Disney for Couples?

[DisneyPixie]

I'd appreciate any input from those who have gone on DCL. DH and I are celebrating our 10th anniversary in December. I was thinking about the 12/4 Wonder sailing for 4 nights, then spending 5 nights at the parks.

 

How is DCL for couples? Should the ship be overwhelmed by kids at that time of year?

 

Thanks for the info!

[GottaLuvCruising]

Disney Cruise Line always has a lot of kids on board. Our last Disney Cruise included 900 of them! But early December is a great time to go and minimize that effect as much as possible. School is in session everywhere and families are getting ready for the holidays, not taking vacations.

 

But that said, even with the kids on board, couples can have a great time. Most of the time, you'll hardly notice all the kids. Disney does a great job of keeping the kids busy and they have their own areas of the ship. Adults have their own pool, plus the spa totally kid-free. In the evening, you'll enjoy the nightclub area sans children. If you opt for late-dining (probably your only choice by now as the main dining fills up very quickly), you'll also experience fewer children.

 

My husband and I have sailed both ships as a couple. We did take our children once, but they were all in their 20s! We had a great time and I'm confident you will, too.

[Sail With Me]

We sail Disney as a couple and think it is fabulous! We have sailed the Wonder and spent time in the parks and had a great vacation. We are sailing the Mexican Riviera on the Magic June 18 and looking forward to it. Sisney has an entire deck for kids and you would not even know they are there most of the time. The shows, although all Disney, is really geared more to adults. There is no casino but the cabins are among the best at sea, Palo the alternative restaurant is elegant, and the ships are beautiful. If ou are a true Disney lover you will have a great vacation. If you are not, we would recommend another cruise line.

[nynewfies]

I just have one suggestion for you to consider. Do the parks and then the cruise. Disneyworld really wears you out. The cruise really rejuvenates you. We did the parks and then the cruise, and we were really glad we did. We have spoken to others who did the cruise first, and they all said they wished they had done it in the order we did.

[pj-atsea]

I agree with Nynewfies. Definately do the parks first, then just relax the day you get on board. If you want to eat at Palo's - book as soon as you get on board and Waitlist if you have to,because you'll probably get in if you are flexible about day and time.pj

[dawne577]

But that said, even with the kids on board, couples can have a great time. Most of the time, you'll hardly notice all the kids. Disney does a great job of keeping the kids busy and they have their own areas of the ship. Adults have their own pool, plus the spa totally kid-free. In the evening, you'll enjoy the nightclub area sans children. If you opt for late-dining (probably your only choice by now as the main dining fills up very quickly), you'll also experience fewer children.

 

 

We agree totally with GottaLuvCruising. We responded to a similar post not long ago, and pointed out that on 4 and more day cruises there are also wine tastings and dance lessons (if you are into those things). The only stipulation we would put on a couples only cruise on Disney is that if you hate Disney itself--don't go. The ships--which are beautiful--are themed with Disney. Characters appear everywhere.

[Chloe Girl]

DisneyPixie:

 

We went on the Wonder in Oct-Nov 2000 with another couple and hardly noticed any kids at all. Disney even had Halloween activities for the kids and you still hardly noticed them.

 

Conversely, on our Mariner cruise, you really noticed their presence especially on the last night of the cruise.

 

We agree with others who have posted here...do the land portion first and then relax on the cruise!

 

V&M

[smatterchu]

Disney Pixie,

 

I was coming here to research some of the same information. We are looking at taking the 4-night December 4th Wonder Cruise for our 10th Anniversary, too!! Our anniversary is actually in June of this year, but December is really the best time for us to try and go.

 

I'm really excited about us maybe getting to go. We have one-year old twin boys, so while this will be a grown-up vacation for Mom an Dad, we're also going to be looking around to see if we want to take the boys in a few years.

 

We live right near WDW...we can see/feel the fireworks each night (very faintly).

 

I hope you have a great vacation. Happy Anniversary!!

 

Peas 'n Hominy....Smatterchu

[gizfish]

Since you do want to not be around kids so much, if you possibly can, book a room with a balcony. While DCL does a great job of keeping the kids entertained, on the short cruises due to their popularity with families and the popularity of the land sea vacation with families, you will see kids. If you have a balcony, you are guaranteed a place to relace that is child free.

[CathyCanada]

All of this is great advice. I would suggest making a dinner reservation at Palo's, the adult only restaurant, as soon as you can, it is not to be missed!

 

Happy Anniversary!

Cathy

[SeaSprayTB]

I want to echo all of the sentiments here. We cruised on DCL with DSs 16 and 13 (ages at the time) so they were off on their own all day long except when we were all off the ship together in ports. This left all of the ship time to ourselves and we absolutely LOVE the adults-only areas of the ship!!

 

The Quiet Cove pool was a blast!! Adjacent to the pool is the Cove Cafe which is an adults-only coffee house/bar/internet station/big screen TV place. Every afternoon we stopped in there for an iced or frozen coffee.

 

We had brunch and dinner at Palo. It was wonderful. If they offer the brunch on your cruise (not sure about the 3 and 4 day cruises) then definitely try and make a reservation. Try the fruit stollen (bread) with fresh whipped cream; you won't be sorry! :)

 

Also the Spa was wonderful! And no kids there either.

 

We saw LESS kids on our summer Disney cruise than we did on our Royal Caribbean cruise, and this is due to the exclusive adults-only areas on the Disney ships.

[Queen of Adventure]

My husband and I have done 5 Disney cruises (with us being the only kids in our twosome:p ) We ate at the later dinner;) The pool area is really the only place that seemed "overly" crowded... Of all the different times of year we cruised, the only time this wasn't true was in the Fall during hurricane season. That was the best trip EVER... great cruise prices, low crowds:D

Ahnalira

[NCmom]

I have to agree with most of the other posters--it is a great line for adults.

 

I've only cruised DCL (5 times) and RCCL once. On RCCL, I noticed the kids alot more than on DCL. I also found the adult activities more interesting on the DCL trip than the RCCL. I found DCl enforced the adult areas better than RCCL.

 

It is my understanding that you can now book your Palo ressies online, which would be great. definitely go for dinner. In the past, the 4 night trips have had Palo brunch on the at sea day--I really think I like the brunch better than the dinner--and they are both excellent. check out castawayclub.com--it's by a couple who have done 40+ trips on DCL without children.

[bigsky]

Ok..guess I'll be the only here going against the grain. We took our kids that same time of the year as you're going. We did the parks first. Did the pkg where u do the park/cruise. We didn't have a choice, but it' is a good idea. Very exhausting at the parks.

The ship was very crowded with kids. How can't you notice them?! I enjoy Disney and I like kids, but it was just too much for us. We were so Disney'd out by the time we got off the ship. We had a good time though. But Disney cruises just aren't for us.

All the shows are Disney of course too. But I guess what else would you expect? They were cute though. Just toooooo much Disney.

 

If you go on a Disney cruise, the best part was Palo's!!!! That was the best food I've ever eaten in my life! We just left it up to the waiter since he was from Italy. Went with another couple as well that we met. Had every dessert on the menu. Can't say enough about Palo's.

 

If you LOVE Disney and don't mind all those kids, then try it. I think it's way overpriced for what you get personally. But Disney is that way with everything.

 

Personally, I'd go to WDW if you want and go another cruise out of Port Canaveral. You'll be able to go on a 7 day cruise for the same price as a 3 or 4 day on Disney.

 

Our cruise we're taking next month on Carnival would be TWICE the price as Disney...same time of the year and same itinerary.

 

Whatever you decide, have a wonderful time!

[afcgirl]

I have to agree with Bigsky.

 

We took the Disney Wonder with the kids and it just didn't have the same excitement for us as the other cruise lines. I can't imagine having gone without the kids.

 

Although it was enjoyable, it didn't have the same wow factor as the other cruises I have been on. There was no casino and no real adult entertainment and the ship was pretty much dead after 10 pm. Our Carnival cruise had much more to offer for adults and was much less expensive.

 

That being said, if you are huge Disney fans, maybe then it will have the Wow factor for you. I love Disney World, but after leaving the Magic Kingdom, the cruise was somewhat of a let down.

 

Of course, this is just my opinion and I did have a sinus infection on board which may have affected my mood a little! :)

[Manyara]

The Wonder and Magic are beautiful. The only time we noticed the kids was at dinner. We had the second seating and sometimes the kids got cranky.

[Govac24]

Disney does a great job at making sure there is many places that adults can have some space without the kids. DH & I have sailed twice & both times the ship full. The only time we saw lots of kids was at the shows, kiddie & family pools,and in the aturim at dinner time(while the charaters are out). Even with the kids around it's fun to watch them! Enjoy your trip & Happy Anniversary!

 

 

Lisa

[jnnifer01]

DH and I went with my family in February and we liked it so much, we went back by ourselves last month.

Disney does a great job of keeping the little ones occupied. They have their own areas and the adults have their own areas. Granted, you will still encounter kids everywhere you go (except in the 18 yrs and up areas), but it didn't bother us a bit.

When you board, you can check your dinner seating and have them change you to an age appropriate table. DH and I were seated with another childless couple, and another couple with one child that rarely showed up for dinner. In addition to this, we ate at Palo one night, which is adults only. You won't want to miss Palo- it's excellent!

We never had any trouble finding anything to do. Route 66 is 18 and up in the evening, they have an adults only pool area, Palo is adults only, Serenity Bay on Castaway Cay is adults only, and there's always the gym & spa :D

We don't mind the children, but that's just to give you an idea of how much there is to do without them.

Have fun!

[MAN86]

We celebrated our 15th on the Wonder in 2001. This was our 1st cruise and I am a HUGE Disney fan. We both felt like royalty. There is plenty to do for just adults, restaruant, pool, and even separate part of island on Castaway Cay. There were kids but we did not see them. I made all the arrangements myself, booked the cruise, the parks, and the air and car rental separately and saved a ton of money. Beside, I got to do it on my own schedule, not theirs. We had a blast and are still talking about it.

From what I have read Disney ships have bigger than average staterooms and no gambling, so beside the Disney-theme it is like any other ship.

Good luck ;)

[Crwfshlady]

This past December, my husband and I, along with 2 other couples, took the 3 night Disney Cruise to celebrate our collective 20th anniversaries. It was FANTASTIC. We had previously sailed Disney, but the other 2 couples had not. They were hesitant, I admit. Concerned about being overwhelmed by small ones. But in the end, they were all pleasantly surprised. As many kids as there are on the ship, Disney does a fabulous job of maintaining the "Adult" areas. A pre-teen decided to take a dip in the Adult Pool (while her parents stood on the side and watched ) and a Disney employee immediately acted - nicely - removing her from the pool. He also expressed to the parents that it is an Adults Only, not Adult Supervised, pool. During the entire cruise, we were relaxed and pampered. We will be sailing again in 8 days on the 4 night cruise - this time with our kids (15 & 17). It can't come soon enough for any of us!

[Jsme]

DCL offers so many things to do that are adult only. I feel like they really go all out to get the adults to cruise without children.

 

You can do all different types of tastings. On the 3 and 4 day cruises only the wine and beer tastings are offered on the 7 plus days they also offer martini and tequilla tastings. They have cooking sessions, spa treatments (spa is adult only), Quiet Cove is an adult only area with a pool and whirlpools. They also have a nice pool bar. You can go to Palo's to eat dinner. Once again this is all adult. You pay a service charge extra to eat there of $10 pp. It is my ressie only. You can now book this on-line if paid in full at 75 days out for new cruises, 90 days for CC members and 105 for conceirge.

You can book the REAS package. This includes a romantic basket with chocolates, photo frame and champagne. You also get your champagne breakfast menu in the basket. You have free Palo's ressies which you can make at 105 days out if paid in full with this package. If you are cruisng at least a 4 day you can go ahead and make the brunch ressie at Palo's along with your dinner ressies. You get a well being couples massage and a romantic turndown service.

 

They have Salsa dance lessons on a 7 day cruise.

 

You can book an Exotic Rasul in the spa for couples it is priced at $83.

 

There are lots of things to do on Disney without children.

[savblucrab]

My husband and I were on the first 10 day Disney cruise also..we had a blast...I am a Disney freak myself and we have cruised dISNEY 3 times and want to go again soon..on RCCL this month..love to hear from others on the first 10 day Disney cruise..we should have a reunion cruise someday

[richkat]

This is very encouraging because we've just booked our first Disney cruise. This will be our 10th cruise overall. Although we are huge Disney fans, one reason we've resisted booking a Disney cruise is the fear of being overrun by kids. :) But we do like the sound of the specially-marked adult activities. But because Disney cruises are so much more expensive than others (you can book a week on other lines for what a 3-day costs here), we've had to book an inside cabin instead of our usual balcony. I'm hoping we're not going to regret that. We're thinking that for 3 days, we'll be okay, although I agree that the balcony would give us a respite from the kids. So, we might want to rethink that.

[mrsfuzzmo]

My husband and I did a 7 day with another family (dear friends), so 4-40 somethings and a 10 yr old girl. This was going to be our 12th cruise and really love the cruise experience. While the ship was beautiful, and the adults pool great (though the music and entertainment at the adults pool was terrible - DCL must think the only "non-kid" cruisers were 65 yrs old.) The cruise itself was far inferior to many others that we had cruised on. The entertainment....boring, sure it was aimed at kids and they had a right to do so, but for a kidless couple, boring. The food was also a lowlight, but the biggest dissappointment for us...as seasoned cruisers...was the lack of socialization in the cruisers. One of our favorite things to do is grab a couple of cocktails and meet new people. I believe it is because people are there on "family" vacations and really concentrate on their families, and not meeting new people...like we like to do. That's fine, but it really isn't conducive to two really really sociable people. Other than our friends that we went with, we didn't get a great conversation out of one group of people. Everyone was nice and said hello, but to actually...MEET.. and get to know your fellow passengers...not happening here. Other lines are so much more conducive to meeting and mingling and dancing and participating, that we were very dissappointed. We had a great time due to fabulous weather, great ports of call and excellent friends, but we've had "stellar" times aboard other ships that are more geared to adults. Just our opinions.

[Jsme]

Disney does do a wonderful job at entertaining kids. We go in less than 3 weeks for the frist time without our children. The only time we had any problems with kids were when parents were not around to control them! Just ask my two they always got a lecture after we ran into a bored child. If you ever have a problem with a unruly chidl on DCL it will be because the child has been left unattended.