Thinking about Disney cruise

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I’m thinking about taking a cruise on a Disney cruise ship next summer. The group would be me, my husband, three children (14, 11 & 4) and my mom.

The Disney cruise site has a nice feature that allows you to price different cruises, and save your information for comparison purposes. It appears we could cruise the Caribbean for seven days for $11,000 or just do a four-day around the Bahamas for around $8,000. Both trip packages I priced include airfare and the cheapest staterooms.

I’m wondering if there are any caveats to such a cruise. Has anyone taken one? It sounds wonderful, with lots of activities for the children, plus the possibility for scuba diving (on the Caribbean cruise), food, shows, etc.

Also, are there any discounts I could rustle up somewhere? In a brief search I find several sites trumpeting DISNEY CRUISE DISCOUNTS!! and the actual site itself offers reductions in the amount you have put up front if you book early (but no actual reduction in charges), and something about gift certificates and free money on the cruise if you sign up for the Disney cruise credit card (or something).

As with anything of this magnitude and this new, it’s a little overwhelming. Has anyone taken such a cruise and have any tips and tricks to share? Or know of a site where such things are discussed?

Thanks!

2

We’ve done two.

Disney cruises are very difficult to find discounts on - the biggest trick is to book early and book when no one wants to cruise with kids. Summer is really expensive as kids are out of school. With only two ships, Disney doesn’t need to discount (generally) to fill their ships, and when they do discount, it tends to be targeted (e.g. Florida residents).

Don’t get your airfare from Disney, book it seperate. DO get cruise insurance, but book it seperate.

Note that in addition to your costs, tips are functionally mandatory and can add a lot to the cost of a seven day cruise. Other than tips, you can spend a LOT of money on a cruise, or you can walk off with no money spent at all.

3

Who expects a tip? You HAVE to tip? Like how much does it add? $100 a day? $25?

In looking at the quick pricing I’ve done so far, it seems like it’s not that much more to go for seven days … a better bargain.

What’s early booking? Now? January? I was thinking of going next summer, but I suppose if I go on spring break I might get a better deal? February?

4

You don’t HAVE to tip, but the waiters and stateroom hosts are functionally NOT PAID other than tips. So its really bad form to stiff them. They work really long hours for room, board, a very small stipend, and tips. (They are almost all wonderful and generally you can’t imagine not tipping them).

This site is pretty good in general (disorganized, but decent) - the woman who runs it has been on something like three dozen Disney cruises (mostly three day cruises). Tips will run about $11 PER DAY PER TRAVELER. So for your party (6 of you) that’s $66 per day, $462 for the seven day cruise.

Disney raises their rates as the ship books full. So if you book when they first release rates (generally 18 months or so out) you get the best pricing. The closer you move to the sail date, generally speaking, the higher the cruise will be. If Spring Break is around Easter, that will be expensive as well. We’ve cruised in Feburary (not Spring Break) and October. (Other lines, which don’t have the demand centered around the school schedule, are often cheaper when school is out).
Also their is a book out called Passporter’s Guide to the Disney Cruise or something like that which is probably worth investing in to get questions answered.

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you might find some info at www.cruisecritic.com

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Thank you so much Dangerosa! I will probably get the book.

It sounds like this is not too early at all to start booking.

By the way I just did an air fare search through Expedia and ended up with almost exactly what the Disney site was quoting for the airfare. Regarding the insurance, I wonder if my homeowners will offer something.

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The reason not to get Disney’s airfare is that they won’t book you until shortly before your trip - and sometimes they book the strangest things - a two hour layover in Denver. A 5:30 am flight departure. Flights you wouldn’t choose. Also, they’ll get you to the ship before they sail - but a lot of cruisers like to get to the ship several hours before sailing - they serve lunch, the pools are open, and an extra three hours of vacation is an extra three hours!

When you cruise you want to fly in THE DAY BEFORE. If the plane is delayed and you miss the ship - you’ve missed the boat. Literally. And now its up to you to get to the ship. If you DO book airfare from the cruiseline, they will make sure you get on the ship - but in order to do that, you lose control over your own travel arrangements.

We used www.insuremytrip.com for travel insurance and went with a reputable company with decent prices (travelguard?).

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Thanks again, Dangerosa! And that cruise critic site looks good as well, chappachula.

Anyone else been on a Disney cruise? How is that “Castaway Cay,” their private island? Are the kids’ activities good? Will my young-teenager (14 next summer) have a good time? There are a lot of activities for teens listed. Which cruises have you taken? Is seven days “too long” to be out?

Any other cruise lines to recommend? Or maybe resorts that offer the same fun for the kids, but a more ‘authentic’ visit for the parents? (I’m not All About the Disney.)

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I hesitate to post this because its a ton of information, and about 60% of the people over there are batshit crazy, the avatars, bouncing smilies and signature images will burn your eyes and they are a little like addicts telling you heroin is wonderful…but www.disboards.com.

Their private island is very very nice, one of the highlights of the trip. Do note that if weather is bad and they can’t dock, they don’t - not at any of a cruise stops. So cruise to cruise, not to spend a day at the beach.

We liked our four day better than our seven day. After seven the food started to all taste the same, the room started to feel small. My mother thinks five day cruises are perfect (Disney doesn’t offer one), and having done four and seven, there is something in between there that is perfect.

Pools on board are rather small and disappointing - there are three pools for the public - the little kid “Mickey Pool” with a slide - no deeper than maybe 2 1/2 feet. The family pool - which is very small and mid afternoon is wall to wall children. And the adult pool, that is restricted to people 18 and older. If you want swimming to be a bigger part of your vacation, visit a waterpark before or after the cruise.

The 14 year old will have privileges to roam the ship. Teens can come and go from the teen club as they want. There is a teen club, and lots of activities. Some kids have a wonderful time, some are too shy, some have a wonderful time reading books in a pool chair or hanging with Mom and Dad.

Most of the cruise lines now have good kids clubs and activities - we’ve only done the Disney cruises. Royal Carribean and Celebrity would be the two other lines I’d consider for families.

A few years ago we stayed in a villa in Akumal, Mexico. (www.locogringo.com) It was a home on the ocean - a beautiful home. We would walk up to the village and get our groceries (and rum) or to have dinner or breakfast. It had its own pool. There is a scuba lagoon down there that is wonderful. The Tulum ruins were an hour a way. We’d sit around and read, or watch movies (we brought a bunch) or play cards. A housekeeper would swing in during the day and do our dishes and make the beds. We didn’t take the kids - for us it was a grown up trip with other grownups, but for my kids, a home with a pool and a DVD player would have been a great vacation.