Trying to sell DBF on Disney Cruise. Any advice appreciated!

[cruisin_cutie216]

LOVE Gambee's reviews! He inspired me to write my first review from my Allure of the Seas sailing back in March of this year. Super detailed and he gives so much insight and advice. Spectacular reviews! One day I hope mine can be as detailed as his.

 

Everyone has been giving wonderful advice! Rob is sold on the Disney Cruise idea but unfortunately due to him starting a new job this year with a new salary and with me starting a new job and having some ongoing health issues its going to be a bit out of our range to cruise Disney this year. Its a bummer but it will also give us some further time to plan and save as needed (We really want to do it up on our Disney Cruise and have a Verandah or a suite). Plus we're both still in an adjustment period when it comes to both of our jobs.

 

Thank you to all of you who provided insight! Especially on the alcohol subject! Alcohol is something I've found to be a common topic of discussion amongst many cruisers I've talked to! Who can blame them, out on the sea and living it up. Of course!

 

<3 Missy

[reigle4]

Hey there fellow CC'ers!

 

So DBF and I are much in need of a vacation and I would LOVE to take another cruise. He took me on my first cruise with his family and I LOVED it! Out of the two of us he's the veteran cruiser (Carnival, Princess, and Royal Caribbean) and I'm still an amateur but I'm learning.

 

Anyway, we are both 24 and 25 respectfully and I'm wanting to take a Disney cruise being that I'm a huge Disney fanatic and after reading several cruise critic picture and text reviews about the various ships I have seen that the cruises are nothing short of magical and phenomenal. However, DBF has his reservations about sailing Disney. He's not a huge fan of lots of kids and wants to be able to do some activities geared to adults only. My questions are to any adults that have cruised Disney sans children and how did you like it?

 

Some things to know about us:

 

We LOVE to eat so midnight buffets are super important and awesome food.

We like to just relax and enjoy a nice view either from the deck chairs or our stateroom. We even like having those down time moments to just chill and maybe order food in the room.

We are social drinkers plus we drink alot of soft drinks on a vacation.

We are thinking the Bahamas or Caribbean for our cruise in December.

He is in the military so not too sure if there's any special pricing for military personell.

We would like to visit a private island (aka Castaway Cay) while we're there.

 

I think that just about covers most items. If anyone has any tips, or advice that would be most helpful! Thank you all in advance, happy cruising!

 

Meredith

 

Do not sell your DBF....Disney frowns on human trafficking....lol. Seriously though just get the video and watch it together. It is free and very compelling

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Don't forget that a 4 Day on Disney will blow away other cruise lines' 7 days. It may not be as far out of reach as you think. Just fyi. Also, we got a chase rewards for Disney, and they can defer out 6 months no interest same as cash for Disney vacations. I'm not advocating debt, just explaining how we were able to join our parents for their anniversary cruise a month after we got off a Carnival cruise. Also, we liked it so much, we now use the rewards card for a lot, and we got enough kick backs to only have to put $44 down as a deposit for next year. Woohoo! We even got a 10% off 'thanks for sailing' voucher. My suggestion is to watch the site for *GT sales (as in IGT is interior guarantee, OGT is oceanview gaurantee and VGT which I recommend most is their awesome veranda room guarantee.) They are released to fill the ships a few months out and sell quick. They won't specify a room until closer to the trip, but it is guaranteed to be one or higher in that category. If you are slightly flexible, you can get a great rate. (Please note, VGT is not the same as a GTY, so make sure that it says IGT, OGT or VGT depending on the rate you are getting.) Also, Miami is cheaper (we don't care for it as much though) and the Wonder is a little cheaper (will be the oldest ship in the fleet after this week.) so there are various options there.

 

Just trying to offer some assistance. Also, unless you get a great *GT rate, the more advanced you book, the better. I noticed that the cruise I booked back in 7/25 is already higher in cost for the same category. Unless you get the after PIF *GT rate, the rates can actually increase for the week you are looking for as the cruise starts to book out.

 

Happy cruising!

[LaserSB3Family]

Hm, I would probably hold off on the Disney cruise until you have kids given that you are having to sell this to your husband. If you must go, travel in September/October as almost no sane parent will take their schoolage children out of school right at the beginning of the year. However, regardless of what people say, Disney is made for children. Just from reading the literature, the ship is literally made for the kids. I imagine that much of that increased fare is due to the great kids programs, which are included in the price for kids over age 3. If you husband is like mine and wants to make you happy, he will be happier on a more adult-oriented ship but won't complain to you.

 

Furthermore, my kids are both well behaved, but they are children! I know I did not understand normal childhood behavior before I had kids, and I was a teacher. This tolerance doesn't develop until you have your own darlings, and the normal childhood behavior surrounding you on the ship will likely make your husband and even you uncomfortable. There are so many great adult-oriented ships, like Crystal. Enjoy them now while you can! I look forward to doing cruises like that when my children are off in college.

 

Just my opinion. I hope you and hubby are both delighted with your choice!

[reigle4]

Hm, I would probably hold off on the Disney cruise until you have kids given that you are having to sell this to your husband. If you must go, travel in September/October as almost no sane parent will take their schoolage children out of school right at the beginning of the year. However, regardless of what people say, Disney is made for children. Just from reading the literature, the ship is literally made for the kids. I imagine that much of that increased fare is due to the great kids programs, which are included in the price for kids over age 3. If you husband is like mine and wants to make you happy, he will be happier on a more adult-oriented ship but won't complain to you.

 

Furthermore, my kids are both well behaved, but they are children! I know I did not understand normal childhood behavior before I had kids, and I was a teacher. This tolerance doesn't develop until you have your own darlings, and the normal childhood behavior surrounding you on the ship will likely make your husband and even you uncomfortable. There are so many great adult-oriented ships, like Crystal. Enjoy them now while you can! I look forward to doing cruises like that when my children are off in college.

 

Just my opinion. I hope you and hubby are both delighted with your choice!

 

I am going on the Disney dream for the 2nd time now. this time I am not taking any kids because they have so much to do just for adults and even though there is the kids club you still have your children on your mind when you travel with them. The shows are top notch and there is a little kid in all of us somewhere. I like to let her out once in a while and where better to do that but on a Disney cruise. Yes there is lots for families with kids of all ages to do but they do have adult only areas and they enforce it. The private island also has adult only beach area and it is enforced there too. You will have a blast.

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

No kids with us here either. And my parents started taking us on Royal Caribbean when we were 11 and the other lines have plenty of kids too. so I think its pick what you like as each cruise line has features that are great. Just CCL has dropped the ball this yr but I liked the cruises before this yr. But if you are the kinda couple that thinks WDW makes for a romantic wedding, honeymoon, anniversary, getaway etc, than cruising Disney without kids is just as good and maybe better.

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

[mistergq]

As a DVC owner, and having sailed DCL without a child with my now wife when we were 26, I would not recommend it. While we rarely hangout with people our own age on a cruise ship, we felt like loners on this cruise. We were at a table with much older guests. Normally we are find with anyone that is put with us, but this time, we were completely like the odd couple excluded.

 

Don't get me wrong, we had a great time. But not enough to get us to go back until we had a daughter. This will be our first disney cruise in 10 years.

 

As to if you love Disney World, then you will be fine on a Disney Cruise, I disagree. There is more to do at Disney World and everything is much bigger. I went to Disney World for a spring break in college with friends and had a great time. Disney World was also the first long vacation my wife and I took when we were dating. Last weekend, we went to Disney World to stay at a DVC resort and play at the parks by ourself, without our DD. Had a great time. But I don't think we (just the two of us) would go on a DCL by ourself without our DD.

 

Feel free to message me if you have questions.

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I have to say my personal experience of the age groups on Disney and other lines is completely different. I have found on other cruise lines the age group is far far higher than Disney and you can sit with people if a far higher age group, Disney has families from young kids to parents and grand parents with a far greater mix that other lines and it feels to me 'young'. I do think a Disney cruise is aligned o people who like the parks, yes bar aqua duck there are no rides, but the characters the service, the foodvthevfeel is all the same.

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

As a DVC owner, and having sailed DCL without a child with my now wife when we were 26, I would not recommend it. While we rarely hangout with people our own age on a cruise ship, we felt like loners on this cruise. We were at a table with much older guests. Normally we are find with anyone that is put with us, but this time, we were completely like the odd couple excluded.

 

Don't get me wrong, we had a great time. But not enough to get us to go back until we had a daughter. This will be our first disney cruise in 10 years.

 

As to if you love Disney World, then you will be fine on a Disney Cruise, I disagree. There is more to do at Disney World and everything is much bigger. I went to Disney World for a spring break in college with friends and had a great time. Disney World was also the first long vacation my wife and I took when we were dating. Last weekend, we went to Disney World to stay at a DVC resort and play at the parks by ourself, without our DD. Had a great time. But I don't think we (just the two of us) would go on a DCL by ourself without our DD.

 

Feel free to message me if you have questions.

 

The difference being if you had brought all your friends with you on your DCL, it would have been just as much fun as having all your spring breaker friends at the parks. We have never cruised without a few other couples and our honeymoon to a couples only all inclusive was the only trip we didn't go with people on. When you have a few more with you, you are just about guaranteed an awesome fun time. And if you have never been on the Dream or Fantasy, then I am unsure you can describe how much there is to do yes even for adults. Maybe the DCLs classic ships of a decade ago werent , but man the Dream we went on this year was every bit as exciting as the parks (less feet killing). The cruise ships now have the same type of demo that the parks do or at least that was my experience. You chat up nice people of all ages in line, same thing on the cruise.

 

Sorry you didn't have a good experience. I brought my husband, my literal other half (TWINkie), my older sis n her husband, and our parents on this last one. We had tons to do and cannot wait to repeat it with WDW and a 4 day next May...

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Forums mobile app

[CheapieD]

I remember a late night buffet on my march DCL cruise. I think it was pirate night if I remember. After the show they had the buffet for 2 hours or so.

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I remember a late night buffet on my march DCL cruise. I think it was pirate night if I remember. After the show they had the buffet for 2 hours or so.

 

The adult areas the clubs etc have a small buffet late at night circa 11pm, but there are no midnight buffets on DCL, Other liens such as Princess have a midnight buffet starting circa 11.30pm.

 

DCL on the classic ships on seven night cruises had one chocolate buffet late night but this has stopped.

 

To be honest there is too much food on any cruise and you can get 24 hour room service bar last morning.