What sets Disney apart from the rest, for Adults with no kids!

[NOSaints1]

Is Disney worth the extra cost for people with no kids and can we still enjoy ourselves and not feel out of place, when's the best time to go with few kids, adult activities, what's the best ship to go on?

[perditax]

Is Disney worth the extra cost for people with no kids and can we still enjoy ourselves and not feel out of place, when's the best time to go with few kids, adult activities, what's the best ship to go on?

 

Depends on what amenities/entertainment you want. We found the concierge service to be phenomenal, but it didn't quite offset the lack of dining options (to be very specific, being forced into the MDRs with screaming kids every night. and I'm not being hyperbolic, literally screaming).

 

If you like cutesy Disney entertainment, then you probably will love it.

Edited October 10, 2015 by perditax

[Ex techie]

Best ship?

The ships are fairly locked down to certain itineraries for the next 18 months.

Dream and Fantasy sailing out of Port Canaveral, Dream doing 3 and 4 night cruises mostly, Fantasy sailing 7 nights.

Dream and Fantasy have 2 upcharge Adults Only dining options.

Magic and Wonder only one.

Magic goes to the Med for the summer, and Wonder to Alaska.

The rest of the year the Magic and Wonder cruise the Bahamas and Caribbean.

 

The Magic and Wonder have a better Adult Only pool area IMO. The Dream and Fantasy have better Adult Only bars.

 

Does itinerary matter to you or just the ship as that could be a deciding factor in your choice?

 

ex techie

Edited October 10, 2015 by Ex techie

[NOSaints1]

Price/ship/intenary

[Ex techie]

Price/ship/intenary

 

Well the Dream on a 3 night may well be the same as the Magic or Wonder on a 5/6/7 night out of Miami or Galveston.

The Fantasy being the newest ship generally demands the highest prices.

 

If you cruise when the kids are in school then that is cheapest and will have a lesser amount of kids. Also repo cruises or Trans Atlantic cruises.

 

I'd suggest looking at the DCL website and see what the ships offer.

The Dream and Fantasy offer a better Spa area than the Magic and Wonder for example.

 

ex techie

[Ex techie]

Unlike most major cruise lines, DCL first launched their ships in '98 and '99, the smaller Magic and Wonder and then waited 11 years before launching new ships, the Dream in 2010 and Fantasy in 2011.

Other lines launch ships on a regular basis so there is a lot less difference in terms of spaces and design generally. The Magic and Wonder have been refurbed and spaces changed a little, but not massively.

They all have a good speed internet connection, but on demand movies in your Stateroom and touches such as magical wall art are only on the Dream and Fantasy.

 

The Magic and Wonder have a Guest max occupancy of 2400.

The Dream and Fantasy 4000, but they are 44 gross tons larger in displacement.

 

Have a look at the website and see what you think?

 

ex techie

[goduckies05]

With no Kids unless you love Disney, run away as fast as you can. You are paying for a better room and thst is about it. After 10ish the ship basicly goes to bed. Never been so bored on a cruise in my life. So disappointed.

[Emperor Norton]

With no kids, unless one or both of you have a supreme love of Disney I'd look to one of the other lines, either directly upscale or upgradeable upscale. It'll be about the same amount or possibly less money and you won't be surrounded by things set up for kids of all ages.

[ArthurUSCG]

With no Kids unless you love Disney, run away as fast as you can. You are paying for a better room and thst is about it. After 10ish the ship basicly goes to bed. Never been so bored on a cruise in my life. So disappointed.

 

But since majority of the ship is back in bed, the adult areas are almost private. We had the Quite cove pool area almost to our selves (one other couple) for the 1 night the grandparents took our kids and this was on a 4 day cruise at the end of sept on the Dream. There was no one else in the Meridian bar area, when we went for drinks close to midnight.

 

So, it depends on what you are looking for, the wife and I like the quietness. If we were looking to party, then Carnival would be a better choice. This is also why DCL new drink policy will fail to generate the revenue of other cruise lines, the late night drinking demographic is not on the DCL ships. When we are back at the room after the kids get to sleep, the last thing we want to do it open the cabin door and have one of us go get a "top shelf" drink from the bar. I would break out the nice scotch/ rum out on the balcony though.

[Gwyndylan]

We just finished cruising on the Fantasy this past Saturday. I would suggest if you do you do the Disney cruise to select the late dining option. I think that most people with small children push for the early dining option. We chose late dining with our two children (who did not cry nor scream even once during the week) and I don't think I heard a crying kid in a dining room the entire time. I did see many tables of just adults of varying ages visiting and having a grand old time.

[perditax]

We just finished cruising on the Fantasy this past Saturday. I would suggest if you do you do the Disney cruise to select the late dining option. I think that most people with small children push for the early dining option. We chose late dining with our two children (who did not cry nor scream even once during the week) and I don't think I heard a crying kid in a dining room the entire time. I did see many tables of just adults of varying ages visiting and having a grand old time.

 

Unfortunately we had the opposite experience during late dining on Dream 09/14 sailing. Parents were letting their (older, non-toddler) kids run around screaming, even lying down on the floor in the path of waiters. This went on for a long time around the fountain in EG, which meant anyone who had the 'circular' tables was subject to the screeching and watching the waiters try not to trip over these kids. This is the problem with the MDR situation on DCL--you're kind of locked into it and you never know what you're going to get. We ended up seated next to the same group of tables (and the same screaming kids) in RP the next night, and a different group of kids in AP on the final night going nuts. Again, this is all second seating, and none of the kids were toddlers, and the parents were literally smiling and watching their kids lie on the floor in the path of waiters. Our wait team was fantastic, though--they even slipped something extra into our sodas on the last night (tasted like Jack Daniels, heh).

 

As for adult areas being deserted later at night, don't forget that DCL has recently begun to shut down the Quiet Cove hottub etc at 10pm. With this, the alcohol policy changes, new construction at Serenity Bay, etc, I don't think they are that interested in maintaining the adults-only market, which is fine.

Edited October 13, 2015 by perditax

[Sir William]

We didn't start seriously cruising until our kids were grown and we like Disney. We like the quality of service, we enjoy the rotational dining (Palo and Remy don't do much for us), and we like the fact that there is no casino. We are also not particularly night owls but we do enjoy the quiet of the lounges in the evenings.

 

We've never encountered many loud or rowdy kids - just the reverse in fact. But then we do late dining and only go to the adult pool. Disney does a pretty good job of keeping kids out of the adult areas, unlike other cruise lines we've been on.

 

We prefer the older and smaller classic ships, the Magic and Wonder, to the newer and larger ships.

 

We also enjoy some of the adult activities such as the wine tastings.

[hhham]

With no Kids unless you love Disney, run away as fast as you can. You are paying for a better room and thst is about it. After 10ish the ship basicly goes to bed. Never been so bored on a cruise in my life. So disappointed.

 

Just off a Disney cruise and agree, was so disappointed with the lack of adult stuff to do. Maybe my own fault for listening to my Disney-loving friend who said the ships offered tons for people without kids. They shut the adult pools at ten (even the hot tub!) and all but one club at midnight. The scheduled activities we went to were fun but very short and sort of shoehorned into spaces. The adults Halloween activities didn't start until 11pm and was amping up into a fun time when they suddenly announced CLUB'S CLOSED EVERYONE MOVE and shooed everyone into a much smaller, hotter space -- tons of people left.

 

Lots of screaming, yelling kids in the dining rooms. Lots of kids cutting through the adult areas.

 

I will say the adults beach and the spa were fantastic, though.

[moki'smommy]

After 30+ DCL cruises with an occasional "other" in the mix, we are moving to another line. DCL prices have gone thru the roof. I can have almost identical port stops on a cruise in a "deluxe balcony" cabin on another line for half of the per diem rate in an inside cabin on DCL. We have found that what we really liked on DCL was a few CMs who became "friends," but they have now been moved all over the fleet. The entertainment on DCL is great (especially for families), but after seeing the same shows 15+ times, there is little sense in it. And I don't need to see Alfred and Seymour again either!

 

One thing I do like on DCL is that "specialty dining" is "adult only" dining. Some other lines are happy to allow guests to pay to bring their young offspring to specialty venues. I guess that's OK cuz it again saves me money.

 

For families with kids, I totally get DCL. For 2 adults, given the recent price increases and the addition of several "cost extra on board" outlets, the "nothing new under the sun" situation, and the 10:30 pm and all's quiet, I can't justify it.

[ashley@cruisecritic]

With no Kids unless you love Disney, run away as fast as you can. You are paying for a better room and thst is about it. After 10ish the ship basicly goes to bed. Never been so bored on a cruise in my life. So disappointed.

 

I had the opposite experience. I'm 30 and have no children, but I just cruised with Disney for the first time (Oct. 30-Nov. 2) on Dream. I went into it thinking it would be a nightmare. I like kids, but in small doses, and I was worried the Disney theme would be overkill. (I've never been a big Disney fan. I don't dislike it, but I guess it would be fair to call myself indifferent to it.) To say I was pleasantly surprised would be a huge understatement.

 

I found the cabins, food, entertainment and service to be astoundingly above expectations, and perhaps it was just because it was a Halloween sailing, but the nightlife was quite lively. There are several adults-only areas on the ship, including a pool area and cafe, a sun deck, two for-fee restaurants and a "District" area that encompasses a sports pub, a Champagne lounge, a nightclub and a bar (which are adults-only after 9 p.m.).

 

If you can appreciate "magic" -- read: cutting edge technology, special effects and attention to detail -- you'll love it. But, as suggested above, do opt for the 8:15 dining time. It's a bit late, but there are generally far fewer kids.

 

Regarding the kids and characters, I didn't meet a single ill-behaved child during the entire voyage, and the characters are only around during scheduled times in predetermined locations (which you can find in your daily planner if you want to avoid them).

 

One other thing: If you go, keep in mind that there is quite a bit of kitsch. Don't be afraid to cut loose and act like a big kid. If you're like me, you'll be surprised at how great it'll make you feel, and the best part is that nobody will look twice.

Edited November 6, 2015 by ashley@cruisecritic

[tinybiny]

Is Disney worth the extra cost for people with no kids and can we still enjoy ourselves and not feel out of place, when's the best time to go with few kids, adult activities, what's the best ship to go on?

 

I've done 2 Disney cruises without any children, both of those were on the Wonder. I like the adults only area and tend to hang out over there. It is quite large. There were people walking their kids through it regularly, but since they were just cutting through, it didn't bother me.

 

If you like Disney, you'll enjoy the artwork, the characters, the production shows and the movie theatre. Just remember that you will be around kids anytime you aren't in the adults only area.

 

The service level is really high in the staterooms, MDRs and adult bars/restaurants. You could have an excellent adults only cruise, especially if you haven't already been on one. The shows will be all new to you.

[moki'smommy]

I like the adults only area and tend to hang out over there.. There were people walking their kids through it regularly, but since they were just cutting through, it didn't bother me.

 

This is one of my main problems--adult only areas are not strictly enforced as "adult only." Kids should not be "cutting through" adult only areas, whether quietly walking, running, shouting, or on those horrible heelie shoes. The sign says "This area reserved for guests 18 and over." That SHOULD say it all, but DCL has never chosen to enforce this issue.

 

I don't walk thru or hang out in the kid only areas; they should not be in the adult areas!

 

DCL has heard this on my comment cards and letters; obviously THEY don't think it is worth enforcing. Maybe they'll get it now, but I doubt that they even care.

Edited November 6, 2015 by moki'smommy

[perditax]

But, as suggested above, do opt for the 8:15 dining time. It's a bit late, but there are generally far fewer kids.

 

We tried to follow this common wisdom, but got the worst of both worlds on our four-night on the Dream in September: really disliked waiting so late to go to dinner (and eating so late), AND we got rowdy screaming/running kids every night. (I've probably already described it in this thread. It was bad.)

 

The lack of a buffet for dinner and so few other dining options = forced into chaotic MDRs or lengthy upcharge dining = one of the main things I truly disliked about DCL.

[moki'smommy]

 

The lack of a buffet for dinner and so few other dining options = forced into chaotic MDRs or lengthy upcharge dining = one of the main things I truly disliked about DCL.

 

There is a third option. Cabanas is open as a sit down casual restaurant--no reservations needed, cruise casual clothing except the first and last nights of a cruise. I do realize that on a 3 night cruise, this means it is only an option one night...but on our typical 12 and 14 night cruises, it is an "almost every night" option. The food and service were GREAT when we were there, and the sunset was beautiful. It was not all all chaotic!

 

Honestly, if not for the issue of missing our serving team, we would probably have eaten there every night. It was that much better than the MDRs in atmosphere and food quality.

[Little Doe]

Your post is opposite our findings ( not that one of us is right and one wrong) My husband and I love to cruise Disney alone because we have found more unruly children on other cruise lines. We have found that there are so many activities for children that they are more ingaged. Also it seems that the families that cruise on Disney tend to be more family oriented and stay with their children. We have found total chaos on other lines with kids running amuck.

[Tonka's Skipper]

Your post is opposite our findings ( not that one of us is right and one wrong) My husband and I love to cruise Disney alone because we have found more unruly children on other cruise lines. We have found that there are so many activities for children that they are more ingaged. Also it seems that the families that cruise on Disney tend to be more family oriented and stay with their children. We have found total chaos on other lines with kids running amuck.

 

Totally agree, all out DCL cruises were it was just my wife and I, we never had any problem with the kids in general, Now there is always the odd child whose parents needed a nug to look after there child, but no big deal.

 

The only MDR that ever seems a bit noisy was animators palate and since there is plenty of other options to eat no biggy.

 

A basically you the Disney magic and pixie dust just so out weight any problem, the DCL cruises are cannot be beat.

 

 

In fairness our RCCL cruises have had plenty of kids, but no real issues as well!

 

AKK

[Cruise a holic]

Is Disney worth the extra cost for people with no kids and can we still enjoy ourselves and not feel out of place, when's the best time to go with few kids, adult activities, what's the best ship to go on?

 

My DH and I sailed on the Disney ships ourselves. Really not a great idea, unless you are truly a Disney person. The ship is very noisey- kids screaming and running around. While the entertainment is good- it is mostly geared to kids- no casino if that is your thing. We really like the cabins, but again, you might have a group next to you of crying toddlers.

 

IMO the best ship for families is the Oasis class RC. Has entertainment that is surely on par with Disney, great activities for kids of all ages as well as adults. The food is better then Disney IMO with more choices for specialty restaurants. For adults, I highly recommend the Celebrity Solstice class ships. While they do have some kids, especially during holiday seasons, it is clearly geared to those over thirty. The older Celebrity ships are also very good and can be an excellent value.

 

Enjoy your cruise. Never have been on a "bad" cruise!

Edited November 9, 2015 by Cruise a holic

[fluffysue]

I was on a 3-day cruise on the Dream last year with my sister and nieces; I had my own room and stay up much later than them, so I pretty much roamed the ship by myself at night. During the day it is a lot of things like character meetings and such (I have to admit, I was pretty excited to get my picture taken with Cinderella, Captain Mickey and Pirate Minnie, myself. :))...the adult activities seemed to be mainly at night, after dinner. (There are a few things during the day with extra charges that are adults-only, such as the mixology class we went to one afternoon). Bars were pretty quiet when I was there in the evenings...the "singles" event I stumbled upon had only 4-5 people and even most of them had kids in the kids' club. The shows were fantastic, of course you do need to like Disney to enjoy them. They do have the typical late-night activities like the Newlywed game, etc., (they did manage to even add a bit of a Disney touch to those) and one night they had a magician at one of the bars. Of course, no casino, which is often my fallback option if I have free time outside of pool hours, but not a huge deal.

 

Didn't really get to experience the adult pool, the one time when I had the time, it was raining. I sat there for awhile waiting for it to reopen, but by the time it did, I had to go somewhere else. I understand that they enforce the adults-only rule better than some cruise lines, but didn't get to see if that is so. I do not recommend the pools which are open to everyone if you are not with kids, they get very crowded. And of course the Aqua Duck is fun for everyone. :)

 

Dinner time was the only time I had real issues with children, dinner is just too long for some kids to tolerate, and parents seem fine with letting them run rampant...I noticed that more in the halls just outside the restaurants than inside.

 

Incidentally, I thought service, both in the rooms and restaurants/bars, was equal to or better than on my other cruises, they definitely do not skimp on that. And the room was bigger, and seemed a little nicer, than what I'm used to. (but then it cost more, too...)

 

If you enjoy Disney it is very nice to experience once....I feel like I might've gotten more out of it because my nieces were there...but I get such a kick out of the silly little things (like the "A dream is a wish your heart makes" pillow on the bed)...it's a lot of fun if you like Disney. Not sure if I'd do a 7 day without kids though, much as I like longer cruises.

Edited November 9, 2015 by fluffysue