Consider Disney ... many questions - any help appreciated!

[Yurita]

My friend just came back from a Disney cruise and told me I should try it. To be honest, she has 4 kids. I have always thought Disney was for families traveling with kids and have never paid any attention to itineraries, ship design, etc.

Today, I decided to do a little research and found 4 and 5 days itineraries (including Castaway Cay, of course ;)), which I find very attractive.

Now, I have a couple of questions:

1. Does Disney usually have price drops like other cruise lines?

( a 4 night cruise on Disney is quite expensive compared to other cruises I've taken before - 7 days on Oasis of the seas was the same price as a 4 day Disney cruise)

2. Should I wait to book (looking at a May 2013 cruise) or should I book immediatly?

3. Would I feel 'weird' on a Disney cruise (meaning we are young adults, late 20's, no kids)

4. What are the adults activies onboard?

5. Does Disney offer a Solarium/Sanctuary - adults only area, etc?

thanks all for your help!

[HUBison2008]

We're going on our first Disney cruise on Dream December 2013 for our anniversary. We don't have kids and we're excited. Price drops depends on the itinerary and how far out. We booked our cruise last month. When we booked there were only balconies available, but now there are lower category balconies as well as inside and ocean view rooms.

 

Yes you can go on other lines for the same price for a week, but it's up to you the value you see in it. Initially we were thinking about doing WDW since we honeymooned there. We love the Disney experience but prefer Universal's parks. So we're doing both. 3 nights on Dream after a couple days at Universal. Disney let's you carry on alcohol and pop is included. Not to mention the dining room rotations and aquaduck on Dream and Fantasy.

 

The ships do have adult only areas and activities and from what I've read on here they do a better job than some lines at enforcing them.

 

DH and I recently watched a video on Dream and we were impressed at how it focused more on the adult experience than the kids. At least that was our take away.

[Shmoo here]

My friend just came back from a Disney cruise and told me I should try it. To be honest, she has 4 kids. I have always thought Disney was for families traveling with kids and have never paid any attention to itineraries, ship design, etc.

 

Today, I decided to do a little research and found 4 and 5 days itineraries (including Castaway Cay, of course ;)), which I find very attractive.

 

Now, I have a couple of questions:

 

1. Does Disney usually have price drops like other cruise lines?

( a 4 night cruise on Disney is quite expensive compared to other cruises I've taken before - 7 days on Oasis of the seas was the same price as a 4 day Disney cruise)

 

2. Should I wait to book (looking at a May 2013 cruise) or should I book immediatly?

 

3. Would I feel 'weird' on a Disney cruise (meaning we are young adults, late 20's, no kids)

 

4. What are the adults activies onboard?

 

5. Does Disney offer a Solarium/Sanctuary - adults only area, etc?

 

thanks all for your help!

 

1. Prices on DCL (as most cruiselines) are their lowest on opening day. As the space fills, prices rise. Now, on occasion, there are last-minute restricted fares available. They come with many restrictrictions, and are not offered on every cruise. When they do have them, they show up about 30-45 days prior to the cruise. Generally these restricted fares, while lower than the going rate at the time, are higher than the opening day rates.

 

2. See answer above.

 

3. We've done 5 DCL cruises 3 were just DH & I (granted we're a bit more than late 20s) the other 2 cruises we did with our adult (early 20s) children. Everyone enjoyed their cruises. Our next one is DH, me, DMIL & hubby, DSIL & her husband.

 

4. There are games, tastings, adult comedy shows in the lounges, a lot to do.

 

5. Yes, there is an adult only area on each ship. However, reports are on the Dream the enforcement is a bit difficult due to the location of the forward elevators. But DCL does tend to be a bit more diligent than other lines about the adult only areas.

 

:)

[cde48]

My friend just came back from a Disney cruise and told me I should try it. To be honest, she has 4 kids. I have always thought Disney was for families traveling with kids and have never paid any attention to itineraries, ship design, etc.

 

Today, I decided to do a little research and found 4 and 5 days itineraries (including Castaway Cay, of course ;)), which I find very attractive.

 

Now, I have a couple of questions:

 

1. Does Disney usually have price drops like other cruise lines?

( a 4 night cruise on Disney is quite expensive compared to other cruises I've taken before - 7 days on Oasis of the seas was the same price as a 4 day Disney cruise)

 

2. Should I wait to book (looking at a May 2013 cruise) or should I book immediatly?

 

3. Would I feel 'weird' on a Disney cruise (meaning we are young adults, late 20's, no kids)

 

4. What are the adults activies onboard?

 

5. Does Disney offer a Solarium/Sanctuary - adults only area, etc?

 

thanks all for your help!

 

We just off the Fantasy a month ago, and it's worth every penny. I'll try to answer your questions in order, and as best as possible.

 

1. Disney does have price drops, and they usually occur closer to the sailing dates. It will still, most likely, be more than any other 4/5 Night sailing that you will see on another line, but you genuinely see the difference in quality.

 

2. One huge mistake that we made, was booking so far in advance. Disney allows people, as does many other lines, to hold "ghost" dates for future cruises. Those people who book the "ghost" dates, can change them as many times as they want, as long as it is before the cancellation period. When people book these dates, they usually just book them while still onboard their current voyage,to get the extra incentives (OBC and/or Discount) for their next voyage. What this does, is it basically munipulates the system, by showing that the ship is more full, than it actually will be, because people just hold the rooms, and then change before the cancellation period. The people just need a date to hold, and they just pick a random date. This will also drive the price up, because now it shows that the ship is getting full, and leaves less inventory. This happened to us when we booked on the Fantasy. We booked in March of 2011, for the May 12, 2012 sailing. It showed that the ship was almost booked, but then right after the people changed their sailing to another date in the future, earlier this year, it opened up a lot more rooms, and we actually could've had a Verandah room, for cheaper than what we paid for an inside cabin. So, unless you are looking for a specific cabin, I would wait to book!

 

3. I think this will help with Questions 3,4, and 5. I don't think you will feel out of place at all on Disney, without kids. They have basically the front of the ship, on the top decks, for adults only. It was very nice, and quiet, but to be honest we liked being near all the action at the main pools. They have adult only restaurants, and pubs on board, and they were great. The only thing that you might miss, is there is no casino. For us, we don't gamble much, so we didn't miss it at all. The shows are put together great, as well!

 

Hope this helps! You won't regret doing it. Especially once you get to Castaway Cay!

[Yurita]

Thank you all for your helpful replies. Main reason why we're considering Disney is because of the sailing date and itinerary.

We'll keep checking what's out-there and pricing with Disney.

Once more, thank you!!!

[iloverags2]

1. Does Disney usually have price drops like other cruise lines?

( a 4 night cruise on Disney is quite expensive compared to other cruises I've taken before - 7 days on Oasis of the seas was the same price as a 4 day Disney cruise)

2. Should I wait to book (looking at a May 2013 cruise) or should I book immediatly?

3. Would I feel 'weird' on a Disney cruise (meaning we are young adults, late 20's, no kids)

4. What are the adults activies onboard?

5. Does Disney offer a Solarium/Sanctuary - adults only area, etc?

 

1. Disney does not always have price drops, but it does happen on occasion. What you will see, since you are from Florida, are some nice Florida Resident Discounts, if they become available. Disney will post these on their website (under current specials), and they update them on a weekly basis on Monday's. They will allow FL residents to switch to the resident rate, even after final payment date, so if you book now still keep an eye out for them. (The same cannot be said of other discounts - you will have to pay the penalty for changing after final payment date, although most often you do come out better by switching to the discounted rate.)

 

2. I would book now just to ensure the lowest rate available for the category you want. See above about keeping an eye out for discounts.

 

3. Only you can answer if you will feel weird. Having said that, there are many adults without kids on DCL, so you will not be the only ones!

 

4. Adult activities include tastings (wine, martini, tequila, etc.), Match Your Mate, Quest, and other activities. Keep in mind, the evening entertainment does end around 1 or 2 a.m.

 

5. There are two different adults-only areas onboard the ships. The first is the pool area, Quiet Cove. On the Dream, it is a bit more difficult to keep younger ones out (due to the ship layout), but Disney is diligent about moving kids along and out of there. Within Quiet Cove is the Cove Cafe, which is a coffee house (coffees are an additional fee, but the snacks and goodies are not and can be enjoyed without a coffee purchase). The second adult area is the adult entertainment area where nightclubs and adults-only bars are located (there are bars in other public areas as well, but the ones here are adults-only). There is a champagne bar, sports bar, and disco.

 

Hope this helps with your decision!

[guitargal168]

Almost everyone here has given you all the great info on the adult areas. I just wanted to let you know about our recent experience! We just got off the Magic this past Friday from her 5 night trip to Canada/Nova Scotia. This was only our 2nd cruise (the 1st being the 7 night trip to Alaska last year on the Disney Wonder!) and, for the 1st time, I TRULY took advantage of the adult spots! My 14 yr old daughter loved being able to roam free while I enjoyed the spa, the adult pool and the adult entertainment. A few little tips: Book the late seating for dinner. While there are plenty of kids there, most of the families with little ones tend to go for the early dinner! Also, while the Spa is pricey, check out the Rainforest room! If you prebook online, it's even cheaper but if you'd rather check it out on the ship and then book it, it's only about $27 for the whole day. Super relaxing!

I also spoke to many, many people, of ALL ages, who were traveling without children. Each and every one of them said that Disney was absolutely fabulous at keeping the "adult" areas...adult! The only thing my husband and I didn't have a chance to try was Palo. From the reviews I've read, it seems like this is a "must do" for our next trip!

Yes, there are LOTS of children on board, but unless you plan on seeking out an adult oriented ship, most of the cruise lines have lots of kids. If you value customer service as much as I do (and you love the Mouse!), I wouldn't hesitate to book your trip!

[jimdicap]

We're going on our first Disney cruise on Dream December 2013 for our anniversary. We don't have kids and we're excited. Price drops depends on the itinerary and how far out. We booked our cruise last month. When we booked there were only balconies available, but now there are lower category balconies as well as inside and ocean view rooms.

 

Yes you can go on other lines for the same price for a week, but it's up to you the value you see in it. Initially we were thinking about doing WDW since we honeymooned there. We love the Disney experience but prefer Universal's parks. So we're doing both. 3 nights on Dream after a couple days at Universal. Disney let's you carry on alcohol and pop is included. Not to mention the dining room rotations and aquaduck on Dream and Fantasy.

 

The ships do have adult only areas and activities and from what I've read on here they do a better job than some lines at enforcing them.

 

DH and I recently watched a video on Dream and we were impressed at how it focused more on the adult experience than the kids. At least that was our take away.

 

 

where did you see the video on the Dream? I have been looking for one all over! Thanks

[gambit57]

My parents took me when I was in college. I woulda been around 19 or 20 at the time.

 

I absolutely loved it. Still my favorite cruise so far, and I didn't care for the itinerary at all (I'm not a beach person; Alaska is more my cup of tea for where to go). That said, I loved every part of it.

 

Granted, I love the Mouse. I'm a 2nd gen cast member and still love the Mouse. DW doesn't have as much experience with the Mouse, but they do everything so well that she's excited to go for her first Disney cruise come November cuz of what she's seen at the parks. It looks and feels high end, even without calling themselves a luxury liner like Crystal or something.

[HUBison2008]

where did you see the video on the Dream? I have been looking for one all over! Thanks

 

Believe it or not DCLs site. When you click the ships and activities tab and select Dream there are buttons within the screen. One of them is video and that's what we watched.

[Gary from PA]

Price drops depend on the season you sail. Never during school holidays.

 

Adults will enjoy more then the kids ;)

[cyclenut]

Thank you all for your helpful replies. Main reason why we're considering Disney is because of the sailing date and itinerary.

 

We'll keep checking what's out-there and pricing with Disney.

 

Once more, thank you!!!

 

If you like the sail dates and itineraries and can fit the cost of the cruise into your budget then I say go for it. You will enjoy what Disney has to offer.

 

We are HUGE Disney fans and while we enjoy the DCL experience, we feel like RCCL is our preferred cruise line. We are so glad we did a DCL cruise and we are doing another one in September (just us two adults) because we like the itinerary and the price was right.

 

There are adult only areas and adult oriented activities but we found that everywhere we went (on the Wonder) there were kids around. That doesn't bother us, but if it bothers you then please understand that DCL does cater to families and as a result there will be a LOT of kids on board. The adult only areas and activities are primarily intended for the adults on board who also have kids (on board or not). They really don't have any place where kids are invisible, so don't expect it.

[nyc12345]

Unless the sailing is not selling well or when traveling in a low season, Disney price drop is not common, in fact, prices tend to go up the later you book (unless you wait till very last minute).

 

A good travel agent will also provide onboard credit that you wouldn't receive by booking directly with Disney. My friend just booked his family on the Disney Fantasy and get $600 OBC per room.

 

Also, you can save 5% by using Target credit card to purchase Disney gift cards.