Help me convince my family!

[Jenn31708]

Ok, a little about us.... some family and I (11 extended family members total) took a RCI cruise together last March and we had an amazing time. Half the family wants to go to Disney World next and the other half wants to take another cruise.

 

I figure a Disney cruise is the perfect compromise, right? WRONG! Hubby and I have no kids, and he thinks it would be weird to take a disney cruise. He says its only for families, not 2 thirty-somethings without kiddies.

 

My sister in law says going on a disney cruise doesn't even begin to compare to going to the parks so she won't even consider it. She says it's only disney themed decorating, but I'm sure thats not true.

 

 

How do I get them to change their minds?? :D I need some convincing arguments, because I'm dying to try a Disney cruise.

[moki'smommy]

Funny how people who've never been on DCL seem to know all about it and have such strong opinions.....

 

We LIKE the parks, we LOVE the cruises.

 

We are 2 adults no kids. Next cruise we have added a few park days before boarding the ship. Each ship has adult only areas. The longer cruises have a lot more adult only activities than the shorter ones. Castaway Cay has an adult only beach. Some of these areas are better enforced than others, but they do exist. If you never want to see a kid, don't cruise on DCL. If you are OK with kids but want your own get away space as well, this my be the right place for you.

 

Most of the decorating is not Disney themed. OK, it is there, but that's not the part that most makes it Disney. What we saw as the biggest differences between DCL and our other cruises was the service and the entertainment. Other lines have live bands while DCL performs to tracks, but the live bands were horrible. DCL has GREAT stage shows. Their kid programs are consistently rated the best on the seas. Your sis in law is right that the ship and the parks are different...but we like the difference. The ships are a lot easier with a lot less walking and less hassle for the mom. On the ships, mom is on vacation too! Even at full capacity, the ships never feel crowded the way the parks can. I could go on and on....but I don't understand how someone who has never experienced the cruise can tell you all about it!!!! We are "triple platinum" on DCL and somehow keep coming back.

[CC Help Jenn]

Can you have them read some of the reviews posted on our site? Some of the trip reports? How about show them the cruisers choice awards :)

 

The ships are not just Disney Decor that is for sure. However there are not characters in your face all of the time either if you do not want them to be (adults!)

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Sheesh. What # is this? Number umpteen of the "IS IT WEIRD TO CRUISE DISNEY WITH NO KIDS" posts?

 

No, its not. We have no kids, if it were up to me, I would never sail on another line, but I do not intend to step foot on a CCL of my own volition again. Our 10th anniversary last year was UNBELIEVEABLE. We decided to go a few weeks early and 'crash' our parent's early 45th anniversary cruise. We were the only 'kids' of the group (since our parents are in their 60s and we are in our 30s- SEE THAT! A COUPLE WITH NO KIDS IN THE MID-THIRTIES!) and we had Late Dining which was wonderful, and it was THE BEST cruise I've been on. Even as a 3 day! (Hawaii of course was AWESOME, but this is the best ship, entertainment and service I had ever been on and the private island is AMAZING.)

 

If you need to convince your family, just show them the new Cruise Critic awards that came out. DCL is at the top of just about all of them, and while it DID pick up the Families category (how could it not), it also picked up a LOT of others including the humdinger OVERALL (like the Best Picture oscar). So obviously a lot more like it regardless of kids.

 

And what's with the chick that says that you can't compare a cruise to the parks!?! I think they go hand in hand! We are doing 2 park days with a 4 day cruise in 2 months. If you like the parks, they DO compare!!! Please. People that have never gone should not be making opinions. That's WHY Disney created a cruise line. Because they are an entertainment company and knows how their vacationers like to vacation! Ever thinks its weird to see a couple at Disney World? I hope not! We go as much as we can. :D And what about all the married couples, anniversaries, honeymoons, etc? Who says you have to like kids to like Disney? Yes they will be around, but you can always scadaddle on to the ADULTS ONLY sections and most of the time, the clubs keep them super busy anyway. Which is more than I can say for the other cruise lines, who's kids clubs are for-charge much later (which means more unsupervised kids around the ship) and Disney's is free until Midnight.

 

Believe me, it is a BIG FAT FALLACY that Disney has all the kids. Just try getting a burger or hotdog from the Carnival Dream grill. Talk about lines! LOTS of kids on all cruise ships these days, in or out of school, and we even had lines for self service ice cream. Families are cruising these days. Royal Caribbean is full of kids, so are Carnival. PRobably less kids on Celebrity and HAL, but certainly not impossible to see on those lines. Disney has its OWN Magic and you can't find it anywhere else.

 

If you enjoy disney movies and music or the parks, a DCL is a no brainer!

 

Now, I'm going to copy this into a word document so I don't have to post it every week...:)

Edited February 26, 2014 by TwinPrincessMermaids

[Jenn31708]

Sheesh. What # is this? Number umpteen of the "IS IT WEIRD TO CRUISE DISNEY WITH NO KIDS" posts?

 

 

 

Now, I'm going to copy this into a word document so I don't have to post it every week...:)

 

 

My apologies for making you work so hard to respond to a post. The first post on the search function for "disney cruise with no kids" shows a post from Feb of 2013 that says "Don't cruise on DCL without kids." The next one is from November of 2012.... I was hoping for some opinions.

 

Sorry to inconvenience you so much. Next time, don't bother to respond. :rolleyes:

[Shmoo here]

Ok, a little about us.... some family and I (11 extended family members total) took a RCI cruise together last March and we had an amazing time. Half the family wants to go to Disney World next and the other half wants to take another cruise.

 

I figure a Disney cruise is the perfect compromise, right? WRONG! Hubby and I have no kids, and he thinks it would be weird to take a disney cruise. He says its only for families, not 2 thirty-somethings without kiddies.

 

My sister in law says going on a disney cruise doesn't even begin to compare to going to the parks so she won't even consider it. She says it's only disney themed decorating, but I'm sure thats not true.

 

 

How do I get them to change their minds?? :D I need some convincing arguments, because I'm dying to try a Disney cruise.

 

We took 3 DCL cruises before we brought "the kids" (who happened to be 18, 26, 27, & 28). Then we cruised with DHs mother and her husband and DHs sister and her husband (all adults).

 

You defiantly do not have to have kids with you to cruise (and enjoy) DCL. There are those who feel it's only fun if you do have kids along, but certainly not all of us feel that way.

 

DCL is Disney themed, with characters, and Disney Broadway-style shows (much like at the theme parks), but not as in-your-face as the parks. The décor Disney themed, but discreet.

 

There are adult-only areas both onboard and at Castaway Cay. Disney is very good about policing these areas, keeping them adult-only.

 

There are lots of reviews both here and other boards of Disney cruises. Just do a search.

[mdvlprof]

DCL is great. Great for families with kids. Great for those with no kids. There are probably more kids on DCL, but I notice them way less than I do on other cruiselines. DCL keeps them busy. And the shows are ... WOW.

 

DCL isn't WDW. It's more relaxed and laid-back. There are lots of opportunities to interact with characters, without the super long lines at WDW.

Edited February 26, 2014 by mdvlprof

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

My apologies for making you work so hard to respond to a post. The first post on the search function for "disney cruise with no kids" shows a post from Feb of 2013 that says "Don't cruise on DCL without kids." The next one is from November of 2012.... I was hoping for some opinions.

 

Sorry to inconvenience you so much. Next time, don't bother to respond. :rolleyes:

 

Chalk it up to low blood sugar. This really does come up all the time, but I guess for this 30 somethings couple, it's a no brainer! My advice is to try a 3 or 4 day and see if it's for you! It was definitely for us. We couldn't wait to rebook.

 

Happy sails!

[My4Grandsons]

DH and I are 69 and going in March. Just the two of us celebrating our 47th anniversary. He is even dragging me (willingly) to stores looking for pirate wear!:)

[mzellehill]

We are empty nesters and love the Disney cruises! Parks are exhausting, been there and done that! On the Disney cruise you actually feel like your on vacation and you are treated as royalty!! The parks are wonderful if you wanna to go to a theme park but the Disney Cruise is an experience like no other!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Host Mick]

Sheesh. What # is this? Number umpteen of the "IS IT WEIRD TO CRUISE DISNEY WITH NO KIDS" posts?

 

:)

 

The search feature is broken so you're going to have to cut people some slack for the redundant posts.

Be assured that we have teams of our best people, BEST PEOPLE working on the issue as we speak.

[Host Mick]

Ok, a little about us.... some family and I (11 extended family members total) took a RCI cruise together last March and we had an amazing time. Half the family wants to go to Disney World next and the other half wants to take another cruise.

 

I figure a Disney cruise is the perfect compromise, right? WRONG! Hubby and I have no kids, and he thinks it would be weird to take a disney cruise. He says its only for families, not 2 thirty-somethings without kiddies.

 

My sister in law says going on a disney cruise doesn't even begin to compare to going to the parks so she won't even consider it. She says it's only disney themed decorating, but I'm sure thats not true.

 

 

How do I get them to change their minds?? :D I need some convincing arguments, because I'm dying to try a Disney cruise.

 

Try the five step process:

 

1. Get the FREE DCL DVD.

2. Sit them down.

3. Serve them ice cream with chocolate syrup.

4. Watch the DVD.

5. Bon Voyage!

 

It works every time.

[LittleMissMagic]

I think it really depends on what your family wants in a vacation. A Disney Cruise is going to be a completely different experience than Walt Disney World. You can have a wonderful time no matter which you choose.

 

Compromise in large groups is annoying. I have a tough enough time to convince my immediate family to agree on a vacation. I coordinated a large group cruise once before and I will never do it again, but kudos to those who can deal with all of the differing opinions!

 

All of the adults on here and that other board are going to tell you that it's perfectly normal to cruise Disney as an adult by yourself. That's because we're Disney fanatics and also love cruising. The thing is, depending on how much you like Disney, not to mention what you feel comfortable with in social situations, it might not be completely comfortable and normal to you. It might actually be really weird. (I am a Disney Fanatic, and I will stand up loud and proud and say YES, Disney people are really weird to non-Disney people!) I think usually if you're strongly considering the option enough to ask, then you'll be fine. But the other adults you're traveling with - who knows? I'm doing an "experiment" myself. This May, I'll sail the Disney Fantasy with my boyfriend, sister, and parents - all of whom enjoy going to Disney World and love cruising but are skeptical about whether they'll feel out of place on a Disney Cruise being adults with no children. And the thing is, I'm not 100% confident that they will not feel a little awkward at times. But we're going to see!

 

Maybe this vacation isn't the vacation that you go on a Disney Cruise. It sounds like your sister really wants to go to Walt Disney World - I think you would also have an awesome time at Walt Disney World. Not to mention, WDW is a lot friendlier to people on different budgets with value accommodations, off-site hotels and condos, different ticket pricing options. Disney Cruises are pretty darn expensive in comparison and not a decision that most budget-conscious people would take lightly.

 

Winning over 11 people is going to be challenging. Winning over your husband.... now that can be done. ;) Maybe the two of you can see the romantic side of Disney on a Disney Cruise in your future!

[f1mauro]

Here, show them this....http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/26/travel/cruise-critics-cruisers-awards-2014/index.html?hpt=hp_t5

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

I think they should go to Disney World...AND on a Disney Cruise! Yay! Try it out for a shorter cruise tacked onto a few Disney park days. It's perfect. It's also what we are doing. :D

 

Also, I guess I get more frustrated, not at the search function not working, but more at the constant reputation DCL gets for being a kids-only cruise line. Its like someone poking you constantly. After the 20th time, it just gets frustrating. Especially because it so often comes from completely clueless people. My comments were more out of frustration towards the OP's equally opinionated family's generalizations, rather than the OP themselves.

 

Its SUCH a great vacation! I would suggest doing both. We have 5 families meeting there from 3 states, and I got us a big vacation rental home for $53 per family per night (all cleaning fees and taxes total). Has our own pool and rec room and kitchen, and each family has their own bathroom. 5 bed, 5 bath right outside of Disney. From there, we go on to our cruise for 4 awesome days of Disney, playing with sea lions, Palo as a first, catamaran snorkels and running the 5k, and then when we get off on Friday, we are buzzing over to Seaworld (with Buschgardens basically has two for one up to Mid May) and are staying at a Disney Neighborhood hotel suites with awesome pool, included breakfast and park shuttles. Royaleparcsuites.com . I have coordinated the entire trip myself and got us some good deals. A Land & Sea trip is very doable, even with a large party. We have 11.

 

Happy Cruising!

Edited February 28, 2014 by TwinPrincessMermaids

[moki'smommy]

I have an idea. Tell them that YOU will take a DCL cruise. And you wouldn't want to inconvenience them by thinking that they'd do such a bad vacation, so you'll be going as just your nuclear family....and hope they can come up with an idea that makes them happy.

 

Then you go and enjoy yourself.

 

Sorry, I'm a dwarf today. (Grumpy)

[CC Help Jenn]

I have an idea. Tell them that YOU will take a DCL cruise. And you wouldn't want to inconvenience them by thinking that they'd do such a bad vacation' date=' so you'll be going as just your nuclear family....and hope they can come up with an idea that makes them happy.

 

Then you go and enjoy yourself.

 

Sorry, I'm a dwarf today. (Grumpy)[/quote']

 

LOL This is my favorite idea

[matondo]

I vote for doing both. A few days at the parks and then a 3 or 4 day cruise out of Port Canaveral. I think that would be a good way to compare contrast the two experiences. We did this last summer and we did not want to get off the ship!

[chipmaster]

Done the cruise and the parks with kids.

 

IMHO if you know what you are "paying" for and its worth that premium you'll love the Disney cruise. But as mentioned by others do some research. Disney the park and the cruise have lots for adults, just need to figure out is that worth the huge premium, lots of families and the hustle/bustle that come with it.

 

I guess for myself as parents I see the Disney Experience as something that I did/still will likley do once more with kids. Then I'm done, I've done it and experienced it and for the same amount of money will look for some other upscale experience, but that is me :D

 

As adults only on a cruise I suspect you'll be a far smaller minority then you might be in the parks.

[moki'smommy]

Done the cruise and the parks with kids.

 

 

As adults only on a cruise I suspect you'll be a far smaller minority then you might be in the parks.

 

If you have done DCL with kids, you really don't know what it is like as an adult only situation.

 

The first time I went to Serenity Bay was probably my 10th DCL cruise BECAUSE for the first time, my daughter was a teen and opted for The Wild Side excursion (teens only with counselor). I noticed that there was no one "my age." There were 20 somethings and 60 somethings on the beach. Then it hit me--the people my age were on the family beach with their kids. duh.....

 

There are adult only spaces, activities, etc. on the ship. There are actually many adults sans kids, but the number will depend on the cruise you choose. But if you've done the family bit with kids (especially young kids), you won't have experienced most of these.

 

I KNOW that on my next Magical cruise there are several hundred adult only cabins booked! However, if you do a 3 day Bahamas cruise in June, there will be very few.

[mdvlprof]

I have an idea. Tell them that YOU will take a DCL cruise. And you wouldn't want to inconvenience them by thinking that they'd do such a bad vacation' date=' so you'll be going as just your nuclear family....and hope they can come up with an idea that makes them happy.

 

Then you go and enjoy yourself.

 

Sorry, I'm a dwarf today. (Grumpy)[/quote']

 

:D Yes. Best idea of all.

 

Of course, family might come if you say 'I'm going. Come along if you want.'

[CoryL]

Hello,

 

Disney is a perfect cruise for virtually anyone, aside from the rather expensive rates you will have a perfect cruise. I sailed with them about two years ago, and it was a very nice cruise. My recommendation is to maybe get a stop in Florida for the day (with any Cruise liner) and have a mini-disney land vacation.