't care if I ever went to places like the Bahamas because all they do is accost you when you get off the ship and try to braid your hair and sell you cheap tee-shirts!

May 2002 we decided to try a cruise in May 2003....THE ONLY reason I consented was because it was a Disney cruise. We used DVC points for the adults, and paid cash for the kids. That wasn't bad b/c it didn't hurt as bad financially. If I didn't like it, at least I wasn't out that cash (please no DVC debate here that my points are worth $$) We chose the 4 day b/c 3 day seemed too short and 7 day would be miserable if in fact we all got seasick. So we planned a 4 day cruise, then 9 days at the World. (take into account that we're DVC and go to Disney twice a year--about 12 days each time--OBVIOUSLY we LOVE WDW!)

Now, fast forward to disembarkation. We were all SAD and DEPRESSED to be going to WDW! My kids did NOT want to leave the ship. My dd was cutting deals "I'll give up 9 days at Disney for just 4 more on the ship!!" WDW turned out to be fun, of course, but we still miss the cruise more.

We currently have FOUR more cruises planned...
This September a 3 day --surprise for the kids
This November, 4 day--introducing my parents to cruising (also ppl who said they would NEVER EVER cruise)
May, 2004--a 7 day western
Dec, 2004, the 10 day Christmas cruise.

Also, if my "work" ever gets around to announcing their company cruise, we might be on that too....the only requirement is it's a Disney cruise!!! If they pick any other line, we won't go. I suspect that will be next Feb or so.

So, within 1 yrs time I went from "I'll never cruise" to "when's our next cruise????"

That's my experience, YMMV.

 

[missypie]

Ohiominnie, since you aren't a drinker smoker gambler what DID you do on the cruise and did the stops turn out to be better than just t-shirt sales? My secretary just got back from a [non-Disney] cruise...she said she had a great time but talked about going to "bingo" and "trivia." I thought "She's 30 going on 70." Just what does one do that's so fun?

 

[ohiominnie]

Bingo....Ok, I'm not a gambler, but we did want to go check out Bingo. We ended up not ever having time! We swam, sat on deck 4 and napped or read, went to the Ice Sculpture demonstration, played in the Arcade, went to the shows, watched a couple movies, did laps around deck 4, played ping pong, sat on our verandah, went to deuling pianos, watched the frog races in the lobby, ...

goodness...seems like we didn't do THAT much. It was as exciting and busy as we wanted it to be, but also lots of time to sit back and relax.

Dd lived in the clubs. Ds went in and out of the clubs all day, so much of that time we were doing what he wanted to do.

The ports? We did'nt get off to find out!! This time out we wanted to spend our time on the ship as much as possible! We did get off at Castaway Cay and had a wonderful time. We'll probably do more excursions, esp on next May's western trip. Dd studied Ancient Mayan civilization this year in 3rd grade, so she wants to see the ruins.

Oh....we also spent some time at the re-booking desk.....twice!
HTH!