Stateroom/Status Dilemma

[meremac]

Hi everyone! I am planning to book a 2027 DCL European Cruise. It will be myself, DH, and our two college kids. I would love to book two connecting staterooms for our family, but I am the only one who is Platinum (the rest are Gold). This will be our first European Cruise. For those who have experience, is there a significant risk for things like Palo and Port Adventures booking up before the Gold window opens on these sailings? Would it be better to cram all in one stateroom so I can book onboard activities/Port Adventures for all of us when the Platinum window opens instead? I REALLY would rather not have to all share one room (and bathroom!), but I will consider it if there's a huge advantage.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Hi everyone! I am planning to book a 2027 DCL European Cruise. It will be myself, DH, and our two college kids. I would love to book two connecting staterooms for our family, but I am the only one who is Platinum (the rest are Gold). This will be our first European Cruise. For those who have experience, is there a significant risk for things like Palo and Port Adventures booking up before the Gold window opens on these sailings? Would it be better to cram all in one stateroom so I can book onboard activities/Port Adventures for all of us when the Platinum window opens instead? I REALLY would rather not have to all share one room (and bathroom!), but I will consider it if there's a huge advantage.

It depends what itinerary and what month you want to book.

The Med cruises will have a higher % of Americans which will mean a higher % of higher Cast Away Club Members. But the Med cruises are port intensive with long days on land, a lot of travel, walking on uneven surfaces in high crowds and heat. The ship is not the destination, the land excursions are peoples priority, so the onboard bookable extras like adult dining, beverage taskings, character meets will have low demand. Depending on the ports, many are easy to do DIY, there are Hop On Hop Off buses in most ports, many are walkable so you can still see and do things without booking the expensive Disney excursions.

The Norwegian Fjords cruises and the repositing cruise from the Med to England will be the same as the Med cruises.

The August cruises from Southampton will be the opposite. 90% UK families, the ship is the destination, large % wont leave the ship on port days, high demand for the onboard bookable extras like adult dining, beverage taskings, character meets.

The September cruises will be the same as the Med, Norwegian Fjords cruises and the repositing cruise.

Irish, Spanish, Italian, Greek schools are still in session until the end of June, UK and Germany and maybe other countries are still in session until the end of July, so you wont get big numbers of European families cruising in June and July. August is the big holiday month for the 27 EU countries and UK.

 

[meremac]

Thank you! We are leaning toward the Med cruise from Barcelona. Ideally I would like to do the one leaving May 22, but depending on my son's schedule, it may need to be the July 10 sailing. The only onboard activity we would really want is dinner at Palo since my daughter has never done it. Other than that, excursions would be the top priority, but from what you're saying, it sounds like there are plenty of ways to do those other than through DCL. My gut is saying it would be best to go with two staterooms; I just really think with a 19 and 21 year old, we're going to need more room and a second bathroom. And I just texted my husband that there is one more solution: He's done nine Disney Cruises, so I told him we just need to get him on one more short one between now and then to become Platinum too, lol. I don't think he's convinced quite yet, but I have time to work on him .

 

[Mommb]

Dinner at Palo is available every night, so it is likely to available on at least some nights at Gold booking.

Brunch at Palo does tend to fill up more quickly, since it is typically available only on sea days.

A few excursions may fill up, but on our European cruises, there have still be many available close to departure. As mentioned above, you may not want/need to do Disney excursions anyhow, depends on the ports and your preferences. For 4 adults, private tours may be comparably or even less expensive and allow you to see more.

Some beverage tastings may fill up, but I would rather have more cabin space per person than a chocolate and liquor tasting.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Thank you! We are leaning toward the Med cruise from Barcelona. Ideally I would like to do the one leaving May 22, depending on my son's schedule, it may need to be the July 10 sailing.

Both those cruises go to Palma de Mallorca, Spain Naples (Pompeii), Italy Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy Livorno (Florence, Pisa),

1. Palma de Mallorca is walkable, easy to do DIY
2. Naples is walkable, easy to do DIY and easy to DIY to Pompeii which is about an hour by train from Naples
3. Civitavecchia is walkable, easy to do DIY and easy to DIY to Rome which is about 90 minutes by train from Civitavecchia. Rome is walkable but needs planning if you want to DIY, as things like tickets to the Vatican need to be bought in advance.
4. Livorno is walkable, easy to do DIY and easy to DIY to Florence which is about 90 minutes by train from Livorno. Florence is walkable but needs planning if you want to DIY, as things like tickets to see David need to be bought in advance. Pisa is walkable , most people only want to take photos of outside the Tower and dont actually go inside.

The only onboard activity we would really want is dinner at Palo since my daughter has never done it. Other than that, excursions would be the top priority, but from what you're saying, it sounds like there are plenty of ways to do those other than through DCL.

Yes many ways to do the ports DIY but you just need to plan and research. Disney contracts out the excursions to local companies, so often you can get the same excursion with the same company for far less by booking direct with the company. There is an international Hop On Hop Off Bus company called City Sightseeing in all the cruise ports. Again book online direct with the company for the various ports. I have been on 4 Disney cruises in Europe, and DIY all ports. I use Google maps and YouTube vlogs and create my own walking tour in every port.

 

[DCL58]

As someone with young adult sons, get the second cabin. Makes family cruises a million times better!

 

[Doingitagain]

Get the second cabin and book Palo Brunch/Palo Dinner at platinum opening for one room. Try to book when Gold opens. If you don't get it then, check when you board the ship. There is a very good chance they can expand your table of 2 to a table of 4 if you need it at boarding. Or they can combine 2 reservations into one as well.
PS Make sure your reservations are linked if you have more than one room.

 

[holula]

I’m pearl. I’m booked on the 9 night Med cruise for this year and we have just passed platinum booking but haven’t reached gold booking yet. Palo brunch is only offered on two sea days but is still wide open at this point. Palo dinner is available every night (I also didn’t have any issues getting Palo brunch or dinner on my Treasure cruise in a few weeks, where I booked right around gold booking day.) Remy is available too including dessert. Personally for most Med ports I don’t think you need excursions and can DIY most of them (I am not booking one single excursion on this cruise.) Every beverage tasting is also available except one.

I fall into this same issue where it’s only me who has been Platinum and no one else has that status, so what I do for Palo is if I can’t find a booking for the full party size, I book two reservations close together time wise as I can. Palo have always combined these for me without even asking.

Basically, I don’t think you’ll have any issue if you have platinum/gold rooms.

 

[meremac]

Both those cruises go to Palma de Mallorca, Spain Naples (Pompeii), Italy Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy Livorno (Florence, Pisa),

1. Palma de Mallorca is walkable, easy to do DIY
2. Naples is walkable, easy to do DIY and easy to DIY to Pompeii which is about an hour by train from Naples
3. Civitavecchia is walkable, easy to do DIY and easy to DIY to Rome which is about 90 minutes by train from Civitavecchia. Rome is walkable but needs planning if you want to DIY, as things like tickets to the Vatican need to be bought in advance.
4. Livorno is walkable, easy to do DIY and easy to DIY to Florence which is about 90 minutes by train from Livorno. Florence is walkable but needs planning if you want to DIY, as things like tickets to see David need to be bought in advance. Pisa is walkable , most people only want to take photos of outside the Tower and dont actually go inside.

Yes many ways to do the ports DIY but you just need to plan and research. Disney contracts out the excursions to local companies, so often you can get the same excursion with the same company for far less by booking direct with the company. There is an international Hop On Hop Off Bus company called City Sightseeing in all the cruise ports. Again book online direct with the company for the various ports. I have been on 4 Disney cruises in Europe, and DIY all ports. I use Google maps and YouTube vlogs and create my own walking tour in every port.

This is SO helpful. Thank you!

 

[Donna3271]

I’m pearl. I’m booked on the 9 night Med cruise for this year and we have just passed platinum booking but haven’t reached gold booking yet. Palo brunch is only offered on two sea days but is still wide open at this point. Palo dinner is available every night (I also didn’t have any issues getting Palo brunch or dinner on my Treasure cruise in a few weeks, where I booked right around gold booking day.) Remy is available too including dessert. Personally for most Med ports I don’t think you need excursions and can DIY most of them (I am not booking one single excursion on this cruise.) Every beverage tasting is also available except one.

I fall into this same issue where it’s only me who has been Platinum and no one else has that status, so what I do for Palo is if I can’t find a booking for the full party size, I book two reservations close together time wise as I can. Palo have always combined these for me without even asking.

Basically, I don’t think you’ll have any issue if you have platinum/gold rooms.

We are on that cruise too! I am platinum, and everything is still open. The OP should not worry!!!

 

[meremac]

Thank you so much everyone! I really appreciate all of the feedback. You've put my mind at ease. Now, will I still try to convince my husband to go on a quick 3-nighter between now and then so he can become Platinum too? I mean, yes, who am I kidding? But not because I'm worried about getting reservations on our European cruise anymore .