Where to begin

[rcchello]

If cost is a factor remember the following:

All the rooms have basically the same furniture,
All guests have access to the same events
All guests eat at the same restaurants,
Even if you don't have a veranda, you can sit on deck and watch the ocean just like those who paid more money and you have more money to spend so you can have a drink brought to your seat.


Sometimes we stay In the cheapest rooms just and put the savings toward other things, such as more convenient flights.

 

[MsDisney5]

Thank you for more info! Starting a notebook with all the information now.. Actually excited and I don't have a cruise even booked! I might be a Disney nerd

 

[mousefan73]

Our first time cruising too. These boards and Cruise critic are a help.. cruise critic has loads of infos on each port of calls. as this infomation is not DCL specific.

my only advice I have is plan to arrive the day before and depending where you are coming from, add in a whole extra day in case your luggage doesn't get loaded on your flight and they have to put it on the next flight . Could be the next flight is 24 hrs later and past embarkation times...

Happened to a colleague last week. Flew into MIA at night.. hotel.. next day first flight to SJU (san juan) to catch her ship.. Her bag was still overseas. Long story short... her airline who doesnt fly into the carribean, can not guarentee her bag would be loaded on an AA flight to St. John ( weight restrictions, bags also go standby; AA was not her carrier so it was an interline deal)... Basically she decided to send bag back home and try and buy clothes on the ship and ports... THANK GOD she packed suit, and some clothes in carry-on.

I have also been watchig youtube videos but take these with a grain of salt.... Many I watch ex. Mommywithstyle... just boggles me she drags her kids out of bed at 4 am for a early flight from MI to MCO and straight to ship. 1. you are dead tired at noon 2. If your flight has delays you are SOL....

I cannot see any reason for people who plan a cruise 2 years in advance or so NOT to be able to plan an additional day for pre-cruise travel or a motel for 100 bucks is nothing if you are already paying 5000 for the cruise.

 

[AngelaC]

Our last cruise, we had a veranda, and barely used it. I'm now convinced that the only time a veranda is essential is in Alaska.

 

[Shanti]

My only advice I have is plan to arrive the day before and depending where you are coming from, add in a whole extra day in case your luggage doesn't get loaded on your flight and they have to put it on the next flight . Could be the next flight is 24 hrs later and past embarkation times.

Happened to a colleague last week. Flew into MIA at night.. hotel.. next day first flight to SJU (san juan) to catch her ship.. Her bag was still overseas. Long story short... her airline who doesnt fly into the carribean, can not guarentee her bag would be loaded on an AA flight to St. John ( weight restrictions, bags also go standby; AA was not her carrier so it was an interline deal)... Basically she decided to send bag back home and try and buy clothes on the ship and ports... THANK GOD she packed suit, and some clothes in carry-on.

I have also been watchig youtube videos but take these with a grain of salt.... Many I watch ex. Mommywithstyle... just boggles me she drags her kids out of bed at 4 am for a early flight from MI to MCO and straight to ship. 1. you are dead tired at noon 2. If your flight has delays you are SOL....

I cannot see any reason for people who plan a cruise 2 years in advance or so NOT to be able to plan an additional day for pre-cruise travel or a motel for 100 bucks is nothing if you are already paying 5000 for the cruise.

Not everyone wants to or can run a day early. It's also a matter of traveling style: I know people who aren't comfortable arriving at an airport less than 4 hours before any flight. That just isn't for me. Likewise, I understand that my greater willingness to take a calculated risk wouldn't be some other travelers' cup of tea. Different strokes. I nevertheless have never missed a flight or a cruise. Not even come close to it.

Our next cruise departs on December 26th. No way are we going to fly out on Christmas Day, which would interfere with our celebrations with our extended family, and make that sacred holiday stressful. So we will wake up on December 26th at 4am to catch a nonstop 6:50am flight, which will arrive in Orlando at 10:15am. We often catch early morning flights out for trips, and have never had the early morning wake-up ruin our first day. We have to wake up by 5:45am every school day anyway, and are tyically too pumped with excitement about the trip to feel tired.

It's not a big risk, since we have very mild winter weather here in Texas, and knowing my airport, that flight will likely be on a plane that's been sitting at the airport overnight. Even if we had a 4 hour delay (extremely unlikely for this airport & airline at this time of day & year), we could still make the cruise. If I weren't willing to take that risk, we would be SOL for our Christmas week cruise, since cutting Christmas Day short isn't an option for my family.

Also, I only pack carry-ons on the way to a cruise, so lost luggage won't be an issue. No need to judge others' choices about travel. Different people have different styles & values- none of them have to be wrong.