Trans Atlantic questions

[ducklite]

If you've cruised on a TA, were there a ton of kids or were the numbers lower than on a typical DCL sailing? Did the kids seem to be occupied, or did they seem bored? We all know that bored kids means that no one is happy...

 

Were you able to book Palo multiple times?

 

How did you fill your sea days?

 

We're considering a TA in a couple of years, and looking at various cruise lines that offer one. Right now, DCL is on the very short list due to their alcohol policy and our overall enjoyment of their product.

[Shmoo here]

If you've cruised on a TA, were there a ton of kids or were the numbers lower than on a typical DCL sailing? Did the kids seem to be occupied, or did they seem bored? We all know that bored kids means that no one is happy...

 

Were you able to book Palo multiple times?

 

How did you fill your sea days?

 

We're considering a TA in a couple of years, and looking at various cruise lines that offer one. Right now, DCL is on the very short list due to their alcohol policy and our overall enjoyment of their product.

 

Typically, the longer the cruise, the fewer the kids. On our WBTA last year there weren't many kids, partly because of this, partly because it was during school time. I think they seemed to be pretty engaged, not roaming about causing trouble. We didn't have any kids with us, so I don't know how much was actually going on for them.

 

We weren't able to book Palo prior to the cruise, so on boarding day we went to the Palo table and booked the brunch (we did the dinner on a previous cruise, and wanted to do something different). I'm pretty sure most people were able to get the Palo reservations they wanted.

 

Sea days! Loved them! We had done the Med cruise just prior and it was VERY port intensive, so we really appreciated have a lot of down time. We attended various lectures, saw movies, sat on deck reading, spent time together (a real bonus).

 

:)

[GatorMomInNC]

If you've cruised on a TA, were there a ton of kids or were the numbers lower than on a typical DCL sailing? Did the kids seem to be occupied, or did they seem bored? We all know that bored kids means that no one is happy...

 

Were you able to book Palo multiple times?

 

How did you fill your sea days?

 

We're considering a TA in a couple of years, and looking at various cruise lines that offer one. Right now, DCL is on the very short list due to their alcohol policy and our overall enjoyment of their product.

 

We are going on the WBTA this year. There is a big roll call on a different board, and there are some kids coming on the cruise, but the majority of roll callers are traveling without children. But for me I am hoping that it will be a small enough group that they will get lots of attention at the oceaneer's club but still be able to make new friends.

 

However, as far as I can tell, DCL is not doing a TA next year, so who knows if they will be doing one in 2 years.

[MandyGirl]

But for me I am hoping that it will be a small enough group that they will get lots of attention at the oceaneer's club but still be able to make new friends.

 

That's us as well. A smaller kid to CM ratio.

 

I just had a tutoring student disembark the Dream on Thursday, and although it was a school week, they said there were TONS of kids onboard.

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I have been on quite a number of long DCL cruises, including one of 14 days and one of 15 days,

You can only ever book online for one Palo meal of each type. IE

1 X Palo Brunch 1 x Palo Dinner and 1 x Palo Afternoon tea,

Now you can when you get onboard request more, particularly if you are concierge. Maybe request the land concierge in advance of your request.

But a word of warning, that the longer cruises on DCL are ''out of favour'' with the bosses and being reduced, and when they are available they are often full of repeat cruisers, who love these longer value for money cruises, and therefore the slots tend to go quicker, than the *standard* cruises, where there is a mix of new and repeat cruisers and the new ones are not so savvy as repeat cruisers

Whilst parents do not like taking their kids out of school i have found on every cruise their is a reasonable proportion of kids, if its school time the kids are younger..

[ducklite]

Thanks for the info--it overall validated what I had suspected. We've wanted to do a TA for a couple of years now, we'd go EB as we live a little over an hour from Port Canaveral which would take all the stress out of embarkation. (No "what if our flight is cancelled" worries, etc.)

 

Obviously there's no guarantee that DCL will do a TA/continue with European itineraries, although once the new ship comes online and the economy continues to improve, it would surprise me if they don't do so at least now and then.

 

Time will tell. :)

[GatorMomInNC]

That's us as well. A smaller kid to CM ratio.

 

I just had a tutoring student disembark the Dream on Thursday, and although it was a school week, they said there were TONS of kids onboard.

 

Hey MandyGirl - I keep seeing you in all the threads I'm following! My theory is that less kids = more attention. Any negative reviews about the DCL kids clubs have always been about overcrowding. I read one review where the woman just complained because there were so many kids - when she sailed on that cruise specifically because there was a kids sail free promotion :confused: Well, uh, duh! That is why I am so excited that there are SOME kids on the cruise, but not so many the kids clubs should be overrun. If my kids are unhappy or bored, at least I am allowed to stay in the clubs and play with them and have a built in play area for our vacation.

 

BTW, the reason we can do this cruise is because we are in a year round school district and we get 12 weeks off, but spread out throughout the year, including 3 weeks in September, so my son will only miss about 3 days of school for the cruise. So for us, this really is an out of school time.