Wish - 3 nights vs. 4 nights

[Disney102015]

I keep waffling between 3 nights vs 4 nights on the Wish! It’s almost $2000 more for the extra night. Traveling with 3 kids, ages 5, 3, and 1. First time cruisers. Pirate night sounds nice but not sure our kids will hang for the late show anyway. A day at sea does sound appealing although I doubt we’ll get off on the day at Nassau anyway. Interested in any opinions either way! Thanks!

 

[DianaMB333]

I would go for the 4 nights… the day extra at the ship will allow you and your family enjoy more of the activities, kids club etc.

Especially if you plan to get out of the ship at Nassau and Castaway Key (this one a must)..

The 3 nights goes by super quick… first day onboarding say around noon-ish… second and third day at the respective ports… forth day breakfast at 7am ish and disembark right after…

 

[CarolynFH]

I agree - our first DCL cruise was 3 nights and was way too short. OTOH our kids were much older than yours, so both took good advantage of their respective kids’ clubs onboard.

 

[LordVader]

Our first cruise ever was in November and we did the 4 night cruise, also on the Wish! We loved it and even then, it didn't feel like enough lol. My 2 daughters ages 2 and 5 absolutely loved it and never wanted to leave. I don't think 3 days is enough tbh, there is just so much to see and do. We didn't get off on Nassau and instead swam at the pools and the little splash pad all day.

If you can afford it, I'd highly recommend the extra day! Have a great cruise!

 

[RedHead0186]

Normally I almost always go for a longer cruise. But, an extra $2,000 is a lot of money for one extra day. 3 nights is really short, though, since it's essentially 2 days (2.5 if you get on the ship early enough on embarkation day). Hardly enough time to explore the ship. 4 nights gives you one sea day, plus the two ports. You have to decide if it's worth it to you, I probably would go the 4 nights.

 

[Marthasor]

Although I’m a fan of 4 nights over 3, I would not spend $2000 extra for one night. Personally, I would price shop other DCL ships and itineraries for better pricing. I’ve been on all the DCL ships and the Wish is my least favorite.

 

[tvguy]

Shortest cruise I have ever taken was 7 days, so my preference is for as many days as you can.

 

[Cfabar1]

Have you cruised before? If not, I would do the 3 day. Some people love cruises, others less so. a $2k premium for one more day doesn't make sense to me.

We are FL based, so the 3 day cruises are a perfect "long weekend pick-me-up". Just enough time to hang out on a boat, eat some food, etc.

 

[Jack_Sparrow_NJ]

I have done both the 3 night and 4 night on the Wish. The 3 night was just too short. By the time you start getting settled you are getting off.

 

[Debonna]

We're taking our teens on their first cruise in the Spring. It will be a 3 night on the Dream. We had hoped for 4 - 5 nights, but this sailing is what worked best for school and work schedules, along with price. Everyone tell us "3 nights is not long enough" but we plan to tackle it like we do the parks - - make a plan, budget our time wisely, and understand we won't be able to do it all. We're calling it our "trial cruise." Besides, my husband and I snore, and I don't think the kids could take many nights of sharing such close quarters with us. LOL

 

[Cheburashka]

I've sailed multiple 3-night cruises (as well as longer cruises) and enjoyed them all. It's three nights, not one. It isn't "you unpack then turn around and it's time to pack up again", as some people claim. That's an exaggeration. A 3-night cruise is a great way to find out if cruising is right for you and your family. When given the choice and all other things being equal, I'd select a 4-night over a 3-night, but I wouldn't spend $2,000 for one night. (I also think the Wish is overpriced and she sounds overrated from what I've read about her, but that's a different issue.)

One tip I have for a short cruise is to unpack completely and stow the suitcases under the bed for the whole cruise. Don't be tempted to live out of your suitcase because it's a short cruise. Fully unpacking allows you make your stateroom a home away from home and enjoy the cruise experience more.

Another tip is to make sure your bathing suits are packed in your carry-on bag, so that you'll be able to enjoy swimming and/or hot tubs during embarkation day before luggage is delivered to your stateroom (which can take until early evening). Swimming or doing other fun activities on embarkation day is a great way to recoup from the stress of travel, and it helps you to make the most of embarkation day, and not let it feel like an empty or throwaway day. You'll also feel less fear of missing out pressure on the second day, because you'll have already tried some things the ship has to offer.

Finally, let yourself really relax. You can't do it all on a 3-night, so don't try. Do what you feel like doing. Rest when you feel like resting. Let yourself sleep in if you feel like it. Veg out, order in room service and watch movies or cartoons for awhile on the stateroom TV if you feel like it. Don't order your cruise around a checklist of must-dos. Reframe those in your mind as can-dos, instead.

Happy sailing.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

I think 3 nights is the perfect first cruise. Give you a chance to "test" the waters so to speak. Our first was on the Wonder and it was 3 nights. We take 3 night cruises now and then-due to schedules and vacation time etc. They are short. We think of it as a long weekend away. $2000 is a bunch of cash of another day. Try cruising first, see what you think and then you will know if the price is worth it to you.

 

[randumb0]

I would not spend $2000 dollars for one extra night. If I were you I would look into one of the other ships. You will spend less money for more days

 

[BarlowFamily]

I keep waffling between 3 nights vs 4 nights on the Wish! It’s almost $2000 more for the extra night. Traveling with 3 kids, ages 5, 3, and 1. First time cruisers. Pirate night sounds nice but not sure our kids will hang for the late show anyway. A day at sea does sound appealing although I doubt we’ll get off on the day at Nassau anyway. Interested in any opinions either way! Thanks!

Yikes $2,000 is a lot to spend for one additional night. My preference would be to book the 3 nights and combine it with some time at WDW. $2,000 could get you a few days at a resort, there's plenty to do outside the parks. Still Disney.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We went on the Wish for a 4 nights and it was way too short for us. I felt like we were just getting the feel of the ship and before we knew it, it was the last night. We didn't get to see and do a lot of things we wanted to. We prefer 7 nights but went on the 4 nights to experience the Wish. But, $2000 is a lot for one extra night.

 

[BillO]

A three-night cruise sails by way too quickly. The extra $2,000 for one extra night depends on many factors -- number of individuals in the stateroom and the time of year. My son and I did a four-night sailing on the Wish for $2,600 in April. That included insurance, port fees and gratuities.

 

[JM_97]

I would do a 4 night, especially on the Wish. Maybe see if you can get a cheaper 4 night sailing? That extra sea day makes a big difference.

Edit: Another option would be to find a 3 night that only goes to Castaway Cay and then a day at sea, and see what that price is. They aren't as frequent as the Nassau/CC cruises but Disney does occasionally offer them. If you can swing it and are hesitant about a 4 nighter, that would be a good trip. You get a true sea day and you skip Nassau which is kind of hit or miss.

 

[Bostonjetset]

Honestly I would go with the 3 night. $2,000 is a lot of money for just one extra night and two of your three kids are at an age where they won’t even remember the trip. This is really a trip for you and your spouse and your five year-old. Maybe combine the trip with some days at WDW before the cruise as someone else suggested. You can even splash out on a deluxe resort for a few nights with that much money.

 

[Husker Mike]

If you are a first-time cruiser, look at Disney's other ships out of Florida before making any decision. The Wish is Disney's most expensive (because it's newer), but it's also received more negative reviews than the other ships. You might find a better priced itinerary on one of the other Disney ships.

 

[OpieDoodle]

Something else you may want to look into is a different ship. We were scheduled on the Wish for a 3 night and ended up finding the Dream for the SAME WEEK for a 5 night for cheaper than we were paying for the Wish. Only difference is it exchanged Nassau for Grand Caymen which IMO was an awesome trade!