Cruising thoughts.

[swamp]

We went on teh Disney Dream. 

Great service, but not cheap. Dinners were great. The family we were paired with at dinner were very nice, and their kids were similar age to my kids.  Shows were great. Far too many people packed on board. The kids club was fantastic. 

I I think we will be going back. 

I wanted to to wander around Nassau but the kids weren't into it. 

[Deleted]

I think everything Disney does is great but not cheap and crowded.  That was my experience at Disney World.  You couldn't ask for better service or food.  Everyone was incredibly nice.  But it wasn't cheap and it was crowded.  That is the experience you describe.

They evidently know how to do the middle class American kids' dream vacation.  I know people who go every couple of years.

I went once and was glad I did so I could say that I experienced it and understood what everyone is talking about.  But I was too old (mid 50s) to get hooked!

[swamp]

DD wanted to swim. There were about 50 kids packed in the pool. I wanted to kill someone. Although I got to,watch Phineas and Ferb while in the pool. 

[taz157]

One of me coworkers is going on a Disney in the couple of weeks for 3 days.  She and her family are really looking forward to it.

[sapphire12]

Glad you enjoyed your Disney cruise. I've always heard good things about the cruise. I suspect, just like with Disney World, there is a good time to go, when the crowds aren't overwhelming. Finding that spot is the trick.

[Deleted]

Apr 15, 2015 21:17:26 GMT -5 @southernsusana said:

I think everything Disney does is great but not cheap and crowded.  That was my experience at Disney World.  You couldn't ask for better service or food.  Everyone was incredibly nice.  But it wasn't cheap and it was crowded.  That is the experience you describe.

A friend on FB came back from a Disney cruise RAVING about their excellent service, claiming that every business could learn from them.  Yeah, charge everyone up the wazoo, cram 'em on board, and pay staff from developing countries who work for crap wages to be nice to them.  (Disney ships, like virtually every other cruise line except UnCruise, charters its ships in foreign countries to avoid having to comply with  more-expensive US regulations.)

I first visited Disney when I was in my late 20s for a conference.  I found the hype and the marketing manipulation fascinating but paid my own money to go there only once, when DS was little.  You may TELL me (repeatedly) it's the Happiest Place in all the World but if I'm paying top dollar and waiting in lines and fighting crowds, I'm not buying it.

Here's an old (2007) review of my last visit to Disney for a meeting.

www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g34515-d85986-r7925451-Disney_s_Contemporary_Resort-Orlando_Florida.html 

[steph08]

Is there a contest to see how quick a thread about someone's vacation devolves into a "Let's bash Disney!" thread?

I will never understand why we can't all agree to disagree on what types of vacations we all enjoy.

Swamp - I am glad you had a great trip! I have heard wonderful things about Disney cruises.

The crowds (and potential for sea sickness) are the only thing that hold me back from taking a cruise.

I think once March hits, anything in Florida is going to be crowded with spring breakers and the like.

Like Disney, I would think January-February would be good cruising months, but then you might deal with low temperatures.

I hope once my kid is old enough, she begs to go to Disney every year. I will happily oblige.

What extras did you do? Remy/Palo? Did your kids visit the kid clubs?

[Value Buy]

Apr 16, 2015 8:50:28 GMT -5 steph08 said:

Is there a contest to see how quick a thread about someone's vacation devolves into a "Let's bash Disney!" thread?

I will never understand why we can't all agree to disagree on what types of vacations we all enjoy.

Swamp - I am glad you had a great trip! I have heard wonderful things about Disney cruises.

The crowds (and potential for sea sickness) are the only thing that hold me back from taking a cruise.

I think once March hits, anything in Florida is going to be crowded with spring breakers and the like.

Like Disney, I would think January-February would be good cruising months, but then you might deal with low temperatures.

I hope once my kid is old enough, she begs to go to Disney every year. I will happily oblige.

What extras did you do? Remy/Palo? Did your kids visit the kid clubs?

Disney in January can sometimes be chilly, and the hours of operation of the parks is much less than in the summer months, so you still have to keep moving to get everything in.
Since it starts cooling down in the late afternoon, you probably do not worry about it closing down early.

[justme]

My parents went on their Disney cruise in January. They didn't really complain about crowds. Low cruising months are Jan/Feb and Sept/Oct with sometimes Aug. Which mostly lines up with slow Disney parks time.

I know they didn't go in the water too awful much because they're from Florida so we get cold easy, but it wasn't so cold that they didn't go in at all. I don't think the cold fronts make it to Caribbean.

[phil5185]

Great service, but not cheap. Dinners were great. The family we were paired with at dinner were very nice, and their kids were similar age to my kids. Shows were great. Far too many people packed on board. The kids club was fantastic.

Isn't it great how vast people's differences are in the definition of 'fun' - everything you said sounds like living he!! to me, lol.     Ie, "paired", "packed on board", sit-down dinners.  

[The Captain]

Apr 15, 2015 20:51:10 GMT -5 swamp said:

We went on teh Disney Dream. 

Great service, but not cheap. Dinners were great. The family we were paired with at dinner were very nice, and their kids were similar age to my kids.  Shows were great. Far too many people packed on board. The kids club was fantastic. 

I I think we will be going back. 

I wanted to to wander around Nassau but the kids weren't into it. 

Just curious, have you been on other cruises?  We haven't, so didn't have a baseline.  I don't remember it feeling crowded and I tend to be a bit leery of crowds.

[justme]

My parents have been on other cruises and liked the Disney cruise. They wouldn't pay full price for it (though they want cheap for any cruise) and they weren't overly impressed with the food (can't remember the last time they were impressed with any restaurant lol). My mom is trying to get her friend that works for Disney to go on a cruise and use her discount.

[Ryan]

My parents are big cruisers and they go multiple times a year. I’ve only been on one cruise and don’t really get the hub-bub, plus my wife gets motion sickness so it’s not an option at this point.

I think my dad said it’s cheaper to go cruising than it is to a resort in Mexico or something, but I never really verified that.

[Value Buy]

Can anyone really say a cruise ship is not packed to the max?
I know there are exceptions, but the price also reflects the crew members to customer ratios.
It is like herding cattle even at dinner meals with assigned seating.
That said, we have used Carnival several times. My only negative comment is the food has fallen in quality, and the number of stations open in evening has fallen in number, making it hard to get a snack.
Getting a darn drink has never been a problem.
Gotta watch out for the darn motorized wheel chairs. Absolutely will cut you off everytime.

[swamp]

Apr 16, 2015 8:50:28 GMT -5 steph08 said:

Is there a contest to see how quick a thread about someone's vacation devolves into a "Let's bash Disney!" thread?

I will never understand why we can't all agree to disagree on what types of vacations we all enjoy.

Swamp - I am glad you had a great trip! I have heard wonderful things about Disney cruises.

The crowds (and potential for sea sickness) are the only thing that hold me back from taking a cruise.

I think once March hits, anything in Florida is going to be crowded with spring breakers and the like.

Like Disney, I would think January-February would be good cruising months, but then you might deal with low temperatures.

I hope once my kid is old enough, she begs to go to Disney every year. I will happily oblige.

What extras did you do? Remy/Palo? Did your kids visit the kid clubs?

We only did the 3 day cruise so we didn't get to go to Remy or Palo.   We did want to but just couldn't cram it in. The kids LOVED the Oceaneer Club. The did the dine and play every night. They eat quicke, get served first, and then leave, letting the adults have a leisurely dinner. 

At castaway cay, the private island, we swam with the stingrays and DH and DD went parasailing. 

[swamp]

Apr 16, 2015 9:59:33 GMT -5 The Captain said:

Apr 15, 2015 20:51:10 GMT -5 swamp said:

We went on teh Disney Dream. 

Great service, but not cheap. Dinners were great. The family we were paired with at dinner were very nice, and their kids were similar age to my kids.  Shows were great. Far too many people packed on board. The kids club was fantastic. 

I I think we will be going back. 

I wanted to to wander around Nassau but the kids weren't into it. 

Just curious, have you been on other cruises?  We haven't, so didn't have a baseline.  I don't remember it feeling crowded and I tend to be a bit leery of crowds.

I have never been on a cruise. 

I was was told that the ship we were on won the 2014 Cruise Critic award for best ship. 

[JustLurkin]

Thanks for sharing.  I've been considering Autism on the Seas.

Cruises are jam-packed because the tickets can be bought/sold for rock-bottom at the last minute.

I worked at a hotel, having a room booked at break-even rate is better than a empty room (which creates a loss).

Vacation for me is no one talking to me.  Seriously, "here's your food/drink/fresh linen" is all I want to hear, and a head-nod is fine too!

[swamp]

I would actually love a vacation as you describe. My kids would not be amused. 

[Deleted]

I've only been on a cruise once. It wasn't bad and I'm glad I went, but it's not high on my list of future vacation choices. I'd rather be exploring a new place than stuck on the ocean for days. I also got motion sickness when the water was rough, but if felt more like I was drunk than "sick". If I'd been drinking, maybe I wouldn't have noticed. Or maybe I would have actually felt sick.

One of my co-workers took her daughter on a Disney cruise a couple years ago. Her description of it made it sound like a lot of fun if you have young children.

[swamp]

If I didn't have young kids, I think a disney cruise would be hell on earth. Or water. 

[Gardening Grandma]

Apr 16, 2015 20:49:10 GMT -5 swamp said:

If I didn't have young kids, I think a disney cruise would be hell on earth. Or water. 

That's pretty much how I feel about Disney cruises.

[Happy prose]

Never did the Disney cruise, but I love cruising! I'm going on RC in May. I'm going with my DD, who will be 24, so no small kids. We manage to avoid the crowds. The adult pool is never crowded. I also like that I can do as little or as much as I want. 

[gooddecisions]

I've only been on a cruise once and it was Holland America. One of the best vacation I ever took. It was Oct 2011 and the ship was only 50% capacity. It was hurricane season and 6 weeks after September 11. It was a 8 day/7 night cruise to the Bahamas, Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Food and service were amazing. The cruise was discounted at $500. I never felt trapped on the ship for days. They set it up so you're at sea one day, followed by port-o-call the next day. People told me how awful cruises are and I'd be the only young person on the ship, but they were wrong, I had a great time! I never slept so deeply in my life being in an interior cabin. My body could feel the soft movement and it was totally dark and quiet.

I had a similar experience at an all-inclusive resort in Cancun. It was May 2009, right after the swine flu panic. As result the trip was only $600 for 6 days, including airfare. Again, the food and service were amazing and the resort was less than 50% occupied.

[Deleted]

Apr 16, 2015 10:41:59 GMT -5 Ryan said:

I think my dad said it’s cheaper to go cruising than it is to a resort in Mexico or something, but I never really verified that.

So much depends on what extras you pay for.  Based on a lot of time I spent on CruiseCritic when planning our cruises within Alaska on UnCruise:

Alcohol is extra and they X-ray bags to make sure you don't bring on more than the allowance (1 bottle of wine?).  If you buy in port, they keep it for you till you disembark.

On the cheaper cruises, the Main Dining Room is jammed but there are plenty of "premium" restaurants for which you pay an extra charge. The extra charge is usually less than the cost of a restaurant meal at home but it should be; you've already paid for the Main Dining Room meal.

Spas offer everything from massages to facials to Botox treatments.

Excursions are extra and if you don't book through the cruise line they take no responsibility if you get back to the port late and the ship is gone.  Excursions can be anything from hanging out on a local beach (cheap) to snorkeling, "flightseeing", fishing, local specialties such as a luau in Hawaii or a trip to a sled dog training center in Alaska (expensive).

The cruise line makes more money if you buy things in the shops discussed in the "port talks" (lectures on upcoming stops), buy a "discount coupon book", buy at the art auctions, lose money in the casino, etc.

Then there's the gratuity added to your room each day.  The pitch is that the people from developing countries are paid crap wages and work their tails off (I don't doubt either) and you can have it removed only if you claim you got terrible service.  So, it's pretty much mandatory.

The general rule is to double the cabin cost and that's a realistic estimate of what the cruise will cost you when all is said and done. I suppose you could keep costs down by eating in the main dining room and just exploring ports on your own and not making any major purchases.  It's pretty astounding what people spend in port.  I've wandered through the main drag in Ketchikan and Juneau near the cruise ship docks and it's jewelry store after jewelry store, with huge, gaudy pieces in the window.  People talked on Cruise Critic about plans to buy a diamond engagement ring or other major jewelry purchase in ports and everyone pretty much tells them to buy it at home. 

[Gardening Grandma]

DH and. I went on our first cruise last summer (Holland America) to Alaska. Pretty muh the only way to see the Alaskan coast.
We enjoyed it, but it's not something I'd want to do every year.  One thing I liked about the ship was the smaller size (1200 passengers). 
The alcohol policy annoyed me to tears. The price for drinks was ridiculous.

We are going on a Hurtigruten cruise in June, up the coast of Norway. Hurtigruten is not a typical American style cruise, however.

We are signed up for. a Viking Ocean cruise in the fall of 2016 from Venice to Istanbul.
And I'd like to do more river cruises - in Europe.

[Ombud]

I've been on 15 Princess cruises, 6 Carnival ones with kids, and 1 Commodore one. Love cruising, cheaper overall with kids, only felt cramped on the Commodore one. Next cruise is July 12th with a group of 8 to Alaska rt out of Seattle

[whoami]

Our last 2 cruises easily topped $15K each (not including airfare). Yes, we get one of the top level suites.  I have no interest living in a room the size of my toilet closet for a week regardless of how much time Im in there. 

We were on Oasis of the Seas in Dec and it was filled to capacity...6000+ pax and however many crew. I never felt crowded. 

[Plain Old Petunia]

Never been on a Disney cruise, but I really like cruising in general. I've been on 3 ocean and 1 river now, and I plan to go again. Next time I want to do the Panama Canal.

[HoneyBBQ]

Apr 17, 2015 9:05:51 GMT -5 Ombud said:

I've been on 15 Princess cruises, 6 Carnival ones with kids, and 1 Commodore one. Love cruising, cheaper overall with kids, only felt cramped on the Commodore one. Next cruise is July 12th with a group of 8 to Alaska rt out of Seattle

Do you mind sharing which one? Are you taking kids? We are contemplating one also (being in Seattle, it makes it easy). 

I think there would be 4 of us (2 adults, one senior, one toddler) and trying to also figure out if we could get a suite or what would be the cheapest option.

[Ombud]

We're doing a lot of rooms on Princess. Hardly ever use a balcony but getting them. But I do prefer mini suites. We will buy drink pgs before boarding .... full non-alcoholic = 7 per day but worth it. Sodas only for the vegan @ 4 a day. ETOH unlimited = 49 a day but I don't drink that much. Will board with 3 bottles of our favorite wine (3 adults)

We're going to Victoria, Skagway (nothing there), Juneau (Adventure Park Ziplining), and Ketchikan (probably just hiking).


Found out DIL is pregnant and may be just about 24 weeks pregnant on the cruise. Unfortunately Princess requires that you be less than 24 weeks on the final day of the cruise. Delighted she's pregnant. Not sure they’ll let her cruise