Seeking Advice!!

[H2OBOUND]

Hi Everyone!

We are planning on booking a cruise through Disney in 2008. We are wondering when is the best time to travel with a 4 and 5 year old? Has anyone traveled in Jan. or Feb.? We are a little concerned about the weather and temperature of the water during these months. Is it warm enough? We are also wondering what time of year is the least expensive time to travel? We have some flexibility because our children would not be in school yet. Any advice on cabin recommendations would be appreciated too. We have decided to book a Category 10, 11, or 12 inside cabin. Any advice would be helpful! Thanks in advance!!:)

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Hi,

the weather is nice in the winter on the islands but for me the water is too chilly to get in. But many people do get in, so it could just be me.

 

For best rates dont go during the summer, or spring break(march), or holidays. We have found that the week just before or the week just after a holiday is pretty good pricing.

Most people want to go on the holiday not before or after it, so the rates are good so they can fill the ship. We went the week after Thanksgiving last year and it was warm enough to get in the water and they had the ship decorated for Christmas which was extra nice for us.

 

I do recommend that week. For 08 the date would be 11/29/08 for the after Thanksgiving cruise. we are going to be on it!!! We are also going on the 11/25/07 too.

April is nice too and the rates arnt too bad, the weather is getting hot around then too. Plus it is before hurricane season.

 

Since your kids arnt in school, you might consider the weeks after Thanksgiving and before Christmas so you can see the ship all decorated for the holidays. They usually decorate over Thanksgiving and are completely done during the first couple of days of the week after Thanksgiving cruise. if you go then, be sure and go to the tree lighting ceremony on the first night. Be in the atrium, not upper floors because at the end it will snow in the atrium and that will surprize your kids!!!

 

All the inside rooms are about the same. They are nice . We have had family stay in them several times.

 

You can send for a free DVD too. Go to the DCL website to order it. It has lots of information about the cruises on it. There is a book called the Passporter that will be a great help for you too.

 

Let me know if you go after Thanksgiving because we will be on the same cruise.

Good luck in choosing your date!!

 

mom x4,grandma x4

[H2OBOUND]

Hi Mom x4, Grandma x4,

 

Thank you for your helpful advice. I have read many of your posts and they have been very informative. You probably have helped many others in making a desicion to book on DCL! I think Disney owes you a free cruise!:D Wouldn't that be nice!

 

Have you been able to book your cruise for Nov. 08? I have contacted four travel agents and they have all mentioned to me that I can't book until Jan. 31, 2007. Do you have a travel agent that you can recommend to us or do you book directly through Disney? I see that you will be traveling on the Magic. (Western or Eastern?) I believe we will be booking on the Wonder. It will be our first cruise with the boys and want to see how they will do before booking a seven night cruise. It would have been fun to correspond with you for the next year and a half and finally meet. Maybe one day we will...it's a small world!:) Does the Wonder still have all their Christmas decorations up after Thanksgiving? Do they also light the Christmas tree? My two boys would be in awe and what a bonus!!

 

Thanks again! Jeanne

 

Carnival Ecstasy

Carnival Fascination

RCCL Enchanment of the Seas 2/07!!

[mom x4,grandma x4]

We cant actually book the 08 cruise until the end of the month. But I already have a cruise meet thread started for it.

No point in waiting when we know it will be booked soon.;)

 

We book directly through Disney. I know with some TA's you can often get room credits that really help the budget. I have heard really good things about Dreams Unlimited although I have not used them.

 

Most of the time we book while on board so we get 10%off and room credit too. Plus we can change the date if needed and still keep the discount and credits which is great.

 

Since we live in Florida we often can take advantage of Florida resident rates which is a great discount. They dont list those until about a month before the cruise when it's offered. If we do that we loose our room credit and 10% savings but thats ok, because sometimes we get close to half off depending on what room category we have.

 

Our 07 is an Eastern, the 08 is a Western.

 

Tell your boys that both ships have the same tree lighting ceremony and decorations which both ship have up by the week after Thanksgiving. Plus Castaway Cay has some decorations too!!

 

A 3 day is a good way to check it out. We do lots of them because we are so close. Our next one is 4/5/07 on the Wonder. The ships are almost identical.

 

Nassau,

for excursions I do NOT recommend the sunshine glass bottom boat . We saw almost no fish , the boat was dirty and the free punch they had I would be afraid to drink from that jug!! I am not a clean freak, but it was dirty. The stairs to go down below were steep and hard to go up and down on. For kids who are short they need to be held up to se eover a wall in the floor to see the glass bottom.

 

If kids want to see fish, do the Atlantis Dig(aquarium) it is clean, floor to ceiling windows and lots of fish. This tour goes fast, but you can go backat your own pace afterwards, just keep on your wrist band that porves you paid for it.

Also if you like to use the casino, you can take turns taking the kids through it while the other person is at the casino.

It use to be you couldnt ue the pool and slides at Atlantis, however I did see where Disney now has an excursion where you can use them, so that would be fun too.

Many people hate Nassau and wont get off the ship. That is crazy, but I know my first trip I felt the same way. I was not ready for a culture shock I guess. But now I have been many times and really like it.

The people are very friendly.

 

The town is old and run down near the port, but it has some beautiful areas to explore too. Dont judge it by the port buildings. You can get some great buys at the straw market and 2 blocks behind it is a great pirate museum too. We loved the historical city tour, but kids may be bored on that one.

Next time we are going to Andresa(spelled wrong) gardens to explore. Guess they are famous for thier marching Flamingos there.

 

 

We are lucky that we often can just hop on a 3 day on the spur of the moment, so keep me posted when your going because you never know, we may meet. Or if you go to WDW sometime, let me know and I will try to come and say hello. I have meet lots of great people from these boards at WDW while they were on vacation.

 

If you have any other questions please ask, I will try to answer you if I can,

 

mom x4,grandma x4

[H2OBOUND]

Thank you mom x4,grandma x4!!!

Jeanne :)

[metrowon]

5 time should say enough about those rates. And the water temps are fine. Try cat 10, they are located throughout the differant decks. Perfect age for your children. Go have Fun! You won't believe what a Great time you'll have! It's Disney Done Right! Metrowon