Disney Cruise? Any tips or advice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We didn't love it. We went on the Fantasy.
It was very busy, very crowded, and overall not relaxing. There is never a free chair at the pool. Ever.
The lines for characters were insane.
Food mediocre.
It's priced like a nice vacation, but it doesnt feel like one!!

Tip: the two newer ships are nearly the twice the size of the two older ships...which means twice the passengers, more crowds, etc...and the pools are the same size. We prefer the older, smaller ships and haven't had an issue with crowds or lines. Plus, Castaway Cay feels empty when you travel there on a smaller ship (since it's built to manage twice the number of people).

Good to hear this, we booked on the Wonder. It was just the date that worked best for us with school being off.

Wonder is our favorite!

[Anonymous]

Make sure your kids are old enough to enjoy it. Mine were 3 and 5, and I felt they were too young to get the most out of it. There's quite a bit of evening activity that is just too late for young ones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Make sure your kids are old enough to enjoy it. Mine were 3 and 5, and I felt they were too young to get the most out of it. There's quite a bit of evening activity that is just too late for young ones.

Depends on the kid.

Our 2.5 year old and 4 year old enjoyed the evening shows. We had the main seating (early/5:30) for dinner and went to the late evening show and we never had an issue.

[Anonymous]

Holy hell Disney cruises are expensive! This thread made it sound like fun and I was curious so I looked it up and was quoted over $6k for a 4 night cruise in April! Adding flights and a "land package" (2 nights and days at the theme parks) will bring you to well over $10k.

Concierge service for the cruise was $11k!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Holy hell Disney cruises are expensive! This thread made it sound like fun and I was curious so I looked it up and was quoted over $6k for a 4 night cruise in April! Adding flights and a "land package" (2 nights and days at the theme parks) will bring you to well over $10k.

Concierge service for the cruise was $11k!

Tips:

-cruises are cheapest when booked way in advance (prices go up after they are released and filling up)
-book on deck 2 or an inside cabin (don't pay a premium for a verandah)
-the older ships are less expensive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holy hell Disney cruises are expensive! This thread made it sound like fun and I was curious so I looked it up and was quoted over $6k for a 4 night cruise in April! Adding flights and a "land package" (2 nights and days at the theme parks) will bring you to well over $10k.

Concierge service for the cruise was $11k!

Tips:

-cruises are cheapest when booked way in advance (prices go up after they are released and filling up)
-book on deck 2 or an inside cabin (don't pay a premium for a verandah)
-the older ships are less expensive

This is for April of next year!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holy hell Disney cruises are expensive! This thread made it sound like fun and I was curious so I looked it up and was quoted over $6k for a 4 night cruise in April! Adding flights and a "land package" (2 nights and days at the theme parks) will bring you to well over $10k.

Concierge service for the cruise was $11k!

Tips:

-cruises are cheapest when booked way in advance (prices go up after they are released and filling up)
-book on deck 2 or an inside cabin (don't pay a premium for a verandah)
-the older ships are less expensive

This is for April of next year!

We're a family of six cruising on Wonder this April on a four-nighter and we aren't paying $6k. Try going through a travel agent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holy hell Disney cruises are expensive! This thread made it sound like fun and I was curious so I looked it up and was quoted over $6k for a 4 night cruise in April! Adding flights and a "land package" (2 nights and days at the theme parks) will bring you to well over $10k.

Concierge service for the cruise was $11k!

Tips:

-cruises are cheapest when booked way in advance (prices go up after they are released and filling up)
-book on deck 2 or an inside cabin (don't pay a premium for a verandah)
-the older ships are less expensive

This is for April of next year!

We're a family of six cruising on Wonder this April on a four-nighter and we aren't paying $6k. Try going through a travel agent.

What are you paying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holy hell Disney cruises are expensive! This thread made it sound like fun and I was curious so I looked it up and was quoted over $6k for a 4 night cruise in April! Adding flights and a "land package" (2 nights and days at the theme parks) will bring you to well over $10k.

Concierge service for the cruise was $11k!

Tips:

-cruises are cheapest when booked way in advance (prices go up after they are released and filling up)
-book on deck 2 or an inside cabin (don't pay a premium for a verandah)
-the older ships are less expensive

This is for April of next year!

We're a family of six cruising on Wonder this April on a four-nighter and we aren't paying $6k. Try going through a travel agent.

What are you paying?

More than 5 but less than 6. I can't remember the exact amount. Six people, two cabins (one with a window, one inside).

Think about it this way: that includes lodging, all meals, and tons of entertainment (including Broadway style shows).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Holy hell Disney cruises are expensive! This thread made it sound like fun and I was curious so I looked it up and was quoted over $6k for a 4 night cruise in April! Adding flights and a "land package" (2 nights and days at the theme parks) will bring you to well over $10k.

Concierge service for the cruise was $11k!

Tips:

-cruises are cheapest when booked way in advance (prices go up after they are released and filling up)
-book on deck 2 or an inside cabin (don't pay a premium for a verandah)
-the older ships are less expensive

This is for April of next year!

If this is around Easter it is a very popular spring break time, and among the most expensive times for Disney cruises. We've done several Disney cruises (including in Europe), but you can get a better deal on other lines, no doubt about it. Some people think the Disney premium is worth it, others don't. We have had a great time on our Disney cruises, and tend to do one every three years or so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's a warm weather resort you recommend?

Dying to go to Hawks Cay in the keys.

Save your money. Hawks Cay was not good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's a warm weather resort you recommend?

Dying to go to Hawks Cay in the keys.

Save your money. Hawks Cay was not good.

Really? How so?

[Anonymous]

April is Spring break next year. It's not this year. We booked 7 nights on the Fantasy next January for $5k - with verandah. We decided pulling the kids from school (K and 3rd next year) was the only way Disney would ever be in our budget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have been on the Fantasy and the Magic (both pre and post renovation) at the busiest times of the year (Spring Break, Thanksgiving) and prefer the Fantasy. The ship never has seemed crowded to us, nor have we ever had trouble finding a seat, nor did we ever feel crowded at Castway Cay. OP, you should review the Facebook page, cruise critic forum, and disboards cruise forum for more information, both pro and con.

As for warm weather resorts, try in Aruba the Hyatt or Marriott, in Grand Cayman the Westin (both Aruba and Cayman both have a Ritz as well), in Maui the Grand Wailea and the Marriott Ocean Club (newer buildings), inter BVI Bitter End Yacht Club, and in St John the Westin.

To the PP who wrote this, I'm totally jealous you've been to all these places. I've been to Aruba but would love to see the others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:April is Spring break next year. It's not this year. We booked 7 nights on the Fantasy next January for $5k - with verandah. We decided pulling the kids from school (K and 3rd next year) was the only way Disney would ever be in our budget.

It's cheaper to go in January than April because the weather is iffier. I was just reading reviews and blogs by people who said they had kind of crappy time at Castaway Cay because the temp was in the low 60s and it wasn't really warm enough to swim. That's kind of the whole point of the place. The whole idea of a cruise to the Bahamas in winter or spring is very dependent on warm weather.

Anyway to the PP, yes Disney cruises are expensive. I was just looking at a 7 night cruise to Alaska in July - $15k for 5 people in a room with a verandah and that is the basic price before excursions, flights, and the hotel you probably need to stay in before and after. All in, it would probably be close to $20k for one week. We might end up doing it because #YOLO and #youcan'ttakeitwithyou but I'm not going to kid myself that it is not very expensive.