Newbie going crazy need help New Year's for parents' anniversary

Hello everyone.

I need serious help picking a cruise for my parent's 50th anniversary (New Year's 2017-2018).

Before I even look at deals and pricing I need to decide which cruise!

Here are the parameters:

*7-10 days starting a little before new year's so we celebrate on board.

*seven people, two cabins. My parents are in their 70's and my dad needs a wheelchair to move large distances, so a cruise with good accessibility would be great.

*Three of the people would be 12 year old boys. We've thought about a Disney cruise but not sure yet. We love Disney but I'm sure there's a premium compared to other cruises.

*Land excursions are not a priority

*We would like something warm so probably Caribbean or Cabo. We would be flying out of Chicago so Florida or California for a port would probably be better.

*We enjoy food and entertainment

Any advice or recommendations will be greatly welcomed!

Once I pick a cruise I will be back for purchasing and cabin picking advice.

Two cabins for seven people? Disney is very expensive, and you want to cruise during one of the most expensive weeks of the year.

The cabins are tiny, much smaller than a hotel room.

I personally would never travel on Disney way over priced. Princess or Celebrity might be a better fit. NCL & RCL are more lively, they have excellent entertainment for all ages.

At 12 your boys might be to old for Disney.

Also it is not always cheaper to have a 3rd & 4th passenger in the same cabin. So when speaking to the TA don't limit yourself 2 only 2 cabins. Also it is not necessary for everyone to have a balcony cabin. All these things will increase cost. Also you are travelling at one of the most expensive times of the year. Also make sure you fly in to port the day before you sail.

Sent from my SM-N910F using Forums mobile app

Since you will require an accessible cabin for dad, you might want to be certain that there are accessible cabins available for more than 2 persons. These are at a premium on most lines and fill up quickly.

Do not discount the value of having an accessible cabin for him! You may think that he can get along without one, but being on a ship at sea is a big difference from being on land. If he has any type of balance issues, they will be exponentially worse on the ship.

You should also pad in a pre-cruise stay in your embarkation port. Winter weather conditions (along with other issues) can affect your flight.

When you do book, if you want your cabins all together, you'll need to insist that your booking is marked "no upgrade". Plus any special accommodations such as handicapped cabins will require booking several months in advance.

I, too, think 7 people in 2 cabins is going to drive everyone nuts....they are tiny, ship cabins are.....