fuzzyblue Posted May 22, 2008 #1 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Let me admit up front that I am a vacation over planner. I can't let things lie and just can't overlook a what I perceive to be a good deal. :rolleyes: Right now we are set to go to Disney for 4 days and then a 3 day cruise in Sept. But I got to thinking why not just spend the money were were going to spend on Disney and just go on a cruise. We went on a 4 days last years after spending a few days at Disney. We all admit (me, dh, son7) admit we loved the cruise portion. There will be 4 of us me, dh, ds 7, ds 20 months. I've priced the Glory out of Port Canaveral, RCCL Mariner of the Seas out of PC as well. Both westerns. I just don't know what I should do :confused:. I've been reading he boards for a while and depending on the day RCL and CCL can be a toss between the two. We just want to be a family friendly itinerary on a family friendly line. Help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boulders Posted May 22, 2008 #2 Share Posted May 22, 2008 Just my 2 cents. With a 20 month old, I wouldn't be cruising RCCL. The only activity available for him on sea days would be a 45 minute playgroup each day. He wouldn't be able to go in the pools either. I would rather visit the parks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzyblue Posted May 22, 2008 Author #3 Share Posted May 22, 2008 I was about to add that I also thinking about Bermuda on NCCL. My only issue with the parks is that my dh didn't like the parks that much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julienatul Posted May 22, 2008 #4 Share Posted May 22, 2008 I would pick either CCL or RCCL ship with the water parks on them. Your son can enjoy the fountains without needing a pool and you can always bring a blow-up pool if necessary. Both lines offer playtime with parents and babysitting at certain times. We tend to enjoy cruises a bit more than the parks as well. My DD, 2.5 yrs has been on 5 already. Julie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baxter Posted May 22, 2008 #5 Share Posted May 22, 2008 I was about to add that I also thinking about Bermuda on NCCL. My only issue with the parks is that my dh didn't like the parks that much. As a relatively new parent (we have an 19 month old, and one due in July) I've come to the conclusion that vacations are no longer about us...I don't say that in a negative way, but I would personally suck it up because I would assume a 7 year old would love the park! Splitting park and cruise sounds like a great compromise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I&MsMom Posted May 22, 2008 #6 Share Posted May 22, 2008 (Whispering, and tip-toeing, because I really don't want to start anything, ;) but...) Is there any way of putting off the trip a few months? If you sail Carnival after your youngest has his 2nd birthday, you can make full use of the camp, if you want. Your child does not have to be potty trained, and the counselors will change diapers - you just bring the supplies. We took our 1st cruise when DD (our youngest) was 25 months - she loved the Camp, we loved that she loved the Camp, and it was actually a vacation, as opposed to a trip! Our first cruise was the Glory western, and it was really, truly terrific. Our DS turned 6 during the cruise. I know rates are lower in Sept., but you an also get good deals in early December, May, etc. If that isn't an option, how set is your son on the parks? (Again, whispering...) it is my understanding that love bugs can be a factor in Sept - not dangerous, just annoying. My DD dislikes it when a common fly gets in the house, and I know this would completely freak her out, but maybe your guys would think it was cool! In the end, I think it's a case of: you can't go wrong whatever you decide!:) Happy planning! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted May 22, 2008 #7 Share Posted May 22, 2008 No need to tiptoe I&M - I'll agree with you 100% :D If it was only 4 months to wait, then I would celebrate his 2nd birthday on the ship. fuzzyblue - we have 5 days at Disney, 3 days on Disney Wonder booked right now for September. The free meal package for the resorts is a great deal in Sept. And I&M - love bugs????? WHAT lovebugs????? :eek: My oldest FREAKS OUT over ALL bugs. Now I am off to google the love bugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted May 22, 2008 #8 Share Posted May 22, 2008 I'm back and OMG :eek: :eek: :eek: Check out this picture from Sept 06 of love bugs covering a bus stop at walt Disney World :eek: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Swarmoflovebugs.jpg I am seriously screaming inside right now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MNfamilycruiser Posted May 23, 2008 #9 Share Posted May 23, 2008 I'm back and OMG :eek: :eek: :eek: Check out this picture from Sept 06 of love bugs covering a bus stop at walt Disney World :eek: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Swarmoflovebugs.jpg I am seriously screaming inside right now! Yep - the love bugs were gross!! I was there in September while my dh was at a conference - just "checking out" the parks:D before we went as a famiily in November. I was SO happy my dds were not along - the bugs would have freaked the youngest out for sure (she wouldn't even go into "It's tough to be a bug" at AK) My suggestion is to go EARLY to the parks (before rope drop) and leave in the middle of the day to go back and rest/swim. The bugs don't start flying until it gets warm enough during the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebeccalouise Posted May 23, 2008 #10 Share Posted May 23, 2008 My first instinct is to say do the 4 nights in Disney- since kids 7 years old would love it and it is off season and there won't be many lines. However, personally as a cruise fan, I'd do a seven night cruise on one that offers babysitting for the 2 year old. As for Orlando, I wouldn't do four nights in Disney. I'd do Orlando and stay at the Caribe Royal in a Villa- two beds, two baths for a reasonable rate. Then I would do Magic Kingdom and Sea World and spend the rest of the time at the hotel in the pool, with room service pizza, a great carryout in the hotel and a wonderful condo with a hot tub near the room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcfam5 Posted May 23, 2008 #11 Share Posted May 23, 2008 I'm back and OMG :eek: :eek: :eek: Check out this picture from Sept 06 of love bugs covering a bus stop at walt Disney World :eek: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Swarmoflovebugs.jpg I am seriously screaming inside right now! My DD would definitely not be feeling the love from the lovebugs!!! :eek: I realize this may sound silly to some, but, maybe you could spend some time this summer exploring the world of bugs . . . maybe they would be less freaked out if they had a little experience with them. You could buy an ant farm, rent the movie "Bugz" and catch lightening bugs in the evening, (as a few ideas). Again, this may sound foolish but we have successful used this sort of tactic with our kids for other fears and dislikes. Good luck!:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjmalino Posted May 23, 2008 #12 Share Posted May 23, 2008 ok, after living in Louisiana for 2 years, let me tell you why they are called love bugs, and they are everywhere! Two of them "join" at the back ends and fly that way, as though they are well....use your imagination. They used to joke about them in Louisiana that since they ended up on the windshields of many a car (and were very hard to get off) they were "coitus interuptus" bugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzyblue Posted May 23, 2008 Author #13 Share Posted May 23, 2008 As a relatively new parent (we have an 19 month old, and one due in July) I've come to the conclusion that vacations are no longer about us...I don't say that in a negative way, but I would personally suck it up because I would assume a 7 year old would love the park! Splitting park and cruise sounds like a great compromise. My son said if he had to choose between the parks or a cruise he would choose a cruise. He was very over stimulated at Disney last year, so he could take it or leave it. Which is why I have started to look for alternatives. fuzzyblue - we have 5 days at Disney, 3 days on Disney Wonder booked right now for September. The free meal package for the resorts is a great deal in Sept. Yeah, it was free dining that got me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted May 23, 2008 #14 Share Posted May 23, 2008 My DD would definitely not be feeling the love from the lovebugs!!! :eek: I realize this may sound silly to some, but, maybe you could spend some time this summer exploring the world of bugs . . . maybe they would be less freaked out if they had a little experience with them. You could buy an ant farm, rent the movie "Bugz" and catch lightening bugs in the evening, (as a few ideas). Again, this may sound foolish but we have successful used this sort of tactic with our kids for other fears and dislikes. Good luck!:) My youngest, no problem. She catches bugs and walks around with them. My oldest, no way. :eek: She is going to freak out. We live in the woods...so we try to catch lightening bugs and lady bugs...she honestly can't handle it. The kid will have a heart attack. She is fearless in every aspect of her life, except bugs. We were there the last week of August last year and never saw a love bug, this year we'll be there the following week. I am hoping the love bugs forget to look at their calendar. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcfam5 Posted May 23, 2008 #15 Share Posted May 23, 2008 My son said if he had to choose between the parks or a cruise he would choose a cruise. He was very over stimulated at Disney last year, so he could take it or leave it. Which is why I have started to look for alternatives. We gave our kids the option of doing Disney or a cruise this summer and they choose the cruise. Although, with some of the good all-inclusive prices for Disney I have seem advertised lately we may plan a short trip in the next 6 to 8 months anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I&MsMom Posted May 23, 2008 #16 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Hi, all. Sorry to start something about the love bugs.:o It is apparently very weather dependent year to year, so I've got my fingers crossed everyone with a trip planned in Sept. misses them. Heck, we're scheduled for 10/8-10/13...who knows, maybe they'll be late this year, and we'll end up getting to experience them for ourselves after all.:( Fuzzyblue: if your son would prefer a cruise, I say don't fight it! :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncmomof2 Posted May 23, 2008 #17 Share Posted May 23, 2008 ROFL about the love bugs!!!!! I too lived in Louisiana, as did DD until she was 6. They're one of the reasons she is NOT freaked out by bugs since she was conditioned from birth to get over it! :p One thing that may help, they don't land on you much (at least IIRC, that would have eventually gotten on my nerves...) just fly all over the place and land on windows, etc. I discovered there was a crack under my front door the first spring we were in the house and I watched the love bugs enter in streams! :eek: I was on the phone to the builder ASAP! I'm off to Orlando with DD (about to be 9), DS (about to be 4), and my in-laws (no DH, don't ask :rolleyes:) in 2 weeks. We're only planning on doing AK (dinosaurs for DS) and SeaWorld (for DD who was not thrilled by the idea of WDW, believe it or not) since we're only there for 2 1/2 days-- wish me luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted May 23, 2008 #18 Share Posted May 23, 2008 I'm off to Orlando with DD (about to be 9), DS (about to be 4), and my in-laws (no DH, don't ask :rolleyes:) in 2 weeks. We're only planning on doing AK (dinosaurs for DS) and SeaWorld (for DD who was not thrilled by the idea of WDW, believe it or not) since we're only there for 2 1/2 days-- wish me luck! Good luck! They are there right now, so maybe the love bugs will move out in time for your arrival. ;) That crack under the door comment freaked ME out...lol And I just got off the phone with Disney reservations, they said they are only bad if you are driving a car. ICK :p Remind me to pack a can of raid. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncmomof2 Posted May 23, 2008 #19 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Good luck! They are there right now, so maybe the love bugs will move out in time for your arrival. ;) If they're there now, they'll probably be mostly gone in two weeks -- they're really short lived. Not that I'd mind that much -- Louisiana taught me to deal with them. Same with DD and I can't imagine DS would care too much -- as long as it's not a bee, he's good. My MIL and FIL might have heart attacks, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanadianTwosome Posted May 23, 2008 #20 Share Posted May 23, 2008 Fuzzyblue, you said that you all agreed that you loved the cruise portion of your last vacation... did you mean that you all loved it MORE than the park portion? If that's the case, then I would definitely take the advice here to postpone until everyone is over 2 and have a full week cruise. Last summer we went on a park trip in Orlando and afterwards, my daughter - who is a total animal freak and absolutely LOVED SeaWorld and Busch Gardens - informed me that she preferred cruising... at least for now. Apparently she's going to inform me when she's interested in another land vacation. Until then I guess we'll be cruising - with no complaints from me!! :) Basically, my advice every time I see a question like this is to discuss it with your family. If everyone agrees that a whole week on a cruise would be a great vacation, then it's a pretty easy decision! I'm a total overplanner myself, and my husband couldn't care less, so I was very happy when my daughter started having an opinion!! It really helps to narrow down the options so you can focus on obsessing about a smaller number of decisions!!! :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rebeccalouise Posted May 24, 2008 #21 Share Posted May 24, 2008 My son has no desire to go back to Disney. He has been there twice and prefers cruising. The problem with a two year old is that you have to buckle them into the stroller at all times. The crowds do no allow for kids to walk around. My son was 4 the first time we did Disney and he was in a stroller most of the time when we weren't on rides. Just too chaotic and crowded. It was a bit better at night when the crowds die down and but even then I had to watch him like a hawk. Disney is horrendous during holidays and still pretty crowded in the summer. If you go off season it will be more enjoyable. What I did like was Orlando. If you stay at a Disney resort, you can use the pools at any of the hotels- except for Beach Club and Yacht Club. There are many great places to stay in Orlando, like the Hilton Vacation Club, the Caribe Royal Villas and the Hyatt Grand Cypress. I have always enjoyed trips to Orlando and SeaWorld is the best place bar none. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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