Which cruise would you pick?

[FSU Girl]

A little background info:

I'm trying to plan my honeymoon and I'm always changing my mind on things. So for certain we are going to go to Europe on a cruise for our honeymoon, but these are in the summer time and one we are looking at is in August. It'll be almost a year after our wedding so I'm planning a mini moon too. So currently we have Disney World booked for New Years next year. I've never been for it and I've always wanted to see the Magic Kingdom fireworks. Have the Contemporary Club level booked at the moment, but would probably change to Bay Lake Tower when it becomes available to watch from our balcony to avoid crowds.

I wanted to do a second mini moon since I'm crazy and love vacations and think my boss will approve my crazy times off since it's a honeymoon. So we were considering doing a Disney Caribbean cruise in January. It's close to the actual wedding and will be our first honeymoon and then the European one would be second honeymoon/1st anniversary trip. I requested off Monday and Wednesday from work and realized if I took Thursday and Friday I wouldn't need a full week of vacation days due to the holiday. If we did this we'd cancel the Disney World trip and just do a New Years Eve cruise on the Fantasy. I haven't been on this ship yet and really want to go on it.

Here's my dilemma if I switch our new years plans to a cruise. The New Years cruise is crazy expensive. Since it's our honeymoon and I loved my last concierge cruise I want to sail in that again. But for this cruise its $13,500 for the normal concierge room. The one-bedroom suite (which we had on the Dream) is out of our price at $23,000. But if we wait until the very next cruise on January 5 we could have the one-bedroom suite for a $1,000 less than the normal room. We don't normally spend this much. My last cruise I thought was crazy expensive and now it looks cheap in comparison. If we go to Disney World our hotel rooms will be around $5,000 total for 5 days.

I think my fiance is worried about vacation days since we will be taking off two weeks for Europe and he has to take the last week of the year off due to his company closing and making the employees use vacation days. It is probably easier for me to get the two additional days off instead of asking for a whole other week. Is the New Years cruise worth the price hike?

 

[hardis5]

Value is all relative as either a regular concierge room or 1 BR I would not pay the prices of just b/c a New Years cruise. Yes it would be special and unique but you are paying the premium for competing with those with kids off for the Christmas Break with the New Years cruise.

I would sail a week later and as you indicate, you could have the 1 BR for $1000 less than a standard room the week prior (if I read correctly). If that is the case, I'd sail a week later for more than $12000 in savings and put that towards the cost of the 1-year celebration.

 

[Quellman]

I don't think there is really all that much difference with new years eve cruises than other cruises. At least not to command the price swing.
If your fiance is concerned with vacation and stuff, no need to try and do it all. Plan some shorter more modest days to help alleviate some of the stress.

 

[phinz]

FWIW, and I know this is a bit off topic, but if you're in the Contemporary on Club Level, you'll most likely have a balcony where you can watch the fireworks without crowds, and you'll be able to turn on the TV to the station that broadcasts the music so you can hear it. We've watched fireworks from the tower room balconies many, many times.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Values are for sure the key to your dilemma. Personally, my choice wouldn't be concierge, even for the honeymoon, because it's not enough 'cool', elite enough for the price hike, even for a honeymoon... that's my value system. I'd put the money to a downpayment or mortgage payment.

Now, if you're an 'experiences' person, maybe you're not interested in the mortgage route and the really awesome memories are more for you. I mean, someone pays those premiums for the concierge rooms, right?

Just a thought... have you checked the price of the Walt or Roy Disney rooms the week after New Year's Eve?

 

[FSU Girl]

FWIW, and I know this is a bit off topic, but if you're in the Contemporary on Club Level, you'll most likely have a balcony where you can watch the fireworks without crowds, and you'll be able to turn on the TV to the station that broadcasts the music so you can hear it. We've watched fireworks from the tower room balconies many, many times.

Ya that's why we picked that hotel, but I was thinking of changing to Bay Lake since it's closer to Magic Kingdom and I love the rooms. That was the plan to watch from our nice cozy balcony and not fight the masses in the park.

Values are for sure the key to your dilemma. Personally, my choice wouldn't be concierge, even for the honeymoon, because it's not enough 'cool', elite enough for the price hike, even for a honeymoon... that's my value system. I'd put the money to a downpayment or mortgage payment.
Now, if you're an 'experiences' person, maybe you're not interested in the mortgage route and the really awesome memories are more for you. I mean, someone pays those premiums for the concierge rooms, right?
Just a thought... have you checked the price of the Walt or Roy Disney rooms the week after New Year's Eve?

Before my last cruise where I sailed concierge I never would have thought I'd do it, but it totally spoiled me and I want to go back. Since it's so crazy expensive I don't think we'll sail in it again for a very long time so pretty much celebrating a honeymoon is the only way to justify the cost. I'd love the Walt Disney room, but it's wayyyy out of my price range.


I talked about it last night with my fiance and although the new years cruise would probably be easier planning wise for him, he agrees paying double for a smaller room just doesn't make sense. So he's going to see if we can make the January 5 one work. I've never booked a cruise when you didn't have to pay in full at the time of booking before. How does that work? Can I choose the amount I want to put down and I can go back into my account online to pay off chunks later?

 

[FSU Girl]

One more question. I booked a placeholder cruise on my last cruise. Those can't be used on concierge right? We bought it because we were thinking of doing Disney in Europe, but it's looking like we are probably going to pick a Princess cruise for that. Since we are probably not going to do another Disney cruise before the two years are up should we cancel the placeholder now? Or wait until it's been almost 2 years?

 

[Pooh2]

One more question. I booked a placeholder cruise on my last cruise. Those can't be used on concierge right? We bought it because we were thinking of doing Disney in Europe, but it's looking like we are probably going to pick a Princess cruise for that. Since we are probably not going to do another Disney cruise before the two years are up should we cancel the placeholder now? Or wait until it's been almost 2 years?

I would wait until it is almost two years. Last winter, we ended up in Florida for a family situation. Since the plane was paid for, we threw in a 3 day Disney cruise. Never know what is going to happen down the road! Leave those options open!

 

[phinz]

I've never booked a cruise when you didn't have to pay in full at the time of booking before. How does that work? Can I choose the amount I want to put down and I can go back into my account online to pay off chunks later?

You can pay however much you want, whenever you want, up until the PIF date. The only set amount is the initial deposit and the final PIF. There is an option when you log in to MyDisneyCruise to pay portions along the way.

 

[FSU Girl]

I would wait until it is almost two years. Last winter, we ended up in Florida for a family situation. Since the plane was paid for, we threw in a 3 day Disney cruise. Never know what is going to happen down the road! Leave those options open!

That's probably a good idea. Who knows what we'll end up doing. Disney hasn't released their European cruises yet for 2019 so I might end up liking one, but we've found a cruise that seems pretty perfect with dates and ports so I'm not sure.

You can pay however much you want, whenever you want, up until the PIF date. The only set amount is the initial deposit and the final PIF. There is an option when you log in to MyDisneyCruise to pay portions along the way.

That's great to know. I normally plan cruises really last minute and they've always been past the PIF date. This will be the first time I can actually take my time paying off, which is better for my bank account.