Tacky queston ahead! How does a family of 5 afford a Disney Cruise?

[mbbarron]

We are also a family of 5 planning our 1st Disney cruise. I'm in the same boat as you. I've wanted to do this for years but it's been too expensive.

I am planning a trip on the Dream in 2011. The reason the Dream is slightly more affordable for family of 5 is that the Wonder and Magic only accomodate 5 in Cat 4's and above but the Dream has Deluxe Family OV staterooms that sleep 5 priced as Cat. 8. Much cheaper. Prices now for non-peak weeks on 3-4 night cruises are not crazy yet if you have flexibility on travel dates. For 7 nights, you would need to do a back to back as I don't think the Dream is scheduled for any 7 night itineraries yet. You could consider the 5 night but I think prices are high on those already (since kids are out of school so those sell out quick) unless you look at beginning of Dec 2011.

I'm looking at booking a 3-night in Nov. 2011 on the Dream with 2 options. 5 of us together in a Cat 8 for $ 1,875 or 2 connecting staterooms Cat. 9 for $2,015. If we did the b2b with a 4 night, it would just under $2,300 for Cat 8. So b2b in Nov. 2011 on Dream for family of 5 in Fam OV Cat 8 is $4175.

Hope this helps! Good luck with the planning. BTW, I've never booked any vaction this far in advance! I figure Disney is like airline rates...You need to book early before the low seats sell out

 

[lmhall2000]

Family of five, opted to take my parents with us and oila...here is the total (cruise only, not air)

$4142 for 7 people with $1400 On Board Credit...

10 nights Mediterranean, just may be the best deal we could ever find!

Tara

 

[neenslovesdisney]

I agree with the others. It takes some planning and flexibility with dates on your part to make it work. We have young kids (5 and under) so we have no problem going off-peak and taking the older one out of school for a few days.

I do wonder though how people can afford the higher-priced rooms on 14 night cruises with airfare etc. We booked an 8 night for this summer (dover to barcelona) only bc we got gty cat 12 for $3400 total. The next higher room was almost 8K ! We are using skymiles for all 4 of our tickets but if we didn't, the airfare would add another $4-5,000!

 

[BibbidyBobbidyBoo]

Hi All!
Wondering about if there is any special way to get a disney cruise cheaper then their website? Priced out a cruise for our family next year...7 day in February and for the 5 of us it would be around 8 grand! Is this right? Tips, Please!

p.s. This year we are going thanks to my mom for Birthdays...

Family of 5 here.
My tips- lower category x 2 rooms- so far I have NEVER seen one room that holds up to 5 people come out cheaper than 2 lower category rooms- even when we did the cat 6 verandah across from cat 11- still cheaper than the lowest category that will fit 5 people (which is cat 4- and only slightly bigger than the cat 6)
Works better for us to have more than one bathroom, more room, etc. too.

Booking as early as possible- to get the best price.. prices go up closer to the cruise date. (usually- exception being some cruises end up with bargain prices if they aren't full. That didn't used to happen as often as it seems to lately....)

And then- rebooking onboard for the 10% discount and OBC, using TA so they usually have an additional OBC as well.

Anyway the best way to get the best price online on their website- is to go with 2 rooms at a lower category. Check it out- you'll see it's much more reasonably priced than trying to cram everyone in one room- that allows 5 in it.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I'm sure a lot of folks would like your secret. That works out to less than $132 a day per person, a good price on any cruise line, a bargain on Disney.
I suspect the economic climate played a role.

Cruise during off peak times, late Oct/early Nov. Also book the 1st day that dates are released, then rebook it next time we're onboard. This gets us tier 1 pricing, best cabin selection and then next cruise, an opportunity to beat that price too and get obc's.

The prices I listed are for my friend w/family of 5. My price is even lower since there are only 4 of us; $3219 for 4 in a cat. 9, 10/30/10. That's w/onboard discount off an already reasonably priced cruise.
Even our very 1st DCL cruise, booked in Oct. 05 for Feb 07 was $3500 with tier 1 pricing.

If I could only cruise during Christmas, Easter and summer, we probably wouldn't be cruising DCL, or it would be a very rare treat.