Disney Cruises
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Anonymous
| In the general board there has been a lot of activity on an anti Disney thread. On it I noticed a lot of people on here have mentioned that they have done Disney Cruises. My family was considering taking one this summer. There are three of us and our son will be 1.5 at the time. I'd love to hear what people thought of them or any tips about them. I do not know anyone personally who has been on one. We thought it could be an easier trip for us. Thanks! |
Anonymous
That's kind of rude. Maybe OP wants updated info. Geez! |
Anonymous
| We had a great time, and a cruise (let alone a Disney cruise) would not have been my first choice before kids. But there's tons for them to do and everything/everyone caters to kid, from the food to the characters to the way the rooms are set up. One thing to consider: before 3 years old kids are limited in what they can do. They can't go in the kids clubs by themselves, so you're going to pay for the nursery if you want time alone. And until they're potty trained they can't go in the pool. I would not have felt comfortable letting my 1.5 year old play in the water area, where the bigger kids were running wild. There's still plenty of things to do: they can go in the club area during "open house", there's lots of character meet and greets, there's dance parties. But bottom line: while you'd still likely have fun with a little one, personally, given the cost... I'd wait until s/he is older. |
Anonymous
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We took a Disney cruise last spring from Miami to Key West/Nassau/Castaway Cay. It was a lot of fun and a terrific family vacation, especially for a family of 5. The cabins are the best I've been in with an actual bathtub for the kids and separate tub and toilet area. Spacious - all 5 of us fit in a single cabin, which is rare in the cruise industry.
The entertainment was top knotch (kid oriented). The food was so-so. We have been on Royal Caribbean and Norweigan cruises and food on both of those was much better and gourmet. Again, Disney is more geared toward kids and their tastes. That being said, it's a total kids cruise, and I don't know what type of single/couple would go without kids. Castaway Cay is amazing. The kids clubs are unparalleled - my kids wouldl have happily stayed in the kids club all day every day. It is Disney, so expect to be "Disneyed-out" by the end. There will still be lines for things like character meet and greets. Your kids will be overstimulated, overtired, and over-sugared. PIrate night is a highlight, but the fireworks don't happen until 10pm, so late night for little ones. All in all, I would do again in a heartbeat with my family. Only downside is the cost. It's very expensive compared to other cruise lines. And the food isn't worth the price tag. Not a single serving of lobster. On Royal we had lobster several times. |
Anonymous
| PP again. My kids are 6 and 4 and 1. So that was the age group we went with. |
Anonymous
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http://disboards.com/forums/disney-cruise-line-forum.9/
This is a great forum for Disney cruises. I've been on 4, and they were some of the best family vacations we've ever taken. Cruises are very expensive in the summer though. I'd look at a time where school is still in session since your son is so young. |
Anonymous
| Just read your post again, and saw that you will be traveling with one child, a 1 year old. Having seen that, I would hold off on the Disney cruise and do Royal Caribbean instead (make sure you get a boat with a nursery). Wait to do Disney until your child is old enough to fully participate, and go with a cruise line with better things for adults/couples and babysitting (and costs less). |
Anonymous
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Loved our disney cruise so much that we booked another one.
Tips to save money: -book a cabin on deck two (big window instead of a verandah). -go on one of the older/smaller ships (half the passengers, less crowded) |
Anonymous
I'd love to hear about how Royal Caribbean is better for younger kids! |
Anonymous
It's better for the parents with younger kids (if the ship has a Royal Tots nursery). On Disney cruises children under 3 cannot participate in the kids club anyway, and the entertainment, food, etc., is not as good for adults. Better to take a Royal Caribbean cruise with nursery/babysitting and enjoy the adult-themed entertainment and better food. then, in a few years, take the kid on a Disney cruise when he/she are old enough to be into the Disney characters and such, participate in kids club, get pumped about pirate night and fireworks, etc. That's what you're paying the premium for. Certainly not the food/entertainment for grown-ups! For kids over the age of 4, no doubt Disney cannot be beat. But for the under 3 set, the premium isn't worth it. Go for what's better for the parents, less chaotic, more relaxing, better food, better entertainment, etc. Just make sure the Royal ship has a nursery bc not all of them do. |
Anonymous
We've done several Disney cruises, and our Disney cruise to the Mediterranean was the best trip ever with our kids. My advice would be that if you are going to the Caribbean you should not go in the Summer. It will be very hot. Spring Break is perfect, but expensive, and worth it to us. |
Anonymous
Sorry, I did not fully read your post, OP. I see that your son will be 1.5. That's too young IMO and not a good spend of your money. Wait until age 4 or 5 (we found this out the hard way). |
Anonymous
Not necessarily better for younger kids, but you pay a premium for Disney, and it's better to pay that premium when the kid(s) will be old enough to enjoy the experience. |
Anonymous
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I would recommend waiting until your child is 3 and potty trained.
We went with a 3yo and 5yo and it was the best vacation ever. We are going again this year with a 5yo and 7yo. Almost 7yo is so excited to go back to the kids club. |