Never been on a Dis Cruise....thinking o taking our honeymoon on one

[tractorm3]

So my fiance and I are getting married in 2013 july. we have an 8 day trip planned for this sept for WDW and staying at the poly so we dont want to go back so soon for a honeymoon and dont want to do a land and sea thing.

We are looking at cruises for our honeymoon. Of course DCL is on the table for ideas. but I have concerns. Can any one tell me how they are? I have a bunch of people say they would never reccomend it for this type of vaca due to it is like little kids run a muck. I had others say it was great??

Can any one give me an idea of what it has been liek for you?

 

[Disneyfalcon]

So my fiance and I are getting married in 2013 july. we have an 8 day trip planned for this sept for WDW and staying at the poly so we dont want to go back so soon for a honeymoon and dont want to do a land and sea thing.

We are looking at cruises for our honeymoon. Of course DCL is on the table for ideas. but I have concerns. Can any one tell me how they are? I have a bunch of people say they would never reccomend it for this type of vaca due to it is like little kids run a muck. I had others say it was great??

Can any one give me an idea of what it has been liek for you?

If you want to hear it's great, you came to the right place. Disney cruises are a wonderful vacation. There are a lot of children on the ship, but there are a lot of places to get away from them too. I've been without my kids a few times on adult only getaways, and I never felt like it was over run with kids.

There are adult only pools, adult only bars and lounges, an adult only beach at Castaway Cay and the list goes on.

It's an incredible vacation. You won't regret it!

 

[Fla_Purls]

We spent our honeymoon on a Disney cruise. To be honest, the only times I was even aware that there were many kids on the ship were at dinner and at the shows. Even then, it was not like anyone's kids were running around like crazy; they were all pretty well behaved - maybe because they were tired out from spending the whole day in kid areas? During the day, there are so many activities for kids that they seemed to be in the kid areas only. We had a wonderful time and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend a Disney cruise for your honeymoon.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

I agree with both of these replies! We just got off our 2nd Disney cruise and it was total bliss! Our "kids" aren't little anymore at 14 & 16 years old. They were gone to the teen club all day and all night. You won't have to be subjected to obnoxious teen behavior because they're all off doing their own thing in their designated areas. It sounds awful but I think my MiL is onto something when she says she finds herself less tolerant of children younger than her grand kids. We relate because we find ourselves also less patient with children younger than ours. On our recent cruise the only time we really found ourselves doing the eye-roll (you know what I mean..LOL) was at dinner 1 night when a group of 3 families at a nearby table sent their collective 6 kiddies that looked to be between 5 & 10 yrs old to dinner unaccompanied while they went to an adults-only dinner at Palo. It started off good but didn't take long before a game of round-the-table tag ensued followed by a nice shoving match. Their servers did their best to feed them & get them out quickly so it's not like we had to listen to all that for the entire meal. More often than not, the few random experiences with younger children are enjoyable for us. It's fun to see things thru their perspective when observing them. I know for my hubby & me, when we were newlyweds dreaming of our future family there was definitely a charm in observing little ones. Now that our boys are older it's more of reflecting on their younger years. A Disney cruise can be relatively child-free which is pretty remarkable considering it's Disney. There's adult pools, night clubs, and deck spaces. There's an adult only beach and many adult only activities throughout the day. Also, if you go to Palo or Remy for brunch or dinner, these are both adult-only restaurants! Glorious places, I tell you! I can't sing the praises for DCL enough! They truly do have something for everyone!

 

[tractorm3]

how does the dinning work on the DCL? is it all pre-planned for you or are their like quick service places we can eat? is it all included?

 

[sweetpee_1993]

how does the dinning work on the DCL? is it all pre-planned for you or are their like quick service places we can eat? is it all included?

There's basically 2 dinner rotations to choose from: Main (usually seats at 5:-something) and Late (usually seats at 8:15). You choose which time you'd like to sit for dinner. That's personal preference. We go with late seating because I didn't like getting dressed for dinner so early for the Main seating on our first cruise. Both have their pros & cons. Hubby & I weren't as thrilled with watching whatever stage show was presented each evening before dinner. We liked that better after. It's a trade off. Anywhoo, when you check in at the port you'll be given your restaurant rotation info (it's on your key card, actually). Each evening you're assigned to one of the 3 main dining rooms at a designated table. Your table can be shared with other guests but you can put in a request for just a 2-top if you want. As friendly as we are, we like having just the 4-top so we have some quality family time at dinner each day. You'll rotate to another dining room each night. On a 7-night cruise you'll go to all 3 twice (obviously) then 1 of them a third time. It's not necessarily the same menu when you repeat dining rooms because the different themed night changes things. Like on Pirate Night there's a pirate menu, etc. The cool thing is that your wait staff (head server, server, & assistant server) all rotate right along with you so you always have the same people taking care of you. They quickly learn your names, your likes/dislikes, etc. For instance, on our 2nd night dinner on both our Disney cruises we arrived to our assigned table with our preferred beverages already at our same seating arrangement. Also, on our recent cruise, our server (Som from Thailand) learned quickly that the hubby & oldest son liked scallops a LOT so he'd load extras onto every dish they ordered that had them in it. He also knew that my youngest is a chicken guy and that I love salads. He quickly began making recommendations based upon our likes/dislikes which was really fantastic. It helped a lot! While all this hullabaloo is going on in the 3 main dining rooms at each seating every night, you don't ~have~ to be limited to just those options. Every night there is a full buffet served casually as well as room service options and some quick-serve walk-up windows. The majority of that is all-inclusive. There are a few items on the room service menu that are pre-packaged and are an additional charge. If you stay concierge you can have any dinner from the main dining rooms served to you in your room as well. Alcohol & specialty coffees/beverages are a small additional fee. Then, there's the adults-only upscale dining! You have to make reservations for these & there is an upcharge but it's sooooo worth it to have fully-amazing multi-course meals! At Palo there is a brunch and a dinner ($20/pp). On the larger ships there's Remy for dinner. I can't remember how much the upcharge is. I think it's like $75 or $80 per person but I hear it's totally worth it. I plan to do it next year on our Fantasy cruise!

Also, may save a few bucks, DCL is the only cruise line that I know of that allows you to carry beverages onboard their ships. On our recent cruise we carried on a case of Dasani, a liter bottle of Parrot Bay rum, and a liter bottle of Crown Royal. Saves a fortune in adult beverages!

 

[Phonedave]

Also, may save a few bucks, DCL is the only cruise line that I know of that allows you to carry beverages onboard their ships. On our recent cruise we carried on a case of Dasani, a liter bottle of Parrot Bay rum, and a liter bottle of Crown Royal. Saves a fortune in adult beverages!

There is a corkage fee if you bring your own wine to dinner.

However, the Disney wine program (whatever it is called) is not bad.

It is not a cheap as if you bought it yourself, but it is below the standard (100% over retail) restaurant mark up on wine.

-dave

 

[Laura]

I have a bunch of people say they would never reccomend it for this type of vaca due to it is like little kids run a muck.

I'm guessing the people you are getting advice from have never been on a Disney cruise.

I've been on 3 Disney cruises and there are not little kids running amok. They are either in the kids' clubs, swimming in the children's swimming pool, or participating in organized children's activities. So unless you plan to spend your honeymoon splashing in the Mickey Mouse pool or listening to Wendy tell bedtime stories in Oceaneer's Club, you won't have much interaction with children.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

There is a corkage fee if you bring your own wine to dinner.

However, the Disney wine program (whatever it is called) is not bad.

It is not a cheap as if you bought it yourself, but it is below the standard (100% over retail) restaurant mark up on wine.

-dave

I always forget those corkage fees! Have you brought your own wine before? On our Magic cruise last week I happened to carry my own mixed drink in my plastic Margaritaville cup into Lumiere's at lunch. I was worried they wouldn't let me but they were fine with it. I felt so claaaassy carrying it in, swirlin' it around.... :lol:

 

[StageFrenzy]

I always forget those corkage fees! Have you brought your own wine before? On our Magic cruise last week I happened to carry my own mixed drink in my plastic Margaritaville cup into Lumiere's at lunch. I was worried they wouldn't let me but they were fine with it. I felt so claaaassy carrying it in, swirlin' it around.... :lol:

Well they didn't know it was a mixed drink, could have been just juice.

 

[RandeB]

Guessing that the cruise will feel much more adult friendly than the stay at Disney World.

 

[tractorm3]

The people who told us to stay away from DCL did in fact go on a cruise and are actualy very good freinds of the family. They usualy have the same temperance as us and are usualy very reliable.


We have been watching the videos on you tube and online and getting some great feedback!!!

I have to do some more home work on the fantasy land expansion and if it is going to be open I may just book a honey moon suite in WDW but a cruise is def at the top.

 

[janoimagine]

So my fiance and I are getting married in 2013 july. we have an 8 day trip planned for this sept for WDW and staying at the poly so we dont want to go back so soon for a honeymoon and dont want to do a land and sea thing.

We are looking at cruises for our honeymoon. Of course DCL is on the table for ideas. but I have concerns. Can any one tell me how they are? I have a bunch of people say they would never reccomend it for this type of vaca due to it is like little kids run a muck. I had others say it was great??

Can any one give me an idea of what it has been liek for you?

I had never been on a cruise, didnt want to do a cruise, and was talked into it by my wife (and travel agent ... ) For our honeymoon last year. We did a 3 night on the dream followed by 7 nights at the Wilderness Lodge, I didn't want to get off the boat (and I love the parks, I love food and wine fest, and I love to photograph the parks). In hindsight I would have done a longer cruise if possible. I love the water, and grew up on the inland lakes of Michigan so for me it was fantastic.

A couple pointers, if you can swing it, a cabin with Veranda is a must. It is two of us but we do a family size cabin because I like to have the room. If I were you I would do it and not think twice, but I would do a 7 nighter on the fantasy, because the Dream's only stop outside of Disneys Castaway Cay is Nassau, which we weren't all that thrilled about. The eastern and western carribean cruises look much better to us.

Try it, I think after one cruise you will be hooked, FYI Tammy at Kingdom Konsultants is the Disney Cruise Queen and I would never book another Disney Cruise without her.

 

[Disneyfalcon]

I had never been on a cruise, didnt want to do a cruise, and was talked into it by my wife (and travel agent ... ) For our honeymoon last year. We did a 3 night on the dream followed by 7 nights at the Wilderness Lodge, I didn't want to get off the boat (and I love the parks, I love food and wine fest, and I love to photograph the parks). In hindsight I would have done a longer cruise if possible. I love the water, and grew up on the inland lakes of Michigan so for me it was fantastic.

A couple pointers, if you can swing it, a cabin with Veranda is a must. It is two of us but we do a family size cabin because I like to have the room. If I were you I would do it and not think twice, but I would do a 7 nighter on the fantasy, because the Dream's only stop outside of Disneys Castaway Cay is Nassau, which we weren't all that thrilled about. The eastern and western carribean cruises look much better to us.

Try it, I think after one cruise you will be hooked, FYI Tammy at Kingdom Konsultants is the Disney Cruise Queen and I would never book another Disney Cruise without her.

:lookaroun I wonder who that was? :lol:

Thank you, Jason!

 

[ChuckElias]

I prefer to have the early seating (Main Seating) for dinner. But I have heard that second seating is nice b/c the late hour means fewer kids. Families with smaller kids tend to like to eat dinner at the earlier seating. If this is true, it might be helpful in reducing the "kids running amok" concern.

Can anybody verify if that is true for tractorm?

Now let me add my little rain cloud. I have been on Disney cruises (more than 1, but definitely not the majority) where a few teenagers have gotten bored in the club and decided to entertain themselves on stairwells and in hallways. Loudly. Late at night. And there's not really a whole lot that the crew can do about it. They send somebody up to shoo them away, but they can just re-congregate later or somewhere else.

Let me stress that this is NOT a regular occurrence, and can happen on any cruise line that allows kids on board. But it has happened, and it's a major PITA.

 

[Phonedave]

I always forget those corkage fees! Have you brought your own wine before? On our Magic cruise last week I happened to carry my own mixed drink in my plastic Margaritaville cup into Lumiere's at lunch. I was worried they wouldn't let me but they were fine with it. I felt so claaaassy carrying it in, swirlin' it around.... :lol:

No, I have never brought my own wine. It is too bulky to carry IMHO. IF it was a special bottle, sure, but for run of the mill table wine (or even better than run of the mill) I can see the hassle.

I just do know there is a corkage fee. I asked about it when I did the wine package, because I wanted to know what happend if I did not finish a bottle. at dinner. They would either give it to you (so you can walk around the ship swigging from it ... classy) or they will store it and you can have the rest the next night (with no corkage fee)

-dave

 

[tractorm3]

Thanks every one for the imput! We are def leaniNG towards a Dis cruise. The item still in question is if we are goign to add a land and sea thing. We are going this sept for a full week at the poly and not sure if we want to head back to the world so soon less then a year down the road when we get hitches in july 2013. Dont get me wrong, Disney has always and will always be #1 but at the same time I dont want to make it a more then once a year trip.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Thanks every one for the imput! We are def leaniNG towards a Dis cruise. The item still in question is if we are goign to add a land and sea thing. We are going this sept for a full week at the poly and not sure if we want to head back to the world so soon less then a year down the road when we get hitches in july 2013. Dont get me wrong, Disney has always and will always be #1 but at the same time I dont want to make it a more then once a year trip.

Personally I'm finding that we really enjoy setting out on newer adventures and seeing things we haven't before. If you've not cruised before, if you think you might enjoy a slower pace & more laid-back atmosphere it could really prove to be a good option for you. I hope you enjoy whatever you choose and have a fantastic start to your marriage! :wave: