Star Wars Cruise vs Regular cruise

[JJsmama]

I was hoping to book an EC for my kids' Spring Break. It is a Star Wars cruise. Although 2 of my boys would like it, we are not Super SW fans. That is the only date that works for us unless we wait until summer. Summer is about $1000 cheaper. I really want the tropical aspect vs the SW aspect. Would you pick the SW one if you were me?

On the flip side, I DID wonder if less people were at the pool / less young kids on these cruises because there are more adult SW fans? How does it change the demographic?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I was hoping to book an EC for my kids' Spring Break. It is a Star Wars cruise. Although 2 of my boys would like it, we are not Super SW fans. That is the only date that works for us unless we wait until summer. Summer is about $1000 cheaper. I really want the tropical aspect vs the SW aspect. Would you pick the SW one if you were me?

On the flip side, I DID wonder if less people were at the pool / less young kids on these cruises because there are more adult SW fans? How does it change the demographic?

If I had the option (meaning cost/vacation date availability is in the same ballpark) of a Star Wars cruise (or any themed cruise) vs a "regular" cruise, I'd go with the regular cruise.

That said, if I only have one or two options, and both are a themed cruise, I'd go with whichever is cheapest.

 

[phinz]

It's just one day. It's not like the whole cruise turns into the Mos Eisley Cantina and is patrolled by Stormtroopers and Sith.

Edit: Star Wars is bigger with kids than it ever has been. Clone Wars and the new movies has made sure of that. It's *huge* with a lot of kids now. It just so happens that a lot of their parents are also fans.

 

[JJsmama]

It's just one day. It's not like the whole cruise turns into the Mos Eisley Cantina and is patrolled by Stormtroopers and Sith.

Really? I thought the theme of the whole week was SW with M&Gs, menus, deck parties, etc. Is everything 'normal' except one day?

 

[JJsmama]

If I had the option (meaning cost/vacation date availability is in the same ballpark) of a Star Wars cruise (or any themed cruise) vs a "regular" cruise, I'd go with the regular cruise.

That said, if I only have one or two options, and both are a themed cruise, I'd go with whichever is cheapest.

With high schoolers, i have one week to choose from and it is Easter week/ peak season Every Year . I have actually considered home schooling my kids just to get better holidays but I never went that far. I dont want to pay the premium for a SW trip, so we may just not go at all. Then again, oldest Ds leaves for college this summer, so I am trying to Seize the Day!

I even checked RCCL and they are doing Western C that week, which I don't want. First World Problems

 

[phinz]

Really? I thought the theme of the whole week was SW with M&Gs, menus, deck parties, etc. Is everything 'normal' except one day?

It's "Star Wars Day at Sea". There's one day that's all Star Wars. They even keep Pirates in the Caribbean as well. There will be Star Wars spillover all week, I'm sure, but it's that one day with the special menu, etc.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

They even keep Pirates in the Caribbean as well.

Yes, they still have Pirate night, but no Pirate menu, and the fireworks are moved to the Star Wars day.

 

[NZMUM]

Really? I thought the theme of the whole week was SW with M&Gs, menus, deck parties, etc. Is everything 'normal' except one day?

We were on a SWDAS cruise this year. It is only 1 day. And it is pretty easy to avoid if you want to - just go to the upper decsk. There are things happening on decks 4 & 5 and sometimes the stormtroopers are walking around the upper decks. The activities on that day are Star Wars themed, as is dinner. That was the night they had the fireworks rather than on Pirate Night. A lot of guests were dressed in costume, but most were not.

 

[phinz]

Yes, they still have Pirate night, but no Pirate menu, and the fireworks are moved to the Star Wars day.

Considering how many people complain about the pirate menu, I'd imagine that would be considered a bonus by Dis-denizens.

 

[JJsmama]

well, the update is that the choice between the two may be pointless because my teenagers do not seem interested in the least in going on a cruise The last one they went on they were about 12 and 14 and were pretty bored- especially the 14 yr old. Ds9, who went with me on the Eastern last year is ready to go again, but that week (or the 7 night DCL in general) is SO pricey (10K for regular verandah) that i don't want to do it if they are not into it.

Although when I told Ds18 that he could hang with me in the adult areas this year, he perked up a bit.

I may do RCCL instead (1/3 of the price) or we may just stay home. I really wanted Castaway Cay though...

 

[FigmentSpark]

I feel your pain. My DH and DS14 have told me 'no more WDW!', which breaks my heart and disappoints DS12, who's still into Disney. The cruise was our compromise. But if they doesn't work out, I'm leaving them home next year and will take DS12, by myself!

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

Of course, every teen is different, my boys (14 and 15) still liked some of the Disney-ness when we were on the Fantasy this summer, but there were lots of other things that appealed to them about the cruise. Free food, as often as you want in various venues. Free room service. (Normally, I NEVER let them order room service). Free ice cream. Free soda. OK, i just said free food four different ways, but to my growing boys that was four separate selling points. Not only that, but I felt comfortable giving them much more free reign on the ship than I would have on other vacations. They spent a ton of time in Vibe, or on their own on the Aqua duck, or the sports deck, getting their own food, or hanging around the ship.

They LOVED the freedom, and yet, with the Nav app, and the fact that the ship isn't THAT big, I could always find them when I wanted to. But that doesn't mean I never saw them. Because of this freedom, they were happy to eat with us, and go on excursions with us, and even see some shows with us.

I know the OP said her sons had been on a cruise before, so maybe the novelty has worn off, but maybe the trip just needs to be packaged differently. Plus, I definitely sold this trip as an opportunity for them to show me that they were ready for more freedom/responsibility. "Show me that you will stick to your word, go where you say you are going to go, and return when you promise, etc. so that I know that I can count on your following your word in the future, and thus give you more freedom/responsibility. My older son will be getting his driver's licence next summer, so the Freedom/responsibility balance is definitely a big thing for us, and this cruise showed us that he is getting ready for that.

 

[dreadpiraterose]

It's "Star Wars Day at Sea". There's one day that's all Star Wars. They even keep Pirates in the Caribbean as well. There will be Star Wars spillover all week, I'm sure, but it's that one day with the special menu, etc.

Even though SWDAS is one day, they play the movies all week, admittedly at the expensive of some other non-SW movies. They'll play some, but the SW movies definitely have a large presence all week.

 

[phinz]

Even though SWDAS is one day, they play the movies all week, admittedly at the expensive of some other non-SW movies. They'll play some, but the SW movies definitely have a large presence all week.

Considering the distinct lack of crowds I've seen in the movie theatres during any given movie showing on non-SWDAS cruises, I don't believe this makes much of a dent in the overall feel of the cruise.

 

[dreadpiraterose]

Considering the distinct lack of crowds I've seen in the movie theatres during any given movie showing on non-SWDAS cruises, I don't believe this makes much of a dent in the overall feel of the cruise.

It didn't bother us at all, but I did hear several complaints from non-SW fans who had signed up for the cruise prior to it becoming a SWDAS sailing.

 

[phinz]

It didn't bother us at all, but I did hear several complaints from non-SW fans who had signed up for the cruise prior to it becoming a SWDAS sailing.

Some people just need something to complain about. A lot of these complainers wouldn't even go to the movies if they *weren't* Star Wars movies. That was my point about the "distinct lack of crowds".

 

[Shanti]

I was hoping to book an EC for my kids' Spring Break. It is a Star Wars cruise. Although 2 of my boys would like it, we are not Super SW fans. That is the only date that works for us unless we wait until summer. Summer is about $1000 cheaper. I really want the tropical aspect vs the SW aspect. Would you pick the SW one if you were me?

On the flip side, I DID wonder if less people were at the pool / less young kids on these cruises because there are more adult SW fans? How does it change the demographic?

Go with what works best for your budget & schedule. There will be a TON of kids of all ages on DCL over spring break, and in summer, for that matter. Star Wars is popular with kids & teens, & the fact that it's a spring break cruise trumps all else in terms of the number of families aboard. It won't be mostly an adult-nerd cruise.