Tell me about Disney Cruises...

[EsmeraldaX]

I just started looking into Disney Cruises. My boyfriend and I are considering going on a Disney Cruise , probably in 2006 (our vacation calander for 2005 is pretty much already booked!).

Neither of us has ever been on a cruise, and to be honest, I was never much of a lounge by the pool kind of person. But we just watched a special on the Travel Channel about the Disney cruise lines and my BF is really interested in going on a cruise.

I just went on the disneycruise.com site to get a quote. I just picked a random date just to see and the total for us would have been around $2300 for a 7 night land/sea cruise (3 nights land, 4 nights sea staying at Carribean Beach Resort).

I assume that $2300 includes the cost of being on the ship and the hotel at WDW.

Does it include park passes? Does it include food?

Can someone tell me how much food / spa treatments etc. run?

When is a good time to go , weatherwise? What is there to do on the islands?

How much are the movies/shows on board?

I'm looking for as much info as I can get from someone who has been.

Thanks so much!

Sheri

 

[PoohJen]

the Land/Sea packages should include ship/hotel/park passes.

Food on the ship is included. For spa prices, excursions and more cruise info, look at www.disneycruise.com.

Also, check this site for Daily Navigators (the daily itinerary for each cruise) - that will give you a good idea of what generally is available each day: Navigator samples

Happy Planning!!!

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Thanks! Does that include ALL food?

Sorry if I sound clueless. I never in a million years thought I'd be thinking about a cruise!

The more I'm reading, the more I like. The spa treatments are SO cheap compared to spa treatments here in Boston!!

 

[floridaminnie]

Includes all your food on the ship,not at the parks. You might want to price just the ship portion and do the land on your own. It is usually much cheaper to doing it that way.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by floridaminnie
Includes all your food on the ship,not at the parks. You might want to price just the ship portion and do the land on your own. It is usually much cheaper to doing it that way.

How would I do this? Just take the cruise and then book a short stay at WDW separately?

Thanks for all your help! I must sound so clueless!

 

[floridaminnie]

Yes, that's what you would do. Book the cruise and then book the room at WDW for the time before your cruise or after the cruise. You can also add on the transportion provided by Disney or use your own to get to port.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

We've done two 4-day cruises with land vacations tacked on beforehand each time. It has always been less expensive to book them separately.
If you go to WDW as often as it sounds like you do, then chances are you have APs. This would probably make the land/sea package unnecessary because it includes park tickets which you don't need. Plus, with all the AP rates, you'd be able to get the resort portion at less than rack rate.

Some of the extra costs for the sea portion are: Spa appointments, Palo dining (small fee), tips, alcohol, specialty coffees, excursions, etc. to name a few.

IMO, if you're going back and forth on the 3land4sea or 4land3sea, what I personally suggest is 3land4sea since you've never cruised before and obviously have already spent much time at WDW. There is so much to do on a cruise that I can't imagine how short a 3-night cruise would feel.

You may want to also make your way over to the cruise trip report board to read up on those. That will help you in planning your own land/sea.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[Grumpy's Mom]

Esmeralda, it is generally cheaper to book the cruise separately, and then book a "room only" reservation. We always book everything separately and have always saved money. We don't use the Disney airfare offered on the cruise site, we don't use their transfers, and we don't use their trip insurance. If you read through these boards (and use the search feature), you will find less expensive trip insurance, lots of discounts for car rental, and I have always had the best luck with airfares at the airline websites instead of Orbitz, Expedia, etc. Go to the "Budget" board on the main page - there are lots of great ideas that are applicable to cruise vacations... I found the code for the largest car rental discount on that board last October for our December trip.

My DH is a type A and is not one to lounge around on vacation either. It took me a long time to convince him to go. Pick a date, book it, and then go to the "Cruise Meets" section of this board. If you don't find a thread for the cruise date you booked, start one! We met a great group of friends on this board who were on our Christmas cruise with us. We all rebooked onboard (the cheapest way to go if you are ever going to do this again) for another cruise together in 2005, and also spent a week at the beach together this summer. My DH had a wonderful time, was very impressed with the ship and everything it had to offer, the ports, excursions, and most of all the great group of friends I had met on the Dis boards. He commented several times that the people really made the trip for him!!

Don't be afraid to ask questions, and lots of them, but do search the boards first to see if you can find your answers there. There are lots of recommendations for other resources (boards, books, etc.) to be found also.

This was our first cruise, and we absolutely LOVED every minute of it, and can't wait to get back onboard!

G's M

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Thank you all for the advice!!!

We are not planning on going until probably around early 2006 at the soonest.

Are any months better than others weather and rate-wise?

Thanks!

It would probably make more sense to book 3 nights land trip seperately. Although we will have APs in 2005 I don't think we will for 2006. A cruise is going to probably mean no other trips that year. Soooo we want to go as deluxe as we can (although a suite on board the ship is probably not needed, it's just two of us). So we probably won't have APs in 2006.

It would probably still be cheaper that way. I am thinking 4 night cruise and then 3 nights on land at AKL with park hoppers.

I'd probably want to go during the least expensive time at WDW (Jan, Feb or Sept) but am concerned these might not be good weather months on the cruise.

 

[Grumpy's Mom]

I may be incorrect, but I think that generally February is considered to be one of the best months to cruise -- it is cold at home and nice and warm in the Caribbean. As I mentioned, we cruised over Christmas, 2003, and found the weather very comfortable everywhere. The only time we needed a light sweater or jacket was onboard in the restaurants (air conditioning), or up on deck later in the evenings.

If my vacation schedule was not ruled by the school vacation schedule, I would definitely be going in February -- a great break from the snow and winter blahs!! It is also a great time to go to WDW - less crowded, and the weather is perfect!

I guess it boils down to personal preference - a lot of folks like to cruise during the summer, when it is very warm in the Caribbean. I was thankful for the sun and 80 degree weather in December!

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by Grumpy's Mom
I may be incorrect, but I think that generally February is considered to be one of the best months to cruise -- it is cold at home and nice and warm in the Caribbean. As I mentioned, we cruised over Christmas, 2003, and found the weather very comfortable everywhere. The only time we needed a light sweater or jacket was onboard in the restaurants (air conditioning), or up on deck later in the evenings.

If my vacation schedule was not ruled by the school vacation schedule, I would definitely be going in February -- a great break from the snow and winter blahs!! It is also a great time to go to WDW - less crowded, and the weather is perfect!

I guess it boils down to personal preference - a lot of folks like to cruise during the summer, when it is very warm in the Caribbean. I was thankful for the sun and 80 degree weather in December!

Lol! That's our reasoning too. We don't like it to be super hot so we would much prefer Feb! I just wanted to make sure that was not hurricane season or anything. I love the feeling of leaving Boston for somewhere sunny in Feb! And the rates at the WDW hotels will be lower. What's not to love!!

 

[hydster]

If it were me this is what I'd do:

I'd book your own airfare because you'll get the flights you want and can usually save $$$ doing your own!

I'd book the WDW portion before the cruise so that you can just relax and take it easy while on the cruise. Since you can generally find rooms for much cheaper on your own I wouldn't book a land/sea through DCL. (We did it because for some reason it was cheaper but we priced it a year later and it was MUCH more). Also if you do land/sea you don't get your choice of ANY of the WDW hotels you get your choice depending on what category cabin you choose. If you choose a Cat 12 to a Cat 8 your choices are Caribbean Beach, POFQ, POR. If you book a Cat 7 to a Cat 4 you get your choice at Swan/Dolphin, Polynesian, Beach Club or AKL. Cat 3,2 or 1 you get Grand Floridian.

For the cruise portion I really think you'd be better off doing a 4 day than a 3 day and do 3 days in the park since on the cruise you don't have to pay anything extra if you don't want to. ALL the food (except Palos are included, even room service)

Feb is an awesome month to cruise! Coming from Utah and snow we prefer going Jan/Feb to any other time of the year!

If there are 2 of you going and that's it you'd probably be better off using the Disney transport to the cruise and back.


You can do the trip as expensive or cheap as you want! You don't have to spend any extra on board or you can do a ton of extra spending! It's all up to you which is nice! It is also nice to get really great restaurants on the ship that you don't have to fork over $$$$ for at the end of each meal!

The adults only areas are really nice (not that we got to use them with kids but they looked nice LOL) and if you like Disney then the shows are great too!

The spa is awesome and the open cabana massages at Castaway Cay rock! The adult beach there is so nice and quiet (we did go check it out for a second) and it feels like you are on your own piece of heaven!

HTH
Heidi

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Thanks!

What is the food like? Can you choose which places you want to eat at?

We are both relatively boring eaters who prefer comfort food to gourmet, but we really want to make sure we get to try the Animators Pallet and Palo.

Thanks so much!!!

 

[floridaminnie]

Here's a link that will tell you all about eating and what goes on the ship.


http://allearsnet.com/cruise/mdcg.pdf

 

[hydster]

As for the dining room stuff:

You will get a dinner rotation at embarkation. You will rotate between the 3 restaurants so if you had the T, A, P rotation at table 54 you would go to Tritons on the first night to table 54. The next night you would go to Animators Palate also to table 54 and your waitstaff transfers with you as well. The next night you'd go to Parrot Cay again to table 54 with your same waitstaff. Animators is awesome and it's hard to decide when to go to Palo on a shorter cruise but if it were me and I was missing one of them I'd miss Tritons (I realize I'm in the minority). Also the food isn't so gourmet that you have no idea what they are talking about..they usually always have a beef, chicken and fish dish along with salads, soups and desserts.

Heidi

 

[crisi]

Menus are on the disney cruseline site. also dcltribute.com.

Almost all food is included. If you want to dine at Palo (the adult only restaurant) there is a small fee. You will pay for liquor and wine and smoothies and speciality coffee drinks. Also some snacks - particularly the ones outside the theatres (bags of m&ms, bags of pretzels, etc). For between meal snacking, there is ice cream, fruit and cookies or brownies usually out - or you can order from room service. Or just swing through the buffet if its open and grab something.

Food is big on a cruise ship. My husband joined the "double entree" club one evening - two things looked good, so the waiter brought him a "side" of the other entree.

 

[drclaws]

But how are you going to break it to Monty that he can't come with you???? What will he have to say about that??

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by drclaws
But how are you going to break it to Monty that he can't come with you???? What will he have to say about that??

Ssssshhhhh....we'll just tell him we're going somewhere really, REALLY boring...

 

[mmouse37]

Hi Esmeralda....you have gotten some wonderful advice so far. I just want to say that after being on 10 DCL cruises the Magic never fades....it is just as wonderful as the first time. I love bringing our friends with us who have never cruised DCL to see their reaction....they all love it...even the ones who are not particulary fond of Disney or that even have kids. DCL knows how to do it right.

We have been on all the intineraries on both the Magic and Wonder so please just ask away when you have more questions....these boards are really a wealth of information.

On a side note....I see you are from one of my favorite parts of the country...New England!!!!

My mom grew up in Gloucester, MA and we spent every summer up there and in Salem....in fact, I am sure in Salem you have seen that big green statue in the middle of town of the man with the cape and pointed hat.....that is my ancestor...Roger Conant....he is my great, great, great, etc. grandfather on my moms side and was the first governor of Salem.

Anyway....just wanted to let you know to ask away and I am sure you will get the answers you need!!

http://www.salemweb.com/tales/conant.shtml


MJ

 

[mmouse37]

bump