Where to Start?!?! Disney Cruise

[Laurenb113]

Hi everyone! We just got back from an amazing trip to WDW. We are starting to plan our next trip and would love to do a Disney cruise. We are thinking summer 2019 and I don't know where to to start. We aren't into Star Wars or Marvel so we don't need those Days at Sea. Any ideas on where to start? DO I look at itinerary, ship,??

Kids will be 7 and 4 at time of travel.

Thanks!!

 

[Poncey]

Start with a travel agent who has lots of experience with Disney Cruises. Not trying to be a smart ***, but they can let you know EVERYTHING you need to know & then they can book it for you as well & help you through the process.

 

[ahain]

Also look at the sticky threads at the beginning of this forum. they should help answer many questions for you.

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

Look at the DCL website. You can look at areas (Caribbean, Bahamas, Alaska, Europe...) where you want to go. Length of cruise (3, 4, 5, 7+ days) and ultimately cost. The site gives a good overview of what to do onboard. We've sailed on all 4 ships and while they are all slightly different and unique in their own ways, they all offer similar amenities. Our 3 kids were slightly older than yours when we went on our fist cruise (DS was 10 & twins were 8), but now whenever asked where we should go for our next vacation the answer is immediate and definite: "Disney Cruise." "Where?" I ask. "Doesn't matter" is the inevitable reply.

These forums are great for getting into the nitnoids of the DCL experience, but the official website is a great place to begin. There are also books out there; we bought the unofficial guide to DCL on Amazon (they update it every year) and it's a pretty good compendium of all things DCL. It was a great follow on to the website. I didn't find these forums until after our 5th cruise.

Beware: DCL is addicting

 

[YawningDodo]

Start with a travel agent who has lots of experience with Disney Cruises.

As someone who typically resists using travel agents because I'm such a hands-on vacation planner...I totally agree with this! I used Dreams Unlimited and ended up only really having my agent make the booking before handling the rest (port adventures, onboard activites, etc.) myself but she was very responsive to what questions I did ask. I kept the same TA on the placeholder I booked for the next cruise, and we've had a few emails back and forth about what I want for the next time and she was able to give me an idea what's likely to be available once more itineraries are released.

In a general sense, where to start depends on what you most want out of the vacation. You know that MDAS and SWDAS aren't selling points for you, so we can mark that off the list. The next big thing is whether you're interested in traveling to a particular place and want to plan your trip around port excursions, or if you're more interested in the onboard experience and consider the ports secondary to the purpose of the trip. If you're in it to travel to the ports and experience them to the fullest you can, you could start looking at the port excursions listings on DCL's website and see if anything jumps out at you (even if you don't book your excursion through DCL, it should give you an idea of what's available at each port). If you're in it for the ship itself, I'd suggest that you start your search by looking at onboard amenities and deck plans instead. Once you've chosen either an ideal itinerary or an ideal ship, you can use that to narrow down your search.

Do you know what time of year you want to go/are able to take vacation? I really loved January on the Magic (gorgeous weather...lower prices...) but understand that it may be difficult with a school-aged child.

Edit: Reread your post and realized you already answered that question. Oops.

 

[lanejudy]

We are thinking summer 2019 and I don't know where to to start.

Summer 2019 itineraries haven't been released yet, so you can't check specific dates/itineraries for cost.

I'd start by narrowing down the expected itinerary and departure port based on prior years. You can see what is offered for summer 2018, and expect similar; you can also look up Personal Navigators from prior cruises on www.disneycruiselineblog.com. The Dream and Fantasy continue their "usual" itineraries year-round -- the Dream does 3 and 4 night cruises to the Bahamas; the Fantasy does 7-night cruises alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean routes. The Wonder does Alaska cruises in the summer, while the Magic is over in Europe and does a few different itineraries over there.

Be aware that summer pricing is peak. Some weeks will be higher than others, but generally speaking summer cruises are more expensive than some other times of year. You can check current pricing for 2018, and the past opening day pricing threads. Fares will increase over time, so the current pricing for 2018 cruises has had nearly a year to increase in price. By planning now, you may be able to catch opening day fares when itineraries are released for summer 2019.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Hi everyone! We just got back from an amazing trip to WDW. We are starting to plan our next trip and would love to do a Disney cruise. We are thinking summer 2019 and I don't know where to to start. We aren't into Star Wars or Marvel so we don't need those Days at Sea. Any ideas on where to start? DO I look at itinerary, ship,??

Kids will be 7 and 4 at time of travel.

Thanks!!

IMHO, you can't go wrong with any of the ships, so I would start by looking at current itineraries and also think about which port (or ports) would be easiest to get to to make your first cruise a little easier to navigate. Personally, I would probably start with a domestic cruise (Alaska, Caribbean or Bahamas), to make logistics a little easier.

Next year's itineraries will probably be quite similar to this year's, so I would take a look at what was offered this year to get a good sense of what will be offered and what will interest you. You could also make a list of dates that would work for you so you can book soon after the itineraries are released.

I actually don't think you need a TA to book your cruise. Cruises are SO much easier to plan than WDW vacations, IMHO and hold times for DCL are nothing like hold times for WDW. I also find the DCL CM's to be far more knowledgable about all aspects of the cruises than a typical WDW CM. I think you can find all the answers you need by coming here, doing some google searches and going to other popular cruise forums.

 

[YawningDodo]

I'll add that part of the appeal of using a TA to book the cruise is that many travel agencies will give you a portion of their commission as an onboard credit in order to entice you to use their services. I got the same cruise for the same amount of money it would have cost me to book it directly, but got a $100 credit to my onboard account. Why not take advantage of free money?

 

[Ihatesunshine]

We're in the same boat (might be in the same boat with you!). We're planning a cruise for Summer 2019. I've been looking at the Disney site as well as other touring blogs to see what appeals to us. The grandparents are paying for the cruise and we're spending a couple days at the parks before. I'm thinking late June to celebrate DDs 3rd birthday. I've been looking at the Disney site and I've checked out a Disney cruise guidebook (unofficial guide) from the library. There are a ton of great sites and articles online!

 

[mevelandry]

Hi everyone! We just got back from an amazing trip to WDW. We are starting to plan our next trip and would love to do a Disney cruise. We are thinking summer 2019 and I don't know where to to start. We aren't into Star Wars or Marvel so we don't need those Days at Sea. Any ideas on where to start? DO I look at itinerary, ship,??

Kids will be 7 and 4 at time of travel.

Thanks!!

If you don't like the idea of sea days I would suggest to start with a 3 nights (no sea day) or a 4 nights (1 sea day).

You went on a cruise before? If you did you will notice that DCL charges more than other cruise lines. I find that the price difference is still reasonnable when it comes to shorter cruise and I find that 4 nights are the best value out of the two (3 nights & 4 nights)...

If you stick to 3 or 4 nights, you'll get the Bahamas as an itinerary.

I find the ships to be quite similar. Some prefer the classics (Magic & Wonder), some prefer the big ones (Dream & Fantasy). I like the big ones because there are more activities on it.

 

[Sunshine2U]

Pros for the Wonder and Magic are they are smaller - easier to get around, fewer crowds around the ship and, more importantly, Castaway Cay.
Pros for Dream and Fantasy are they are larger - more to explore, larger venues, more offerings.
- Decide number of Days - I do not recommend 3-day cruise to start. It's 2-1/2 days at best and IMO you are just starting to relax when they're kicking you off the ship. Plus, you don't have time to enjoy a lot of activities.
- Decide dates and price. That may narrow down the choices.
- For a first cruise, it's not so bad to have the ship be the destination. Many people stay on the ship on port days to enjoy the smaller crowds at the spa, restaurants, pools and slides. So, for example, if you choose western Caribbean but don't like the idea of getting off in Jamaica, don't feel you have to find an excursion.
- Do not get caught up in the little details you see here. The dining rotation you're assigned is not a make or break detail.
- Having a balcony is nice. It's a place to spend time watching the ocean go by when little ones go to bed early (think wine) or wake late (think coffee), or when they need some wind down time.
Welcome and have fun planning! You're going to have a blast!!!

 

[ElizabethG]

We are taking our first cruise this summer with DCL. So, I was researching what I wanted to do a year ago.

I started with the destination. I looked at all of the 2017 itineraries to find one I liked. I watched tons of YouTube and scoured the boards. I googled for pictures, reviews, and anything I could find.

I started ruling things out. I’m not interested in a Caribbean cruise, so that ruled out a lot.

I booked on the first day possible and have not second guessed that decision. If I could change it now, I wouldn’t. I’m so excited for this vacation.

 

[YawningDodo]

Another thing that might narrow it down more quickly than you'd think would be your preferred length of cruise. My housemate and I are planning to cruise in January 2020 (my second time, her first) and we've settled on doing a 5- or 6-night cruise because 4 feels too short and 7 sounds long enough to begin to be a challenge for scheduling (of course, your preferences may be wildly different to ours!). By plugging our chosen departure month and preferred length of cruise into the search for 2019, we found out that we'll really only have two ships and three or four itineraries to choose from if the 2020 schedule is close to the same.

So yeah, back to the question of where to start -- really, I would start by picking two, maybe three factors that matter to you from the following: ship, itinerary, length, departure port, and/or month of the year, and just plug those two or three selections into the search function on DCL's website and let it narrow down the options for you.

 

[Laurenb113]

Thanks everyone! We have decided on Fantasy, sailing either June 22 or July 13. Now, to pick the staterooms! On previous cruises we have always done the balconies, but previous cruises didn't cost as much. Worth the splurge here??

 

[dad of 3 addicted to DCL]

For us it is. Just booked the 11 night southern and paid the extra 2000 for the balcony (4A vs 8B). For the longer cruise we use the balcony a lot in the AM and late afternoon.

 

[Shanti]

Hi everyone! We just got back from an amazing trip to WDW. We are starting to plan our next trip and would love to do a Disney cruise. We are thinking summer 2019 and I don't know where to to start. We aren't into Star Wars or Marvel so we don't need those Days at Sea. Any ideas on where to start? DO I look at itinerary, ship,??

Kids will be 7 and 4 at time of travel.

Thanks!!

Duplicate post.

 

[Shanti]

Thanks everyone! We have decided on Fantasy, sailing either June 22 or July 13. Now, to pick the staterooms! On previous cruises we have always done the balconies, but previous cruises didn't cost as much. Worth the splurge here??

We sailed on the Fantasy in an inside stateroom and loved the magical portholes. Any kind of stateroom on her is fine. If a veranda isn't stretching the budget, get that, but if you can't easily afford it, an oceanview or inside will also be nice. I don't know how much time I'd actually want to spend on a verandah in midsummer in the Caribbean.

There have been a lot of reports of unusually excessive vibration in aft Fantasy staterooms, so I recommend avoiding those.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Thanks everyone! We have decided on Fantasy, sailing either June 22 or July 13. Now, to pick the staterooms! On previous cruises we have always done the balconies, but previous cruises didn't cost as much. Worth the splurge here??

We're looking at those same two cruises. Hoping to get a sense of price difference before Thursday! Leaning towards the June 22, though.