we ar thinking of a cruise this fall/winter.. possibly disney.. I have heard that Disney cruises are quite a bit more expensive.. Has anyone been on a disney cruise with kids?? was it good or bad.. how is the food? are the cabins roomy enough for family of 4?
any other cruise liines that you could recommend? I am also interested in the childcare on curisess
My good friend went on a Disney cruise with her entire family and she said it is fantastic. There are so many different activities for everyone and she said that they would go back with no hesitationl
Your choice. If saving to go to Disneyland or Disney World is worth it over going to your local state fair or amusement park, then a Disney Cruise is worth it.
My wife and I have been on 14 cruises. The best cruise lines for kids are Disney, Princess, Carnival and Royal Caribbean. We went on Princess to Alaska. My kids (11 & 14) went to their children's program. They could hardly wait for breakfast to be done so they could go and we practlically had to drag them out to go to dinner. They had a wonderful time.
Princess was the setting for the TV show, "The Love Boat." They do all they can to keep up with that image. Disney is for kids of all ages. Everyone tries to imitate Disney. Few even come close. Because the economy is so bad all cruise lines are having sales and discounting their cruises, even Disney.
The rooms are small, but there is enough room for 4 on those cruises lines that have 4 person cabins. But, remember this, you're only in your cabin to sleep. The rest of the time you're on deck having fun. It like a home. The bedrooms aren't as big as the living room or the den.
The Food? The worst cruise line food I've ever eaten was real good. On the average cruise, the food was fantastic. They cater to all your needs. They want you back again.
If you can afford it, go on a 7 day cruise. I've been on a couple of 4 day cruises and it seems like you just get unpacked when its time to pack to leave. I've never had a bad time on a cruise.
Sea sickness? Cruise ships are so stable now that they have bowling alleys and miniture golf courses on them.
You'll have a wonderful time. Good luck to you and yours.
I have never been on a cruise, but we go to Disney world every year and I can tell you Disney is worth the money. As far as theme parks go every Disney park we have ever been to have been cleaner, friendly, happier, more family friendly and just plain better than any other theme park that I have been to.
If you look online you can find really good deals on cruises, especially if you book them far in advance. If you love close to where they are deporting from then you may even get low, low rates because they try to fill the empty rooms right til the end. We considered Disney because of the entertainment options. They have shows, movies, kid friendly environments, etc...we have heard from friends that the Disney rooms are smaller, more compact with less wasted space, than other lines but that they spent almost no time in the rooms except to crash and sleep.
Other lines do offer similar treats for the family and you always need to be sure they aren't hosting a special event the week you want to go. I am, by no means, prejudice or homophobic, my college roommate was a gay guy, and another of my roommates was a different gay guy, and I have had some lesbian friends but I can tell you I would not want to go on a cruise with a gay/lesbian theme because I don't want to explain the facts of life and same sex relationships to a 6 year old or 3 year old. I also don't think I would like to go on one that has a square dancing theme, my brother, who is the President of a local area group that has about 20 groups in it, recently went on one with his wife and loved the whole trip. I am not into square dancing, and although it can be fun, I would not like a week of it all around me. They also have senior cruises that are for older people and less things for kids. So, theme trips might be a deterrent.
I would choose a different week or choose another line. If your kids are older then a theme might not be something you'd be wanting to participate in.
Depends on the ages of your kids. If they are old enough to understand - I'd say older than 4 - then for sure go Disney! Otherwise, I would personally recommend Royal Caribbean.
You will definitely find this article interesting:
http://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=628
We took our 3 yr old and 6 year old and they loved it!!!! The cabins on Disney are bigger than any other cruise line, per cruise critic. Bathrooms are big also in my opinion. We love love loved it. They cater to the kids and that's what we were looking for!
I have never been on a Disney cruise - but good friends of mine have. They said it was the BEST - AND I think that husband booked at the last minute - and ended up getting tickets on a "not sold out" cruise for something crazy like $100 per person! Maybe it's worth checking into if you are close by and can have a some what flexible schedule.
It's Disney--ABSOLUTELY!!!!
I know families that had full family reunions on Disney Cruises. The adults were hesitant, but ended up loving it. They went on a second Disney Cruise without the kids!
We haven't personally taken the Disney cruise, but my sister and her family has- twice. She has two girls who are now 5 and 3. The first year they went, her youngest didn't want to stay in the childcare area, but the older girl didn't want to leave! This last time they went, both girls absolutely LOVED the childcare areas, which are more like camp. There are crafts, activities, etc. I know they have different areas for the kids according to their ages, so it's not like they'll be a bunch of 9 year olds in with the 2 year olds. As far as it being worth the money, I can't say for sure. However, everyone I know who had done the cruise has nothing but wonderful things to say. I'm sure you'll get more feedback from those who have gone....good luck!!
