Disney worth the extra cost with kids under 5?

[thefamilyb]

So I'm looking into a Alaskan cruise for our next family vacation. Our boys would be 2 and 4 at the time we'd sail.

 

My question is whether or not doing a DISNEY cruise is truly worth nearly double the cost of the other lines? I should state that we are huge Disney lovers, but that cost just gets me!

[DISNEY FANTASY]

So I'm looking into a Alaskan cruise for our next family vacation. Our boys would be 2 and 4 at the time we'd sail.

 

My question is whether or not doing a DISNEY cruise is truly worth nearly double the cost of the other lines? I should state that we are huge Disney lovers, but that cost just gets me!

 

Well DCL is special, we did Alaska on the Wonder last year a fantastic cruise, and for young kids no one does it better, we had great ports of call, Tracy Arm fantastic, very educational for children, and you have the characters and good service.

[c-cruise]

We went when our kids were 2 (almost 3) and 6. It was a fantastic experience for our family, but particularly the 6yr old. Our younger daughter wasn't quite old enough to do a lot of the activities, but she still enjoyed it.

 

Unless the 2yr old is really close to being 3 they won't be allowed to use the kids club which would be a big consideration for me. They have a nursery (fee based) for kids under 3, but it is seemed geared more towards babies when we toured it. Our 2yr old was just a few weeks shy of 3 so they evaluated her and let her into the kids club.

 

I would wait at least until the youngest is 3 and maybe even 5 or 6 to really be able to take advantage of everything. Especially if you think doing a Disney cruise might be a one time experience.

 

To me I feel Disney is worth a bit of a premium over other lines for the "Disney Experience", but certainly not double. We paid about $1000 more for a family verandah on Disney vs. a comparable room on other lines.

 

If you decide do to a Disney cruise I would look at going to the Caribbean. I probably wouldn't consider doing Disney in Alaska. I just think a lot of what Disney offers over other cruise lines is "warm weather" dependent and don't think you would get the same experience in Alaska to justify the extra cost. Plus, Alaska is so much more about the ports and scenery than the ship. Many Alaska itineraries have 4 port days plus a glacier day so not a lot of time "at sea" to enjoy the ship. I would also recommend looking for an itinerary that includes Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier, especially if this is a first time visit.

[thefamilyb]

We went when our kids were 2 (almost 3) and 6. It was a fantastic experience for our family, but particularly the 6yr old. Our younger daughter wasn't quite old enough to do a lot of the activities, but she still enjoyed it.

 

Unless the 2yr old is really close to being 3 they won't be allowed to use the kids club which would be a big consideration for me. They have a nursery (fee based) for kids under 3, but it is seemed geared more towards babies when we toured it. Our 2yr old was just a few weeks shy of 3 so they evaluated her and let her into the kids club.

 

I would wait at least until the youngest is 3 and maybe even 5 or 6 to really be able to take advantage of everything. Especially if you think doing a Disney cruise might be a one time experience.

 

To me I feel Disney is worth a bit of a premium over other lines for the "Disney Experience", but certainly not double. We paid about $1000 more for a family verandah on Disney vs. a comparable room on other lines.

 

If you decide do to a Disney cruise I would look at going to the Caribbean. I probably wouldn't consider doing Disney in Alaska. I just think a lot of what Disney offers over other cruise lines is "warm weather" dependent and don't think you would get the same experience in Alaska to justify the extra cost. Plus, Alaska is so much more about the ports and scenery than the ship. Many Alaska itineraries have 4 port days plus a glacier day so not a lot of time "at sea" to enjoy the ship. I would also recommend looking for an itinerary that includes Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier, especially if this is a first time visit.

 

Thank you for sharing all that!

 

The only reason we are considering the Alaskan cruise is because we live in Vancouver. It means wed save money by not having to fly ANYWHERE. It would automatically cost us $1500+ to do a cruise from some other city in North American. If we were to scrap the cruise wed probably end up just going back to Disneyland, which we are visiting next month haha.

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thank you for sharing all that!

 

The only reason we are considering the Alaskan cruise is because we live in Vancouver. It means wed save money by not having to fly ANYWHERE. It would automatically cost us $1500+ to do a cruise from some other city in North American. If we were to scrap the cruise wed probably end up just going back to Disneyland, which we are visiting next month haha.

 

Do book it its a fantastic cruise,

 

I know what you mean we have a Dover cruise released tomorrow I save on airfare etc, cant say no.

[PCmama]

I'm wondering this too. We need two rooms or the verandah for our family and Disney is almpst twice ncl or rccl. I feel like at double the cost I could take the kids on two cruises or one cruise, Disneyland and still have some money leftover...

[DISNEY FANTASY]

I'm wondering this too. We need two rooms or the verandah for our family and Disney is almpst twice ncl or rccl. I feel like at double the cost I could take the kids on two cruises or one cruise, Disneyland and still have some money leftover...

 

Just like to say it was a fantastic cruise on DCL yes expensive, worth it is up to you, see my links below for photos.

[Loonbeam]

Honestly, as much as I love Disney, I would have to say that's too much of a premium.

 

Alaska is fairly intensive, there are not a lot of true 'sea days', so the difference in Kids Clubs and activities may not be as big an issue (all the lines have them - none as good as Disney, but they still have decent ones).

 

I'd look more at itinerary, as I don't think Disney goes into Glacier Bay (Princess does, as do at least one or two others).

[PCmama]

Thanks! I was actually thinking for Alaska it might not be but was thinking of using the money saved for a second shorter Disney cruise out of Florida or secretly hoping Disney will do some west coast sailings next fall as our kids have a fall break in Oct.

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Thanks! I was actually thinking for Alaska it might not be but was thinking of using the money saved for a second shorter Disney cruise out of Florida or secretly hoping Disney will do some west coast sailings next fall as our kids have a fall break in Oct.

 

Wonder will do a Hawaii trip then go through Panama to San Juan.

[PCmama]

I guess I'll price it out this week and decide...

[c-cruise]

Thank you for sharing all that!

 

The only reason we are considering the Alaskan cruise is because we live in Vancouver. It means wed save money by not having to fly ANYWHERE. It would automatically cost us $1500+ to do a cruise from some other city in North American. If we were to scrap the cruise wed probably end up just going back to Disneyland, which we are visiting next month haha.

 

We are in Seattle and looked at doing Disney to Alaska a couple years ago when they sailed out of here. It was honestly cheaper for us to fly to Florida and do 7 days on the Fantasy than to do 7 days on the Wonder to Alaska with no flights. From what I have seen the Disney premium isn't quite so much on the Caribbean itineraries as for Alaska.

 

If you are going to Alaska to see Alaska then it really doesn't matter so much what line you take. We have done most of them to Alaska and they have all been great. Pay more attention to finding the itinerary you want. There are some better itineraries out there than Disney's Alaska itinerary. Take a look at the Zuiderdam - it goes to both Tracy Arm and Glacier Bay on a 7 day RT Vancouver. HAL's kids club is 3 and up though with really no option for the 2yr old.

 

If you are looking to do the cruise just for the Disney experience then I guess you will have to decide if the premium is worth it for you. Personally with the age of your kids I would do Disneyland instead and save the Alaska cruise until they are a bit older.

[MizDaisy]

We've done 13 (or so) Disney cruises, but we went to Alaska on the Norwegian Pearl and it was AWESOME. For what we would have spent for a verandah room ( a verandah is a must on an Alaska cruise, in my opinion) on Disney, we got a two bedroom suite in the Haven, and what a treat that was!!!

 

I agree with saving the extra money to go to Disneyland, or something else, especially with kids so young, they won't remember any of it.

 

Our son was 8 when we went on our first Disney cruise, and he doesn't remember it at all.

[DahliaRW]

Thank you for sharing all that!

 

The only reason we are considering the Alaskan cruise is because we live in Vancouver. It means wed save money by not having to fly ANYWHERE. It would automatically cost us $1500+ to do a cruise from some other city in North American. If we were to scrap the cruise wed probably end up just going back to Disneyland, which we are visiting next month haha.

 

You could go to Disneyland, and then take the San Diego to Vancouver re-positioning cruise home...it'll be a lot cheaper than Alaska.

[MCC retired]

To me , Alaska itinerary is the draw with the cruise line secondary .

However the ages of the children are a bit young to appreciate the scenery and 1 may not be able to join onboard programs ?

Perhaps book 2015 ?

If $$ is a concern , more bang for the buck can be found on other CL's .

[PCmama]

We were actually looking at Disney for 2015. My youngest would be 4 so I thought he would remember some of the trip as that is about the age when my older two started to remember their trips. I thought ages 4-8 would be the perfect ages for a Disney cruise, but I just priced it out and it's going to cost me between $8600-$10500 depending on room combinations to get at least one balcony room and one inside room on DCL for our family. Im having the agent price out NCL now but my quick pricing I did myself off the NCL site shows closer to $5-6k for similar rooms and I think I can afford to bring grandma for not much more. I spoke to the kids and the just want to go on a ship not necessarily Disney. So I think DCL priced us out. I may do a short DCL cruise in the future as part of a Disneyworld trip but right now we are priced out. If we go on another cruise line I might put this trip off till 2016 when my youngest is 5 and not needed naps so much.

Edited March 27, 2014 by PCmama