Switching from 3 day to 7 day

[EKB9211]

We are first time cruisers - family of 5 (2 adults, kids ages 5, 3 & 2). We're currently booked for a 3 day Halloween on the High Seas in October combined with 5 nights at the parks. We have never cruised and figured we would start with a 3 day, but everything I'm hearing is saying its too short. I saw a 7 day Eastern Caribbean on the Fantasy May 18 - 25. We've very tentatively discussed switching. It actually is cheaper per day than our current cruise and averages to less than $250 a person. However it's still a big jump from what we're currently paying. We would have a verandah room. I just would like some feedback to see if this something worth considering? We would still do the parks in October, but probably keep it to 2 days and a Halloween party. We've gone every year so our kids have done all the parks.

 

[i18mulan]

I personally would pick the 7 night cruise. The longer, the better. My family loves the parks but it’s just not as relaxing as going on a cruise. 7 night would give you enough time to actually explore the ship and relax. With the 3 night one, you’ll feel like you weren’t able to do everything you want to.

Enjoy your cruise!!

 

[MouseMomx2]

I would switch to the 7 day in a heartbeat.

 

[lklgoodman]

All 5 of our cruises have been 7 nighters, we already have another one booked for next year. I think even the 7night ones go by too fast. We did the EC this past Jan, and the islands are beautiful.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We never do less than 7 days and try to do 9 to 11 days whenever possible. I can’t imagine a 3 day cruise.

 

[EKB9211]

Right now it’s at $8329 for verandah (guaranteed rate). Is that a decent price? I know they are cheaper in the fall, but I looked at next May same week and prices were same. Also, my youngest is only 2 and not potty trained - will she have enough to do? So looking for feedback on toddlers as well

 

[fredandkell]

I will be in the minority when I say this, but I would stick with your current plan. A 3-day cruise is great to assess if you will like cruising. If you do, you have the excitement of "it left us wanting more." You can also use your short cruise to snag the 10% off booking discount to book your future 7-day cruise. Almost everyone I have ever talked to in my circle of friends over the years has enjoyed cruising, but I have had those one or two people who said it just wasn't for them. So if you do have some doubts, I think it's better to start small and work your way up to a longer cruise, rather than to start big and wish you had done a shorter visit. (I personally think it's impossible to have a bad time on a DCL cruise, but you have to realize that this board is full of DCL disciples and fanatics, so there aren't many of us on here who say we don't like DCL, haha!)

As far as your toddler, you'll have to reserve times in the nursery for her, and they go quick. She also cannot go in the pool. (The pools aren't that great anyway, more like knee-deep wading pools on Dream and a big 3-foot deep bathtub on Magic.) The ships do have excellent splash pads for her age. I think cruising is great for toddlers because they will set up your cabin with all the needs (pack and play, bed rail, diaper genie) and you can go to your stateroom to nap when the need arises. Plus it is a lot cheaper to cruise when they are 2; when they turn 3, the price goes up.

Finally, I will end by saying that we like Disney World, but we LOVE, ADORE, and WISTFULLY FANTASIZE over DCL. It is so much more relaxing than the parks. You don't get nickeled and dimed to death like the parks.

 

[MouseMomx2]

Another option would be to look into a four or five day cruise. Both of those will give you the all-important day at sea where you really get to enjoy this ship. A three days has two port days and then you're off.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

I would switch. Our first cruise was a 7-night on the Wonder, and I thought that was a good length. (Actually, I thought it was too short.) I think 7 nights actually give you time to unpack, get the lay of the land, try restaurants more than once, establish a routine, check out a wider variety of activities, etc.

 

[Joe Brig]

3 days is a great first cruise length. Each day usually has a port, so if someone gets seasick, they can get on land each day. If you find everyone loves cruising you can book another while onboard and save 10% plus get a onboard credit.

 

[Karin1984]

I would also stick with the current plan. If you have no idea how your kids react, just have a short trial cruise. If you all do like it, great for next time. If you hate it, you didn't break the bank.

 

[daisyx3]

It is more than your current park plan, but remember in the parks you have to buy food, which is included in DCL (unless you book Palo or Remy). We were in the parks lat week and even a CS meal for 3 adults was crazy.

 

[MelissaE1]

Here's my take.

I've done 3*, 4 and 7 nights on DCL. If it's feasible for you, I would 100% switch to a 7 night. The only people I would recommend 3 nighters to are those for whom it's truly their only option. It's really only 2 full days on the ship, and for us it felt like we had just boarded and shortly afterward they were handing us the end-of-cruise surveys. Kind of like the first time I went to WDW because I had time to kill before a late flight out of Orlando and only did half a day at Epcot. I enjoyed it, but it's just not anywhere near the whole experience.

Although I'm sure it's happened, I can't remember personally reading on these boards (or any other) where someone got back from a Disney cruise and said "I wish we had gone for a shorter time." I've read countless times where they booked onboard for a longer cruise. If you can do it, I say go for it.

*To be fair, the 3 nighter came after other, longer cruises, so I'm sure I was more critical. It was at a time when people weren't traveling as much, and we got a bounceback offer for 3 nights in a verandah cabin at $99/pp. Yep, you read that right – $396 plus taxes for four of us. I said I'd never do one, but how could I not?

 

[randumb0]

I feel like 3 nights is good in case your family decides that you don't like cruises.

 

[EKB9211]

Such a hard decision! I guess I should mention too that if we don’t do the cruise in May, we will still do a beach vacation. I ran the numbers on that and where we like to go will still be around $3500. We usually go with friends but will just be us this year, so our costs are higher. So I added that to our current cruise cost (~$3600) and that’s like $7000. That’s what prompted all of this thinking about switching. So in a way the cruise is would be costing us about $3000 because we would do the beach + cruise in October if that makes sense? Vacations are a big part of our budget every year, it’s just something we prioritize.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

We're taking my nephew and family (DW, and 7, 5, 4 yo) on their first time (as a family) to WDW and DCL. Doing 2 days at WDW and 3 day Bahama cruise. Only doing 2 days at WDW because that's all we can take. Then doing the 3 day so they can experience a cruise and if they like it they can do (and pay) the placeholder for the 10% discount and OBC. We are normally 7+ days cruising. Stick to your Plan A and see if you and the crew enjoy it. Then do the placeholder for the discounts for the longer cruise.