First time Disney help needed!

[Wendylet]

I am hoping some veteran Disney cruisers can give me some info. I am planning a Disney cruise in the fall of 2020 and treating my daughters, hubbies and kids. We would need three cabins and theirs would have to accommodate 3-4 people. Looking for a Caribbean itinerary maybe 6-7 nights. For best pricing would I book as soon as they announce these itineraries? What is the chance of getting a Canadian Resident type of deal after booking? Not sure if Disney really has many price drops, if any. Also opinions on if a balcony would be necessary or advised given the children would be infants and ages 3-5. Just wondering if safety would be an issue at all.  Any and all help is greatly appreciated and most welcome!

[1025cruise]

Based on your questions, you might wish to talk to a travel agent. 

[bcakes]

I don't know what deals are offered to Canadian residents as I am not one. For Americans, the booking strategy is to book as early as possible because prices go up as the ship fills. There are sometimes discounts close to booking, but the final price is usual still higher than what one would have paid if they had booked when the itinerary was first announced.

 

In the 6 to 7 night range, your choices will likely be the Fantasy 7 night eastern and western itineraries or southern and/or eastern Caribbean itineraries on the Magic. The Fantasy always sails the same itineraries. The Magic is more varied, so you will need to wait for the announcement on those.

 

You will have no problem finding cabins that accommodate 3 or 4. The 3rd and 4th person will be on a pull out couch and/or bunk bed that pulls down from the ceiling. I don't think a balcony is necessary and we don't book them because it makes me nervous since I have a 6 year old. The balcony door locks are at a height where you need to be a grown adult to reach them, so there's no actual safety issue. It's just that I would be stressed out imagining my son somehow getting outside, so it is not worth it to me. We book cabins with the big porthole windows. (There is a choice of 2 small porthole or 1 big one. The big ones are basically the whole back wall. I think it's almost as nice as having a balcony).

[*jess*]

Best pricing strategy has always been to book as soon as possible, because as the dates get closer the prices just keep going up. I'm in the US though, so I don't know if that would apply to Canadians as well. You can always call Disney and ask if they have any specials for Canadians, or a travel agent. Sometimes the agents can get better deals at Disney World than booking straight through the website for us.

 

The rooms are pretty large, so fitting 3-4 people won't be an issue at all. On our cruise me, my mom, and my 11 year old son were in an interior room, like the cheapest and smallest one they offer, and were still fine. My sister has a family of 4 and were in an oceanview room and had PLENTY of space in there. They're pretty genius about their storage options, I was surprised.

 

No safety issues with the balcony, you can latch it. However, and this is totally a personal opinion, sometimes the balcony isn't worth it to some people. On Carnival I always spent the extra money on a balcony because we spent a LOT of time out there. On Disney there's so much to do that I didn't book a balcony room, and didn't regret it a bit. My sister sailed the first time in an ocean view room, and recently in a balcony and she said she'll book the ocean view again in a heart beat over a balcony because they just didn't use it much. So depending on how much time you'll actually be spending out there, it may be worth it to save the money and just do an oceanview.

[gometros]

On 2/1/2019 at 10:25 AM, bcakes said:

In the 6 to 7 night range, your choices will likely be the Fantasy 7 night eastern and western itineraries or southern and/or eastern Caribbean itineraries on the Magic. The Fantasy always sails the same itineraries. The Magic is more varied, so you will need to wait for the announcement on those.

 

That's not entirely correct. The Fantasy does vary, offering shorter or longer cruises on occasion (we're doing an 8-day Southern Caribbean in October) and with some differences in itineraries on its 7-day, be it Falmouth, Jamaica versus Costa Maya on the Western sailings or San Juan versus St. Thomas on the Eastern sailings.

[bcakes]

You're right. I forgot about the recent 10 day southern Caribbean itinerary. I guess it's more accurate to say that the Fantasy always sails the Caribbean (at least until DCL releases its new ships). And that the vast majority of Fantasy's cruises are the standard 7 night eastern and western caribbean itineraries.

[gometros]

23 hours ago, bcakes said:

You're right. I forgot about the recent 10 day southern Caribbean itinerary. I guess it's more accurate to say that the Fantasy always sails the Caribbean (at least until DCL releases its new ships). And that the vast majority of Fantasy's cruises are the standard 7 night eastern and western caribbean itineraries.

 

Btw, they're doing an 11-day Southern in July. I remember looking at that, but we avoid the summer due to higher prices and higher children to adult ratios. But it's a great itinerary; Aruba Barbados, Martinique, St. Kitts, San Juan and Castaway cay. I believe Martinique is a first.

[Shmoo here]

4 hours ago, gometros said:

 

Btw, they're doing an 11-day Southern in July. I remember looking at that, but we avoid the summer due to higher prices and higher children to adult ratios. But it's a great itinerary; Aruba Barbados, Martinique, St. Kitts, San Juan and Castaway cay. I believe Martinique is a first.

A southern Caribbean cruise in July is extreeeeeeemly hot and humid.  We did it a couple of years ago and the temperature was 98 degrees with at least 98% humidity every day.

 

Sure, there were no other ships in port with us (because other cruise lines learned that no one wants to be there in the middle of summer), but if you have issues with high heat/humidity a July cruise may not be the one you want.

[gometros]

19 hours ago, Shmoo here said:

A southern Caribbean cruise in July is extreeeeeeemly hot and humid.  We did it a couple of years ago and the temperature was 98 degrees with at least 98% humidity every day.

 

Sure, there were no other ships in port with us (because other cruise lines learned that no one wants to be there in the middle of summer), but if you have issues with high heat/humidity a July cruise may not be the one you want.

 

That's a good point, Shmoo. I was thinking of it just from the price view point, but climate could be a factor as well.

[ArthurUSCG]

There are no safety issues with kids and having a room with a balcony. The doors are hard to open, my 5 year old couldn't open them on the last cruise we did. Also, the railing is chest high on an adult with the bar area being glass. So they shouldn't feel like they have to climb up to see.
I would suggest booking early so you can get connecting rooms, that way one set of parents can stay back in the room to watch all of the kids while the other parents enjoy the evening off.