Please Help Me choose! Fantasy or Magic B2B

[lolakat]

We just got back from our first Disney cruise (7 night Eastern on the Magic) and I LOVED it. I purchesed 2 future booking credits while on board and I'm anxious to book our cruise for next May I've narrowed it down to 2 choices but I'm having trouble choosing... Please help me before I lose my mind!

OPTION 1. 7 day Eastern on the Fantasy
(Port Canaveral -Sea-Sea-St. Marteen-St. Thomas-Sea-Castaway Cay-Port Canaveral)

Pros: New ship, No B2B hassle (if there is one??), Only have to use 1 prebooking credit (so would have one to use when 2013 cruised come out), would get balcony cabin as OV sold out

Con: $400 more expensive, Less appealing itinerary (only 1 CC stop, we acutally like Nassau stops), 2 days shorter

OPTION 2: 9 Day (B2B 5 day plus 4 day) Bahamas on Magic
(Port Canaveral-Nassau-Castaway Cay-Sea-Port Canaveral-Key West-Sea-Nassau-Castaway Cay-Port Canaveral)

Pro: 2 days longer for $400 less, Better itinerary including 2 stops at CC

Cons: B2B may be a hassel, Not the new ship, OV cabin instead of Balcony, repetative b/c B2B (may also have to pay twice for Photo CD), Will use both prebooking credits so none to use when 2013 comes out.

Any thoughts or comments on the pros and cons? How big a hassel is the B2B? Is there still a formal night/pirate party/captins party on these shorter cruises? Will repititon be a big problem?

Thank you Thank you Thank you for any help or advice

(BYW I also posted this on the cruise critic Disney board so please forgive me if you read it twice.)

 

[disneydreamfan14]

I would personally go with the Disney Fantasy cruise. It may be shorter and more money, but the experience I had on the Disney Dream was amazing. The AquaDuck was definitly a plus. So I would go with the Fantasy and save a credit for a future cruise in the years to come.

Hope my advice helps!

 

[sistert]

Hmm... there will probably be lots of variations on this one but here's my $0.02.

If this were between the Fantasy and the Dream with the same itineraries you've listed, this would be easier. This is almost like comparing apples to oranges.

7 days on the Fantasy gets you the fabulous ship (I've been on the Dream so it can't not be). Figure you'll only be on the ship 3 days and off 3 days (island stops).

9 day B2B is on the Magic (older though still wonderful ship) but now you get more ship time since you may not get off on some of the repeat days.

I think the big decider is how much ship time you want to have. Though the changes on the Dream/Fantasy are stellar, time on or off the boat I think is your big decider.

Yeah, that didn't help one bit did it?

 

[scootch]

Since you just did an Eastern, i can see you maybe wouldn't want another one...... but having been on the DREAM and Wonder, I know we can't go back to the older ships. Some people like them more, but there was no comparison in our book. The Dream was truly wow! Back to Back isn't that big of a hassle, but changeover day isn't too exciting, a day to just relax.... my kids were not interested in the pirate party/fireworks again. We were happy to be able to b2b on dream as 4 nights would not have been enough.... tough call, but I would go Fantasy, maybe western for a change??

 

[lolakat]

Thank you all for your thoughts!!

We had a long debate and finally went with the 9 night B2B on the magic. I just couldn't pass up 2 extra nights for cheaper. It acuatlly ended up being about 1k less than the 7 night Fantasy and almost 1.5K less than the 8 night Magic out of NYC.

We are so excited!!

Now I just have to wait a whole year for sail away...

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

Thank you all for your thoughts!!

We had a long debate and finally went with the 9 night B2B on the magic. I just couldn't pass up 2 extra nights for cheaper. It acuatlly ended up being about 1k less than the 7 night Fantasy and almost 1.5K less than the 8 night Magic out of NYC.

We are so excited!!

Now I just have to wait a whole year for sail away...

I think you made the right choice, since you have not been on the newer Disney Cruise ship you don’t have to worry about comparing the two ships. The deciding factor for me would have been double of everything pirate night, castaway cay days, meet and greets shows, fireworks and etc. You and your family are getting double of everything for less. Once aboard you will be able to get another future cruise discount and then you can try the Fantasy.