Can anybody recommend a Post Disneyworld Cruise?

[Boatingmom]

WE will be going to Disneyworld in May 2008 and I can't stand the idea of not taking a cruise that year. I thought I could tack on a 3 to 5 day Carnival cruise on the end and just take an inside cabin to cut the costs. I think the kids 10 and 7yo at the time would love the slides and the atmosphere. I believe the distance to Port Canaveral or Tampa is equally convenient. Any suggestions or recommendations? Has anybody ever done this before. We hesitate to take DCL again as it was way too much Mickey for us and over priced to boot! Recommendations or suggestions would be great. Thanks!

[cruiseluver323]

This year we will be on the Fantasy (from Port Canaveral) in July for the 5 night cruise to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay, and Nassau and then we will be spending 9 days in Orlando. A couple of years ago we did a 5 night (which due to Hurricaine Frances became an 8 night) on the Sensation out of Tampa after spending a week in Orlando. We also did the & night on the Magic 3 years ago. I personally liked Port Canaveral much better than Tampa. The port in Tampa is downtown. Port Canaveral is much easier to get to. (We always drive.) I loved the Disney Cruise, and would do it again in a heartbeat, except that the prices are so outrageous now.

[yst347]

As things stand now you would be sailing on a Fantasy class ship from either port. The Sensation from port Canaveral going to the Bahamas. The Inspiration going to the Western Carribean from Tampa. It is very likely the ships may change in two years but the 4/5 day itineraries will be simular due to geography.

 

Since you sailed DCL you were in the Bahamas at Castaway cay. Did you do the seven day western itinerary? if not I would suggest you consider sailing from Tampa. Grand Cayman and Cozumel offer alot of fun things to do with kids. Stingray City is an awsome experience. Cozumel has great beaches with alot of activities as well as dolphin swims etc.

 

If you plan to fly to Florida, Tampa has the advantage of its airport. You can fly into Tampa and rent a car there for your Disney trip, return it before your cruise and take a cab to the airport after to come home.

 

What ever you decide I'm sure it will be a great vacation.

[MississippiMom]

If you plan to fly to Florida, Tampa has the advantage of its airport. You can fly into Tampa and rent a car there for your Disney trip, return it before your cruise and take a cab to the airport after to come home.

 

What ever you decide I'm sure it will be a great vacation.

 

That's a cool recommendation!

 

I just recently started considering a combination Disneyworld trip and short cruise (for 2008), but I don't think that I can justify the cost of a DCL cruise. I had only been lookiing at the ships that were leaving from Port Canaveral, and didn't even consider Tampa. Thanks for opening my eyes to that.

[yst347]

My pleasure Martha. My wife and I flew into Tampa last month for a week at Disney. We saved nearly $300 total on our airfare over returning from Orlando on a Sunday. It covered the cost of our car rental!

[Boatingmom]

Thanks for the info. I saw a really nice five day itinerary that offered Turks & Caicos. Does anybody know what the Fantasy class ships have to offer? My DH sailed on Carnival several times before we were married (late eighties and early nineties)and he still considers Carnival his "bachelor days" cruiseline. Are these the older ships and have they been refurbished.? What do the Fantasy class ships have to offer for children?

[MrPete]

If not DCL, there are plenty of short cruises out of Port Canaveral. I always see the Fantasy, and one of the RCCL ships (Mariner?) there.

 

But none of them go to Castaway Cay! :eek:

[BND]

Last Nov we did 6 days in WDW and tacked on a 4 day cruise on Fantasy to the Bahamas. It turned into the first two week vacation we've had in more than 20 years. We stayed at WDW from Sun-Sat and then drove to Port Canaveral and boarded Fantasy on Sunday after staying the night at the Radisson. It was just DH and myself and we decided against a Disney Cruise based on cost and having just spent a week in the parks, we were a little disney'd out. I can't tell anyone much about the kids programs because it was just the two of us and ours are grown anyway. I only saw a few kids, but those we saw were running free for the most part. Like any of the Carnival ships there are kids programs, but we have no experience with them. At the pools, if they weren't on the slide, they were in the hot tubs.

[shipty2]

I have sailed twice post cruise both times on the Carnival Fantasy out of Port Canaveral.

[walkswife]

We did the Bahamas cruise on the Fantasy, 4 days, out of Canaveral. It went to Nassau and Freeport. Then we went to Orlando..... we should have done what you are doing and went to the parks first and then cruised to relax....... I personally would do the 5 day to the Western Caribbean out of Tampa.... I like those ports better than the Bahamas..... although I would like to try Half Moon Cay and Grand Turk....