Why DCL for adults?

[chiamarie]

Just got off the Dream last month. I went with 11 other adults. Not a single kid in our group. Like everyone else has said, we are all big Disney fans, so we figured why not?

One of the biggest pros to me; is that all the other cruise ships are geared toward adults; and thus your boat is made up of adults and feels crowded no matter what. Because Disney is more focused on the family aspect; we loved all the adult only activities; it was less crowded because they were with the kids at the family pool; or family beach. The Adult only area's were not ever crowded. Sure, we ran in to kids here and there at dinner and the shows. But that was it. They were never in the District; never swimming around the adult pool (maybe walking by, but that was it). And Serenity Bay/CC alone is worth it to me. Their ships are beautiful. And the service you get at Disney is far above and beyond anywhere else.

I loved every minute of our cruise; the only parts I didn't enjoy were due to people in my party being party poopers. And i can't wait to do my next adult only cruise; probably in early 2013 when we can afford it again.

 

[tomspixie]

Hi! We are DCL lovers. We have sailed other lines, and found them to be nice...but there is a definite step up when sailing Disney. They truly do put the guest first, and sincerely wish for you to have YOUR perfect cruise.

We sail with our children at least once a year...and also without our children at least once a year. For us, we know Disney quality. We have sailed often enough that cast members have become like extened family in several cases.
And while we like being a "couple" for a week, hearing kids and seeing families without having to deal with it all, helps when I miss mine terribly!!

Even though we are there sans children, I like the family atmosphere, and the level of propriety. They are clean and elegant without being stuffy. You can do as much "Disney" or as little "Disney" that you want.

You will truly enjoy it if you choose to do Disney.

 

[com_op_2000]

DW and I are 50+. We have been on seven DCLs, only one with other family members and our DGS who was a teen at that time. We greatly enjoy our times on the boat, at the shows, movies, Palos, quiet time by the pools and at SB on CC, and just relaxing. We have been when there were 1,000+ kids on the boat and never would have guessed it. If you stay in the adults areas and participate in the not kid friendly activites, you can avoid most contact with children.

 

[geffric]

Once upon a time, back in the Magic's first year..no Wonder etc..only did 3 and 4 day trips..we went on the Magic with very little kids who LOVED it and wanted to stay on the ship and do more....as we were getting off I saw an older couple getting off without kids.. and I said to the couple.. "why would you go on a Disney cruise if you dont have kids?" ( see there is a point to this story LOL)
and she said " because of what Disney stands for - service, excellence, the can do attitude, guest service etc"

Fast forward to year 2008, and now my kids were in high school and i wanted to bring the Magic home from LA thru the Panama Canal. So DH and I got an aunt to "watch" the kids and and we went for our first adults only trip.. and you know, that lady was right.. nothing beats a DISNEY ship for large rooms, excellant service etc.. we loved it!! so much that he and I go on Disney Cruises whenever we can..this year for our anniversary we are going on the MR and in October to Hawaii..with DCL..

Although.. my kids are now much older and still want to go.. as DS#1 said on Alaska cruise ( which was the first time he went on a cruise as an adult..) Disney is really for adults not kids..

 

[Sir William]

I'm pushing 60 and was never into the night club thing even when I was in my 20's (back in the paleolithic). I love WDW and I was just curious about DCL. I guess I just need to decide how well I can handle there being hoards of kids. (My great-neices and nephews are adorable, of course, but other people kids are different -- even when they aren't on my lawn;)

I'm also pushing 60 and have never been into the night club scene (or casino) either, and of the 3 cruise lines I've been on I like DCL the best.

1. The adult areas were kept clear of kids. About the only time I saw them were at meals, the evening shows, and when the characters were in the atrium for photographs and autographs. For the most part, they were all well-behaved and I enjoyed seeing their faces light up.

2. As noted, I'm not a night-owl, but the various bars and lounges were nice to visit at night - usually fairly quiet and you could hold a conversation over a drink or glass of wine. As a rule I enjoyed the nighttime lounge acts which, while not risque, are geared more toward adults.

3. Service is great, as are the CMs. Other lines also have great service, but DCL has that little undefinable extra that I haven't found elsewhere.

4. Food has been about the same on all the cruises I've been on. Some dishes are better than others. I've yet to go hungry or be dissatisfied, though I've had to order a different dish a few times when the first one was to my liking.

5. I like the rotational MDR. You get the experience of a different restaurant without having to pay an additional fee.

6. I like the entertainment: The production shows, the relatively new Disney movies in the theater, the older Disney movies on the ship's TV system), the lounge bands and shows. And especially the parties. I've had more fun at DCL's parties than any party on any other cruise line, bar none.

Our next DCL cruise is in May. We were going in January but had to move it. I'm disappointed as I was really looking forward to my next Disney cruise and now I have to wait.

 

[IceSk8ersMom]

Why DCL for adults? I just have two words for you...SPA and PALO!

 

[Angelhalo]

We have cruised non Disney but we keep coming back to DCL over and over again. DH and I have no children but we just love DCL. They do a really great job of keeping the adult and children's areas separate. We have never felt like we couldn't get away from children. The adult only areas are just great. We appreciate the service and the atmosphere that we get with DCL over the other cruise lines.

 

[Zandy595]

This probably doesn't come up very often, but if you have a family member with a gambling problem, who doesn't think they have a problem, Disney is pretty much the only option.

 

[mgroshans]

DH and I are going on our first Disney cruise w/o our kids on the Magic in April. We had the same thoughts, but after coming to the dis, we found out that we made the correct decision. We can't wait!!!

 

[Olaf]

I can add to SPA and PALO--SERENITY BAY BEACH.

 

[valee]

I'm fast approaching 60, and don't have kids, so was a bit apprehensive about being adrift for several days in a floating kindergarten. What I quickly realized is that the children on board are, by and large, very happy, since they've been doing fun "kid things" all day. Happy children are nice to be around.
One of my favorite things of the cruise was seeing the reactions of the children to the things that we as adults admire as great engineering and flawless execution, but is just simply magic to a child. As I told my co-workers - I went on a cruise with my inner child.
So enjoy, and don't forget to order a Mickey Bar from room service as you're unpacking on the first day of your cruise.

 

[cyclenut]

Wife and I have a cruise booked for our 25th wedding anniversary aboard the new Disney Fantasy. We were soooo excited when we booked it. No kids.

We recently completed our first DCL sailing aboard the Wonder and have decided that despite being huge Disney fans, we are cancelling our cruise aboard the Fantasy and have already booked a Royal Caribbean for our 25th.

We are taking an a cruise without our kids aboard DCL, because the price was right, in September of 2012.

I've seen the posts here that talk about the superior service aboard DCL ships. We didn't see it. We've had as good or better service, in nearly all areas, aboard other ships. We had issues with virtually every area (except Palo). Excursions desk, spa, main dining, buffet dining, stateroom steward, etc. It isn't that the experience was horrible, but it really wasn't any better than we've seen on other lines.

We are not party animals but we do enjoy night-time activities and Disney pretty much rolls up the carpet at 11. Yes, there are things to do, but not nearly as much as there are on other lines.

EXAMPLE:
We usually do late seating for cruises. Best way to go in our view as our busy days at home often move dinner out to 7 or even 8 anyway. Plus, we are on the west coast, so if the cruise is an east coast cruise, late seating is more like 5 our regular time. We also don't like to feel rushed when getting ready for our night out after a day at sea or on shore. When you have late seating on most lines (from what we remember), you go to dinner and then go enjoy the show after. On Disney, you go to the show first and then Dinner. That means, whether you dine early or late, you've still got to get your act together and get out of your cabin at the same time. Not something we had planned to do.

Some here have talked about the premium entertainment that Disney offers. Sorry, but I wasn't impressed at all. Sure, the shows were very good, but again, I don't think I could say they were at all better than other shows we have seen. Not all Disney shows were that great either. The Toy Story show we saw on the Wonder was HORRIBLE.

Yes, we are going to sail DCL again. It isn't that the experience was really bad. It wasn't. We had a good time and I would suggest that, if you have kids, it is really worth the extra cost to sail DCL. But the question was, what is special about sailing DCL if you don't have kids. My answer. Nothing. Nothing at all.

Our RCL cruise that we booked for our 25th anniversary was significantly less expensive than booking aboard the Fantasy. Significantly less. For my money, DCL isn't worth the extra costs if you are traveling with an adults only party.

 

[jhill10428]

It's a nicer atmosphere, compared to other lines. No gambling, and not as much crazy partying.

 

[aymekae]

First, a disclaimer that I have never cruised before. Last month DH and I booked our first cruise on the Magic for December. We've been planning to go on a cruise for nearly two years. Back and forth, back and forth... I wanted DCL only. DH wanted to save some money, in case "he didn't like cruising". I got discouraged because I didn't see the point in a 4 night Carnival cruise to Mexico (the cheapest we found). I finally booked the Magic, and we're both really excited.

Here is my (albeit unexperienced) thought: Would you rather go to Vegas or Disneyland/WDW? Personally, I hate Vegas... the gambling, the drinking, the partying, is SO opposite of us. On the other hand, we are DL AP holders and go several times a year and have a blast. We've been stomping around DL for about 5 years, adults without children, and it never gets old. That is why we chose DCL. And spending my time on the Dis only reaffirms our choice. Of course, I will probably never find out if the other cruise lines are better, or a better "value", because if I had my way, it'd be DCL all the way.