Transatlantic - Tell Me All the Things!

[Karin1984]

I actually am a little hesitant to do this cruise with them, which is a reason I decided to make an account on here. I have heard positive and negative things about a TA being a first cruise. I have been looking into many reviews (Disney and non-Disney), and most of them are positive. One that sticks out is World Family Explorers. They're a family of four, was their first cruise, and they enjoyed it and thought the price was worth it (believed they paid a guaranteed rate).

It's going to be 3 adults, so just my friends and I, in one verandah stateroom. Two of us will sleep on the queen and someone can sleep on the sofa bed. I think we will switch every couple nights or so on who gets the queen. I will make us unpack straight away, as I know how horrible it is to live out of a suitcase (I did that on a three night before). We'll make sure we're organized too.

I definitely want to do another TA, it's a great way to vacation. There are drawbacks, like the many sea days in a row. You have to be prepared for that, I think.
There are plenty of pros, like getting to know the staff and some of the other guests better. It's all included and very relaxing.

If needed, keep in mind that you can also shower in the spa/gym area. This is free to use, and might come in handy when getting ready in the morning or evening.

 

[auntlynne]

I am in the same boat as you (pun not intended). I love Disney cruises (I have done three and a fourth is booked for November), but I have been eyeing a transatlantic as my senior trip for about a year. I want to go with a couple of my friends, but they have neither cruised nor flown before, so I am curious if they can handle it (especially with six days at sea in a row and the nine hour flight back from Barcelona). All three of us are excited for the trip, so I think it will work out fine since I told them this trip will be focused on relaxing because it's such a long journey. The one big problem is the price. Do you think when the guaranteed verandahs drop, the price will drop significantly (more than $1,000)? Also, any recommendations to try and get cheaper flights back to the US?

Hope we see each other aboard!

Besides my first reaction - are you sure you’re just a teenager (your thought process and communication is excellent), I would ask about what you and your friends do together at home? And do they do more exciting things when not with you? Is anyone thinking this is the chance to act up with no adult supervision? (Not everyone thinks that way when young. And that behavior is often evident when at home, too.)

One way this cruise might be different than your previous ones is Kids Clubs/ Vibe / Edge. If they played a significant part in your cruise experience, you could be saddened by what there is less to do to keep occupied.

I recommend you look at Personal Navigators from previous Transatlantic cruises. See if the daily offerings would have kept you interested.

There is the 1820 or 1821 Club for people who fall in that age range 18 - 20 or 21. But you could be the only ones to show up. If you can keep yourselves interested with the gym or basketball court, movies, Aqua Duck, eating, it is a decent cruise.

We like to watch late night (yea, start at 10:45 as late) movies and eat pizza or fries outside on Funnelvision. They are cheesy Disney movies, more PG or PG-13 than show during the day. Jungle Cruise, Maleficient 2, Cruella. Buena Vista Theater often has movies starting late night, too. These will be the newest/ newer releases. Pirate Night has a late showing of one of the Pirates of the Caribbean.

And like your idea to utilize your being in Barcelona to stay a few days and see the city. It is interesting.

 

[LandonM170]

Besides my first reaction - are you sure you’re just a teenager (your thought process and communication is excellent), I would ask about what you and your friends do together at home? And do they do more exciting things when not with you? Is anyone thinking this is the chance to act up with no adult supervision? (Not everyone thinks that way when young. And that behavior is often evident when at home, too.)

One way this cruise might be different than your previous ones is Kids Clubs/ Vibe / Edge. If they played a significant part in your cruise experience, you could be saddened by what there is less to do to keep occupied.

I recommend you look at Personal Navigators from previous Transatlantic cruises. See if the daily offerings would have kept you interested.

There is the 1820 or 1821 Club for people who fall in that age range 18 - 20 or 21. But you could be the only ones to show up. If you can keep yourselves interested with the gym or basketball court, movies, Aqua Duck, eating, it is a decent cruise.

We like to watch late night (yea, start at 10:45 as late) movies and eat pizza or fries outside on Funnelvision. They are cheesy Disney movies, more PG or PG-13 than show during the day. Jungle Cruise, Maleficient 2, Cruella. Buena Vista Theater often has movies starting late night, too. These will be the newest/ newer releases. Pirate Night has a late showing of one of the Pirates of the Caribbean.

And like your idea to utilize your being in Barcelona to stay a few days and see the city. It is interesting.

Thank you for the compliment!

Anytime one of my friends does something, we are invited. We usually just hang out, eat, chat, and play video games sometimes. I would say we act around the same when adults are around and not.

I just looked at the first three days of last year's EBTA and there's activities (especially adults only) that I thought looked interesting, so I believe we will be good. I know I also want to hang around the pool a lot, so I think we will be occupied.

Thank you for mentioning the 1820 Society because I didn't know it existed, and I love DCL. The activities are limited, but it seems like we would be able to meet some fun people, and the coffee one is a must for me!

I have wanted to watch more movies, and I know the cruise will be perfect for it! I know for a fact we will hit up the Buena Vista Theatre and Funnelvision, as both of them love movies! We also love to eat, so a "late"-night snack with Funnelvision will be a must for us.

I do hope we get to stay in Barcelona. I have looked into hotels for next year and the price isn't too bad for an average place, so I'm hopefully.

This sounds crazy, but I really want to do a cheap solo DCL cruise before the transatlantic to earn gold status. I want us to both experience Palo and Remy (it would be perfect to do brunch and dinner at both but unlikely), so having gold would help book that, and having the discount onboard would be very nice. For the discount, is it just in the gift-shops or does it apply for everything onboard?

I do have questions about the benefits for my other friends. I know it's said that whoever has the highest status applies to the whole stateroom, but since my friends are first-time cruises and I am a gold member, do they get the onboard reception and discounts, or just me?

 

[Flossbolna]

If your planning to book a restricted rate, the gold status might not give you much advantage. These could very well not come out until booking dates for activities have passed. Also on a long cruise like this you should not have trouble getting some reservations for specialty dining. Brunch is more difficult, but they do have availability to book that once onboard. And a waitlist.

The 10% shopping discount only applies in shops, not other spending. So, your savings would be much less than the cheapest solo cruise you could find.

 

[Halfbrit]

Great idea to spend some time in Barcelona. It's an amazing city with lots to do and see. Definitely worth spending time there. I've been several times and would go back for more. Get yourself a money belt to protect yourself from pick pocketers though.

 

[auntlynne]

Thank you for the compliment!

Anytime one of my friends does something, we are invited. We usually just hang out, eat, chat, and play video games sometimes. I would say we act around the same when adults are around and not.

I just looked at the first three days of last year's EBTA and there's activities (especially adults only) that I thought looked interesting, so I believe we will be good. I know I also want to hang around the pool a lot, so I think we will be occupied.

Thank you for mentioning the 1820 Society because I didn't know it existed, and I love DCL. The activities are limited, but it seems like we would be able to meet some fun people, and the coffee one is a must for me!

I have wanted to watch more movies, and I know the cruise will be perfect for it! I know for a fact we will hit up the Buena Vista Theatre and Funnelvision, as both of them love movies! We also love to eat, so a "late"-night snack with Funnelvision will be a must for us.

I do hope we get to stay in Barcelona. I have looked into hotels for next year and the price isn't too bad for an average place, so I'm hopefully.

This sounds crazy, but I really want to do a cheap solo DCL cruise before the transatlantic to earn gold status. I want us to both experience Palo and Remy (it would be perfect to do brunch and dinner at both but unlikely), so having gold would help book that, and having the discount onboard would be very nice. For the discount, is it just in the gift-shops or does it apply for everything onboard?

I do have questions about the benefits for my other friends. I know it's said that whoever has the highest status applies to the whole stateroom, but since my friends are first-time cruises and I am a gold member, do they get the onboard reception and discounts, or just me?

(Edit: read posts below. The following relates to Chase Disney Visa. 10% discount in shops is in purchases over $50, if memory serves. That’s total in one transaction, not just items priced over $50. I think it would apply every time you buy that much. If you all get a shirt, this would be easy to do.)

Let’s see if a Gold Castaway member can share their experiences about status covering everyone in the room. It’s been awhile for me and my travel companions are not so far behind me.

As for airfare, I purchased flights on Ryanair for a return from Barcelona. Then those were scuttled when a volcano in Iceland blew and cancelled 100,000 flights. We ended up in a now-defunct carrier, Air Berlin. Bottom line, coming home from Europe, check for carriers that are not necessarily US based. A lot have restrictions on luggage weight or fees for luggage or selecting seats. It may cost less if you use an economy flight to one of the big hubs and then get a transatlantic flight on a mainline carrier.

An earlier post mentioned TAP and a few others. TAP has been around for quite awhile. Portuguese carrier.

Airfare prices can be a shock after finding a good cruise fare. Start now checking on what prices are for this Spring, even late-date.

Cruise price. Note how the GTY price is about $1400 less for the entire cabin. This is April 8 for a May 5 sailing. I don’t know when it dropped; but it often happens after the Paid in Full (PIF) date, when guests are fully financially committed. That would be 120 days before Sail Date.



The regular rates for next month are very close to the regular rates for 2025. Same size ship. Similar itinerary. I take that to mean the demand is not that high and GTzy prices would likely happen again next year. For this year’s cruise, a cabin with a porthole is ~ $300 more than an interior. They make for a nice ocean crossing. I’ve done both directions, one interior, one oceanview. Seeing the ocean on waking helped. But not necessary. However, the cheapest interior may only have the single bath. I imagine you have had the split bath on prior sailings?

 

[LandonM170]

If your planning to book a restricted rate, the gold status might not give you much advantage. These could very well not come out until booking dates for activities have passed. Also on a long cruise like this you should not have trouble getting some reservations for specialty dining. Brunch is more difficult, but they do have availability to book that once onboard. And a waitlist.

The 10% shopping discount only applies in shops, not other spending. So, your savings would be much less than the cheapest solo cruise you could find.

Thank you for your response. I have decided I won't be doing a solo cruise before the TA after what people have said. It's not worth it to drop $2K on the cruise and flights for just a 10% discount $50 or more on souvenirs.

10% discount in shops is in purchases over $50, if memory serves. That’s total in one transaction, not just items priced over $50. I think it would apply every time you buy that much. If you all get a shirt, this would be easy to do.

Let’s see if a Gold Castaway member can share their experiences about status covering everyone in the room. It’s been awhile for me and my travel companions are not so far behind me.

As for airfare, I purchased flights on Ryanair for a return from Barcelona. Then those were scuttled when a volcano in Iceland blew and cancelled 100,000 flights. We ended up in a now-defunct carrier, Air Berlin. Bottom line, coming home from Europe, check for carriers that are not necessarily US based. A lot have restrictions on luggage weight or fees for luggage or selecting seats. It may cost less if you use an economy flight to one of the big hubs and then get a transatlantic flight on a mainline carrier.

An earlier post mentioned TAP and a few others. TAP has been around for quite awhile. Portuguese carrier.

Airfare prices can be a shock after finding a good cruise fare. Start now checking on what prices are for this Spring, even late-date.

Cruise price. Note how the GTY price is about $1400 less for the entire cabin. This is April 8 for a May 5 sailing. I don’t know when it dropped; but it often happens after the Paid in Full (PIF) date, when guests are fully financially committed. That would be 120 days before Sail Date.

View attachment 849383

The regular rates for next month are very close to the regular rates for 2025. Same size ship. Similar itinerary. I take that to mean the demand is not that high and GTzy prices would likely happen again next year. For this year’s cruise, a cabin with a porthole is ~ $300 more than an interior. They make for a nice ocean crossing. I’ve done both directions, one interior, one oceanview. Seeing the ocean on waking helped. But not necessary. However, the cheapest interior may only have the single bath. I imagine you have had the split bath on prior sailings?

I have thought about an Inside stateroom, but the one bathroom is something I have been weary about. I have been checking flights for this year for about two to three months now, and the cheapest I found was about a month ago at around $1850 for three people together, I think it was through TAP.

Once again, thank you guys for the advice. It has been very helpful! It is very exciting knowing that this is a real possibility.

 

[Flossbolna]

Once again, thank you guys for the advice. It has been very helpful! It is very exciting knowing that this is a real possibility.

You are welcome, we are always happy to help here.

Hope it works out for you! Maybe I will see you onboard, we are considering that cruise as well.

 

[auntlynne]

Thank you for your response. I have decided I won't be doing a solo cruise before the TA after what people have said. It's not worth it to drop $2K on the cruise and flights for just a 10% discount $50 or more on souvenirs.

I have thought about an Inside stateroom, but the one bathroom is something I have been weary about. I have been checking flights for this year for about two to three months now, and the cheapest I found was about a month ago at around $1850 for three people together, I think it was through TAP.

Once again, thank you guys for the advice. It has been very helpful! It is very exciting knowing that this is a real possibility.

With the cost of everything these days, this vacation could be a pretty good deal. It really helps that it gets split three ways. Usually people are pricing a cruise and it is coming out of one household budget. Ouch.

 

[Karin1984]

I have thought about an Inside stateroom, but the one bathroom is something I have been weary about.

Deluxe inside staterooms have a split bathroom, haven't they?

On my TA, I booked 2 Palo brunches on board. Before the cruise, with Silver status, I could only get dinner.

 

[LandonM170]

Deluxe inside staterooms have a split bathroom, haven't they?

They do, but I plan on booking a guaranteed stateroom with restrictions, so I won't have the option to choose that one.

 

[Karin1984]

I think one thing to keep in mind with the TA is that even with a dozen days: you still can't do it all.
I would have loved to do more dance classes during my TA, but they were always scheduled at the same time as something else.

The daily talks on sea days by the Disney professional (with us it was an imagineer) can be watched back in your stateroom, and that was great, because sometimes I was short on time.

You still have to make choices on what to do and not to do.

 

[cwis]

10% discount in shops is in purchases over $50, if memory serves.

This, I believe, applies to the Disney Visa discount. Castaway Gold and above doesn't have a minimum spending.
(Not 100% sure as we are on our first Gold cruise in a few days, but that's what I remember reading here…)

 

[RedHead0186]

10% discount in shops is in purchases over $50, if memory serves. That’s total in one transaction, not just items priced over $50. I think it would apply every time you buy that much. If you all get a shirt, this would be easy to do.

Let’s see if a Gold Castaway member can share their experiences about status covering everyone in the room. It’s been awhile for me and my travel companions are not so far behind me.

I don't believe there's a minimum spend to get the discount, it's on anything. However, it does have to be the Gold member making the purchase (I was Gold on a recent cruise my parents were not. I had to purchase the items with my card/magicband+ to get the discount, and then my parents just paid me back).

Most benefits are of whoever has the highest status in the stateroom. They'd get to book excursions when the Gold window and do online check in as well during Gold window. They would get the Gold Castaway Club gifts in the stateroom (though only one set), though only the Gold CC member would get a lanyard.

So most CC benefits extend to the stateroom but not all. For Platinum, the free Palo benefit would apply to everyone in that stateroom, not just the Platinum member(s). I know OP already said they're not going to do a Gold cruise just to get status ahead of the TA; however, I thought this info still might be beneficial to others.

 

[Girl of the South]

I thought about doing a “quick cruise” so I could get a free Palo meal. But after flights, cruise, cat boarding, airport parking, and pre cruise hotel night - I realized the “free lunch” might set me back $4,000.

Proof there REALLY isn’t such thing as a “free” lunch . . .

 

[cwis]

I thought about doing a “quick cruise” so I could get a free Palo meal. But after flights, cruise, cat boarding, airport parking, and pre cruise hotel night - I realized the “free lunch” might set me back $4,000.

Proof there REALLY isn’t such thing as a “free” lunch . . .

$4k for a free lunch at Palo's?
Definitely a steal!

As we have just been promoted Gold, our cost for a free lunch at Palo's is way higher!

 

[LAS2AMS]

Repositioning cruises are almost always yield the best value, regardless of cruise line. The good news is that in today's world, they're treated the same as any other cruise. In yesteryear, they were far more limited. (But in fairness, they're operated during the shoulder seasons and it was common even 10 years ago for touristy hotels to limit services during that time period).

One thing I'll point out to you... not that it should matter... is that these cruises typically attract mostly seniors (and again, I haven't done DCL). We did RCL Barcelona to Miami last fall and I'm not sure why they even bothered to do the encore evening shows -- it was clearly past bed time. Most every late night they showed a movie in the theater and often we were the only ones attending. On the positive side, there was never a wait for the water slides . That said, one of the most memorable cruises I've ever done.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Chiming in late - we did the EBTA last May with my dad (senior adult), me and my DH, and our then-3 year old. Hand's down, best vacation we've ever taken and it was the best value by far.

Even with 3 additional nights at a NICE air b&b in Barcelona, flight back, tips, transfers, parking at the port, onboard activities, excursions, etc we spent $8k for our family of 3. SUCH a deal - esp for a long trip!

We would do it every year, or every couple of years, if we could but I just changed jobs and can't be unreachable that long anymore. I knew the job change was happening soon so we seized the opportunity to go when we did!

I tell everyone considering it to GO. We saw parts of the world few see, traveled over some of the deepest water on the planet, saw whales!, and saw the night lights from two different continents as we traveled through the Strait of Gibraltar. It was awe-inspiring!

 

[tlprice]

My 12 year old daughter (at the time) and I did the 2019 WBTA. It was fabulous. There was plenty to do and lots of time to relax too. We were never bored. My daughter became great friends with the other 3 kids assigned to our dinner table and the 4 of them did almost everything together. We were only supposed to have 4 sea days in a row, but ended up missing 2 ports and having 6 sea days together to avoid a hurricane. While I didn't get bored, I was glad to see land again. As a couple others stated I did get tired of the food too. By the last night, I just had a corn dog. I couldn't take another huge meal. We never eat out so I was definitely just ready for a home cooked meal. I really liked all of the unique things only offered on longer cruises like this and have missed them on my shorter cruises since.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We have considered doing a WBTA but since they're only offered in the spring and fall, I was worried about the weather being warm enough for pool time in the Northern Atlantic. Can anyone tell me what the temps were when they sailed?

We have done 2 WBPC cruises and don't mind the 4 consecutive sea days but at least they were HOT days (at one point our latitude was at 6.xx degrees) so close to the equator. It felt great to just relax in the sun. Those too were mostly all seniors sailing and the adult pool area was always full. Eventually we went to the empty Mickey pool area. Always plenty of chairs available there.